Page 108 of Dead Mountain

“At any time during this confrontation, did the sheriff touch or make any other contact with Nora Kelly?”

“Never.”

“Did Nora Kelly fall down?”

“Yes. She tripped as she was running up the path after us.”

“Did the defendant, Skip Kelly, take video or pictures at any time?”

“No.”

“Why did you confiscate the phone?”

“Because he was trying to hide it in what I deemed a suspicious manner.”

“Were the contents of the phone examined?”

“Yes. We got a warrant.”

“And what did you find?”

“Incriminating evidence.”

“What sort of evidence?”

“Pictures of the defendant, his sister, and the two others with them, engaged in illegally excavating the Indian burials.”

“So confiscation of the phone was justified from an evidentiary point of view, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Nora—forbidden by Lightfeather from reacting—had kept her eyes riveted on Baca. Now that he’d unloaded all his lies, which she was certain he’d carefully rehearsed, the dark color of his face lightened somewhat and he exhaled, deflating like a balloon.

The DA took a folder from his table. “I’d like to enter these photographs taken from the defendant’s phone into evidence. Mr. Baca, I want to thank you for your testimony, and your service to this county and this country. I have no more questions.”

It was Lightfeather’s turn. He waited until Scowsen had seated himself. Then he rose to his feet, picking up a book from his table as he did so—a small book Nora hadn’t noticed before. “Permission to cross-examine the witness, Your Honor?”

“Please proceed.”

He strode up to the witness stand and stood directly in front of Baca. His movements had suddenly grown a shade more aggressive than before, and he leaned in toward the deputy closer than seemed appropriate. He stared wordlessly until Baca began to squirm, and then he spoke.

“Deputy Sheriff Baca, did you take an oath before God to tell the truth before you took the stand?”

Immediately, Scowsen was up. “Objection! We all saw him take the oath.”

“Sustained,” said the judge.

Lightfeather held up the little book, which Nora now saw was a Bible. “Do you recognize this book?”

“Objection!” cried Scowsen, on his feet again. “Irrelevant!”

“Sustained,” said the judge again.

Lightfeather plowed on. “Deputy, do you consider yourself a Christian? Are you familiar with the Ten Commandments? One in particular seems important, perhaps life-altering, at the present moment: Thou shalt not bear false—”

But Scowsen was back on his feet. “Objection! Mr. Lightfeather is badgering the witness! Your Honor, can you please instruct defense counsel to confine his questions to the facts at hand? The witness’s religious views have nothing to do with the matter!”

The judge turned a stern eye on Lightfeather. “Mr. Lightfeather, I’m sustaining the objection. I would note it is the third such objection in a row I have sustained. You, sir, are out of line. One more irrelevant question like that and I will hold you in contempt of court. Is that clear?”

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