The Trap (Agent Dallas 3) Read Free

assurance again.
    “I’m sure it’ll be probation and a fine,” she whispered back. “It wasn’t your pot, and you’ve never been in trouble before. Now hush until they call you.”
    After ten long minutes, the judge came in. The black robe intimidated Luke, but the man himself was a shrimp, five-seven at most and scrawny, with graying hair. The female clerk stood, so everyone else did too. Judge Bidwell called the session to order and told everyone to sit.
    The clerk summoned the first defendant. “Jared Wilson, please step forward.”
    Were they going in reverse alphabetical order or randomly? Luke just wanted to get it over with quickly.
    The man on the front bench stepped forward, and the clerk read the charges: public drunkenness and vandalism. The judge fined him fifteen hundred dollars and sentenced him to three months in jail, suspended, with probation. Jared Wilson thanked the judge, and he and the old woman walked out.
    Luke breathed a sigh of relief. This guy was going easy on people.
    “Luke Maddox,” the clerk called.
    He stood, legs shaking, and walked to stand in front. “Yes, Your Honor.” His mother had coached him to say that.
    “You’re charged today with possession of ten ounces of marijuana and intent to distribute, both felonies.” The judge’s voice was bigger than his body.
    The word
felony
made Luke’s heart skip a beat. “It wasn’t my pot, Your Honor. I’m not a dealer.” It was all he could say. Even though Ryan hadn’t done the right thing and admitted he’d brought the pot, Luke wasn’t going to rat on him.
    “The report says it was in your possession. And don’t speak unless I ask you a question.” The judge was clearly irritated.
    Luke wanted to explain, but was afraid the truth would make him sound like a thief as well as a pusher.
    “I have no sympathy for drug users or dealers, because they all prey on innocent victims. Ten ounces is way more than enough for personal consumption, so I find it probable you planned to sell it. In addition, the young man arrested with you is only seventeen. So I find you guilty of the charge of corrupting a minor as well.”
    A pause.
    “I hereby sentence you to ten years in prison. Bailiff, please take Mr. Maddox into custody.”
    It slammed him like a blow to the chest. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t argue. The uniformed guard stepped toward him and grabbed his elbow. “But it wasn’t mine,” he called out, his voice weak, as the guard pulled his hands back to cuff him.
    As he walked out of the courtroom, Luke glanced back at his mother. Her hand covered her mouth as she sobbed. It was the last time he saw her.
    The wheels touched the tarmac and the plane bounced a little, jarring Luke back to the present. Abby woke up in the back and sputtered, “Where are we?”
    “Southern Virginia. We’re picking up Aaron.”
    “I knew that,” she snapped. His girlfriend was still irritated with him for inviting Tara to join. The inner circle had formed all at once a year earlier when they were active in JRN. But the national group’s failure to accomplish anything had motivated him and his friends to try more aggressive tactics. They’d only brought in one other person since, and Aaron had moved in with them and kept their secrets. But he was too sick to go out on most missions. The group needed someone like Tara, who had energy and ideas. And damn, she was sexy.
    “What if Tara can’t handle her assignments?” Abby said, going right back to arguing about his decision. “What if she freaks out when she learns what we have planned?” Abby had been complaining since they left Utah.
    “We’ll test her. Once Tara is dirty, she can’t tell anyone.” Luke regretted getting sexually involved with Abby, but she was passionate and smart and willing to risk everything for their cause. How could he not love her? He just wasn’t in love. Whatever that meant.
    The plane came to a stop near the hangar, where Aaron was