Free The Deception Dance by Rita Stradling Page A

something, but all I can hear is
feverish blubbering. After her crying dies down to quiet whimpers,
she curls into a ball on the pillows. I right myself to a more
dignified position and look up at Nicholas and the officers, who are
hanging back.
    The way Nicholas looks, the dark circles under his blue eyes and mess
of blond hair on his head, makes me want to sink into the bed; I
should have come back, or at least called, hours ago. He takes a
small step toward me, “Do you need to go to a hospital?”
    I glance at my shoulder, “No.”
    One of the officers says something in a language that is not English
and doesn't sound like Italian. Nicholas responds in the same tongue.
“German,” he answers to my quizzical look. “I don’t
speak Italian and they don’t speak English.” He looks so
exhausted.
    “I’m fine,” I smile to reassure him; “You can
go to sleep now.”
    “I need to help interpret for your statement.”
    Statement ? I didn’t see this coming; I stare at the bed,
breathing fast and having no idea what to say.
    Nicholas misinterprets my panic saying, “They say you can wait
and give it at the station if you’re too traumatized.”
    “No,” I shake my head, “I’ll give my
statement now. I just need a minute.”
    “Of course, Raven. We already know, I mean, the bartender told
us that some man practically carried you from the bar.” He sits
on the edge of the other bed.
    I explain what happened, slowly, choosing my words carefully, not
lying, but leaving out that someone drugged me. When I get to the
part where Horse-face attacked me with a knife, Linnie starts sobbing
and Nicholas drops his head into his hands.
    Maybe I should have left that detail out, too.
    Linnie’s arms wrap around me from the back and her head nuzzles
into my shoulder, her tears dripping down the back of my arm.
    Nicholas relays my story from under his hands.
    “I escaped him. And...” I glance around for how I can
tell this part. Slowly I say, “A lady helped me, she gave me a
change of clothes and let me stay in a church.” That’s
almost the truth, almost. “I didn’t realize how late it
was until I saw a clock; I forgot my watch.” I hold up my
wrist, “I needed to sleep.” Needed to, but drank coffee
instead.
    The officer speaks to Nicholas; before he can interpret, Linnie
yells, “Enough. She’s had enough for one night!”
She’s so belligerent, the police back toward the door.
“Nicholas, you can take care of the police, right?”
    He raises his head and looks at Linnie: “Yes, of course.”
    “Okay.” She jumps off the bed and herds the men out. “I
need to be alone with my sister.” When Nicholas lingers at the
door, she says, “Fifteen minutes,” before slamming it in
his face.
    I exhale and let my shoulders fall. It's impressive that Linnie has
the ability to read what I need, even when she’s so distressed.
She returns to the bed, sinks in and gazes at me. “Now, what
really happened?” Her face is tearstained and splotchy, her
expression, intent.
    “I don’t know, Linnie, I was all screwed up. I think some
things happened, but I’m not sure what actually did. I’m
all confused.”
    “What didn’t you tell the police?” It never ceases
to amaze me that someone like my sister, who seems as if she might
start a cheer routine at any given moment, is perceptive enough to
know whenever I'm hiding something.
    I concentrate on my lap. “A man saved me from the, uh, mugger.
He fought the mugger and I don’t know how badly he hurt him.”
I force myself to meet her gaze. “I thought turning him over to
the police would be poor repayment for saving my life.”
    “Yeah,” she huffs in half-amusement, “It would be.
What else?”
    “I was...” The word drugged perches on my lips, but I
bite it back and finish with, “shaken up. Sorry I didn’t
find a phone, I was out of it.” Then I remember why Nicholas
left me alone in the first place, “Where’s Chauncey?”
    “Hell, if I