Silent Witness (16 page)

''Mr. Getts, you, and your designated representatives are free to inspect the theme park ride called the Shock & Drop. You are to be admitted to Pacific Park and carry out that inspection in a timely manner and with appropriate notification. You are only to inspect the ride known as the Shock & Dr. . .''

''I would also like to inspect the grounds where that ride stood before its removal.'' Jude interrupted charmingly to ask for more. David Copperfield couldn't have done it better.

''Mr. Hillerman?'' Judge Smith looked to the man in grey.

''I see no purpose in that, your honor. It's been almost two years since that ride was moved to storage. Another attraction with a completely different configuration has taken up the space, new landscaping is in place. There would be no basis in fact for comparison to the Shock & Drop at the time of the accident.''

''I agree,'' the judge answered. ''We'll limit the order to an engineering inspection of the machinery itself. Mr. Getts, I would like you to work through Mr. Hillerman. Mr. Hillerman, you will designate a liaison at the park if you cannot be present.''

''Very good, your honor.'' Mr. Hillerman inclined his head, grateful to have a small victory to bring back to Pacific Park.

''And you will make it clear to whoever it is that meets Mr. Getts' party that they are to afford them every courtesy. I don't want to be the next court citing Pacific Park for contempt.''

''Yes, your honor.'' Hillerman inclined his head.

''Excellent. We're done, then, unless either of you has anymore business before this court.''

Neither man did. Not one to waste time, Judge Smith had his clerk call the next matter. Jude and Hillerman were already forgotten by the time they walked out the door. Hillerman kept going. Josie joined Jude.

''So?'' Jude asked.

''I'm not going to fall all over you for a slam dunk,'' Josie noted dryly, refusing to give him kudos no matter how pleased she was.

''Love the way you show your gratitude,'' Jude chuckled. ''I did all the work.''

''It was my idea. You were just a pretty face.'' They had reached the elevators. Jude punched the down button. Josie thought aloud as they waited. ''Wilson can't do the inspection. He would be useless as a witness without the proper credentials. Not to mention his obvious bias against Pacific Park and the fact that I'd worry he'd have a heart attack if he tried climbing on anything higher than a stepstool.''

''Already taken care of,'' Jude assured her. ''We have a professor from MIT. He's done a couple of stints as an expert witness, but not so many that he'll seem tainted. Works for his expenses only which, in and of itself, makes him suspect in my eyes.''

''Always a bottom line guy, huh, Jude?' Josie noted. ''So, when's he available? I want to do this ASAP.''

''Day after tomorrow? Latest, Friday. I want to make sure we've got all the bases covered before you and Ruth go at it,'' Jude answered.

''Fine. I'll tell Archer.'' The elevator doors opened. Josie took the first step in only to have Jude pull her back.

''Unh-uh. You're not going to bring him, Josie. Don't even think it,'' Jude warned.

''Not very friendly of you,'' Josie said. Jude let go but stayed close when he followed her into the elevator. ''And you're not thinking smart. Ruth made it clear she doesn't want Archer around any of her witnesses, but there's no restraining order keeping him out of the park. Judge Smith said your team could inspect. Archer is now officially part of the team. Or have you forgotten that this hearing was just an end run for the criminal defense?''

They were on the first floor again battling past those who were trying to get in the elevator while they tried to get out. Josie made it out first and looked to make sure Jude was behind her.

''Archer is critical to the inspection, Jude. He's the one that was on the ride. He's the one who needs to remember what happened that day. Maybe seeing that thing will jog his memory or give us some insight regarding the procedures taken after the accident. . .''

Jude jogged a step and got in front of her. Josie feigned left then right but Jude would not let her pass.

''What?'' she demanded.

''That's a bunch of crap, Josie, and you know it. What you're doing is dangerous.''

''That's absurd.'' She tossed her head, saw that people were looking then lowered her voice. ''What possible harm could there be in having Archer along?''

''You're intentionally antagonizing Pacific Park, getting in the DA's face, putting your client in an untenable position and, above all,'' Jude pointed out, finishing his litany on a high note, ''having Archer there could kill you, Josie.''

Josie narrowed her eyes, she gave a little click of antipathy with her tongue against her teeth.
''You are so good, Jude. Just this side of melodramatic, a little anxiety about the status of my case thrown in and top the whole thing off with a pitch for your very personal concern about my feelings. Very nice. Very sweet.''

''Stop it,'' Jude ordered. ''You're not that hard assed and you know exactly what I'm talking about. What's going to happen when Archer remembers doing it? Or, what if he's known it all along and he's been playing you for a fool. What if he looks at that machine and you look at him and see guilt?''

Josie's eyes were flinty. She knew there was something to be said for Jude's objections. She understood the risks and that the consequences would affect her and Archer. Given that, there was only one thing to do. Josie pushed Jude aside and said:

''Archer's in.''

CHAPTER 15

Josie drove with the top down, her baseball hat on, her sunglasses cutting the sharp, cold wind as they sped down the 405 freeway. The rag top was down by choice, not neglect. Sitting cocooned under the top with someone wound as tight as Archer was, angry at her for every little thing because he was too proud to admit that facing the past frightened him, would have made her crazy.

Josie ran the back of her hand across her nose. It was so cold it hurt to touch it. She shifted, rotating her neck to work out the kink that ran from the base of her skull to the knob of her spine. Archer wasn't the only one hanging on by a thread. Josie was none too keen on this whole trip either, not since she had decided that Jude was right on the mark about her motives.

The realization had come in the middle of the night while she lay awake next to Archer. Their naked bodies held no allure for one another, their minds were in complete control. Neither wanted to be the first to seek solace in lovemaking for fear there was no more reason to love. Both were terrified that they would share only sex and the emptiness that came with the act when there was no other connection.

Fear was a new thing between them. So were apprehension, tension and any other word that described the relationship between two people who suddenly feel as if they don't know one another yet have no one else to turn to. There was ground they couldn't tread upon, questions Jo the lover couldn't ask but Josie the lawyer must. There was the slight intake of breath before an answer was given; the barely audible exhale when the answer moved them forward and not back, cleared up a point instead of creating suspicion.

Now the cold air, the speed of the car and the gathering twilight gave Archer and Josie reason to keep their own counsel as they drove toward Pacific Park where they would meet up with Wilson, Jude and the engineer. When they saw the park in the distance Josie loosened her grip on the wheel and instinctively reached for Archer. He didn't move away when she slid her palm over the back of his hand and entwined her fingers with his. There was an instant of resistance, that moment when he was afraid of showing how much he needed her, and then Archer squeezed back. It was enough. They were together.

Satisfied, Josie let go and used both hands to maneuver off the freeway. She took the off ramp ten miles too fast and felt the old Jeep shudder as she pulled to a stop, yielded to traffic and then got in the que to enter Pacific Park.

''There,'' Archer raised his hand and pointed to a huge sign that indicated section 'E' of the sprawling parking lot. Josie nodded and broke off from the flow of traffic, trolling as they looked for a space.

''That's Jude's car,'' Josie raised her chin. Archer looked.

''Predictable,'' Archer mumbled as she parked two spaces away. Pulling himself out of the Jeep, he dusted himself off as he gave the eye to the champagne colored Mercedes.

Josie joined Archer and took his arm, aware but not surprised at his insecurity. The champagne colored car represented every threatening thing in Archer's life: money he didn't have, freedom he didn't have, Jude's youth and looks that Archer could never have. So he dissed Jude's car and it translated to a critical question for Josie: Did she still love him? Had she been seduced by someone who understood her business, was closer to her age, a man who didn't bring a pack load of trouble with him? Josie heard him and answered the only way she knew how.

''You okay, Archer?'' she asked, putting pressure on his arm. He nodded. She smiled. ''Okay, then. Let's do it.''

She let go of his arm and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her ancient leather jacket her father had treasured. She kept her hat on. The glasses she ditched. Archer walked with a determined stride beside her, like a man with nothing to hide. That was good. What wasn't good were the butterflies in Josie's own stomach, the sense of impending doom, the very unlawyer-like emotion that seemed to make her falter.

Then she saw Jude and all was well. The suit was gone, replaced by jeans, a dress shirt open at the neck, a jacket that looked like cashmere. Hiking boots. His eyes never wavered. Josie kept her eyes on Jude but her hand reached for Archer. Roles were reversed, but not loyalties. Archer had been her rock; she would be his.

''There you are,'' Jude hailed them as they joined his little group. ''I was beginning to worry.''

''There was a backup on the transition to the 710. Sorry,'' Josie said. ''Have you called security?''

''I did when I saw you coming,'' Jude answered. He turned to Archer. ''Are you going to be okay to go in there? If not let us know now.''

''I'll just do that when I feel myself getting the shivers,'' Archer answered, his breast feathers ruffling at the audacity of this new cock.

''Just covering the bases.'' Jude backed off gracefully. Archer gave an inch.

''I'll be okay.''

''Great.'' Jude put out his hand and Archer took it and Jude drew him into the circle. ''This is Wilson Page.''

Archer shook the big man's hand and looked him in the eye.

''Appreciate you being here,'' Archer said.

''Wouldn't have missed it for the world, so to speak,'' Wilson answered gently. Josie looked askance, noting Wilson's pallor, still not used to his labored breathing. Wilson did the honors, introducing the tall, thin man next to him. ''This is Doctor Hart. A fine engineer. He's just what we need here. Just what we need right now.''

Everyone said their hellos, courteously in subdued voices that spoke of the seriousness of their task. Josie was about to engage Doctor Hart when suddenly, from the shadows of the employee entrance, they were joined by one last member of the team. Colin Wren emerged like a ghost, his priest's eyes trained on Archer and only Archer. He was pale; his thin hair blew in wisps around his head. The bulk of his corduroy jacket did nothing to hide the slightness of his figure and his glasses and demeanor did not disguise his wariness. Neither Archer nor Colin acknowledged one another and Josie watched them with interest. There was a new charge in the Colin's eyes, as if irritation had given away to antagonism. Josie pulled Jude aside.

''You should have told me he was going to be here. I don't think it's appropriate,'' she said.

''Do I have to remind you that the only reason you or Archer are making it through the gates is because of Colin?''

''The only reason there's a criminal action is because he started this in the first place,'' Josie shot back. ''You should have at least warned me.''

''He didn't make up his mind until the last minute. This is going to be very rough on him and I expect you to have some sympathy for that,'' Jude said.

''Like it's going to be a piece of cake for Archer?'' Josie pointed out. ''Like. . .''

''Just control Archer,'' Jude said under his breath

''I don't know that Archer's the one we have to worry about.'' Josie sized Colin up, trying to put her finger on what was different. ''What's going on with him? I thought he wanted to help us. I'm getting a vibe that isn't good. Is there something I should know?''

''He's just on edge. This is like visiting the site of a plane crash. Dredges up all sorts of conflicting emotions.''

''No, it's something else.'' Josie didn't buy it. ''What was he doing hiding like that?''

Jude looked over his shoulder, ''Good lord, Josie, he was standing out of the wind.''

''He hasn't moved an inch. He hasn't taken his eyes off Archer. It's like he's goading him.''

''Look, this whole night is going to be stressful, don't make this worse than it is by imagining things. Come on, time to put on a team face. The games are about to begin.'' Jude took her arm. Roger McEntyre was bearing down on them. He stopped just outside the gate.

''Mr. Getts?''

Jude's group closed ranks.

''Yes.''

Roger McEntyre's eyes barely moved but Josie knew McEntyre could testify about the color of the buttons on Jude's cuffs if he had to. His gaze swept over everyone else as he handed them their badges in turn.

''Mr. Hart, Mr.Page, Ms. Bates and Mr. Getts. Mr. Wren.'' The man was good. He'd done his homework.

''You're missing one.'' Josie stepped forward.

''No, I don't think I am. The park was directed to admit Mr. Getts' team for inspection.'' Roger's eyes flicked to Archer. ''This person is a criminal defendant. We have the right to refuse admittance to anyone we deem necessary per the ruling requesting inspection that was denied in the criminal action.''

''There were no limitations placed on Mr. Getts,'' Josie countered, admiring McEntyre for covering all the bases. ''The order of the court was broad. It did not specify the number or the make-up of the inspection team nor did it specify any exclusions.''