Gone, But Not Forgotten Page 33

  “Is she a judge too, Mommy?” Kathy Tannenbaum asked.

  “Yes,” Betsy whispered.

  Kathy turned back to the ceremony. She was wearing a new, blue dress Betsy bought for their trip to Washington. Her hair smelled of flowers and sunshine, as only the freshly shampooed hair of a little girl can smell. No one looking at Kathy would guess the ordeal she had undergone.

  The invitation to Senator Colby’s investiture arrived a week after the Senate confirmed his appointment to the Court. The Lake pardon had been the nation’s hottest news story for weeks. Speculation ran rampant that Colby would not withstand the revelation that he had set free the rose killer. Then Gloria Escalante publicly praised Colby for saving her life and Alan Page commended the senator’s bravery in making the pardon public while still unconfirmed. The final vote for confirmation had been wider than anticipated.

  “I think he’s going to make a good justice,” Alan Page said, as they left the Court’s chambers and headed toward the conference room, where the reception for the justices and their guests was being held.

  “I don’t like Colby’s politics,” Betsy answered, “but I like the man.”

  “What’s wrong with his politics?” Page deadpanned. Betsy smiled.

  A buffet had been set up at one end of the room. There was a courtyard with a fountain outside a set of French windows. Betsy filled a plate for Kathy and found a chair for her to sit on near the fountain, then Betsy went back inside for her own food.

  “She looks great,” Page told her.

  “Kathy’s a trouper,” Betsy answered proudly. “The investiture came at a good time, too. Kathy’s therapist thought a change of scenery would be beneficial. And we’re going home by way of Disneyland. Ever since I told her, she’s been on cloud nine.”

  “Good. She’s lucky. You too.”

  Betsy stacked some cold cuts and fresh fruit on her plate and followed Page back toward the courtyard.

  “How are you doing with Darius?” Betsy asked.

  “Don’t worry.

  scar Montoya is making a lot of noise about the pardon, but we’ll get it into evidence.”

  “What’s your theory?”

  “We believe Oberhurst was blackmailing Darius about the Hunter’s Point murders. The pardon is relevant to prove Darius committed them.”

  “If you don’t get the death penalty, you have to lock him up forever, Alan. You have no idea what Darius is like.”

  “Oh, I think I do,” Alan answered smugly.

  “No, you don’t. You only think you do. I know things about Darius—things he told me in confidence—that would change you forever. Take my word for it: Martin Darius must never leave prison. Never.”

  “Okay, Betsy. Take it easy. I’m not underestimating him.”

  Betsy had been so intense that she did not notice Justice Colby until he spoke. Wayne Turner was standing beside the new Chief Justice.

  “I’m glad you came,” Colby told Betsy.

  “I was flattered you invited me.”

  “You’re Alan Page,” Colby said.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “For you and Betsy, I will always be Ray. You have no idea how much your statement meant to my confirmation. I hope you can come to the party I’m throwing tonight at my home. It will give us a chance to talk. I’d like to get to know you two better.”

  Colby and Turner walked off and Betsy led Page into the courtyard, where they found Kathy talking to a woman with crutches.

  “Nancy,” Alan Page said. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed the senator’s swearing-in,” she said with a smile.

  “Have you met Betsy Tannenbaum, Kathy’s mother?”

  “No,” Gordon said, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure. This is one tough kid,” she added, ruffling Kathy’s hair.

  “I’m so pleased to meet you,” Betsy said. “I tried to see you at the hospital, but the doctors wouldn’t let me. Then you flew back to Hunter’s Point. Did you get my note?”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t write back. I’ve always been a lousy correspondent. Kathy tells me you’re going to Disneyland after you leave Washington. I’m jealous.”

  “You can come too,” Kathy said.

  Gordon laughed. “I’d love to, but I have to work. Will you write me and tell me all about your trip?”

  “Sure,” Kathy said earnestly. “Mom, can I have more cake?”

  “Certainly. Alan, will you show Kathy where the cake is?”

  Alan and Kathy walked off and Betsy sat down beside Gordon.

  “Kathy looks great,” Gordon said. “How’s she doing?”

  “The doctors say she’s fine physically and the psychiatrist she’s seeing says she’s going to be okay.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I was worried about how she’d come out of it. Reardon treated her pretty well most of the time, but there were some grim moments.”

  “Kathy told me how you kept up her spirits. The psychiatrist thinks that having you there really helped.”

  Gordon smiled. “The truth is, she’s the one who kept up my spirits. She’s one brave little girl.”

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Better each day. I can’t wait to get rid of these,” Gordon said, pointing at her crutches. Then she stopped smiling. “You’re Martin Darius’s attorney, aren’t you?”

  “Was. Oscar Montoya is representing him now.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “After I spoke to Senator Colby and learned what he did to the Hunter’s Point women I didn’t want him as a client, and he didn’t want me as his lawyer when he realized I helped Samantha Reardon get to him.”

  “What’s going to happen to Darius?”

  “He tortured Oberhurst. I saw the autopsy photographs. They turned my stomach. Alan Page is certain he’ll get the death penalty when the jury sees the photos and hears what happened in Hunter’s Point.”

  “What do you think will happen?”

  Betsy recalled the smug look on Alan’s face when he talked about how certain he was that he could convict Darius, and she felt uneasy.

  “I’m not as certain as Alan. He doesn’t know Martin like we do.”

  “Except for Gloria Escalante and Samantha Reardon, no one knows Darius like we do.”

  Darius had told Betsy, “The experiment brought me the most exquisite pleasure,” when he described his kingdom of darkness. There was no sign of remorse or compassion for the pain his victims had suffered. Betsy knew Darius would repeat his experiment if he thought he could get away with it, and she wondered if Darius had any plans for her now that he knew Betsy had betrayed him.

  “You’re worried he’ll get out, aren’t you?” Gordon asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Worried about what he might do to you and Kathy?”

  Betsy nodded. Gordon looked directly into Betsy’s eyes.

  “Senator Colby has contacts at the FBI. They’re monitoring the case and they’ll keep a close watch on Darius. I’ll be told if there’s even a possibility that Darius will leave prison.”

  “What would you do if that happened?” Betsy asked.

  When Gordon spoke, her voice was low and firm and Betsy knew she could trust anything Gordon promised.

  “You don’t have to worry about Martin Darius, Betsy. He’ll never hurt you or Kathy. If Darius sets one foot out of prison, I’ll make certain he never hurts anyone again.”

  Kathy ran up with a plate piled high with cake.

  “Alan said I could have as much as I wanted,” she told Betsy.

  “Alan is as bad as Granny,” Betsy answered.

  “Give the kid a break.” Page laughed and sat next to Betsy. Then he asked her, “Do you ever daydream about arguing here?”

  “Every lawyer does.”

  “What about you, Kathy?” Page asked. “Would you like to come here as a lawyer and argue in front of the United States Supreme Court?”

  Kathy looked over at Nanc
y Gordon, her features composed and very serious.

  “I don’t want to be a lawyer,” she said. “I want to be a detective.”