Ryan

 

steadfastly refused to do what his father wanted. Yes, he could run, but he’d only expose Steph to more danger. The dragon queen wanted him for whatever crazy plan was in her head and she’d keep sending her minions after him. There was some mechanism he did not know that allowed her soldiers to keep finding him—that much was clear.

“Okay, son,” said Ivan Kaur, “we’ll play it your way. I’ll go talk to the doctors.”

Ivan Kaur left Ryan and Steph alone. Ryan couldn’t think of a time when he saw his father so defeated, but if Ryan escaped he knew in his heart he’d ruin his father’s businesses and all he worked for.

“Ryan?” said Steph gently.

“Yeah, babe. I’m okay. Just hoping that dad finds that dragon and we can get the additional charges dismissed. I’m not worried about the kidnapping charge. That is, unless you plan on pressing charges.”

“I don’t know,” said Steph. “You did manhandle me pretty well.”

“I wouldn’t call it manhandling,” he said with a wink.

Steph’s face turned serious. “You don’t have to do this. We can leave.”

“And wreck my father’s business in the process? No. I don’t care about myself and Dad can take care of himself. But thousands of people work for my father and they’d lose their jobs if Kaur Industries went under. And that doesn’t include the hardships the various suppliers that sell goods and services to the business.”

One of the police officers entered the room.

“That doctor is releasing you now into our custody, Kaur.”

Ryan didn’t care about being brought to the jail or being processed into a cell. But he did care very much about what his father and Steph were facing. As the police brought him into a transport wagon he worried that his father was placing himself and the business at risk. He suffered the indignities of processing with the grace that he could. It was his own reckless actions that brought him here in the first place. He shouldn’t have driven so fast on the road that he caused an accident.

Ryan spent an uncomfortable night in the cell tossing and turning this time worrying that he placed Steph in an impossible situation. If it hadn’t been for him she would be still be working for Peters, Watins and Roe none the wiser about dragon shifters working her way up the corporate ladder.

But that wasn’t entirely true and Ryan knew it. The whole pairing a dragon with a seneschal thing was part of Rhea Gentrix’s plan to bring her children back into her fold. Thinking about Rhea angered Ryan. He didn’t understand how one person, okay, dragon could be so callous toward her children. She may have thought that the children she adopted out would naturally follow her plans. But Ryan never would and he suspected that once they knew many of the other adoptees would feel the same way.

But first they had to be told.

Ryan figured he should be the one to tell them.

After he got out this legal mess, of course.

Having a new purpose calmed Ryan. He could do some good in the world. Anything he could do to alert other of Rhea’s children would be a worthy purpose. He finally got a few hours sleep before the guard woke him.

“Here are clothes your father sent for court. You better get moving. We’ll be loading the van in a half-hour.”

Of the other two other men going to court he was the only one wearing a suit and tie. One didn’t look at him and the other sneered. There was no convict camaraderie in this small space that rocked side to side as they moved down the road.

“Hey,” said one. “I know you. You’re that dragon.”

“I’m no dragon,” said Ryan.

“The news said you were.”

“Whoever said that got their facts wrong.”

“They say,” said the other man, “that there is a witness.”

Ryan looked off to the side. “Then they lied.”

“You’re rich,” said the second man as if that was a crime.

“And you’re not. Congratulations.”

“How much money do you have?” asked the first man.

“Enough,” said Ryan.

“Think you’re above us, don’t you? Well, you injured two policemen. That will get you twenty years at least.”

“Thank you,” said Ryan. “I didn’t realize you were an attorney.”

“Fuck you.”

“No thanks. You aren’t my type.”

The second man laughed. “You’re a funny dragon.”

Ryan shook his head.

The transport stopped suddenly. The guard opened the window between the driver’s section and the back. “We’re here. Behave yourself.”

 

 

Finally, Ryan was led into the courtroom. The spectacle of Ryan Kaur in shackles and handcuffs caused a stir as he entered. Steph stood at the defendant’s table and gave him a small smile.

The bailiff read the charges. Ryan admitted it was an impressive list even for him.

“Your honor,” said Steph, “I ask for the charges to be withdrawn. Mr. Kaur did not evade responsibility. He took me to the nearest hospital for treatment. I can personally attest he did not kidnap me.”

“Objection, your Honor. This is in direct contradiction of the facts.”

“Please, your Honor, this is an arraignment, not a trial.”

“Your objection is noted, Mr. Prosecutor, though Ms. Brooks is correct. Ms. Brooks there are substantial charges, and Mr. Kaur is not a stranger to the court. The charges stand. A court will decide whether or not they are false.”

“Excuse me,” said a thin reedy voice at the back of the courtroom. “Alan Watins, your Honor, from Peters, Watins and Roe.”

“Come forward, Mr. Watins. Do you represent Mr. Kaur?”

“Yes, sir, we’ve been the Kaur’s US attorney for many years. Ms. Brooks is our associate assigned to handle certain matters for the Kaurs. But she was not assigned to handle criminal matters.”

“See here,” sputtered Ryan’s father.”

“Order,” commanded the judge.

“I apologize for the confusion,” continued Mr. Watins. “I filed with your clerk an Amicus Curiae brief detailing the various charges and how they will fail in court examination. In fact, my firm was the attorney of record of for Ryan Kaur’s adoption. You’ll find his birth records that certify his totally human parents. You’ll find a statement from the chief of police in the town were Mr. Kaur was arrested for gambling that Mr. Kaur acted as a confidential informant, and helped to break up a dangerous gambling ring. Finally, you will find a statement from a Miss Jenna Cantor, the so-called “witness” to the last night’s incident detailing that she gave her report for revenge because Mr. Kaur stopped seeing her socially. You will also find a statement from one of the police officers from last night’s incident. In this statement, he says he witnessed Mr. Kaur rendering assistance to the officer’s fallen partner. I’m sorry, your honor, but the prosecution’s case is built on conjecture and false information. We can proceed at your discretion but I second Ms. Brooks request to have the charges withdrawn. We don’t need to engage the court in a lengthy trial because of several misunderstandings.”

“Well, Bill,” said the judge looking pointedly at the prosecutor. “Is there any truth to any of this?”

“This is all news to me. And it’s supposed to be an arraignment. You haven’t even asked his plea.”

The judge drummed his fingers on his desk several times before answering.

“I’m sorry, Bill. But I think you are in an uphill battle on this one. Mr. Kaur, this is your lucky day. I’m dropping all the charges. But don’t darken my courtroom again.”

“Thank you, your Honor,” said Ryan.

“Release Mr. Kaur,” said the judge to the courtroom guards “And the court is recessed for lunch.”

Ryan winked at Steph. “Good job.”

“I didn’t do anything. It was Mr. Watins who did it all.

Watins moved closer to them as people filed from the courtroom.

“And just what is your game, Watins?” said Ivan Kaur.

“I just want a few minutes with Ms. Brooks,” said Mr. Watins. “It won’t take long.”