“Cole!”
The scream tore down the courthouse corridor like broken glass, sharp and aching, and Camille’s heart damn near jumped out of her chest. Her grip on Ellie slipped—sweaty palms, slick little fingers, her whole body shaking like it was trying to escape itself. They were crammed on that stiff wooden bench, everything too bright, too sterile—fluorescent lights buzzing like flies, the scent of disinfectant clawing at her throat.
The gavel had just slammed. Recess. That’s what the judge said. But it still echoed, bouncing off the marble like it meant more than just a pause.
Her head spun. The knife guy? No no no no—
She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Her backpack felt like a cinder block in her lap, its frayed straps biting into her legs. Old courtroom memories came clawing up from
