Silent Witness (4 page)

Josie checked her watch. A little before two. The bus would be leaving and Archer was going to be on it unless she took care of business fast. Josie waved the cop away and realized the question she was going to ask was not relevant in this room.

''Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. It was your business. You didn't owe me anything when it was just about us, but things have changed. You're going to have a whole lot of people wanting to know this story.'' Josie put her palms flat on the table. ''Right now let's get practical. We won't bother with a bail hearing – no way is a judge going to entertain a reduction if we're talking about the death of a disabled child. We'll suck up the ten percent on the million dollar bail. I've got fifty thousand. You put up the paper on the apartment building and that will give us more than we need to get you out of here.''

Archer shook his head.

''No. I'm not going to let you loose fifty grand because somebody's screwing with me. No bail. I'll take care of it.''

''How? From a cell? Jesus, you're a cop.''

''I'm a retired cop,'' Archer shot back.

''Like someone's going to check your pension and cut you some slack once you're behind bars? Like being retired is going to make a difference where they put the shank in you? You know the two things cons hate most in the world are a cop and a guy who messes with kids. You've struck out, Archer, so take my money and worry about how it's going to make you feel later.''

''I'll put up the apartment building, but I won't take your money,'' Archer said. ''That building's worth a bundle. It will cover the bail.''

''And the court isn't going to just take paper. They're going to want cash. I've got it. I'll put up my house if you don't want to risk your place but. . .''

The door opened again. This time the uniformed officer was young and fresh faced. He sported the kind of pretty that came from razor haircuts and pressed pants and a gun that had never been fired, hands that hadn't quite dirtied themselves the L.A. grit. Josie turned on him, flinging up a little bit of her own just to give him a taste of it.

''Can't you tell time? We've still got five minutes and we're taking it whether or not the bus leaves. . .''

''Yeah, well, the bus is going to leave without him anyway,'' the young officer drawled, his eyes resting lazily on Josie before sliding Archer's way. ''Your belongings are at the window. Pick them up on your way out.''

Stunned, Josie and Archer looked at the young officer. It was Josie who stood up first.

''I'm glad someone came to their senses.'' Josie gathered her things, talking to hide her bewilderment. ''They just came to them a little late. I'm going to make sure there's a full investigation on my client's behalf. This man should never have been arrested, much less charged. Whoever decided to drop those charges is the only intelligent person in this entire building.''

She reached for Archer and helped him up. Josie hitched her briefcase and took the first step to the door. She never managed the second step.

''Nobody's dropped the charges, but somebody put up the bail,'' the young cop said. ''Now get his butt out of here.''

The door hadn't even closed before Josie turned to Archer. He was pale and shaking. His lips moved once, twice then finally he answered the question she didn't need to ask.

''I don't know, Jo. I really don't.''

She tightened her grip on his arm.

''Okay, then. We'll just wait for your guardian angel to come to you. Right now, let's do what the man says and get your butt out of here.''

Josie steadied Archer at the elbow. When he walked he walked as tall as he could. The rib wasn't broken, his breathing was steadying. They picked up his stuff; they walked out the front door. She would have Archer's injuries checked then she would get him home. Josie wanted to talk to John Cooper without Archer listening in. There were a lot of questions. Josie wanted answers and one of the biggest was who had come up with a hundred grand to bail Archer.

Outside Archer put on his sunglasses and took a minute to breathe the air. Josie stood beside him, smelling downtown, listening to the traffic, feeling the proximity of buildings long unused and the oppressive bunker-like structure of the LAPD headquarters behind them. She turned to take Archer's hand but, as she did so, Josie caught sight of two men in her peripheral vision. She turned her head, instinctively moving protectively toward Archer.

They were taking the steps quickly, these two men. The older one walked with his arms by his sides, his bespeckled eyes trained on Archer. The other had a lighter step, his arms swinging freely, his eyes were on Josie as he took the stairs with the grace of an athlete warming up for the big game.

''Josie Baylor-Bates.'' The younger man greeted her as if they were old friends. He held out his hand. She took it cautiously. ''Jude Getts, Getts and Associates. This is my client. He put up the bond for Archer, here. Ms. Bates, Archer, this is Colin Wr. . .''

If Colin had a last name it was lost in the roar that come from Archer. He lunged at the man in a fury that could only be described as murderous.

CHAPTER 4

''That asshole was Tim's father. For God sake, Jo, I don't want to be on the same planet with that man much less sit across a table from him.''

Josie shot a glance at the two men waiting for them at the table. Everyone had calmed down except Archer. After Josie had managed to peel him off Colin Wren – not a difficult task since he wasn't exactly up for an extended cock fight – she had to convince him they at least needed to listen to what these men had to say. Archer pointed out that a hundred thousand dollars in bail didn't come without strings. Josie countered, arguing that any string Colin Wren decided to pull couldn't be worse than the ones that would have tied Archer down to a seat on the bus to the men's prison.

''You'll sit there and you'll listen, Archer. If you don't like what he has to say, fine. But I'm the one who says when we're gone. Don't block a road I may have to walk down just because you don't like this man. I'm calling the shots and you have to know I'm not going to do anything that isn't in your best interest.''

''That bastard can't have anything good in mind,'' Archer muttered. ''He left Lexi right after they figured out Tim would never be normal. I'm telling you he's scum, Jo.''

Josie leaned back against the wall, never taking her eyes off the coffee shop and their new found friends. Little Tokyo had been convenient, the New Otani hotel had seemed neutral ground. Josie had never favored the place when she worked downtown but Jude Getts seemed right at home. The guy was slick. His suit was expensive, every tooth was capped. He reeked of money as did his client. But Colin Wren's money wasn't flashy. His money weighed him down, heavy in pockets that only opened when there was a return to be had. A hundred thousand dollars got Archer out of jail and Colin Wren closer to getting his day in court. Jude Getts's money was lighter than air. Josie was sure it flew out of his pockets as easily as it drifted in. She didn't like the extremes of their benefactors but, practically, there was no choice but to indulge them.

''Okay. Colin Wren is scum. Fill me in,'' she sighed.

''Nothing. There's nothing I know about him except that he left Lexi to deal with that kid on her own. She worked her butt off, scraped to get him everything he needed. What kind of man does that? What kind of man walks out on a wife and a defective kid?''

''I don't know. But maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt.'' Her eyes cut toward Archer. ''Don't forget. Somebody thinks you killed that defective kid. What kind of man would that make you?''

''It's not the same. I didn't kill Tim but that bastard did take a hike. There's a little bit of a difference.''

''Okay,'' Josie said. ''I just wanted to point out that perception is a crazy thing. Let's not speculate. Let's have him spell out what he wants. To get him to do that I want you to sit with the man, try to keep your mouth shut and listen. That's all I want you to do, Archer.''

Archer pushed away from the wall.

''He's got ten minutes to convince me I shouldn't take his head off.''

''Fine. Ten minutes.''

Josie ran a hand through her short hair. She wanted a shower, needed to clean off that odd feeling that she'd left Parker Center marked. Instead, she touched Archer's elbow, a sign for him to move to her step. She went ahead. He followed. They didn't waste any time when they sat down.

''Okay, we're all ears.'' Josie looked from Jude to Colin.

''You want something to drink? Archer, you must be parched. . .'' Jude offered with a conciliatory grin.

''I'm pissed. They don't have a drink for that,'' Archer growled.

''Can we just get to it, Jude,'' Colin prompted.

''I realize this must be a harrowing experience. . .''

Jude stopped short. The grin was let go as easily as a balloon on a windy day. His audience wasn't interested in a prelude.

''Bottom line,'' he said amicably, directing his comments to Archer, ''I'm representing Mr. Wren in a civil action against Pacific Park in the wrongful death of Timothy Wren and your arrest has screwed us up royally.''

Jude sat back and opened his hands, offering the floor to anyone who wanted to dance.

''That's rich,'' Archer scoffed.

Archer crossed his arms on the table in front of him. Josie could just imagine what he looked like full face with his puffed-up lip making it difficult to talk, his purple eye half closed from the bruising. His short nose and close set eyes almost lost in the swelling. He looked bad enough in profile – the Irish boxer beaten to a pulp. Jude Getts didn't mind but Colin Wren seemed absolutely rigid with fear – or loathing – or both.

''First off, last I heard you could only sue for loss of love and affection in a civil action. You could throw in loss of wages for someone as young as Tim, but Tim couldn't work because he'd always be a five year old,'' Archer said to Jude. He swung his head Colin's way. ''And, for the record, I didn't see a whole lot of love and affection coming from you when Tim was alive so how do you think you're going to collect now that he's dead?''

Archer sat back, slumped in his chair. He didn't wait for answers.

''Second off, there's a statute of limitations on filing a civil suit. It's been two years since Tim died. So it doesn't look as if it matters one way or the other what happens to me – you're already screwed.''

''
Almost
two years to the day,'' Jude pointed out. ''But that's not a consideration, Archer. We're clear on the statute because we filed early enough. And the reason Mr. Wren didn't think to come to me sooner for help is because he was unaware that his son had died.''

''Give me a break. Lexi took care of it even though she was sick as a dog herself.''

Archer shot forward again, half out of his chair, planting his hands on the table as if he had to hold himself down. His voice was curdled by the disgust he felt for this man. But Colin Wren had his own take on the facts.

''I never got a letter,'' Colin said evenly. ''I didn't know that Tim had died until I saw a news story about the other boy who died. They made a point of talking about the
other fatality
. Two deaths in two years. They talked about Tim by name. I don't think you can imagine the shock of finding out your son – your only child - was not only gone, but killed in such a gruesome manner.''

''I'm sure your heart bled.'' Archer drawled. ''You couldn't find two seconds or two cents for your kid while he was alive and now you're going to line your pockets with a nice fat settlement. That is so damn rich.''

''I don't have to listen to this. I've made a terrible mistake trying to help you. . .'' Colin pushed back his chair. Jude's hand went to his arm. Colin protested to Jude. ''I told you. My wife would not let me see my son. I tried. . .''

''An interesting position, Mr. Wren,'' Josie said quietly. ''To blame a dead woman for keeping you from your son. It's the perfect argument, a brilliant way to slip around the problem the loss of love and affection that an absentee father would pose. Was that your idea, Mr. Getts?''

''As a matter of fact it was. I find the truth is often quite affective in a courtroom. And the truth is. . .''

''I don't want to hear it,'' Archer insisted. ''Jo, you said we could walk if this guy pulled anything.''

Jude put a hand out, not to stop Archer by force, but to beg him to listen.

''Please, don't leave. We want you to know what we know, that's all. I've got information that will help you and, believe me, you're going to need it. I've already been around the block with Pacific Park. They're not going to make it easy for you. I think we can help each other.''

He looked at each of them in turn – his client, his client's adversary and finally at the other lawyer, the one who would get it. Josie's eyes met his and he saw that he had won. Distasteful as Colin Wren was, swooping in to feast on Tim Wren's carcass, they needed to listen. Jude lowered himself slowly to his chair and filled them in on the rest of the story.

''We filed three months ago in Superior Court. We're still waiting for substantial discovery documents on this case. Pacific Park has blocked me at every turn. They've been hemming and hawing about their inability to locate the information we want. Judge Bellows cited them for willful indifference and they were sanctioned by the court. I figured they had something big to hide – some mechanical problem with the ride that would make it a slam dunk for us. Then I heard about your arrest,'' he nodded at Archer, ''and it all made sense. It's a brilliant move. Somehow they convinced the DA that there was a possibility that Tim was killed and that Archer did it. If Tim's death was brought about by murder, then there's no liability on the part of the park. Archer's conviction exonerates them of any wrongdoing – ergo, no payday for my client.''

''I told you not to talk like that,'' Collin snapped. His directive was so quiet that Josie barely heard him; he sat so still she wasn't even sure he had been engaged in the conversation. Jude didn't blink an eye as he corrected himself.

''There will be no
settlement
for my client. If Archer is responsible for Tim's death we can file a civil suit against him but - and I mean no offense - I doubt the settlement would make up for Colin's loss of both Tim and the bail money he put up.''