“I caught her.”
“What happened after you caught her?”
“I took her down.”
David made a sound beside her. Small. Horrified.
“When you say you took her down, what do you mean?”
“She was fighting.”
“That’s not my question.”
A tear slid down his face.
“I took her down to the ground.”
The room had gone completely still.
Eleanor’s mouth went dry. She could feel the color drain from her face.
Reid’s head came up, slow, like something had just shifted under his feet.
“And then?”
Danny stared at David. Then at his mother.
“I held her too long.”
“Trooper Mercer,” Judge Harlan said sharply. “You need to understand you may be incriminating yourself. You have the right not to answer questions that could expose you to criminal charges. Do you understand that?”
Danny’s shoulders shook.
“Yes, sir,” he whispered.
Reid was already half on his feet.
“Your Honor, the State would?—”
“Sit down, Mr. Calloway,” Harlan snapped, never taking his eyes off Danny.
Then, more evenly:
“Trooper Mercer, do you wish to continue answering counsel’s questions?”
Danny lifted his head.
His eyes were wet and wild.
“I’m not lettin’ him take this,” he said hoarsely, eyes on David.
Across the courtroom, Danny’s eyes found his father.
The older man had gone completely still. For one suspended second, they held each other’s gaze. Then his father just shook his head.
What did you do?
Danny looked away first.
