“I never should have doubted you,” Benbow had said at one point. “I knew you were innocent of the dereliction-of-duty charges—”
“I was derelict,” Megan pointed out.
“For good reason,” Benbow said. “We just can’t prove it. What I’m talking about is the Rapture. My mother and my grandmother raised me in the church. I guess I just didn’t listen close enough. Like I didn’t listen to you close enough. I’m going to have to work on that.”
“We all are,” Megan had said.
By the time they had returned to the courtroom, the story of the tape had spread. Media people crammed the foyers and waiting rooms. Several of them called out to Megan to get interviews. However, no one new was allowed into the courtroom.
Megan ignored them all. She still didn’t know if she was going to be free when the court case was resolved. Quite frankly, Benbow was irritated that Colonel Erickson didn’t throw the whole case out, but the problem was that Arthur Flynn waited in the wings, ready to pick over the bones of whatever was thrown his way.
Upon their return, Penny had slipped back into the courtroom, and Trimble offered a mediocre closing argument. Benbow had stated that the evidence, and Mrs. Gander, had spoken plainly enough and anything he added to that would only dilute it.
Then the colonel had given the jury their final orders and sent them on their way.
“Relax,” Benbow said.
“I’m trying,” Megan replied in a low voice. “I feel like I’ve been left hanging here. I don’t know how Goose is. I don’t know where Joey is. I don’t know if Jenny’s all right.”
Benbow was silent for a short time. “Megan, all those things will come. Just give it time. What you’ve been given here today—” he shook his head—“I think it’s just the beginning of a wonderful gift.”
“No,” Megan said. “Do you even know what the next seven years are going to be like? All the lies and deceits and treacheries that are going to take place?” She took a deep breath as images of all those things—of wars and famines and plagues—swept through her mind. “What we’ve seen so far—those people disappearing, the suicides and murders—they’re nothing compared to what’s coming.”
“This has made a difference, Megan. I swear to you, I really think it has.”
Megan glanced at Trimble and caught him looking at her. He quickly turned away.
“I hope so,” she said. “So many people are going to be lost if they don’t start listening.”
“Try to sit down and relax. I’ll bet we don’t hear from the jury again today and they cut us loose at four-thirty.”
At that moment, the door near the judge’s bench opened and Colonel Erickson’s MP entered. “All rise,” the big man said.
“What’s going on?” Megan said.
Benbow looked totally surprised. “If the colonel’s coming back, that can only mean that the jury’s on its way back.” He glanced at his watch. “Seven minutes. I’ve never heard of a return that fast.”
“What does it mean?”
“They made up their minds really quick,” Benbow said. “Could be either good or bad, but it definitely means there’s no hung jury on this one.”
Colonel Erickson took his seat. “Be seated,” he said.
Another MP opened the jury door and let them file back into the room. They took their seats to Megan’s immediate right.
Staring at the impassive faces of the men and women of the jury, Megan couldn’t tell which way the vote had gone. Her stomach rolled sickeningly. God? God, are You with me?
There was no answer.
Megan forced herself to remain calm.
Benbow reached over to her and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “We’re going to be okay,” he said.
“Captain Seaver,” Colonel Erickson said, “has the jury reached a verdict?”
“Yes, sir,” Seaver replied. He was compact and tanned, an easygoing man with an air of command.
“What is your vote?”
“Sir,” Seaver said, “we decided that we all feel so strongly about this that we want our individual votes counted.”
The colonel looked surprised. “You do have a unanimous decision?”
“We do, Colonel. But we want our votes and our statements made part of the court record, part of the public record of this trial and of our findings.”
Erickson hesitated. “All right.”
“Is that normal?” Megan asked.
“Not normal,” Benbow whispered. “But it happens. ‘Rare as hen’s teeth’ as my grandmother used to say.” His own interest was evident.
“Will the defendant please rise and face the jury?” Erickson said.
Megan stood and faced the jury. Benbow stood at her side.
“All right, Captain Seaver,” Erickson said, “you may begin.”
“Captain Merle Seaver.” The man saluted Megan. “In the matter of dereliction of duty, I find the defendant, Mrs. Megan Gander … not guilty. I believe she was following a moral code higher than the one in the military handbook for which she was held accountable, with no disrespect intended to the service that I love and honor and will give my life for should that need ever arise. We are Rangers, and we serve God and country, and I believe there is a reason for that rank designation.” He took a deep breath. “I also want the record to reflect that I believe there is a God, and He is alive and doing well, Colonel Erickson. I believe He chose wisely when he pulled this woman to Him to work as she did for Gerry Fletcher.”
Megan felt like the floor had opened up beneath her. Her legs trembled and she almost fell, but Benbow was there to shore her up. He held her as, one after the other, the remaining eleven members of the jury all echoed the captain’s statement, changing only their rank and name.
There is a God, and He is alive and doing well. The message grew stronger and gathered momentum
