Page 95 of Broken Silence
“We’re going to take another break,” the judge said, sighing. “Mr Bee and Mrs Rake, approach.”
John and Linda walked over. My eyes flashed between them and Cole.
Walter, Linda’s colleague, came over to me and gestured towards the exit. “Follow me, please, Oakley.”
“But why? What’s going on?”
“Please,” he repeated.
I stepped down and followed him into the break room, growing to hate it in here.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. We’ll just have to wait for Linda. Can I get you something? Tea or coffee? Water?”
“No, thank you,” I replied, my mind reeling.
Why would they have stopped? Dad must have been getting off. Had some fake evidence been found—something that backed up Dad’s crap?
It wouldn’t have surprised me. He was so well liked and respected. Everyone believed him and looked up to him.
I sank into the worn chair and put my hands on my head.
A stray tear rolled down my cheek, and I angrily wiped it away.
This would all be for nothing.
I was so stupid.
‘No one will believe you over me.’
No.
He might get off the charge related to me, but therewasevidence of him abusing other girls. Evidence of him and the other people in the paedophile ring, and evidence of him having images of little girls on his computer.
At this point, I’d take him going to jail for any reason. Did it really matter if he wasn’t found guilty of the charge related to me?
Yes.
It did matter. Of course, it did.
I closed my eyes and tried to think of something, anything, else. My heart thumped harder, like it did at the start of a panic attack.
Not here, not now.
I focused on what I’d learnt in therapy, closing my eyes and going through my breathing exercises.
Time slowly ticked by as I waited for news. No one else came in, only Walter going back and forth, so I assumed everyone was still in the public gallery or were not allowed to come in.
But I had managed to pull myself together.
Walter left again to find out what was going on, but all he knew was that Linda and John were no longer in the courtroom.
The door opened, and Linda walked in. It had been almost forty minutes of clock watching and crippling anxiety.
“I’m sorry I was gone for so long,” she said.
I was unable to stand, so I looked up at her wide eyed. “He’s getting off, isn’t he?”
