Don't Look Back

Chapter 45

Niall's POV

There was a brief silence in the room before he answers Slate's question. With my wrists bound behind me, all I could do was stare, my hands in tight fists. The anger within me towards this man was unimaginable. I refused to call him my father, and I knew that him standing as a witness today would ruin me, he's going to throw everything he has at me. It's over, I thought, closing my eyes. But his voice breaks the silence and my eyes shoot open.

"I shudder thinking of it." Dad begins, looking emotional. I wanted to roll my eyes. "I remember it very clearly. I was sitting in the family room, like any other night. I heard shouts in the kitchen."

"What was happening Mr. Horan, do tell the court." Slate urges. Dad gulps, shaking his head.

"Eleanor used to beat the poor child." He says, some people gasp quietly.

"LIES!"

"Shut the fuck up Amber!"

"Order in the court!" The judge yells. I knew those voices anywhere. I turn around, my eyes searching for Amber and a pissed off Finn. I felt a tinge of confidence that I had a little fan base rooting for me. Slate continues with his questions quickly.

"Mr. Horan, what did you do, upon knowing that Eleanor was beating Niall in the kitchen?" Slate asks.

"Objection!" Brentmoor interrupts, standing up. All eyes glue to him.

"Leading question your honor. Mr. Horan has not yet stated that Eleanor was beating Niall in the kitchen, there's no way Mr. Slate here, could know that..." Brentmoor says, turning to Slate.

"Your response counselor?" The judge says, looking at Slate. The court room grows silent. Slate gets a little flustered...for only a moment.

"With the knowledge that Eleanor beat Niall, assuming that was happening in the kitchen is a reasonable extrapolation of the facts." Slate says, ending confidently.

The judge thinks for a moment.

"Your objection is sustained Mr. Brentmoor. Mr. Slate, do not use a leading question again. Proceed." The judge says. A surge of excitment runs through me, seeing the faces of Slate and my dad as their fake little plan falls apart. I turn around and my eyes search for Mira. I catch her eye and give her a small smile. This seems to make her very happy, because she gives me a grin back.

"Mr. Horan, please tell the court what was happening in the kitchen." Slate says, obviously pissed off.

"Well, I heard Eleanor hitting him, so I ran in to save him. I mean enough is enough, I couldn't let this go on!" He says. Right then he catches my eye, and he pauses for a moment. He could read on my face what my thoughts were, and at that moment, maybe it was regret...but I won't give him that much credit, it was probably guilt that he knew what he was about to say was so far from the truth it was disgusting.

"So..so I walked into the kitchen." He continues. "And she had him in a corner...so I pulled her off of him, and I was trying to calm her down. But in that moment, the unimaginable happened. Niall picked up a small hand gun from the counter and shot it off. For a blind shot, he hit her square in the head....and she dropped dead."

The jury gasped in horror and a murmur of whispers arose. I felt every eye in that room looking at me with disgust. I felt my cheeks burning with anger and hurt. I turned around in desperate search for Mira, someone who would look at me for me, and not some murderer. I found her, her eyes glossy like she was holding back tears. This only made everything worse. I suddenly felt a lump in my throat, but it wasn't because of my pain, it was for Mira. I knew this hurt her just as much as it hurt me. I gave her a reasurring nod, and she nodded back. I saw her reach for Harry's hand. I couldn't understand the calm and almost content look on his face though...did he know something we didn't?