John Dobbyn - Neon Dragon

“Yes.”

Just before the bailiff sounded the “All rise!” I caught a glimpse of Mr. Kip Liu slipping into the end seat of the last row. It was the same seat he had occupied the day before. I had asked the bailiff to keep that seat empty in the hope that he’d be there. The ducks were now properly in line. It was show time.

I was jotting a quick note, when Judge Posner mounted the bench and rapped for order. I waived the bailiff over and handed him the note.

Judge Posner looked at me like the proctor of a final examination.

“Are you ready, Mr. Knight?”

“I am, Your Honor.”

“Then call your first witness.”

I looked to the door of the courtroom and there, God bless her, standing just inside the door, was Julie.

“Your Honor, the defense calls as its first witness Miss Ku Mei-Li.”

My eyes were riveted on Kip Liu. His eyes swung to the back door of the courtroom. He sprang up in his seat to see who’d come through the door.

When precious, bright Mei-Li walked into that courtroom, I saw fear, panic, and rage erupting in one expression. He looked as if he didn’t know whether to stay or bolt. He sat tentatively.

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.”