First to Fall Read online

  Aiden shrugged his hand off.

  ‘But she needs you. If she dies over this you will have blood on your hands.’

  ‘How dare you speak to me like that?’ Father West shot up, angry. ‘You can leave now, Mr. Connelly.’

  ‘Gladly.’ Aiden got to his feet and smoothed his shirt down. ‘Your loyalty lies with God, not with Avalon or any of the assholes who live here. Your job is to keep people’s faith alive. How can you turn your back on her knowing what she has been through?’

  ‘If I don’t testify?’

  ‘I have some evidence but it is not nearly enough. Buck Fern will contest every document I produce, I know he will. Brandy has no one who knows her like you do. Only you and I are aware of the atrocities Brandon committed towards her. If you stay silent, how can you come and preach to people about forgiveness and God’s will?’

  Father West was torn. His feelings for Brandy had already clouded his judgement once before, he would be foolish to let it happen again. But Aiden Connelly was a good, decent man, he could see that. He was willing to sacrifice his reputation, his livelihood, in order to preserve a young woman’s life. Surely he was man enough to do the same?

  ‘I’ll do it. Just tell me where to be.’

  Aiden smiled. He had worried for a moment that the priest would fail him but it looked like he was coming through. With Father West testifying that Brandon had indeed abused his wife, Brandy would surely walk with a life sentence. The likes of Buck Fern and Clyde White would have to eat their words as they learnt the sordid truth about their beloved Brandon.

  ‘Brandy is lucky to have you on her case. Anyone else would have just let it be.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Your wife must be very proud of you.’

  Aiden merely nodded, knowing full well that of all the things Isla currently felt towards him, pride was most certainly not one of them.

  As Aiden left the church he remembered an old quote: ‘If God is on our side, how can we lose?’ Indeed, how could he now lose, with Father West on his side? Avalon may well fear the likes of Clyde White and Buck Fern, but surely they feared God even more? He headed over to his offices, jubilant, but knew better than to believe he had won just yet.

  In the quiet cool of the office Aiden sat and collected his thoughts. Brandy’s trial was fast approaching and he needed to be ready. Knowing that Father West would be testifying helped calm a lot of his nerves. Once the trial was over things could settle down again. He’d take Isla and Meegan out somewhere nice for the day to help make things better. Even though his wife had threatened to leave him if he continued with the manslaughter plea he wasn’t backing down. He knew it was just an idle threat from her; she made so many of them that he was used to it by now.

  Aiden had been working solidly for an hour when Edmond Cope came bustling through the door, laden down with files.

  ‘Morning, Edmond, are you feeling better?’ His partner certainly appeared to be in perfect health as he settled himself down at his desk.

  ‘Ahh, yes, Aiden my lad, feeling grand now.’ Calling him ‘lad’ signified that he was not feeling any animosity towards him over the case which Aiden was extremely thankful for. Edmond Cope was a kind and warm gentleman whom he would have hated to have lost as a friend over it all.

  ‘Glad to have you back.’ He smiled at Edmond fondly.

  ‘It is good to be back. Mrs. Cope just fusses over me all the time when I’m at home. Don’t get a minute’s peace!’

  Edmond spent a few moments arranging the clutter on his desk before pressing down on the intercom button.

  ‘Betty, two coffees,’ he said sharply.

  ‘Right away,’ came her crackled response.

  ‘Hope the old girl has been all right with you, son. She was just very fond of Brandon and can’t take to the revelation that perhaps he, you know…’

  ‘It isOK, I understand. A lot of people have been quite sore about it all.’

  ‘I’ve no doubt!’ Edmond laughed. ‘Folks round here can be mighty mean when they want to be.’

  ‘Well…’ Aiden hesitated before carrying on. He wanted to confide in someone and felt that he could trust Edmond. He hadn’t turned his back on him like everyone else had which said something.

  ‘My wife thinks that Clyde White threatened her and my daughter in the grocery store.’ He went with his gut instinct and blurted it out. ‘I mean, I’ve met the guy and he seemed fine. I’m hoping it was just to scare her and me. He wouldn’t ever do anything, would he?’

  ‘What, Clyde?’ Edmond’s eyes were wide with surprise. ‘I’d say no, son, but he is tight with Buck Fern. Those two go way back. I’ve known him in the past, when people have really pissed him off, to have them inundated with speeding fines and parking tickets, small stuff like that. He’d never hurt a soul though.’

  ‘Parking tickets I can handle. She is just pretty spooked.’

  ‘I can imagine. But it will all be over soon and be yesterday’s news. You just need to buckle down and ride out the rest of the storm.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ve just got a feeling that things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better.’

  As Betty placed down the coffee mugs she smiled warmly at Edmond but didn’t even glance up at Aiden. He didn’t like making people mad like this but it had to be done. Edmond chuckled to himself when she left the room.

  ‘She’s a stubborn old mule, I’ll say that much for her!’

  ‘I hope she doesn’t stay stubborn for long though.’

  ‘No, give her a couple of days and like most women, she will have calmed down and realised she was making a fuss over nothing.’

  Aiden wondered how things were going to be after the trial. He knew that it was all dependent upon the final verdict. If Brandy were to die, people would be happy; if she were allowed to live he was expecting a hefty backlash of anger from Avalon. Either way, he lost.

  ‘How is the case coming along, you all ready?’

  ‘As ready as I’ll ever be.’

  ‘It will need to be watertight if you want it to stick.’

  ‘Yeah, I know.’

  The evidence that he had gathered was flimsy at best, and Brandy didn’t have the best track record for honesty. As long as Father West took to the stand as he had said he would, things would be fine.

  ‘You are looking awfully worried,’ Edmond noted, concerned.

  ‘I am,’ he sighed.

  ‘Just remember not to get your hopes up, or to get too attached. There is every chance that your case might fall through and she will still get the chamber. You need to be ready for that.’

  ‘I am ready,’ Aiden lied when really he wasn’t ready at all. He was pinning everything onto the hope that Brandy would receive a life sentence. If she were sentenced to death, he didn’t know what he would do. He was far too attached, to the case, to her. He knew it wasn’t ethical or professional and he hated himself for it, but he cared about Brandy White. Her story was a sad one but he’d give anything for her to at least have something of a happy ending.

  The afternoon slipped by and by four Edmond was packing up ready to go home.

  ‘I’ll be at the trial.’

  Aiden was surprised as he hadn’t expected him to attend.

  ‘I’ve being going back and forth on it in my mind as I didn’t want to get involved but I figured you might appreciate seeing a friendly face in there.’

  ‘Thanks, Edmond, I will.’

  ‘That doesn’t mean that I condone what you are doing. You’ve upset a hell of a lot of people. But you’ve got moxy, kid, and that I respect. I made the right choice in hiring you.’

  ‘That means a lot.’

  ‘I’d wish you luck, but we both know that it takes a lot more than luck to win a case.’

  ‘It sure does.’

  Aiden felt comforted knowing that Edmond would be there. He was ready to defend Brandy, he was ready to take on Avalon.

  Chapter Eleven: People in Glass Houses

&
nbsp; Time seemed to fly on swift wings and Aiden found himself on the morning of the trial. The grey from the walls of Eastham prison seemed to have leaked out and now coated the rest of the world. A light mist had descended upon Avalon as he drove out to the courthouse. He wondered if many people would show up as it was a fair distance from the town, but when he pulled into the parking lot he was surprised by what he saw. There were dozens of people, maybe even a hundred in total. Some had banners bearing messages such as ‘Justice for Brandon’. He recognised the uniform of some Avalon Angels players amongst the faces. It was all quite a commotion. As he got out of his car a woman with a microphone dashed over, followed by a man with a video camera.

  ‘We believe this to be her lawyer,’ she was saying to the camera as she ran over. Aiden sighed; this was going to be a long day.

  ‘Hi.’ The woman shoved the microphone into his face. ‘You are representing Brandy White, who murdered her husband, Brandon, in cold blood. Is it true you are no longer conducting this as a murder case?’

  He shoved the microphone out of his way and headed towards the courthouse. As people realised who he was they began to gather round and chant ‘Justice for Avalon’s Angel’. Where were the police to calm this mob? He should have known that Buck Fern wouldn’t offer any support. He pushed past the protesters and their signs and was glad to get inside the courthouse and away from the madness. He was thankful to be wearing his best suit after he noticed that the cameraman had been tailing him the whole time.

  Despite his experience in court, Aiden Connelly was always nervous before a hearing, even if it was a standard divorce proceeding. His nerves had almost cost him his degree. Whilst he passed his exams with flying colours his nerves had been unbearable. He would be sick, shake, and feel faint, all before walking into a courtroom. It was the only time in his life that he ever felt that way. He hadn’t even been nervous on his wedding day! He had no idea why it happened; he had tried everything to calm himself including hypnotherapy. He was in the male toilets, splashing his face with cool water as he tried to gather himself. When he looked at his reflection, the man in the mirror seemed strong and poised even though inside he felt as if his organs had turned to jelly. He needed to be strong for Brandy. He looked the part even though he didn’t feel it. He wished he hadn’t given up smoking; he could really use a cigarette. Smoking was yet another thing he did that Isla hated and during their marriage she had slowly drummed the habit out of him with her persistent nagging. He knew it was in his best interest to stop smoking, he just would have been happier to have quit when he was ready rather than being forced into it. He ran his hands through his hair, took one last deep breath and pushed open the toilet door, full of determination.

  Brandy White had never been in a courtroom before so she had no idea what to expect. She was thankful to be out of the prison and for the change of scenery. The guards had ushered her in through a back entrance after noticing the gathering crowd of protesters out the front. She was still wearing the regulation garish orange jumpsuit with her hands cuffed together. She had hoped that they might allow her to wear something smarter, perhaps put some make-up on. Although Brandy had lost her crown, the beauty queen mentality remained and when she knew she would be facing a room full of people she immediately wanted to look her best. She had tried to fix her hair as best she could with her very limited resources but felt disappointed with the results. She looked drab and washed out. As a woman, her mascara, blush, lipstick were all part of a mask which she would paint on. It gave her confidence and something to hide behind. If you looked lovely it helped some way to making you feel lovely too. But Brandy was feeling awful. She sat in a small room, waiting for Aiden Connelly to come and speak with her before they went out to face the angry faces of Avalon. This time there would be no glass between them. She would be able to smell his cologne, the coffee on his breath.

  ‘Morning Brandy.’ He came in and sat down. He looked so handsome in his suit although he was a little pale and seemed agitated.

  ‘Good morning, Mr. Connelly, I’m so glad to see you.’ He smiled at her and she felt her anxieties beginning to slip away.

  ‘Now, what is going to happen is, you’ll take to the stand and I’ll ask you a few questions and so will the opposing lawyer. You must answer everything completely honestly, no matter how awful,OK?’

  ‘Yes,OK.’

  ‘Other people will also take the stand. They might say cruel things about you; you need to be ready to hear that.’

  ‘I’ll be fine, Mr. Connelly. I’ve heard it all before.’

  ‘Just try not to get too upset, I know it’s hard. Remember that I’m there and that I believe in you.’ Before he knew what he was doing he reached out and touched her hand. There was no glass to stop him. Her skin was soft and smooth, like rose petals. His touch felt warm and made Brandy tingle all over. She hadn’t been touched by a man for a long time, not like this, delicately. She was used to fists and punches, not palms and gentleness.

  Despite himself, Aiden’s hand remained there for a moment. It felt good to finally be able to connect to Brandy, but touching her, feeling her flesh, made his heart ache. He had to save her; he had to make people see what he saw. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he got up to leave.

  ‘I’ll see you inthe courtroom, it will all be fine.’

  ‘I trust you, Mr. Connelly.’

  She kept that moment with her, when his hand touched hers, as she was led into the courtroom and row after row of accusing, hate-filled eyes bore down upon her. Brandy bowed her head, not in shame but in fear. She could hear their cruel whispers and angry taunts but she ignored them. She thought of Isla Connelly and her little girl, Meegan. She didn’t want anyone to suffer for her own survival but she was determined that the truth wouldn’t die with her. For so long Brandy had felt all alone; abandoned. But now she had someone fighting her corner, she had Aiden. All that mattered was Aiden and now that she was sat beside him, facing the judge, she at last felt safe. He was going to save her, she just knew it.

  First to take the stand was the old dinosaur himself, Buck Fern. He highlighted his long history with the town of Avalon, how he lived only to serve the people. He told the jury how he had nothing but fond memories of Brandon White.

  ‘He was a good kid, no doubt about that,’ he told them. ‘I never had to have a cross word with him. He was one of a kind.’ Aiden felt sick just hearing the old man being such a hypocrite.

  ‘You all knew Brandon, probably for many years,’ he called out to the courtroom, brainwashing them. ‘He would never hurt a soul.’

  People in the room were sobbing into handkerchiefs, comforting one another. It was absurd. True to his word, Edmond was there looking solemn. Some of the Avalon Angels were inside, probably bought in to testify, also Aiden spotted some men in lumberjack shirts who he assumed to be Avalon Pine workers who would sing the praises of their co-worker. If it were a popularity contest, Brandon White would win hands down.

  ‘She’s always been a liar.’ As expected Buck Fern had begun a character assassination on Brandy. ‘I’ll never forget when she lied about having her high school diploma. She let the whole town down.’ His eyes, no wiser through age, gave Brandy a hate-filled glance. Aiden could see that she was struggling to hold back tears.

  ‘They are just words, Brandy,’ he whispered softly to her. They were just words, but Buck Fern was an influential man and his words could do a lot of damage.

  ‘You say you never had a cross word with Mr. White?’ It was now Aiden’s turn to cross-examine the witness and he wasn’t going to hold anything back.

  ‘That’s true.’

  ‘What about the times he was drunk and disorderly or caught driving under the influence? I’ve read the files, you were the arresting officer, did you not chastise him them?’

  Buck Fern laughed a jolly, carefree laugh, the kind a man in a Santa Claus suit might force out to delight young children.

  ‘Boys will be boys, Mr. Connelly. We a
ll get a little too drunk sometimes and do stupid things.’

  ‘Like hitting your wife?’

  ‘No! Like being a bit too rowdy with the boys. Brandon wasn’t violent!’

  ‘He wasn’t violent, yet he was an extremely competent football player. A game, if I’m not mistaken, which relies on a certain degree of violence from the players?’

  ‘Yes, but that’s just a game!’ The crotchety old sheriff was getting annoyed.

  ‘Did Brandon enjoy a drink?’

  ‘Yes, I think so.’

  ‘Did he drink often?’

  ‘Not to my knowledge.’

  ‘When he did drink, did he drink a lot?’

  ‘Define a lot, Mr. Connelly.’

  ‘Was he over the limit?’

  ‘Sometimes.’

  ‘Is it possible that under the influence of alcohol he had the potential to become a violent man?’

  ‘No, it is not possible.’

  ‘You know that for a fact?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘You spied on him did you; did you watch him at all times? When he was in the shower, when he was making love to his wife?’

  ‘No! Don’t be ridiculous!’

  ‘So how do you know what went on in the privacy of his own home?’

  Aiden was pleased with how the trial was progressing. When he presented his evidence to the court he was satisfied that he managed to get his point across. He made a point of focusing on how Buck Fern was always first on the scene. The old man tried to pass it off as him just being in the area so responding first. But Aiden felt that he had, successfully, raised the suspicion that the sheriff was covering for Brandon.

  ‘She did it to herself’ Buck said with fake emotion when Aiden quizzed him over the night of the shattered vase. ‘It was obvious; Brandon said she did it all the time.’

  ‘If it was so obvious, why didn’t you send her for a psychological evaluation?’

  ‘Brandon didn’t want it.’

  ‘Shouldn’t you have overruled him, for Brandy’s sake?’