long."
"Just answer the question, please," asked Laws.
"He took me through the wall of the jail. We passed through the wall. I held his hand."
"And where did you go?"
"Fast as the wind we went - I felt as though we were flying. For a time I ran beside him, taking strength from his hand as he held mine and led me along; but then it became too much for me, and I, fainting, could not go on. He sensed this in that way of his and gathered me into his arms. I was quite swept away."
"Where did you go?"
"To a place where I've never been."
There were some titters at that, which seemed to fluster her a little. Apparently she was not aware of her own double entendre - or perhaps she was a better actress than Verily thought.
"By a lake, Not a large one, I suppose - I could see the far shore. Waterbirds were skimming the lake, but on the grassy bank where we... reclined... we were the only living things. This beautiful young man and I. He was so full of promises and talk of love and..."
"Can we say he took advantage of you?" asked Marty.
"Your Honor, he's leading the witness."
"He did not take advantage of me," Vilate said. "I was a willing participant in all that happened. The fact that I regret it now does not change the fact that he did not force me in any way. Of course, if I had known then how he had said the same things, done the same things with that girl from Vigor Church..."
"Your Honor, she has no pergonal knowledge of - "
"Sustained," said the judge. "Please limit your responses to the questions asked."
Verily had to admire her skill. She managed to sound as if she were defending Alvin rather than trying to destroy him. As if she loved him.
Chapter 16 - Truth
When it came Verily's turn to question Vilate, he sat for a moment contemplating her. She was the picture of complacent confidence, with her head just slightly cocked to the left, as if she were somewhat - but not very - curious to hear what he would ask of her.
"Miss Franker, I wonder if you can tell me - when you passed through the wall from the jail, how did you get up to ground level?"
She looked momentarily confused, "Oh, is the jail below ground? Well, I suppose when we went through the wall, we - no, of course we didn't. The jail is on the second floor of the courthouse, and it's about a ten-foot drop to the ground. That was mean of you, to try to trick me."
"My question still stands," said Verily. "That must have been quite a drop, coming through the wall into nothing."
"We handled it gently. We... floated to the ground. It was part of the remarkable experience. If I had known you wanted so much detail, I'd have said so from the start."
"So Alvin... floats."
"He is a remarkable young man."
"I imagine so," said Verily. "In fact, one of his extraordinary talents is the ability to see through hexes of illusion. Did you know that?"
"No, I... no." She looked puzzled.
"For instance, he sees through the hex you use to keep people from seeing that little trick you play with your false teeth. Did you know that?"
"Trick!" She was mortified. "False teeth! What a terrible thing to say!"
"Do you or do you not have false teeth?"
Marty Laws was on his feet. "Your Honor, I can't see what relevancy false teeth have to the case at hand."
"Mr. Cooper, it does seem a little extraneous," said the judge.
"Your Honor has allowed the prosecution to cast far afield in trying to impugn the veracity of my client. I think the defense is entitled to the same latitude in impugning the veracity of those who claim my client is a deceiver."
"False teeth is a bit personal, don't you think?" asked the judge.
"And accusing my client of seducing her isn't?" asked Verily.
The judge smiled. "Objection overruled. I think the prosecution opened the door wide enough for such questions."
Verily turned back to Vilate. "Do you have false teeth, Miss Franker?"
"I do not!" she said.
"You're under oath," said Verily. "For instance, didn't you waggle your upper plate at Alvin when you said that he was a beautiful young man?"
"How can I waggle an upper plate that I do not have?" she said.
"Since that is your testimony, Miss Franker, would you be