Read Online Heist 2 by Kiki Swinson - Free Book Online

nerves.
    There were about six other inmates aside from me on the bus all yelling to each other about how they hadn’t seen or heard from their court-appointed attorneys and how they hoped their family members showed up so they could at least get a glimpse of their kids. Listening to them speak about those horrible court-appointed attorneys made me feel kind of good inside, since I had had the pleasure of telling my court-appointed attorney to get lost. I felt superior to those other inmates because I had been smart enough to save money for a situation like this. It’s not like I was planning on getting locked up, but after the ultimate heist we pulled on Bobby Knight, I stashed away money just in case Jock had ever tried to front on me or if I had to get out of Dodge because of Todd. One thing my grandmother always taught me was to keep that “get mad” money stashed some place that the man didn’t know about. It was a lesson well taught and definitely well learned.
    The stories these chicks were telling were sorry as hell. One girl said she had never met her court-appointed attorney. Another one said all her attorney ever did was tell her to hurry up and take a plea deal that would leave her in prison for ten years. She said he was always in a rush and didn’t care if he took a loss on a case. It was sad but I can’t front, I was smiling to myself and saying in my head, Y’all bitches couldn’t afford a high-priced attorney like I got. I’m getting the fuck off on these charges. I knew that Mr. Kaufman prided himself on winning cases and so far he’d had a perfect acquittal record. He had been in the newspaper so many times that they called him “front page Kaufman.” That was the type of attorney a bitch needed standing at the table with her.
    Once we got to the courthouse in downtown Virginia Beach, we were pulled off the bus, searched again, and loaded into the courthouse through the back doors. I had crazy butterflies in my stomach and for some reason my heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
    Those bitches were still talking shit about how they couldn’t wait to curse their attorneys out and yada, yada, yada. They were giving me a straight headache for real.
    We were all placed in the court holding cell that is located behind the courtrooms. These cells were much cleaner than what we were used to in the prison. I found a spot in the corner and just sat and waited. My nerves were on edge because I knew from coming to court for Todd so many times that these hearings all depended on the judge and the defense attorneys.
    One by one the court officers started pulling us out to go see the judge. Two chicks went ahead of me, one had come back kicking, spitting, screaming about fuck the crooked-ass system and the other one had come back in tears saying something about not being able to see her kids like that.
    I can’t front, their reactions were scary for me. It was like nobody was coming out of that courtroom with good results. There were rumblings inside the holding cell about how the judge was a bitch that wanted to make an example out of people. I was a little shook inside, but I was putting all of my hope into Mr. Kaufman. I said a quick little prayer before I heard the call.
    â€œMarshall, Shannon!” The court officer finally called my name, sending a jolt of nerves and wave of nausea through my stomach. “Marshall, let’s go!”
    I jumped up like my legs were suddenly on springs. A cold feeling shot down my spine and I swallowed hard.
    â€œNow or never, Shannon . . . you got this,” I whispered under my breath as I was led toward the little door that led to the courtroom.
    When I stepped through the door, I couldn’t believe how crowded the courtroom was. It was my first time being on the other side. I was usually a hopeful spectator in the back waiting for the judge to show a little leniency. Not this time . . . I was the spectacle today