Author's Note: What's this? Another update in the same week? Something must be wrong with me! That or I like to spoil you guys way too much! Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews...they are what keep me going with this story! I had one concern about an objection in the last chapter, and I have to defend that. I thank you for speaking up on it but I felt it was a very strong objection and I had to go with it. But I certainly understand where you're coming from when you brought it up!

Read and let me know what you think...good or bad!

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Landmine

Chapter 15

Nancy let out a huge sigh as she closed the door to Ned's car. He was just dropping her off after their dinner with Frank and Joe and things had been strained, at best. She and Joe had tried their best to lighten things up and have fun but there was an undeniable hatred and tension between Frank and Ned that just seemed impenetrable.

She tried to ignore it, but it bugged her that they could not act like to mature adults and work out their petty differences. Instead, everything had to be a pissing contest between the two of them and she was the grand prize at the end.

As she unlocked the door to her house, she noticed the light was on in her father's study. She didn't want anymore drama tonight, but she also didn't want things to get so bad between her and her father that they rarely spoke to each other again.

She put down her purse and keys on the small table by the door and hung up her jacket on the coat rack. She then knocked on the door to her father's study. Carson looked up and gave her a tired smile.

"How was dinner?" he asked, putting down his pen.

"It was okay," Nancy said. "What are you doing?"

Carson shrugged. "Just working on some notes for the trial."

"Oh," Nancy said for the lack of having anything else to say.

An uneasy silence hung between the two of them as they searched for something to say. Finally, Carson broke it.

"Nancy, I don't want our relationship ruined because of this trial," he said.

Nancy looked up at Carson. "Neither do I," she said. "But it's hard."

"Why's that?" he asked.

"You've already attacked two people on the stand," Nancy said.

"I'm just doing my job, Nancy," Carson said. "Besides, I think B.D. pretty much handled himself up there. He knew exactly where to hit me."

"He was just trying to protect himself—you insulted his professional integrity," Nancy argued. "And he's not the one going up to bat for a crazed killer."

Carson sighed. "He has a right to fair trial, Nancy, no matter how vile he may be," Carson said. "I would rather lose a case knowing that I defended someone to the best of my abilities than toss away my career by throwing the case."

"What are you going to do if you win?" Nancy asked. "What are you going to do if he gets off and he walks the streets again?"

"I'm not even thinking about that, Nancy," Carson said, wearily.

"You need to because I am. I know exactly what he'll do if he gets off," Nancy said. "He'll finish exactly where he left off and the next funeral you'll be attending is mine!"

Carson paled slightly. "You don't know that, Nancy," he said rather unconvincingly.

"He's tried to kill me three times already. Nothing will make him stop until he succeeds," Nancy said, frustrated that she couldn't get through to him.

"Nancy…"

"Forget it," she said. "There's no point in arguing about it anymore. I'm going to bed."

She tore up the stairs before Carson could say anything else.

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The next morning the crowd outside the courthouse seemed to have doubled in size. Nancy wasn't surprised considering all of the excitement and publicity surrounding the trial. She also wouldn't be surprised if some sleazy Hollywood producer was here just waiting for the chance to pounce on someone for the rights to make Hollywood's next big blockbuster.

She took her seat along with Frank, Joe, and Ned and waited for the trial to commence. She saw her father sitting at his table, but quickly glanced away. They hadn't talked since last night and she had no desire to bring it back up. Luckily, she didn't have time to worry about it because Gwen was calling her next witness—Nikki Masters.

"Nikki, can you take us back to the night of October seventeenth?" Gwen asked.

Nikki nodded her head and glanced quickly at the jury. They were each watching her intently, waiting for her to speak. Nancy's heart ached for her—she knew how scare Nikki had to feel especially knowing her attacker was fifteen feet away from her.

She started to play with her hands. "I got off my shift at the River Heights Cineplex," she said, nervously.

"About what time was this?' Gwen asked.

"Around one in the morning—I had to work the late shift because someone had called in sick and I could use to money," Nikki said.

"Did you go straight home from the Cineplex?" Gwen asked.

Nikki nodded. "Yes."

"What happened when you got home?" Gwen asked.

"My dad had to work the night shift, so there was no one home," Nikki began. "I unlocked the door and went straight to my room. I had barely turned on the light when someone tackled me from behind. I—"Her voice began to break.

Gwen walked up to her and put a comforting hand on her arm. "Do you want to take a break?

Nikki wiped away a tear and shook her head. "No," she said, softly. She took a deep breath and looked at the jury. "I tried to fight back but he was so strong," she continued, unable to stop the tears that were falling. "I tried to scream, but he banged my head against my bed post. The next thing I felt was this searing pain near my stomach—he had stabbed me and he was smiling the whole time.

"There was just so much pain, but I still tried to fight back. He then put his hands around my throat and just started squeezing. He kept squeezing until I lost consciousness. I thought I was dead."

Gwen handed Nikki a tissue and she gratefully took it.

"Nikki, did he ever say anything to you?"

Nikki nodded as she wiped her eyes. "I tried talking to him. I asked why he was doing this and he said it was for Katie. He said he had to do something to make Katie aware since he had hurt her."

"Was Katie someone who was familiar to you?" Gwen asked.

Nikki shook her head. "I don't know anyone named Katie. I asked him who she was and he just laughed at me as if I should know who she was."
"Did you get a look at his face?" Gwen asked.

Nikki nodded shakily. "Yes," she said softly.

Gwen took a deep breath. "Nikki, is the man who attacked you in this room?"

Nikki let out a choked sob. "Yes," she said again.

"Can you point him out for the court?"

Nikki closed her eyes to compose herself. When she opened her eyes, she held a steely gaze at Dom. "It was the defendant—Dominic Shepard."

Dom looked at her calmly and let a little smile play on his lips.

Gwen nodded at Nikki. "No further questions."
"Mr. Drew, your witness," Judge Kent said.

Carson stood up from his seat. "Miss Masters, how well was the lighting in your room?"

"I don't know what you mean," Nikki said, confused.

"Did you turn on an overhead light when you got in or a lamp?" Carson asked.

"A…A lamp," she stammered.

"Was the light bright enough where you could clearly make out surroundings?" Carson asked.

"It wasn't overly bright, but I was able to see," Nikki said.

"So you would say the lighting was dim?" Carson asked.

"I guess so," Nikki said, shrugging a shoulder.

"So you couldn't say you are one-hundred percent sure Dominic Shepard was your attacker," Carson said.

"I know who attacked me," Nikki said firmly.

"You could have made a mistake," Carson said.

"I didn't," Nikki said.

"How sure are you?" Carson asked.

I don't know…ninety-eight percent, I guess," Nikki said.

"So that still leaves a two percent chance that you are wrong," Carson said. "It happens all the time."

"I'm not wrong," Nikki said.

"No further questions," Carson said, sitting back down.

"Miss Masters, you may step down," Judge Kent said. "Miss Lawson, your next witness."