The 'beer joint' was nothing more than a sheet metal building in the middle of a dirt parking lot and, going by the amount of trucks already surrounding the place, it was a popular getaway. As soon as the car stopped, I left the Sheriff in my dust as I made a beeline inside and looked around for the facilities. A sign in the back beckoned to me and I swiftly traversed the room.

I knew the instant I closed the door behind me that I wouldn't be taking a seat. Call me a prude, but I wasn't about to place my naked ass on anything that populated the disgusting little room. In fact, if I thought I could pull it off, I'd piss in the sink since it looked to be a hell of a lot cleaner than the toilet.

After a delicate, carefully balanced urination, I washed my hands and wandered back into the crowd. I spotted Lance leaning up against the bar and I walked over to jump up on the stool beside him.

"Wanna beer?" he asked.

"Thanks, but I'm not much of a beer drinker."

"They don't have much of anything else."

"I'm fine. I saw the face you made when Sue mentioned Parker. Want to fill me in?"

The scowl returned. "He's of piece of shit."

"I gathered that."

He tilted his beer. "Couple of years ago, a girl came into the station all beat up. Told me Parker did it, told me a lot of other things too."

"Like?"

"She'd moved here from Des Moines to teach school and started dating Parker a few months later. I guess he waited a little while, and then started pounding on her. When he had her broken, he started giving her to his friends for sport. It wasn't the first time or the first girl, but it was the first time I had someone willing to testify."

My teeth had started to grind before he finished. "I take it he's not in prison?"

"No," he snarled. "When she got out of the hospital, she went back to Des Moines. Her body was found a week before she was to appear in court."

I sighed. "Parker's work?"

"Parker was in custody, judge wouldn't give him bail. But, I have no doubt he was behind it. The son of a bitch smiled all the way out of the courthouse."

"His friends?"

"That's what I believe, yes."

I shook my head sadly. "Julie couldn't catch a break. No wonder she ran."

"Yep."

"Sue was right, she deserved better, a lot fucking better," I growled. "Where's this Parker at now?"

"Does it matter? He probably doesn't know anything and, if he did, I guarantee he won't tell you anything."

"It matters."

He turned a thoughtful eye in my direction. "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

"And if I were?"

He sipped at his beer for a moment. "You know what?"

"What?"

"In this particular case, I suddenly find myself not giving a shit at all."

I knew Parker had nothing to do with Tish's death; he was just another spoke on the wheel. She needed someone to stick up for her and I wanted the job. I was a little late, but I'd extract a price nonetheless. "Justice doesn't always find everyone it should, Sheriff."

He nodded. "Parker's one of them, no doubt."

"If I dropped in on him, would it present a problem?"

He took a deep breath. "As Blaine County's chief law enforcement officer, I can assure you that anything other than a murder investigation would be handled in a very slipshod manner."

I smiled. "I can deal with that."

"When do you want to call on him?"

"I'll stop by on the way out of town."

"Sounds like a plan," he said, downing the rest of his beer. "Come on, let's go find Dawn Booker."

I hopped off my stool. "Let's ride."

A quick call to the dispatcher yielded the information we needed and it took another hour of travel to get close to our destination. Unfortunately, Dawn lived on a rural route so it took another thirty minutes to finally locate her residence.

The trailer house appeared to be in only slightly better condition than Sue Judy's shack and the yard was filled with an assortment of children's toys. I stood at the foot of the steps as Lance banged on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Sheriff Toliver, ma'am."

A full minute passed until the door opened a crack and a pair of blue eyes appeared. She could damn near be Tish's younger twin. "What do you want, Sheriff?"

"Are you Dawn Booker?"

She nodded.

"Can we come in? There's a few things we'd like to discuss with you."

"Who's we and what do you want to talk about?"

He gestured at me. "This is Detective Ledoux, Miss Booker. She'd like to talk to you about your sister Julie."

Her eyes widened and she stared at me in horror. "I haven't seen Julie in years."

"You're not in trouble, Dawn," I said gently. "And we know she came out here last year."

"You don't know anything," she hissed.

"I know more than you think. Julie changed her name to LaTisha and she came to visit you after a fight with her husband."

She struggled for a moment and when she spoke, it was in a small voice. "Is she okay?"

I choked down the lump in my throat. "Perhaps we could come inside?"

She placed a knowing hand over her mouth and opened the door. The tears were already beginning as she directed to us to a seat. "What's happened?"

I shared a quick, helpless look with Lance and cleared my throat. "Julie's dead. She was murdered."

She collapsed into a chair and buried her face in her hands. I tore my eyes away and concentrated on the carpet, trying desperately not to cry myself. Eventually, she lifted her head and looked at me. "Who killed her?"

"That's what I want to know."

She sniffled. "She saved me you know."

"From what, Dawn?"

"From father. She'd fight him every time he came for me. She'd let him have her, but she fought to keep him away from me."

I brought a hand up to wipe at my eyes. "Did she run away because of Lloyd Parker?"

She nodded.

"After she left, how often did you talk to her?"

"Never. She sent money every month, but we never spoke until she showed up last year."

"Did you know what she was doing?"

"No."

A small mercy. "When she left the first time, did she tell you where she was going? Did she leave you a number, anything?"

She started to shake her head, but then glanced up sharply. "She called the day after she left to let me know she was alright, I made her give me a number so I could call her back. She wasn't there when I called."

"You still have that number?"

"I wrote it down in my book. I still use the same one."

"May I see it?"

She rose and disappeared into the back, reemerging a moment later to hand me a little black book. She pointed at the number and I handed the book to Lance. "Could you find out where this is? I think it's a Wisconsin area code."

"Yep. Be right back," he said, rising and making his way out to the car.

I pulled out my own book and jotted down a number, tearing it off and handing it to her. "Dawn, in case you don't have it, this is Sidney's number. I don't believe he knows about you. He…he seems to be a decent person and I know he cared deeply for Ti… I mean Julie."

She accepted it and I wrote down another number. "This is my number. If you ever feel like leaving this place behind, I can find you a good job around good people."

"Thank you."

"Call me, Dawn. I can help more than you know."

"Why would you?"

"Because somebody should've helped Julie a long time ago."

She digested this suspiciously, but finally gave me a nod as Lance poked his head back in and I looked at him expectantly.

"It's a hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. I had the office give them a call, they have records for at least the last ten years."

I turned back to Dawn. "Julie had aliases, did you know any of them besides LaTisha?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Exactly how long ago did Julie leave?"

"Seven years, three months, nineteen days," she replied immediately.

I stared at her thoughtfully.

"Did Sidney bury her, Detective?"

"My name is Maddie, and yes, he did."

"I'll call him, I want to visit," she said, her eyes starting to shine again.

"Do that and then give me a ring," I said as I rose to my feet. "I'm sorry, but I need to go."

"I'll talk to you soon."

"I hope so, Dawn."

She rose to see me out and I smiled at her before I took the steps. Emotions were churning inside me, and none of them were gentle or forgiving. The more I learned, the angrier I became. Tish never had a chance; with every step she took there had been someone waiting in line to abuse her. She endured it all if only to look after a sister that adored her. I wish everybody had that kind of fortitude, I sure as hell didn't. I flinched as I recalled the words I'd spoken to her when we first met, they tasted bitter now and I wished I could take them back.

"You in there, Maddie?" Lance asked.

I blinked. "Huh?"

"We've been in the car for five minutes, you haven't said a word."

"Sorry, just thinking."

"I'll bet. I'll also wager that if you follow Julie's trail long enough, it'll give you all the answers."

"I believe you're right, but how long is the trail?"

"Who knows? The next thing you learn could be the game breaker."

"I hope that's the case."

"You never know. I assume you'll be going to Madison?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"In the morning. That is, if you don't mind putting me up for another night?"

"Nope, but I'm going to insist you buy me dinner."

I chuckled and settled into my seat for the drive back. "Deal."

I lay in bed that night and contemplated a great many things. I thought about how lucky I'd been, about how I took so much for granted. How might my life have turned out if I hadn't had a parent like Gus? Could I have been a Tish Binkowski? Was it just luck of the draw? What would it have been like to grow up knowing that no matter where you turned you were always outnumbered, and that there was someone or something lurking behind every corner in search of a victim? What would it be like to be that victim? I couldn't even imagine, nor did I really want to. Tish's life had been one horror after another but deep down, she was a better person than I could've hoped to be if I'd had to walk in her shoes.

And what about me? When I got out of bed in the morning I had every intention of beating Lloyd Parker to within a pubic hair of his life. I was looking forward to it. With that asshole Senator I'd just lost control, but with Parker, it would be premeditated. And then there was the killer, a person that I could no longer deny I wanted to murder in cold blood. Was I a monster? Did I have the right to dispense justice the way I saw fit? The answer was chilling because it went against everything I wanted to believe in. I wanted to believe that the system worked, but the truth of the matter is, it worked for some and overlooked others. It turned an unseeing eye on people like Hilary and Parker while people like Tish paid the price.

Did the simpleminded fools that protested fanatically against the death penalty really know what it was like to be a victim? How many of them had lost a loved one and lived with the knowledge that the killer who had taken that person from them was growing fat in prison? Did they really have a clue?

Did anyone in this country really know what it was to be oppressed? For the most part, the answer had to be no. In America, unlike other places in the world, you weren't executed because of your religious denomination, your sexual orientation, or because you happened to be a race other than white.

Tish knew what oppression was.

Where was Greenpeace when Tish needed help? Where were the morons that thought abolishing guns would abolish crime? Where was Jesse Jackson, and why wasn't he there to be part of the problem and not the solution? Why was there not an Ivy League professor, that hadn't spent a moment of his life in the real world, appearing on CNN to inform the masses how the virtues of irresponsible government could've saved the day? Johnny Cochran sure as shit wasn't going to represent her. No one was gonna throw her a gay pride parade or a Million Mom march, and religion couldn't have been much solace to a woman who had to sell her body. All she wanted was to survive and, in the end, it just wasn't enough. Any zealot, who screamed for rights they thought they were somehow deprived of, might want to step off their egotistical soapbox and look around before starting in with the rhetoric. There was always someone worse off than you. Tish had been entitled to the most basic of rights yet was denied all of them. A silent victim who had real problems. Who screamed for her?

Maybe I was a monster, but I didn't really give a fuck. I'd scream for Tish. I couldn't save the world, but I just might make it a little bit cleaner.

Eventually, I rolled over and closed my eyes. I missed Anabel and, if I accomplished nothing else, I wanted to try my best to be everything to her she wanted me to be.

Lance was waiting for me at the kitchen table when I got up and around. I set my bag down as I took a seat and looked curiously at the plastic case he had in front of him.

"Morning," I said.

"Good morning. Got some coffee on, wanna cup for the road?"

"Please," I said. "Whatcha have there?"

"Take a look," he said, sliding the box across the table.

I opened it, removing a map, an envelope, and a tranquilizer pistol. I gave him a confused look.

"Parker has a pair of mean dogs. They'll rush you if he ain't around to stop them or they don't know you."

"Ah."

"The map is to his place, he has a lot of land and it's off the main road."

I nodded. "What's in the envelope?"

"My address. Drop me a note and return my pistol when you've found who you're looking for."

"I'll do that."

"Be sure that you do."

I glanced over the map, it was quite detailed. "This isn't a store bought map."

"Nope."

I looked at him knowingly. "You didn't make it last night either."

He grinned. "Nope."

"What were you waiting for?"

He shrugged. "I'm the Sheriff and Parker knows it. I'd have to kill him, and I'm not prepared to do that."

"I can understand that."

He stood from his chair to pour coffee into two Styrofoam cups. When he placed one in front of me, I stood as well.

"I don't think I can thank you enough for all your help," I mumbled.

"Sure you can."

"How?"

"Tell me the truth."

"What truth is that?"

"You're not investigating, Maddie. You're hunting."

I stared at him for a moment. "What tipped you off?"

"You've asked all the wrong questions. You're only interested in the end result."

I gave him a nod of concession. "You're right."

He smiled. "Yep."

"So why help me?"

"A couple of reasons."

"Wanna share?"

He sighed. "Let's just say that I'm a little more jaded than I once was. There's more gray than there is black and white."

I pursed my lips. "That's true."

"Yeah, it is. You best be on your way."

I dug a card out of my jacket and placed it on the table. "That's my number if you ever find yourself in town. Give me a call and I'll buy you another dinner."

"Alrighty, I might just do that."

"Good," I said as I reached down to grab my bag. I shouldered it and focused my eyes on the wall behind him, raising an arm to point. "What the hell is that?"

He turned to look and I rushed forward to hug him, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "See ya later, Sheriff," I mumbled in his ear before turning to grab the stuff off the table.

He chuckled behind me as I made my way for the door. "See ya later, Maddie."

The Parker estate was actually quite impressive. From where I'd left my car, it had taken me almost forty-five minutes to travel to within sight of the house he lived in. The little dwelling was an eyesore in the middle of a mass of sparkling farm equipment, several shiny new cars, and a barn that must have cost a fortune. It didn't say much for his priorities.

I squatted at the edge of a tree line and studied my destination through binoculars. Sure enough, there were two Dobermans lounging on the front porch. I considered my options. If I got too close, I wouldn't have time to load a second dart in the pistol Lance had given me before one of the dogs reached me. I'd have to try from a distance so I scrutinized my surroundings for a place to launch an offensive. Finally, I settled on one and gathered myself up for the trip.

It was slow going. I couldn't risk alerting the dogs before I was ready and I went to great lengths to make as little noise as possible. Maybe I wasn't as stealthy as I thought, or maybe the dogs just picked up on my scent. Whatever it was, I knew I'd fucked up as I turned to check on them and found them running at full speed in my direction. Biting down on a sudden panic, I reached into my jacket for the tranquilizer pistol and leveled it at the closest of the rapidly approaching dogs.

The dart struck the mutt in the neck and he whined at the impact, dropping to the ground and rolling back and forth in an attempt to dislodge it. I fumbled for the second one, trying to load it while keeping on eye on the remaining dog. My concentration was for shit, and I was turning to run when I felt the dart fall into the chamber. Closing in on terror as the dog closed in on me, I pulled the trigger and brought an arm up to protect my face and throat.

The dog slammed into me like a ton of bricks and I lost my breath as my back hit the ground. I managed to throw the pooch off and roll to my knees, pulling my roscoe from the holster. Playtime was over. My finger was tight on the trigger when I noticed the dog wasn't moving, and a quick inspection revealed the dart in his shoulder. I bent over to catch my breath.

After a moment, I rose to my feet and dusted myself off. I cast a careful eye on the house, but apparently my little ruckus had gone unnoticed. I made tracks for the front door, digging the required items out my bag.

I wasn't a kung fu superstar and was too little to stand toe to toe with much of anyone. The secret to my success was trickery and brutality. I had no intention of underestimating Lloyd Parker, and I certainly wasn't gonna give him an opportunity to fight back. I held the stun gun in my left hand and the police baton in my right, hiding both behind my back and using my foot to knock on the door. An answer wasn't forthcoming so I kicked it again, louder and longer.

"What the fuck!" a voice boomed from inside.

I waited and kicked the door one more time. I could hear footsteps pound toward me from inside and I readied myself.

The door flew open and I was confronted by an enormous man, dressed only in boxers, and sporting one hell of an angry expression.

"Are you Lloyd Parker?" I asked sweetly.

"Yeah, where are my dogs and who the hell are you?"

I turned a quick look over my left shoulder. "Your dogs pissed me off and you can just call me tardy."

I waited for his eyes to focus on the dogs behind me and I pounced, stabbing him in the chest with the stun gun, and following it up with a roundhouse blow to the jaw with my baton. He hit the ground like a freefalling grand piano.

A scream sounded from within and I stepped over his comatose body to enter the house. The screeching stopped as I became visible and my eyes landed on a half naked woman with an awesome set of jubblies. A closer inspection revealed bruises on her body and face.

"Is…is he dead?" she asked.

"No. Is there anyone else here?"

She shook her head. "Who are you?"

"Do you want to stay here?"

She looked at the ground. "No."

"Then get dressed and go. Pretend you never saw me."

"I… I don't have a car or any money."

"Take one of Lloyd's, does he have any cash in the house?"

"There's a safe in the bedroom."

"Pack your things. He'll be coming around soon," I said, turning around and dropping to my knees to place a pair of handcuffs on the unconscious Parker.

When I stood, she was gone and I dug my smokes out of my jacket as I walked over to seat myself at a table. I didn't worry about an ashtray. I was almost done with it when he began to stir and I rose to travel back to the door, flicking my butt out into the yard.

His eyes fluttered open and he groaned, coughing fitfully for a moment and spitting out a mouthful of blood. I nudged him with a foot.

"How do you open the safe in the bedroom?"

"I think you broke my fuckin' jaw," he grunted.

"If it was broke, you wouldn't be talkin' to me."

He tried to rise, but a foot to the kidney put him back down. "If you try to get up again, I'll bust your head. How do you open the safe?"

He shook with rage. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I won't ask again. How do you open the safe?"

"Fuck you!"

"Oh, dude. Wrong answer."

The baton landed on one of his knees. He screamed and writhed around on the floor.

I waited for him to get a grip on his pain. "The other one will crack just as easy."

He growled through clenched teeth. "The key's in the coffee can above the sink."

"I'm gonna go look. If I have to run back over here because you tried to move, you'll be sorry."

I glared at him for a moment and then traveled into the kitchen to rummage through the cupboard. Decaffeinated. What a loser. I dug through the can to find the key, lifting it up to my lips to blow the grounds from it. Grinning, I puttered out to the porch and sat down cross-legged in front of him. He stared at me with spiteful eyes.

"What do you want?"

I ignored him.

"What the fuck do you want?" he yelled.

I lit up another cigarette. It didn't take long for the woman to reappear and she approached hesitantly, a bag over her shoulder and a second one clutched tightly to her chest. I waved her forward.

"Here's the key to the safe," I said, extending it over Lloyd's body. "Take whatever you want."

"Don't you do it, bitch," he growled. "I'll find you. Wherever you go, I'll find you."

She flinched and I spoke quickly. "Don't listen to him. Just take a car, the money, and go. Don't look back."

Her eyes flickered back and forth between us for a moment but the decision was quick in coming. She reached for the key and raced back into the bedroom.

"I'll kill you for this," he snarled at me.

"I don't think so."

"Who the fuck are you?"

I took a drag and waited. A few minutes later, the woman emerged from the bedroom. I almost chuckled as she hopped over Lloyd and beamed an excited smile at me. "There was a lot of cash. A whole lot."

"Bitch! Fucking bitch!" he screamed.

"Take the money and run," I said, smiling back at her.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Will he come after me?"

"No."

To my horror, she started to cry. But, to my amusement, she turned and fired off a series of kicks into Lloyd's stomach. When she was finished, she turned to me with shining cheeks. "Thank you."

I nodded and she shot me another grin before bounding down the steps and rushing off toward one of the cars. I watched her drive away and turned my attention on the lump of shit at my feet.

"I don't think she liked you very much."

"Who cares what that dead cunt thinks? I'll kill her and I'll kill you."

"Julie Booker got away, didn't she, Lloyd?"

His eyes narrowed and I pulled her picture out of my jacket, lowering it so he could see. "She's very happy now. Her new husband loves her very much and would never hurt her or raise a hand against her."

"I'll find that bitch too."

"No, you won't. Who do you think sent me, Lloyd?"

His eyes conveyed sudden understanding. God, he was dense.

"Do you watch the news?"

He gaped. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"

"I just wanted you to know how far in over your head you are."

He stared at me confusedly.

"Do you know who Angelo Sirico is?"

A blank look.

"Julie married into the mob, Lloyd. This ain't a social call."

He chewed on that for a moment and it was painful to watch. The man was dumber than a bag of hammers and I began to wonder what he did with the diaper every time he changed his mind. It was obvious that I'd have to explain it to him in terms a child would understand.

"Do you want to live or die, Lloyd?"

"You here to kill me?"

"Now you're catching on."

"You wouldn't be talkin' to me if there wasn't another option."

My eyebrows climbed in surprise. He wasn't as stupid he pretended to be. "You're right. There's another option."

"What's that?"

I let my face grow hard. "Sheriff Toliver is gonna have you under the eye. If he overhears even the slightest rumor about you, someone will be back. They'll kill you, Lloyd. They'll kill your family, your pets, your friends, even people who owe you money. Your fuckin' days are numbered, and it's up to you as to how many you have left."

I traded hands, taking the stun gun in my right. "Think about that. Think about it carefully, because the biggest mistake you could make in your revolting little life would be to think I'm bluffing. And just to make sure you're taking me seriously, I'm gonna leave you with a taste of what's to come. Remember me, but more importantly, remember Julie and everyone else you've damaged."

I didn't give him the chance to respond and immediately placed my left foot on his neck, bearing down on him with all my weight. His eyes widened and he began to squirm furiously on the floor, kicking his legs violently in the attempt to dislodge me.

I struggled; riding a two hundred and fifty pound man wasn't something I could pull off for long. A light smack to his temple with my baton dazed him long enough for me to remain in control.

"With any luck, you'll have a limp dick for the rest of your life," I said, resituating myself to get the correct angle.

He saw the stun gun start to descend and panicked as my intentions became clear. I had to hurry, knowing that I couldn't handle him for long. I found my target and dug in mercilessly, the voltage rendering him helpless. He couldn't even scream, his body reduced to a feeble lump of shivering Jell-O.

Knowing I had a savage smile of satisfaction on my face, I fried the beans until his eyes rolled back and he finally passed out. The fucker had lasted longer than I thought; I'd have to replace the batteries. I ran a gaze over him and lowered a hand to check for a pulse. It was still there.

I relieved him of the handcuffs and placed a copy of Tish's picture on the floor next to his face. It was the first thing I wanted him to see. Mission accomplished, I trekked down the steps and began the journey back to my car.

II

A few hours in the car and I traded farm country for dairy country. I amused myself by counting all the billboards that advertised genuine Wisconsin cheese, available of course, at every exit. I wasn't a big fan of cheese, certain types tended to give me the trots.

Eventually, Madison loomed before me and I was forced to think about what I might possibly expect to find. At the most, just another name that would probably send me back to square one, and at the least, just Julie's name in an old ledger. The latter would leave me at another dead end. How long did Julie wait before assuming the identity of LaTisha Moreland? And where did a country girl get the money and the contacts to produce a quality alias? Where would I look next if I left Madison empty-handed?

I had more answers now than I had started with, but I was still sucking hind tit. Somewhere, there was a clue that tied everything together, a clue that would connect Gus to a group of ex-hookers and a killer. The more I learned, the farther away the answers seemed to be.

I sighed and took my exit, cruising the two blocks my map indicated and arriving in front of my destination. I cast an inquisitive look at the aging four-story, brick building and shook my head. It was transient hotel, which meant it went through guests and employees on a daily basis. Nobody would be able to recall a woman who had stayed here seven years ago. Hell, they probably wouldn't remember you if you had died in the lobby of blistering boils the day before.

Irritably, I parked and climbed out of the car to plod inside disappointedly. The interior was much cleaner than I imagined and a middle-aged woman sitting behind the desk tore her eyes away from a little TV to shoot me a friendly smile.

"Whatcha need, honey?" she asked.

"I'm Maddie, you should've gotten a call from the Blaine County Sheriff?"

"I sure did. You here to go through the old books?"

"Yeah, are you the owner?"

"That's me."

"For how long?"

"Last ten years."

I whipped out Tish's picture and showed it to her. "You wouldn't remember her would you? She stayed here seven years ago."

She fumbled for a pair of reading glasses and looked down her nose at the photograph. "Sorry, honey. I can't place her."

"That's okay. Does the name Julie Booker sound familiar?"

She shook her head.

"Do you make everybody sign the book?"

"Of course.

"Well, I guess that's what I need to look at. Would you show me your ledgers from seven years ago?"

She chuckled. "I can show you the ledgers from the last ten years, but you'll have to dig through them for the one you want."

From her tone, I assumed it wouldn't be a pleasant task. "Lead the way."

She dug around in a drawer for a ring of keys and rose to lead me through a door that led downstairs.

"I keep the old records next to the boiler room," she said as she navigated the steps. "I imagine you'll be all day. There's a phone, gimme a ring if you get hungry, I usually order out around six."

I suppressed a groan.

"I hope you like to sweat, it's hotter than Hell down here in the winter time."

I did groan. "Can you set me up with a room if I need it?"

"Sure, plenty of vacancies today."

"Thanks."

"Don't thank me, honey. You haven't seen what you're getting yourself into."

I didn't have time to ponder that statement before the meaning became excruciatingly clear. We passed through another door and my eyes widened in dismay. The books were stacked one on top of the other, ceiling high, and several stacks deep. There had to be thousands, most of them covered in an inch thick dust.

"You're kidding me?"

"Afraid not."

"Are they at least dated?"

"Oh yeah, on the first page of each one."

"God."

"Sorry, sweetie. I'm not much for record keeping."

No shit. It appeared that when she had filled a book, she just opened the door and simply threw it on top of the pile. I did the math and came to the unpleasant conclusion that if she had owned this place for ten years, and Tish had stayed here seven years ago; the book I wanted would be close to the bottom. I stripped off my jacket and rolled up my sleeves, it was going to be dirty work and I was already sweating from the heat.

"Is there a soda machine close by?"

"Tell you what, I'll just fix you a little cooler and bring it on down."

I gave her a smile. "That'd be very nice, thank you."

She chuckled and gave me a swat on the way out the door. "Good luck."

I watched her go and turned to contemplate the mountain, choosing a place to start. Oh, yeah. This was gonna suck.

Six and half hours later, I sat inside the prison I had created for myself. I was completely surrounded by piles of painstakingly separated books. I was soaking wet and covered with grime. Wiping my hand across my forehead resulted in a mud streak and my clothes were almost black from handling the dusty ledgers.

I was beginning to despair. Nineteen ninety-five had been a busy year for the hotel, and for the last hour or so I'd been reading through an endless list of names that were, for the most part, illegible.

What the fuck was I doing? If Tish hadn't used her real name when signing in, how the hell would I spot an alias? If she had used her real name, I'd just spent a miserable day toiling in a basement just so I could look at her signature. I was a dope.

Angrily, I tossed the book I was looking at aside and lit up a smoke. Why wasn't I at home with Anabel? The answer was immediate and my determination instantly assembled a second wind. I was toiling in this shitty little room because Gus deserved no less, and I'd spend the rest of my life chasing leads if I had to. Justice didn't have a statute of limitations.

I took a deep breath and cast eyes at the ledger I'd discarded. It had landed open and I stared at the page it displayed as I finished my cigarette. A name scrawled down near the bottom struck a faint cord and I leaned in closer, studying it intently. I knew it from somewhere and my mind labored to identify it. I gazed at it for so long the cigarette between my fingers grew hot and it startled me out of my trance, I hurriedly flipped it away and stood to step on it, extending a hand to snatch up the ledger and hold it up to the light.

Gooseflesh started at my ankles and rapidly spread throughout my body. The answer was there but mocking me as it dangled just out my reach. Swooping in to tease me, but nimbly evading every attempt at capture. I dug in, refusing to give up. It was so close.

When it hit me, it hit me hard and my knees refused to support me. My ass hit the floor with an unnoticed thud and I wanted to scream. It was a revelation that led to another, a double-bladed sword. I suddenly had a suspect and with that knowledge, pieces of the puzzle, related and unrelated, started to fall into place with a painful clarity. Voices tormented me, delighting in the irony of discovery.

"Sirico has several of her as a child, and those are the only ones anybody has been able to find. The family photos disappeared with her and there are no yearbook photos or the like, she didn't even have a drivers license."

"Where's your car?"
"I don't have a car, Maddie."
"Huh?"
"I grew up in the city, never learned how to drive."

"What happened to Sal's wife?"
"Cancer got her a few years earlier."

"I don't know how people do this."
"Do what?"
"Say goodbye."
"It isn't easy. I know what you're feeling."
"Do you?"
"I've said goodbye to both my parents."

"What's the longest relationship you've ever had?"
"What was yours?"
"Never really had one."
"Huh?"

"I've always been busy, you know, business to run and all that."

"What do you mean and why do you think you know enough about me to say the things you just did?"

"Gus was my friend. He talked about you often, long before he approached me as a possible suitor."

"I guess Gus didn't tell you…"
"Tell me what?"

"Uhm… he invited me over the other night thinking you'd be there. He was…uh… well…he was matchmaking."

"Maddie, is Sarah that girl I met over at Gus's?"
"Yeah, she runs a shelter on the east side."
"Really? The one on Foster?"
"Yeah. How would you know?"

"Visited a friend there once."

"Annie, did you pick up my files?"
"Hmmm?"
"My files, I left them out and now they're all packed away."
"Oh yeah, they were all over the counter so I put them back in the box."
"Did you read them?"

"None of my business."

"And why should I believe that?"
"Because I could very easily have been sent to kill you, not talk to you."
"Why not just kill me?"

"Because you have friends in the DiCarlo family, Matilda."

I clamped my hands over my ears to drown out the noise. The clues had been all around me, yet I'd taken no notice. Maybe, I just didn't want to. Fate had played me for a fool and she was one fuckin' cast-iron, vicious bitch. Oh, there was no doubt Fate was a female. No male, godly or otherwise, could be so vindictive. A male would just step in, blow the whistle, and tell everyone it was time to get out of the pool. If you disobeyed, the confrontation would be quick and easily forgotten. A female would ask nicely, and if you scorned her, she'd spend years taking her revenge. Give her a grievance and she'd save it like money, exploiting every opportunity to knife you yet never wounding mortally because she wanted you to suffer.

Thankfully, I was a big enough bitch to admit this and, as far as I was concerned, Fate could take it in the ass. I tossed the ledger back into the pile and rose to clear my way to the door. It wasn't like I'd need it in court.

When I got upstairs, I asked the lady for a room and went out to get my bag. I needed a long shower and some sleep because soon, very soon, I'd be going home.

The rising sun hit me through the windshield already halfway to my destination. The night had been restless and sleep only a passing fancy. I had a suspect, but I didn't know the whole story. I wanted more to go on and many of the details still eluded me. I was required to read the fine print. A mistake would be unforgivable since the repercussions were fatal. Justice, in this case, could not afford to belatedly find itself in error. I needed to be sure.

As soon as I left the land of cheese behind, my cell phone let it be known that I had over a dozen messages. I didn't listen to them, wanting no distractions until all the cards had been played.

Monica Brentwood was part of the final solution. I just needed to ask the right questions and, this time, I would. This time, I wouldn't be fishing for a clue; I'd be seeking to validate what I already suspected. All she had to do was give me a connection. A confirmation, however circumstantial, would be the second to last piece of the puzzle.

The prison only twenty minutes away, I reached for the phone with the hope of speaking to the Warden. I wasn't disappointed and although he couldn't meet me personally, he made arrangements to accommodate me.

All too soon, I was standing in the hall outside a window, staring at the manacled woman who resided within. I turned to the guard who had accompanied me.

"Let's lose the restraints."

"The Warden didn't authorize that."

"He will if you call him."

The man grunted and considered for a moment. "Don't make me sorry I did this."

He entered the room and I flipped the switch to listen in, watching through the window as he approached her.

"I'm going to remove the chains," he said, pulling the baton from his belt. "Fuck up even a little bit, and you'll spend a week in the infirmary. Understand?"

She looked at him confusedly, nodding slowly.

No other words were spoken and I flipped the switch again when he was finished. He held the door open for me as he emerged. "Give me a knock when you're ready."

"Thank you."

When I entered this time, the look I received was wary but as close to pleasant as I could imagine her capable of.

"Maddie," she said as I took a seat.

"Hello again."

"The chains your idea?"

"Yes."

"Thanks," she said, her expression thoughtful. "Why?"

"Because everyone deserves a little dignity."

It took a moment, but she finally gave me a somewhat bewildered nod.

I took a deep breath. "Monica, I need to ask you some more questions. Some of them are personal and might be difficult to answer. Like before, no one is listening or watching. I promise that anything you say will not leave this room."

Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded again. "What do you want to know?"

It was all moving rapidly now, almost out of my control. The queen had been taken, the knights had fallen, and the king was on the run. A few more moves and it would all be over.

I'd given no thought to what my life would be like afterward. Things would be different, of that I was sure. However, now was not the time to brood or feel sorry myself. There would be time for that later, and I had no desire to dwell on how lonely and unforgiving that time might prove to be.

An hour before dusk, I went through the routine to gain entry into the Frank's establishment. As I walked across the dance floor, I wasn't surprised to find them at their customary table surrounded by the usual assortment of sluts. They nodded in greeting as I took up a chair.

"We need to talk. Privately."

They both studied me for a moment and Bobby waved the chicks away. He waited until they were well out of earshot.

"What's up, Maddie?"

"The boogeyman. I need to speak to him."

Robby's eyebrows rose and Bobby took a deep breath. "Ask us for something else."

"I don't need anything else."

"No way, Maddie. That's playing with our lives."

"It's safer than you probably think."

"There ain't nothin' safe about that dude."

"I've met him. He's your contact so you have a number. That's all I'm asking for."

"If you've met him, then you should know better than to want to see him again," Robby said.

"He's not allowed to hurt me and I won't reveal anything."

They both blinked. "What do you mean he's not allowed?" Bobby asked.

"His boss wouldn't be pleased."

They absorbed this in a thoughtful silence. "If you have connections like that, you don't need us," Bobby said.

"It's complicated. Help me out here. It won't be forgotten."

A full two minutes passed as Robby scratched his chin in agitation and Bobby drummed his fingers on the table. I reached for my cigarettes, smoking half of one before Bobby spoke.

"If it gets back to us, we'll be dead by the end of the week."

"Trust me."

"You better be fuckin' sure, Maddie."

"I am."

They shared a look with one another and Bobby reluctantly rose to his feet, throwing me an uncertain glance as he departed. He returned as I crushed out my smoke and placed a scrap of paper on the table in front of me. His hand lingered over the top of it.

"Giving you this number could be the biggest, and the last mistake, I'll ever make."

I rose to my feet. "It won't be."

I dialed the number as soon as I got back to my car. Two rings and I had an answer.

"Yes?"

"It's Maddie. We need to have another conversation."

A moment of silence.

"Would you like to tell me how you got this number, Matilda?"

"That's not going to happen."

"Another conversation could be perilous."

"I'd like one anyway, and there's no need to inform your boss. In fact, I'd be in your debt if you didn't."

"Interesting," he said slowly. "Do you have you any idea what a dangerous game you're playing?"

"Yeah, I do."

"It seems you're no longer in the dark."

"Possibly."

"Very well. There's a bench on the corner of 31st and State. Be sitting on it in two hours."

"You'll keep this between us?"

"For the time being. Goodbye, Matilda."

The phone found the inside of my jacket and I started the car.

I looked at my watch for the umpteenth time; two hours had come and gone. It was fuckin' freezing and my patience was fast expiring. If he didn't show soon, I'd be forced to seek some warmth. I released a frustrated breath and watched as it practically crystallized in the air around my face. Suddenly entertained, I started breathing in and out rapidly, watching with interest the little clouds my labor produced.

"Good evening, Matilda," a voice purred from behind me.

I stifled a startled yelp. "You're late."

"Of course."

I was more than a little surprised when he moved into view and seated himself next to me. He was a devilishly handsome man that was gaining on his late forties. Long hair in a ponytail and an immaculate goatee only added to his appeal. However, his eyes told a story of barely suppressed violence and I could understand perfectly how easily intimidating his presence could be.

"No longer concerned about revealing yourself?"

"Not especially. Either way, it no longer matters."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"It'll work out or I'll have to kill you. It's still too soon to say for certain."

A chill ran up my spine and I struggled to ignore it. "If it's the latter, I'd appreciate it if you left a beautiful corpse."

He grinned. "Consider it done. So tell me, what would you like to talk about?"

"I just need to know one thing."

"And you think I'm the person to provide you with an education?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know where Sabrina went the night Salvotore died."

"Hmmm."

"Will you tell me?"

"It's unwise to ask questions about Sabrina. I thought I made that clear the first time we spoke."

"We both know why I want the answer."

"True."

"Well?"

"I hope you're not digging yourself a grave, Matilda."

"Tell me."

III

I spent the night in my car and in the morning, made Joey's parlor my first stop. When I walked in, Jimmy was the only one visible and he shot me a friendly wave from across the room. I didn't return it, and just stared at him through my sunglasses. He looked at me for a moment and then rose to slip into the back without a word. I waited less than a minute for Joey to appear. He opened the door and studied me with narrowed eyes.

"Get on back here."

I obeyed and he spoke as soon as we had some privacy. "Whatcha need?"

I tried a grin, but he saw through it.

"Let's hear it, Maddie. When you stop talking, I know you're super pissed."

I sighed. "I need to see the old man."

He grunted. "Wanna tell me why?"

"I'd rather just say it once."

A hand came up and he scratched the hair behind an ear in agitation. He didn't like being in the dark anymore than I did. "Alright, Maddie," he grumbled, walking over to seat himself in front of a phone.

I didn't bother to listen; I knew what the answer would be. He stood after he hung up and walked toward the door. "Let's go."

He didn't speak to me once in the half hour it took to get there. I guess he might have been a little upset that I wouldn't confide in him. That, and he knew me well enough to know that I wouldn't talk about it until I was ready.

Angelo Sirico lived in a house that resembled a castle. It wasn't as pretentious as you'd expect, but it wasn't hard to spot big money. The last time I visited Sirico's home had been when I returned from the war. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Sirico's shadow greeted us at the door and led us inside.

"Maddie, what a pleasure!" Angelo boomed as he came down the stairs to meet us. In his mid sixties and powerfully energetic, Sirico was a handsome little man with eyes that could be both charming and menacing.

"Hi, Angie."

He smiled. "You know you're the only one I let get away with calling me that?"

"You still think it's cute."

"You're right, of course," he chuckled, taking my hand. "Come on, let's go jabber. Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you."

"Joe?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Hmmm, something's up," he whispered in my ear as he led us into the study. "Joe never refuses a drink."

Joey took a seat next to the door and I slipped into a chair in front of his desk, waiting patiently for him to get settled. His shadow remained standing next to the window. Finally, he seated himself and gave me a serious look.

"I'm very sorry about Gus, Maddie. I miss him often. I don't know if you're aware of it, but he and I argued many times in the past."

"I didn't know that."

"Oh yes, but he always held his ground and wouldn't let me corrupt him," he said fondly. "I respected him greatly for that, although I never told him. I like to think he knew anyway."

"I'm sure he did."

"I'm sorry I couldn't convey my personal condolences to you earlier. The funeral wasn't the right time and afterward, Joe informed me that you wouldn't be available."

"It…it was a bad day."

"Of course," he said with an understanding nod. "Now, what is it that brings you here so early in the morning?"

I cleared my throat. "I'd like to talk to you about Sabrina DiCarlo."

He leaned forward in his chair. "Indeed?"

"Yes."

"I'm listening."

"I'm going to put an end to your vendetta."

He narrowed his eyes. "That is not your responsibility."

"I'm making it my responsibility."

"I won't allow it. Tell me what you know."

"You'll allow it or I'll kill you right now," I said, going for my gun and extending it toward him over the desk.

He reared back as if he'd been slapped and Joey bolted to his feet. "Maddie, what the fuck are you doing?" he yelled, but with the same breath, he turned and addressed Sirico's bodyguard. "Chris, you keep your hands where I can see them. If you move on her, I'll tear your goddamn head off."

"Do you want to talk about it, Angie? Or should I pull the trigger?"

He stared at me, all traces of kindness gone from his eyes. "I'd ask you if you had any idea what the consequences are for your actions here today, but you know exactly what you're doing, don't you?"

"Yep."

He settled back into his chair. "Obviously, I'd be a fool not to hear what you have to say."

"You're not a fool, Angie."

He chuckled. "Chris, please wait outside."

The shadow spoke for the first time. "Are you…?"

"Wait outside."

He reluctantly made his way out of the room and Joey slowly sat back down. I holstered my weapon.

"Alright, Maddie. What's the story?"

I endured a painful, irate lecture in the car, and then suffered though a full-blown tirade as soon as Joey and I returned to his shop. Eventually, he worked himself out of his lather and sat down with a sigh, looking at me expectantly and wanting an explanation. He got one and I told him everything, giving him the details I'd carefully omitted with Sirico. His reaction wasn't disappointing. We spoke for over an hour before I took my leave. I had things to do.

I made three calls, one to Woody, and one to Sidney Binkowski. The third call required a payphone and I didn't have to speak; I just needed confirmation. I hung up as soon as I had it.

I visited the post office to return Lance's pistol and to drop him a note before heading to a flower shop for roses and finally, I bought a Valentine for Julie Booker that I stamped and tossed in a mailbox.

My preparations complete, I drove across town and parked three blocks away from the house. It started to rain as I walked up the sidewalk and I flipped my cigarette into the gutter. The front door was locked, but a window in the backyard was easy to break. I stomped my feet and shook the rain from my jacket after I clamored inside.

I had a few hours before company arrived so I headed for the living room and made myself busy. The gun was surprisingly easy to find. It sat within an antique box decorating a display shelf of assorted knickknacks. A wave of anger washed over me as I stared at the revolver that had killed Gus. I picked it up, ejecting the rounds into my hand.

I studied the bullets with a quiet rage as I noted the grooves carefully filed into the nose of each one. I put the gun back where I found it and closed the lid. The ammunition I arranged in front of the box, positioning them on the shelf like toy soldiers standing in formation. I wanted them to be noticed.

The tapes took longer to find, but I knew I'd locate them. The entertainment center held a vast collection of videos, and they were hidden inside the covers of 'Home Alone' and 'Home Alone 2'. They were difficult and heartrending to watch, but I ignored my tears and forced myself to sit through both of them. They found a home on the coffee table when I was finished.

With nothing left to do, I settled into an armchair and waited. I didn't smoke, and I didn't move, I just waited. I waited for the killer. It wouldn't be long now.

I sat there for two hours but the time went by in a seamless blur, it only felt like minutes before I heard the sound of a key unlocking the front door. Footsteps approached and she dumped her purse on the sofa absentmindedly while she browsed through her mail. It was time to be noticed.

"Good evening."

She jumped at the sound of my voice, gasping when her eyes found me seated in her living room. The color drained from her face, but she smiled. It was hard to see it as anything but genuine.

"Maddie!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Save it, I know everything."

Her eyes widened and her face paled to a deathly white. I could see her mind racing. She shot a glance at the shelf where her gun lay hidden and cringed at finding my little display. There wasn't an easy out and she knew it, I was curious to see what she would come up with.

"Sarah, do you know Sabrina DiCarlo?"

She shook her head.

"Sabrina is the head of one the most powerful crime families in the country. Seven years ago, she visited your halfway house. You see, she had just lost her father and was the target of a vendetta. She couldn't disappear right away and she needed a few days, what better place to hide than a homeless shelter? She had power and she had wealth, it was the last place anyone would look for a mafia princess."

"Timing and coincidence is the bitch of it all because around that same time, Latisha Moreland also came to you for help. But she didn't get it, did she?"

She could only gawk, the wheels turning furiously behind her eyes.

"Gus was Sabrina's friend and he just wanted to know if you knew about her, but that's not what you thought. You thought he was digging around after Tish, and when he invited you to his house, you must've panicked when you found Tish as one of the guests. After removing Gus, you decided to eliminate the only other people that could finger you."

She was getting grip on her fear; I could see it in her eyes.

"How many women besides Tish, Clarice, and Monica came to you for help, only to be forced into prostitution, Sarah? You don't need nor want the money they earned on their backs. You just wanted power over them. You wanted to use them and keep them broken. You enjoyed their indignity. You get off on it, don't you?"

I gestured to the tapes on the coffee table. "I've seen your movies. You're a twisted cunt, Sarah. Were you planning on using me the same way?"

Her mouth opened and closed several times as she struggled for words, they finally came out in hiss. "How?"

"Tish's real name was Julie Booker, but you knew that. She grew up with an incestuous father, married a brutal prick that wasn't much better, and ended up running away from all of it. She came to you for a helping hand and got nothing but a few more years of abuse."

"How?" she demanded.

"When she left her husband, she stayed overnight in Wisconsin. She checked into a room under the name of Marissa Fiore. The name of the stray you gave me when I visited you for the first time. You probably thought it was safe to mention, but how could you know that in the basement of a hotel in Madison, there's a ledger with that name in it. If I hadn't found it, I might never have identified you. Tish was on the run, she was hiding her tracks, but you knew that and used it to your advantage."

"I have an excellent lawyer, Maddie."

I chuckled. "You're a killer, Sarah."

"So?" she yelled. "How many have you killed, Maddie? You probably slaughtered dozens in the war. How many bodies did you fly over?"

I rose to my feet. "You're right, but what makes a soldier sad, makes a killer smile. I didn't gut shoot anyone and watch as they died painfully with me laughing at them. I did my duty and I didn't enjoy it."

I let her chew on that as my hand found the small of my back.

"I spent the first seven years of my life in a French orphanage and the next five in a boarding school. My father was a merchant seaman, a drunk, and a drug addict. I was lucky if he visited me once a year. When he died, I don't think I even managed a frown."

Moisture stung my eyes. "Gus came for me soon after. He loved me, Sarah. He gave me everything, a home, a family, and a father. He was my Dad, and you took him away from me."

My hand reappeared holding the little gun and I pointed it at her belly, advancing on her slowly. There was terror in her eyes now, the terror of suddenly knowing that the only jury she was going to see was standing in front of her. There would be no appeal, no pardon, and no escape.

"He was my hero, you sick bitch."

I lashed out with all of my strength, using the butt of the gun to strike her in the mouth. She fell to the floor with a cry of pain, holding both hands over her injury. Tears began to stream from her eyes, but she cast a look at me that was nothing if not vicious.

"You gonna shoot me now, Maddie?" she asked, talking around a mouthful of blood. "Will you be sad when it's done, or will you smile? Which one will you be, the soldier or the killer?"

"Both," I said, turning my back on her and striding for the door. I undid the locks and opened it a crack before I returned to stand over her.

"I dreamed about killing you, Sarah. I fantasized about it. I wanted nothing more than to watch as you took your last breath. I wanted to revel in it, savor it. But you know what?"

She responded by waving a hand in the air; the other was busy wiping blood from her face.

"If I pulled the trigger on you, I wouldn't be the person that I want to be. Nor would I be the person others want me to be."

Surprisingly, she laughed. "You're nothing but bullshit, Maddie."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"All your pretty words, and you don't have the guts to follow through. You had me scared for a second there, but I should've known better. You're not sure about anything, even yourself."

I chuckled. "Until recently, I might have agreed with you."

As if on cue, the door opened and Jimmy let himself in. He gave me a nod as he approached, and my eyes dropped to see Sarah look at him in confusion.

"I'd introduce you, but it would be pretty pointless."

"I… I don't understand."

I worked up a smile. "Justice doesn't need me to be the executioner, Sarah. I can live with being the emissary," I said, turning to Jimmy when I was finished. "Did Joey explain everything?"

He opened his jacket and withdrew a heavy revolver. "It'll be done right."

Her mouth moved to form words, but none were forthcoming. I gave her my full attention.

"Gus stood up after you shot him. He got up and walked around his desk to get at you. Could you be half as strong or as brave? Tish died on the bathroom floor, a miserable end to a life that had only really just begun. Could you be half as courageous and resilient as she must've been?"

She started to cry; the tears weak as the knowledge of what was to come washed over her.

"You could talk to them about it, if only you were going to the same place," I said, holstering my gun and turning for the door. Leaving her alone with Jimmy and a .357 loaded with a single carved round.

The cold air was a relief and I took a deep breath before heading back to my car. I took my time, driving around aimlessly until it was dark. It was still drizzling when I arrived at my spot on the lakefront, I got out of the car and walked into the long abandoned boathouse and sat down with my legs dangling over the water. This was my secret place. A place I visited when I wasn't sure about things or when I needed to cry and didn't want the comfort of others. I reached for my cell phone.

"Winters."

"Hi, Billy."

"It's about fuckin' time! Where the hell are you?"

"I'm in town."

"So what did you learn?"

"Consider this an anonymous call, Billy."

A little pause. "Alright, Maddie."

"At the residence of Sarah Caruso you'll find the murder weapon, the missing tapes, and a cadaver."

He didn't immediately reply and I closed my eyes. When he did speak, the tears began.

"Are you okay?"

"I will be."

"You ready to tell me about it?"

"Come to Joey's tomorrow night for dinner. I'll fill you in then."

"Okay. I'll have to take your gun, people will ask."

"It's clean."

"Do you need anything?"

"Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you at Joey's."

"I'll be there, you take care."

"Bye, Billy."

I put the phone back in my jacket and buried my head in my hands. I cried for Gus, I cried for Tish, and I cried for me. Life had changed and I hadn't been ready for it.

Epilogue

The morning came without sleep and I reluctantly got to my feet, knowing that I had a few more things to look after. I made a phone call and traveled to the cemetery where Tish had been buried. I followed Sidney's instructions to her grave and placed a single rose on the tombstone, mumbled an apology and, feeling as if I were intruding, hurried back to the car.

My final destination was another cemetery, and I arranged the rest of my flowers for Gus. When I was finished, I spread a blanket on the grass and sat down cross-legged. I took a deep breath and smiled.

"Hi, Daddy," I said brightly. "I've gotta lot of stuff to talk about. A lot of things have happened since we last spoke..."

I was still babbling an hour later when the sound of a car door being closed caught my attention. I looked up to see Anabel get out of a taxi and start walking toward me. I watched her approach. She'd be a little while.

"…Anyway, Glen Porter offered me my old job back, but I'm not going to take it. I've learned that I'm a little too dirty to be a cop and a little too clean to be a good gangster. I guess I'll have to find something in the middle. Can you picture me working at a video store?"

I chuckled at the image that produced.

"I wish you had told me, Gus. It would've saved a lot of time. I had to figure it out the hard way..."

Footsteps became audible and I lowered my voice to a whisper. "…She's almost here now so I guess I'm gonna have to cut this a little short, but you'll be happy to know that I'm gonna take your advice and finally follow my heart. I miss you. Got to go, here she is."

"Maddie," she said. "Are you okay?"

"I'm gettin' there. Sorry I was gone so long."

"You look all worn out," she said, taking a seat next to me on the blanket and leaning over for a kiss.

"Did you miss me?"

"Of course. Is your job over?"

"Yes, it is."

She contemplated my answer in silence.

"I've got something for you."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yep," I said, reaching into my jacket to produce a piece of paper.

She looked at it confusedly. "An address?"

"Yes."

"I don't get it. What would I find here?"

"Angelo Sirico. You have a meeting with him tomorrow at noon."

She stared at me with an unreadable expression.

"Joey will stand with you. You can bring as many of your people as you like. It's over. Angie is willing to discuss a truce and surprisingly, a possible merger."

She chewed on her lip uncertainly. "Will you be there?"

"Yes, Sabrina."

She brought a hand up to her mouth and stifled a quick sob. "How long have you known?"

"Not very long."

"You mad at me for not telling you?"

"No, but you can tell me some things now."

She nodded, wiping at her eyes.

"Gus knew all along, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"Did he have that dinner party because you wanted to know if you'd be recognized?"

"They were all people who had seen me, might have seen me, or had claimed to have seen me."

"Did you send your boogeyman after me because you read the files I have lying around in my house?"

"You needed to know I had nothing to do with it. He would never have hurt you."

"You could've rid yourself of Sirico years ago. Why didn't you?"

"That's not the way I do things."

"That's what I'd hoped you say."

"I'm sorry, Maddie."

"When would you have told me?"

"I was going to wait until you found who you were looking for."

"I see."

She studied the ground in front of her uncomfortably. "I didn't lie to you, Maddie. I meant what I said."

"Did you?"

Her eyes rose to meet mine. "Yes, I did. Very much."

I grunted and took her hand. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"I'm having dinner over at Joey's tonight. I'd like you to be there."

"Okay. Is that the favor?"

"Not quite," I said, clearing my throat. "I'd like you to come not as my lover, but as my girlfriend… as my partner."

She beamed, preparing to speak, but I held up a hand to stop her.

"Shut up, this is my moment," I said, giving her a stern look. "I spoke to Woody. Gus left me the house and if you think you could live in an old neighborhood with an ex-pilot, ex-cop, and ex-private detective, I'd like very much for it to be our house."

She started to bounce excitedly.

I smiled. "I love you too, Sabrina."

I found myself on my back, giggling as she plastered kisses all over my face. I returned them happily, waiting until she subsided before speaking again.

"Will you do me another favor?"

"Anything you want, Maddie," she purred into my neck.

"Lose the contacts, you don't need them anymore and I want to see your eyes."

She sat up straddling me and removed her glasses. Laboring gently, she quickly produced a pair of very pale blue eyes. Joey had been right; they could appear almost white.

"What do you think?" she asked a little nervously.

"I think you're gorgeous."

She fell on top of me and snuggled up close. I sighed contentedly, wrapping my arms around her.

"Brina?"

"Hmmm?"

"Tell me about my mother."

END