“He told me she was his prisoner. He said she would be returned unharmed if I continued to do what he told me.”
“What did he tell you to do to save your daughter, Mrs. Lee?”
There was fire behind her tears now, and her voice was strong.
“He told me to swear that that boy, Anthony Bradley, killed Mr. Chen.”
“And was that the truth?”
“No!” She nearly screamed it. “No! No!” Each word seemed to unburden a soul that was so full of pain it could burst.
For the first moment since that morning in Judge Bradley’s chambers, my stomach began to truly unclench.
They say never ask a question when you’re not sure of the witness’s answer. In this case it was worth the gamble. I could never understand why Mr. Chen had been chosen as the victim. Piecing together what Harry had told me, I was beginning to see light through the clouds.
“And Mrs. Lee, did you see who actually shot Mr. Chen?”
She was standing on her feet and pointing.
“Mr. Kip Liu. I saw him shoot.”
“Please tell us what happened.”
She was still on her feet. Her voice filled the courtroom without the microphone. Through her tears she was practically shouting the words directly at Kip Liu.
“He was speaking to Mr. Bradley and his friend while they ate. Mr. Bradley and his friend got up to leave. Mr. Liu watched them go down the stairs. He came to the window of the restaurant. Mr. Liu had a gun. First, Mr. Bradley’s friend left. Then when Mr. Bradley started walking up the street, Mr. Liu ran down the stairs to the sidewalk. I saw him from the window. He took the gun like this. He shot Mr. Chen. He shot Mr. Chen! Then he made me go down, tell the policemen it was that man, Mr. Bradley. The policemen went after Mr. Bradley. They arrest him. That was what I saw.”
She was still standing, unable to stop sobbing, and looking directly into the burning eyes of Kip Liu.
The judge had to pound for silence.
When order was restored, I looked at Angela and said, “Your witness.”
She just shook her head. I took Mrs. Lee back to her seat. I called Mr. Qian to the stand. The old man was shaking. I spoke from counsel table.
“Mr. Qian, you gave testimony here yesterday.”
I looked back at Mrs. Lee. He looked at her, too. “Was it the truth?”
His eyes filled as he looked at her. It was not easy for this honorable man.
“No.”
“When you said you saw Anthony Bradley kill Mr. Chen, was that the truth?”
“No.” He shook his head as if to relieve himself of the lie.
“And why did you lie?”
It took him a moment.
“I’m an old man, but that’s no excuse for weakness. They said they would kill me by a very painful death. I may still die at their hands. But I’ll die after doing an honorable thing.”
He looked up at me and pointed to Kip Liu. He spoke without being asked.
“He killed Mr. Chen. Your Mr. Bradley had left before the shot was fired. I heard a loud noise like a gunshot behind me. I looked back on the sidewalk. I saw Mr. Liu holding a gun.”
He looked a hundred years old when he looked at me.
“May I go now? I’m very tired, and she needs me.”
I looked to Angela Lamb for cross-examination. She just shook her head. The judge excused him. My heart ached for the two of them, Mr. Qian and Mrs. Lee, as he took her on his arm and escorted her through the door back to their world.
I walked to the prosecution table and spoke to Angela.
“Right now Mrs. Lee and Mr. Qian need protection more than anyone in this city. Those two could be the key to the biggest prosecution of organized crime your office ever saw. The man you have in custody over there, Kip Liu, is the head of Chinese organized crime in this city. You may have a couple of willing witnesses.”
She whispered something to her assistant, who went running out after them.
I turned back to the judge. He was trying to pound away the roar that had set into the courtroom since Mr. Qian left the stand. When order was restored, he looked at me.
“Do you have a motion to make, Mr. Knight?”
“I do, Your Honor. Since the only two prosecution witnesses have recanted their testimony, I’m hoping that the district attorney will join me in a motion to dismiss this indictment.”
He looked at her. She had little choice.
“The people assent to the motion, Your Honor.”
“The indictment is dismissed. The jury is excused with the thanks of the court. The defendant is released from custody.”
The gavel came down. The bailiff’s “All rise” triggered a passage of the newsies through the narrow door that I hadn’t experienced since my last trip to Filene’s basement at the opening bell.
I turned around to find Anthony in the arms of his father. Mei-Li was standing beside him. I saw him take one arm and sweep her into the hug.
I walked over, and they included me in the hug. Handshakes are never enough at a time like that.
When the thanks and the congratulations subsided, I held father and son and said to Anthony, “You’ve got a lot to tell your father. Tell him everything. It’s all going to break soon.”
He was nodding a very sincere “yes.”
“You were getting out of that business on your own anyway, Anthony. That’ll count. You can also pay back a lot with your testimony, both about Chinatown and Harvard. It’ll go a long way with the prosecution. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.”
I started to leave, but Anthony held me.
“When it comes to that, Mr. Knight, I’d like you to represent me, if you would.”
I smiled.
“My future’s a little uncertain. But we’ll see.”
34
The celebration felt good, but I knew in my heart there was one raging loose end. If I left it untied, it could wipe out all of the good that had come out of a good morning.
I found Angela Lamb working her way through a cluster of reporters. I think she was relieved to be taken away, even by me.
“Angela, where have they got Kip Liu? Is he still in the building?”
“They have him in the interviewing room. They’re waiting for transportation to take him to the lockup. Why?”
“I need five minutes alone with him.”
She gave me one of her many looks. “Not a chance.”
I took her off to the side of the room.
“Let’s cut through the politically correct crap here, Angela. We haven’t much time. You’re looking for a one- way ticket to the state house.”
“Listen, sonny boy. Just because you got lucky in there…”
“I can give it to you.”
That cut off the flow and gave me an opening.
