Annie gave Navarro a second strike with the buckle to the back of his head for good measure as he tried to get up. Behind them, Jack came over the top of the gallery rows, leaping each with a hurdler’s grace. When he got close enough, he dove with his arms outstretched onto Navarro’s back. Momentum drove them both hard to the ground, Jack landing on top. He kept Navarro pinned until two guards came to pry them apart.
“He assaulted this man,” Annie told one of the guards, pointing first to Navarro then to Mitch and his bloody nose. “I saw it happen.”
The court officers seemed a bit uncertain as to what to do given Navarro’s status. Luckily Navarro was too dazed, perhaps concussed, to offer any defense. Mitch was ready to make his case, but he didn’t have to, because he heard Judge Lockhart’s booming voice over the courtroom speakers.
“Do not let Attorney Greg Navarro leave this courtroom. I want that man under arrest for contempt of court! And God help us all, that’s just the start.”
Three courtroom officers joined together to wrench Navarro’s hands unceremoniously behind his back. Mitch was thinking of Penny and Grace when he heard the click of the handcuffs being locked into place. He smiled a big, toothy grin as Navarro was brought to his feet and hauled away. Through it all, bloodied and battered, Mitch’s smile never faded.
CHAPTER 55
GRACE WAS BACK IN Detective Jay Allio’s office, at his invitation, to get an update on the case against Greg Navarro.
The big man looked out of sorts to Grace, baggy-eyed in a wrinkled shirt, but it was not surprising. Greg Navarro must have been keeping him and lots of detectives quite busy.
After Grace declined his offer of something to eat or drink, he started things off, appropriately enough, with an inquiry about Penny.
“She’s doing great,” Grace said. “Thank you for asking. It’s good to have her home.”
It had been a relatively peaceful time since Penny’s homecoming a week ago. Ruth Whitmore came with Mitch, and she brought a jade plant as a gift for Penny, along with an invitation to the Massachusetts State House. Whitmore got what she had wanted—so much attention for Edgewater that the governor had no choice but to increase funding for the failing institution. The governor himself had requested a meet and greet with the star patient to show the public how much he truly cared.
“That man has less class than an empty schoolhouse,” Whitmore quipped to Grace at Penny’s party. “But I feel obligated to give him his photo op, so I deeply appreciate your willingness to participate.”
“Since it was Eve most of the time, Penny doesn’t really remember much about Edgewater,” Grace told Whitmore that day, “but she wants to help the patients who are there; she feels a kinship. If it takes meeting the governor to secure your funding, she’s happy to oblige.”
There were plenty of tears and hugs that day, and lots of photos taken, including one of Penny, Mitch, and Grace. One photo Annie took had a streak of light near Penny’s head. Annie remarked with a sad smile: “I bet you anything that’s Arthur.”
The most important thing was that Penny was home, safe and sound, where she belonged. She was back in her room, sleeping in her bed—one that didn’t have a hiding place under the box spring.
Now that the party was past and the family had had time to settle into a new normal, there were other matters to address. She was curious to know what Allio had to share.
“Seven more women have come forward to accuse Navarro of using threats and coercion in exchange for sex. This guy was a piece of work. Word is he got shoved out of the public defender’s office because of whispers. If it happened a few years later, he’d have been all swept up in the Me Too movement. Instead, it was Navarro who got swept under the rug. But I wanted you to hear it from me—the DNA test came back. Greg Navarro is your daughter’s biological father.”
“Thank you. I knew it, but it’s good to have confirmation.”
“Grand jury has indicted him on first-degree murder charges. You’re not going to have to worry about him ever again. He’s going away forever.”
“I’ll be happy to see him go,” said Grace.
“Forensically speaking, this guy knew his business. I guess you get enough cons off the hook, you pick up a few tips and tricks along the way. Wasn’t quite as good with the digital footprint.”
“How so?”
“Those messages Rachel sent Penny? Navarro sent them from a dummy account he made.”