“So you marry the chump, and next thing you know? You see he’s just another asshole in a nice suit. You fight with him all the time, he slaps you around a little, you break some dishes, and then what? He retires!”
Nina rolled her eyes to give the ceiling a look of long suffering. “That’s worse. I mean, before that, he’s goin’ places, he’s out all night, sure he’s ballin’ the cocktail waitresses, but what guy ain’t? Now he’s home all the time, and you find out you can’t stand each other. You fight until you get tired, then you just sit around and pretend you don’t hate his guts and he don’t hate yours. He’s got no ambition, he’s not goin’ nowhere but down the drain. And you look in the mirror and see, this is your life! This lousy, no-good, has-been wiseguy is your husband. A bald, fat loser with a heart condition.
“But hey, it could be worse, right?” she went on, looking back at the detectives. “You got money, food on the table, a roof over your head. You can’t get divorced, I mean, I’m a good Catholic, right? You get divorced, you go straight to hell!”
Vic gave Erin a quick look that asked what the rules were about divorce versus murder when it came to the afterlife. She smothered a smile.
“The worst thing is, the bastard’s tryin’ to kill me!” Nina finished.
All three detectives started. “Wait a second,” Webb said. “Lorenzo was trying to kill you?”
“Of course he was!” Nina snapped. “What, you didn’t see that look on his face when you were askin’ him about the candy box? The candy he gave me for Valentine’s Day? The hell kind of man tries to poison his wife on Valentine’s Day? You see how quick he shut you down once you started askin’ about that?”
“Lorenzo gave you the candy,” Erin said.
“I just said that,” Nina said. “When they give you a badge, do they forget to check your ears? Or your brains?”
“Why didn’t you eat it?” Erin asked.
“I was gonna, but I had an appointment. I was gettin’ a foot massage. So I set the box on the counter, and it was gone when I got back.”
“What did you think had happened to it?” Webb asked.
“He wouldn’t have eaten them himself. The man loved his wine and sausages, but he didn’t care for chocolate. I thought maybe he gave them to his girlfriend.”
“He had a girlfriend?” Webb asked.
Nina gave him a look that suggested he was the dumbest man she’d talked to in a very long time. She let the silence stretch out just long enough to make sure he got the message before going on.
“I didn’t know Paulie took the box until you lousy coppers showed up here askin’ all your damn questions. That’s when I saw it in his face, and I knew what he was tryin’ to do.”
Erin silently cursed herself for missing Lorenzo’s reaction. “How did you know Paulie wouldn’t overdose on the heart meds like Lorenzo did?” she asked.
“You shittin’ me? That boy don’t respect his heritage.” Nina tossed her head. “He don’t go for home cooking. I knew he wouldn’t take more than one helping. But Lorenzo never left food on his plate in his life.”
“Just so we’re perfectly clear,” Webb said. “Paulie didn’t know anything about any of this?”
“Not a thing,” Nina said. “My boy’s innocent.”
“Except for the drug thing,” Vic interjected.
Nina turned her tongue on Vic. “Shut up! You don’t know nothin’ about that! Your boss said they’re droppin’ the charges, so you don’t say one word about my boy! Or I swear to Mary mother of God, I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass it’ll tickle your throat when I wiggle my toes!”
Vic raised his eyebrows. Nina braced her arms on her chair and looked like she was getting ready to carry out the threat.
“Everyone take it easy,” Webb said, holding up his hands. “We’ve got what we need here. Mrs. Bianchi, we’re going to need you to come down to the station and fill out a statement confirming what you’ve just told us. The district attorney will be there, and he can verify the deal.”
“Can I see my boy?”
“Once we’ve got the statement, he’ll be released,” he assured her. “You can have a few minutes with him then. I promise.”
Vic stood up and took out his handcuffs. “Ma’am, I’m going to need you to turn around,” he said.
“You need those, big guy?” she asked contemptuously. “What, you think you couldn’t take me without ‘em?”
“It’s protocol,” he said.
“Mrs. Bianchi,” Erin said. “You’re under arrest for first-degree murder. You have the right to remain silent…”
As she finished the familiar recitation, Vic snapped the bracelets on the Italian woman. Nina didn’t resist. She didn’t even seem angry anymore. As they walked her to the door, Erin on one side, Vic on the other, Rolf flanking his partner, Erin saw a smile on Nina’s face.
“Something funny?” she asked.
“I been married to a Mafia goon for going on thirty years,” Nina said. “And I finally made my bones. Take a good look, boys. Nina Bianchi just got made!” Then she actually laughed.
Webb went ahead to call the elevator. He’d scarcely pushed the button when the doors slid open to reveal three men: the Bianchi family lawyer,
