Part 6 (1/2)
Napoli said, ”We're taking you into protective custody.”
”What? No!” I pulled away from Lopez. ”You can't do that! I haven't done anything!”
Lopez put his hands on my shoulders, trying to calm me. ”We know that, Esther. But you're a material witness in a mob hit. And the tabloids have already got your name. So you're in danger now.”
”But I didn't see anything!” I protested.
”Yeah, like everybody else here,” Napoli said in disgust. ”Six cops have been canva.s.sing for almost an hour, and n.o.body saw anything. Of course.”
”But I really didn't!” I cried.
”Esther-”
”No! Listen to me!” I jerked myself out of Lopez's grasp and backed away.
When he reached for me again, Lucky stepped between us. ”I don't care if you are her boyfriend, that don't give you the right to manhandle her!”
”I'm not not manhan . . .” Lopez paused for a moment, then evidently decided to change course. ”Esther, we need to go somewhere sane and take your statement.” manhan . . .” Lopez paused for a moment, then evidently decided to change course. ”Esther, we need to go somewhere sane and take your statement.”
”I've given my statement three times already!” I said, still agitated by the word ”custody.”
”I know, and I'm sorry,” Lopez said soothingly. ”But we've got to go over every detail-”
”There are no details!” I insisted. ”I didn't see the killer! I didn't see how it happened! All I saw was Chubby Charlie suddenly die right in front of me! After he'd asked me to help him! Or sort of asked me . . . Or . . . I'd offered, offered, anyhow, and now he's dead!” anyhow, and now he's dead!”
The whole ton of bricks came cras.h.i.+ng down on me then. Stress, tension, anxiety, confusion, fear, guilt. All of it. I started crying.
”Now look what you done!” Lucky snarled at Lopez. The old wiseguy put his arm around me and handed me a clean, white hanky. ”She's an actress. She's very sensitive!”
”I know that,” Lopez snapped. ”I date her. Now get your hands off her.” know that,” Lopez snapped. ”I date her. Now get your hands off her.”
”Whoa, he's got a pair, your boy,” Lucky said to me. ”I like that in a person.”
”Both of you, stop,” I said wearily. ”Everyone, please stop.” I wiped my eyes and gave a watery sigh. please stop.” I wiped my eyes and gave a watery sigh.
Lopez looked like he wanted to apologize to me, but he said nothing. Napoli looked ready to arrest everyone on Mulberry Street.
”I'm not going into custody,” I said.
”All right,” Lopez said, ignoring a scathing look from Napoli. ”We'll just talk about what happened. And then then we'll talk about your safety.” we'll talk about your safety.”
”Okay.” I took a breath and got a hold of myself. ”I was looking at Charlie,” I said. ”Talking to him. He seemed hysterical. I was trying to calm him down.” I described the tinkling sound of breaking gla.s.s I'd heard, and the sharp whistling sound followed by the soft thud, and I explained what I had seen. ”And that's all all I saw. Charlie, with that horrible look of surprise on his face and the blood spreading on his chest. I didn't see or hear anything else. Or any I saw. Charlie, with that horrible look of surprise on his face and the blood spreading on his chest. I didn't see or hear anything else. Or anyone else. He fell to the floor, and I started screaming.” else. He fell to the floor, and I started screaming.”
”Who was in the restaurant when it happened?” Napoli asked.
”I'm not sure.”
”Come on, Esther,” Napoli said.
”You can call me 'Miss Diamond,' ” I said coldly. can call me 'Miss Diamond,' ” I said coldly.
Lopez closed his eyes, as if praying that none of this was really happening.
”You didn't recognize any any of the customers?” Napoli prodded. ”You expect me to believe that?” of the customers?” Napoli prodded. ”You expect me to believe that?”
”Charlie was sitting off in an alcove, and he came in a little early tonight. Most of the regulars hadn't shown up yet. I didn't know any of the customers who were sitting near him, and I don't remember who else was in the restaurant.” Mostly I just remembered Charlie keeling over dead.
”And you didn't hear a car pull up outside?”
”No.”
”You didn't see the shooter on the other side of the window?”
”No, of course not,” I said. ”Charlie wasn't sitting anywhere near the-”
”Detectives, we have a big problem,” one of the CSU cops said, interrupting us.
”What?” Napoli asked.
”Come inside and have a look.”
”We're a little busy here,” Napoli said tersely.
”You need to see this,” the CSU cop insisted. ”Both of you.”
Napoli gave an irritable sigh. ”All right.” He signaled to two patrolmen to join us. He pointed at me and said to them, ”This woman is a material witness in this homicide. You are to keep an eye on her and keep her under control. Do not-I repeat, do not not-let her move from this spot until we get back.” Then he turned and followed the CSU cop back into the restaurant.
Lopez hesitated, giving me a look of mingled concern and exasperation. ”Are you okay?”
”I want to go home.” I felt exhausted and emotional. ”Can't you take me?”
”Not yet. We need more informa-”
”I've told you everything I saw.” I put my hand on his chest, wis.h.i.+ng he would put his arms around me again. ”Please make Napoli let me go.”
”That's not how this works, Esther.” His voice was firm, but his gaze softened as he brushed my hair behind my ear. ”You're not-”
”Lopez!” Napoli shouted, having stuck his head out of the door of Bella Stella.
I glared at the bald detective.
Lopez raised a hand in acknowledgment but kept his eyes on me. ”I have to go inside to see what CSU's problem is,” he said, stepping away from me. ”Don't do anything but stand here and wait for me to come back. Okay?”
I shrugged. ”Okay.”
He looked at me for another moment, his expression suggesting he wasn't sure I'd comply, then turned and went into the restaurant.