“You blacked out?”
“I must have, but I don’t know how. I only had one drink.”
“Could you have been drugged?”
“That’s what it was like. But it couldn’t be.”
“Are you sure?”
“The only one who could have drugged me was her.”
Melanie thought that over. “Does this have anything to do with the case?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Your friend Stone sent his car just ten blocks to pick me up. I could easily have walked here. It got me wondering.”
“He’s overprotective. He means well. Why are you here?”
“I thought you might need a friend.”
“I do,” Herbie said. A tear welled in his eye.
Melanie held him again while he got control of himself. Then he pulled away and sat back.
“Now they think it was all a big mistake, that Yvette was killed by someone robbing the apartment.”
“A robbery?”
“He took some jewelry and five thousand in cash. But why would he have to shoot her? Yvette wouldn’t have tried to stop him.”
“Maybe she could identify him.”
“The doorman identified him. He walked right in. Didn’t try to hide.” Herbie heaved a sigh. “Anyway, if you’re worried about your brother, I’ll be back in court.”
“I’m not worried about my brother. I mean, I am worried about my brother, but that’s not why I’m here. Surely you know that.”
“Well, he’s still your brother. Don’t worry, I will be in court tomorrow. And not just because of the bench warrant. I’ll be in court because that’s what lawyers do.”
Melanie smiled and nodded, but she was hesitant.
Herbie picked up on it. “You think I’ll be distracted. You think I won’t be able to concentrate.”
“No, I—”
Herbie put up his hand. “You’re right. It’ll be hard. I’m going to take Stone Barrington with me as second chair. He’ll keep me focused.”
“He doesn’t know the case.”
“He sent for the transcript. Tomorrow he’ll know more about it than I do.”
“I’m not worried about the case. I’m worried about you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Herbie said.
But he didn’t mean it.
59
Melanie came downstairs from Herbie’s room.
“How’s he doing?” Stone asked.
“Better. I’m going to go.”
“Do you want a ride home?”
“Is that necessary?”
“No, I’m just offering.”
“Why did you have me picked up at the hospital?”
Stone started to give her a vague answer, but changed his mind. This wasn’t the type of girl to bullshit. “To keep you safe.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “Now that I’ve seen Herbie, you don’t care?”
“No, I don’t think we need to anymore. When I sent the car, I thought this had to do with your brother’s case. Apparently I was wrong. It now appears Yvette was killed during a robbery. There’s a new suspect. I’m perfectly happy to offer you a ride, but if you want to get home on your own power, I won’t stop you.”
“Thanks. I’d like to walk.”
“Of course. Does he need anything?”
“I don’t think so. Under the circumstances, he’s doing well. Will he be here tomorrow?”
“He’ll be in court tomorrow. After that, I imagine he’ll be going home.”
“Herb says you’ll be in court, too.”
“That’s right. I’m already attorney of record. I was there this afternoon.”
“Did you send for the transcripts?”
“How did you know?”
“He said you did.”
“Herbie knows me well.”
“Herbie?”
“That’s what we used to call him. Before he got serious.”
“Did you read the transcript?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He made his point. The evidence indicates a police frame-up.”
“Will the jury believe that?”
Stone shrugged. “That’s another matter. Don’t worry. We won’t let you down.”
Melanie nodded. “Okay. Thanks again.”
60
Chico and Gus were succumbing to boredom outside Stone Barrington’s town house. Neither was used to stakeouts, and they lacked the patience required. Gus was nearly asleep, while Chico fidgeted in his seat. When the front door finally opened and Melanie emerged, Chico jabbed Gus sharply in the ribs. “There she is.”
Gus bolted upright “Alone?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Let’s get her.”
“Hang on. Don’t start the engine, don’t open the door. Let her walk away from the house. The place is a fucking fortress. We can’t give her the chance to run back in.”
Melanie walked down the street.
“Now?” Gus said.
“Hang on. See if anyone else comes out of the house.”
No one did.
“All right, start it up. Follow me slowly.”
Chico got out of the car and tailed Melanie down the street. He tried to catch up, but she was walking briskly and he didn’t want to attract attention. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Gus pushing ahead of him in the car. That was all he needed, for the guy to spook her. He picked up the pace.
It wouldn’t do to let her reach the corner. She wouldn’t get away, he wasn’t worried about that, but there was a greater chance they’d be seen. With a hop and a skip, he grabbed her by the arm.
Melanie whirled at his touch. She’d sensed his presence and was ready to act. Years of jujitsu didn’t hurt. Medical school had cut short her martial arts training before she got her black belt, but she had her brown, and she was agile and quick.
She’d been prepared for some amorous drunk making a clumsy pass at her, so the sight of a large thug took her aback. So did his grip on her arm, which was rougher than that of your usual garden-variety creep.
She pretended to slip and drop to the ground. When he shifted his grip, she rolled sideways, sprang to her feet, and ran.
Gus, who’d followed them down the block, floored the accelerator and roared by. He threw the car into park and hopped out, blocking her escape.
Melanie, caught in the middle, darted up the alley between two brownstones. A wire fence blocked the end. Melanie leaped onto a garbage can and grabbed the top of the fence.
Chico caught her leg. He twisted and pulled down with all his weight. Gus grabbed her other leg. Chico shifted his grip to her arm and pried her fingers off the top of the fence.
Melanie bit his hand.
Chico howled in pain. He wrenched her free of the fence, slapped her across the face, and grabbed her in a bear hug even she couldn’t break.
61
Chico called Mookie from the car. “We got her.”
“Are you sure?”
“What do you mean, am I sure? She’s in the fucking car.”
“Are you sure it’s her?”
“It’s her. You showed me her picture.”
Mookie had found the girl on Facebook and printed out her photo. He was more adept at a computer than he looked.
“All right. Come by and pick me up.”
“We’ll be there in five minutes.”
Mookie was waiting at the corner when Gus pulled up.
“How did it go? Did anyone see you?”
“She’s a wildcat,” Chico said. “She bit my finger. But we weren’t seen.”
Gus went through the Midtown Tunnel and took the Long Island Expressway to Forest Hills, Queens, where he pulled up in front of a two-story frame house on a residential block.
“This is your cousin’s place?”
“Yeah,” Chico said.
“Take her in.”
When Chico opened the trunk, Melanie kicked her tied-up legs and began yelling from behind the gag they’d put over her mouth. Hearing the commotion, Mookie came behind the car and looked down at her.