Tessa had taken in so much information in the past forty-eight hours, she couldn’t process this last bit. “Have you given this information to the district attorney?”
“Not yet. I wanted to tell you first.”
“What’s Harry’s plan on the DNA?” Sam asked.
“He’ll run it against the samples taken at the scene, see if there’s a match.”
“A match? Who else’s DNA would be on that watch, other than Joel’s?”
“That’s Harry’s job to find out. Remember, Rachelle will be at my office tomorrow morning, and she’s agreed to give a DNA sample. If Liam’s DNA is on that watch, it’s just one more fact to take to the DA.”
Tessa dropped her head in her hands. Her head was pounding, and she was feeling nauseated. “So you’re saying that Joel’s watch might have stopped during a fight or something, and if Liam’s DNA shows up on the watch . . . What does this mean?”
“Let’s wait for Harry. He knows the case, knows what to look for. We will get to the bottom of this. I’m going to call Michael Chen right now. Sam, you okay with questioning Rosa? I don’t want her taking off or thinking she’s off the hook. The events that took place, at least those she witnessed, need to be documented. I want her scared. And don’t be easy on her.”
“I can do that,” Sam agreed. “You leaving now?”
“I want to get to Chen before any of this makes the evening news. The damned media are still stalking the neighborhood. We need to stay alert until we figure this out. Maybe I can get Chen and Judge Crider, the old son of a bitch, to dismiss the charges since the murders could not have happened on Friday as the state alleged. At the very least, get him to give us a date for a new trial. Something they can focus on while we investigate.
“If the evidence I have to take to the judge holds up, there won’t be a need for a new trial. Now, Sam, Tessa, go see what else Rosa knows. I’ll see you both tomorrow morning at my office, that is, if you want to see Rachelle?”
“I do,” Tessa replied. “I want to look into her eyes and tell her what an evil bastard she gave birth to.”
“I understand. Now, Sam, go before she relaxes, gets too comfortable. I’ll call if there’s anything new to report.”
Tessa and Sam returned to the living room. Rosa remained as she was. Jill had moved to the sofa and was sitting near the end closest to Rosa.
“Lee had to leave. A big break in the case. I’m going to continue with the questions, Rosa. I’m an attorney and have been working alongside Lee, so I’m as familiar with the case as he is. However, you may leave at any time; that’s your legal right. But we will issue a subpoena when and if this goes to court. You will be forced to testify to what you saw and heard.”
Her face paled. “But I thought if I told you what I saw . . . there would be no court, no trial.”
“It’s a possibility, but there are no guarantees. Those papers you signed, it’s all clearly outlined. Up to you, Rosa.”
Tessa could see that Sam was not going to be as sympathetic and objective as Lee.
“I will tell you what I saw,” Rosa said. “I want to help Miss Tessa.”
Sure she does, Tessa thought. That’s why it took her ten years to decide to come out with what she had to say. Tessa wanted to slap her silly. The pent-up anger she had kept hidden all these years was not going to remain inside. It was ready to explode. But she would control her violent thoughts, both because it was not in her nature to be this way and because she did not want to end up in jail this time for a crime that she did commit. Unless it was for killing Liam Jamison, that son of a bitch.
Nonetheless, the thought of harming this woman who had changed the course of her life was there, and Tessa thought that given what she had been through, her feelings were probably a natural reaction.
Sam took the legal pad Lee had left him, read through the list of questions, then put it aside. He took his cell phone and set it up to continue recording Rosa’s testimony.
“We left off with you about to tell us what you heard the younger Mr. Jamison, Liam Jamison, say.”
Rosa pulled herself upright again, her upper body perfectly straight. “How should I say this?”
“Any way you’re comfortable. As long as it’s the truth,” Sam said.
He was not cutting Rosa any slack. Tessa appreciated this more than he knew. She needed someone on her side this time around. Someone who believed in her. Sam McQuade believed in her.
Jill sat beside her again, but this time she wasn’t as relaxed. Maybe she didn’t trust Sam. Lee was good, but if he trusted Sam in his place, then Tessa would, too. She whispered to Jill, “It’s okay. Sam knows what he’s doing.”
“You read me well,” Jill whispered back.
Sam cleared his throat. “Rosa?”
She nodded. “I was at the bottom of the steps, and they were arguing. I was very frightened—”
“Rosa, you have said that more than once. I want to know what you heard Liam Jamison say.”
“He said to Mr. Joel . . .” Rosa’s eyes suddenly filled with tears. She took another tissue from her pocket and blotted her tears. “He said that he knew about the girls.”
Tessa actually felt the color drain from her face. Her hands started shaking. She took a deep breath. “What do you mean?” She could hardly get the words out of her mouth.
Rosa’s head bobbed up and down, her bun finally coming completely undone. She didn’t bother trying to fix it again. “He said he knew
