Page 46 of Shattered

“In case of what?”

“In case she walked in on something she shouldn’t be seeing,” Mackenzie hedged. “In hindsight, it was pretty reckless of us to do so. However, at the time, we both thought it was acceptable.”

“By both of you, you mean yourself. Holly had no input on the decision,” the lawyer grabbed another document. “Your honor, these are the photographs of the locks on the doors. Though innocuous, they drive home the point that Mr. Raferty was fully committed to Holly and her plans.”

“Her plans?” Mackenzie snarled. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Objection, Your Honor!” Charles yelled.

“I’m saying, Mr. Raferty, if Holly is on trial, you should be, too!”

Mackenzie launched out of his chair. “What?”

“Objection, Your Honor, he’s badgering the witness!” Charles shouted, again.

The judge smacked his gavel on the bench and called for order in the courtroom. “Mr. Walker, I have given you enough rope to ask your questions and steer this courtroom in whichever direction for the last twenty minutes, you’ve wanted to go. Seems to me, you are now headed for the cliff, and willing to implicate everyone in this case.”

“Your Honor,” Mr. Walker, the defense attorney said. “I have proved Mackenzie Raferty, not only makes questionable choices, but also unilateral decisions for his family. He has had severe head trauma, anger issues, and has also said he had an arrangement with my client. He is just as responsible as she is in this case.”

White-hot anger flashed through Mackenzie’s veins. He’d done nothing of the sort. He’d tried to protect Holly and in the long run, it blew up in his face. She’d turned her back on his family. She used them. Not the other way around. “I am nothing like her.”

The judge smacked his gavel again. “Order. Another word, Mr. Raferty...”

He nodded.

“Your Honor,” Charles said. “Mr. Walker knows how small his chances of winning this case are, so he’ll employ any tactic readily available to help take some of the harsh lighting off his client. During the state’s investigation along with our own, we found all of the Raferty family innocent of any wrongdoing and to implicate Mackenzie, because he wanted to see his niece happy, is inexcusable.”

The judge mulled over their arguments while Mackenzie tried to tamp down his rage. Every step he’d taken since the minute Holly arrived in Window Rock was now being used against him. He couldn’t say it surprised him. He’d honestly been waiting for it.

“Jury,” the judge said, “You will disregard what you’ve heard. It will also be stricken from the record.”

“Your Honor,” Mr. Walker said.

“I believe it’s time for a recess, gentlemen and ladies. We’ll reconvene tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. sharp.” The judge smacked his gavel once more then stood and left the bench.

Mackenzie stepped off the stand and headed for the door. He didn’t look at Holly or her slimy lawyer, nor did he look at Charles. If he did, he was afraid he’d say something that would be used against him later on. Mackenzie avoided the press by walking out the back door where he’d parked his truck. Leaning against it, was Rapier. The look on his face matched Mackenzie’s disposition.

“What the fuck, Mac?” Rapier pushed off the front quarter panel. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Which part?” He pulled his keys from his pocket.

“All of it.”

“I told you everything after Holly left. What more do you want to know?” Mackenzie scowled.

“Door locks? We knew about them, but not why.”

Mackenzie snarled. “Yeah, well, I did it for a reason. I’d like to discuss that with my children and niece before I tell the whole fucking country my goddamned business.”

Rapier held up his hands. “I get it, Mac.”

“No, you fucking don’t,” he snapped. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to plan dinner and get my house ready for Abby’s visit.”

He wrenched open the driver’s side door after unlocking it and got in. As he started up his truck, his phone rang. Mackenzie pulled away from Rapier who stared after him, before answering it. “Yeah?”

“A little bird said it didn’t go well for you,” Kalkin said.

“You should shoot the little fucking bird and eat the fucker,” Mackenzie growled.

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