Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

“Sit down, Josie. I may call you Josie, may I not?” Ambrose
asked.
“I don’t think so, Senator.” The only thing that landed in the
chair was her briefcase. She opened the latches as she spoke.
“When I was here before you told me that there was no need to
advocate for Ian Francis. You dismissed him as an insane
person. Well, Senator, Ian Francis was only crazy because
people in this town, in this government, made him that way.
They took his life and my mother’s as sure as if you executed
them. Collateral damage was me and my father and Ian
Francis’ daughter.”
Josie took a deep breath and grasped the first section of
files. She pulled them out and put them in front of Patriota.
“I don’t want to be referred. I don’t want Eugene here being
tasked to look into things. I want someone with the power to
make this right and that is you. You want to be president?
Then act presidential. Find out what Marigold is and how far it
reaches, make reparations, and make whoever is responsible
pay.”
“Senator, please, let me get security,” Eugene pleaded.
“No. No need. I will give Ms. Bates the answers she wants.”
He gestured toward the chair again. “Now, sit down.”
Josie was like a live wire in a puddle of water, dancing,
sparking, dangerous because she couldn’t control her ire. She
should have waited for Archer. She should have brought
Stephen. She should have held back until she could speak as a
lawyer and not a daughter. But she was here now so all the
choices were hers. Patriota nodded again. She moved her
briefcase and sat.
“Eugene, I wonder if you might leave us.”
“I don’t think that’s wise, Senator,” Eugene objected.
Josie looked at him. Her blue eyes were like ice and her jaw
was made of stone and he was afraid to leave her with
Ambrose Patriota. Still, he had no choice.