This is her request as well as mine. Stay away from her.
I don't believe she'd say that.
Believe it.
If she wants me out, Myron said, she'll have to tell me to my face.
Fine, Crimstein said with a heavy sigh. Let's go take care of that now.
What?
You want her to tell you herself? Give me five minutes.
Chapter 8
Win said, I have to get back to the office.
Myron was surprised. You don't want to hear what Esperanza has to say?
No time.
His tone slammed the door on further discussion. Win reached for the knob.
If you need my special talents, he said, I'll have the cellular.
He hurried out as Hester Crimstein entered. She watched him disappear down the corridor.
Where's he going?
His office.
Why's he in such a rush all of a sudden?
I didn't ask.
Hester Crimstein raised an eyebrow. Hmm.
Hmm what?
Win was the one in charge of the account with the missing money.
So?
So maybe he had a reason to silence Clu Haid.
That's ridiculous.
Are you saying he's incapable of murder?
Myron did not reply.
If even half the stories I've heard about Windsor Lockwood are true
You know better than to listen to rumors.
She looked at him. So if I subpoena you to testify and if I ask if you've ever witnessed Windsor
Home Lock-wood the Third kill someone, what would you say?
No.
Uh-huh. Guess you also missed the class on perjury.
Myron did not bother with a comeback. When can I see Esperanza?
Come on. She's waiting for you.
Esperanza sat at a long table. She still wore the orange prison suit, her now-uncuffed hands folded in front of her, her expression serene as a church statue's. Hester signaled to the trooper, and they both left the room.
When the door closed, Esperanza smiled at him. Welcome back, she said.
Thanks, Myron replied.
Her eyes took him in. If your tan was any darker, you could pass for my brother.
Thanks.
Still got the smooth tongue with the ladies, eh?
Thanks.
She almost smiled. Even under these conditions, Esperanza still looked radiant. Her supple skin
and ink black hair shimmered against the fluorescent orange backdrop. Her eyes still brought
forth thoughts of Mediterranean moons and white peasant blouses.
Are you feeling better now? she asked him.
Yes.
Where were you anyway?
A private island in the Caribbean.
Tor three weeks?
Yes.
By yourself?
No.
When he didn't elaborate, Esperanza simply said, Details.
I ran off with a beautiful anchorwoman I barely knew.
Esperanza smiled. Did she how to put this delicately? did she boff your brains out?
As it were.
Glad to hear it. If any guy needed to have his brain boffed out
Right, I'm the guy. Voted Most Boff Needy by the senior class.
She liked that one. She leaned back and crossed her legs cocktail-lounge casual. Odd in these
surroundings, to put it mildly. You didn't tell anybody where you were?
That's right.
Yet Win still found you in a matter of hours, she said.
It surprised neither of them. They sat in silence for a moment or two. Then Myron asked, You
okay?
Fine.
Do you need anything?
No.
Myron was not sure how to continue, what subject to broach or how to broach it. Once again
Esperanza took the ball and started dribbling.
So are you and Jessica through? she asked.
Yes. It was the first time he had said it out loud. It felt weird.
That made her smile, big time. Ah, the silver lining, she said triumphantly. So it's really over?
Queen Bitch is gone for good?
Don't call her that.
Is she gone for good?
I think so.
Say yes, Myron. It'll make you feel better.
But he couldn't. I'm not here to talk about me.
Esperanza crossed, her arms, said nothing.
We'll get you out of this, he said. I promise.
She nodded, still playing casual; if she were a smoker, she'd be blowing rings. You better get
back to the office. We've already lost too many clients.
I don't care about that.
I do. Her voice had an edge now. I'm a partner now.
I know that.
So I own part of MB SportsReps. If you want to self-destruct, fine. But don't drag my lusted
after ass down with you, okay?
I didn't mean it like that. I just meant we've got bigger worries right now.
No.
What?
We don't have bigger worries. I want you to stay out of this.
I don't understand.
I have one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the country working on my case. Let her handle it. Myron tried to let her words settle in, but they were like unruly children after a sugar fix. He leaned forward a bit. What's going on here?
I can't talk about it.
What?
Hester told me I shouldn't talk about the case with anyone, even you. Our conversations are not
