“Beatings?”
“Yes.” Megan gazed fiercely at Boyd Fletcher, who returned her gaze impassively. “On more than one occasion.”
“Gerry told you about those beatings?”
“No.”
“Then how did you know?”
Megan felt trapped and frustrated. “Because you get a feel for these things. I’ve been a counselor for years.”
“A feel?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that a rather unscientific term?”
“I suppose.”
“So you felt that Gerry had been getting beaten at home?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you do anything about that?”
“I tried. Without Gerry coming forward, I didn’t have a case.”
“Do you have a case now?”
“No.” Megan looked at Boyd Fletcher. “But I wish I did.”
“Do you feel animosity toward Private Fletcher?”
“I don’t like men who beat their kids.”
“Can you offer any proof that Private Fletcher beat his child?”
Megan breathed out. “No.”
“Would Dr. Carson’s and Helen Cordell’s testimonies have helped your accusation against Private Fletcher?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it a shame that they’re no longer with us?”
Megan didn’t answer the question.
“Objection,” Benbow said. “That question is too personal and too inflammatory.”
“Fine,” Trimble said. “I’ll withdraw the question.”
Frustrated, Benbow sat back down. Megan knew Trimble had done all the damage he needed to by presenting the question. The jury had been reminded that she was the only one who maintained the story.
“Do you have a personal vendetta against Private Fletcher?” Trimble asked.
“No.”
“Any personal prejudices?”
“I don’t like the kind of father he was to Gerry.”
“Don’t you have an ex-husband, Mrs. Gander?”
Megan hesitated. “Yes.”
“Do you like the way he fathers your oldest son?”
“No.”
“Yet he is your son’s father?”
“Yes.”
“Would you be willing to say there are a number of different fathers—of parenting styles, I believe they’re called—in the world?”
“Yes.”
“Is it possible that you objected to Private Fletcher’s role as a father to Gerry because it didn’t fit your ideal?”
“I don’t like men who beat their children.”
“Again, Mrs. Gander, I have to ask you if you have any proof that these beatings took place?”
“No.”
Trimble walked away, pacing for just a moment as if gathering his thoughts. “A moment ago you said something very interesting to me. You said something about me being ‘left behind.’ Could you explain that reference to me?”
Megan glanced at Benbow, knowing then that they were in trouble.
Benbow stood. “Objection. Colonel, again I fail to see the relevance to this line of questioning.”
“This line of questioning deals directly with Mrs. Gander’s ability to perceive the world around us,” Trimble said. “As we’ve seen in the news, a great number of people are struggling to accept all the disappearances. I want to show that Mrs. Gander’s present problems have only grown worse since the disappearances, and that there were any number of problems before that time.”
Colonel Erickson was silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll allow it. For a short time, Major, but I want this kept on track.”
“Of course, Colonel,” Trimble said, “of course.” He cleared his throat. “Please explain to the court what you meant by ‘left behind.’”
Megan took a deep breath. “Those people disappeared because God raptured His church. That’s why all those people disappeared.”
“What do you mean by the word raptured?”
“I mean that God reached down and took the believers from the world,” Megan said.
“The believers, Mrs. Gander?”
“Yes.”
“So all the people ‘left behind,’ as you term it, are nonbelievers?”
Megan hesitated over the question.
“Let me withdraw that question,” Trimble offered, “and ask you another. Do you believe in God, Mrs. Gander?”
“Yes.”
“Then how is it, if God took all the believers, that you are still here? left behind with us?”
Then Megan saw what Trimble was doing. He was forcing her to alienate everyone else in the courtroom, pointing out that by her own logic none of them were good people.
“I did believe in God,” Megan said.
“Did?”
“Still do.”
“Then how is it you’re not gone with all those missing people?”
“I don’t know,” Megan answered. “I’m still trying to work that out for myself.”
“Do you feel like the time for that reevaluation of self is growing short, Mrs. Gander?”
Trimble wasn’t going to back off. Megan saw that now. “Yes.”
“How much time do you think we have left?”
“Seven years,” Megan said. Then, realizing she had no reason to hold back, she plowed ahead. “You can read about what’s going to happen in the book of Revelation. We’re going to experience war, famine, plague, pestilence, and dozens of other things.”
“And an Antichrist?” Trimble asked. “I am somewhat familiar with the Bible myself, and I do remember the mention of an Antichrist.”
“Yes,” Megan answered. “The Antichrist will rise to power.”
Trimble turned and looked at the jury. “Do you wonder why it is that not many other people are coming forward with this idea, Mrs. Gander?”
“No. It took me a long time to recognize what was going on myself.”
“A long time?”
“Yes.”
“So you’ve been planning this for some time?”
The question caught Megan totally by surprise.
“Did you not hatch this little scheme of yours days, weeks, or possibly even months ago?” Trimble asked, turning back to her.
“No.”
Benbow started to rise, but the colonel waved him back to his seat. “Major,” the colonel called, “where are you going with this?”
“I think Mrs. Gander already had a plan in place the night Gerry Fletcher climbed up on that building. I think Mrs. Gander may be the victim of overwork and worry. It’s possible her mind has been working on this end-of-the-world architecture for some time. If she was not mentally stable the night she climbed up on that building after Gerry Fletcher, I think perhaps we can see that. I want to explore that.”
The colonel thought for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll allow it.”
Trimble turned immediately back to Megan. He leaned forward like a predator. “Did you talk Gerry Fletcher into going up on that building that night?”
“No. His father arrived at the hospital. Private Fletcher was obviously drunk and out of control. He scared Gerry and Gerry ran.”
“Gerry climbed to the top of that building through his own decision?”
“Yes.”
“Did you follow him up there?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to get him down from there. When I got up there, he threatened to jump.”
“Did he jump?”
“No. He fell.”
“And disappeared in midfall?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really expect this court to believe that?”
“That’s
