Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One
We took our seats in the gallery to view the proceedings. The prosecution presented the charges to the defendant and then the judge asked for a plea from the defense. Since the defendant's daughter was not involved in this case they used his full name, Timothy Williams. Mr. Williams stood when asked what he wanted to plead. 

Mr. Williams, “Your honor, I wish to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of temporary insanity.”

Timothy Williams sat back down at the table occupied by his legal team. His attorney had been identified as Samuel Goldberg but he went by Sam. Todd told me he was an expensive lawyer who took this case for free. He wanted to use this case to set precedents for future cases. He knew it would be a high profile case and he wanted the publicity. The plea had been entered and the argument now was centered on bail. 

The defense argued that Mr. Williams was an upstanding member of the community and was not a flight risk. The judge set bail at fifty thousand dollars and his family had raised the ten percent for the bail charges from the bondsman and he was released as soon as bail was posted, paperwork finished, T’s crossed and I’s dotted. 

Todd said, “Bail is just a formality now, mostly all paperwork from the bail bondsmen and the sheriff’s department. Well that is it. We can go now. It will be a long time before this trial starts.”

I said, “I guess in the meantime I need to get my stuff and move it to my new home. Angela Dyer is waiting for me to get everything moved.”

Todd was pretty quiet on the trip back to the safe house. I think it was the end of the case for Todd and Bryntley and time for them to move to their next adventure. When we arrived back at the house, Lincoln was waiting for me. I think he was getting tired of me being busy all the time and not spending time with him. I told him it was time we moved back on our own and he seemed ready. 

Lincoln had grown close to Todd and Bryntley, despite their best attempts at keeping that from happening. Lincoln seemed to think of it as a long sleepover and like a sleepover sooner or later everyone goes home. I think Lincoln is ready for less drama in his life, I knew I certainly was. I had been pampered for too long and the time had come for me to fly on my own. 

The trial arraignment was short and anticlimactic. It wasn’t something I would ever need to see again. I had nothing to fear from this defendant and was ready to get my life back to normal. I told mom she should be safe to move back to her house but she informed me she had made other plans. She told me she knew this day was coming and had made plans to go to an assisted living facility. She said it was pretty secure and had twenty four hour security watching the place. She also told me she was interested in making new friends closer to her own age. I didn’t think there was anyone her age.

I would have to get used to driving myself for a change. My car had been put into storage during the trials but had been given back to me just a few days earlier to make it easier to take care of business and get my life back on track. I loaded all of my belongings into the trunk and one side of the back seat. I had also included the box of documents about the John McKinley case. 

Angela was waiting for Lincoln and me when we drove into her driveway. Our lives had been in turmoil just because I was too curious about a customer. I have thought many times about what direction my life may have traveled if I had not written down that address when John McKinley bought those items he laid on my counter to check out. 

I always realize that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I hadn’t done anything. I couldn’t imagine what may have happened to that little girl if I had chosen a different path. Lincoln helped me carry our things into the house. He was always a good helper even if he couldn’t handle a big load. He was struggling with a bag when I heard Angela giggle.

Angela said, “Lincoln, would you like me to hold the door for you so it will be easier to bring in the bag?”

Lincoln mumbled something not discernable as he continued to drag the bag into Angela’s house. He didn’t give up and kept making trip after trip until my car was empty. I had some items that were kept in a storage unit that still needed to be unloaded but I had enough to get by for a day or two. I had to get settled soon because I had to go back to work to provide for myself and my son. 

We had one room. I had a double bed on one side and Lincoln had a twin bed on the other side. It worked for us for now and was cheap enough I could afford to save some money, even working as a cashier. We didn’t own much but I was proud of everything I had. I did have a small television we could watch in our room. Angela had given us complete use of the kitchen and we had a bathroom to ourselves, she had a bathroom inside her bedroom so the hall bathroom was unused except for Lincoln and me. So I put the boxes of John McKinley case files in the corner of our little bedroom. I intended to read through all of them when I had time. I was curious what authorities really had on him. 

I had a workday tomorrow and needed to get me and Lincoln up and ready to take him to a daycare facility. Angela had promised to pick Lincoln up from school. She was really nice and I think she was a bit lonely since burying her husband. I could relate to that but at least I still had Lincoln. She didn’t have anyone. I think we were going to be good for each other. 

I had to get back into the habit of “early to bed” and “early for work”. It had been a while since I had been to work and I knew I had to get used to that again. I got Lincoln ready for bed and finally got him to sleep. That gave me some free time to visit with Angela. I had to quietly get up and make it to the living area of the house where Angela was sitting drinking something cold.

Angela said, “Did you finally get Lincoln to sleep?”

I replied, “Yes, he always fights it, especially when he gets tired.”

Angela replied, “My kids were that way too. Now that they have all moved off I wish I could have some of those days back.”

I replied, "I am so sorry they have all moved away. It must be hard to have all of your family far away.”

Angela said, “I got used to it and my kids call me often, usually at night. When Bill went into hospice the kids stayed here to keep me company. After he passed they helped for a while so that I could get to all of the business taken care of. ”

I said, “My grief came about suddenly. Charles was very energetic and seemed to be invincible. It was quite a blow to find out he wasn’t. I cried for a solid week and after that it was random. I never knew what might set it off. Taking care of Lincoln keeps my mind off of Charles, even though Lincoln is very much like Charles in a lot of ways.”

We sat in the living room and talked for close to an hour. We laughed and we cried but slowly we got to know each other and it helped us bond. We had similarities and we had differences and they both were the glue that united us. I knew being in this house with Angela would be good for me and Lincoln.

I finally told Angela I needed to get to bed. I was about to go back to work for the first time in weeks and would have to get used to being on my feet for hours all over again. I had good shoes that helped my feet and for someone standing all day that was as good as gold. 

I checked on Lincoln to make sure he was resting unhindered and then turned in for the night myself. It was a restless night and all the talk about Charles had conjured him back up. I had dream after dream of him and I together. Doing things together. The final dream was the accident. I could see it in my dream but since I was never there, I didn’t know where the images in my head came from, I had never seen them in real life.

I could see the cars traveling toward each other. I could see Charles as clearly as I ever could. It looked so real. The other car was vaguer and the image I saw of the driver was not clear at all. I could barely tell the driver was a male figure but I couldn’t discern any features that might reveal his identity. 

The cars collided and I saw glass flying everywhere. In my dream I could feel the impact. I could feel the cars spinning around and I actually felt dizzy from the spins. In my dream I could feel the impact from the wreck. It felt like Charles was trying to tell me something. I had never heard any details from the wreck and wasn’t sure about anything that happened, except that the other driver was intoxicated. 

I never had a dream this vivid and detailed before. It took me by surprise. In the past my dreams centered on losing Charles but now I am getting more details from them. I am getting details that I never knew about. I woke up in a sweat, shaking and visibly disturbed. Lincoln was still asleep so I quietly got up to go to the bathroom and get a drink in the kitchen.

Angela had long since gone to bed and I made efforts not to make any sounds while I was up. There was no sense waking everyone up just because I had dreams that got me up. It is so strange just how real a dream can be and I was trembling from the effects of this one. 

I wanted to get more information about the wreck. I can handle it now even though I couldn’t have at the time of the accident. I have grieved for a long time and now I just want answers. I went back to bed to try to get a few hours of sleep before the dreaded alarm sounded and I had to get up for work. 

I hadn’t been asleep very long before hearing the alarm sounding near my head. I got my sleepy eye self out of bed and turned off the alarm. It hadn’t phased Lincoln any. He slept right through it and was still curled up in his bed snoring. Lincoln was a heavy sleeper and once he was out you could do almost anything in the room and not wake him.

I would get ready first and then work on getting him ready. There was plenty of time left so we didn’t have to rush. I would get Lincoln up in time to eat breakfast and get ready for the day. Angela said she would take him to daycare but he could just stay with her if he wanted. I wanted to give him a choice. Saving money on daycare would be great and help me save some money for mine and Lincoln’s future. 

When asked, Lincoln wanted to stay with Angela and that was fine with me. I wouldn’t have to worry about him and could concentrate on going to work. Angela had made some bacon and scrambled eggs for us and a pan of biscuits. Everything was great for the moment so I flew out the door and made my way to my job.