In Death 27 - Salvation in Death

your rights, and have stated you understand them, and your obligations in this matter.”
    “It’s all shit.”
    “But you understand all the shit?”
    Penny shrugged. “I understand fine, just like I understand me and my lawyer are going to sue your ass for false arrest.”
    “Won’t that be fun? You’re charged with assaulting an officer, which includes assault with a weapon and resisting arrest.”
    “I never touched you.”
    “As the touchee, I beg to differ. However, I’d be willing to negotiate those charges if you find yourself now willing and able to answer questions regarding Lino Martinez, and events pertaining to him.”
    “I told you already, I haven’t seen Lino since I was fifteen.”
    “You lied.”
    “My client—”
    “Is a liar, but you probably get that a lot. Me, too. The body of Lino Martinez has been officially identified. We are aware he posed as one Father Miguel Flores for a period of more than five years, and frequented the bodega where you work. We are aware of your previous relationship. You want to keep insisting you didn’t know, then we’ll stick with the assault and resisting, and given your record, you’ll be doing a little time in a cage.”
    Eve closed the file, started to rise.
    “I’m not doing time for knocking your hand away when you went to grab me.”
    “Oh yeah, you are, and for pulling a knife, for spitting in my face, and resisting. And since you don’t know me, let me point out to you—and your counsel—that if you had even one private conversation with Lino Martinez, met him anywhere, any time outside the bodega, I’m going to find out. Then I’m going to knock you back for making a false statement—and I’m going to start wondering if you got your hands on some cyanide, then—”
    “This is bullshit.”
    Eve only smiled, turned for the door.
    “Wait a damn minute. I want to talk to my lawyer before I say another thing.”
    “Pause record. I’ll just step out so you two can chat.”
    Eve left them, considered risking Vending for a tube of Pepsi, but decided it wasn’t going to take that long. Inside three minutes, Montoya came to the door.
    “My client may be willing to amend her statement.”
    “Okeydokey.” Eve stepped back in, sat, smiled, folded her hands. “Resume record.” Waited.
    “If my client addresses your questions regarding Lino Martinez, you will drop the charges currently against her.”
    “If she answers truthfully, to my satisfaction, she gets a pass on the charges.”
    “Go ahead, Penny.”
    “Maybe I kinda had this feeling, this vibe, you know, when he started coming in. He didn’t look like Lino, or not a lot. But there was something. And after a while, maybe we flirted some. Weird, him being a priest, and I don’t like the holier-than-thou types. But Lino and I, we always had something. We made it a lot back in the day, and I kept getting this buzz from him.”
    “Did you start banging before or after you knew who he was?”
    Penny smirked. “Before. I think he got off on it. Maybe I did, too. Back room of the bodega, after closing. Man, he hammered me. Pent up, you know? Had to figure it was all that celibacy song. Couple times after, we’d meet at this flop a friend of mine has. She works nights. Or we’d use a rent-by-the-hour. Then this one time, after we’d made it, he tells me. We had a big laugh.”
    “Did he tell you what happened to Father Flores?”
    “What did I care? How’m I supposed to know there ever was one?”
    “Why was he masquerading as a priest?”
    “He wanted to come back, lay low. He liked people looking at him like he was a big deal, he liked the respect.”
    “Five years, Penny. Don’t string me. What was the angle?”
    “He liked the secrets, too, the sins. He used them when he could, when he wanted.”
    “Blackmail?”
    “He had some ready, sure. More than a priest earns. When he was in the mood, he’d get us a room at a fancy hotel, and we’d order room service and shit. Paid cash.”
    “Did he buy you things?”
    “Sure.” She flipped her finger at one of her earrings. “Lino wasn’t stingy.”
    “He trusted you a lot.”
    “Lino and I went back, all the way back. We needed each other. That’s what this is about.” She slapped her palm on her tattoo. “This is family, and it’s protection. My mother was useless, more interested in her next fix than me. More interested in that than stopping my old man from moving on me. Barely twelve years old the