Baby Just Say Yes

"The defenes would like to call Mr. Chris Raines to the stand," Pratcher said the next day when court resumed at eleven AM, like it did so often. Brian and Rayleigh looked at each other, the question hanging in the tight air between them; who in their right mind would want] to defend her father?

The question was staunchly answered when the doors at the back of the room dramatically flung open, exposing a man with a smug grin on his chiseled face. Ray went weak in the knees, and both Brian and Jimmy had to help hold her up as her face went ashen white.

"W-why are they letting him in here?" She whispered urgently to Brian, the memories flooding back to her. It was Ripper. She thought he'd been sentenced to life in prison for what he'd done to them; why were they allowing him into the court room? The guard led the hand-cuffed and leg-shackled Ripper to the chair, where he sat, the smug grin never leaving his face. It was enough to make Rayleigh want to curl up into a tight ball and go into convulsions. Her father turned his head just slightly enough to give her the same grin Ripper was giving the entire room.

"Mr. Raines, where were you on the night you allegedly attacked Mrs. Haner, Mr. Haner, and their friend Mr. Sanders?" Pratcher asked.

"I was at home watching The Godfather," Raines answered, obviously lying.

"Do you have an alibi for that?"

"Yeah. My ex-girlfriend Jessica was there." Raines smiled.

"Have you ever seen that girl right there?" Pratcher asked, pointing at Rayleigh, who visibly cringed. Inwardly, she hoped it was enough for the jury to know that Raines was lying.

"The pretty knocked up one? Nope, never seen her before. But I'm available."

"Objection! Mr. Raines is here to testify; not to hit on the victim!" Cabot called out. The judge nodded, and whamed her gavel on the desk.

"Mr. Pratcher, if you cannot keep your witness under control, he will have to go back to his jail cell. Is that understood?"

Pratcher nodded, and turned back to Raines. "Why would they accuse you of trying to kill them? Of labeling you as a hitman?"

"It's simple; the chicks dig me. And she obviously wants a piece," Ripper said.

"But you do attest; you've never seen her before?"

Ripper shook his head, grinning. "No. I'd remember a face like that."

"That's all," Pratcher said, sitting down. Cabot stood up and stood between Ray and Ripper, so she wouldn't have to be intimidated by him.

"You say you've never seen Mrs. Rayleigh Haner, Mr. Raines?" She asked coldly. Ripper shook his head.

"I don't like being questioned by women. It tests my authority," Ripper said, his tone obviously threatening. The judge glared at him.

"That is enough of your mouth, Mr. Raines. Ms. Cabot is the prosecution, and you’ll answer her questions regardless of whether or not you want to," she told him.

"If you've never seen her, why were there several snapshots of her face pinned on a wall in your house?" Alex continued after the judge had warned him.

Ripper didn't say anything, but his face said it all; he was pissed. Cabot walked over to a tripod where several pictures sat, and she lifted one and showed it to the jury. It was a dingy wall in a dirty room; however, Rayleigh's face was clear in at least ten different snapshots on the wall, all of them close up and in different locations.

"What I do with my personal time is my own hobby." Raines said. Cabot ignored that, and lifted another picture. It was of Ripper the night he'd been arrested for the attempted murder of the three of them.

"And this is the night you were arrested on scene," She told him in an accusative tone of voice. "Where you were found with a gun, Mr. Haner severely injured, Rayleigh Haner clearly hurt, and Mr. Sanders injured as well. But you've never seen her?"

"So I've seen her before. Big deal. It doesn't mean I tried to kill the bitch."

"Your Honor, I have nothing left to say to this witness," Cabot said, sitting down. The judge nodded towards the guards, who walked to Raines and dragged him out of the courtroom. The judge shook her head and gave Rayleigh a sympathetic look.

"Court will resume on Monday at eleven AM." She said, tapping the gavel.