Page 109 of Dead Mountain

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“Proceed.”

Lightfeather, seemingly shaken up by this, tried to compose himself, smoothing down his suit, running a hand over his hair. He took an inordinately long time, while the agitated Baca clasped and unclasped his hands.

Nora glanced again at Hawley. The bastard was still sitting there, a smug smile of contentment creasing his meatball face.

Then Lightfeather’s head snapped up. “Mr. Baca, sir, I have only one more question. But it is an important one. Your truthful answer to this question will determine the fate of this young man, Elwyn Kelly. But I want you to realize something else: your answer, as recorded in the greatest court of all, will bear on the fate of another person’s immortal soul—”

Scowsen leapt up, furious. “Objection! Objection! Your Honor, this is harassment, pure and simple. The defense is using these insinuations to threaten the witness!”

The judge banged his gavel. “Sustained! Mr. Lightfeather, I’m now holding you in contempt of court and fining you one thousand dollars.” Bang went the gavel again. “Now ask your final question sir, with no more commentary, and be done with it.” He turned to the jury. “You will disregard the entire line of Mr. Lightfeather’s previous questioning.”

Lightfeather looked at Baca for a long time. “My question is direct, it’s simple—and it’s profound. Mr. Baca, have you told us the truth?”

There was a long silence. Baca was still wringing his hands and seemed unable to speak. The deputy’s obvious anguish and his apparent inability to answer the question transfixed the courtroom. The tension in the room swiftly increased as Baca’s silence went on. Skip had lost his hopeless, resigned expression and was staring at the deputy. Nora herself could hardly breathe. Hawley was no longer smiling.

“Mr. Baca,” the judge urged. “The court is awaiting your answer.”

“No,” said Baca at last.

“You mean ‘no’ in what way, exactly, Mr. Baca?” Lightfeather asked gently.

“I mean no. I haven’t told the truth.”

“Would you like to take this opportunity to clear your conscience, before God, and tell the truth—here and now, in this court of law?”

“Objection! Objection!” Scowsen rose in another fury. “More threats and harassment, Your Honor!”

“Objection overruled,” said the judge. “The witness appears to have something to say, and it is this court’s duty to hear it.”

Baca was breathing hard. He struggled to get himself under control.

“Nora Kelly was in front,” he began, in a low, monotonal voice. “She was carrying the body. The brother was behind. The sheriff blocked her way. The brother started videotaping with his phone and the sheriff lunged at him, knocking down the sister in the process—”

“What the hell?” Hawley erupted, springing to his feet. “Baca, what are you doing?”

“Mr. Hawley.” The judge banged his gavel. “Sit down, sir, and cease disrupting the proceedings.”

“Baca, you little prick—”

Bang, bang went the gavel. “Sit down this instant or I will have you removed from this court, sir!” the judge said.

The sheriff continued standing and staring at Baca, swaying slightly, while the deputy stared back, his face a mask of anguish, sweating profusely.

“Sit down, sir!” the judge thundered.

The sheriff sat down and then muttered, in a voice loud enough to be heard across the courtroom, “You’ll pay for this, Baca.”

“I will not tolerate further disruption from you in my court!” said the judge. “Bailiffs, remove Mr. Hawley from the courtroom.”

Two bailiffs rose and came over to Hawley, positioning themselves on either side. Hawley was trembling all over and his face was dark red. They tried to take his arms, but he shrugged them off with a curse. “I’ll walk on my own,” he said.

They escorted him from the room, the sheriff turning his head and glaring balefully at Baca on the witness stand up until the moment the courtroom’s doors closed behind him.

“Mr. Lightfeather,” said the judge. “You may continue questioning the witness.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.” He turned to Baca. “Now, I believe you were telling us the sheriff knocked down Nora Kelly, the defendant’s sister, is that correct?”

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