Beautiful Bounty (The Bounty Hunters: The Marino Bros. Book 1) Read Online Free

nodded at her, said nothing, and looked down at her shoes waiting for her own name to be called. Mere seconds later, Ronnie was startled by the squawking metallic box above her that she hadn’t noticed earlier. It announced that prisoner Wanda Jones should be brought into the Courtroom.
    The officer opened the door, and Wanda walked right in and turned to the right without being prompted. Hmm, Ronnie thought, Wanda had been here before it seemed.
    An honor roll student with numerous awards for academic excellence, Ronnie was graduating a year early. She put the time in, taking extra classes, and doing extra field work. In just a week, she should be getting her Bachelors from the University of Maine.  But no, instead she was attending a hearing to decide her future, probably would be unable to leave the state of Florida, and would be left to find a way to prove her innocence without anyone to corroborate or back up her story.
    Ronnie waited, and then thought of the interviews she had lined up for the summer. She’d have to cancel them, and say what?  Sorry, I’m standing trial for drug smuggling.  What was this fiasco going to do to those chances? Her life, just a week ago, was full of possibilities. And now this, she thought dismally.  She shook her head to force those negative thoughts out of her mind. Focus on the hearing. One day at a time. Breathe. Justice will be served. That’s all she could hope for right now. Still, Gary came to her mind. He was the key. He’d have his time, she thought ruefully, brown eyes narrowing.
    Her court appointed attorney had not given her much hope. He basically advised she confess, and throw herself on the mercy of the Court. New frigging lawyer, had been her foremost thought, screaming like a freight train in her brain.  Luckily, her mother had been able to send her a message this morning that they hired the guy she had in mind; he was out of town, but would be flying in from New York. The message stated he couldn’t be there for the hearing, to plead not guilty to all charges, and he would meet with her tomorrow at her mom’s house after she made bail. Be stoic, not weepy; be polite, the message ended.  It was crumpled in her hand in the pocket of her jumpsuit.  Stoic. Polite.  She kept repeating those words as the internal clock in her mind ticked away the seconds of her life.
    When the court appointed attorney was told by her this morning that she wouldn’t need his services after the hearing, that her new attorney would be meeting her the next day once she made bail, he just laughed. “Bail! Huh, good luck with that!” His scoffing mumbled remark was made as he snapped his briefcase shut, and his metal chair scraped against the concrete floor. Jail sounds were harsh, and everything echoed.
    She felt as if the weight of all that concrete was pressing down upon her, that and the thoughts of facing jail time, long jail time, if her court appointed attorney’s comments were accurate. He told her she could be looking at ten to twenty years for the amount of drugs hidden in her scuba gear.
    Ugh, her thoughts returned to Gary. What had Gary been thinking? Drugs. She had no idea. She, who was usually so perceptive. A lot of drugs! What the hell could he have wanted with all those drugs?
    And she knew it was him too. He had given himself away when the cops at the Tampa Bay Port Authority had come for her. Their friends, who accompanied them on this trip, had disembarked earlier from the cruise ship. They were leaving directly for the airport, while she and Gary had been going to stay with her mom for a few days, and then drive to Maine together for her graduation.
    They had been in a large room, waiting for their luggage, when the police approached. Several of the passengers remarked on such a great number of officers all together and she heard the crowd begin to speculate. When she turned to look for Gary, she didn’t see him immediately. When she turned back to the police