by herself, but she could still hear her fellow prisoners muttering and shuffling and moaning and snoring, punctuated by the clank and scrape of metal doors opening and slamming shut. She had spent the night staring up at the stained ceiling above her bed, wondering how it was possible that twenty-four hours before, she’d been climbing into Cait’s car, scared as hell but convinced that the worst of it was likely over, that the plan she had so carefully put in place was finally coming off. How stupid she’d been, how naive. She should have known as soon as Rich had turned up on her doorstep that he would find a way to stop her. Even when she’d received the summons, part of her hadn’t believed Patrick would go through with it. Surely it was political suicide to sue your own wife? But she no longer recognized the waters they were swimming in. The tides turned so quickly these days, sweeping everything familiar out to sea. Now she was out there, alone and drowning.
That wasn’t true. She had Cait. She hadn’t been able to speak with Cait this morning—the clothes had been left at the front desk—but she’d seen the Jeep parked in the lot as they bundled her into the cruiser, and she’d watched it following all the way to Lubbock. So, no, she wasn’t alone. She had a woman she’d met only the day before, but who she knew now would stay by her side.
Rebecca straightened her back as she watched the police officer circle the cruiser and open her door. Time to go.
Flashbulbs popped as the officer pulled her from the backseat and escorted her through the crowd. The courthouse looked like most courthouses in America, built to intimidate and impose. A woman in a dark suit was waiting at the entrance and smiled when she shook Rebecca’s hand.
“I’m Cathy, and I’ll be representing you in court today,” she said in a calm and reassuring tone. “Cait alerted us to your situation. I’ve had a look at the case file and I’m confident we can get the ruling overturned. Judge Duley is going to be presiding today, and he’s good: tough but fair, and a real stickler for the letter of the law. There’s no legal basis in Texas for your husband’s case, and frankly, I’m shocked that the injunction was allowed in the first place.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “That said, I’ve known Judge Proctor a long time, and I have no doubt he thinks this is his ticket to the circuit court.” She straightened up and put a reassuring hand on Rebecca’s arm. “Do you have any questions?”
Rebecca swallowed a wave of nausea and shook her head. “Thank you,” she said weakly. “For doing this.”
The lawyer smiled at her. “It’s my pleasure. I live to give people like this hell.” She squeezed her arm. “I think it’s very brave, what you’re doing.”
Rebecca shook her head. “I don’t feel particularly brave.”
“Well, you are. You have to be. We all do.” Cathy gestured toward the entrance. “Are you ready?”
Rebecca looked through the doorway into the marble foyer, where a bronze relief of Lady Justice was mounted on the wall. She took a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be.”
Lubbock County Courthouse, Lubbock, Texas
The bailiff cleared his throat and a hush fell over the courtroom. “All rise for the Honorable Jonathan Duley.”
Cait watched Rebecca’s back straighten as the judge walked into the courtroom. Cait was in the back row—the front was reserved for family and the press—already sweating into the polyester button-down she’d bought at Family Dollar. She’d remembered Rebecca had been wearing Cait’s old leggings when she was arrested, so she’d bought her an outfit, a black cardigan and pants that she noticed, with some satisfaction, fit her perfectly. The clothes made Rebecca look polished and confident, though Cait could see even from twenty feet away that her shoulders were shaking.
Her husband was standing across the aisle from her, looking like a jilted groom with his dark suit and stricken expression. Good. Cait hoped he felt like the shit that he’d proved himself to be.
Next to him was a smarmy man in a too-tight suit, trying not to look pleased with himself and failing. That must be the campaign manager Rebecca mentioned, Cait thought. Asshole.
Judge Duley asked them to sit down, and the proceedings got under way. Cait tried to follow the back-and-forth between the lawyers, but most of it went over her head. It was clear to