Neon Dragon (32 page)

Anthony was on his feet. His eyes locked with Mei-Li's as soon as she came into the courtroom. It was as if neither could believe they were seeing each other. The expression on her face told me why she had risked her life to be there. I was gratified and relieved to see the same expression in Anthony's eyes when he looked at her.

I took Mei-Li by the hand and led her to the witness stand. She was a radiant princess in a jade-green wool suit. Julie and Liz had taken her shopping. They had also done her hair and subtle makeup to perfection.

The court clerk swore her in. I looked at the faces of the jurors. They were captivated by her.

It was time. It all came down to this. I stood at defense-counsel table and asked her name.

“Ku Mei-Li.” Her voice was strong.

“And how old are you, Mei-Li?”

“I am eighteen.”

“And where do you live?”

Her head was up. “Until this week, I lived in a Chinese brothel on Beach Street.”

The jury almost gasped. I had to move fast before the bottom fell out of their initial impression.

“And did you live there of your own free will?”

“No, I did not. I was sold to the people who brought me here from Hong Kong. I was in slavery. They compelled me to be a prostitute. I would never have my freedom.”

“And how did you come to be in this courtroom this morning?”

While she answered I turned around and looked directly into the burning eyes of Kip Liu.

“I was rescued from my captors by a very brave act by you, Mr. Knight.”

I wasn't looking for the “brave” part. I just wanted the jury to know how she got from there to here. I also wanted to give Kip Liu a crumbling sensation.

“Thank you. And do you understand that you're free, that you'll never be in their hands again? I promise you that.”

That wasn't really a question. I'd just never had a chance to tell her. She never lowered her head, but a tear escaped and took some mascara with it.

“Do you know the defendant, Mei-Li?”

“Yes.”

“How did you meet?”

“We were introduced by Mr. Liu.”

I followed her eyes and realized that someone was moving toward the door of the courtroom. I turned around in time to see the bailiff and two officers intercepting Kip Liu as he reached the door. The bailiff had picked up on my note and had the officers ready. The last thing I wanted was Kip Liu roaming free.

“Your Honor, I'd like to request that the man with the officers be held as a material witness. I want him here in the courtroom while this witness testifies. There'll be further reason to hold him as the testimony goes on.”

The judge gave the order to the bailiff and the officers, and Kip Liu was escorted to a seat. I turned back to the witness and pointed at Kip Liu.

“Mei-Li, was this the man responsible for bringing you into this country and holding you in slavery? For forcing you into prostitution?”

She looked him dead on. “Yes.”

“Your Honor, there's material in this testimony for an indictment of Kip Liu. There'll be more. He represents an obvious danger to the life of this witness if he's not held in custody. I'm giving notice to the district attorney that she has full responsibility for Mr. Liu from this point on.”

The judge gave the full effect of one of his looks to Ms. Lamb.

“I trust that the district attorney will carry out that responsibility. I'm assuming that she'll be requesting a bench warrant, which I shall issue immediately. Is that correct, Ms. Lamb?”

It was moving too fast for her to do anything but rise to say, “Yes, Your Honor.”

“In the meantime, defense counsel's request will be honored. Mr. Liu will remain in custody in this courtroom for the balance of the proceedings.”

I was beginning to feel the glow that brought me into this business.

The judge pounded for order. I waited for full silence. I wanted every word to be heard.

“Mei-Li, did you know the deceased, Mr. Chen?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And how did you know him?”

“I saw him many times when I was sent to his grocery store to buy food. He was always very kind when he spoke. Then I saw him once at the Ming Tree restaurant.”

That was a curve I hadn't expected. It did, however, resonate with a thought that had been tugging at my mental cuffs on and off. I decided to follow it for the moment.

“When did you see him at the Ming Tree?”

I was hustling through this line because it would be difficult at this point to explain the relevance to Anthony's case. I was not quite fast enough, however. Ms. Lamb was on her feet, drawling, “Objection, Your Honor. What's the relevance?”

The judge relayed the question to me with his quizzically raised eyebrows. I was determined to get it in.

“Your Honor, this could be terribly important. If I don't ultimately show the relevance, you have my offer to resign my bar membership. I'm that certain.”

The judge peered at me over his half-glasses.

“I won't be requiring that, Mr. Knight. Nor will I require your suicide on the courthouse steps. I'd merely like a showing of relevance.”

“Your Honor, I pray the indulgence of the court for no more than two more minutes. Literally. You'll agree that I haven't burdened the schedule of the court so far.”

He nodded. “Two minutes, Mr. Knight.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. Mei-Li, when did you see Mr. Chen at the Ming Tree restaurant?”

She seemed composed. She spoke softly, but every word was amplified through the microphone to the back of the courtroom.

“It was after Christmas. I was permitted to visit my friend, Lee Mei-Hua. It was four in the afternoon. There were no customers in the restaurant. I met Mei-Hua in the kitchen. Mr. Chen came in through the back door. I smiled, but he did not speak to me. He went quickly into Mr. Liu's office and closed the door.”

“Was Mr. Liu there?”

“Yes.”

“And is that Mr. Liu in the back of the courtroom?”

He was glaring terrifying daggers at her, but she never wavered.

“Yes.”

“And could you hear what Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu said to each other?”

That brought Ms. Lamb vertical, whining, “Your Honor, relevance and now hearsay.”

I preempted his response.

“Just one more question, Your Honor. I won't ask the substance of the conversation.”

The judge clearly had me in his sights.

“That's a fine line, Mr. Knight. Be careful.”

“Mei-Li, could you hear Mr. Chen and Mr. Liu speaking?”

“I could not hear much of the words.”

I thought that particular well had run dry, when Mei-Li looked straight at Kip Liu and spoke directly into the microphone. I think she knew what she was doing.

“Mr. Chen was very angry. He yelled at Mr. Liu. It was about the
low faan.
”

Ms. Lamb erupted, sputtering objections and motions to strike. The judge gaveled Mei-Li to silence, but I had the nugget I needed. I filed it away and got back to the business at hand.

“Mei-Li, did you go with me yesterday to the county morgue?”

She looked at me. “Yes.”

“Did you see the body of a young girl there?”

“Yes.”

“Could you describe her condition?”

She started to speak, but tears simply streamed from both eyes.

“Mei-Li, would it be fair to say that she was brutally beaten? Beaten beyond recognition?”

Angela was on her feet, but I sensed she was forcing herself. “Your Honor, how is this relevant? Objection.”

I jumped in quickly to preserve the momentum. “Your Honor, I promise accountability for the relevance.”

“Overruled. Please answer the question, miss.”

Mei-Li's eyes dropped. “Yes, badly beaten.”

I walked back past the defense table to the front row of spectators. I bent down and took Mrs. Lee's hand. I held it when I whispered, “I'm so sorry, Mrs. Lee. This will be a terrible shock. I want you to be ready for it.”

I could see in her face that the shock had already set in. She didn't want to know, and I didn't want it said. But it had to be said.

“Who was the young lady, Mei-Li?”

“It was Lee Mei-Hua. Mrs. Lee's daughter.”

I could feel Mrs. Lee's body shake as I put my arm around her shoulder. I could feel the sobs, as well as hear them.

I held her for a minute with the court's indulgence. I thought of my little Red Shoes, and the bravery in that little soul the night she gave me the message in the fortune cookie.

I left Mrs. Lee being comforted by Mr. Qian and came back to the bench.

“I have no further questions of this witness, Your Honor.”

The judge looked at the prosecutor.

“Nothing just now, Your Honor.”

I added, “I'd like permission to have this witness remain in the courtroom, Your Honor.”

The judge nodded. Mei-Li left the witness stand. The bailiff brought a chair for her at the end of the spectator section. The judge looked back at me.

“Your Honor, I'd like to recall as a witness, Mrs. Lee.”

I took her hand from Mr. Qian and walked with her to the witness stand. The clerk reminded her that she was under oath, but I'm not sure she ever heard his words. I went over to stand beside her.

“Mrs. Lee, I'm so sorry. She was a sweet, brave girl. They had no right to take her life. But they've taken all of your lives. Now they want to take Mr. Bradley's life. And they want you to be their instrument. There's got to be a time when it stops.”

She was listening to my words, but her tears were still streaming. I wasn't sure she could speak.

I let go of her hand and stepped back. I asked her to look up at me. I pointed to Kip Liu.

“Look at him, Mrs. Lee. He's in custody. He'll stay there. He'll never force you to do anything again.”

She looked, and she seemed to gain strength enough to let out her anger.

“When was the last time you saw your daughter?”

She spoke through sobs.

“A week ago Monday night.”

“When she was working as a waitress at your restaurant?”

“Yes.”

“And you haven't seen her since then?”

The sobs recurred when she realized she would never see her again. She could only shake her head.

“Before she disappeared, did Mr. Kip Liu, that man over there, make threats in regard to you or your daughter?”

“Yes.”

“What threats?”

“He said we would be badly hurt if I did not do what he told me.”

“And the night that I came to talk to you, the night after the murder, your daughter was there that night?”

“Yes.”

“And did you know that she gave me a message that said that she'd help me if I'd help Mei-Li? Did you know that?”

Her hands ran to her eyes to try to stop the flow of tears.

“I was terrified when she told me. I was afraid Mr. Liu saw.”

“I know. And did you daughter disappear that night?”

The “yes” was nearly choked off in the sobs. I stood back so that she could see Kip Liu beyond me.

“What did that man, Kip Liu, tell you about where your daughter was?”

She straightened up as if she wanted the world to hear her.

“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.”