Free Privileged Witness by Rebecca Forster

head a dismissive toss. ''Lawyers are supposed to be above all that but what does an oath mean in the face of big money or a power grab? No,'' Grace said emphatically, making Josie, her confident, her confessor, her comrade in arms. ''Matthew has enemies, Josie. I wasn't going to give them anything to use against him. That's why it had to be you. You understand that, don't you?''
    Josie didn't give Grace the satisfaction of agreeing and in the ensuing silence Grace's hands began to shake when no pact was made to protect Matthew at all costs. The emerald stuck at her knuckle. She flicked her fingers to loosen it. Those fingers were angry and impatient and impotent. She threw herself back in her chair, frustrated by Josie's silence. It was as if Grace McCreary was made up of parts independent of the whole. The mind was rationalizing, the body was holding up but the hands were ready to fight.
    ''No, I don't understand,'' Josie answered finally. ''If you believed I was trustworthy then you would have been completely honest this morning.''
    ''You wouldn't have given me the time of day if I told the truth. No one does. Not if you tell the truth,'' Grace complained.
    ''If that's the way you feel then I might as well walk right now,'' Josie countered.
    ''If you think its best, I understand.'' Grace waved her away, fingers itching to scratch at something. ''Go. It's fine. It doesn't really matter what happens to me as long as Matthew is all right.''
    Grace's little tirade was harsh, her words chosen from conviction, not resignation. Yet it was clear that she was scared. The clothes and the jewels, the make-up and the hair could not camouflage what was at Grace McCreary's core. She believed she deserved to be sacrificed just like every other abused woman Josie had ever known.
    ''Jesus,'' Josie breathed. ''Who ever made you think you weren't worth spit? Matthew? Was he the one?''
    ''Don't be ridiculous. Matthew loves me the same way he loved you.'' Grace jolted upright. Her face went pale at Josie's accusation.
    ''What about Michelle? Did he love her that way, too?''
    ''Of course. Don't even think that he didn't,'' Grace breathed. ''But we're talking about what the world is like. Most people don't stick around when things get hard. You don't blame them, you just expect it. You deal with it. You're grateful when someone does. The way Matthew came back for me.''
    Josie picked up a pen and taped it once on the table. She knew it would do no good to argue with Grace or agonize over her skewed view of honor and loyalty. The pen went through her fingers again as she thought about her own situation. Her plate was full with Hannah, Archer, her own needs and plans. She was Grace McCreary's lawyer, not her shrink or her friend or her personal champion. The pen twisted once more before she dropped it.
    ''You're right,'' Josie said ''The world is imperfect and so am I. But I'm good at my job and I take it seriously. All you have to do is be straight with me, Grace, and leave my history with Matthew out of this. I gave you the time of day out of courtesy to him, so stop trying to play that card.''
    Grace's chin lowered, her lashes fluttered then she fixed her gaze on Josie. She licked her lips and Josie could swear she heard the gears of Grace McCreary's mind working. What she really heard was a question.
    ''Can I have some water?''
    Josie got up. Babcock was waiting in the hall. She asked for water and when he came back he had two cups and news.
    ''I'm going to transport her,'' he said.
    ''Don't be ridiculous. She'll post bail,'' Josie scoffed as she took the Styrofoam cups.
    ''The DA says no bail. No special treatment.''
    ''Tell the DA she'll post the max. You can't keep her unless you're denying bail on special circumstances,'' Josie argued.
    ''That's how we're holding her,'' he answered.
    ''Charming,'' Josie muttered just before she closed the door with her foot.
    She put a cup in front of Grace and sat down. Grace put her hands around it and