LITMIR.BIZ

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he needs to see me!”

      “Like hell he does.”

      Before Toni knew what was happening, Billy’s father had grabbed her by the shoulders, throwing her back against the wall so hard she felt the breath leave her body.

      “It was you, wasn’t it? It was you! You let my boy take the fall for you, you rich, spoiled little bitch.”

      “Take your hands off my daughter.”

      For once, Toni was glad to see her father. Walter Gilletti was a slight man but he radiated authority.

      “I understand you’re upset,” he told Jeff Hamlin. “But Toni had nothing to do with this.”

      “Yeah, right.” Jeff Hamlin backed away with tears in his eyes. “Your daughter’s shit don’t stink. They gave my Billy twenty years. Twenty years!”

      Walter Gilletti shrugged. “If he keeps his nose clean, he’ll be out in fifteen.”

      The rich man’s nonchalance was the last straw for Jeff Hamlin. Launching himself at Walter Gilletti with a mighty roar, he lashed out wildly with his fists as the policeman tried vainly to pry the two men apart. Seizing her chance, Toni bolted down the stairs toward the holding cell, but within seconds, another cop grabbed her.

      “What the hell do you think you’re doing, young lady? You can’t just barge down here without authorization.”

      “It’s all right, Frank. The boy asked to see her.”

      Leslie Lose seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He looked white-faced and serious. Clearly the verdict had shocked him too.

      Reluctantly, the guard stepped aside.

      “Thank you,” Toni said to Billy’s lawyer.

      “Please. It’s the least I can do.”

      “It wasn’t your fault, you know.”

      “Yes it was,” Lose said quietly.

      BILLY LIT UP WHEN TONI WALKED in.

      “Thank God. I thought they might not let you come.”

      There she was. His Toni. His Helen of Troy. In a plain, knee-length shift dress in cream silk, teamed with low, kitten heels and a cashmere cardigan, she looked older than he remembered her. The outfit screamed rich (which she was) and demure (which she certainly wasn’t). But nothing could hide the raw sensuality of the body beneath.

      Billy moved toward her, drawn like a magnet to a piece of metal, or a helpless moth to the moon. “Hi.”

      Toni hugged him, squeezing tight as hot tears of guilt splashed onto his collar and trickled down his neck. “I’m so sorry, Billy.”

      “For what?” Billy forced a smile, determined to be brave in front of her. “This was my decision, not yours. And if I had the time over, I’d do it again, in a heartbeat.”

      “But Billy. Twenty years.”

      “Fifteen,” he corrected her. “With parole.”

      “But you didn’t do anything wrong.”

      “Neither did you.”

      “Billy, come on. I did. You know I did. We both know. Nicholas was in my group.”

      “It was an accident, Toni. An accident. Never forget that.” Inhaling the scent of her skin, mingled with some faint lemony perfume, he felt overwhelmed with need for her. Despite his show of bravado, he was frightened. Frightened of jail, of a future without her. Desperately he pulled her closer, kissing her passionately, forcing his tongue into her mouth like a starving chick looking for food.

      Toni recoiled. His breath was sour with fear.

      “Come on.” She tried to laugh it off. “This isn’t the time.”

      “I think you’ll find it’s the only time we’ve got. They’ll be taking me away in a minute.”

      “Do you know where?”

      “The state prison, for the time being at least. It’s in Warren, wherever the fuck that is.” Billy laughed, but there was no joy in the sound. “My lawyer said he’s gonna try to get me moved. It’s a long way for my dad to come visit.”

      “Sure.” Toni nodded lamely. If she were in jail rather than Billy, as she should be, would her dad even bother to come visit her? I doubt it. But she hadn’t come here to talk about their respective fathers. She had to tell Billy the truth. To break things off between them. Under the circumstances she didn’t know where to begin.

      “Look, Billy,” she started nervously. “I owe you so much I really don’t know what to say.”

      “How about yes?”

      He was looking at her with those puppy-dog eyes again. As if this were a movie, or a play, and any minute now they were about to walk offstage and go back to reality. And Nicholas would be alive and Billy wouldn’t be going to prison and they would all live happily ever after.

      Oh, Jesus. Toni’s heart sank. Is he getting down on one knee?

      “Say you’ll marry me, Toni. Say you’ll wait.”

      Toni opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted her.

      “I know what you’re thinking. But it might not be fifteen years. Leslie’s gonna appeal. We might even get a mistrial.”

      “On what grounds?”

      “I don’t know.”

      For the first time since the day Nicholas died, Toni saw Billy Hamlin’s facade of bravado and manly strength slip away. Looking into his eyes now, she saw a terrified kid. Scared. Alone. Out of his depth, just like she was.

      “But Leslie says it’s possible and I could be out in a couple of years. Then we could get married and … things.”

      He stopped talking suddenly. Could he read in her face how horrified she was? Belatedly, Toni tried to look the part of the devoted girlfriend. If Billy needed a fantasy to hold on to, something to get him through the nightmare of a life in jail, didn’t she owe him that much at least?

      “Please, Toni.” The distress in his eyes was unbearable. “Please say yes.”

      Before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out. “Yes. I mean, of course. Of course yes! I wasn’t expecting a proposal right this minute, that’s all. But of course I’ll marry you, Billy.”

      “As soon as I get out?”

      “As soon as you get out.”

      Billy burst into racking sobs of relief. “I love you so much, Toni.” Pulling her close again, he clutched her to his chest like a child with a teddy bear.

      The guards arrived. “Time to go.”

      “I know it’s gonna sound crazy,” Billy whispered in Toni’s ear, “but I mean it. This is the happiest day of my life. Thank you.”

      “Mine too,” Toni assured him. “Be strong,” she added as he was led away.

      Toni Gilletti waited till the cell door closed behind him. Then she sank down onto her chair and wept.

      She knew she would never see Billy Hamlin again.

      THREE DAYS AFTER THE VERDICT, LESLIE Lose flew to Washington. He arrived at the secure underground parking garage at nine-fifteen at night, the agreed time.

      He’d half expected his client to send a courier, someone anonymous to complete the transaction. Instead, slightly to Leslie’s surprise, the client showed up himself. He was an important man, and his presence made Leslie feel important.

      “Two hundred thousand. As agreed.” Rolling down the smoked-glass window of his Lincoln Town Car, he handed Leslie a fat stuffed envelope. “You cut it

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