I SPENT the next day taking care of business. American Express was threatening to sever the line of credit I maintain in several names unless they got some prompt payments. There's only one way to respond to such a legitimate request-I typed out some new applications, checking my list to make sure I didn't duplicate any of the old names. Then I placed some ads-my new mail-order company was offering the latest version of the Navy Seal Survival Knife for only twenty-five bucks. No CODs. My company doesn't take checks either- too many dishonest people out there. I checked my file of birth certificates for people who died within a year of their birth. I had some of them apply for Social Security numbers, others for driver's licenses. When I got back the paper, I'd move it into various productive activities-passports, disability payments, unemployment benefits. As long as you don't get too greedy, it goes on forever.
Finally, I checked my rent roll. I have a few apartments around the city-when a tenant in a rent-controlled building dies, the super calls me, money changes hands, and I'm the new tenant. Then I sublet the apartments to yuppies happy to pay several times the base rent, positive they're beating the system. Michelle works the phones for me. I split the rent each month with the super and everybody's happy. Sooner or later the landlord finds out what's going down and moves to evict the tenant. Then the yuppies are on their own. I don't collect any more rent from them. I don't return their security deposits either.
I took Pansy down to the piers on the Hudson, working her off-leash obedience to keep her tuned. Then I took her with me to Pop's poolroom, letting her watch in baleful disapproval as I dropped fifty bucks at the table in the back. The one right under the 'No Gambling' sign.
Killing time. It's a lot easier when you're not in a cell.
73
AT FOUR o'clock the next afternoon, I parked the Lincoln in the courthouse lot. Immaculata was next to me on the front seat, Max lying down in the back, hands clasped behind his head, staring at nothing.
'You want to go over it one more time?' I asked Mac.
'It's not necessary, Burke. I know what you want. But it's like I told you- disclosures often come slowly. I can't promise you the child will tell me everything on a first interview.'
'How long does it take?'
'It depends on the child…and the extent of the trauma. Some children never tell the whole thing.'
'Can't you put some pressure on him?'
Mac's eyes narrowed. 'Of course I could do that. But I won't. That's not the way we work. This first interview-the one where we validate that the child has been sexually abused-it's not just to gain information- it's part of a process. The real goal is to treat the child.'
'Yeah, okay,' I said, lighting a cigarette.
'That is what we agreed,' Mac said, tapping her long nails on the dash. She wasn't going to discuss it anymore.
'You told Max what he has to do?' I asked her.
Immaculata smiled. 'He knew,' she said.
The courthouse parking lot doesn't discriminate. Porsches stood next to Chevys-a limo took two spaces. So did a gypsy cab.
A Spanish guy walked by my open window. 'Smoke?' he asked, looking past me. I didn't reply and he moved on, working the parking lot. If you had the cash, you could buy just about anything around the courthouse.
Immaculata and I got out of the Lincoln and walked over to the Family Court. A steady stream of humans walked out of the revolving doors-a fat Puerto Rican woman with tired eyes came out with a kid who looked about twelve years old, sporting a gang jacket and a black beret on his head. 'You hear what the judge told you?' she said. 'Fuck the judge,' the boy replied, neatly dodging her feeble attempt to slap him, smiling a kid's smile. A guy dressed in a phone-company uniform was pulling at his lawyer's arm, mumbling something about 'another goddamned adjournment.' The lawyer shrugged. Another guy stormed out the front, a woman trailing him by a couple of feet, tentatively reaching out to touch his arm. He was slamming a clenched fist in his palm over and over, looking down.
I was watching for Strega's little BMW, so I didn't pay any attention to the beige Mercedes cruising back and forth through the parking lot until I heard the door slam. She was standing across the street, a black kerchief on her head, wearing a full-length black coat. She looked about sixteen years old. Her arms were extended to each side, a child holding each hand. A boy and a girl. She bent to say something to the little girl. The child waved merrily at me and they started to cross.
It wasn't that cold on the streets, but Strega's cheeks were flushed and glowing. 'Hi!' she called out in a voice I hadn't heard before, holding out a gloved hand to me. I took it-she squeezed down hard.
'This is Scotty,' she said, pulling a round-faced little blond boy close to her side. 'And this is my Mia.' She smiled. The little girl was wearing a black coat and scarf like her mother. Flaming red hair peeked out, a halo for a happy little face.
'What's your name?' she asked me.
'Burke,' I told her.
'That's a funny name,' she said, still smiling.
'So is Mia,' I replied.
'It's a
'It's a lovely name,' said Immaculata, stepping forward.
'This is my friend, Immaculata,' I told them all, spreading my hands to introduce her.
Immaculata gracefully dropped to her haunches, her eyes level with the children's faces.
'Hi, Scotty. Hi, Mia,' she said to them, holding out her hands. Mia took her hand right away, babbling on like they were old friends. Scotty hung back. 'It's okay,' said Strega. He came slowly to Immaculata. 'You smell good,' he said.
Strega's eyes lashed at me. 'This is your
'Immaculata is going to work with Scotty. Like we agreed,' I said, nothing else in my voice.
Her big eyes never shifted. 'I'm trusting you,' she said.
I met her gaze. Our faces were a hundred miles above Immaculata and the children. 'You got any time problems?'
'Just tell me where to meet you.
'How about right back here. About seven-thirty, eight o'clock?'
'Whatever you say.
I lit a cigarette while Strega patted Scotty on the head, telling him he was going with me and Immaculata and that she'd meet him later with Mia. They'd all go to McDonald's and then for ice cream.
'Okay, Zia Peppina,' the boy said, holding Immaculata's hand. His eyes were still cloudy with worry but he was going to stand up.
'Say your name again,' Mia asked Immaculata.
'It is Im-mac-u-lata,' she said, 'but my friends call me Mac.'
'That's easier,' said Mia.
'It is always easier to be friends,' Mac told her gravely.
