Witness to a Murder

by J Hamilton-Fford

  'Bristow and Neaser, they were good men,' he said.

  'Yes, they were. He was going to kill us but I retrieved the gun the first man left on the mezzanine and shot him instead. I was so disgusted by the action, I threw the gun away from me. It is somewhere in the warehouse. I don't know where.'

  'Well thanks for that,' he said. 'If you'll wait here, I'll get this typed up so you can sign it and then you can go,' he said. He passed me his notebook and a pen. 'Perhaps you'll be good enough to write down a number where you can be reached, just in case we need to contact you again?' he asked.

  'Of course,' I said. I wrote down my name and my private number at the penthouse.

  'You can wait out with your daughter,' he said. He opened the door to allow me to pass.

  It wasn't long before we were approached by a policewoman. She was carrying two clipboards and pens.

  'If you'll just read through your statements and sign where the 'x' is,' she said.

  'Is that it?' I asked.

  'Unless you have something else,' she said.

  'No,' I said.

  'Then, that's it. You can go. We have all that we need for now,' she said.

  'Thank you.'

  Faerys and I left the station and Murray drove us back to the Foundation.

  We passed the front of the building as we drove into the underground parking. Repairs were already underway to the front entrance. The construction chief was barking orders and dust and debris was everywhere.

  It was shocking to see the damage that was done. I felt numb. I think we were both suffering from delayed shock.

  Rota was nowhere to be found. I was glad. It gave me an opportunity to check where I had hidden the gun to make sure it was still in place and relax.

  Everything I looked at, everyone I spoke to, aside from my children, now had that stench of mafia hanging about them. I was beginning to feel chronically ill.

  The roof beckoned. I needed some space of my own so that I could take stock of what had just occurred. Sitting in silence, a decision was made: our next move would have to be a complete break from this situation.

  I hadn't seen Carlos since the event, either. Enrique's 'confession' was going to remain a secret and I wasn't going to show him my anger. Playing the part of a scared woman who needed protection would be ideal - for now. Life had changed beyond all recognition.

  I returned to the penthouse full of resolve and eager to plan our escape.

  Another dinner date was necessary. The familiar 'click' I heard when I picked up the handset to phone Miriam caught my attention. I was now more attuned to the little things I had taken so much for granted.

  'Alasdair, can I use your mobile, the phone in my room is playing up?'

  'That's okay, I'll soon have that fixed,' he said. He jumped up from the couch. He was now more protective than ever.

  'No, someone is already going to look into that. I just need to make a quick call,' I said. I held out my hand. 'Please?'

  'Yeah, okay, here you go,' he said. He passed me the lifeline to the outside world.

  'Back in a moment,' I replied. I smiled at him with and headed toward the bathroom. I locked the door behind me. I began to stab the keys, hopeful that I could remember her number.

  'Miriam, Miriam, is that you?' I whispered.

  'Louise my dear, whatever is the matter?' she asked.

  'If I only had the time to tell you. Listen, can we possibly meet, say tomorrow at that restaurant again, around two?' I asked.

  'I think that's possible,' she said. 'Let me just check my diary. Yes, I have no appointments so that will be fine,' she confirmed.

  'Fabulous!' I answered.

  'Are you sure everything is all right?'

  'Yes, it will be now,' I told her. 'Oh, by the way, if anyone asks, your name is Patricia, just in case I have to bring a stranger along with me.'

  'How odd,' she muttered. 'Okay, if you say so. I'll see you tomorrow then, at two. No later, because I usually walk the dogs at four,' she said.

  'Bless you, Miriam.' I ended the call and quickly flipped through the stored numbers. 'DELETE' erased the number I had just dialed. I was learning fast. It was not that I didn't trust Alasdair. The least he knew at the moment, the better it would be for us all.

  'Thank you darling,' I said. I passed the phone back to him. He pushed the phone into his trouser pocket and went back to reading his magazine.

  'Do we know how long it's going to take to put right the damage?' I asked Rota as she entered the penthouse.

  Sabene grabbed her hemline as she passed and Rota picked her up. I walked forward, clapped my hands and made Sabene giggle as I lifted her from her clutches.

  'It's going to take a while. Why, did you have something in mind?' she asked.

  'No, I'm meeting Patricia for lunch tomorrow that's all,' I said. I used the words and the tone to say I was going whether or not she approved. 'Is there a problem with that?'

  'No, my dear,' she said. 'I don't suppose... no, that's okay, you go.'

  'Sorry, you were saying?' I looked directly into her eyes.

  'To be truthful,' she whispered, 'I would love to go somewhere different.'

  'That will be fine. I'm dining with Patricia. I'm sure she won't mind. In fact, she would insist on your accompanying me, though we do have to pay. There are no freebies at this particular restaurant,' I said.

  'No problem,' she said. 'I have enough here for the three of us.' She raised her skirt just enough to expose her thigh and a thick bundle of twenty and fifty dollar bills tucked behind a band.

  Though I didn't trust her and I was not about to jeopardize the lives of my children, I would much rather have her where I could see her.

  A message to Miriam to secure her help getting everyone away safely was needed. I remembered how the Von Trapp family had escaped the clutches of the Germans when they were totally surrounded by soldiers at the festival. If they could do it, then so could I. I had gotten my family in to danger and now I would be the one to get them out.

  I lay awake that night after writing the brief note for Miriam. My mind wandered back to all the little things that had occurred, things that held no meaning to me at the time.

  The gowns, the expensive outfits, the jewelry; they were all tainted. Anger, grief and disappointment flooded through me and exited my eyes. I sobbed. There was no denying that I had been stupid. Embarrassed, weak, selfish, blind, I wanted to kick myself as I recounted all the little things I'd done, the way in which Rota mocked my innocent nature. She knew. She knew what really lay behind all those so called gifts. The diamonds might be real, but the way in which they were offered? I'd been so gullible, stupid even. I knew then that the bubble had to finally burst. I just didn't think that it would be now and in this manner.

  A plan was needed. We would need enough cash to disappear. I would take all the jewelry and sell it or use it to barter as needed. My mind was definitely made up. We were going home, together, as a family.

  The next morning heralded a lazy start. Carlos made a brief appearance and demanded I spend the day at the Foundation to organize the work teams as they cleared away the wreckage and began to fill in the holes created by the hail of bullets.

  'I'm sorry, but I'm not sure that I can face that place just now,' I said.

  'You will be completely safe, no one will try that again,' he replied. He smiled, that Cheshire cat smile. He tried to make light of all that had just taken place.

  Thankfully, Rota stepped in and offered a completely valid excuse why neither of us should be there at all, suggesting that we would be more of a hindrance if anything untoward happened.

  'Surely you're not expecting us to wear coveralls and a hard hat?' she suggested. 'Louise is still dealing with the trauma and shock of all that has happened. We are just women for heaven's sake,' she said. She sighed. 'It's not every day that you escape being shot at twice and live,' she argued.

  'Fine, but you will both stay inside and keep well away from the East Side
until this misunderstanding is cleared up,' he said. He threw his hands up in the air, turned on his heel and left.

  Rota looked at me and smiled. 'I cannot work out just what is going on inside that head of yours, and perhaps I don't need to know, but you can trust me.' She put her hand on my arm and gently squeezed it to reassure me.

  I so much wanted to tell her, but I dare not. She was one of them whether she liked it or not and I was not about to feel pressured into telling her anything. The folded message was ready for Miriam and I would find a way to ensure she got it, even if I had to create a diversion.

  'So, how are we getting there?' Rota asked. 'Limo, cab?'

  'Actually, as odd as it might seem, I think we just might take the bus,' I said.

  'You want to take the bus downtown?' she asked.

  'If anyone is watching, they will already know which cabs we use. If we use the limousine, they will follow after us, but who is going to follow two old women on a bus,' I said.

  She raised her eyebrows at the audacity of it.

  'We can still dress respectably, but then we can use coveralls to walk away from the Foundation at lunch time. We can wear hard hats until we clear the site. They will just think we are going for a bite to eat. The coveralls will cover our clothes. We can then remove the hard hats and and carry them. The coveralls we can take off as soon as we get to wherever we are going and behave like two respectable ladies,' I said. I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Rota's face.

  She laughed. 'It will be an adventure!' she said.

  'You'll see, trust me, we will have a laugh together,' I said. I still had to hold back sharing anything further with her. If Rota wanted out as well, then she would have to take that step by herself. I didn't want my feet hobbled by loose ends; loose ends that could so easily trip us up.

  We dressed in trousers and walking shoes and then went down to the building site to check on everything. Everything went into pockets. As I expected, we were handed coveralls and hard hats to put on before we were allowed into the construction area. The lunch bell went and we joined everyone as they dispersed for lunch. We ducked around the side of the building and walked to a bus stop. Despite the fumes from traffic, the air seemed to smell a little sweeter. We mingled with others stood on the sidewalk at the bus stand.

  'I wonder if the driver will break a twenty?' Rota said.

  'I haven't the foggiest notion how much they charge,' I replied.

  'Where to ladies,' the driver asked.

  'Downtown, central,' I said. I tried not to look at him directly just in case he recognized me. 'Sorry ladies, no can do,' he responded.

  'No, take the twenty and keep the change,' I said.

  'I'll take your money, but you need the next bus. I hang a left at the next intersection.' He waited for us to step down from the bus and then closed the door and pulled back into the traffic.

  'I need to calm down,' I said. 'For a moment there I thought?' I stammered as I looked at Rota and the two of us began to laugh together.

  'This is the one, it says so on the front,' she said. She climbed aboard and handed the driver the twenty.

  'Sorry ladies, exact change only,' he said.

  'Treat yourself to lunch,' I replied. I pushed Rota into an empty seat and watched as the driver shook his head and pulled out into the traffic. I tried to fathom just where the restaurant was. I noticed it at the last moment and begged the driver to stop before he went too far.

  The driver did eventually stop. We had to walk back a block or two toward the restaurant. I pulled open the door to the restaurant and found the entrance blocked by the headwaiter.

  'Can I help you ladies?' he asked. He looked us up and down and cast us both a look of disdain. He put a hand on my shoulder to stop me from entering.

  2nd Date

  'You can remove your hand,' I said. We stripped the coveralls and handed them and the hardhats to him. 'We already have a table.' I pushed by him. 'Oh, and don't lose the coveralls or the hardhats, they're the latest fashion accessory,' I said.

  Miriam had already secured a table and smiled when she saw me walking toward her.

  'Patricia, I would like you to meet Rota,' I said. I forced the folded note into her hand and folded her fingers around it as I kissed her cheek.

  'Nice to meet you,' Rota said. She pulled out a chair to sit at the table.

  'This is so nice. I just had to come back and return the compliment,' I said to Miriam. I fought with her name as I tried to remember to refer to her as Patricia. 'Before we order, I must use the restroom, so if you'll excuse me.'

  I stood and rested my hands on the back of the chair before crossing the floor toward the restroom. I opened the door and looked over my shoulder to make sure that Rota had not followed on behind.

  The female attendant was busy doing her thing when I touched her arm.

  'Excuse me?' I said, 'but the door you said you could open, I desperately need it to open now,' I said. I staggered back when I looked into the wrong face.

  'The doors are unlocked lady, just help yourself,' she replied. She smiled and pushed one of the stall doors open to prove a point.

  'Oh goodness, pardon me, I thought you were someone else.' I apologized and instead went to the sink to wash my hands and pat my face with some cool water. She handed me a towel. 'Thank you.'

  'But of course,' she said.

  I left the restroom and returned to the table.

  'Sorry about that,' I said. I smiled at Miriam and looked at Rota. I had no idea what the two had talked about but at least they were being polite to each other. I settled in my chair and looked at the menu. A waiter approached and we placed our orders.

  The starters were exquisite, light and rejuvenating and we soon fell into a common pattern of easy chit-chat. Fashion, the weather, social events and news in the City kept us captivated as we waited for the main course. Rota excused herself to use the restroom and we were finally alone.

  'Do not trust that woman, ever,' Miriam said. 'Don't hesitate to telephone me when you're ready to escape the city, is that clear?' She took me completely by surprise.

  'Yes, I understand,' I said. 'I will, be sure of that, I will.' Rota was now on her way back to the table.

  The meal was delightful and I now enjoyed each and every mouthful. Hope was on the horizon and I could sit back and really enjoy my surroundings. I could breathe for just a moment.

  Time soon caught up with us once again. Miriam clutched me to her chest as we rose from the table. She looked me directly in the eyes. I knew what she was trying to say. 'Call me!' she whispered as she leaned in to kiss my cheek. Miriam merely acknowledged Rota and then made her way towards the lobby.

  'Thank you for that, I really needed the break,' Rota said. She patted my arm in an affectionate and reassuring manner as if to say thank you. She picked up the tab and reached inside her trouser pocket for the rolled up wad of notes, covering the bill with a one hundred dollar tip. 'We should get back now before we're missed,' she said.

  'Yes, I suppose so,' I said. I looked at the headwaiter and he motioned to a member of staff to retrieve our coveralls and hard hats.

  'Please do come again,' he said.

  'Thank you,' I replied. We slipped the coveralls on and carried the hardhats under our arms.

  We made our way back in the same manner we left and deposited the coveralls and hardhats in the appropriate bins before making our way up to the penthouse.

  Faerys was waiting for us. 'Mom, I'm so glad you're back. We couldn't get hold of you and...'

  'Slow down,' I said. 'What's so urgent?'

  'Mom, Juanita's dead.'

  'What?' I asked, as Rota collapsed in a heap. 'Oh my,' I said, 'help me get her up and to the sofa.'

  We moved her carefully to the sofa and Faerys got her a glass of water and a cool compress to put on her neck.

  'Are you okay,' I asked Rota.

  'Did you say that Juanita was dead?' She looked at Faerys.

  'Yes,' F
aerys said. 'I'm so sorry.'

  'Do you know any more?' I asked.

  'Only what was on the news,' Faerys said. 'They found her around lunch time in an alley way near the East side.'

  'Juanita... oh Juanita,' Rota moaned. She held her hands to her face and sobbed.

  The penthouse elevator doors opened and Carlos barreled into the room.

  'Now, see what you've done!' he yelled.

  'What? What do you mean?' I said.

  'Not you,' he said. He grabbed Rota by the hair before we could stop him. She screamed in pain as he lifted her face from her hands. 'See? Do you? See what you've done!'

  'Take your hands off of her!' I yelled.

  He looked up at me and I shivered. His face was monstrous and filled with anger and despair.

  'Don't tell me what to do, EVER!' he yelled. He slapped me with the back of his hand and sent me reeling to the floor. He returned to Rota.

  Faerys came to my side and helped me to my feet. I was shocked and trembling with rage.

  'Our daughter is dead because you decided to go traipsing around the city!' he yelled at Rota.

  Faerys and I looked at each other in surprise as the fullness of the situation came to light.

  'No!' Rota yelled. She jumped to her feet and confronted him. 'Not because I went out but because you sent her to find me. This is your doing. Not mine!'

  'Aarrgghh!' he yelled. Carlos raised his hand to hit Rota and collapsed in a heap on the floor.

  'I'm sorry,' Faerys said. 'I had to stop him from doing any more harm.'

  Rota and I looked at each other in stunned silence. Realization dawned and we ended up in a group hug to comfort and support each other.

  I was still trembling and I stepped back to regain a sense of control. 'Okay,' I said. 'First things first. Is he dead?' I asked.

  Faerys knelt down to check for a pulse. 'No,' she said, 'he's not dead but he's going to have a headache when he wakes up.' She displayed the heavy bookend she had used to hit him.

  'Right. Then I want you to get me anything I can use instead of rope so we can keep him from going anywhere.'

  'How about some curtain cord?' Faerys asked.