Part 11 (2/2)

aSo, where exactly are you taking this thing?a she asked. aNot too far, I hope. It looks heavy!a The bald one glanced back. aWeall be okay.a Gloria followed the men out of the apartment, leaving the door open. They were easing the piano down the stairs gently, taking the steps one at a time. She leaned over the railing. aCould you please tell me where Jerome is staying?a she called. aI just want to know how heas doing.a The bald one grunted as he continued to step carefully backward down the stairs. aDonat you worry your pretty little head about Jerome.a The men turned the piano on the landing and moved out of sight.

Jerome had told his friends not to tell her where he was? What baloney! She dashed back into the apartment and donned her floppy hat and coat. Then she hurried down the back stairway, crossed the tiny lobby before the men with the piano had reached it, and, for the first time ever, went out the front door.

A large white truck was parked outside with RONaS MOVERS painted in bold letters across the side. The back of the truck was open and a ramp was extended, awaiting Jeromeas piano. Without pausing, Gloria broke into a gallop and ran up the ramp.

Phew! There were plenty of places to hide in here: The truck was packed with stuff. She pushed past a couple of boxes and a lamp and found a big black chest. She crawled inside, then folded up her floppy hat and used it to prop open the lid of the chest.

A moment later, the truck sagged on its springs and she heard the men grunting as they pushed the piano up the ramp.

aThat Jane back there was crazy,a one of them said. aA real dewdrop.a The other just laughed. Gloria heard the heavy tread of boots, a clatter as the ramp was unhooked and slid into the truck, and then the closing of the truckas doors.

After what felt like an eternity (though it had probably only been twenty minutes), the truck stopped. The back doors opened and the men climbed inside. aJust a little more elbow grease and weall be done,a one said. They rolled the piano down the ramp.

When she could no longer hear their voices, Gloria climbed out. There was no one around; the coast was clear.

She hopped to the sidewalk and adjusted her dress. Theyad gone much deeper into Harlem than she had ever ventureda”152nd Street and St. Nicholas Place. Unlike on her street, where elderly men and women sat on chairs outside their buildings, this block was completely deserted.

In front of her was a gray boardinghouse with sagging steps and a wooden stoop that sorely needed a new paint job. This must be the place.

Gloria pushed open the door and found a foyer as old and dirty as the houseas exterior. There were cracks in the ceiling and the faint odor of mothb.a.l.l.s. A scruffy old cat that looked as gray and dirty as the rug on the floor let out a faint meow.

A middle-aged black woman sat behind a desk, smoking a cigarette. Her eyes narrowed. aYou get lost?a Gloria stood tall. aI sincerely hope not,a she said in the deep voice shead once used to mimic her teachers at Laurelton Prep. aIam looking for a Jerome Johnson. He used to work at my club downtown, and our till is eighteen dollars short. This is the address we have on file for him.a It was the best story shead been able to come up with while crouched in the back of the moving van. Her now-dirty day dress wasnat the right attire for a club manager, but she couldnat worry about that.

The woman barely shrugged. aHeas in Five F, go on up.a Gloria hadnat expected it to be that easy. As she made her way tentatively up the stairs, she worried that she would b.u.mp into the movers. But she didnat hear them until the last flight. She could hear the dollyas rusty wheels rolling down the hallway.

She peeked around the corner. The men had stopped outside an unvarnished door marked 5F and knocked. It opened, but Gloria couldnat see whom they were talking to.

Whoever it was stepped out into the hall, and Gloria nearly fell over: It wasnat Jerome.

It was a black girl her own age.

She was pretty, with big brown eyes and a short burst of curly dark hair. Her sleeveless canary-yellow dress was cheap, but a girl with her slim figure and light brown skin would have looked good in anything.

aIf you could just put it against the right wall, that would be great,a the girl said.

aSure thing, Marcie,a one of the movers said.

aHeall be back at six,a the girl said.

The men rolled the piano into the apartment and Marcie followed, shutting the door behind her.

Where had Jerome met this Marcie woman? And how could he have found her in the few days since head moved out? He worked fast. Or maybe Marcie was the reason head left in the first place.

A short, hiccupping sob escaped Gloriaas lips as she stomped down the stairs. She didnat glance at the woman behind the front desk as she burst out the door and onto the street. She staggered down the block and eventually came upon a subway station.

Once she was seated on a bench, waiting for a downtown train, she began to cry. She had barely faced the fact that she and Jerome had broken up, and head already found someone else.

Gloriaas relations.h.i.+p with Jeromea”her love for him, the way head taught her to sing, how she had come into her own because of hima”was the most important one shead ever had. It mattered more than her relations.h.i.+p with her father and mother. And certainly more than her relations.h.i.+p with Lorraine, or with Clara, or even with Marcusa”they were all only friends.

But with Jerome there was heat. There was pa.s.sion. Even when they were angry with each other, or when money was tight, shead always figured she and Jerome had their love. And that it would always keep them together.

But clearly that wasnat how Jerome felt.

Maybe he was happier now. He would never have to hide his relations.h.i.+p with Marcie or feel awkward about introducing her to his friends. Head gotten what he wanteda”someone who understood him in a way Gloria never could.

She boarded the train and was glad to find the car practically empty.

Why had Jerome given up on her so fast?

As she turned the corner toward her old apartment, she saw three police cars parked along the curb. The street was crowded with people whoad come out to see what the ruckus was all about. Two uniformed officers were standing on the stoop, talking to her frazzled-looking landlord.

The flyers! Shead completely forgotten.

It had never entered her mind that the police could have been behind the flyers. But it made sense: The police had figured out that she killed Tony and had used the flyers as a way to lure her into their clutches.

She turned on her heel and walked back the way shead come.

How could she have been so stupid? The charade shead used to get into her apartment had not only allowed her to live secretly with Jeromea”it had helped hide her from the police.

She and Jerome had been so careful for months, going through such complicated ruses, using fake names and never telling their address to prospective employers, never entering or leaving the apartment together.

And now, thanks to Gloria, all of that had been in vain.

The Lost Girl had finally been found.

LORRAINE.

Lorraine wanted to hit someone.

Specifically, she wanted to hit Thor, the nasty little midget who was currently telling her off.

aNaw, this set list is all wrong,a he said in his thick Windy City accent. aWho wants to hear a buncha slow songs at the beginning of the night? Redo it.a Lorraine walked over to the table where the pint-sized gangster sat. She held her hand out for the clipboard. aFine. Iall write a new set list.a aNot so fast, doll,a he said, sneering. aBefore you do this, you gotta get someone to take those posters back to the printers. Theyall look better with red lettering.a She raised her eyebrows. aBut between her hair and her dress a isnat that kind of a lot of red?a Thor puffed on his stogie. aOh, you think so? How about I call up Carlito, see what he thinks about splas.h.i.+ng some red around here? I think head like the idea just fine.a Lorraine s.n.a.t.c.hed the clipboard. aFine, Iall get Jimmy to do it.a aAttagirl. And get that old codger to mop the floor again. I want to be able to see my reflection.a Lorraine counted to ten in her head. And then she made herself smile. aWhy, sure thing, Thor.a She wished she could just ignore everything Thor said, but he was Carlitoas right-hand man, and her safety depended on keeping Thor happy.

He grunted. aI donat know what youare so happy about. Me, Iam never happy. Life is a vale of tears, Lorraine. And when Iam done with you, youall appreciate that.a The day after Jerome and Gloria had slipped out of Lorraineas grasp, Thor had shown up at the Opera House.

aWhat are you doing here?a shead asked him.

aI work here now,a head said.

aNot if I donat say so. Iam the manager!a aNot anymore, sweetheart.a Head beamed at everyone else in the room. aSay h.e.l.lo to your new general manager. Lorraine, why donat you run and get me a coffee?a aLet me guess,a Lorraine had asked. aSmall?a That day shead gone home with an enormous coffee stain down her dress.

Thor had immediately taken full advantage of his new position. Suddenly nothing could be done in the club without the aThor stamp of approval.a As per Carlitoas orders, Thor kept an eye on Lorraine at all times.

Sure, Lorraine disliked Spark. And she practically hated Puccini. But that was nothing compared with the way she felt about Thor.

Thor seemed to take great joy in taunting her and bossing her around. aAnd please tell me you were smart enough to stock the special brandy for when Frankie Balzini comes in with his new moll?a Lorraine blinked as she stepped behind the bar. aIall go get it.a She pulled Jimmy out of a poker game with Spark in the office and sent him off to the printers. Then she handed the set list to Sparka”for once he didnat even complain. At last, she carried the expensive bottle of liquor back to the bar.

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