The War Gate by Chris Stevenson Page A

in an insanity defense, but why hadn’t her mother’s attorney used the tactic earlier in the trial? None of it made any sense.
    She flipped through the book, reading several more clippings while Chubby looked on. She found more about the evidence against her mother. She read a few snippets from Drake’s testimony, including his reactions to the murder. It all seemed so surreal.
    Chubby went to a display shelf to bring down a picture. He held the frame before her. “This was taken in the exercise yard by one of the other officers. We were holding hands that day. It was Avalon’s birthday. You can see right here where she signed it to me. It says, ‘To my best friend in whole world, Chubs.’” He placed it back on the shelf, giving it a loving pat.
    Now, Avy stared at him. It was obvious that Raymond Hammersmith had been in love with her mother. He spoke of her with a divine reverence and loyalty, as if she were a fairy princess or queen. It was hard to tell what was manic obsession, or what might be innocent infatuation. Her instincts told her that Chubby had not been intimate with her. He just didn’t come off that way. It had to be a true friendship, she realized. She could see how her mother had become endeared to this simple, gentle man.
    Chubby clasped his hands. “I tried to be there for the baby, for you, Avy. But they wouldn’t let me in the infirmary. I just wanted to see you, you know? I would have done anything to hold you. But the warden said that I was too involved with my heart. He said I couldn’t be trusted.” His eyes moistened.
    She felt a bit uneasy at the display of emotion. “That’s a wonderful story, Chubby. I wonder if you could tell me about some of the visions she had. I understand that my mom was hallucinating. At the end, I mean.”
    “Now that you mention it.” Chubby screwed up his face, obviously thinking hard on the answer. “She did tell me several times that, well, a priest paid her a special visit. Not our regular chaplain. It was somebody else. She swore to it.” He looked down at the carpet. “Avy, you have to understand that your mom was under a lot of stress at that time.”
    “Did she describe this priest to you?”
    “Just a catholic priest. Father, damn, I can’t remember his name.”
    “Father Geminus? First name, Janus?”
    “That’s it! Janet or something. Weird dude, had long flowing blond hair. She said for a priest, he was a looker.”
    Avy dropped her cup on the floor. She picked it up, patted the stain with her napkin, but Chubby was there a moment later with a damp towel. “It’s nothing,” he said. “I do it all the time.”
    He looked up from the floor, then rose to his feet. “Avy, your hands are shaking.”
    She put them between her thighs, willing them to stop. Things were unraveling at light speed. For a moment, she thought she might be losing her mind. The room seemed like it was closing in around her, prompting her with the sudden need to leave. Not because of Chubby. He appeared harmless enough. But the information she’d learned made her skin crawl.
    After a minute passed, she stood up. “This meeting has been a real eye-opener,” she said, catching her breath. “My mother couldn’t have had a better friend than you. Thanks for understanding her, protecting her, and allowing her some dignity. I feel like I’ve known you all my life.” That was another thing that rattled her. She sidestepped toward the door. “I have another appointment that’s very important. I’ve got to go.”
    He shadowed her steps, grasping her forearm before she made it to the door. “If you’ve been digging around for information about your mom, just remember to forget most of the bad things you read or hear. She wasn’t anything like they said. She was a kind, loving person.”
    “Thanks for saying that, Raymond.” She raised her hand to open the door.
    “Avy?”
    She turned to meet his gaze. His eyes looked like steel. “Yes?”
    His body