Page 68 of Jon's Helter Skelter Cold Case

Jon knew precisely how to deal with that question. Lawyers in a courtroom loved to ask it.

He looked squarely at this man and rattled off, “Twenty-eight years old, from farther down south, likely the Florida area. Engaged, child on the way, stressed about money with both wedding and child in the near future. One of four children, the second to youngest, and smart enough to pass the bar on the first try. Had a cheeseburger for lunch that’s not entirely sitting well and the Tums haven’t kicked in yet. Someone as lactoseintolerant as you are really should lay off the cheese. Well, sir? Did I get anything wrong?”

For a long second, the attorney just stared at him. Then sighed. “What can I say, cheese is my weakness. Defense rests.”

I didn’t think this man actually wanted this appeal to fail. Going out on a limb, here.

“Mr. Bane, you may return,” Kauffman commanded. “Counselor?”

“My next witness is Grantland Walker.”

A stir from the crowd behind me again. Grant was another household name; everyone was aware of what he could do and the fact he basically didn’t have much of a limit in range.

Grant stepped up, got sworn in. He was also in a suit today and looked damn sharp in all black. I could tell Alan had a hard time keeping his eyes off Grant, and really, who could blame him?

“Mr. Walker, we all know what you can do and how far away you’ve found kidnapping victims.” Craig gave him a smile. “But can you give us a quick refresher course on how your ability works?”

“I’m basically a Dreamwalker, in a sense. If I hold something that belongs to the victim, I can connect to them on another plane, and I can not only tell their location but get a sense of what they’re thinking and feeling.”

“I see. Can you connect with a dead person?”

“No. I can’t even enter the dream plane. It’s like trying to take a nap but there’s a child poking you in the side. No way that’s happening. I can only connect to and find the living.”

“All right, thank you. Now, that said, you were called in by Jonathan Bane to try and locate Tylesia Evans, correct?”

“Correct. He had a hunch she wasn’t actually dead and wanted me to prove it in some way.”

“When Tylesia Evans first went missing, were you asked to look for her by anyone else?”

“I was not.”

“So the first person to make this request was Jonathan Bane?”

“Correct. I was actually close to his office when he made the request, so I swung by that day. He had clothes the victim supposedly wore on the day she went missing, and I used them to try for a connection. For the record, I think Jon’s right. I don’t think she’s dead.”

Now that really got the crowd going. People were talking over each other.

Kauffman banged her gavel sharply three times. “Order! Don’t make me throw you out.”

Craig looked very satisfied with this reaction. Even Kauffman was looking miffed at this news. As she should. This cast reasonable doubt on the very foundation of the case itself.

“Here’s the thing. I was able to enter the dream plane. I wasn’t able to locate her—there’s something blocking me from doing so—but I know for a fact she’s not dead. She can’t be.”

“What can stop you from finding someone? Say, a coma?”

Grant shook his head. “Not even a coma would do it. I’d still be able to find them. I’m not just saying that. I’ve worked three cases where that was the scenario. No, this felt more like she was under some kind of barrier. A prison’s barrier system, or the personal ones you can put up around meditation rooms, those are able to block me like this. I’m assuming it’s one or the other, but the last part’s speculation on my end.”

“I understand. Her being alive is not speculation for you?”

“No. No, it is not.”

“Plaintiff rests, Your Honor.”

Kauffman nodded, accepting this, her eyes locked on Grant. “Defense?”

The poor defense attorney stared at Grant for a second before shaking his head. “Your Honor, I don’t know how to even begin arguing withGrant Walker, of all people. Defense has nothing to say.”

I mean, fair. In his shoes, I wouldn’t try it either. Grant was on the level of superheroes in this state. He’d saved more kids than a hospital full of doctors. Attacking him was almost like attacking Dolly Parton. Only a fool would do it.

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