Silent Witness (38 page)

Roger adjusted his jacket. He looked around the table and everyone looked back, waiting to hear the rest of his story.

''It was a calculated risk pointing the finger at her client,'' Roger raised his chin toward Josie ''but I had to take it. Best case scenario, he's acquitted and all he lost was some time. Worst case, he gets sent up. Simple as that. All I did was turn the attention away from the park. You all took it from there.''

Roger sat back but Josie and Jude knew the story wasn't done.

''You forgot one thing. Wilson Page,'' Jude said.

''Jude, be careful,'' Josie warned not wanting to tip their hand before all the evidence had been turned over to the DA.

''He killed Wilson,'' Jude whispered. ''The camera was on.''

''What camera? Who in the hell is Wilson Page?'' Ruth demanded. Josie looked her way but she caught Roger's gaze and finally understood his admiration. He liked a worthy opponent.

''Wilson Page was a friend of mine,'' Jude answered. ''He ran a website investigating Pacific Park. We found this tape because of him.''

''He was a problem,'' Roger admitted.

Jude spoke over him.

''He was my friend. I asked him to put out the word that I would pay to talk to anyone who had seen exactly what happened at Pacific Park that day. The promise of money brought in a thousand people looking for a quick buck. Wilson called me the day he died to tell me he had hooked up with Mrs. Tronowski. When he couldn't get a hold of me, he called Colin Wren and told him what he had. Colin wanted to see for himself. He got stuck in traffic and never made it to Wilson's place. He didn't want anyone to know about Lexi either. If I had to guess, he probably still loved her in some weird way and he still blamed Archer for pushing her so far.''

''And what does that have to do with me?'' Roger asked, baiting Jude and enjoying it.

''We have a witness who saw you through a webcam hooked up to Wilson's computer.''

''Really?'' Roger raised an eyebrow. ''And someone saw me kill your friend? They identified me, is that it?''

''Not yet. The witness saw a man in Wilson's apartment. He can describe his clothing, the shape of his face,'' Jude said.

''That doesn't sound like much,'' Roger said.

''The man who caught sight of you on that camera was able to digitally enhance the image. It's not the clearest, but it will be enough when coupled with the fingerprints we found in the apartment. Guess you made another mistake when you thought we'd just accept that Wilson died of natural causes.''

''That's not exactly heavy evidence,'' Roger said ignoring Jude's taunt.

''Then how about this? Wilson called you, the same way he called me and my client,'' Jude said triumphantly. ''What did he say, Mr. McEntyre? Did Wilson ask you to come clean about the tape? Did he do the right thing and warn you so that you should be prepared for all this to come out? Wilson would want to give you a fighting chance. But, you see, Wilson didn't use the phone much so your number stands out like a sore thumb on his telephone records. The call to you lasted eight minutes. You'll want to talk to a lawyer before you tell us exactly what was said in those eight minutes.''

Jude pushed a piece of paper toward Roger McEntyre.

''I also have this. The e-mail Mrs. Tronowski sent to Wilson telling him she had a copy of the video and that she re-sent one to you so that there would not be a mistake this time. How's that for some interesting information, you bastard.''

''That's enough Jude,'' Josie warned him before turning her attention to Ruth Alcott. ''We'll send everything we've got and it's a whole lot more than you had on Archer.''

Josie touched Jude's shoulder. It was time to go. Ruth could sift through it all and she could deal with Roger McEntyre. On her way out Josie dropped a card in front of Roger.

''You may want to give this to Isaac Hawkins. Colin Wren may not be pursuing his suit but you'll be hearing from Archer.''

Roger picked it up. He toyed with it, flipping it slowly between his fingers. Josie could hardly stand the sight of him and his nonchalance turned her stomach. Roger was so composed, so unrepentant. He had killed one man and tried to condemn another to a life behind bars. Josie grasped the back of his chair and the edge of the table and cornered Roger McEntyre.

''What kind of man are you?'' she demanded.

Slowly, Roger turned his head. The card had stopped spinning. He held it up so Josie could see it even though their eyes were locked.

''I'm a man of faith, Ms. Bates,'' Roger said. ''I had faith you'd get him off. I just didn't know it was going to be at my expense.''

Jude walked Josie to her car.

They had arrived separately knowing they would be headed in different directions when the day was done. Josie unlocked her car, giving Jude a minute. She had seen him wipe the corner of his eye in the elevator, heard him sniff back the sorrow he carried over Wilson's death. Josie understood what he was going through because she carried something, too. She just didn't have a word for the knot of emotions in her gut. Relief, guilt, anguish, love and even shame that she had thought Archer capable of the crime of which he was accused were a jumble inside her. It would take a while to unravel it all. She couldn't help but wonder what she'd have left when it was done.

''So.'' Jude put his hand on the hood of the Jeep and patted it like an old friend.

''So.'' Josie opened the door and palmed the key. She tossed her briefcase in the backseat. When she faced him, she smiled.

''We were good together, Josie,'' Jude chuckled. ''We could burn a swath through this town if we hooked up for good.''

''Are you offering me a job at your place or do you want to hang out under my shingle?''

''Your place is a little modest, don't you think? Besides, I've got the staff. I even have more than two phone lines. What do you say?''

''I say let's file it under 'm' for maybe. Right now I've got a couple of things to take care of.''

''Archer?''

She inclined her head as if to ask 'what else'. It was the only thing left. Josie lingered though she shouldn't have. She owed Archer a face-to-face and yet she put it off because she was afraid to find out that she had lost him in all this. Maybe she had even thrown him away. But Jude didn't catch on. Always the optimist. Always the man on top he said:

''Archer's a lucky man, Josie. He had a great lawyer. He's got a good woman.''

''Yeah, well.'' Josie said quietly. ''You'll let me know about Wilson's funeral?''

''Absolutely. David Gibson's putting out the word. He says the computer crowd is actually going to come.''

Josie put her hand on Jude's arm. There was nothing more to say and Archer was waiting.

''Good then.'' Jude pushed off, leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. ''You change your mind, you let me know.''

''You'll be the first, Jude.'' Josie swung herself into the Jeep.

She rolled down the window and put on her baseball cap. The Jeep's engine turned over. She threw it into gear and started to pull out of the parking space but Jude was in the way. When she leaned out to move him, Jude seemed startled. Then that glorious, mega-watt grin of his was shining right on her. He stepped back but before Josie could pull out completely Jude put his hand on the car door.

''You know I lied, don't you.''

''Really?'' Josie said. ''About what?''

''I like short hair. I like it on you.''

With that he stepped back. He was still watching Josie Baylor-Bates when she took the turn to the exit that would put her on Temple Street a couple of miles from Men's Central Jail, Archer and the hardest good news Josie would ever have to deliver.

CHAPTER 39

''It looks good. Really good, Hannah.''

The dining room that had once been blue was now a subtle blend of white on white on white: Navajo overlaid with pearl and sponged over with bright white. It looked like a fresh snowfall or the sands on the beach in Ixtapa. Josie's mother's hula girl plates had been re-hung, cracks and all. Hannah finished dabbing at one corner then admired their handiwork.

''I told you it was the right way to go. You just didn't have any faith in me as an artist,'' Hannah sniffed.

''I did. I swear,'' Josie objected. ''I just didn't know if I had enough faith when it came to turning over a whole room in the house. What if you thought red would look real nice.''

''Then it would have looked nice,'' Hannah tossed her hair over her shoulder, still posturing like a normal teenager but happier than she had been in months. Josie was home, school was okay, her psychiatrist wasn't a monster and she was even glad Archer was back if, for no other reason, because it made things seem normal. Still, Hannah was not going to let Josie know exactly how relieved she was that Josie liked the room. ''I was worried you wouldn't get the hang of the technique and I'd have to do it all myself.''

''Well, how about if I leave you to clean up the mess by yourself. I told Archer I'd help him with the garage. He wasn't real happy with the way we left it.''

Josie grabbed a rag off the floor and wiped the paint from her hands, keeping her eye on Hannah just in case she was skittish about being left alone. If Hannah was concerned, she didn't show it.

''Is he going to keep all that stuff?'' Hannah asked as she gathered the brushes and sponges.

''No. He knows he has to let Tim and Lexi go.'' Josie worked on a streak of bright white paint that had dried and crackled on the side of her hand. ''Where's the turpentine?''

''Here.'' Hannah stretched, holding out the can then sinking to the floor, sitting cross-legged as she looked at Josie. ''You never told me how Archer took the news about Lexi?''

''Hard.''

Josie pulled a chair out from under the tarp and sat down, abandoning her clean up, remembering everything about that meeting. She told him straight. No trying to soften the news.

Lexi killed Tim
.

Archer didn't flinch. He took the blow deep inside.

It was a long time before Archer touched Josie after all was said and done. When he did, Josie thanked God. They were together again. A little tougher under the skin, a little wary, mourning what had been lost, but willing to put things together again.

''He took it hard, Hannah. He loved Lexi a lot,'' Josie said.

''As long as he understood. I'd really be mad at him if he didn't understand that Lexi did what she thought was right,'' Hannah mumbled and Josie couldn't believe her ears.

''Lexi killed Tim because she was selfish, Hannah,'' Josie explained, surprised by Hannah's empathy. ''Lexi wanted too much from Archer and expected too little of the rest of the world so don't go making a hero out of her.''

''Is that what Archer thinks or is that what you think?'' Hannah challenged.

''It's what I know,'' Josie insisted. ''Hannah! She made a list, she closed accounts, she put the medicine in the water. That means killing Tim was a premeditated act and that means it was murder.''

''What did Archer say about the list and stuff?''

''He didn't say anything, and I didn't ask,'' Josie said. ''Archer's in shock, he's in denial. He loved her. That's what Archer will remember. If he tries to rationalize all this, he'll tell himself it was the cancer. He'll say she wasn't in his right mind.''

Hannah put one of the brushes in a bucket of turpentine and worked it like a butter churn. In the quiet, Josie could almost hear Hannah thinking, trying to unlock the mysteries of mothers and their children. Finally, Hannah asked:

''Do you think Tim would have missed his mom when she died?''

''I think so,'' she answered.

''Okay,'' Hannah mumbled and the brush went into the turpentine again and again as Hannah's lips moved as she counted. Josie drew her back into the discussion.

''Look, Hannah, Tim wouldn't have been alone when Lexi died. The thing to remember is that the people at Greenwood would have taken care of him. If Colin had any real interest in stepping up to the plate he could have. I do understand that Lexi felt alone, but that does not give her permission to take a life. If it was me, I would have begged Colin; I would have bribed him to take care of his son.'' Josie tossed the rag toward Hannah. ''Bottom line, I think they were both screwed up. Colin and Lexi took selfishness to a high art and Tim was just a damaged kid caught in the middle.''

''So was Archer screwed up too because he loved Lexi?'' Hannah challenged Josie still wanting to find Archer culpable. In her mind no woman was the root of all-evil – men shaped them, men created the situations that made women choose everything but their children.

''Maybe he was.'' Josie shrugged. ''He does seem to be attracted to women who come with a heck of a lot of baggage, doesn't he?''

''You don't have baggage. I've got baggage,'' Hannah objected abandoning the paintbrush in the can as she looked for another one. Anything to keep her hands busy. ''You're just neurotic about your mother. Lexi was just more in love with her kid than any mother you or I ever met. That's why you can't get your mind around what she did. But I can. I think the way Archer acted made Lexi look for another way out. I think Lexi didn't want to go to heaven without her son if nobody on earth was going to take care of him.''

Josie stood up and swung one long leg over the seat of the chair. She walked into the living room, found her sweatshirt and zipped it slowly while she listened to Hannah rationalize the death of Timothy Wren.

''That's a very romantic idea,'' Josie said kindly but it was her responsibility to be honest with Hannah since so few had been truthful before her. ''I don't know about heaven, but I do know that there are laws: man's law and the moral law and both of them are clear. You don't take anyone else's life. Period.''

''Not even when there's no one who will really care about you? Not even if your life sucks big time because you're retarded and sick and all that stuff?'' Hannah asked, her exotic green eyes growing darker as she tried to sort out her feelings. ''Maybe if Archer had wanted Tim just a little bit – the way you wanted me just a little bit – then things would have been different. Don't you think Lexi would have made a different decision if Archer had just given an inch?''