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“THE PROSECUTION CALLS C. J. Ryan to the stand.”
CJ stood, meeting Steve’s glance as he walked by. Just tell the truth, that’s all I ask, Steve’s voice echoed in CJ’s head and he nodded.
His nerves went into overdrive, sending tingles through his arms to his fingertips, and he closed his fists to keep it from manifesting in a shake. The walk to the witness chair seemed longer than the length of a football field, even though it was only thirty paces from his chair to the stand.
“Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God,” the bailiff said.
CJ leaned forward, “I do.” His voice echoed through the chamber.
“State your name and age for the record,” the prosecutor said and wiped a stray hair from her face.
“Christopher James Ryan. I’ll be eighteen next month.”
“Mr. Ryan, can you tell the court about the first time you met Special Agent Williams?”
CJ met Steve’s gaze and nodded. “He came to the house to inform my parents of my brother’s death.”
“Did you overhear the conversation?”
CJ glared at the prosecutor, pressing his lips together.
“Mr. Ryan, please answer the question.”
“Yes.”
“And can you tell us what transpired?”
“He told my parents that Eric died.”
“What else did he say?”
CJ glared at Cleary and the sense of betrayal increased. He pretended to be Steve’s ally, and he was the farthest thing from it. The information he divulged in their conversation was now in the prosecutor’s hands. That’s why he sat here testifying against the man who had stepped in and raised him like a father. Frustration increased as he glanced at the jury box, hearing their derogatory thoughts aimed in Steve’s direction.
He was the last prosecution witness and they were hoping to seal Steve’s fate with CJ’s testimony. A burning anger ignited in his belly and he shifted in the seat, unwilling to answer any question that would play into their hands.
“Tell them what I said, CJ,” Steve said from the defense table.
The prosecutor sent a glare in Steve’s direction.
“You will refrain from speaking to the witness until your cross examination,” the judge scolded and turned to CJ. “Answer the question, son.”
CJ’s jaw tightened at the familiar term spoken by the stranger ruling over the court. “He said he knew who my father was.”
“And who exactly was your father?”
CJ dropped his gaze to the floor. “My father was Ty Aris,” he whispered, and shame heated his cheeks. Admitting the world-renowned criminal was his father was harder than he imagined. He took a deep breath, willing himself to meet the prosecutor’s gaze.
“Are you aware of what your father did?”
CJ nodded, hating the pretty blonde in the sharp suit more with every question she asked.
“Please state your answer for the court.”
“Yes,” he said and glanced at the darkening windows. Dusk settled over the east coast and he wondered if they would finish with him today.
“Did you know at that time?”
“No. I just knew he had done some bad things before he met my mom.”
“What else did Special Agent Williams say?”
“He said he should haul my father in, but unfortunately he made a promise to my brother on his deathbed,” he said, sending a derisive glare in Cleary’s direction. That particular fact wasn’t disclosed to the prosecution and her lips thinned.
A couple of the jury members reacted with raised eyebrows. Their focus on a man only out for himself just shifted, but CJ sensed it wasn’t enough for them to acquit.
The next question was drown, out by Tom’s panicked call echoing in his head and he winced, trading a glance with Steve as “Jesus Christ,” slipped from his mouth and his hands shot to his ears in reaction.
Steve’s gaze was sharp one second, and then gone the next and CJ knew his spirit transitioned to their house in Maine.
His body trembled, and his gaze bounced around the courthouse, looking for anything to concentrate on, anything to divert his mind from the terror in his brother’s tone. The word he cried carving a painful gash in his chest, restricting his breathing and his gaze found Sarah in the back of the courtroom.
“Windwalker,” he whispered, staring at her, he silently pleaded for understanding and her eyes widened, her gaze switching to Steve’s body, now in suspended animation waiting for his soul to return.
“Mr. Ryan!” the prosecutor said and her tone sharp enough to cut through the panic.
“What?” CJ snapped focusing on her.
“Did Agent Williams force your father to help him in exchange for his freedom?”
“No. My father offered to help. That bastard killed my brother and my father wasn’t going to let that go and Steve really wasn’t in the condition to figure out the quickest way to nail Winslow.”
The sparkle in the prosecutor’s eyes caught CJ off guard.
“So, you’re saying Agent Williams wasn’t in the right mind to make a clear and concise decision?”
CJ now understood where they were going and shook his head. “You don’t have a clue of what that man has done for my family, do you?” He leaned forward, challenging her to ask one more inane question.
“Why don’t you tell us?” she asked, leaning against the prosecutor’s table, her mind working the angle in a way that left his mouth bitter.
His gaze flicked to Steve sitting there like an unanimated corpse and for the first-time eyes in the courtroom followed. CJ’s heart lurched because anyone taking a close look at him would assume he was either catatonic or dead.
CJ scrambled, his mind clawing at emptiness and he glanced at the jury box, hearing the first of the shocked gasps.
“He’s fine,” he said, drawing their gazes back. “He stepped out for a moment, but he’ll be back.” He prayed he was right because if he didn’t come back, that meant CJ was now all alone in the world and that scared the daylights out of him. He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat and it burned all the way down to his already roiling stomach.
The prosecutor’s head whipped around toward Steve, she dropped her pad on the table, and headed in his direction.
“I said he is fine,” CJ’s voice boomed, shocking her still. “You jackasses left my brother and Jennifer alone at the house without protection,” he snarled letting the panic and fear morph into anger.
“The FBI assigned an agent to keep an eye on the house,” the prosecutor said.
“Then he’s either incompetent or dead because the Windwalker is there right now,” his voice cracked, and he dropped his chin to his chest, reining in his temper.
“How could you possibly know that?” she asked.
“Because I’m just as special as Steve is and that’s why my father made him my guardian,” he said, unwilling for Steve to take the fall to protect him.
“What do you mean?” the judge asked.
“Steve has a unique set of skills and his boss knows enough about them to make this entire court preceding a joke.”
The prosecutor resumed crossing the room toward Steve and the bailiff followed.
CJ jumped to his feet. “Don’t touch him!” he said and the command in his voice loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.
Both the prosecutor and the bailiff gave Steve a glance and then went back to their posts.
CJ looked at the gallery and then the jurors. “My father knew what was coming and he prepared for it. He knew his time was up and he chose to work with Steve to help catch Winslow instead of dying at home. He chose Steve to look after us because he knew my mother’s time was coming, too. He just didn’t know the particulars. If he had there’d be no way he would have let Steve take us to Georgia.”
“This is hearsay, your honor,” the prosecutor said and then glared at CJ. “And how exactly would your dead father be able to stop him anyway?” She pointed toward Steve.
“My father is Steve’s guardian angel.”
Silence filled the courtroom.
The prosecutor’s jaw hung open along with most of the attendees and everyone in the jury box. She blinked and traded a glance with the judge.
“I’m not mentally ill, so don’t even go down that path,” CJ said and her gaze jumped back to his. “Yes, I am a mind reader,” he added when that thought crossed her mind.
“You also have a genius IQ,” she said, her features hardening at what she deemed a lucky guess.
“Yes, I’m one of the smartest kids on earth. What’s your point?”
“You’re smart enough to make up this charade to get Agent Williams off. I bet he put you up to this,” she said.
CJ smiled and refrained from saying the derogatory comment that filled his mouth, pressing his lips closed. He inhaled and stared her down.
“Don’t you need proof to make silly accusations like that?” he asked and turned to the judge. “I believe if Steve were in the room, he would be objecting to this line of questioning.”
“Mr. Ryan, answer the question.”
They were stonewalling, and he knew it. There was nothing he could say or do to exonerate Steve and he lost it. “Are you even listening?”
“Son, pipe down or I will hold you in contempt of court,” the judge said.
CJ glared at him. “I am not your son.”
“Permission to treat Mr. Ryan as a hostile witness?”
“Permission granted,” the judge replied.
“Did Agent Williams put you up to this?”
CJ glared at her. “No, he expects me to tell the truth and I am.”
“The truth?” she said and burst out laughing.
CJ clenched his fists, fury filling him at the thoughts of everyone in the courtroom, including the judge and tears of frustration filled his eyes. They were hell bent on putting Steve away and he hadn’t offered much in the way of a defense. He needed to do something drastic, whether he wanted to or not, and he knew there was only one person who could stop him. He let some of the anger seep out, shaking the foundation of the courthouse.
“I swear to God, Dad, if you don’t get your ass down here and tell them what I’m saying is the truth, I’ll level this entire place,” he bellowed at the heavens.
Shock filtered through the room and before anyone could react, a wild wind filled the court followed by the sound of beating wings.