The Last Precinct

"You want a refill, John?" Marino asks the man who tried to murder me.

"In a minute. Can I smoke?" Chando

His voice is soft and heavily French. He is polite and calm. I stare at the television screen, my concentration flickering. I experience electrical disturbances again, post-traumatic stress, my nerves jump like water hitting hot grease, and I am getting another bad headache. The dark blue-sleeved arm with the white cuff reaches into the picture, setting a drink and a pack of Camel cigarettes in front of Chando

"Mr. Chando

Chando

"You've already met Captain Marino," Berger says to Chando

I feel Berger's eyes touch me. I avoid looking. I refrain from interrupting to ask, Why? Why was Jay there? It streaks through my mind that she is exactly the sort of woman he would be attracted to_intensely. I slip a tissue out of a jacket pocket and blot cold sweat off my brow.

"You know this is being videotaped, don't you, and you have no objection to that," Berger is saying on tape.

"Yes." Chando

"Sir, I'm going to ask you some questions about the death of Susan Pless on December fifth, nineteen-ninety-seven."

Chando

"Anything you say can be used against you in court," Berger goes on. "Do you understand? And it would be helpful if you would say yes or no instead of nodding."

"I understand." He cooperates almost sweetly.

"You have a right to consult a lawyer now before any questioning or to have a lawyer present during any questioning. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"And if you don't have a lawyer or can't afford one, a lawyer will be provided to you free of charge. Do you understand?"

At this, Chando

"I always tell the truth," Chando

"And you've been read these rights in front of Officer Es-cudero, Captain Marino and Special Agent Talley, and you understood these rights?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you just tell me in your own words what happened to Susan Pless?" Berger says.

"She was very nice," Chando

"Yeah, I just bet you are," Marino sardonically mutters inside my conference room.

Berger instantly hits the pause button. "Captain," she fires at him, "no editorializing. Please."

Marino's sulle

"You were what? Eating there, working there?" Berger pushes ahead.

"Eating there by myself. She walked in, also by herself. I had a very nice bottle of Italian wine. A nineteen-ninety-three Massolino Barolo. She was very beautiful."

Barolo is my favorite Italian wine. The bottle he mentions is pricey. Chando

"What do you mean, very easy?' Berger inquires.

Chando

"What do you mean when you say Susan was very easy?" Berger asks again.

"She needed no coaxing to join me. She came over to my table and sat. And we had a very nice conversation."

I don't recognize his voice.

"What did you talk about?" Berger asks him.

Chando

"I said to her, 'So you're famous,' and she laughed," Chando

"Had you ever seen her on television?" Berger asks him.

"I don't watch much television." He slowly blows out smoke. "Now, of course, I don't watch anything. I can't see."

"Just answer the question, sir. I didn't ask how much television you watch but if you had ever seen Susan Pless on television."

I strain to recognize his voice as fear tickles over my flesh and my hands begin to shake. His voice is completely unfa- miliar. It sounds nothing like the voice outside my door. Police. Ma 'am, -we've gotten a call about a suspicious person on your property.

"I don't remember seeing her on television," Chando