His words were like daggers to Mena. She inhaled sharply. “Of course not. The D.A.’s assistant called this morning. I need to sign off on the release of my medical records for the trial. Then I’m headed to work.”
“Well, don’t stay too late. I have a surprise for you tonight. Try to get home by seven if you can,” Julian said.
“What kind of surprise?”
“You’ll see tonight.”
Mena slipped the cell phone into her purse. Reaching for the door, she stepped inside and bumped into a man exiting the District Attorney’s Office.
“I am so sorry,” Mena said, bracing herself against him to stop from toppling over. She glanced up into the man’s face. “Norman? Norman … Gale?”
“Mena Nix, we meet again but under less than ideal circumstances this time. How is your Fellowship at the Tribal Museum going?” Norman asked.
Regaining her balance, Mena hid her surprise that he remembered her. She followed him into the hallway. When she’d introduced herself to Norman at the fundraiser for Kenyan President Thairu months ago, he’d been less than cordial. Finding out they both had worked for Priscilla Dumay had made him aloof. Now he seemed more willing to talk.
Mena responded, “I decided to end it early.” She spared him details of the kidnapping she endured with Wangari Irungu.
“Africa isn’t for everybody. I found the climate too oppressive to live there full time. That’s why I took another position at Wangari’s new Museum for African Art in Amsterdam instead. Living near the red-light district was just an added perk.” Norman smirked. “Where are you working now?”
Mena avoided his gaze, staring at the pale pink polish on her freshly manicured nails. This was the last question she wanted to answer, but why should she keep it a secret? She didn’t need to be ashamed of the choice she’d made. “I’m back at the Genesis Gallery. It has a new owner now. Things are going extremely well.”
“How brave of you to go back to the scene of the crimes. I suppose you’ll be testifying against Priscilla tomorrow.”
“Yes, I am. Are you a witness for the prosecution, too?”
“Well, I damn sure wouldn’t be a witness for that bitch. I never wanted to set foot back on this God-forsaken island, but I was subpoenaed,” Norman admitted.
“Why? You were long gone by the time any of this came to light—”
“I was the first one to bring it to light. I found a pregnant woman in the basement of the Genesis Gallery the year I was fired. I’m guessing only a few months before Priscilla hired you to take my place,” Norman said.
“Wait a minute. Are you saying that you knew what she was doing? All this time?” Mena asked.
“No, I had no clue Priscilla was selling genetically modified babies to infertile couples. But I knew that there was a kidnapped woman desperate to escape from the Genesis Gallery. I found her and tried to get her to go to the police. She refused and disappeared, but I told the cops what I’d seen anyway,” Norman said.
“What happened when you told the cops?”
“What do you think happened? The cops found nothing. I looked like a fool. Priscilla made me pay for telling what she was really doing at the Genesis Gallery. I had to move to Africa to get a gallery to hire me again. Priscilla made sure of that,” Norman explained.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. Your testimony will help strengthen the case against Priscilla,” Mena said.
Norman scoffed. “I doubt that. The D.A.’s case is not strong. He’s running out of witnesses. Another surrogate was found dead the other day.”
“Are you serious? That’s what? Four now?”
“Try six. A couple of suicides, but there seems to be a pattern of cardiac arrest that’s developing in the others. Of course, the autopsies reveal nothing that points to Priscilla’s involvement. But think about it. She’s the one with the most to gain.”
“Not many surrogates left.” That was an enormous blow to the case against Dumay.
“One of the assistant D.A.’s told me that the three surrogates willing to testify are getting antsy,” Norman explained. “That leaves your testimony and mine. But it’s our word against hers. I have no proof she was behind anything and I’m guessing you don’t either.”
“The jury has to see that all of us can’t be wrong. We have no reason to lie,” Mena insisted, though she was worried. A year ago, the case had seemed airtight and now things had taken a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.
“All she needs is reasonable doubt. With only three of the surrogates testifying, it’s going to be a lot easier for her to pull off than any of us imagined.”
“You think she’ll be acquitted,” Mena said, bothered by Norman’s perspective. As much as she didn’t want to agree with him, she could see how it could happen.
“I do, and when it happens, you and I better watch our backs. She’ll be coming after us even harder than before.”
