Read Online Shattered by Dani Pettrey - Free Book Online

over Piper. She’d never allow Reef to jump bail. Landon had to know that. If he couldn’t trust Reef, couldn’t he at least trust her ?
    “Taking all of that into consideration,” Judge Morrell continued, “it is the court’s decision that bail be denied.”
    “But, Your Honor . . .” Harland protested.
    “Mr. Reeves, I appreciate the fervor you display on behalf of your client, but my decision has been made. Mr. McKenna will remain in custody until his trial.”
    “Your Honor, if we could just—”
    “We are finished here,” Judge Morrell said. “Thank you.”
    Piper rushed to Reef’s side before the deputy could escort him out and hugged him. “I won’t let this happen. I’ll find a way to prove your innocence. I promise.”

8
    Gage waited until everyone left the courtroom—everyone except him and Meredith.
    She stood at the prosecutor’s table, stuffing files into her briefcase.
    He strolled up behind her, catching a whiff of her perfume. Lilacs . The scent brought back memories of happier times—summers lying with her on the hammock beside the large lilac bush in her backyard. How had they gotten from there to here?
    “You’re really going through with this,” he asked.
    She stiffened. “If by this you mean prosecuting Reef’s case . . . then yes, I’m really going through with this.”
    “And you feel nothing?”
    “On the contrary, I feel a great deal for the victim and her family.”
    He stepped closer, resting his hand on the table mere inches from hers. It’d been so long since he’d touched her, since their lives had been so closely intertwined. “And for my family?” He gazed at her. “For me?”
    She held his gaze, no emotion registering in her eyes. “I’ve closed that chapter of my life.”
    “Just like that?” He bit back the pain. “We lose our son, and the next day you’re gone. You didn’t even bother to come to Tucker’s funeral.”
    “People don’t have funerals for premature fetuses.”
    “He wasn’t a fetus; he was our child , our son .”
    “Unlike you, I see no need to dwell in the past.”
    He could barely breathe for the pain that seeing her brought back. “Mer . . .”
    “I don’t have time for this.” She lifted her briefcase. “If you’ll excuse me.” She pushed past him, and he did nothing to stop her. He’d tried once and it had done no good.
    He heard a swish of the main courtroom door behind him while Meredith exited out the side door. Had one of his siblings ducked back in to witness his encounter with her?
    Remaining at the table, he followed the curve of the wood with his long, lean finger—tracing the place where she’d doodled. She’d always doodled when she was nervous.
    Was she nervous about the case or possibly its connection to him? Maybe she didn’t have a heart of stone after all. He shook his head. Now who was being foolish?
    He exited the courtroom to a flurry of reporters. Just Reef’s dumb luck the town would be crammed with reporters covering the Freeride Championships. Sports reporters covering a murder case? They had to be champing at the bit.
    “Miss McKenna”—a reporter shoved the microphone in Piper’s face—“did you have any clues your brother was a murderer?”
    “My brother is no such thing.”
    Gage stepped forward to intervene, but Cole wrapped a guarded arm around Piper and addressed the reporter through clenched teeth. “I suggest you walk away.”
    “Is that a threat? Does this murderous tendency run through the entire McKenna clan?”
    “That’s enough.” Landon stepped between the McKennas and the swarm of reporters.
    A dizzying haze of flashes rent the air.
    Meredith appeared at the opposite end of the hall, and all the reporters clamored over each other to reach the fresh prey.
    “How do you know the prosecutor?” A bold voice ventured.
    All but one, apparently.
    Gage turned to find a pixie—no more than five foot four, herblond hair pulled back into a ponytail with wispy