Figure Eight (Celtic Knot Book 2) Read Free Page B

investigation. They are not flight risks and are upstanding citizens with merely a traffic violation or two between them. That certainly doesn’t constitute the continuance of their incarceration.”
    “Duly noted, Mr. Johnson. Under the circumstances, I must say that I agree with you and am posting bail at one hundred thousand per defendant. The Celtic Knot is to remain closed pending the investigation and trial. Dismissed,” the judge said as he slammed the gavel down onto the bench. The sound echoed through the silence of the courtroom, and I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I turned around to look back at Victoria, and she nodded in understanding before she slung her purse over her shoulder and ran in search of where to make the payment to post our bail.
    I hadn’t talked to Knox since we were taken away in handcuffs the night before. He hadn’t said anything to me, only sat next to me as his leg bounced up and down with rapid, nervous speed.
    “You ok?” I asked him. He continued to bounce his leg as he rubbed at the cuffs on his wrists.
    “I just don’t understand, Nic. Why would she do this to us? It was completely unexpected and out of character for Ashley. Something doesn’t add up. Call it intuition if you want, but I don’t think she did it on purpose.”
    I sat silent next to my friend for several moments before I opened my mouth to speak to him. I tried to hide the emotions in my voice as much as possible.
    “Well, regardless of why she did it, she still did. Maybe if she was honest with us about what is or was going on, we could have stopped this. Instead, I had to make the biggest mistake of my life by falling in love with a woman...her. Fuck, why was I so stupid?” I gritted out.
    “Nic, don’t beat yourself up over this. I don’t think Ashley did this because she wanted to hurt us.”
    “Well you know what, Knox? She fucking did. She hurt, gutted, and left me feeling void all the way down into my bones. She has ripped me in fucking two. I...fuck...I don’t know.” I said as I leaned down and rested my forehead on my fists. My heart ached with so much pent up anger and frustration, but most of all it hurt so much, I felt like I was trying to explode from the inside out. Ashley had turned me inside out so that my most vulnerable thing was exposed and at the first chance she got, she drove a stake right into it.
    “I think we should try to find out why she did this, Nic. We cannot leave it up to the police to investigate. Something about the cops on the case has me feeling guarded. Especially Russell. I have this vibe that he is out to get us.”
    I couldn’t have agreed with him more. Russell’s attitude, actions, and demeanor all told me that he couldn’t wait to lock us up and throw away the key. There was seriously something fucked up happening and I would make it my mission to find out just what.
    Russell smugly walked over and stood over where Knox and I remained seated. He loomed over us with authority, trying to intimidate as he looked down on us with his arms crossed over his chest.
    “Time to go, boys,” he said with a shit-eating grin. Why it pleased him so much to think he had authority over us, I would never understand. When this was all over, I would finally find out what the fuck was going on and I would make sure that asshole lost his job for his involvement in the situation. I had no doubt in my mind that he was.
    “Wait!” Victoria’s voice echoed off the walls in the courtroom as she came running down the aisle towards us.
    “Uncuff them, officer, they have posted bail,” she said sternly as she waved two yellow pieces of paper under his nose. Russell let out a frustrated harrumph as he reluctantly removed the handcuffs from Knox’s wrists and mine. Once all of our restraints were removed, he gave us one last go to hell look before storming out of the courtroom.
    “Thanks, Vic,” Knox said as he rubbed at the red marks that now marred his