Chapter 41 The Threat

Chapter 41 The Threat
The next six weeks passed in a blur of legal maneuverings. Tessa told no one she was pregnant, deciding to wait until some of the craziness died down before seeing a doctor --- which was probably just as well, considering.

She had made three trips to Washington, D.C. meeting with the federal prosecutor and testifying before a federal grand jury. As a result, Bogen and Snake were indicted on first-degree murder for Matt Michael's death--- the worst of a long line of charges being levied. Subsequently, Bogen and Snake's attorneys deposed her several times. Both sides agreed to a change of venue, to the Washington, D.C. area after the defence claimed they would have difficulty seating an impartial jury in Montana. While much of it went over her head, Tessa gathered that if all parties involved in the trial agreed to the shift in venue, there was no basis for a later appeal on those grounds.

She had expected the case to languish in the judicial system for months, but to everyone's surprise, Bogen and Snake exercised their rights to a speedy trial on the murder charges, demanding that the prosecution try them immediately. Their case was placed on what the prosecutor called 'the rocket docket."
Apparently, Snake and Bogen felt there was a possibility, like Sanchez, they could get off on a technicality. If so, they could then get out on bail pending the other charges. Not that anyone expected them to stick around if they posted bond.
In an unusual move, they also requested to be tried together. Were they worried that if they were tried separately, one might strike a deal to testify against the other?

Tessa returned to Montana briefly, helping investigators recreate the scene of Matt Michael's death. The trip had been grueling and brought back a host of unsettling memories. It also made her miss Dane....Gareth.
She knew her memories of him were romanticized. The fact that he'd been such a gentle, caring guardian didn't make him easier to forget. He'd protected her, nurtured her, cherished her. Had it really all been in the line of duty? How could someone be like that, play a part so convincingly yet remain untouched?
Nights were the worst. Some nights her dreams were erotic, fevered, sensual; then she'd wake up to an empty bed, with a heavy heart. If she could just have one more night, one last chance to talk, to be held in his arms.....
Other nights she'd wake up to find her arm resting protectively over her abdomen, the sense of loneliness not quite so oppressive when she thought of the baby.

Slowly, surely, she grew accustomed to the idea of being pregnant. Taking it one day at a time helped. There was also the time she just broke down one day and called her doctor's office, telling a little white lie that she was out of the country and suspected she was pregnant. Big whoop, she was indeed pregnant.
"Congratulations," the nurse who took the call said. Then she asked several questions, assuring Tessa that it would be fine if she waited a few more weeks to see an obstetrician.
"A lot of women wait until their third or fourth month before making their first appointment. Unless something goes wrong, naturally."
The nurse gave Tessa a list of things to look out for. "And contact us as soon as you're back in the States."

Talking with the nurse eased Tessa's conscience about not going to a doctor right away. It did nothing for her sense of guilt over hiding her pregnancy from the prosecuting attorney. And Gareth.
She grew resigned to the fact that she wouldn't hear or see Gareth again until the actual trial. She mulled over ways to tell him about the baby. Whether to tell him and how he would react.
She thought back to her last conversation with him. He'd brought up the subject of pregnancy. He'd promised to be there for her. Had he meant it? Or were they more words from him, playing the part of dutiful officer? What if he meant something else? Like he'd be there for her, to hold her hand while she got rid of it....
While she resisted the thought, she had no reason to believe that Gareth wanted this child.

As the heat of the late summer surrendered to the shorter, cooler days, Tessa grew weary of being confined to the Hamptons. She'd set up a makeshift studio, sketching and tinkering with new jewelry designs, but it wasn't the same. She missed Boston, her friends, her shop. Her freedom. The press had moved on to other stories, giving her a small measure of privacy, though she knew interest would heighten again when the trial commenced.
She woke up one morning having reached a critical decision. No more being passive, no more hiding. No more dreaming about what might have been and what could never be. It was time to reclaim her life. Or at least take the first step.
Tonight she would attend the private art auction sponsored by her father's charitable foundation. An exclusive event with tickets having sold out months ago. Tessa knew most of the attendees, and the press wasn't invited, so it was a perfect opportunity to get out—a safe first outing.

After showering, Tessa eyed the dress on her bed, then threw another change of clothes into her suitcase, in case she wanted to spend an extra day in the city. The Monro Manhattan had a private suite she could use for the night. And if she decided to stay even longer, she could go to her mother's apartment. She was still overseas, so Tessa would have privacy.
A change of scenery sounded ideal. So did a day of shopping, a museum, a play. A bagel and a latte. All the little luxuries she had taken for granted.
Heartened, she took up the small stack of mail on her desk and shuffled through it, discarding the magazines and junk advertisements. She read a letter from her mother, then opened a small, white envelope. She frowned at the lack of return address and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
Testify, and you die, the typewritten note read. We will find you- whether you're in Boston, the Hamptons, Aspen, or Montserrat.

Tessa's hand went protectively to her abdomen as she reread the note. Testify, and you die.
It was unsigned, but she knew who sent it.
Bogen and Snake were connected with an international crime lord. A crime lord who didn't want to be implicated. Cryptically, they were letting her know that they knew about all the Monroe family homes in the Hamptons, Aspen, and Montserrat, along with her own townhouse in Boston.
Tessa looked around the room that had become her virtual prison, realizing that there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. She'd never felt more alone in her life. Her frenzied thoughts turned to Gareth, wishing he was there.
But he wasn't.
She had to face this on her own. Again.
Testify, and you die. The threat was simple and brutal. But effective.

Though they had no way of knowing it, they had threatened her child when they threatened her. Which infuriated Tessa beyond words. Her protective instincts kicked in, surprising her with their ferociousness, overriding all concern for herself. She was not going to jeopardize the well-being of her unborn child for anything. She paced her room, weighing options, testing alternatives, tired of being pushed around. But one thought overwhelmed all else: defy the note and die. In the end, only one choice made sense for her child's safety.
She could not, would not, testify.
Picking up her phone, she dialed Barry's number.