Page 27 of Jon's Helter Skelter Cold Case

I winked. “Got a judge to sign off on that yesterday. He’ll be moved to another section and given a therapist.”

My words were too much for Serena and she came around the table to hug me. Woman was a hugger, apparently, but I didn’t mind. I hugged her back.

Donovan continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “You said over the phone you’d be willing to pay some of our fees, and I just need you to sign the contract. Also, we bring good news. The judge officially reopened his case.”

Cassius pulled the paperwork straight over and started reading through it.

I gave him a second while I drank some good iced tea and devoured an excellent blueberry muffin. Damn, these were amazing. I wondered if she’d share the recipe. Probably, in this frame of mind.

Serena finally sat with us, sitting right next to Abby. Her lines were full of tangerine orange curiosity, interwoven with shamrock green trust. “Abby, you’re high school age, aren’t you?”

“I am, yeah. I’ll be a junior. Right now, I’m an apprentice, with Jon teaching me. It’s why I was in the prison to begin with. I was learning alongside him during parole hearings, and while we were walking out of the prison, I spotted Dwayne. He glowed so brightly, and there wasn’t any sign of crime or guilt in his lines, so I told Jon.”

“That’s how it happened.” Serena sat back, satisfied with the story. “I’m glad you were there.”

“Me too.”

I felt like we were in a good spot to start an interview, although I kept it casual. People talked more and tended to remember more when they weren’t stressed out. “So, before everything went to hell, when did you last speak with your daughter?”

“Oh, I want to say it was two days before.” Serena frowned, casting her mind back. “Close to that time. She was wrapping up a training course for her job—she worked alongside Dwayne—and was celebrating the end of it. She was happy.”

Grief welled up. It had to be hard for a parent to lose a child. I didn’t want to give her false hope by telling her something was very awry with the way her daughter disappeared. It could be she was dead, but honestly? I didn’t know what to believe. I had some very conflicting signals on the matter. On the one hand, the bond was acting like it was severed. On the other hand, Grant said it had not. I had no idea which was right, and I didn’t want to be irresponsible with my words.

Cassius tapped something on the contract. “Why is this downpayment section marked out?”

“Dwayne said he’ll pay us once he’s out,” Donovan explained.

“The hell he will.” Cassius snorted, outraged over the idea. “I’m paying to free my son. You wait right here, I’ll grab my checkbook.”

Well, Sharon would be happy to hear that. Not to mention Jim. Getting paid was always a good thing for us.

While he left, Abby spoke with Serena. “Dwayne’s all right. He’s super excited that we met him and believe him. He looked healthy and everything, so you don’t need to worry about him.”

I could see in the parents’ lines they visited with Dwayne often, but I didn’t want to interfere with the assurance Abby wanted to give them. It was kind of Abby to reassure a mother her child was okay.

“Thank you, honey.” Serena hugged her around the shoulders. “I do feel better hearing that.”

Cassius came back with not only his checkbook in hand, but a girl whom I only knew from pictures—Nina, Tylesia’s best friend. Nina was slim, with copper skin, her hair in small braids that turned blue toward the end.

“Nina’s here,” Cassius announced, as pleased as if he’d manifested her himself. “Nina, this is Donovan, Jon, and Abby. They’re the ones working on setting Dwayne free.”

She shook all of our hands, her lines both vindicated and pleased. “About time someone believed he didn’t do it. Thanks for taking on the case.”

“Thanks for coming,” I said, encouraging her to sit across from me with a gesture of my hand. “I was going to contact you next, so this saves time. First, I understand you and Tylesia had no secrets?”

“None. We talked about everything. Even boys, although she wasn’t as interested.”

“Why’s that?”

“Tylesia is—was—asexual and aromantic. Had absolutely no interest in dating. But she was always up for being my wingwoman if I needed one.” Nina drooped a little, sadness etching into her lines. “If she wasn’t with Dwayne, we did everything together. I miss her like I’d miss a limb.”

I could see her pain, and my heart broke for her. “I’m so sorry. If it helps, we know Dwayne didn’t kill her. In fact, a judge has officially reopened the case for investigation.”

Nina punched the air. “YES! Wow, you really have worked a miracle already to get that done this fast.”

“What can I say? We’re motivated.”

Donovan, at my side, quickly corrected, “No, not that amount. We’re giving you a friends and family discount.”

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