Yolo (Carter Brothers #7)

Chapter 24

One thing about me, I will find out. I’m a findoutologist. I’ve got my PHD in findoutology.

— Garrett to Bindi

GARRETT

“ It’s pretty much a cut-and-dry case, if you ask me,” the lawyer that was prompting us on how today would go down said. “ I think he’s trying to play the victim card here, trying to make it seem like you’re forcing him out of his home. You ‘stole his future wife.’ Though that has no bearing on his case against Bindi . Bindi , you did all these things. Emotionally manipulated him. Blah , blah, blah.” Kevin Gates stood, his hands going to his pocket. “ But once I get Bindi on the stand, the judge is going to take one look at her and realize who’s really the victim here.”

It was December twentieth.

Bindi and I had better things to do than be here. Like go fucking Christmas shopping.

Neither one of us had finished.

We’d both been extremely busy at work, and by the looks of it, might not finish our shopping in time.

Luckily for me, Lea had been helping Bindi order online.

They’d also been planning a wedding.

Our wedding.

By this time next year, we’d be married for six months.

I couldn’t fucking wait to call her my wife.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out to look at the display.

A grin split my face as I said, “ Hey , we’re going to take a quick minute outside before this starts. Can you give us five?”

“ Sure ,” the lawyer said. “ I’ll go get set up in the courtroom.”

I took Bindi’s hand and hurried her toward the front door.

That’s where I found Maven’s brother, a known criminal—though we refused to acknowledge that part—waiting for us.

“ Shasha ,” I said as I held out my hand to him. “ I’m guessing since you’re here, you found something?”

“ Sure did.” Shasha , who I was fairly sure was a Bratva Pakhan , handed me some papers. “ I’m not sure what you can do with this, but you might find it handy.”

Shasha and Bindi started talking while I read what he’d found, and my jaw dropped.

“ What the fuck?” I burst out.

“ Thought you’d find that interesting,” Shasha said.

“ Find what interesting?” Bindi asked curiously.

I read it again to make sure that I’d read it right.

“ The entire Harris family took out a massive life insurance policy on you,” Shasha answered for me. “ All four members. The sister, Joseph , and the parents.”

My jaw clenched.

“ They what?!” she cried out.

“ It’s time,” I said, jaw still clenched. “ Let’s go.”

I walked with her, as carefully as possible, back into the courthouse, then down to our courtroom.

We’d left Rooster at home since I would be with Bindi all day, and felt like poor Rooster would have to lay on the hard ground for overly long when it wasn’t necessary.

“ What else does it say?” she whispered.

“ Says that the Harris family is in debt up to their eyeballs,” he said. “ And the three million they gave you came from them selling a house. Their family home.”

“ And what do they think they’re going to accomplish by suing me?” she asked.

“ They’re trying to stay afloat,” I murmured. “ Baby , if they have life insurance policies out on you,” I said carefully, “then it’s possible they tried to kill you.”

Her mouth opened and closed. “ But …they couldn’t have guessed that a rock would come down from a switchback and hit me.”

“ Couldn’t they?” I asked. “ From what you told me, the sister was already up over your head. Do you think it’s possible that she was the one to throw that rock down onto your head?”

“ Maybe she didn’t mean to hit you like she did,” I continued. “ Maybe she meant to scare you, and whoops, you fell off the mountain and died.”

She laughed suddenly then.

“ Do you think after that hit me in the head, they left me there because they thought I might die?” she asked.

“ It’s highly possible,” I said. “ Come on. It’s starting.”

I led her into the courtroom to our frowning lawyer.

He opened his mouth to say something scathing—like me looking bad to the judge for being late—but stopped when I handed him the papers.

The lawyer took them, and his mouth fell open in shock.

I sat Bindi down, then took the seat behind her.

I then pulled out my phone and started texting.

The judge came in, and the court proceedings started, but I was only listening with half an ear as I texted my brother Quincy with all of my ideas.

He texted the group chat, and soon, I had eight Carters looking into it.

Even Ande .

Honestly , if my money was on anyone, it would be on her.

She could find a person with only an Instagram photo and a location tag while she was on vacation.

“…emotional distress,” Joseph’s lawyer finished.

“ Your honor,” our lawyer said, “ I’d like to call Bindi up to the stand, and have you listen to her accounting of that day.”

“ Okay ,” the judge said. “ Ms . Howe ? You may come to the stand.”

I put my phone away after that, then got up and started to help her to the stand, but the judge glared at me. “ Sit .”

“ Then someone needs to help her, because she’s blind and there are many obstacles between here and that seat you want her in.”

“ I got it, kid,” her lawyer, also my dad’s good golf buddy, said. “ Don’t worry.”

I sat back down and wondered if Joseph had paid off this judge, too.

His rude ass had me wondering.

Who would deny lending a blind woman a helping hand?

Obviously this asshole.

The judge frowned as he watched her walk up with Kevin’s help. It deepened the more he watched her.

Had he not known that she was blind?

“ The seat’s right there, dear,” Kevin said as he helped her into her seat.

She smiled and took off her sunglasses, tucking them into her lap.

Then she opened her eyes, and I heard the judge inhale.

“ Place your right hand here,” Kevin urged as he helped her put her hand onto the Bible .

“ Do you swear to tell the truth…” the man standing in front of the stand started.

I watched the judge’s eyes as he studied Bindi .

Yeah , he hadn’t known that she was blind.

How had he missed that in the case notes?

I could tell he thought them disconcerting.

I loved them. They were one of the most beautiful things about her.

But if you weren’t ready for the hazy eyes, they were startling.

Two minutes later, Kevin started in, asking her to explain her relationship with Joseph .

“ He was great in the beginning,” Bindi started. “ Very attentive, sophisticated and debonair. But as time went on, the more I realized that our social standings were quite different. He also never let me forget it. To be truthful, I’m not sure why I’d accepted his proposal. At that moment in time, I was miserable. But I did. I guess I didn’t think it was too degrading. He was rich and important, and I was a girl that survived on thirty thousand dollars a year from a paramedic degree.”

“ Tell us about the day that you were hurt,” Kevin suggested.

Bindi did, telling about how they’d started out driving to the mountain and intending to get an afternoon hike in the moment they arrived.

“ It started out strenuous. Joseph and his family are in great climbing shape. They do it all the time. Meanwhile , I’d never been climbing before in my life until I met them,” she said. “ Even though I’d been doing hikes on and off for about a year with them, it never got easier. It was like the harder I tried, the harder they tried to push me. That day was like any other climb with them. I was at the end of the pack. Joseph’s sister was already two switchbacks above me. Joseph’s parents were in between Joseph and their daughter. And I was at the back, trying to keep up.”

She took a deep breath and looked at where she assumed Joseph was at his table. “ The boulder came out of nowhere. It hit me directly on top of the head, and I fell. I went down so hard that gravel bit into my chin. The pain in my head was instantaneous, and I swear, it was like I blinked. One second I could see, and the next I was blind. I couldn’t see a single ounce of anything. No light. No blurriness. Just instantaneous darkness.”

“ What happened after that?” the judge asked.

He looked like a hardass, like he wasn’t quite believing her.

“ I pushed myself up, expecting to get my vision back, and it never came.” She hesitated. “ I cried out for Joseph’s help, and he laughed and said, ‘ Quit being dramatic, Bindi . Get up and keep walking.’”

“ And then?” the judge pushed.

Anger was boiling in my gut all over again at the reminder of how I’d found her.

How she’d nearly died in my arms.

“ They kept walking and left me there,” she admitted softly.

“ And how did you get down the mountain?” the lawyer asked.

She turned to face where she thought I was, and she smiled softly.

“ Garrett , my now fiancé, found me,” she whispered. “ He and his brother were on a hike. They were in town for a family event. I was screaming for help, and he came.”

The way she looked in that moment, like I was the answer to all her problems, had my heart seizing in my chest.

God , I was thankful every day that I got there in time.

“ He carried you down the mountain,” Kevin said.

“ Yes ,” she answered. “ Then got me to the hospital in time for them to fix a massive brain bleed in my head.”

“ And after that?” he asked.

“ After that, I was paid off by the Harris family. To keep me from bringing a lawsuit against them,” she answered.

“ And you never brought one?” Kevin asked.

“ No ,” she said. “ I never intended to.”

She then went on to explain how she’d moved from Albuquerque , found a job and a new home in Texas , and stayed far away from him.

“ It was him who followed me,” she admitted. “ I’m not sure why.”

“ The trespassing order is because he wouldn’t leave you alone?” Kevin asked.

“ Yes ,” she agreed. “ He kept forcing his way into my apartment. Wouldn’t leave when I asked him to. And my fiancé helped me get a trespassing order to help keep him away. When I was going to get a restraining order, he moved into my apartment complex.”

“ Isn’t your apartment complex for the blind?” Kevin asked.

“ Yes ,” she answered. “ Actually , my fiancé used to live there as well, but the owner told me that he’d asked all non-blind residents to leave if it was possible. He wanted to make it a super friendly apartment community for the blind so that they would have a safe place to live. He wanted to turn all units into a blind-friendly community where they could live and be comfortable.”

“ Thank you, Ms . Howe .” Kevin went to sit down.

That’s when Joseph’s slimy lawyer got up.

“ Is it true that you took out a life insurance policy on Mr . Joseph Harris ?” he asked.

She frowned. “ No . I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“ I have it right here.” He plopped it down in front of her face as if she could read it. “ What do you think about that?”

It was the judge who said, “ Sir , I know you’re aware, but the woman is blind. She can’t read it.”

The dumbass flushed and floundered for a second.

“ It shows that you had a five-million-dollar life insurance policy taken out on Mr . Harris ,” he said.

“ Well , I wasn’t the one to take that policy out.” She paused. “ But if we’re talking about life insurance policies, I was just made aware of the entire Harris family taking one out on me the week before the hike that almost killed me.”

The lawyer blinked, then turned in surprise to stare at his client.

“ That’s not true!” Joseph blurted out, standing up.

“ Sit down,” the judge ordered. “ One more outburst like that when you’re not on the stand, and we’ll be escorting you to the jail next door.”

I smirked.

I’d personally do the escorting if needed.

The next two hours went back and forth as first the Harris family got onto the stand, and then the “witness testimonies.”

Bindi sat quietly through it all, not saying a word.

I , on the other hand, was angry as hell and wanted to rip them all apart.

They had people up there accusing her of trying to kill Joseph , when in reality it was the exact opposite of what had actually happened.

My phone had started going mad crazy, but I ignored it in order to hold Bindi’s hand and reassure her that I was there.

The final witness left the stand, and the judge asked if the lawyers had any other questions.

When they both said no, the judge leaned back in his chair and studied the room at large.

His eyes went to Joseph , who shifted in his seat.

Then they went to Bindi , who sat there stoically, waiting for the next blow.

My poor girl just couldn’t catch a break.

Except …

“ I think,” the judge said. “ That we’re going to have to define the word victim.”

Joseph and his lawyer stiffened.

“ According to the dictionary, a victim is a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action,” the judge drawled. “ And you, Mr . Harris , do not fit into that category.” He looked toward Bindi . “ Ms . Howe , on the other hand, does. From what I understand, her only ‘crime’ as you say, is staying with you longer than she should have.”

Joseph blinked.

Bindi squeezed my hand, realizing like I was that the judge might be on her side.

“ Your lawsuit is officially denied,” he said to the room at large. “ You will not receive any compensation, because I feel that no crime or injustice has been committed.” He looked at Bindi . “ You , Ms . Howe , are more than welcome to bring your own suit against Mr . Harris .”

The entire Harris family inhaled deeply.

“ Court is adjourned.” He slammed his gavel down.

Bindi stood up and turned. I caught her hand and held it between the slats of the short divider that separated the audience from the rest of the room.

When she leaned into me heavily, I pulled her right over the divider and squeezed her tight to me.

“ I would highly suggest countersuing,” Kevin advised as he packed up his things. “ You mind if I keep this?”

He gestured to the papers, and I shrugged. “ Go for it.”

“ Maybe after Christmas ,” Bindi said lightly. “ I want to spend the holidays with my family.”

I grinned.

“ This isn’t over,” Joseph snarled as he walked past us.

Bindi sighed.

The rest of the Harris family went, glaring at the two of us as they did, and we only followed suit when I was sure that they were out of the courthouse.

Bindi and I spoke quietly and were slow in our exit out the doors.

We were so slow, in fact, that we practically missed the show as we finally made it outside.

I pulled Bindi to a stop, and she said, “ What is it?”

I watched in disbelief as the courthouse was filled with red and blue lights.

“ Your ex and his family are being arrested,” I said. “ Literally , they’re being loaded in the back of police cars as we speak.”

“ What are you talking about?” she asked.

Maybe I shouldn’t have ignored my phone.

Dad walked up to us, a stoic look on his face.

“ Judge issued a warrant,” he said. “ We were able to get a trespassing charge against Joseph and his family. He also allowed us to put a tap into his phone records, and we were able to read messages between the Harris family that literally spelled out, word for word, what they would do to collect Bindi’s life insurance.”

“ What’s happening?” Lea asked, she and Ruben were hurrying up the front steps toward us. “ This was as fast as I could get here.”

Ruben looked on cautiously.

Dad twisted to allow them into our circle and explained, “ It was found out that Joseph and his family plotted to murder your daughter and collect her life insurance policy.”

“ What ?” Ruben bellowed.

“ Yes .” Dad looked angry himself. “ We were able to work in tandem with both the Colorado Springs PD , as well as Albuquerque PD , to find some more information.”

Ruben blinked. “ What’s that?”

“ This isn’t the first young woman that they’ve done this to. Though , they were successful with the first one,” Dad said quietly.

My mouth dropped open.

“ Where is he? I’ll kill him,” Ruben growled.

I caught his arm and said, “ Let the authorities handle this. You have to walk your daughter down the aisle to me in six months.”

Ruben spun, pinning me with a glare. “ It’ll be my wedding gift to y’all.”

“ Daddy ,” Bindi said quietly.

“ This is not acceptable. Their actions blinded you!” he said. “ Because that’s exactly what happened that day, isn’t it? They tried to kill you on that mountain.”

Bindi snapped her mouth shut.

Then Dad explained exactly how everything was supposed to go down.

“ The boulder was supposed to scare her, not hit her. She was supposed to trip and fall down the mountain. They could go to the authorities and claim a hiking accident,” Dad said. “ But that didn’t work out that way.”

“ No , it didn’t,” Ruben said angrily.

“ I can’t believe this,” Mom said. “ What happens next?”

“ Next ,” Dad said, “they all go to jail for attempted murder. Premeditated murder at that. And a new case is opened on the other woman that died, and they collected the life insurance on.”

“ And we sue the pants off of them while we’re at it,” Dad muttered.

Bindi sighed. “ I want nothing to do with them. I’m happy, Daddy .”

“ You may be happy, but I have a vendetta. We’re going to take them for everything they have,” Ruben grumbled. “ I’m going to make sure y’all’s kids are set for life.”

I grinned. “ Just try to keep her out of it as best you can.”

Bindi groaned. “ You aren’t helping.”

I pulled her into my side. “ Let’s go buy some Christmas presents, baby.”

She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I cupped her head to press a kiss to her head.

“ Fine . But I’m getting my amaretto latte with cinnamon sugar sprinkles.”

“ Done .”