Roman's Vow (Riley's Pride #4) - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,26
you back in this courtroom in sixty days.” Then he turned to Patrick. “Have your ducks in a row, counselor.”
“I always do, your honor,” Patrick answered.
The judge stood and exited the courtroom, and the officers moved to collect Talie to remove her from the courtroom and back to her jail cell across town.
“Talie,” Roman said.
Talie looked over her shoulder at Roman.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m taking you home soon,” Roman said.
Talie teared up again, just the stress of the whole situation. “I’m trying,” she said.
The officers led her away and just before she disappeared through the doors Roman called out to her. “I love you, Talie.”
Talie glanced over her shoulder at Roman and mouthed the words back to him. “Love you.”
Roman’s chest pounded, and he didn’t know if he wanted to scream and rip the courtroom apart or shout with joy because she’d said she loved him, too.
“I’m sorry, Roman. They wouldn’t have allowed you to touch her so I didn’t even try to make it happen. It’s too easy to have contraband passed to a prisoner in a setting like this. Not that you would, but many would try,” Patrick said.
“It’s understandable,” Riley answered, since Roman was lost still staring at the door Talie had gone through.
After a full minute Roman turned and looked at Patrick. “I want her out. Now,” he said, a growl in his voice.
“I’m sure you do, and I want her out, too. But if we do anything we shouldn’t she’d be back in here so fast your head would spin and she might not get out again. Follow the system, Roman.”
“He’s right,” Ms. Autry said.
“It doesn’t always work!” he snapped, his growl still rumbling in his chest.
“For me it does. I know how to work it and I’m the best at what I do. Let me do it,” Patrick said, stepping up to Roman so closely he was almost touching him to convey how certain he was.
There was an uncomfortable pause while Roman and Patrick just looked at each other.
“Sixty days,” Roman said.
“Sixty days,” Patrick answered. “A lot can happen in sixty days.”
Roman gave a nod and turned, leaving the courtroom.
“We’ll be in touch,” Patrick said, turning to Riley.
“Please. Often,” Riley said.
“And you’ll be in touch as well, if anything should come to your attention,” Patrick said.
“Of course,” Riley said, deciding to explain Roman’s behavior. “Look, Roman is having a very hard…”
Patrick shook his head. “Not necessary. I know only too well what he’s dealing with. I get it. Keep him calm and I’ll get his wife out.”
“And I’m going back to pay that neighbor a visit,” Ms. Autry said. “Can you give me the address?”
“Yeah, I can,” Riley said. He rattled off the address, then described where the house was located in relation to Frederick’s. Once he was done and Ms. Autry was on her way out of the courtroom, Riley turned back to Patrick.
“You need anything else from us?” he asked.
“No. We’ve got some work to do, but there’s nothing you can do to help. Just look after your friend,” Patrick said.
“Alright, thank you for everything you’re doing. I’ll see ya’ll next time,” Riley said, before walking out of the courtroom to track down Roman.
Riley found Roman standing outside the courthouse, on the curb, watching all the vehicles that drove past.
“What ‘cha doing, Roman?” Riley asked.
“Watching for the van taking my wife back to jail,” Roman said.
“You’re not thinking of breaking her out?” Riley asked.
“Thought about it. Decided I’d give it sixty days. Now I just want to be sure she sees me here, watching for her.”
“Okay,” Riley said, standing beside Roman and watching all the vehicles that left the parking garage behind the court house. They had to drive up a side access street and turn past where he and Roman stood, so if she was in one of them, she’d surely see them. About ten minutes later a non-descript white van turned from the courthouse access road onto the main street in front of them. The county name and the word ‘prisoners’ was painted on the side of the van. As it went by it slowed and the back window rolled down slightly. The female guard that escorted Talie to the meeting the day before and to court today looked out at them before leaning back so they could see Talie sitting beside her. Talie and Roman locked eyes while Talie smiled at Roman sadly. The guard gave Roman a nod of acknowledgment, then she rolled the darkened window back up.