Chapter 6 - The Trial That Burned Everything Down
Four months later, Vivien Castellano walked into federal court wearing white.
Hazel watched from the second row.
“Of course she wore white,” Hazel whispered.
Raymond sat beside her.
“You expected prison orange?”
“I expected basic shame.”
Vivien turned and saw them.
Her expression changed.
Hazel noticed Raymond’s shoulders tighten.
“You okay?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“That sounded like a lie.”
“It was adequate.”
Hazel almost smiled.
The prosecution presented the evidence piece by piece.
Bank transfers.
Security footage.
The disabled alarm.
Marcus Vale’s vehicles.
Edmund Crane’s testimony.
Then Hazel took the witness stand.
The prosecutor approached.
“Ms. Keen, do you recognize the defendant?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She walked out of the Verona Social Club before the fire alarm.”
Vivien stared at her.
“What did she say?”
Hazel repeated the words she would never forget.
“There’s nobody left back there. Get out.”
“And did you obey?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I heard knocking from the basement.”
The prosecutor displayed photographs of the iron crosspiece.
“What did you discover?”
“The basement door had been barred from outside.”
“And who was below?”
“Raymond Castellano.”
The prosecutor nodded.
“Did he ask you to save him?”
Hazel looked toward Raymond.
“No.”
“What did he say?”
Hazel almost smiled.
“He told me to leave.”
A few people in the courtroom shifted.
“And what did you do?”
“I ignored him.”
Even the judge hid a reaction.
The defense attorney stood for cross-examination.
“Ms. Keen, you now work for Mr. Castellano.”
“Yes.”
“At a salary substantially higher than your cleaning job.”
“Yes.”
“And you live in a property owned by his company.”
“Yes.”
“Would it be fair to say you benefited enormously from saving him?”
Hazel looked at him.
“I also got smoke inhalation, a torn shoulder muscle, and four months of death threats.”
The attorney paused.
Hazel continued.
“So financially? Eventually. At the time? Not particularly.”
A few jurors smiled.
The attorney changed direction.
“Are you romantically involved with Mr. Castellano?”
Raymond’s jaw tightened.
Hazel stared at the lawyer.
“No.”
“Never?”
The prosecutor objected.
“Sustained.”
Hazel stepped down forty minutes later.
In the courthouse corridor, Raymond caught up with her.
“You handled that well.”
“You looked like you wanted to strangle the attorney.”
“I disliked his questions.”
“Which one?”
Raymond said nothing.
Hazel smiled.
“Interesting.”
He looked away.
Before she could push further, Frank appeared.
“Verdict may come today.”
It did.
Vivien was convicted on conspiracy, attempted murder, arson-related charges, obstruction, and financial crimes.
Marcus was convicted separately.
Edmund received a reduced sentence for cooperation.
When officers placed handcuffs on Vivien, she turned toward Raymond.
“You think she saved you?”
Raymond said nothing.
Vivien laughed bitterly.
“She doesn’t know you.”
Hazel stood beside him.
Vivien continued.
“Eventually she’ll understand what you are.”
Raymond finally answered.
“She already does.”
Vivien looked at Hazel.
Hazel held her gaze.
“I know exactly what he is.”
Vivien smiled.
“And you stayed?”
Hazel looked at Raymond.
Then back at Vivien.
“Yes.”
Vivien’s smile disappeared.
Outside the courthouse, reporters filled the steps.
Raymond stopped before entering the car.
Hazel looked at him.
“What?”
“I need to tell you something.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“When the attorney asked whether we were romantically involved…”
Hazel waited.
Raymond exhaled.
“I disliked saying no.”
Hazel’s eyebrows rose.
“That may be the least smooth thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“I don’t do smooth.”
“You own seven restaurants.”
“That’s different.”
She smiled.
Raymond continued.
“You saved my life. Then you challenged every decision I made for four months.”
“Someone had to.”
“And somewhere between those events, you became the first person I wanted beside me when things were quiet.”
Hazel’s smile faded into something softer.
“Raymond.”
“I’m not asking because I owe you.”
“Good.”
“I’m asking because I would like to take you to dinner.”
Hazel considered him.
“One dinner?”
“One.”
“No bodyguards at the table.”
“Nearby.”
“Raymond.”
“Across the street.”
She sighed.
“Fine.”
He smiled.
“Tomorrow?”
Hazel opened the car door.
“Friday.”
“Why Friday?”
“Because unlike you, I have a job.”
Raymond watched her climb inside.
May you like
Then laughed.
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