putting his hand on my back as we exited. I pressed my lips together, avoiding a silly smile. I liked his hand there.
I didn’t see Vito around. The valets were still working the block quickly, if less exuberantly.
“Tell me something,” I said. “Why weren’t you afraid that someone would call the cops that night with the Porsche? I mean, if you didn’t break that guy’s nose, I’ll eat my shoe.”
“Tell me what you think. Why would that be the case?” He put his hands in his pockets as he walked.
“That’s a common debate team switch. Putting the speculation on me.”
“Speculate.” He smiled like a movie star, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I’d rather you told me.”
“Maybe I’ve met enough cops in my profession to know how to talk to them, should it come to that.”
“Which profession is that?”
“I’m a lawyer.”
I hadn’t thought much of our harmless back and forth, but when he reminded me he was a lawyer, I caught a tightness in his voice. He glanced away. Most people were puzzles one had to simply collect enough pieces to figure out. My questioning had merely been fact-harvesting until he subtly evaded something so simple.
“If I look up criminal cases you’ve filed, what would I find? I mean, cases where you’ve dealt with the LAPD.”
He looked down at the curb as we crossed the street, holding me back when a car came even though I’d stopped.
“I’m a lawyer for my business. I’ve only had a couple of clients, and mostly they need my help talking to the police. Anything else you feel like you need to know?” He said it with good humor, but there was a wariness to his tone.
“Yes.” We got to the outer edge of the set, where the street was closed off to keep it silent.
“What?”
I knew I shouldn’t ask, but I was tired and still hungry, and the wine had sanded away my barriers. “Is Vito still outside the restaurant running his business?”
The look on his face melted me, as if a fissure had opened and he was trying desperately to keep the lava from pouring out. Then he smiled as if just having decided to let it all go. “Contessa, you are trouble.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Both.”
My phone dinged again. I didn’t look at it. I knew what it was about. “I have to go.”
“ Come vuoi tu. ” He cupped my cheek in his hand and kissed me quickly before walking away, the picture of masculine grace. He didn’t look back.
eleven.
strapped up my stockings with the TV on. I saw it behind me in the mirror. Daniel wore his pale grey suit and tie, ice in the sun. He’d done well at the debate that afternoon, keeping himself poised, still, and focused. He was the perfect Future Mister Mayor.
BRUCE DRUMMOND: My opponent hasn’t opened a serious case against any crime organization in over a year. Just because it’s peacetime, do we sit on our laurels?
I hadn’t heard from Antonio since he’d left me at the set. I’d been tempted to reach out to him, but to what end? As I watched Daniel, I knew I still had feelings for him. How could I get involved with someone else? How could I take Daniel back? How could I use another man to break my holding pattern?
DANIEL BROWER: Believe me, my office has been gathering information and evidence against a number of organizations. We won’t open a case unless we’re sure we have the evidence we need. Please, let the people know if your administration will recklessly accuse citizens, so they can start looking for an independent prosecutor.
Antonio would be at the fundraiser. Though I was excited to see him, despite the fact that I had to avoid him, he’d become tight and unreadable. He’d avoided telling me about his business, and his story about being pushed by a valet was absurd. Vito hadn’t gone home whistling Dixie. Antonio was Italian. From Naples. Was he a lawyer or criminal? Or both?
BRUCE DRUMMOND: In closing, I love my wife. She’s the only woman for me, and that’s why I married
I didn’t see Vito around. The valets were still working the block quickly, if less exuberantly.
“Tell me something,” I said. “Why weren’t you afraid that someone would call the cops that night with the Porsche? I mean, if you didn’t break that guy’s nose, I’ll eat my shoe.”
“Tell me what you think. Why would that be the case?” He put his hands in his pockets as he walked.
“That’s a common debate team switch. Putting the speculation on me.”
“Speculate.” He smiled like a movie star, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“I’d rather you told me.”
“Maybe I’ve met enough cops in my profession to know how to talk to them, should it come to that.”
“Which profession is that?”
“I’m a lawyer.”
I hadn’t thought much of our harmless back and forth, but when he reminded me he was a lawyer, I caught a tightness in his voice. He glanced away. Most people were puzzles one had to simply collect enough pieces to figure out. My questioning had merely been fact-harvesting until he subtly evaded something so simple.
“If I look up criminal cases you’ve filed, what would I find? I mean, cases where you’ve dealt with the LAPD.”
He looked down at the curb as we crossed the street, holding me back when a car came even though I’d stopped.
“I’m a lawyer for my business. I’ve only had a couple of clients, and mostly they need my help talking to the police. Anything else you feel like you need to know?” He said it with good humor, but there was a wariness to his tone.
“Yes.” We got to the outer edge of the set, where the street was closed off to keep it silent.
“What?”
I knew I shouldn’t ask, but I was tired and still hungry, and the wine had sanded away my barriers. “Is Vito still outside the restaurant running his business?”
The look on his face melted me, as if a fissure had opened and he was trying desperately to keep the lava from pouring out. Then he smiled as if just having decided to let it all go. “Contessa, you are trouble.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Both.”
My phone dinged again. I didn’t look at it. I knew what it was about. “I have to go.”
“ Come vuoi tu. ” He cupped my cheek in his hand and kissed me quickly before walking away, the picture of masculine grace. He didn’t look back.
eleven.
strapped up my stockings with the TV on. I saw it behind me in the mirror. Daniel wore his pale grey suit and tie, ice in the sun. He’d done well at the debate that afternoon, keeping himself poised, still, and focused. He was the perfect Future Mister Mayor.
BRUCE DRUMMOND: My opponent hasn’t opened a serious case against any crime organization in over a year. Just because it’s peacetime, do we sit on our laurels?
I hadn’t heard from Antonio since he’d left me at the set. I’d been tempted to reach out to him, but to what end? As I watched Daniel, I knew I still had feelings for him. How could I get involved with someone else? How could I take Daniel back? How could I use another man to break my holding pattern?
DANIEL BROWER: Believe me, my office has been gathering information and evidence against a number of organizations. We won’t open a case unless we’re sure we have the evidence we need. Please, let the people know if your administration will recklessly accuse citizens, so they can start looking for an independent prosecutor.
Antonio would be at the fundraiser. Though I was excited to see him, despite the fact that I had to avoid him, he’d become tight and unreadable. He’d avoided telling me about his business, and his story about being pushed by a valet was absurd. Vito hadn’t gone home whistling Dixie. Antonio was Italian. From Naples. Was he a lawyer or criminal? Or both?
BRUCE DRUMMOND: In closing, I love my wife. She’s the only woman for me, and that’s why I married
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