The Defendant (22 page)

She’d wanted to go to Daniel straight afterward and reassure him her evidence hadn’t been a personal attack, but he’d turned away from her and his slight had eaten away at her courage.

Chase had been in the courtroom. She’d been aware of him all day and had been more than relieved when the judge finally called an end to the proceedings. The questions she’d put to Chase the night before had been ignored. It was almost as if he didn’t
have
an explanation for his actions so long ago. Or if he did, he didn’t deem it worth sharing them a decade later.

The thought made her angry and sad all at the same time and she was more determined than ever to forget all about Chase Barrington. Accepting an invitation from a young, good-looking doctor was just the thing she needed to put her past where it belonged.

The heavy wooden door to The Bullet opened and Josie looked up and spied Rohan. He was dressed as she’d seen him earlier that morning, in a stylish suit and tie, but within moments of coming to a halt by her side near the bar, he disposed of the tie and loosened the top buttons of his shirt.

“Ah, that feels better,” he grinned and tucked the tie into the pocket of his jacket. “What a day! I swear every young mother in Watervale had an infant sick with the flu. I should have gone home for a shower. I’m probably covered in germs.”

Josie smiled and let her gaze wander over his physique. His broad shoulders tapered into narrow hips and his stomach appeared washboard flat beneath his shirt. His brown eyes sparkled with good humor and contrasted nicely with the dark blond of his hair. All in all, Doctor Wheeler was a very tidy package. She cursed silently under her breath when her body refused to react to his presence the way she wanted it to.

Damn Chase Barrington.
He was the reason she’d remained boyfriendless these past ten years. Despite her best efforts and a string of offers, she hadn’t found anyone she connected with like she had with Chase. And boy, had she tried. Even her younger sister Chanel had teased her about it when they shared an apartment together in Brisbane. It became a running joke between them about who Josie might date next. Most of them didn’t last long. It only took her a date, two at the most, to know it was never going to work. Just another thing she could blame on Chase.

So, now she smiled and tried her hardest to find some kind of personal connection with the handsome doctor. He was smart and funny and about her age and there was nothing stopping her from encouraging his interest. And he was definitely interested.

From the moment they’d met, he’d sent out an interested vibe and until now, she’d done her best to ignore it. Her heart was still hopelessly tangled up with Chase and her head was no better. It wasn’t fair to involve herself with someone else while she still yearned to be with another, but last night it had become more than clear it was time she got over Chase Barrington and moved on with her life. The fairy tale ending she’d dreamed of was never going to happen.

“You look fine to me,” she answered and flashed him another smile. “What are you drinking?”

“You’re buying, are you?”

Josie shrugged and gave him a wink. “Think of it as my way of saying thank you for helping me forget such a trying day.”

“How did it go?”

Josie’s smile faded. “Okay, I guess. My evidence withstood the barrage from the defense. I think I came across as believable. Their psychologist takes the stand tomorrow. If the judge sides with me, Daniel will be committed to the Supreme Court to stand trial for murder.”

Rohan’s lips compressed and he nodded in understanding. The sympathy in his eyes nearly undid her. He stepped closer and squeezed her arm in a show of comfort. “It couldn’t have been easy for you.”

The gentle understanding in his voice, coupled with the comforting pressure from his fingers filled her with emotion. Tears burned behind her eyes. As if sensing her precarious emotional state, he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head against his well-muscled chest and breathed out on a heavy sigh.

* * *

Chase pushed open the door to The Bullet and headed straight for the bar. After a day in court giving evidence and watching Josie do the same, he needed a drink. Halfway across the room he spied her and came to a sudden halt.

She was pressed up against the doctor—Rohan something-or-other—who shared her office space. Some of her hair had come loose and hung in soft waves down her back. Her face was turned away and buried against Rohan’s shirt. Chase watched as she shuddered and saw Rohan tighten his hold.

Surprise followed by disbelief and anger surged through him. It was an emotion that was totally uncalled for. He had no claim on her. He’d made it clear last night that he had no intention of taking up where they’d left off. She was a free agent, free to see whoever she pleased. That she’d taken refuge in the arms of the doctor was none of Chase’s business.

So why was he feeling so jealous?
And jealousy, it was. He was man enough to own up to the fact that the sight of her in another man’s arms was enough to drive him crazy. He wanted her and loved her, but he had to let her go. It was for the best.
Wasn’t it?
Right now, he didn’t know.

He walked toward them with his face on fire—from want, from need, from despair. He was almost upon them when he spun on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. He needed to get as far away from them as he could get.

He glanced over his shoulder and was relieved to see they hadn’t noticed him. He pulled up a seat at the far end of the bar. With several other patrons between them, he hoped she wouldn’t see him. The bartender appeared and Chase quickly ordered a beer. A moment later, the drink arrived and he gulped greedily from the glass. Making short work of it, he promptly ordered another.

“Hi, there handsome. Would you care to buy a lady a drink?”

Chase lifted his head and stared at the stranger who’d spoken. It was only a little past five on a Tuesday afternoon, but already the woman was done up for a night on the town. Her reddish dark hair was piled high on her head and her full lips were bright with red lipstick. The rest of her makeup had also been applied with a heavy hand.

She wasn’t unattractive and her smile was downright nice, but the last thing Chase needed was the company of another woman. He blinked and tried to come up with a suitable way to decline the bold invitation in her eyes. Taking his silence for encouragement, she reached out and ran her hand along the inside of his thigh. His muscles bunched involuntarily. He moved her hand away and her face fell.

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I-I’ve had a rough day and I’m far from good company. You might want to spend your time and energies elsewhere.”

Her mouth tightened and her eyes narrowed, but she slid off the stool without another word and moved further down the bar away from him. His gaze once again snagged on Josie, who had separated herself from the doctor. She stood close enough that it was obvious they were together, but at least he no longer had his arms around her.

While Chase watched, Josie took a call on her phone. She turned away from Rohan toward Chase and his heart leaped into his throat. Spinning on the barstool, he turned his back on her and prayed she hadn’t spotted him. He wasn’t ready to deal with her face to face with the knowledge that she was in the bar with another man.

His irrational emotions weren’t fair to either of them, but they were out of his control. Right now, all he wanted to do was drown his sorrows in another glass or two and do his best to forget all about Josie Munro.

* * *

Josie checked the Caller ID on her phone and then glanced back at Rohan. “I’m really sorry, but I have to take this.” Turning away from him, she answered the call.

“Hi, Belinda. How are things?”

“Josie, I’m glad I caught you. I’ve been having difficulty placing the Logan boys. I contacted a relative this morning, but she still hasn’t arrived in town. I-I’d take them home with me, but I really don’t have any room. I live in a one-bedroom apartment. I’m not sure how it would work.”

Before Belinda had even finished, Josie was nodding. “It’s okay, Belinda. I’m happy to have them for another night. In fact, as long as you need me. I’m happy to help out.”

Belinda’s relief was palpable, even over the phone. “Josie, are you sure? That would be fantastic. You don’t know how much it would help me out.”

“Of course I’m sure. I’m more than happy to help. I have a spare room with twin beds, so having them stay longer won’t be a problem.”

“Oh, thank you, Josie. You’re a life saver. Giving the Logan boys a little stability right now will do them both good. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Belinda, please. Stop thanking me. It’s fine. Like I said, I’m happy to be of assistance.” Josie glanced at Rohan who was trying hard not to listen. “Where are they now?”

“They’re with me. I collected Jason from school earlier and picked up Daniel outside the courtroom. He’s on bail until court resumes tomorrow morning.”

“Okay. Give me your address and I’ll come around and get them. I’m still in town.”

After taking down the details on the back of a beer coaster, Josie ended the call and shot an apologetic look in Rohan’s direction.

“I’m really sorry…”

He shrugged. “It’s fine. You have to go. I understand.”

Relief surged through her. Rohan Wheeler was a good man. She determined then and there to try harder to force her brain to see him as more than merely a friend.

“Thanks for meeting me here and for…everything,” she said and meant it.

“No problem. Thanks for the drink. Perhaps we could do it again sometime.”

Josie smiled and nodded. “I’d like that.”

* * *

The night had quietly settled in and The Bullet was more than crowded when Chase lifted his head again and stared down the length of the bar. With a frown and a savage curse, he realized Josie and her companion were gone. He hadn’t noticed them leaving. He hoped it wasn’t hand in hand. The image sent another surge of helpless anger flooding through him and he signaled for another drink.

“Hey, Chase. Mind if I join you?”

Chase turned his head to greet the newcomer and his eyes widened at the sight of his boss.

“Riley, yeah, of course,” he mumbled, indicating the empty barstool beside him. “Take a seat.”

“How was your day in court? I take it things didn’t go well?”

Chase narrowed his eyes at his boss. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, you look like you’ve just buried your best friend. I’m making a radical assumption that if things had gone well, you’d be a helluva lot cheerier than this.”

Chase pressed his lips together and nodded in agreement with Riley’s summary of events.

“You’ve hit the nail on the head, boss, only, it has nothing to do with the court case.”

“I see. It’s like that.” Riley pulled a stool up beside him and ordered himself a beer.

“I’ll have one too, thanks, boss.”

A single dark eyebrow rose in silent query.

“Really? I think you might be best to sit this one out. You’re due back in court tomorrow, aren’t you?”

Chase nodded morosely and contemplated the scarred wood of the bar in silence. Then he shook his head. “She’s something all right.”

Riley frowned. “Who?”

“Your sister. She’s got me running around in circles. I don’t know which way is up. I love her too much to hurt her, but somehow, I just can’t walk away.”

“Whoa, hold up there, Chase. What the hell are you talking about? How could you be in love with Josie? You haven’t seen each other for a decade.”

Chase shook his head again. “I’ve loved her since the moment I first set eyes on her, in the bleachers at Grafton High School. I was playing football for Watervale. She was supposed to be cheerleading, only she fell over in practice a few days earlier and broke her leg.”

“Hey, I remember that! I couldn’t believe anyone could break a leg during cheerleading practice. I gave her such a hard time over it,” Riley grinned.

“That was the first day I met her,” Chase whispered. “It was supposed to be the first day of the rest of our lives.”

Riley frowned. “Wait a minute. Josie broke her leg in the eleventh grade. I remember because I wasn’t long out of the Academy and I was stationed north of Lismore. She had to have surgery. They put in a few screws and a couple of plates. I remember visiting her in the hospital.”

Chase stared at Riley. “Yeah, that’s right.”

“But I thought you didn’t meet her until just before she graduated? Isn’t that what you said?”

“I don’t know what I said, but I’m telling you now, I met her at the bleachers that day and she was wearing a big white cast.”

Riley narrowed his gaze. “What else haven’t I been told?”

Becoming aware he might have said too much, Chase shrugged. He’d kept their secret for a lifetime. Then suddenly, he was through with it. It was time to tell the truth.

“Josie and I dated for nearly a year before her graduation. We were in love. We were going to get married. Only…only…we didn’t. Something happened and we didn’t.”

Riley’s gaze widened in disbelief and then showed the slightest hint of anger. Chase did his best not to squirm. His head was thick and sluggish and he suddenly wished he hadn’t had so many beers.