Silent Witness (5 page)

Jude smiled apologetically as if sorry to have to point out Archer's financial failings with such brutal honesty. Archer, however, didn't seem to mind. He had heard a lot in his day as a beat cop and then a detective. He had mastered the poker-face; he just hadn't mastered it well enough to keep Josie from knowing exactly what he was thinking. She hoped he wasn't going to share those thoughts with the rest of table.

''You must be expecting a helluva settlement if you're willing to write off a hundred grand for me. I can't imagine anyone being so greedy,'' Archer said quietly, exhaustion getting the best of him. His hand was on his side, his eyes went to Jude. ''You're telling me that I'm just an alternative, that Pacific Park would like to see me convicted in order to protect their reputation and their bottom line.'' His gaze rested on Colin Wren. ''You are telling me that the finest woman I've ever known willfully kept you from your son. You'd like me to believe that you would have bent over backwards to be a good father to that boy if only Lexi had given you the nod.

''God, you are both so sick. I quit the force so I wouldn't have to listen to crap like this anymore and now, here it is, on my own back step. This all stinks so bad I can barely breathe.''

Archer pushed his chair back. He stood up, swallowed some pain, turned around and walked out the door without another word. Josie started to follow but Jude was quick. One hand was on her arm, in the other hand was his card.

''You know this thing is going forward. Come see me. I've got some documentation that will help you get a head start if they go to a preliminary hearing instead of the grand jury,'' he said.

''So you think he's innocent?'' Josie asked, desperately wanting an ally who believed. She wasn't going to find it in Jude.

''I don't care if he isn't. I just want to get on with my business. To do that, I need you to do yours fast and right. It's as simple as that.''

Jude's fingers tightened, squeezing Josie's arm as if they had reached some agreement that brought them closer, made them somehow intimate. She shook him off. Josie smiled ruefully. She had been a lawyer like Jude. Thank God she'd come to her senses. Luckily, she hadn't lost them completely. Josie took the card.

''I'll follow you. I can pick up whatever you have now.''

''Nice as that sounds, I have a dinner engagement.'' Jude looked at his watch. His smile was mega-watt and flashed the signal that it was time for him to play. ''We'll have to make it in the morning since the day is almost gone''

''Almost gone?'' Josie breathed. ''Oh, my God. Hannah!''

CHAPTER 5

Josie didn't bother with the garage. The tires of her Jeep Wrangler squealed as she turned into the driveway, threw it into park and jogged around the corner praying that Hannah was safely inside the house. Part of her was frantic with worry because she hadn't been able to reach the girl, the other part was angry that Hannah had forgotten to turn her cell phone back on after school, and all of Josie was awash with shame that this day – of all days – she had forgotten Hannah.

Josie's step slowed, her fear abating when she saw Billy Zuni sitting on the low wall that surrounded her side patio. One of his long legs hung over the side, the other was bent so that he could lean his chin on his knee. His blond hair fell across his perpetually tan brow and Max the Dog sat on the patio, head cocking with each snap of Billy's fingers. Max sensed Josie before Billy did, but, as soon as the old dog struggled up and put his front paws on the low wall, Billy looked Josie's way, too.

His grin was as bright as seashells polished by the sand, his eyes sparkled with leftover specks of the mid-summer sun and Josie wondered how his mother could care more about her booze and boyfriends than she did about this kid of the beach. Not that Billy didn't have folks to look after him: Josie looked after him when he ran afoul of the local law; Archer liked him despite the façade that he only tolerated the boy. The ocean loved Billy and he loved the ocean back.

''Hey.'' Billy slid off the wall, leaned his hip against it and ruffled Max's ears, waiting for Josie to come to him.

''Hey, Billy.'' Josie lifted her chin. ''Is she in there?''

He nodded. His skinny shoulders shifting as his free hand combed through his long hair.

''Yeah. Hannah was really ticked off when she got home, Ms. B.''

''I don't doubt it.'' Josie stopped and mirrored Billy. Her hip went against the wall, her hand went to Max's other ear. ''Were you in school today?''

''Yeah, but I kind of skipped sixth period.'' he admitted with no apology. He pulled his lips tight and screwed them up to one side as if it was his distasteful duty to point out that Josie had made a big mistake. ''Hannah didn't have a way home. You could have told me. I'd have brought her home if you wanted.''

''I thought I was going to be there to get her,'' Josie sighed. ''I should have been there to get her. It was her first day.''

''Don't beat yourself up. That's what my mom always says. Don't beat yourself up for things you can't help.'' Josie closed her eyes and prayed for patience at the mention of Billy's mother. She'd like to ring that woman's neck for making Billy believe he didn't deserve any better out of life. Luckily, he couldn't see her eyes behind her dark glasses so he just kept talking. ''Yeah, well I was hanging with Carl and we saw her coming and she looked really ticked.'' Billy's hand left Max's head and he flipped his fingers like he'd just touched something hot. ''She was so mad I thought she might, you know, hurt herself. So I followed her and then I stayed to watch. Just to make sure she was okay.''

Josie looked at the house. It was shut down tight, all the blinds were drawn. Hannah could have sliced herself into lunch meat and Billy wouldn't have a clue. Still, he'd done his best.

''How did Max get out?'' she asked.

''I knocked on the door to see if Hannah was okay. When she opened it Max came out. Then she threw the leash out, too, so I took him down to the pier and came back. I've just been here. You know, kind of watching.'' Billy took a deep breath, his shoulders rose but his concave chest barely registered the breath.

''You're a good kid, Billy.''

''Thanks Ms. B. I figured whatever kept you had to be bad. I tried to tell Hannah that, but she didn't want to hear it.''

''It was bad, Billy.'' Gently Josie pushed Max down and let herself through the little gate. She thought for a second and then decided there was no upside in keeping quiet about what had happened. She turned back to Billy. ''Archer was arrested this afternoon. They're charging him with murder.''

''Dude,'' Billy breathed, his face registering such disbelief that Josie almost put her arms around him.

''It's not an excuse for forgetting Hannah, but it was an emergency,'' Josie said, knowing she didn't have to convince Billy of anything.

''That's so foul. No way that's even remotely close to what Archer could have done,'' Billy whispered.

Josie's lips twitched with a wry smile. Her own sense of outrage hadn't even come close to Billy's eloquence. Indeed the day and the problem were foul.

''Thanks.'' She patted his shoulder and with a snap sent Max to his outside bed. ''And thanks for looking after Hannah. Do you think you could see school through to the end of the day for the next few weeks? Maybe make sure Hannah gets home until I have a handle on this thing?''

''No doubt,'' he said solemnly. ''If Hannah will come with me. I don't think she likes me a whole lot.''

''Right this minute, I doubt Hannah likes anyone a whole lot,'' Josie muttered, sending him on his way with a nod. He would go back to the beach or to Burt's restaurant. Billy would hang out until he was sure he could sneak into his own bed without an angry word from his mother.

''Ms. B.?''

Josie turned around before she opened the door.

''Yeah?''

''I'll keep this quiet. I mean, I appreciate you thinking I'm worthy to know about Archer's trouble. I just want you to know I'll help any way I can because you always help me any way you can.''

''Thanks, Billy. That means a lot. Just go to school. Keep an eye on Hannah. Go to class. That will help more than you know.''

They had probably spoken more in the last five minutes than they had all through his troubles, but in those five minutes Billy Zuni meant more to Josie than he would ever know. Sometimes kids knew exactly the right thing to say to help and sometimes they knew exactly the right thing to say to hurt. Josie opened the door and stepped inside her house. She had a feeling that the hurt part was going to come at her like a Tsunami.

Josie turned on the table lamp. The light was soft. It illuminated the corner of the room in which she stood and sent just enough light toward the dining room and kitchen that Josie could see nothing had changed since morning. The blueprints for the remodel were still on the dining room table. Hannah had not moved them to eat. There was no sign that she had used the kitchen. Josie listened. There was no sound. No music coming from Hannah's room. No sobs. Nothing. Josie called as she walked.

''Hannah?''

All was quiet.

''Hannah?''

Josie tried the knob on Hannah's bedroom door. It turned and she walked in. The bathroom light was on, there was a candle burning on Hannah's desk. It flickered and Josie's eyes went to it. Even though Hannah had been cleared of setting the fire that killed Fritz Rayburn, Josie was only human. The connection lingered.

In the corner was the draped easel. Hannah hadn't been painting. On the bed was Hannah's backpack. She hadn't been studying. In the middle of the room was Hannah, sitting on her little red lacquer stool, the only thing she had brought with her from the Malibu house where she had lived those last months with her mother. Hannah's knees were drawn up to her chest. She rocked back and forth, her arms wound tightly around her legs. That black hair of hers hung down; down almost to the ground. Josie couldn't see Hannah's face or the inside of her arms but she could see the little dish and the paring knife that lay across it, the apple on top of it. Not a speck of blood to be seen. She was getting better all the time. Pain in her heart didn't translate to inflicting it upon her body.

Josie's muscles unlocked. She hadn't realized how scared she had been for Hannah until she walked into the room and sat in front of her. Josie lotused her long legs and propped up her elbows on her knees. Her hands were clasped under her chin.

''I'm so sorry. So, so sorry.'' Josie's apology was warm and heartfelt. It was the kind she would accept if her own mother ever returned and ask forgiveness for deserting her teenager daughter. Josie waited to find out if it was enough.

Hannah's lashes fluttered. There was a quick tick at the corner of her mouth as if she had been suddenly stung. She raised her green eyes. They were shot through with anger and disenchantment and she was going to make Josie pay for her transgression with silence.

''Archer was in trouble. I had to help. It was an emergency,'' Josie explained patiently.

Hannah didn't cut her any slack. Still no words.

''Look, it's bad. They beat him up when they arrested him.'' Josie looked away. This was harder than she imagined. ''Archer is accused of killing a young boy two years ago. His wife's son from a previous marriage. I had to help him and there were things that need to be done right away and I forgot you.''

Josie couldn't be plainer than that. Still Hannah didn't speak.

''You know I didn't intentionally forget about you. I've never had a kid. This is new to me and I'm doing my best.''

Josie's jaw set as the silence continued. She was angry, not just at herself any longer, but also at the girl who was demanding a perfection Josie couldn't give her.

''Do you understand the magnitude of what I just told you?'' Josie insisted, her patience wearing thin.

''Yes. The man comes first,'' Hannah shot back viciously. ''So, I guess you're no different than my mother after all.''

Before she even knew what had happened Josie was on her knees grabbing for Hannah's shoulders. Their faces came together: the woman and the girl. One square jawed and handsome, the other exotic, dark and delicate.

''I am not like your mother at all,'' Josie said through clenched teeth, ''and we should get that straight right now, Hannah. I was helping someone I love. The same way Billy Zuni tried to help you because he cares about me. Everyone in Hermosa Beach will come to Archer's defense when they find out about this and that's the way it's supposed to be. I don't have to choose one person over the other, I just have to make sure I don't throw one away for the other. Get it?''

Hannah pulled back and Josie let her go. She sank back on her heels, hardly believing Hannah had riled her like this or that she felt the need to explain herself. She had answered to no one for so long that Josie resented the position Hannah was putting her in. She resented it like any parent who. . .Josie stopped that train of thought. She would not go there fearing, perhaps, she had been like Hannah all those years ago and sent her own mother packing because of her attitude.

''These are the people I love, Hannah and I will help any of them whenever they need me. You can either be a part of this family, or not. Your choice.''

Josie got up, gave Hannah one last chance to speak and, when she didn't, Josie walked out of Hannah's room and into her own. She felt drained, a shell of a person, and there seemed to be nothing in the room to comfort her: not the giant bed with the down comforter, not the leather chair in the corner where she could sit and look at the small garden dug into the patio, not the books on architecture. Slowly she unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it on the bed before she dropped her trousers and left them on the floor. The morning hearing had been missed. The new client blown off. The day was lost. Josie sat down on the bed, using the toe of one shoe to dislodge the heel of the other. She planted her bare feet on the floor, leaned over and closed her eyes. Suddenly she felt exhausted. When she finally opened her eyes, Josie found herself staring at a rough spot on the hardwood floor missed during the renovation. Funny she hadn't noticed it before. But, then, there hadn't been too much amiss in her house or her life before this.