Chapter 19 - The Courtroom Grin
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Three days later, we attended Damian’s preliminary bail hearing in federal court.
Chloe sat beside Robert at the prosecution table, wearing a sharp, tailored blazer. She looked stronger, her posture straight, refusing to cower. I sat right behind her in the gallery.
Damian was led into the courtroom wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, his ankles chained. He looked haggard, but as he sat at the defense table, he didn't look defeated.
In fact, he was smiling.
The judge banged his gavel. “Given the severity of the federal RICO charges and the flight risk, the prosecution demands remand without bail.”
Damian’s high-priced defense attorney stood up. “Your Honor, my client has deep ties to the community. We have a private benefactor willing to post a cash bond of five million dollars immediately.”
The entire courtroom gasped. Five million dollars in pure cash.
“Elias,” Robert whispered to me, his face pale. “Elias is buying his silence.”
The judge scowled, reviewing the paperwork. “The funds have been verified. Bail is granted, under strict house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.”
My heart stopped. They were letting him out.
As the guards uncuffed Damian to fit the ankle monitor, he turned around and looked directly at Chloe. The arrogant, sociopathic grin returned to his face.
He didn't speak, but he mouthed three words perfectly so only we could see them:
May you like
See you soon.
Panic seized my chest. If Elias Thorne had paid five million dollars to get Damian out, it wasn't to save him. It was to use him to clean up the loose ends before the trial. And Chloe was the biggest loose end of all.
