Illinois Attorney General Everett Jenkins sat down at his desk in Springfield. He was looking at his typical heavy workload, which was inherent in his responsibility. Governor Woodring’s dealings often made him nervous. While the governor was well known for his shrewd maneuverings, which often seemed questionable, the attorney general had no solid proof that the governor had violated the law. His morning was soon interrupted by a knock on his door.
It was his secretary. She said the Logan County sheriff had driven down from Lincoln, saying he needed to speak with the attorney general right away. Everett Jenkins told his secretary to send him in.
“What brings you here today?” Everett asked.
“It is about four arrests that we made in Lincoln early this morning,” Sheriff Elam replied. “They had kidnapped a young man from Creighton University and brought him as far as Lincoln. A young woman overheard that they were planning to turn this man over to Governor Woodring so he could be returned to Virginia. Then their victim would be executed for murder.”
Everett took a heavy gulp. For the first time, Governor Woodring was being implicated in a crime. Not that it was a complete surprise. He did not like the governor’s wheeling and dealing. He simply asked Sheriff Elam to continue.
The sheriff said that the testimonies supplied by both the victim and a young woman matched very well. This victim was to be returned to Virginia. General Krakowski would pay a particularly large bounty because of the crime this escapee had committed. The four kidnappers and a female informant would be well rewarded with portions of the bounty.
Everett Jenkins did not like the task he was now required to do. His governor was implicated on charges of kidnapping. The governor was also looking at a treason charge for helping a national enemy. He felt total disbelief that his governor would do something this low. This might even be his reason for keeping Illinois out of the RSNA. He only hoped the people and the other state leaders would stand beside him.
Getting two armed guards to assist him, Everett slowly walked to the governor’s office. The governor’s secretary told him that the governor was in a meeting and could not be interrupted. Everett responded that his business had priority. He then proceeded toward the governor’s office, opened the door, and walked in.
The governor was startled by his attorney general’s sudden interruption. But the armed guards meant that he was dealing with something serious. As always, he thought about how he could maneuver this situation. “Good morning, Mr. Jenkins,” the governor greeted him. “What a pleasure it is to see you this on beautiful day.”
Everett Jenkins quickly disregarded the governor’s glibness. “Governor Woodring, you are under arrest on charges of kidnapping and treason.” Then he read the governor the same rights that had been read to Jeremy earlier that morning. The shocked governor was for once at a loss for words. He knew those charges were true, but he never thought he would get caught.
Already, he was scheming to use his influence and connections to beat these charges.
Big Bill’s fortunes went from bad to worse when the lieutenant governor, Howard Smith, was told of his boss’s arrest. Howard admitted that he had been aware of Big Bill’s activities, though he had not actively participated in them. In exchange for immunity, he agreed to resign from his office and testify against Big Bill.
By the end of the day, media descended on both Springfield and Lincoln, spreading the word about the rescued kidnap victim and the charges now faced by the discredited Illinois governor. The next day, newspapers across the country, except for in the Virginias and the states under Mexican control, printed headlines about the rescued kidnap victim and the crimes charged against Big Bill Woodring. The chances of Big Bill escaping conviction on his criminal charges were fading fast.
The next morning, Jeremy, in his jail cell, was handed a copy of the Davenport newspaper. The headline read “Kidnapped Creighton Student Rescued in Illinois.” Beneath it was the subcaption “Illinois governor implicated in criminal charges.” Jeremy had become a well-known person. He only wished it were for something other than this. He now faced a huge difficulty for the crime he was arrested for. Thinking about this God whom the country was under, for the first time in his life, he prayed in earnest. The last thing he wanted was to be returned to Virginia to face trial.
The vacancies in the two top offices in Illinois propelled Frank Fletcher into becoming the interim governor. First, he calmly assured his constituents that everything would be fine, that they all would go on as normal. As for Big Bill, he assured them that his predecessor would get a fair trial and that proper justice would be applied. He then arranged for Big Bill to be transferred to the state prison in Joliet.
Jeremy followed the events in Illinois while he pondered his own fate. He kept thinking over and over what he should say and do to beat this charge. After all, he was essentially protecting himself. But no court in Virginia would accept that defense. In his case, every court in Virginia would be a kangaroo court. They would all ignore facts just to get him executed. He believed that the RSNA would not let such an injustice occur.
In Illinois, two other men who were helping Big Bill catch Virginia escapees were caught trying reach Wisconsin. It was believed that a few more were at large, but it was not certain if those men would be caught. They, too, would probably try to flee Illinois.
At least Jeremy felt like he was being treated well by his jailers. They seemed to want him to beat his murder charge, though nobody dared to talk about his case. Instead, they mostly talked about baseball. They and Jeremy talked about how the upcoming season would go. Some speculated on how the new teams in Atlanta and Miami would do. Several mentioned that new Major League Baseball clubs often struggled in their first season, which would benefit their division rivals in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. The outlook in the West was uncertain, with all five teams seeming like they could potentially win it.
Things began to look better for Jeremy when he was informed that he would be released to the custody of the Creighton ROTC faculty. The warden told Jeremy that his exemplary record at Creighton meant that he was a low risk to escape. But more important, he would be able to continue his studies. The warden warned him, though, that if he did try to escape, he would be placed under heavy lockdown. Jeremy realized that trying to escape this time would result in heavy punishment, more justified than what he had experienced in Virginia.
The following Saturday morning, Lt. Williams arrived at the Davenport jail to get Jeremy. He handcuffed Jeremy, asserting that it was necessary because of the charge against him. Then a policeman drove them to the local train station. After they boarded the train, Lt. Williams quietly told Jeremy that they were not to discuss anything about his upcoming trial. He emphasized that Jeremy must not try to escape. If he did, it could work against him in his trial.
As the train zipped westward, the two men talked about sports. The Major League Baseball season would start in a few days. Both were eager to see how this season would evolve with the two new teams.
Jeremy asked if there would be other major sports leagues. Lt. Williams said that the National Football League was planning to start up soon, but it had not decided when. Before the Southeast joined the RSNA, the only NFL cities in the reunion were Kansas City, Nashville, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The NFL was not sure how successful it could be with just those eight teams. Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Miami, and Tampa Bay had increased the total to thirteen. This might be closer to a critical mass.
Jeremy took as much of a look as he could at Grinnell as the train zipped through. His grandparents would certainly know about his kidnap and arrest by now. How must they feel? He surmised that it was mostly worry. He also wondered how Kim Mullen and his other friends there felt.
When the train stopped in Des Moines, Jeremy kept thinking about how Alicia and his friends at Lincoln High must feel. The people at the compound must have known, too.
Between Des Moines and Omaha, Jeremy and Lt. Williams talked about college football. Lt. Williams told Jeremy that before the dissolution, the Southeast had many powerhouse college football teams, such as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, and Miami. It would be interesting to see how the balance of power might shift with the addition of those schools.
During the Des Moines-to-Omaha part of the journey, Jeremy noticed two more towns that seemed interesting to him. The first was Adair, Iowa. Jeremy speculated if there was a connection between the town and President Adair. A short time later, the train whipped through Atlantic.
“So that is where Lisa Plummer lives,” Jeremy thought as looked at the town.
Once the train arrived in Omaha, Lt. Williams removed the handcuffs. They were met by Colonel Brown. “I have found a place for you to stay,” said the Colonel. “It is a loft above the garage of a local resident. I will pick you up every morning to take you to class. When classes are over, I will drive you back. Except for when you are in class, you must not leave that loft. In case of emergency, notify the owners of the house. If you cannot reach them, contact me or Lt. Williams. If all three of us are unavailable, call emergency and tell them. If they ask your name, say your name is Ben Clayton. Do you understand this?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Jeremy. “May I ask one question?”
“Certainly,” replied Col. Brown.
“How can I contact my friends and grandparents?” asked Jeremy.
“Have them send letters to you, putting ‘care of Colonel Brown’ in the next line,” advised Colonel Brown. “Except for putting my name in the second line, it will be just like before.”
Jeremy really liked his apartment. It was not only fully furnished, but it had every necessary kitchen utensil, towels, washcloths, and all other necessary items. The refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards were all fully stocked.
“Let us know if you need anything,” said Col. Brown. “If you need food, let us know if there is something you would like.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jeremy concluded.
It was obvious to Jeremy that he had every material comfort he needed. Food, shelter, and a place to sleep, and if there was anything else he needed, he just had to ask. His clothes, including uniforms, were already there. The loft had even been furnished with a washer and dryer. There was good study space, a couch, a television, and a music player. But even with all this, he was nonetheless a prisoner. There was also the pervasive doubt about how long this would last. He felt like he had a good defense for the crime of which he was accused, but the outcome was anything but certain. For all he knew, he could lose everything.
Because he had not missed many days of school, Jeremy completed his makeup work quickly. His academic performance was as solid as ever. Continuing the pride he took in his impeccably shined shoes and brass, he still looked like a model soldier. He knew he could not stop trying.
Monday’s big news came from Illinois. Frank Fletcher submitted the Iowa Articles of Reunification to the Illinois legislature, recommending approval. Both chambers of the legislature approved the new constitution, with Fletcher signing it into law before the end of the day. Illinois became the twenty-third state to join the RSNA. The nation was coming back together.
The addition of Illinois to the reunion provided a big benefit to the RSNA. There was no longer a wedge separating the northeastern part of the RSNA from the more centrally located states. Transportation between the surrounding states became much easier. The addition of Chicago to the RSNA augmented its financial, trade, and cultural strength. Now the RSNA was stronger than ever.
Jeremy soon mailed letters to his grandparents, Alicia, and Kim. They soon replied, all expressing concern for him and wishing him the best. The people in his church in Grinnell were all praying for him.
The biggest issue regarding Jeremy’s murder charge was where the trial could be held. General Krakowski bellowed that the trial must be held in Virginia because that was where the crime occurred. But Nebraska’s Governor Willkie refused to extradite him. A congressman from Kentucky pointed out that because Jeremy had crossed state lines, his charge had become a federal offense and could therefore only be tried in a federal court. Governor Willkie claimed that Nebraska had federal courts, so the case could be tried in his state.
Once again, General Krakowski called foul, claiming that any place in the RSNA would be biased toward Jeremy. Governor Jacobs in Arkansas pointed out that if the trial were held in Virginia or West Virginia, the system would not give Jeremy a fair chance. The argument finally concluded with an agreement that Jeremy’s trial should be held in one of the twenty-five states that were neither in the RSNA nor controlled by General Krakowski.
Events in Illinois warranted Jeremy’s attention too. He would be called upon to testify against Big Bill. This was a task that Jeremy was not looking forward to, but it was his duty to testify. He carefully watched developments in Illinois, wondering how soon he would be called upon.
Colonel Brown kept Jeremy posted on his situation. He said that both the new and the original constitution guaranteed him a right to a fair trial by a jury of his peers. That meant he would not be placed on trial in Virginia. Wisconsin had offered to host this case using its tribunal system. That was likewise not going to happen. Technically, the old constitution was still national law. That meant that no matter where the trial would be held, it had to be decided by a jury of his peers.
So far, the only two states that had offered to host the trial and could feasibly take it were Massachusetts and Oregon. Louisiana had also expressed some interest, but the RSNA did not want to do it there. There was too much risk that General Krakowski might try to influence a guilty verdict. The problem with most states was that none of them had federal courts. Only the states in the RSNA had those.
Colonel Brown soon gave Jeremy reason to feel better. President Adair was aware of Jeremy’s situation. To him, this was another bout between the RSNA and Virginia. The RSNA had won every bout so far. He tasked his attorney general with finding the best defense lawyer in the RSNA.
Events were moving rapidly in Illinois. Big Bill was arraigned on felony charges. His trial would begin in late May. Evidence continued to stack up against him. But Big Bill was not about to go down without a fight. He had hired an attorney named Lee F. Dewey to defend him. Dewey had a reputation for figuring out ways to get his clients out of tough jams. Jeremy hoped that this time, Dewey would not finagle a way to get Big Bill off the hook.
Colonel Brown told Jeremy that once classes were over, he would be transported to Springfield. He would be sequestered there until he could testify against Big Bill Woodring. He would be briefed by the prosecuting attorney about his testimony.
Jeremy continued to excel in his classes. He attended classes faithfully while maintaining his soldierly appearance. Sometimes non-ROTC students would ask about his murder charge, to which Jeremy always replied, “I am not allowed to say anything.” At least the faculty and the ROTC cadets would always back him up. The apartment provided a good study environment. But being confined to it often left him feeling bored, causing him to dwell on his predicament. He tried to convince himself that with President Adair on his side, he would get the best defense in the RSNA, helping him get off the hook. But there was still too much uncertainty.
Another thing Jeremy did not like was not being able to participate in ROTC activities.
Whenever their unit performed in parades or other public activities, he had to stay confined to his apartment. He could not even have visitors. Even his own grandparents were not allowed to see him.
Within another week, Colonel Brown came back and said that three more states had expressed interest in hosting his trial. Those were New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming. A decision would be made soon. General Krakowski had asked one more state, Mississippi, if it would like to host the trial. Mississippi declined. When Jeremy asked Colonel Brown where the trial most likely would be held, the colonel replied that it was a touchy subject. The location would have to be agreed upon both by the RSNA and General Krakowski. That could be a hard agreement to make.
Jeremy continued diligently with his studies. Despite his brief absence, he readily recovered to achieve a 3.8 GPA. Creighton would certainly want him to complete his ROTC training there.
Meanwhile, a Supreme Court justice from Iowa resigned. People speculated on who President Adair would appoint to fill the vacancy. Ever since the court started, it had nine white men for justices: two apiece from Michigan, Missouri, and Iowa and one apiece from Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Naturally, those were the only states in the RSNA at that time.
People believed he would certainly choose a person from one of the other RSNA states, perhaps black person or a woman.
As Jeremy readied himself to go to Springfield, he found out where his trial would be held. After the trial against Big Bill Woodring was completed, he would go to Paterson, New Jersey. His trial would be held there.
Jeremy was not even allowed to attend commencement ceremonies. Instead, he stayed in his apartment. After commencement was finished, Colonel Brown came to his apartment, ready to start Jeremy on his trip to Springfield. Jeremy packed as much baggage as he could handle. Then it was off to the train station. He would ride the train back to Davenport. Other transportation would be provided to transport him to Springfield.
Before departing, Colonel Brown informed Jeremy that the conductors would be watching him carefully. That was more for his own protection than for any concern that he might try to run off. Similarly, somebody would be watching him on his way to Springfield. When Jeremy asked what kind of transportation he would have between Davenport and Springfield, the colonel replied that he did not know.
Next, Jeremy thanked Colonel Brown for his help. Then he continued by saying, “I hope I can stay with your program this fall.”
“Don’t worry,” advised the colonel. “You have practically the entire RSNA on your side. I also know that you would not kill somebody unless you were in extreme danger. Your defense will emphasize this point at your trial.”
The train zipped its way across Iowa, only stopping in Des Moines and Iowa City along the way. Upon arriving in Davenport, a conductor escorted him off the train. Without saying a word, he walked Jeremy to a nearby bus station. Upon arriving there, the conductor whispered with a person behind the counter. That person nodded like he understood.
The bus station attendant then escorted Jeremy to a small room in back. He instructed Jeremy to stay there until it was time to board his bus. At that point, another person would accompany him to his bus and ride to Springfield with him. That person would then take Jeremy to the hotel where he would be sequestered.
It seemed to Jeremy that he just kept on being a prisoner. Granted, the room was reasonably comfortable. It had a comfortable seat. The room had good lighting but no windows. Sitting there, he wondered about his fate. He was glad that President Adair was looking for a top-notch attorney for him. But even if he did get acquitted, would General Krakowski continue to hunt for him? What if he were caught again and his kidnappers managed to get him back to Virginia? What would become of him?
After what seemed like hours, someone knocked on the door. Jeremy promptly answered. A petite, fair-skinned woman with short black hair greeted him.
“Hi, Mr. Voorhies. My name is Carol Clark,” she said, introducing herself. “I will accompany you to Springfield.”
Jeremy was expecting someone bigger who would be better able to deal with problem situations. But he said nothing as he gathered his belongings for the bus ride to Springfield. He put his belongings in a compartment underneath the seats on the bus, then boarded the bus, taking a window seat near the back of the bus. Carol Clark sat down next to him.
Neither one spoke much on the ride to Springfield. Jeremy reasoned that was the way it was supposed to be. The bus stopped in several cities on the way to Springfield. Jeremy took particular note of Lincoln. After all, it was there that he had been rescued. Or had he?
When the bus pulled up at the Springfield station, Jeremy gathered his belongings and walked with Carol into the station. Carol spoke briefly with one of the attendants. Soon, that attendant made a phone call. Then Carol escorted Jeremy outside, where they sat down on a bench. “Your ride will be here soon” was all Carol said.
After several minutes, a large, fancy-looking car drove up and parked by the curb. Carol beckoned for Jeremy to come along. She opened a back-seat door and motioned for Jeremy to get inside. The driver, wearing a dark blue nonmilitary uniform, packed Jeremy’s belongings into the trunk. Carol smiled and waved at Jeremy as the driver whisked him away to the hotel. Jeremy smiled and waved back. At least Carol seemed nice enough, even without much talking.
When Jeremy arrived at the hotel, the driver quickly unloaded his bags, placing them on a cart. Then a bellhop escorted him to his room on the top floor of the hotel. Once he was alone inside, he found a note on the desk. The note said that he was supposed to meet with an attorney named Luann Mitchell tomorrow. She would go over their testimonies with him and Patti Pierce. It would be important that their testimonies matched each other as well in court as they had so far.
Another place. Another prison. Jeremy realized that as far as prisons went, he had it good. All he had to do was compare this with what he had experienced in Virginia. The cell where he stayed in Davenport was probably more typical of an RSNA jail cell. Even compared to that, this hotel room and the loft he had in Omaha were both better. But still, he could not leave. Essentially, this was a prison.
Luann Mitchell met with Jeremy, Patti, and her parents in a conference room in the hotel. They carefully went over both testimonies, making sure they were consistent with each other. Ms. Mitchell warned both that Lee Dewey liked to try to discredit opposing witnesses. He would likely try to force an inconsistency between them.
Before closing the meeting, Luann turned to Jeremy. “You are an incredibly lucky man. The weather was warmer than usual that night. Warm enough that someone would open their window. And then there was somebody awake at that hour of the morning who was near enough to hear those kidnappers talking.”
Jeremy closely watched the progress of Big Bill’s trial in the newspapers. The jury selection took a long time, mainly because most of the prospective jurors knew something about the case. All Jeremy could do was wait.
While waiting, Jeremy entertained himself by following the baseball season. As expected, the two expansion teams could not keep up in the East. But in the West, Detroit surged to a substantive lead. Looking outside, he thought about Wes Hudson. He had said he wanted Illinois to join the reunion so his favorite team could get back into Major League Baseball. Now it seemed like he was going to get his wish.
It was early June before the jury selection was completed. This trial was already dragging on for longer than anticipated. Now he had to start attending the trial. Armed guards escorted him to the courthouse every weekday.
First, the opposing attorneys made their opening arguments. As prosecutor, Ms. Mitchell presented her arguments first.
“Today we are gathered in this courtroom to determine the guilt of one William David Woodring, a man whom the people of Illinois entrusted to lead our state, to serve the best interests of the state and those of the people who refer to Illinois as home. This man betrayed our trust by accepting money from a known enemy of the state and nation, masterminding the kidnapping of innocent people so they would be sent to Virginia for undeserved punishment, and in so doing committed treason against our great nation. We will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this man is guilty of both crimes with which he has been charged. Then it will be up to you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, to convict this man of these charges so he may receive punishment befitting these crimes.”
Then Mr. Dewey made his opening statement for the defense. “Mr. William David Woodring has dedicated his career to serving the people and state of Illinois. He toiled endlessly to provide a better quality of life for its citizens, ultimately serving as the state’s leader. Now he sits in this courtroom, accused of the sinister crimes of kidnapping and treason. But think. Could this man really do such bad things to the people whom he cared for? The burden of proof is on the prosecution. We can show that there is more than a reasonable doubt of Mr. Woodring’s guilt. At that point, he must be acquitted of these charges.”
Jeremy looked around the courtroom. He saw Officers Quinn and Carter sitting next to each other. Two other policemen were with them. Patti Pierce was sitting with her parents. Seated at a table up front was a plump, half-bald man in orange, loose-footing clothes. The clothes reminded Jeremy of what he was forced to wear in Virginia. He surmised that person must be Big Bill Woodring. Everybody who needed to attend this trial appeared to be there.
Ms. Mitchell started by calling Sheriff Elam to the stand. He recounted being contacted by Lincoln police. He was told about the kidnapping and how Woodring was implicated in it. He then drove down to Springfield to inform Everett Jenkins. He told Jenkins that a man had been kidnapped by four other men. They were going to turn him over to Woodring so he could be sent back to Virginia. In Virginia, the victim would be killed on a murder charge.
In cross-examination, Mr. Dewey asked Sheriff Elam only if he had met Jeremy in person. Sheriff Elam replied that he had not.
Next, each of the four police officers testified. They all said that their dispatcher had dispatched one of them to check out the claim of a car next to a park, across the street from residences there. This car was reportedly hiding a kidnapping victim. When the first police car arrived, it affirmed the location of the car along with three men there. Three more cars were dispatched, trapping the kidnap car. First they handcuffed the kidnapper sitting behind the car, then proceeded to capture the other four kidnappers.
While they were taking the kidnappers, Jeremy banged on the trunk lid. They released him. Jeremy pointed out a kidnapper who was trying to escape, whom the police soon caught. Officers Quinn and Carter testified that Jeremy and Patti Pierce were both very consistent in providing them information about the kidnapping, which implicated Big Bill.
Howard Smith was the next prosecution witness. He testified that he knew that Big Bill was doing shady dealings with General Krakowski. Big Bill would help Krakowski find Virginia escapees and bring them back to Virginia. Big Bill would give the people who assisted in his efforts part of the reward money. The money that he retained would partly be for his own use and partly to fund his gubernatorial campaigns.
The defense attorney asked Howard Smith just one question. “If you knew that Governor Woodring was taking illegal money from General Krakowski, why did you not turn him in?”
“Because I did not want to get on Big Bill’s bad side,” Howard replied. “People who do get on his bad side not only lose their jobs, but they will probably never find work in Illinois again.”
Then came the moment that Jeremy dreaded. Ms. Mitchell called him to the stand. A bailiff swore him in. Then Ms. Mitchell began her examination.
“Please tell me about the events the night you taken to Illinois,” she began.
“It was after dark when I was walking back to A Barracks after finishing a duty,” Jeremy replied. “Suddenly, I was jumped by four men. They covered my mouth so I could not scream for help. Quickly, they stuffed me into the trunk of a car. Then they drove me off. Soon they got onto a highway. I knew we were going east. After a while we turned south. Finally, when the car started making stops and turns, I knew we were in a town. Then the car stopped.”
“And what happened after the car stopped?” continued Ms. Mitchell.
“The four men got out of the car,” testified Jeremy. “They talked about taking me to Springfield once the capitol opened. They said that Big Bill would pay a big reward for catching me. General Krakowski would pay a king’s ransom for catching me, and I would be dead by the following weekend. Big Bill would give those guys a hefty cut from the reward money.”
Ms. Mitchell then asked, “Did they mention anybody else while they were talking?”
“One other person,” replied Jeremy. “They said someone named Lisa would also get a cut for pointing me out to them. I am quite sure they were referring to Lisa Plummer. She and I were acquainted from attending school, both in Grinnell and at Creighton.”
“Do you know where Lisa Plummer is?” queried Ms. Mitchell.
“Most likely at Creighton or in Atlantic, Iowa,” responded Jeremy. “She told me that her family moved to Atlantic last summer.”
“Your witness,” Ms. Mitchell said to Mr. Dewey as she walked back to her seat.
Lee F. Dewey stood up, walked over to Jeremy on the witness stand, squared his shoulders, and glared down at Jeremy. Jeremy knew what to expect.
“Voorhies!” he bellowed, “Is it not true that you are a fugitive from justice in Virginia?”
“I am innocent until proven guilty. I will willingly face my trial in New Jersey,” Jeremy shot back.
“But you have shown you do not want to face your trial in Virginia!” Dewey proceeded.
“Show me somebody who wants to go back to Virginia, and I’ll show you somebody who is on the wrong side of the conflict!” Jeremy argued.
Now Dewey began to rapid-fire questions at Jeremy. “You want Governor Woodring to get convicted because it will help you with your trial, right?”
“Wrong,” Jeremy shot back. “The outcome of this trial will have no bearing on my trial!”
“About what time was it when you got caught?” Dewey fired back.
“Just after ten o’clock at night,” replied Jeremy equally quickly.
“How do you know it was that time?”
“I had just finished my last duty at 2200 hours.”
“How did you know it was four men who jumped you?”
“There was enough lighting that I could see them.”
“Why did you not scream out for help?”
“They covered my mouth right away.”
“How did they get you into the trunk of that car?”
“I struggled to break free. They just overpowered me.”
“Then what happened?”
“They got in the car and drove off.”
“Did you know where they were taking you?”
“Not at all.”“What happened when they finally stopped?”
“They got out of the car. I could hear them talking.”
“What did they say?”
“That they were going to turn me over to Governor Woodring. Then I would be transported to Virginia. That I would be dead by the weekend.”
“Did they say anything else?”
“Something about staying there for the night.”
“Is there anything in your testimony that you would like to change?”
“None.”
“Is there anything you have omitted from your testimony?”
“None.”
“No more questions.”
The judge instructed Jeremy to step down. As Jeremy walked back to his seat, Dewey turned to the jury and yelled, “How can anybody believe this killer?”
Ms. Mitchell then called Patti Pierce to the witness stand. Jeremy silently wished Patti the best of luck. Perhaps Dewey would not tear into a fourteen-year-old girl the way he had torn into him.
Ms. Mitchell gently talked with Patti after she was sworn in. Politely, she asked Patti to say in her own words what happened the night when Jeremy was rescued. Patti reiterated how she was having difficulty sleeping that night. Because of the warm weather, she opened her window to let in some fresh air. Then she heard a car drive up outside. She reiterated everything she heard the men say. Then she went and alerted her parents about the situation. Her testimony completely matched Jeremy’s.
Mr. Dewey tried a different approach to try to discredit Patti’s testimony. Acting like a kind person, he asked Patti if she had been coached about what to say. When he realized that Patti was not sure how to respond, he rephrased the question by asking her how much she had rehearsed to prepare her testimony. Patti replied that she may have thought things through many times, but nobody had told her what to say.
“Are you sure?” Dewey asked, ramping up the pressure.
At that point, Ms. Mitchell objected. She pointed out that Dewey was badgering the witness and that police testimony already verified that what Patti said was accurate. The judge sustained the objection. With that, Dewey told Patti she could step down. Jeremy sighed with relief that Patti had not melted under pressure. Their testimonies still corroborated each other.
The last witness called by Ms. Mitchell surprised many of the people in the courtroom. She called a man named Oliver Glass to the stand. Jeremy watched the youthful, disheveled-looking man, who also looked muscular. Then Jeremy realized who he was. He was the kidnapper who had been sleeping in the park and tried to escape. He must have decided to become a prosecution witness in exchange for leniency.
Oliver Glass testified that this was the first kidnapping he had participated in. The other kidnappers told him that Governor Woodring had been tipped off about an escapee that General Krakowski was willing to pay big money for because he had killed a person in his escape. They got a picture of this person and were told that he was an ROTC student at Creighton University. If this young man could be caught and brought to Springfield, then Governor Woodring would send him back to Virginia. In Virginia, he would be tortured and executed.
Oliver Glass said he was reluctant to participate in this abduction if it would result in someone’s death. The other three kidnappers all assured him that they had done this several times before. The money was good. They were confident that they would not get caught. They finally convinced him by pointing out his destitute condition. This money could get him off the street and into shelter, where he could better support himself.
Oliver concluded that one of the other kidnappers had driven them to Omaha. While he and one of the kidnappers stayed away from the campus, the other two would watch Jeremy and the campus until they finally came up with a good time and place to make their snatch. Jeremy would be getting off duty at ten o’clock one night. They would catch him walking back to his barracks, get him into the trunk of their car, and bring him to Illinois. The rest had already been testified to by other witnesses.
On cross-examination, Jeremy could tell that Lee F. Dewey was not exactly sure how to deal with this witness. His case was falling apart. He knew that Oliver Glass was going to testify. But even for a successful attorney such as himself, this was a hard witness to prepare for.
“How long have you lived in Illinois?” Dewey began.
“All of my life,” Oliver replied.
“So you are aware of the many years of service that Mr. Woodring has provided to Illinois?”
“I know he has worked for the state for many years.”
“Would you say that Mr. Woodring has been a good governor?”
“No comment.”
“Answer the question.”
“Not if he is having people kidnapped so they can be sent to Virginia.”
“Are you aware that the man you helped bring here is wanted for murder in Virginia?”
“I am.”
“Now, that is a much more serious charge than anything Mr. Woodring is accused of. Why would you turn against a man who has served our state for such a long time to help a killer?”
“He must get a fair trial. He would not get one in Virginia.”
“But still murder is a serious offense. Certainly, he must be brought to justice.”
“That will be decided by the jury in his trial.”
“But to turn against your own governor?”
“I only want justice. If Big Bill is guilty of crimes, he must be punished accordingly. If Mr. Voorhies is guilty of the crime of which he was accused, then he must be punished accordingly.”
“But wouldn’t you say that Mr. Voorhies is being charged with the more serious offense?”
“He is innocent until proven guilty.”
While Dewey was sure that Oliver had been advised by Ms. Mitchell about his testimony, he had testified under oath to tell the whole truth. Dewey could tell that his testimony matched up too well with the other witnesses. Oliver had turned against his teammates and his governor because he knew that the action in which he had participated was wrong. If he was going to get Big Bill off the hook, he was going to have to do it with his own witnesses.
At that point, the judge ordered a break for lunch. One of Ms. Mitchell’s assistants escorted her witnesses to a different room in the courthouse. Deli sandwiches were served to the witnesses. Per Ms. Mitchell’s instructions, nobody talked about the trial during the lunch. But Jeremy did thank Oliver Glass for helping the prosecution.
During the afternoon, Lee Dewey tried to defend his client. Mostly, he called character witnesses. But none could dislodge the testimonies of the prosecutor’s witnesses. One witness doubted that Big Bill was getting money from General Krakowski, because the general had no way of providing substantive payment. After all, the Virginia dollar was nearly worthless, not to mention it was not legal tender anywhere else in the world.
Luann Mitchell quickly refuted the testimony by pointing out that General Krakowski could easily have acquired money made by other governments or perhaps paid the discredited governor with precious metals. This could be particularly true if General Krakowski had operatives in New York City, where nearly all world currencies could be traded.
Finally, Lee Dewey put Bill Woodring on the witness stand. He claimed that he had always acted in the best interests of Illinois and its citizens. If he had any dealings with General Krakowski while in office, it was because the general was the recognized leader in Virginia, and governors had the right to work together for the benefit of their states.
Ms. Mitchell was ready to cross-examine Bill Woodring. “How can you help Illinois and its citizens by kidnapping people and returning them to Virginia?”
“I was helping catch criminals,” replied Big Bill. “Just like that man who testified for you.”
“Don’t you know the legal way to extradite criminals?”
“We catch the criminals, and we punish them.”
“Oh no, Mr. Woodring! If a wanted criminal is found in a different state, the governor of the state where crime was committed must contact the governor where the criminal was found and request extradition.”
“But we weren’t bound by the RSNA’s laws.”
“Which means Illinois was bound by the original constitution and its laws! Once again, you broke the law. Furthermore, was Mr. Voorhies ever placed under arrest and read his constitutional rights when he was caught?”
“That is not for me to know.”
“You better know it. We also have a witness who says Mr. Voorhies is not the only victim whose kidnapping was at least partly your doing. What crimes were they wanted for?”
“How was I supposed to know?”
“You certainly knew what Mr. Voorhies was wanted for. We also know these other victims were wanted back in Virginia. Why?”
“Search me.”
“You knew why General Krakowski wanted those people. Besides, how could this kidnapping be good for the people of Illinois?”
“We were not kidnapping. We were finding people who fled Virginia so they could be sent back home so justice could be served.”
“But not doing it in accordance with the law. Instead, you were getting paid to send these people back to Virginia so General Krakowski could punish them however he wanted. That money you got was simply to line your pocketbooks and those of the people who were helping you. Right?”
“That money does help the economy in Illinois.”
“If you wanted to help the economy, why didn’t you try to get Illinois into the RSNA? It has been well documented that states that join the RSNA benefit economically. You were just keeping us out of the RSNA to help your own shady dealing!”
At this point, Big Bill fell silent. “No more questions,” said Ms. Mitchell as she walked back to her table. The judge told Big Bill to stand down.
The next morning, both attorneys presented their closing arguments. Ms. Mitchell cited the witnesses that all collaborated perfectly as proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Bill Woodring was guilty of both kidnapping and treason. Mr. Dewey tried to assert that reasonable doubt still existed. Then the jury was left to deliberate.
Jeremy went back to his hotel room with mixed feelings. He hoped that Woodring would be convicted, but would that help him any? Either way, as soon as this trial was settled, he had to go to New Jersey for his own trial.
The next morning the jury announced that it had reached its verdict. Bill Woodring was found guilty of both kidnapping and treason. He was sentenced to two life terms, to be served in the state prison in Joliet. His political career had ended.