The bailiff addressed the men at the back and said, “You will remain silent and seated.”
Each man nodded once in acknowledgment without a trace of defiance, and their stillness made them appear even more formidable.
Garrett finally lifted his head, revealing eyes rimmed in red not from anger but from exhaustion and dread.
“Your Honor,” he said in a rough voice, “I asked them to come.”
The room shifted with audible surprise. Rebecca stiffened and her attorney leaned closer to her in disbelief.
“You invited them?” the attorney asked sharply.
“Yes, ma’am,” Garrett replied.
Judge Hodge held her pen midair and asked, “For what purpose?”
Before Garrett could answer, a tall man with a graying beard stepped forward half a pace from the back wall. His name was Travis Cole, and though he wore the same leather vest as the others, his posture was restrained and respectful.
“Your Honor, if I may clarify,” Travis began.
The bailiff immediately raised a hand and said, “Remain where you are.”
Travis stopped without protest and replied, “Yes, sir.”
That obedience only deepened the suspicion among the spectators.