Chapter 10

Two groups ... evidently one group was mine and the other group were conflicted ... my next of kin, and the State. The State wanted their big bucks because we ran a stop sign ... my next of kin was ready to spend my money ... there was a lot.

Bunches and Bunches. Stinking piles of filthy lucre. Enormous estates, homes all over the world, yachts, private aircraft ... money money money! More every minute.

David Austin was a piker ... David Anderson walked in higher realms.

The State sent a Forensics Expert. He had a warrant. My attorneys made calls from the hospital phone, checked his identification and called the state crime lab ... they did not use the number on the Expert's calling card. He was legitimate.

He took our fingerprints ... there was some possibility that Grace might have been driving ... the condition of the wreck gave rise to the confusion. He showed pictures ... it wasn't pretty. It was impossible to determine who drove by where the bodies were crammed.

Without the fingerprints the possibility of a third party driver could not be discounted. The state was working on an iron clad case. They wanted access to a considerable portion of the billions.

My next of kin, a weasel if ever I saw one, wanted our fingerprints so he could prove we weren't. We had to be dead and fingerprints would prove it. The hospital had produced a ringer ... a pair of ringers ... so they could continue collecting millions for our care ... so he said.

The girl couldn't possibly be my wife, I was a known misogynist, my affairs the stuff of tabloids, my discards many. No way could I marry that ... look at her ... she isn't even pretty.

The man needs glasses. Grace is beautiful. Same red totally uncontrollable flyaway hair, same deep green eyes ... It took some concerted effort to look away. I got an extreme woody.

Grace noticed and drooled.

My lawyers needed my signature for the continued wellbeing of my empire. His lawyers objected to anyone signing anything until there was incontrovertible evidence that "He is him."

Eventually, the doctors ran everybody out. Grace was in tears, I was far too angry for my health. Both groups were anxious to get to court.

And so it came to pass, that the doctors had diagnosed as far as we would let them, the therapist had released us to a program of swimming and sunlamps ... although he did mention Florida was just what the doctor ordered ... and the lawyers had their ducks in a row ... that we appeared in Clinton County District Court.

Ironically ... the Court House is across the street from the red painted house with white trim that we grew up in ... the scene of all our crimes.

The Clerk of the court: "All rise. Order in the Court. Court in and of the County of Clinton, Michigan is now in session. Honorable Judge Samuel Townsend presiding. Be seated."

Judge Townsend said, "Thanks John, Gentlemen of the court. Let me explain what we're about to do here.

"This is not a trial ... but you will be sworn ... we are here to see if there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a formal trial. Rather than waste the County money with calling a jury the state will present such evidence as it has AT THIS TIME ... this does not preclude new evidence.

"Should insufficient evidence exist the Court may decide to discard the motion for a trial. You gentlemen have previously agreed to abide by said stipulation. Has anyone changed their mind?

"State?"

"No, your Honor."

"Defense?"

"No, your Honor."

"John, swear the court."

"Hear, ye, hear ye, hear ye, persons in this courtroom who have evidence to present in this case, raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the evidence you are about to give to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"