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Chapter 30
Two days later I was given a jolt to reality when Brian himself took the stand.
"You were on of the unfortunate ones to be…well let's say chosen. You were one of the unfortunate ones chosen to be watched by these people, correct Mr. Littrell?"
"I won't say it was unfortunate but yes I was watched."
"Why wasn't it unfortunate?"
"Maybe if it had been someone else. Some one who made me nervous or unsettled, maybe it would have been different. But since it was Maranda I think there's nothing wrong with it."
I was taken aback by this. Could he still care after all this?
As if he were reading my mind the prosecutor as the question that worried me the most.
"Do you love Ms. Hunter, Mr. Littrell?"
Brian turned to look at me. My gaze met his and though it worried me I could not remove my eyes from him.
"I'm not for certain I know the real Maranda. I fell in love with the Maranda who played Veronica. I know that woman is in her and I love her. I know that Maranda has done…bad I guess you could say. She's still Veronica though." He turned to look at the prosecutor. "I don't know how much, but yes, I do love Maranda."
I suddenly couldn't breath. My heart stopped and my lungs kept from breathing. 'I love Maranda.' Those three sweet words reeked havoc with my body. I couldn't function properly, but I wasn't all that sure I wanted to. The feeling was exhilarating and the notion of his love coursed through my blood like New Hope that I had long forgotten.
"What a story tale ending." The prosecutor mocked. "Guy lives life. Girl stalks guy. Guy testifies in court for girl. Guy loves stalker." He gave a fainted flutter of lashes to induce more mockery to this case.
I loathe him…maybe even hated. He didn't care about the cause because money is only concern. He could care less if I were set free. Just as long as he got his money he wouldn't care ion the slightest. Tormenting me came only as an added bonus to this little charade of his.
"One final question Mr. Littrell. Did you feel as though Maranda lied to you?"
Brian sat silently. "I think she tried to pro- no, she did protect me. She has scars that I've seen from her protecting. No other woman or man would do that. Not with out money involved."
"You do know she was paid for her services don't you?" The DA stood and walked over to the whiteness stand.
"I know she worked for the government so yeah I guess I she did."
"But you just said she did her protecting without money involved."
"Maybe she only cared about the money at first, but this trial proves that she's not interested in money."
"Why is that, Mr.Littrell?"
"She cares for people. No matter how much she denies it she cares and she's trying to protect the millions who are spied on."
The DA nodded. "So what did you do when you saw the TV report all those months ago?"
Brian looked down at his hands. "I cried."
My body went ridged. He cried? Over me? Or what I said?
"Why?"
"Because I knew that what she was saying on the TV was true. And what she was saying to me was a lie." He looked up and tears brimmed his eyes. He took a deep breath and took hold of his strength.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to come face to face with two intense blue eyes. "Nick?"
"How are you doing?"
I turned in my seat more. I was looking at Nick! And he was kind…after all this he had been kind to me.
"Is everyone related with the Backstreet Boys this annoyingly nice?"
He chuckled and smiled. "Brian's coming to see you after this court session."
"How many days have you guys been here?"
"Brian's been to everyone."
I sucked in a breath. He heard the whole story. He heard everything.
"We had to take the bulk of our vacation now because Brian refused to go while you were on trail."
"Why?"
"He loves you."
It seemed so simple at the time, but now the three words that I wanted to hear from Brain seem only heartache as I sat in this room that reflected my judgment.
"Why?"
Nick smiled. "You're his other half…more dangerous half but his half."
I shook my head at Nick's attempt to bring humor into this gloomy equation. He hugged me and then went to the back of the courthouse to sit. There were a number of heads with baseball caps pulled down low. They would be considered disrespectful if they were caught, but I'm sure to watch Brian do this was of greater concern.
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