The Witness

Chapter 15 - Mercy

The investigation progressed. Every day, Rosa had to join Steven to his office, where he could discuss the case in private with her and his assistants. At first, it was all interesting. Sylvia's autopsy report finally came, for instance, and that gave them a lot to talk about. As expected, her injuries did not match police statements. Sylvia was likely tortured by multiple assailants. To prove that Joaquin wasn't one of them was their next problem.

But as time went by, legal jargon took over more and more of their conversations. Mainly because Steven, Char, and Owen were hitting a lot of dead-ends and were having difficulty contacting a private investigator willing to assist them. Neither would they let Rosa out of their sight. Not to the nearby mall. Not to the new fast food chain across the street. Not even to the restroom, where Char insisted on joining her.

"Rosa, you're our only hope," Char had to explain. "Without you, the entire investigation will crumble."

"I understand," Rosa replied, and she was trying to. She focused on the positives. She had no pervert uncle to worry about, and she had not heard from her family since that last call. She missed Miguel, though.

Rosa was gradually allowed to do other things in the office provided that she disturbed no one and remained under their watch. Steven bought her a new diary, on which she poured out everything. She also brought The True Cross along with other books from Mely's glass case. (The True Cross, however, remained her uncontested favorite.) Then, finally, for the first time in her life, Rosa held a Nokia. She would waste away the hours playing Snake on Char's phone while she and Owen and Steven worked. It was as addictive as everybody had been saying.

A little less than a week after their first meeting with Rosa, Owen and Char finally hit something.

"Sebastian Manuel's warehouse in Navotas was raided," said Char, handing Steven a news article from last year. "It was used as a drug den."

Steven frowned. "I'm not sure how this is related to Tim Lauzon Sr. and Sylvia Francisco, but my gut tells me it's a lead. We'll have to wait and see."

The best part of the day was when it ended and Rosa was allowed to visit Joaquin in prison. Steven always went with her, while Char and Owen took turns joining them. The day they hit the warehouse discovery, Rosa had a brilliant idea. She walked ahead of the lawyer to the guard post. The guard, who by then had gotten used to Rosa and was starting to get used to Steven, looked up from his logbook and smiled. "You're just in time," he said, and the two signed their names.

"To be frank," the guard admitted, "I've always thought that something was fishy about your boyfriend's case, Rosa."

Used to his teasing, she simply asked, "What makes you say that?"

"He's prayerful. Not the showy kind of prayerful either. When I do rounds, I often see him asleep with a rosary in his hand," said the guard.

"That's Joaquin, alright," Rosa said, smiling.

"Not a single bad word about anybody either. Not even the ones who beat him on a regular basis. Oh well, let's go." He led them down the hall to Joaquin's solo death row suite.

"Joaquin," Rosa began, clutching the bars of Joaquin's cell. The boy was sitting on his bed, his eyes closed, a rosary in his hand. "Joaquin," Rosa repeated in a louder voice. "I'm so sorry for disturbing you, but I have a little gift."

"...deliver us from evil. Amen," murmured Joaquin. Then he opened his eyes and slipped the rosary under his pillow. "Sorry, Rosa. I just had to finish that mystery. You were saying?"

The guard had unlocked the door. Rosa fished out her copy of The True Cross from her new sling bag and handed it to Joaquin. "It's my favorite book," she said. "And it's about a saint. I thought you might like it."