Chapter 1
Fourteen year old Brooke Hardy was in class at Yorktown High School. She was in Mrs. Tate's algebra two class and she was bored. She was good at math very good, just like she was good at computers, but they were reviewing material that she already knew how to do. Brooke looked at her watch. It was close to lunch time. Her blue eyes met her boyfriend's brown. Benjamin Culpepper was his name and he was in her opinion the frostiest boy in the whole school and he was hers. They met in 5th grade back at Jamestown Elementary. When her father was transferred to Quantico she had been devastated to leave Cambridge, but now she had her friends. Her best friends were Molly Moomaw and Katie Lang. Molly had red hair and gorgeous green eyes. Katie had jet black hair and brown eyes. She was after all of asian descent. She was just an average brunette with blue eyes. She was petite at 4'9" and weighed 80 pounds. She hoped she would hit five foot soon. Her own mother was 5'2". Her sister Claire was attending Williamsburg Middle School, she was taller than her already at 5'3", she had beautiful long blond hair and big brown eyes.
The bell rang. Brooke packed her books in her bookbag and jumped up. She had her lunch which their housekeeper made for her. Ben usually brought his as well. Both his parents were doctors at the same hospital where her Uncle Joe worked. They were both hospitalists. Brooke took her boyfriend's outreached hand. "I'm so glad that's over. It was so boring. I wish it had been new material."
"Yeah but our test is tomorrow she wanted to review it."
"I know. I tried to pay attention. I did, but reviews are so boring!"
Ben chuckled. "How's your mom? I know she had a cold."
"She's fine. She has a big court case today. Remember that drug bust last year? She is the primary prosecutor."
"Your mom and dad are awesome."
Brooke smiled. They were pretty great. Her mom had a fantastic record of convictions at the DA's office. Her dad was the youngest agent ever to be promoted to ASAC. He was running the Major Crimes Division. He had a longtime friend Nancy Drew Nickerson at the FBI in the counterintelligence division. Her husband Ned worked with her mom in the Federal DA's office. Her grandpa was still police liaison for the FBI but was now a SAC.
They sat at their usual table. Ben opened his lunchbox and pulled out his sandwich. "Roast beef. What do you have?"
"Ham. Want to trade?"
"Yep."
They swapped sandwiches. It was her favorite. Boars Head medium roast beef, with sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Molly and Katie came and sat down at the table with their significant others. Molly was with her boyfriend Miles Frost and Katie was with her girlfriend Melissa Smith. "Hey Brooke! Did you hear that Maroon Five is coming to a concert around Christmas. We have to go."
Brooke swallowed the bite of her sandwich. "I already bought tickets for all of us. My sister has to come and she's bringing her best friends Kayla Smart and your sister Michelle, Melissa."
Melissa groaned. "Do they have to come?"
"Mom said if she was buying the tickets yes."
Melissa pouted but only for form. "Okay I guess I can live with it. Your little sister is pretty cool. She's a good musician. Heck she's good enough to be in my band."
Brooke wagged her finger. "Don't give her any ideas. She's good. I'll give you that. She's the artsy one. She and mom sang a duet in church last Sunday. It was so good."
Ben remembered. "It was! I'm surprised your mom doesn't sing on broadway. She's that talented."
"Well that's what Claire wants to do except she wants to play the flute or violin. She wants to perform, or teach music."
A snide comment interrupted her. "Why should she, why should you want to work? You have gobs of money. The only reason I'm going to college is to earn my MRS. get me."
Brooke turned around to face one of the bully's of the ninth grade. Her name was Tiffany Heard and she was a cheerleader. Her parents were super rich, but unlike her mother and father who were humble about the money they had, they flaunted their fortune. Brooke hated Tiffany but had to tolerate her because she too was a cheerleader. Most of the cheering team sided with Tiffany versus her group of friends were small but solid. She had Katie, Melissa, and Molly on the team with her as well as Ben. He was her partner. Something that made Tiffany very jealous. She thought that every boy worshipped the ground she walked on. She made several moves on Ben but he always deflected them. "That's insulting to you, you should be trying to get an education to broaden your mind and do something with your life. You could start a non-profit and really help others."
"Honey you have to learn to help yourself, it's not up to me to do anything for anyone."
Brooke said. "Not everyone is as fortunate as we all are." She took another bite of sandwich.
"Please spare me your humble lifestyle crap. What are you wearing? Can't you do something with that mop on your head? What are you eight?" The two girls with her giggled as they walked away.
Brooke said nothing. She was wearing black Versace jeans and a red cashmere sweater. No point in pointing that out. Her hair was curly and often got frizzy in the afternoons. No matter what she did with it. She normally pulled it up in a ponytail, but today she wore it partially up.
Ben leaned over. "Just ignore them. You look amazing."
"Thanks, she always picks on my hair." The insults usually hit too. She hated her frizzy hair! But when her mom had time to help her do it. It looked amazing and stayed amazing. She tried to mimic what her mother did but couldn't do it. She could start straightening it. That was a thought. She finished her lunch glumly.
"You're sulking."
"I know. She just gets under my skin. Never mind that I am first in our class, she finds your low points and jabs. She's good at it. She's so pretty and everything. Her hair is perfect, her teeth are perfect, everyone thinks she's perfect."
"I don't. I think perfect is right next to me." Ben whispered.
Brooke leaned into his shoulder. "You're really sweet."
Ben looked at his watch. "Time for biology."
Callie was in her office. She just finished her trial and was waiting for the jury to deliberate. It was four thirty, she had been hoping for a conviction before the day was out, but unless she got a call...Her phone rang. She pounced. It was her assistant James Hightower. "James? They've reached a verdict. Good. I'm on my way."
She left her office and headed for the courthouse which was a short walk from her office. She went into the courtroom and sat back down at the prosecution's table. She had two bottles of water. She gave one to James. He nodded to the defense attorney. "I'm feeling good about this one Mrs. Hardy."
"I do too, but we will have to see what the jury says."
The jury came back in and sat down in the jury box. The bailiff said. "All rise the Honorable Abraham Pierce presiding."
Judge Pierce turned to the jury. "Madam foreman have you reached a verdict?"
"We have your honor." She handed the verdict over to the bailiff who brought it to the judge.
He read then nodded. "Will the defendant please rise?"
Callie looked over at the smirking defendant. He had been a real jerk on the stand. He came across as condescending instead of humble, it was going to bite him in the ass.
Judge Pierce read. "We the jury find the defendant Thomas Wyatt guilty of possession of a controlled substance at level one. We the jury find the defendant Thomas Wyatt guilty of intending to distribute a controlled substance level one. We the jury recommend a sentence of no less than 15 years in federal prison."
Callie pumped her fist. But said nothing. The defendant was defiant. "You stupid cunt bitch! I'll finish you!"
Callie simply continued to look over her notes pretending not to care. Defendants often lashed out at her, but she wasn't worried. This oaff had been selling drugs to minors and she wasn't sad to see him go to prison. He obviously had a network, now the fun part would be to see how much it crumbled and ended up in court with her as prosecutor. She smiled at the thought.
The court was adjourned and the defendant was taken away to be remanded to jail until sentencing. The defense attorney approached her. "Look...we were on opposing sides but I want you to know. He is out for your blood. He says he has contacts, you may want to watch out for a bit."
Callie turned to the defense attorney that had become a good friend. "Thanks Tim, I will."
Callie put her notes in her briefcase and she and James left the courthouse. "Congratulations partner." James said.
"You too. We'll have to celebrate. How about a drink on me."
"You don't have to twist my arm."
"How is your wife?"
"She's great at 36 weeks, we're getting down to the wire."
Callie nodded. "My sister in law is 35 weeks about to pop any moment. I can't wait, she's having twin boys."
"Exciting! We're having a girl. I know you have two girls. Did you ever want to try for a boy?"
"No two is enough I think." Callie said.
Suddenly a car pulled up beside them. Callie saw the gun and pushed her coworker behind a news stand. "Watch out!"
The gun started firing. Pedestrians started screaming. Callie pulled out her phone and called 911. "We're at the intersection of Wickham and Independence someone is shooting from a black SUV with Virginia tags. The car sped off and fired at them from a distance. Callie was pushed to the ground by James, his body jerked and fell on top of her. Callie screamed. "Oh no! James!" She pushed him off her and rolled him over. There were red stains on his shirt. Callie tried to get onto her knees but her legs felt numb. She took off her blazer and started to stanch the flow of blood. She saw that he wasn't breathing. She felt for a pulse. "Oh my god!" She spoke into the phone. "Please hurry with an ambulance, my coworker has been shot! James hold on!"
Callie wanted to do chest compressions but she couldn't get on her knees. What was going on? When the medics arrived she collapsed back onto the sidewalk exhausted. It hurt to breathe. She turned her head and watched as they performed CPR, they tried to shock his heart, but got nothing. "He's DOA." The medic said.
Callie sobbed. "No oh god! He has a wife with a daughter on the way. He can't be dead."
The medic knelt down. "I'm sorry ma'am." Then he looked alarmed. "You're bleeding."
Callie wiped her mouth and saw blood. "What?"
