The Consequence of Secrets - Part Four: A Priest Romance Read Online Free

succinct and steer clear of any story telling. Is that understood?”
    The DA nods then looks back at me with a smug look on his face and waits a beat, giving the jury time to absorb the information he just gave them – letting the seeds of doubt he planted to take hold. I look at the sea of faces, their curious eyes moving between Emma and myself, trying to decide if the rumors are true.
    “I’ll rephrase. Were you in a romantic relationship with the defendant, Father Daniels?” he asks.
    I take a deep breath and try to keep my expression even while anger flares up inside me. What is the goal of this man? Why is he trying to discredit Emma’s ordeal by making our relationship the base of his argument? Does he seriously want to send a woman to prison for shooting the man who subjected her to abuse for years? What kind of a world are we living in?
    “No,” I respond. It’s a lie, but a necessary one. I won’t let him make our love for each other into something seedy.
    “Then why were you there, father? Explain it to me, because I don’t understand why a man of God would take leave from his position without notifying anyone unless he was having a crisis of faith. Were you sleeping with her? Did you want Gabe McIntyre dead so you could have her to yourself?”
    “Leading the witness!” the defense calls. “And Father Daniels is not the one on trial.”
    At this point, I should close my mouth. However I answer anyway. I won’t have my silence looking guilty in front of a jury.
    “My beliefs haven’t changed, councilor. I still follow the path God set me upon. I was with Emma that day because I was protecting her from a man who had threatened her life on numerous occasions.”
    “So it wasn’t because you’re in love with her and wanted her for yourself?”
    The judges gavel bangs. Voices raise.
    “Objection!”
    The DA holds up his hand and apologizes. The judge warns him to base his questions on facts instead of rumors.
    “Why were you there, Father?” he tries again.
    I lean forward, looking him dead in the eye. “I was with her to protect her after the legal system failed to help her in the first place,” I answer, narrowing my eyes at him and sitting further forward in my seat. He opens his mouth to ask more questions but I continue talking, feeling angry and needing to plant my own seeds of doubt in the jury’s mind – whatever the personal cost may be. I swore to protect her, and I will… “Your department, while readying their case against Gabe McIntyre did nothing but show their incompetence while releasing a dangerous man out on bail. A man who, if I hadn’t stopped him, would have beat Ms. Williams to death. And instead of protecting her, you let him out on bail while she was still recovering from that beating in hospital. Then despite the police swearing there was no foul play, a perfectly healthy man, Brent Williams, drowned in his bathtub, causing Emma Williams to fear for her life and the life of her sister and her unborn child. The police – your police – failed to protect her! ” I begin to raise my voice, my blood pumping in my ears as I glare at the district attorney. He keeps trying to silence me, and the judge is warning me about contempt, but I don’t care, I keep going, and finally, I answer the question he asked me. “You want to know why I was there, councilor? I was there because you failed – YOU failed – your department failed. And if I hadn’t been there to save her on the night he beat her. If I hadn’t been there to distract him when he had a gun to her head, Emma Williams would be dead right now. I was there because the legal system couldn’t or wouldn’t protect her. I was there because God sent me to her. I was there because I was doing my job and your job. I was there because I was protecting an innocent woman from a monster. And now I’m here doing exactly the same thing.”
    The judge bangs his gavel and instructs the bailiff to remove me from the