Gone, but not forgotten

Chapter Twenty-eight.

Reggie Stewart sat in his modest apartment staring at the lists spread across the kitchen table. Stewart did not feel good about what he was doing. He was an excellent investigator, but cross-checking hundreds of names on dozens of lists required manpower, and could be done a thousand times more efficiently by the FBI or the police.

Stewart was also concerned that he was obstructing justice. He knew the name of Kathy's kidnapper and he was concealing this information. If Kathy died, he would always wonder if the police could have saved her.

Stewart liked and respected Betsy, but she was not thinking straight. He understood her concerns about the way the police and FBI might act, but he did not agree with her.

He had half-decided to go to Alan Page if he did not come up with something quickly.

Stewart took a sip of coffee and started through the lists again. They were from real estate offices, utilities companies, phone companies.

Some of them had cost him, but he had not considered the price. So far, there were no listings for a Samantha Reardon or a Nora Sloane, but Stewart knew it wouldn't be that easy.

On his second trip through a list of new Washington County phone subscribers Stewart stopped at Dr. Samuel Felix. Samantha Reardon's first husband was named Max Felix. Stewart cross-checked the other lists and found that a Mrs. Samuel Felix had rented a Washington County home the week Oberhurst returned to Portland from Hunter's Point. Stewart called Panglori Realty as soon as their office opened. The saleswoman who handled the deal remembered Mrs. Felix. She was a tall, athletic woman with short brown hair. A friendly lady who confided that she was not completely happy with moving from upstate New York, where her husband practiced neurosurgery.

Stewart called Betsy, but Ann told him she was on her way to court on the Darius case. Stewart realized the opportunity this presented.

Reardon attended all the court hearings in the Darius case. She would probably attend this one and leave Kathy alone.

The house was at the end of a dirt road. It was white, with a porch and a weather vane, a happy house that was the least likely suspect to conceal suffering inside. Reggie Stewart circled around the house through the woods. He saw tire tracks in the front yard but no car. The door to the small, unattached garage was open and the garage was empty.

The curtains were closed on most of the windows, but were open on the front window. There were no lights on inside. Stewart spent twenty minutes watching for any movement in the front room and saw none. If Samantha Reardon lived in this house, she was not there now.

Stewart darted across the yard and ducked into a concrete well at the side of the house. Six steps led down to a basement door. The basement windows were blacked out with paint. If Reardon was duplicating Darius, Kathy would be in the basement. The painted windows reinforced that belief Stewart tried the basement door. It was locked. The lock did not look sturdy, and Stewart thought he could kick in the door. He backed up two steps and braced his arms against the sides of the concrete well, then reared back and snapped his foot against the door. The wood broke and the door gave a little. Stewart braced himself again and swung his leg against the damaged part of the door. It gave with a loud crack.

The basement was cloaked in darkness and Stewart could see inside only as far as the sunlight penetrated. He edged inside and was greeted by state air and a foul odor.

Stewart pulled a flashlight out of his coat pocket and played the beam around the room. Against the wall on his right were homemade shelves of unpainted wood holding a coil of hose, some cracked orange pots and miscellaneous gardening tools. A child's sled, some broken furniture and several lawn chairs were piled in the middle of the floor in front of the furnace. The odor seemed to emanate from the corner across from the door where the darkness was thickest. Stewart crossed the basement cautiously, maneuvering around objects, alert for any noise.

The flashlight beam found an open sleeping bag.

Stewart knelt next to it. He saw encrusted blood where a head would lie and smelled a faint odor of urine and feces. Another open bag lava few feet farther into the darkness. Stewart was moving toward it when he saw the third bag and the body sprawled across it.

The night before the hearing, Betsy was so preoccupied with Kathy that she forgot about Martin Darius. Now he was -all she could think about.

Samantha Reardon was forcing Betsy to choose between Kathy's life and the life of a man who did not deserve to live. The choice was simple, but it was not easy. As sick and twisted as he was, Darius was still a human being. When Betsy let Samantha Reardon into the jury room, she had no illusions about what would happen. If Martin Darius died, she would be an accomplice to murder.

Newspaper reporters surrounded Betsy as soon as she stepped off the elevator. She turned her head to avoid the glaring lights of the television cameras and the microphones as she hurried down the corridor toward judge Norwood's courtroom. The reporters asked the same questions about Rick's murder and Kathy's disappearance over and over. Betsy answered none of them.

Betsy spotted Samantha Reardon as soon as she entered the packed courtroom. She walked past her quickly and hurried down the aisle to her seat. Darius was -already at the counsel table. Two guards sat directly behind him and several others were spread through the courtroom.

Alan Page was just putting his file on the table when Betsy walked through the spectators. He caught Betsy as she entered the bar of the court.

"Are you certain you want to go through with this?"

Betsy nodded.

"Okay. Then there's something we have to discuss with judge Norwood. I told him we would want to meet in his chambers before court started."

Betsy looked puzzled. "Should Darius be there?"

"No. This is between you, me and Norwood. I'm not letting Randy come in with us."

"I don't understand."

Page leaned close to Betsy and whispered, "I know Senator Colby pardoned Darius. The senator sent his a.a. to see me."

"Wayne Turner?"

Page nodded. "You know how the senator's confirmation hearing will be affected if news of -the pardon is made public. Will you meet with the judge in chambers or are you going to insist we do this in open court?"

Betsy considered the situation quickly. Darius was watching her.

"I'm going to have to tell Darius. I can't agree to anything unless he consents."

"Can you wait until we meet with the judge?"

"All right."

Page went back to his table and Betsy sat next to Darius.

"What was that about?"

"Page wants us to meet with the judge in chambers."

"About what?"

"He's being mysterious."

"I don't want anything going on behind my back."

"Let me handle this, Mar-tin."

Darius looked like he was going to balk for a moment. Then he said,

"Okay. I trust you. You haven't let me down, so far."

Betsy started to stand up. Darius put a hand on her forearm.

"I heard about your husband and daughter. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Martin," Betsy answered coldly.

"I mean it. I know what you think of me, but I do have feelings and I respect you."

Betsy did not know what to say. Before the hour was up, she would cause the death of the man who was trying to console her.

"Look, if the kidnapper wants money, I can help," Darius said. "Whatever he wants, I'll cover it."

Betsy felt her heart contract. She managed to thank Darius, then pulled away. judge Norwood stood when Betsy walked into his chambers. He looked concerned.

"Sit down, Mrs. Tannenbaum. Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine, judge."

"Do they have any news about Mrs. Tannenbaum's daughter, Al?"

"Nothing new, judge."

Norwood shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry. Al, you tell your people to interrupt if they have to talk to you."

"I will."

The judge turned to Betsy.

"And, if you want to stop the hearing, if you aren't feeling well, anything at all, just tell me. I'll set over the hearing on my own motion, so your client won't be prejudiced."

"Thank you, judge. Everyone is being so kind. But I want to go through with the hearing. Mr. Darius has been in jail for several days and he needs to know if he is going to be released."

"Very well. Now tell me why you wanted this meeting, Al."

"Betsy and I are aware of information about the Hunter's Point incident that is known to very few people.

One of those people is Senator Raymond Collby."

"The President's nominee to the Court?" Norwood asked incredulously.

Page nodded. "He was the governor of New York when the murders occurred in Hunter's Point. His information could affect your decision on bail, but it would badly damage Senator Colby's chances of being nominated."

"I'm confused. Are you saying Senator Colby is mixed up in the Hunter's Point murders?"

"Yes, sir," Page answered.

"And you agree, Mrs. Tannenbaum?"

"Yes."

"What is this information?"

"Before Mr. Page tells you," Betsy said, "I want to object to you hearing any of this testimony. If this information is used against Mr.

Darius in any way, it will violate the due process guarantees of the United States Constitution and an agreement between Mr. Darius, the State of New York and the federal government. I think we need to hash this out in much greater detail before you call your witness."

"An agreement Darius made with those parties can't bind Oregon," Page said.

"I think it would."

"You two are getting way ahead of me. What type of agreement are we dealing with here?"

"A pardon, judge," Page said. "Colby pardoned Darius when he was governor of New York."

"For what?"

"I'd prefer the contents of the pardon were not revealed until you decide the threshold question of admissibility," Betsy said.

"This is getting extremely complicated," judge Norwood said.

"Mrs. Tannenbaum, why don't we have the guards take Mr. Darius back to jail. It's obvious to me that this is going to take some time."

Betsy's stomach churned. She felt like she might collapse.

"I'd like to confer with Mr. Darius in private. Can I use your jury room?"

"Certainly."

Betsy walked out of the judge's chambers. She felt light-headed as she told the guards that judge Norwood was letting her confer with Darius in the jury room. One of the guards went into the judge's chambers to check with Norwood. He came out a minute later and the guards escorted Darius into the room. Betsy looked toward the rear of the courtroom, just as Reardon walked into the hall.

A guard stationed himself outside the door to the courtroom. Another guard was in front of the door that opened into the hall. Betsy shut the door to the jury room behind them and turned the lock. A table long enough to accommodate twelve chairs filled the center of the large room.

There was a narrow rest room in one corner and a sink, countertop and cabinet filled with plastic coffee cups and dishes against one wall. The other wall held a bulletin board covered with announcements and cartoons about judges and jurors.

Darius sat down at one end of the table. He was still dressed in the clothes he was wearing when he was arrested. The pants were rumpled and his shirt was wrinkled. He was not wearing a tie and he had jail-issue sandals on his feet.

Betsy stood at the edge of the table trying not to look at the door to the corridor.

"What's going on?" Darius asked.

"Page knows about the pardon. Colby told him."

"That son-of-a-bitch."

"Page wants to have the judge take Colby's testimony in secret, so the senator's chances of being confirmed won't be affected."

"Fuck him. If he tries to screw me, I'll take him down. They can't use that pardon anyway, can they?"

"I don't know. It's a very complicated legal issue."

There was a knock on the hall door. Darius noticed the way Betsy jerked her head around.

Are you expecting someone?" he asked suspiciously.

Betsy opened the door without answering. Reardon was standing behind a guard. She was holding a black Gladstone bag.

"This lady says you're expecting her," the guard said.

"That's right," Betsy answered.

Darius stood up. He stared at Reardon. His eyes widened. Reardon looked into those eyes.

"Don't…" Darius started. Reardon shot the guard in the temple. His head exploded, spraying flesh and bone over her raincoat. Betsy stared.

The guard crumpled to the floor. Reardon pushed Betsy aside, dropped the bag and locked the hallway door.

"Sit down," she commanded, pointing the gun at Darius. Darius backed away and sat in the chair at the end of the table. Reardon turned to Betsy.

"Take a chair on the other side from me, away from Darius, and fold your hands on the table. If you move, Kathy dies."

Darius stared at Betsy. "You planned this?"

"Shut up, Martin," Reardon said. Her eyes were wide. She looked manic.

"Dogs don't talk. If you utter a sound without my asking, you'll suffer pain like you've never known."

Darius kept his mouth shut and his eyes riveted on Reardon.

"You made me an expert on pain, Martin. Soon you'll see how well I learned. My only regret is that I won't have those private moments with you that you shared with me. Those days alone together when you made me plead for pain. I remember each night we shared. If we had time, I would make you relive every one of them."

Reardon picked up the black bag and placed it on the table.

"I have a question for you, Martin. It's a simple question. One you should have no trouble answering. I give you permission to answer it, if you can. Considering the time we spent together, it should be a breeze.

What's my name?"

Someone pounded on the hall door. "Open up! Police."

Reardon half-turned toward the door, but kept her eyes on Darius.

"Get away or I'll kill everyone in here. I've got Betsy Tannenbaum and Martin Darius. If I hear anyone at the door, they die. You know I mean it."

There was a scraping at the door to the courtroom.

Reardon fired a shot through the top of the door. Betsy heard several screams.

"Get away from the doors or everyone dies," Reardon yelled.

"We've backed off" someone shouted from the hall.

Reardon pointed her gun at Betsy. "TALK to them.

Tell them about Kathy. Tell them she'll die if they try to come in here.

Tell them you'll be safe if they do as I say."

Betsy was shaking.

"Can I stand up?" she managed.

Reardon nodded. Betsy walked to the courtroom door.

"Alan!" she shouted, fighting to keep her voice from breaking.

"Are you okay?" Page shouted back.

"Please keep everyone away. The woman in here was one of the women Darius kidnapped in Hunter's Point. She's hidden Kathy and she's not feeding her. If you capture her, she won't tell me where she's holding Kathy and she'll starve to death. Please keep everyone away."

"All right. Don't worry."

"In the hall, too," Reardon commanded.

"She wants everyone away from the hall door, too.

Please. Do as she says. She won't hesitate to kill us."

Reardon turned her attention back to Darius.

"You've had time to think. Answer the question, if you can. What's my name?"

Darius shook his head and Reardon smiled in a way that made Betsy feel cold.

"I knew you wouldn't know, Martin. We were never people to you. We were Fantasy figures."

Betsy could hear people moving around in the courtroom and the corridor.

Reardon opened the bag. She took out a hypodermic. Betsy could see surgical implements lying on trays.

"My name is Samantha Reardon, Martin. You're going to remember it when I'm through. I want you to know something else about me. Before you kidnapped me and ruined my life, I was a surgical nurse. Surgical nurses learn how to mend broken bodies. They see parts of the body wounded and twisted and they see what a surgeon has to do to relieve the pain injuries cause. Can you see how that information might be useful to a person who wanted to cause pain?"

Darius knew better than to answer. Reardon smiled.

"Very good, Martin. You're a fast learner. You didn't speak. Of course, you invented this game. I remember what happened the first time you asked me a question after telling me that dogs don't speak and I was foolish enough to answer. I'm sorry I don't have a cattle prod handy, Martin. The pain is exquisite."

Reardon laid a scalpel on the tabletop. Betsy felt sick. She sucked air.

Reardon ignored her. She moved down the table closer to Darius.

"I have to get to work. I can't expect those fools to wait forever.

After a while, they'll decide to try something stupid.

"You probably think I'm going to kill you. You're wrong. Death is a gift, Martin. It is an end to suffering. I want you to suffer as long as possible. I want you to suffer for the rest of your life.

"The first thing I'm going to do is shoot you in both kneecaps. The pain from this injury will be excruciating and it will cripple you sufficiently to prevent you from being a physical threat to me. I will then ease your pain by administering an anesthetic."

Reardon held up the hypodermic.

"Once you're unconscious, I'm going to operate on you. I I'm going to work on your spinal cord, the tendons and ligaments that enable you to move your arms and legs. When you wake up, you'll be totally paralyzed.

But that won't be all, Martin. That won't be the worst part."

A glow suffused Reardon's features. She looked enraptured.

"I'm -also going to put out your eyes, so you won't be able to see. I'm going to cut out your tongue, so you won't be able to talk. I'm going to make you deaf The only thing I'm going to leave intact will be your mind.

"Think about your future, Martin. You're relatively young. You're in good shape. A healthy specimen. With life support, you'll stay -alive thirty, forty years, locked in the perpetual darkness of your mind.

"Do you know why they call prisons penitentiaries?"

Darius did not respond. Reardon chuckled.

"Can't fool you, can I. It's a place for penitence. A place for those who have wronged others to think about their sins. Your mind will become your penitentiary and you'll be locked in it, unable to escape, for the rest of your life."

Reardon positioned herself in front of Darius and aimed at his right knee.

"You in there. This is William Tobias, the police chief I'd like to talk to you."

Reardon turned her head and Darius moved with uncanny speed. His left foot shot up, catching Reardon's wrist. The gun flew across the table.

Betsy watched it skid toward her as Reardon staggered backward.

Betsy's hand closed on the gun as Darius grabbed Reardon's wrist to snake loose the hypodermic. Reardon lashed out with her foot and kicked Darius in the groin.

She jabbed the fingers of her- free hand at his eyes. Darius moved his head and the blow caught him on the cheek. Reardon leaped forward and sank her teeth into Darius's throat. He screamed. They smashed against the wall. Darius held tight to the hand holding the needle.

He grabbed Reardon's hair with his free hand and tried to pull her off.

Betsy saw Darius turn white from pain.

Reardon struggled to free the hypodermic. Darius let go of Reardon's hair and smashed his fist into her head several times. Reardon's grip loosened and Darius pulled away. The flesh around his throat was ragged and covered with blood. Darius grabbed Reardon's hair, held her head away from him and smashed his forehead against her nose, stunning her.

Reardon's legs gave way. Darius snapped her wrist and the syringe fell to the floor. He moved behind Reardon, wrapping an arm around her neck.

"No!" Betsy screamed. "Don't kill her. She's the only one who knows where Kathy is."

Darius paused. Reardon was limp. He was holding her off the ground so only her toes were touching. His choke hold was cutting off her air.

"Please, Martin!" Betsy begged.

"Why should I help you?" Darius yelled. "You set me up.

"I had to. She would have killed Kathy."

"Then Kathy's death will be a fitting punishment."

"Please, Martin," Betsy begged. "She's my little girl."

"You should have thought of that when you decided to fuck me over,"

Darius said, tightening his hold.

Betsy raised the gun and aimed it at Darius.

"Martin, I will shoot you dead if you don't put her down. I swear it.

I'll keep shooting you until the gun is empty."

Darius looked across Reardon's shoulder. Betsy locked eyes with him.

He calculated the odds, then he relaxed his grip and Reardon collapsed on the floor. Darius moved away from Reardon. Betsy reached behind her.

"I'm opening the door. Don't shoot. Everything is -all right."

Betsy opened the door to the courtroom. Darius sat down at the table with his hands in plain view. Two armed policemen entered first. She gave one of them the gun. The other officer handcuffed Reardon. Betsy collapsed on one of the chairs. Several policemen entered from the hall.

The jury room was suddenly- filled with people. Two officers lifted Reardon off the floor and sat her in a chair opposite Betsy. She was still struggling for air. Alan Page sat next to Betsy.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Betsy nodded mechanically. Her attention was riveted on Reardon.

"Samantha, where is Kathy?"

Reardon lifted her head slowly. "Kathy is dead."

Betsy turned pale. Her lips trembled as she tried to hold herself together. Reardon looked at Alan Page.

"Unless you do exactly what I say."

"I'm listening."

"I want what Peter Lake got. I want a pardon for everything. The cop in the hall, the women, the kidnappings. I want the United States attorney to guarantee no federal prosecution. I want the governor here personally.

We'll videotape the signing. I'll walk. just like Lake.

Complete freedom."

"If you get your pardon will you tell us where you're holding Kathy Tannenbaum?"

Reardon nodded. "And Nancy Gordon."

"She's alive?" Page asked.

"Of course. Nancy is the only one who continued to track Martin. She's the only one who believed me. I wouldn't kill her. And there's something else."

"I'm listening."

"I can give you the proof to convict Martin Darius of murder."

Darius sat rigidly at the far end of the table.

"What proof is that?" Page asked.

Reardon turned toward Darius. She smiled.

"You think you've won, Martin. You think no one will believe me. A jury will believe a crazy woman if she has proof to back up her testimony. If she has photographs."

Darius shifted a little in his seat.

"Photographs of what?" Page asked.

Reardon spoke to Page, but she stared at Darius.

"He wore a mask. A leather mask. He made us wear masks too. Leather masks that covered our eyes. But there was one time, for a brief moment, when I saw his face. just a moment, but long enough.

"Last summer, a private investigator named Samuel Oberhurst showed me pictures of Martin. As soon as I saw the pictures I knew he was the one.

There was the beard, the dark hair, he was older, but I knew. I flew to Portland and I began to follow Martin. I was with him everywhere and I kept a photographic record of what I saw.

"The week I arrived, Martin threw a party to celebrate the opening of a new mall. I mixed with the guests and selected several women to use as evidence against Martin. One of the women was his mistress, Victoria Miller. I sent a picture of Martin leaving their room at the Hacienda Motel to Nancy Gordon to lure her to Portland.

"The evening after I gathered Victoria, I followed Martin. He drove into the country to Oberhurst's house.

I watched for hours while Martin tortured Oberhurst.

When Martin took his body to the construction site, I was there. I took pictures. Most of them did not come out, because it was night and there was a lot of rain, but there's one excellent photograph of Martin lifting the body out of the trunk of his car. The trunk light illuminated everything."

Page looked across the table at Darius. Darius met Page's stare without blinking. Page turned back to Reardon.

"You'll get your pardon. We'll go to my office. It will take a while to firm up everything. Will Kathy and Nancy Gordon be -all right?"

Sloane nodded. Then she smiled at Betsy.

"You didn't have to worry. I lied about starving Kathy. I fed her before I came here, then I put her to sleep. I gave Kathy her stuffed animal, too, and made certain she was nice and warm. I like you, Betsy. You know I wouldn't hurt you, if I didn't have to."

Page was about to tell two of the officers to take Reardon to his office when Ross Barrow rushed into the room.

"We know where the girl is. She's all right. Tannenbaum's investigator found her in Washington County."

The woman the medics carried out of the dark basement looked nothing like the athletic woman who told Alan Page about Hunter's Point. Nancy Gordon was emaciated, her cheeks sunken, her hair unkempt. Kathy, on the other hand, looked like an angel. When Stewart found her, she was in a drugged sleep, lying on a sleeping bag, hugging Oliver. The doctors let Betsy touch Kathy's forehead and kiss her cheek, then they rushed her to the hospital.

In the living room, Ross Barrow took a statement from an excited Reggie Stewart while Randy Highsmith looked at photographs of Martin Darius that had been found during a search of the house. In one of the photos, the trunk light clearly showed Darius lifting the dead body of Samuel Oberhurst out of the trunk of Martin Darius's car.

Alan Page stepped out onto the porch. Betsy Tannenbaum was standing by the railing. It was cold. Page could see the mist formed by her breath.

"Are you feeling better, now that Kathy's safe?" Page asked.

"The doctors think Kathy will be fine physically, but I'm worried about psychological damage. She must have been terrified. And I'm frightened of what Reardon will do if she's ever released."

"You don't have to worry about that. She's going to be locked up forever."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"I'm having her civilly committed. I would have done that even if I was forced to give her a pardon. The, pardon wouldn't have prevented me from committing her to a mental hospital if she's mentally ill and dangerous.

Reardon has a documented history of mental illness and hospital commitments. I spoke to the people at the State Hospital. There will have to be a hearing, of course.

She'll have a lawyer. I'm certain there will be some tricky legal issues. But the bottom line is that Samantha Reardon is insane and she will never see the light of day again."

"And Darius?"

"I'm dismissing all of the counts except the one for killing John Doe.

With the picture of Darius with Oberhurst's body and the evidence about the murders in Hunter's Point, I think I can get the death penalty."

Betsy stared at the front yard – The ambulances were gone, but there were still several police cars. Betsy wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

"A part of me doesn't believe You'll get Darius.

Reardon swears He's the Devil. Maybe he is."

"Even the Devil would need a great lawyer with the case we have."

"Darius will get the best, Al. He's got enough money to hire anyone he wants."

"Not anyone," Page said, looking at her, "and not the best."

Betsy blushed.

"It's too cold to stand out here," Page said. "Do you want me to drive you to the hospital'?"

Betsy followed Page off the porch. Page held open the door for her. She got in. He started the engine. Betsy looked back toward Kathy's prison.

Such a charming place. To look at it, no one would ever guess what went on in the basement. No one would guess about Reardon, either. Or Darius.

The real monsters did not look like monsters, and they were out there, stalking.

Epilogue At eleven-thirty on a sultry summer morning, Raymond Francis Colby placed his left hand on a Bible held by the chief deputy clerk of the United States Supreme Court, raised his right hand and repeated this oath, after Associate justice Laura Healy: "1, Raymond Francis Colby, do solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as Chief justice of the United States according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably to the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God."

"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 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 were 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. Oscar 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 Oberburst. 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 big 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 Nancy Gordon, her features composed and very serious.

"I don't want to be a lawyer," she said. "I want to be a detective."