[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
She crossed the room to a hammock-style chair, sat down, and brought her knees
up to her chin. She kept her back to Jack as she enjoyed the balmy breezes
that rolled in through the open sliding-glass doors.
Jack took a seat on the couch, on the other side of the cocktail table. They
said nothing until Gina turned her head and looked at him plaintively.
You don t have to tell me if you don t want to, she said. But what
happened with Cindy?
He hesitated. For a second he felt as if she were intruding. But this wasn t
just idle curiosity. She really seemed to care.
She packed up and left.
I m sorry, she said. Then she rolled back her head, closed her eyes, and
sniffled. I don t know why I do the idiotic things I do, her voice cracked.
I really don t.
Jack moved to the edge of his seat. The last thing he d expected tonight was
to be consoling Gina. But he found himself doing it. Everyone makes
mistakes.
She shook her head and suddenly snapped out of her malaise. Mistakes? Do you
have any idea howmany mistakes I ve made? You don t know me, Jack. Nobody
knows me. Not even Cindy. Everyone thinks that a great body has gotten me
anything I ve ever wanted in life. And it did, for a while. When I was sixteen
years old, I made over a hundred grand modeling for the Ford Agency. But then
the next year I gained twenty pounds and was all washed up out of work. A real
wake-up call, that was. Use it while you got it is what I learned. But then
I learned something else: The more you use it, the more youget used. And
believe me, there s no shortage of users out there.
He nodded slowly.
Anyway, her voice quivered. That s why I called you. I m through being
used. I m through feeling like shit even when Itry to do the right thing. Like
today. All I did was tell the truth on the witness stand. Yet I feel likeI ve
done something wrong.
Page 133
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Youdidn t mention the gun. I wondered about that.
Yeah, well, maybe it s because they were licking their chops too much over
everything else I told them. I didn t feel like volunteering it, you know?
But why volunteer anything? I m confused.
Welcome to the club, she said, running her hands through her hair. They
want you to play the game, but they don t tell you the rules.
Jack was confused. What game?
She started to speak, then stopped. Finally she said, The whole charade that
landed me in that courtroom that sthe game. I ve been playing it ever since
you asked me to be your alibi. Everything I did and said was designed to make
you think that I didn t want to get involved or that if I did get involved, it
would be to help you, and not to hurt you. The whole idea was to make sure
you d be totally shocked when I took the stand and testified against you. That
was part of my deal.
Jack s eyes narrowed with suspicion. Your deal with who?
With that cop, Stafford, she said, then looked away in shame. The truth,
she said with a lump in her throat, is that right after you were indicted, he
came over to question me. I let the creep use my bathroom, and he comes out
saying he just saw enough amphetamines sitting out in plain view to put me
away for years. I use them to lose weight. It s not smart, but I do it.
Anyway, he said he wouldn t bring any charges if I d help him out. And all I
did was tell him the truth. It s just the sneaky way he made me do it that has
me so disgusted. I mean, how do you think the prosecutor knew every little
detail about the morning Cindy left you? She told me all about it. And I told
Stafford. And then Cindy got creamed on the witness stand.
Jack felt a rush of anger, but he kept cool because a tremendous opportunity
was within his grasp. Gina, he said in a calm, understanding tone, this is
important. What Stafford made you do isn t just sleazy. It s illegal. The
prosecution has violated the law by failing to tell Manny and me that Stafford
cut a deal with a government witness. This could get the whole case against me
dismissed. The trial could be over tomorrow. I could gofree .
What do you want me to do? she asked cautiously.
All I want you to do is to get on the witness stand tomorrow morning and say
exactly what you told me. That s it. Just tell the truth.
And then what happens tome? I ll go to jail on drug charges?
He thought fast. The state will have to honor its deal with you. Stafford
made the promise. You ve already lived up to your end. You told the truth.
It s Stafford s fault if it blows up in his face, not yours.
I don t know
Gina, he pressed. You ve told the truth so far. I respect you for that.
But if you told the truth for Stafford, the least you can do is tell the truth
for me.
She sighed. This is so crazy. But in the last twenty-four hours, it s like
I ve suddenly got this feeling that it s time to start making up for all the
Page 134
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
lies I ve told my entire life. I just feel like it s time to tell the truth.
The truth is best, he said. Even when it hurts.
She swallowed hard. All right. I ll do it.
Jack s heart was in his throat. In fact, why don t I call Manny now, and we
can go over some things
No. I don t want to do this according to a script.
I understand, he said, sensing that he shouldn t push too hard.
Gina rose. I ll see you at the courthouse at eight-thirty, she said,
leading him out Right now, I need some sleep.
He nodded in agreement I ll see you then, he said as they reached the door.
She laid her hand on his shoulder and stopped him. I m sorry about you and
Cindy, she said. I really am.
Thanks, he said.
As he drove home, he was barely conscious of the tires gripping the road. He
felt like he was floating on air. His conversation with Gina had made him feel
alive again. Suddenly he felt hope.
Chapter 40
"
At 3:30A.M. , just as Jack and Manny had finished planning a case-saving
cross-examination of Gina Terisi, bare-breasted women were dancing one last
set at Jiggles, a rundown, smoke-filled strip joint where stiff drinks came as
cheap as the thrills. A buxom black woman wearing only spike heels and a
holster was lit by an orangey-red spotlight as she strutted up and down the
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]