Kate took several pages of notes as Leah told her exactly how badly everything had gone. “So let me get this straight. You tried to escape out of the window, but he pulled a knife on you?”

“Yes.” That admission came out in a whisper.

Leah appeared completely humiliated—but the events provided a light at the end of the tunnel for her client in the form of a nice coercion argument.

Leah gazed down at the sheet covering her legs. “What do you think the police will do about Mel Owen’s attack?”

“I think he will be charged. Just like you, he was caught in the act.”

She looked at Kate. “I’d rather Harry’s father not be charged. I’ve done enough damage to him.”

“It’s not up to you, Leah. He was armed with a prohibited weapon, and risked the life of a sheriff. It was very unfortunate.”

Tears glistened in Leah’s eyes. “Does he have a good lawyer?”

Kate nodded. “He has one of the best. You can’t worry about him, Leah. What’s done is done. Let’s talk about next steps.”

“Are they going to send me to prison as soon as the hospital discharges me?”

“Yes, that would be the procedure.”

Leah stared down at her hand resting on the bed. Her skin was translucent, every vein articulated and blue.

“I’m hoping we can avoid jail time for you, Leah. Your best option right now is to get immunity from the Crown.”

She swallowed. “How do I do that?”

“You become a Crown witness. You give them the name of your boyfriend. You tell the police how to find him. Also, the Crown wants your laptop. The police have searched your apartment but it wasn’t located.”

Leah’s eyes flew to Kate’s face. “It was there last night. I left it on my desk.”

“In obvious sight?”

“Yes. It was plugged in. And I had it set up to download the data at a certain time. The police should have found it.”

This did not bode well. “According to the Crown, they don’t have it. Do you know who would have taken it?”

“Aiden, maybe?”

“Did he have a key to your apartment?”

“No. And I guess it doesn’t make sense that he’d risk another break in. The data would have also downloaded onto his own laptop.”

“Do you have an address for Aiden?”

“He told me he lived on South Street. But I never went to his place. He always came to mine. I don’t know for sure if that was his address.”

“I’ll give it to the Crown and the police will check it out.” Kate hoped that the address was real. Leah had been deceived more than once by Aiden Boyne.