The Witness Series Bundle

by Rebecca Forster

  The media got facts wrong, or in the worst case made them up. Gossip started, talk radio turned gossip back to distorted facts, and everyone got caught in the resulting maelstrom. That's exactly where Hannah's mind had gone. Suddenly, she shot straight up.

  "Josie, there's a television in Billy's room. He doesn't know about his mom. What if he sees it?"

  "The hospital won't let that happen. I promise, he won't find out until he's strong enough and alert enough to understand."

  Hannah was about to offer a litany of reasons why the best intentions where Billy was concerned were going to result in disaster, but Faye's arrival stopped her.

  "Oh good, everyone is here. How you doing, sweetie?" For Hannah there was a quick hug and a kiss buried in her glorious hair. "Josie. Archer."

  "Sorry, I didn't know you were coming." Archer indicated the food.

  "Heavens, none for me, but thank you, Archer. I have what you wanted, Josie, but it brings new meaning to the phrase slim to none." Faye opened her purse and pulled out a Xerox. She handed it to Josie as she sat down. "It's so sad that this is all we have of him. Good lord, I've known Billy longer than anyone, and I can't tell you a thing about him."

  "I've been beating myself up all night about that," Josie added.

  "The first time I can recall seeing Billy he was about eight or nine. I wasn't even sure he lived here. You know how it is around the beach, kids come and visit, people move in and out. You have to see someone ten times before you realize you've seen them once. Billy was different, though. I remembered him every time I laid eyes on him. God, he was such a sweet little kid."

  Faye fell silent and then smiled as if suddenly remembering that she wasn't alone.

  "The first time I talked to him I was worried because he was out so late for a little one. I asked where he lived and he gave me a piece of paper with his address on it. He never said a word. I think I scared him. Hannah, you didn't think I was scary when you met me, did you?"

  "No," she answered, but it went without saying that very little scared Hannah.

  "Thank goodness for that," Faye laughed. "Anyway, then he was just everywhere at once. Burt was always feeding him. The poor little thing ate like there was no tomorrow."

  "He still does," Josie said. "I met him when he was fifteen. I could kick myself for not following up on that representation agreement. You know, Rosa Zuni looks like she's about twelve herself."

  Josie perused the one page, and noted the signature at the bottom of the representation agreement. At least it said Rosa Zuni. Faye watched Josie, and Archer watched Hannah.

  "Hannah? Do you know anything about her?" Archer asked, just to engage her in the conversation.

  "Mothers aren't something we discussed," she drawled.

  The silence that fell was as pregnant a pause as there had ever been. Josie squeezed Archer's knee and bit her tongue. She knew that tone of voice. Hannah was prickly as a pear.

  "Well, we'll pray for his mother, no matter who she is," Faye said, smoothing things over. "And we'll pray for Rosa to wake up so she can help Billy. For now, we'll just help out where we can. Burt's setting up a donation box at the restaurant. I doubt Billy or Rosa have insurance."

  Josie nodded and crossed her arms on the table. "This feels so wrong."

  "Nobody flies under the radar like this unless they make an effort." Archer put words to Josie's thoughts.

  "We all assumed neglect and Billy never corrected us. Why would Billy let us think that? Why would Rosa Zuni want us to think that?"

  Josie looked at Archer. He raised his palms toward the ceiling, full of questions but out of suggestions.

  "Right now we got a flood of information and none of it's good. Let's just plug the leak and then we can figure out what made the dam crack." Archer crumpled the trash. "At least Billy's not going to get some public defender if this doesn't go his way."

  "All is well as can be, then." Faye got up. "I'll take care of business at the office, but if there's anything I can help with give me a call."

  Josie thanked Faye and saw her out. When she got back, Archer was finishing with the trash and Hannah had her shoes on.

  "Well, I guess we've got our work cut out for us," Josie said. She kissed Archer's cheek. "I'll have my phone on. Call me if you find anything. Hannah, make sure Max gets out. I'll be back by seven."

  "I'll meet you back here about then, too," Archer said.

  They were both headed in opposite directions when Hannah turned in her chair, hugged the back of it, and said:

  "Should I start cleaning out my room? I mean, we're going to take care of him, right?"

  "That's getting a little ahead of things, Hannah," Archer said as he and Josie exchanged a look.

  That didn't escape Hannah's notice. She sat up straighter, her brow furrowing as Josie looked to Archer for help. All he brought to the discussion was a raised eyebrow and a lost expression. Josie widened her eyes, making a mental note to talk to him about having her back where Hannah was concerned. For now, Josie was on her own.

  "Why? Why isn't he coming here?" she insisted.

  "Hannah, I can't just take Billy," Josie said. "That's not the way things work."

  "You took me," Hannah insisted.

  "I had your mother's permission, and your trial was over," Josie reminded her. "Circumstances were completely different."

  "He doesn't have anyone else, Josie." Hannah dug in. Josie did the same. Archer added the only two cents he could come up with.

  "We'll do what's best for Billy. I promise, Hannah."

  Hannah turned on him, happy and relieved to have a champion. "He could stay with you. Maybe that would be better."

  "That's not what I meant." Cowed in the face of Hannah's hope, Archer backed off but she came right back at him.

  "Why not?"

  "Hannah, give us a break. We're tired. We haven't sorted anything out yet." Archer tried to appease her but too many women in one room made him nervous. Josie stepped in to end the discussion.

  "This is no game."

  "No, it isn't," Hannah shot back, impatient with Josie. "That's why we need to figure it out now so Billy doesn't have to wonder if anyone cares about him."

  Hannah's unwavering faith in these adults who had protected her was suddenly shaken. She had no idea that Josie and Archer were equally unsure of what they were up against.

  "Look, Hannah, we need to take a cue from about a hundred people right now. Decisions about Billy aren't up to us. The hospital, the cops, the district attorney-"

  "You can't leave it to them," Hannah pleaded. "You know what will happen if you leave it to them."

  "Hannah, stop. Getting hysterical isn't going to help anyone." Josie squared her shoulders, uncomfortable with this confrontation because it was hers alone. "We'll find a relative, but I can't take everyone in."

  "Billy isn't everyone."

  The snap of those words was like a slap across Josie's face. Hannah stood up so fast her chair toppled. She caught it and grappled with it, but it fell out of her grasp again and hit the hardwood. Max raised his head and whimpered. Archer opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. Instead, he moved to help her but thought better of it when she lunged to right it herself. Grunting in frustration she pushed her hair behind her ear. Her chocolate colored cheeks were a mottle of brick red, and her eyes glistened with tears of frustration.

  "If his own mother didn't care, why do you think anyone else in his family will?"

  She lifted the chair. It landed on four legs as if to prove her argument was solid.

  "Hannah, stop. He's fine. He's safe." Josie reached out, hoping to reassure her but the girl shrugged her off.

  "He's not safe like he would be here."

  Grabbing her shoes off the floor, Hannah Sheraton turned and walked past the two adults. The next thing they heard was her bedroom door slam.

  CHAPTER 9

  1996

  Teuta lay alone thin
king she was glad that her father, Yilli the goat herder, was not alive to see her the way she was: unable to move, to take care of her family, to enjoy the love of her husband. Teuta felt the darkness of her heart but could do nothing to lighten it. She did not know how many days she had watched the sun come up and go down or how many times her husband had spoken to her and she had not answered. She was pondering this when the door of the bedroom opened. Her oldest daughter entered and walked softly across the room with the fussing baby in her arms. Teuta did not stir when she came to the side of the bed. She let a thought cross her mind. She thought: poor little girl, taking care of a house and a family that Teuta, the wife and mother, didn't care about anymore.

  "Nënë?"

  The girl's eyes were wide with concern. She was only nine, far too young to know about anything bad in this world, and yet she felt its evil. Poor thing, Teuta thought again, and yet she could do nothing more than lie there, look at the girl, and close her ears to the sounds the baby made.

  The girl, though, was smarter and braver than her mother knew. When Teuta did not reach for her baby, the girl did not hesitate. She put him under the covers and in the bed with their mother. Teuta kept her eyes fixed on the wall, she did not wrap her arm around the little boy, nor did she breathe in the scent of him, or touch his soft skin, or let his little fingers touch her lips. She didn't pull aside her clothing so he could suckle. It was her daughter who unbuttoned her mother's blouse. Teuta didn't even have the strength to stop her. She should have berated the girl but could not. Teuta tried to ignore the warm bundle that had been put in bed with her, but the baby moved and his downy little head brushed against her lips as if he was asking for a kiss. Teuta's heart softened when his little fingers touched her nipple. He was so helpless and innocent. What was a mother to do?

  With great effort, she took her child and pulled him close. She looked at his sweet face. What, she wondered, would become of him? What could his life be in this sad and hopeless place? Perhaps, it would be better than she thought. Perhaps he would grow and be well; perhaps not. Only time would tell.

  "Mjaft shpejt. Një dhi e vogël rritet," she whispered.

  Yes, soon enough the small goat grows. For now he is only a small goat. She would worry later about when he was big. She pulled aside her clothing and offered the baby her breast.

  2013

  Mike Montoya parked his car in the driveway of Greg Oi's home, set the brake, opened the door, swung out, and took a minute to admire his surroundings. He didn't often have cause to come to a place like this, on a chore like this.

  In Los Angeles violent death came to people on streets that ran past bars and adult bookstores, in houses where too many bodies were packed in spaces too small, or cars, or catch basins, or empty lots, or dry gutters. In the South Bay, car crashes, surfing accidents, and overdoses in pleasant houses or beachfront apartments were the norm. Murder was the exception rather than the rule. But behind the gates of Rolling Hills, a homicide investigation was rare. Then again, everything here was rare.

  Down the hill, folks sweltered; up the hill people were warm. Down the hill, folks were assaulted by sounds; up the hill they were blessed with silence. Down the hill the air was heavy; up the hill it was still. Down the hill smelled like a mixture of ocean, sunscreen, fast food and exhaust; up the hill the scent of jasmine, freshly cut grass, and a hint of stables blanketed the terrain. Down the–

  Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a blood-curdling scream. Mike ducked, hunkered down, and pulled his weapon only to find himself positioned and primed to execute a peacock. The damn thing had fallen out of a tree and landed on the hood of his vehicle. It struggled to its feet, craned its neck, and spread its tail feathers as it tried to impress its own reflection in the car's windshield.

  "Get off there."

  Mike hit the fender. The bird ignored him. He hit it again only to feel like an idiot when the peacock continued to admire itself. Mike tugged on his jacket and turned toward the house. The bird screeched once more as Mike crossed the curved driveway, took the low-rise steps that led to a wide entry, and pressed the doorbell. He didn't hear it ring. When the intercom didn't engage, he reached for the huge brass knocker shaped like a double-headed eagle. Before he could use it, the door opened and a willowy young woman in low-slung jeans and a tight little top that bared a perfect midsection appeared. She gave him a lazy look and held the door like a stripper's pole.

  "Mrs. Oi?" The young woman shook her head. Mike held up his credentials. "Mrs. Oi is expecting me."

  The woman opened the door wide enough for Mike to step inside. It occurred to him that this might possibly be a diffident daughter, entitled and dissatisfied, but that assessment didn't feel right. If she was the maid, Mrs. Oi was a very understanding woman. If she was a friend, she didn't seem particularly concerned about a cop at the door or the circumstances that brought him there.

  "I'm Detective Montoya." He put out his hand.

  "She back." Her accent was thick, but her English was decent.

  The girl didn't bother to shake his hand before leading him through the house. They went past a tufted ottoman the size of which Mike had only seen in an opera house. It was covered in an animal print, what animal he couldn't say since he knew of none that walked the earth with a purple hide. A chandelier the size of a small planet hung from the domed ceiling. Inside the concave of plaster was a mural depicting snow-capped mountains, rocky hills, and an army of what appeared to be mythical warriors. There was a sweep of stairs to his left and a red and gold dining room to his right. Under his feet was a black and white marble checkerboard.

  If the lady of the house was wailing and gnashing her teeth in grief, she was doing it in private. The place was cathedral-quiet and that was not pleasant. It was one thing for a sprawling house like this to be filled with kids, quite another to imagine Mr. Greg Oi sweeping down the stairs in his pink heels and satin halter dress, his bath perhaps drawn by this young lady.

  "I'm sorry about your father." Mike took a flier. The girl snorted. He went to the opposite end of the spectrum. "Have you worked for the Oi's a long time?"

  The girl sighed heavily as if she were bored silly and moved like every step required super human effort.

  "Mr. Oi's death must have been a shock," Mike suggested.

  The girl shrugged. Mike gave up trying to engage her and turned his eye to his surroundings. He felt like he was on the jungle ride at Disneyland.

  In the cavernous great room the walls were painted shades of beige accented with black. The furniture was upholstered in the hides of things that at one time moved on four legs: zebra, cheetah, leopard. Impressively healthy decorative trees were rooted in pots the size of small bathtubs and crafted out of red mud. Huge abstract paintings hung on the walls. Mike paused in front of one thinking it had all the energy of a feeding frenzy.

  In the next room, a mahogany bar stretched the length of one wall. The corners were carved into the heads of elephants, their trunks raised as if to call a thirsty traveler to their watering hole. There was an exquisite pool table, club chairs and a chess table. On the wall was the mounted head of an animal. It had been a beautiful thing: delicate of face, horns fragile, taffy-striped, and spiraling toward the ceiling. The glass eyes were so artistically formed that Mike could see the look of both terror and forgiveness in them. In a Plexiglas case on the bar, a stuffed rodent sat on its haunches, perpetually alert. The house was a museum full of dead, skinned, and mounted animal parts. Mike had imagined Greg Oi a more sensitive soul given his taste in fashion. Unaware that he had stopped to consider the rodent, Mike's thoughts were interrupted by a theatrical sigh from his guide.

  "Forgive me," Mike muttered.

  The young woman flipped her hair, and their safari began anew.

  In the breakfast room a large glass table was set for a party of six, complete with red placemats, bamboo chargers, white bowls and crisp black napkins choked by rings of gold shaped like emera
ld-eyed snakes. Mike glanced toward the chef's kitchen half expecting to see a wildebeest strung up for the butcher. All he saw was a gleaming kitchen. They went through a laundry room. The girl was holding the back door, but Mike hesitated, retreated a step, and craned his neck.

  "Do the Oi's have children?" Mike asked when he joined his reluctant hostess.

  "No."

  She held the screen door wider.

  "A guest then? Relative?"

  "No."

  Mike smiled. She knew that he knew she was lying. He had seen someone darting around the corner, but it wasn't this woman's place to divulge anything about the household. He tried one more time. "How long did you say you have worked for the Ois again?"

  "Long time."

  She turned her back on him. Mike caught the screen door before it slammed shut. Outside, a bee buzzed past his ear and he looked after it. It was nice to be in the presence of a living creature. They were on the move again, stalking their prey. Mike knew they were close when he heard the call of a special breed – a rich woman at play. When the girl-relative-maid-whatever stepped aside at the end of the flagstone walk, he was duly impressed by the playground.

  In front of him was a nearly Olympic size pool, classically cut into a rectangle. Infinity pools stair-stepped each end and the bottom of the pool sparkled arctic white. The edging tile was robin's egg blue and the concrete was pocked to perfection so that no privileged foot would slip upon it when wet. A queen size float turned lazily in the still, clear water. Curved beds planted with lacy, exotic bushes softened the edges of the decking. Four lounges, a glass table shaded by a huge umbrella and surrounded by six chairs, and an island of an outdoor kitchen made for a space that was bigger than Mike's house and better furnished.

  "Damn it! Damn it all to hell!"

  He turned toward the screech, catching the young woman's eye as he did so. She raised an arched eyebrow. There was only the slightest twitch at the edge of her lips. She cocked her head. Mike was on his own.

  "Thank you."