Butterflies swarmed my stomach as I sat in the passenger side of Ryan's truck. I stared out of the windshield as he pulled into the posh office building's parking lot and knew my money was going to help keep Veronica Herring's name painted on the glass door.
After Ryan parks, he looks to me and says, "This should be the easy part. She's just going to have you go over everything again to make sure there are no holes in your statement. She's one of the best prosecutors in Mississippi so you're in good hands. She wants this conviction." I nod to him and he leans over to give me a reassuring kiss. I push my door open and he holds my hand while we walk inside. Veronica's office is even more swanky inside and it's almost jarring to see a colorful modern office in Oxford. Her assistant guides us into a small conference room off to the side of the entrance where the windows face the back of the building. I look to Ryan as I settle into the comfortable leather chair and say, "The lack of sunlight in here feels ominous. We went from bright and optimistic to the room of doom back here."
"Stay positive Sawyer. She's here to help us remember?" Ryan reminds me, but I still hate everything about this whole case. I don't even want to relive it with a lawyer in a small room let alone in a courthouse where all of Hollis can listen in. I nod to him but my leg continues to bounce up and down from anxiety. Finally, a fierce, raven-haired woman comes barreling in and I understand why she's a prosecutor. Her bold red tailored suit has my eyes glued to her and her large blue eyes feel like they can devour my soul.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hart, I'm Veronica Herring it's so nice to finally meet you," she states as she holds out a freshly lacquered hand to us. We drop back into our seats and Veronica opens a folder she had tucked under her arm out on the table, "So you formally pressed charges against Roderick Cunningham correct? I think I have the initial police report here," she says as her eyes scan the pages. She flips through them and then looks back to me, "May I ask why you originally spoke with the police on January 1st, but are just now pressing charges?"
I nod, "I wanted to file sexual assault and battery charges on the 1st, but I found out that Rory had planned to file assault charges on Ryan if I had done so."
"So he's been manipulating you since January into keeping quiet," she notes before flicking her piercing gaze to Ryan, "Mr. Hart, I understand you were a federal agent up until a month ago and had remained connected to Rory's case for the past two years."
"Yes, I started making connections when I was in South Carolina and was instructed to stay on the case after moving here to Hollis last September."
"Okay, well in that case, would you mind if I took this statement from Sawyer alone? So that way, you can't sway her on her answers or memories?" Veronica asks me and I'm stunned by her remark.
"Oh, I would never lie because Ryan is attached-" I start but Ryan cuts me off, "I understand. The last thing we need is for someone to cry collusion."
Veronica nods and then shuffles her papers back into the file folder. Ryan looks at me and says, "I want to hold your hand through this, but I don't want my involvement to backfire either." I stare into his anxious green eyes and know I have to do this alone. I nod to him after taking a deep breath in. He swipes my cheek with his thumb and says, "I'll be in the hallway. If at any time you need me, come and get me okay? I'll be right outside this door." I watch as he pushes himself out of the chair and he glances to me one last time before pulling the door open. After the door is shut behind him, Veronica looks back at me and says, "Now Sawyer, I am going to try and clear up any confusion and may ask for clarification over some of the things you have here in your statement. Your case is a bit different than Molly's because you have video and audio evidence of the night in question. However, you've been used as an asset in a previous F.B.I case led by Special Agent Hart and your brother correct?"
I nod, surprised that she knows I was involved in Simon Carmichael's case as well. She then continues, "Now what worries me, is that in the Carmichael case, you were pulled from witness protection after accidentally ingesting a hallucinogen that you found on the property correct?"
I nod again and reply, "I thought it was a pain reliever."
"And Ryan disobeyed orders and went and removed you from the property correct?"
I falter for a second and before I answer her question I reply, "Why does this pertain to Rory's case? I kind of feel like I am the one on trial here." Veronica looks up from her notes and places her folded hands in front of her.
"I told you I wanted to clarify a few things. I just need to catch any detail the defense can latch onto and Ryan and your history will definitely be something they are thoroughly researching."
"Our history? But this is an issue with Rory and me-"
"Mrs. Hart, the defense is trying to make you and Molly not credible. And a part of making you not credible is making all of your accusations seem like an over-exaggeration or straight-out lies. One angle they can already pursue, just off the facts I have from Ryan's file, is the jealous ex. That you were caught by Ryan in a compromising position and Ryan lashed out. You are sparing Ryan's feelings by claiming it was assault and not consensual."
I let out an angry laugh and slap my hand on the counter, "This entire town knows I am never one to cry wolf, especially with an accusation of this magnitude. The defense would really try and pull that? Even with the audio recording?"
"It's not a guarantee the video or the audio will be admissible as evidence. The defense is trying everything to get it thrown out. So that's why I have to ask you, did Ryan disobey direct orders by removing you from the Hemming property?"
I shake my head, "He disobeyed orders to have any physical contact with me while I was staying at the Hemming's. He found me in the woods because he thought I was in danger- which I was- but he didn't remove me from the property."
"We have a statement from Jackson Hemming that said Ryan hit him for saying a lewd comment about you. He agreed he deserved it, but it also shows that Ryan has a history of violence when provoked."
"I wouldn't say violence," I reply but then Veronica takes out photos and displays them in front of me. I had never seen Rory after Ryan attacked him on New Year's Eve. The photos show Rory with a swollen left eye, a fat lip and dried blood around his nose. Veronica looks to me and says, "The jury may see it differently if this goes to trial."
I push the photos away as I snap, "Where are the photos they took of my face? Or of my hip? My ripped underwear was left in the office and there is a video of the state my dress was in when I left." Veronica lowers her hands as she says, "Sawyer, I am not trying to upset you. But if I can so easily get to you, the defense will have a heyday. I'm trying to get you familiar with the defense before you are forced to take the stand."
"So you are on my side? You understand that Ryan has zero history of violence during his time in the F.B.I correct? That I wouldn't make this story up because Ryan was jealous of Rory?" I spew out, and Veronica shakes her head at my outburst.
"Ryan has a completely clean record until September of last year, which was when his relationship with you started. Since then, he has disobeyed direct orders twice. Both of which, because you were on drugs and with a man. It doesn't look good from that angle correct? Which is what the defense is going to harp on. This makes my job tough and I need to make sure you are ready for all of this," Veronica asks me and I am breathing hard. I am not ready for all of this. I do not want all of this to be thrown around a courtroom to make it seem like a lover's spat that I am pinning on Rory. She tilts her head and patiently waits for me to say something.
"I was at work when Rory came into my office, shoved his LSD-covered finger down my throat and proceeded to rip my clothes off. All without any consent. I understand Ryan may have acted unprofessionally after, but I can think of at least three guys that would have pummeled Rory if Ryan hadn't. So if that is going to be their angle, then you better tell me how I can shove that angle up Rory's smug asshole," I seethe and I watch as Veronica smirks. She nods as she says, "Molly also came in here looking like a deer in the headlights, ready to throw up at any second. I was wrong about both of you, I thought I'd rattle you to make sure neither was willing to recant or ready to dismiss all charges."
"I'm ready to fight Mrs. Herring. Rory almost ruined my life and to him, it was a game. When I saw him last, he was laughing about it and asking if I wanted to go for round two," I tell her and I watch her brow furrow. She snaps her head back as she asks, "Rory was not to have any contact with you after January 2nd. That was clearly stated to him by his lawyers before he left the station. When did you see him last?"
"I saw him in London when I was there in June. I actually saw him twice while I was there," I admit and she starts flipping through pages in her folder. She then pulls her notebook toward her and finds a pen on the desk behind her. She then looks at me and quizzically asks, "Why were you with Rory in London?"
"I wasn't with Rory, I was visiting my boyfriend at the time who is an acquaintance of Rory. Sebastian Crawford," I tell her and I see her mouth open in an O, putting pieces together.
"Yes, we do also have statements from Sebastian when we were investigating his plane and travel ledgers. You never came up in any of the questionings though," she tells me while jotting down her notes.
"Well unless he was directly asked, why would he volunteer details about a past relationship?" I ask her. She nods and I add, "I told him everything that happened with Rory. When I found Rory at his flat I flipped out. Sebastian called Rory and told him to stay away while I was there, but he came over one night while we were visiting his parents."
"So you have witnesses that saw Rory in London with Sebastian Crawford?"
I nod, "Yes, several people. Sebastian's friends knew we were fighting because I told Sebastian I didn't want him doing this new business venture with Rory in Singapore. So several people knew I had an issue with Rory."
"Rory and Sebastian had plans to do business together in Singapore?" Veronica asks me, stunned at the revelation. I hadn't come in here planning to throw Sebastian under the bus, but I worry that's exactly what I may have done. I flit my eyes away from her, not wanting to answer. I twist my hands together while she stares at me with her piercing blue eyes and I try my best to avoid her gaze.
"Sawyer, we have no record of Rory in Singapore or any evidence that shows Sebastian Crawford was in business with him, so this could be huge."
I shake my head, "Sebastian wasn't in the drug business with Rory he was..." I try and think back to if Bash ever actually told me what he and his friends were up to. "Well I don't... actually know, but Sebastian was getting his life together and told me this would help him build a life apart from the Crawford estate. I doubt the drug trade would put him in a good position with his parents."
"Maybe he's not involved with Rory, but he did lie in his statement. He said he hadn't seen Rory since Cannes and he never once mentioned his relationship with you."
"Yes, but if any of you have done any investigative research, it wasn't all that hard to discover. There are pictures of us together in the Hollis Herald." Veronica sighs out and then closes her folder. She taps the top of it with her pen while taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She then says, "So Sebastian is a close friend of Rory's and there is evidence that you dated. It must have been somewhat serious if you flew to London- where Rory happened to be." She sighs again and then says, "Looking over all of this doesn't look good. Not getting into the specifics of your and Sebastian's relationship...he was a friend and potential business partner with Rory who failed to mention you in his statement. I need time to digest all of this and to get with Mr. Crawford."
"I feel like you're not mad, you're just disappointed in me," I tell Veronica, wondering why annoyance is currently oozing off of her. She quickly shakes her head, "I just didn't realize how tangled this web is and I need to do everything in my power to make Rory guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Right now...I can't do that, so my advice to you is to stay away from Sebastian and anyone associated with the Cunninghams. Put as much distance between you and them as possible."
"I am supposed to judge the Junior Miss pageant with Dot Cunningham this Saturday," I tell Veronica but she viciously shakes her head no.
"You do not go willingly into the snake pit you hear me? I already have your report on the brick thrown through your brother's window, I do not need any more provoking from either side of this." I nod to her and she adds, "You need to make everyone around you think you are in a happy marriage with Ryan Hart and Sebastian Crawford was a past mistake made long ago. You're not friendly with the Crawfords or the Cunninghams you hear me?" I think back to Sebastian warning me about the Cunninghams and I feel like I need to warn him that I may have thrown him into some serious shit. Or at this point, do I even trust that he wasn't already in some serious shit and he just hid it all from me?
I nod, "I'll stay away from them." She stands from her chair and then shakes my hand, "We'll be in touch." I drop my hand and she beats me out the door. When I make it into the hallway I find Ryan leaning against the magenta wall and he asks, "How'd it go?" I look down the hallway and watch Veronica sashay around the corner before replying, "I don't think it went well."