Cora huddled on the floor in a crowded cell that smelled of urine and beef stew. Her stomach swirled around like an out-of-control Ferris wheel. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and she shivered. Weariness soaked into every bone and muscle. Pain throbbed between her temples. She’d do anything for an aspirin or a blanket, but good luck with that.

This was so stupid. Why had she let Miles get to her again? She’d been so drunk at the reunion, she thought she’d heard Seth say he loved her. Or had she imagined it? Or wished it?

Her heart was in a knot, and her brain in a fuzz. What she really wanted was for Seth to burst through the doors and whisk her away on his motorcycle.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

She wasn’t the only woman strung out. A couple of other women sat in the bench and based on their low-cut shirts and hiked up skirts, they were mostly likely hookers. They chewed their gum as if they were cows.

Two other women kept pacing back and forth in the cell, rubbing their arms.

One of them cast her gaze over Cora. “Who are you looking at, bitch?”

“No one,” she mumbled. The last thing she wanted was to be jumped. Where was Seth when she needed him?

She turned her head and laid it on her knees. Her throat was scratchy and she was having a devil of time holding the waterworks. She wanted to feel Seth’s strong arms around her and tell her everything would be all right.

But what if Miles had been right? What if he didn’t want to be seen with the fat chick at the reunion? She had the text memorized word per word.

Dirt was smeared on her red dress. She couldn’t remember how it had gotten so filthy. The paramedics had treated her head injury, then lucky her, she got to come to jail.

The worst thing was that she didn’t have any money and couldn’t make bail. She’d left her purse at the Arvada Center. She’d used her one call to reach Lara who didn’t answer.

Because this was the weekend, she wouldn’t have a bail hearing until Monday. She was stuck here until Monday. She’d have to sleep with one eye open.

Sunday morning, she had a visitor and was able to leave her wonderful roommates. Hope soared through her. Her breath quickened. Maybe it was Seth.

She was led to a small waiting room. When she walked in, Lara greeted her. “Hi, Cora.”

Cora bit back her disappointment and rushed into her arms. “You’re here to release me?”

Lara sighed. “No, I’m here as your attorney.”

She unwound her arms. “You mean I’m stuck here?”

“Until Monday morning. Bail hearings aren’t held over the weekend.”

“Shit.” Cora slumped into the chair. “You didn’t call my parents or Caterina, did you?”

“No, I was going to ask if you wanted me to.”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t deal with them.” Heat swelled from her ears down to her toes. “I can’t face them. I’m so embarrassed.” Heaviness weighed on her chest. She wanted to ask if Seth knew or if he cared. She’d slapped his face so hard at the reunion. What the hell had she been thinking?

“The court hearing isn’t going to go away.”

“I know.” She wrung her hands. “How much is bail going to be?”

“You’re being charged with driving recklessly, destruction of property, and driving under the influence. You’re damn lucky you didn’t kill the bicyclist or you’d be facing a vehicular homicide.”

Her stomach twisted into a wound-up towel. “Am I going to go to jail?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“How much will bail be?”

“I talked to the prosecutor and because you almost hit the cyclists, and since you hit a tree on government land and were intoxicated, he’s asking for one hundred-thousand dollar bail.”

“What?” She rested her forehead in her hands. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

Lara squeezed her arm. “Relax. You only need ten percent.”

“Lara, I’m a librarian. I don’t have ten thousand dollars. My parents don’t have that kind of money. Dad just got laid off and is looking for a job. Mom works as a bank teller and they’re using her salary and their savings to get by.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “What am I going to do?”

“I’ll think of something. Don’t worry. Now, about your plea.”

“I don’t have an excuse, Lara. I did it. I should plead guilty.”

“No, you shouldn’t. There are three charges against you and you could be looking at jail time. I want you to plead not guilty and then hopefully, I can arrange for a lesser charge. If you admit guilt, then you’re admitting to all three charges. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I do. My life is totally screwed.”

Ten thousand dollars! It might as well have been a billion.

Last night had been the worst night of Cora’s life. Sleep evaded her all night. She couldn’t think of where she could get ten thousand dollars. Her parents didn’t have that kind of money. Caterina did, but it was Miles’s money. Would he give it to her? Even if she used every single credit card, she wouldn’t be able to come up with that kind of money.

She barely scraped by every month in Frisco. Living in the mountains was expensive and her salary barely covered the cost of her mortgage. Lara said she could get a bailsman, but that would take time.

Cora waited to go to the bail hearing and was stuck in a small wooden room with other prisoners. Nausea rooted in her gut. She hadn’t eaten since Saturday. Luckily, no one was talking. If they did ask her a question, she was liable to spill bile all over the floor. Obviously, everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

Chains were clasped over Cora’s wrists and clanked when she banged her knee up and down repeatedly. Her nerves were wound tighter than Chicken Little’s. Any minute, she’d run around screaming the sky was falling.

Her too-large orange jumpsuit swallowed her up and the scratchy underwear chafed her in unmentionable places. Her ass was being rubbed raw.

A gruff guard opened the door. “Cora Amici. Your bail hearing is next.”

Her jailer from the Jefferson County Jail unlocked her shackles from another prisoner. She shuffled to the gruff guard who escorted her down a white tiled floor. Her heart pounded louder than their soft footsteps.

“Ms. Amici, when you are in the court, you will only speak when spoken to. You will behave accordingly, or you’ll be immediately escorted out of the hearing and bail will be denied. Do you understand?”

She wet her lips. “Yes, sir.” Her voice croaked and she winced.

The guard didn’t even glance at her, but she bet if she made any sudden moves, she’d be on her stomach with her wrists behind her before she could cry uncle.

When she walked into the courtroom, Lara waited for her at one of the attorney tables. Cora didn’t even glance at the persecutor, who was determined to ruin her life. No one she knew sat in the pews.

The guard left her with Lara.

“How are you doing?” Lara rubbed her back.

“Not well.” Cora blinked her eyes. “Can you get me out of here?”

“Yes. I know someone who will post the bail.”

“You do. Who––”

“Please rise. The Court of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Division, is now in session. The Honorable Judge Jane Morrison presiding.”

Cora followed Lara’s example and stood. A small petite woman with blond hair and glasses wearing a black robe entered the courtroom, then sat at the judge’s bench. Cora’s legs shook uncontrollably. The judge looked down at Cora as if she were the scum of the Earth. Cora broke out in a hot sweat and wiped her slick palms on her jumpsuit.

Judge Morrison took her seat. “You may all be seated.”

The bailiff handed the judge a file. “Your honor today’s case is the State of Colorado versus Cora Amici.”

Judge Morrison reviewed the file for a few long, long, long, minutes. She put the file down and stared at Cora. “Ms. Amici, do you understand the seriousness of these charges?”

“Yes, I do,” Cora said in a small voice.

“What is your plea?”

God, she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake. “Not guilty.”

“Very well.” Judge Morrison looked at the thin prosecutor with beady eyes. “Is the prosecution ready?”

The prosecutor stood. “Yes, Your Honor.”

Judge Morrison looked over at them and Cora had to force herself to not slump underneath the table.

“Is the defense ready?”

Lara stood. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Prepare your opening statements,” Judge Morrison said.

The prosecutor stood. “Your Honor, I’m James Novonty, and I’m representing the State in this case. I intend to prove that Ms. Amici is a flight risk and her bail should be denied because she does not reside in Arvada and resides in Frisco. Ms. Amici was not just charged with driving under the influence, but she also with driving recklessly. She almost hit a bicyclist and could have killed him, if he hadn’t stopped. Ms. Amici proceeded to drive her SUV up over the curve and slammed into an oak tree that has been on the Arvada Center’s grounds for many years. She should remain in the city of Arvada until her trial. I submit that her bail be denied or be set at two hundred thousand.”

Cora’s mouth dropped open. He had to be kidding. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. God, he was acting as if she were a serial killer!

“Do you have anything else to report, Mr. Novonty?”

“No, Your Honor.”

“Defense. You may proceed.”

Lara stood and gestured toward Cora. “Your Honor my name is Lara Black and I am representing Cora Amici. Ms. Amici has never been charged with a crime, not even a traffic violation. She is a city librarian in Frisco and has worked there for the past five years. She owns her town home. Her family resides in Colorado and she has no reason to leave the state. I submit that she be granted bail until her next hearing.”

The judge looked over the file again. Cora held her breath. Her heart ran road runner fast and she thought any minute she’d overheat and die. “Rise, Ms. Amici.” Cora stood on her trembling legs, praying that she didn’t crumble onto the floor.

Pleasepleasepleaseplease.

The judge leaned forward. “It’s true that the defendant is of good standing in the Frisco Community. She hasn’t committed any other serious offenses. Although I’m granting the defense’s request, I want to make sure that Ms. Amici realizes the seriousness in her offenses. She almost hurt an innocent bystander and I can’t overlook that someone could have died based on her carelessness. I am setting bail at a one hundred fifty thousand dollars. Trail will be set in thirty-five days from today.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Lara said in a loud voice.

“You may be excused,” the bailiff said.

Cora gasped. Fifteen thousand dollars. She grabbed Lara’s arm.

Lara patted it. “Don’t worry. We have it covered.”

“By who?”

“Seth.”

“What? But he’ll lose his shop.”

“Don’t you get it, Cora?” Lara said softly. “You mean more to him than his shop.”

A cold bucket of water whooshed over Cora. She had her answer. Seth loved her and was willing to lose her dream for her.

She wouldn’t let that happen. She’d fix this. “Lara, I need to call Caterina. Now.”