Free Most Wanted by Michele Martinez

needle like he gonna push. Then he say, ‘Hey, Jed, you know what Clorox do in the veins? You talk, or I push.’”
    “‘You talk or I push?’ What does that mean, Mrs. Sangrador? Why did Slice say that? Were they asking Jed Benson for information?”
    “I don’t know. I not hear that part.” Rosario looked down at her hands, folded in her lap, and took a deep breath. “He poke the needle in. Then I see Amanda’s arm. Her fingers.” She spoke under her breath, almost talking to herself. “Oh, my God. Amanda’s fingers gone! And so much blood.”
    “Then what?”
    “Room spinning. I see spots.”
    “Did you see who shot Mr. Benson?”
    “Maybe I pass out. At least I feel dizzy, I close my eyes. So I don’t see, but I hear it. I hear shot.”
    “You heard a gunshot?”
    “Yes. Yes, I’m sure.”
    “Did anybody say anything? Before or after the gunshot?”
    “I remember they arguing. Arguing a lot. Then boom.”
    “What happened next?”
    “I running down hall, out basement door. Smoke everywhere.”
    “Did you see anyone else? Amanda? Slice? Anybody? Did you see how they got out or where they went?”
    “No, nothing. Next time I remember, nice policeman is helping me. That’s all. That everything I remember.”
    Rosario looked at Melanie and sighed, shuddering. Melanie leaned forward and hugged her. She felt the brace around Rosario’s midsection, under her clothes. The housekeeper winced.
    “Ooh, sorry,” Melanie said, pulling away.
    “I got broken rib.”
    “Oh, my. You poor thing. But you’re amazing! You were so brave. I’m proud of you.”
    “Okay, so tomorrow I tell grand jury. You gonna be there?”
    “Of course. I’ll be the one asking you the questions. Just like today.”
    “If you there, don’t worry, I do okay. But now I wanna rest. Maybe take more pain pill, watch a little TV.”
    “Of course. And Agent O’Reilly will get you whatever you want from room service.”
    “I like fish. They have fish?”
    “Rosario,” Dan said, “if they don’t, I’ll go out and catch you one myself.”
     
     
    DAN WALKED MELANIE TO THE ELEVATOR, right across the hall from Rosario’s room. She pressed the button. He leaned against the wall, looking down at her. He was taller than she’d realized, wearing jeans and an old polo shirt that emphasized his muscular arms and shoulders.
    “You were unbelievable in there,” he said. “Not just another pretty face. You really turned Rosario around.”
    “Never underestimate me, pal,” she said. He smelled clean, like soap. What was she doing noticing stuff like that? She took a step backward.
    “Rosario gives us good information. But this doesn’t come across like a retaliatory hit to me. It doesn’t add up,” Dan said.
    “I agree. It could be the perps knew Jed Benson. They had a beef, or they wanted something from him. Maybe Benson represented a Blade in private practice and got in the middle of something, totally separate from the Delvis Diaz case. I’ll contact his law firm. He was at Reed, Reed and Watson.”
    “Never heard of them.”
    “Oh, they’re one of the biggest. Very fancy. We should interview Benson’s wife, too. She wasn’t there when this happened, but she might know something. If it was a paid hit, maybe there’s some obvious motive we’re just not seeing yet.”
    “That reminds me,” Dan said. “The wife is at Mount Sinai with the daughter. That was Randall who beeped me before. The daughter regained consciousness. We should go interview her right away.”
    “Fine. I’ll go, but you can’t leave
her
.” Melanie gestured toward the door to Rosario’s room.
    “I know. Randall’s trying to get a guy from the PD twenty-four hours. With the terror threat and all, the Bureau won’t detail somebody just to baby-sit a homicide witness.”
    “It’s critical to have her door covered at all times. She’s in danger. Besides, I promised her.”
    “Yeah, I noticed you in there making lots of promises with my