Part 15 (2/2)

I lay there for a moment, stunned and gasping for air. By the time I hauled myself laboriously to my feet, leaning on a pew for balance, I realized that the screams I heard were not, as I had thought at first, cries of pain or terror.

Elena Giacalona was enraged, not scared or hurt. I could see her now that my eyes had adjusted to the dim light. And I could see her companions, too: Lucky, Father Gabriel, and a well-dressed, middle-aged man whom I didn't recognize.

”Stay away from me!” she shouted at Lucky. ”How many times must I tell you? How dare you even speak speak to me! Have you no shame?” to me! Have you no shame?”

”I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you,” said Lucky.

”You're still speaking!” the Widow Giacalona shrieked.

I glanced around and saw Max then. He, too, had realized that the lady didn't need his help, and he was hanging back now, obviously reluctant to intrude on this scene.

Lucky said, ”But, Elena-”

”Are you deaf deaf?” said the man whom I didn't recognize. ”She don't want nothin' to do with you, you jerk.”

”You stay out of this!” snapped Lucky.

As Lucky's body language got menacing, Father Gabriel tried to intercede. ”Now, gentlemen,” the priest said, ”let's all remember where we are.”

”Hara.s.sing a woman in church is where you are, you piece of garbage!” Lucky snarled at the stranger.

”Sticking your nose where it don't belong is where you are, cretino cretino!” shot back the other man.

”If I ever catch you bothering her again . . .” Lucky warned.

”Look who's talking!” was the smirking reply.

”Madonna! Can't I even pray in peace?” Elena screeched. Can't I even pray in peace?” Elena screeched.

She turned on her heel and stormed down the aisle of the church, stalking past Max without even a glance. Her stride was so brisk that the ornate cross around her neck was bouncing.

Since I had met her before, in a manner of speaking, and since she seemed very upset, I felt an obligation to say something as her hurried steps brought her closer to me.

”Are you all right?” I asked.

The intense, long-lashed eyes met mine. ”Men are such pigs!”

The thrice-widowed woman stalked past me and exited the church.

Lucky and the other man had already turned on each other, uttering standard masculine threats, the gist of which was that each of them wanted the other to stay away from the Widow Giacalona.

Father Gabriel tried several times, without success, to calm them down.

Finally, the other man capped the escalating exchange of insults by saying, ”What makes you think she'd even waste saliva by spitting on you, a.s.shole? You killed her husband, for chrissake!”

”Don't take the Savior's name in vain in here, here, you putz!” Lucky shouted back. you putz!” Lucky shouted back.

”You killed her husband?” I blurted.

All three men spun around to look in my direction with identical expressions of surprise on their faces.

”Esther!” Lucky said. ”Why didn't you say something? I didn't know you was here. You're late.”

No wonder he was so sure, when I had asked about it, that Elena wasn't killing off her own husbands.

”You killed killed her her husband? husband?” I repeated.

He shrugged. ”Just the second one.”

”Gee, Lucky,” I said, ”do you think maybe that's that's why she doesn't like you?” why she doesn't like you?”

”She got over it,” he said defensively. ”She remarried.”

”Who the f.u.c.k are you you?” said the other man. He turned to Father Gabriel. ”Who the f.u.c.k is she? Oh! Excuse me, Father. I mean, who is the young lady?”

”It's a pleasure to see you again, Esther.” Father Gabriel smiled at me, then gestured to Max. ”Did this gentleman come with you?”

”Yes, Father.” I wobbled toward the men, wincing a little. I had turned my ankle when I fell. Max removed his fedora and gave a courteous little bow as I made the introductions. ”Dr. Maximillian Zadok, Father Gabriel.” I looked at the stranger. ”And I'm Esther-”

”Hey, I just got it!” The man snapped his fingers. ”I seen your face in the Expose Expose. You're the chorus girl who saw Charlie Chiccante get whacked.”

”Chorus girl, you schmuck?” Lucky said. ”I'll have you know, this young lady is a fine cla.s.sical actress who also happens to sing like an angel, which is why Stella gives her a job whenever her talents don't happen to be in immediate demand on the stage.” you schmuck?” Lucky said. ”I'll have you know, this young lady is a fine cla.s.sical actress who also happens to sing like an angel, which is why Stella gives her a job whenever her talents don't happen to be in immediate demand on the stage.”

I beamed at Lucky. Maybe the Widow Giacalona should cut him some slack.

”And you, sir?” Max said politely to the stranger. ”May we know your name?”

”Sure.” The man stepped forward to offer Max a handshake. ”Buonarotti. Michael Buonarotti.” He smiled and added, ”No relation.”

”To Lucky?” I said.

Buonarotti scowled. ”Jesus, no.”

”Watch your mouth,” Lucky said. ”We're in chu-”

”I mean,” Buonarotti said, ”no relation to the the Buonarotti.” Buonarotti.”

I frowned. ”To the don of the Buonarotti family?”

”I am am the don,” Michael Buonarotti snapped. ”Don't you know nothin'?” the don,” Michael Buonarotti snapped. ”Don't you know nothin'?”

”Then who-”

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