Free Privileged Witness by Rebecca Forster Page B

but no one did.''
    ''Did you call Matthew?''
    ''No,'' Grace said sorrowfully. ''That would have been so wrong.''
    ''Don't you think Matthew would have wanted to know what happened?''
    ''Yes, of course. He just shouldn't have heard it from me. I've caused him so much hurt in his life. I didn't want him to look at me and know that I couldn't save her. Don't you see? He would have blamed me for not saving her.'' She shook her head as she bowed it in shame. ''But I didn't think about that until later. I only thought that I was afraid and I didn't want anyone to find me there.''
    ''But if it was a suicide, why would you care?''
    Grace leaned far over the table, Josie did the same, drawn in by her deep voice, and the eyes close as the double barrel of a shotgun.
    ''I just didn't want to make it worse,'' she answered conspiratorially. Before Josie could suggest that nothing was worse than Michelle McCreary going off the balcony, Babcock was back wanting to take Grace away. That was just plain wrong. She stood up and put herself between Babcock and Grace.
    ''Let me call the deputy who pulled the case,'' Josie insisted. ''There's absolutely no reason to hold her.''
    ''I'm sorry, Ms. Bates, this isn't my call.''
    Babcock passed her and reached for Grace with one hand while he retrieved his cuffs with the other. Grace whimpered and shrank away. She leapt from the table. Her chair toppled and fell as Josie tried to jockey between them again.
    ''Come on, Babcock.'' She pushed him back. He flinched and caught her hand. Josie threw her hands out and backed off. An assault charge would do neither of them any good but she didn't have to be quiet.
    ''Give me five minutes to run it down. That's all the time I'll need to work on it.''
    Josie's head snapped left and right, from Babcock to Grace. Babcock was listening but he was moving in on Grace even as she backed up against the wall. Her hands were out to ward him off.
    ''Josie, call Matthew,'' Grace pleaded. ''Tell Matthew I need him to help me. I can't go to jail. Please, Josie. Don't let them lock me up.''
    Expertly, Babcock cornered Grace McCreary. His hand was on her wrist, he twisted her arm behind her back. She bent forward and cried out, hurting herself as she struggled. There was a snap and a ratchet of metal as the teeth caught and tightened. Josie was right there, holding Grace's shoulders, talking to her, steadying her. Grace's free hand snatched at Josie, catching at her blouse.
    ''Oh, God. Oh, God,'' Grace cried and clutched at the air until Josie grabbed her hand and held it tight as the litany continued. ''Please don't do this, detective. Please, don't let them lock me away. Where's Matthew? Please call Matthew. . .''
    Josie's jaw set as she was dragged deep into the rumble of her hysteria, pulled into Grace's whirlpool of fear.
    Don't abandon me. Stay with me. Don't go. Save me.
    ''Grace. Grace, listen. Look at me. Focus on me. Grace.'' Josie called her name and when Grace calmed it was Josie who helped bend her arm so that Babcock could cuff her.
    ''Grace. Stand still. Stop. Stop,'' Josie ordered her gently. ''I'll find Matthew but you have to think now. You have to take care of yourself. Give me time, Grace. . . .''
    Josie's arm went around Grace McCreary's shoulders. Her fingers pulsed with Grace's trembling. Then Josie's eyes touched Babcock's and held. She didn't like to beg but it wasn't beneath her. In the next second the sound of metal on metal cut through the room again. Grace jerked. There was an accusation in Josie's eyes but it faded to gratitude when he stepped away and secured the cuffs at his belt as Grace latched on to Josie.
    ''Thank you.'' Josie acknowledged the favor with a curt nod, a look of admiration as she held on to Grace.
    ''It's all I can do,'' he said to Josie then addressed Grace. ''Ms. McCreary.''
    Grace understood that a favor had been granted. With a deep breath, she let go of Josie, and held herself erect. The muscles in Grace's jaw twitched and