Free Imitation of Death by Cheryl Crane Page B

hand and let it fall. “He doesn’t want a lawyer. He says he believes in the American justice system.”
    “Silly boy.” Victoria sighed. “I don’t suppose it will do any good for me to suggest you stay out of this?”
    It was Nikki’s turn to sigh as she rubbed her temples. “If Jorge’s arrested, and he refuses to get a lawyer, do I have any choice?”
    Victoria let the refrigerator door close. She met Nikki’s gaze. Her tone was kind when she spoke again, bordering on motherly. “Just be sure, Nicolette, that this is about Jorge and not your father.”
    “It won’t be about my father,” she answered softly. “It’ll be about making sure the justice system doesn’t fail our family again.”
     
    Nikki was dressing the next morning to take the dogs for a walk when there was a knock on the bedroom door. More like a bang. Nikki knew that bang.
    “Phone, Nicolette.” Victoria knocked again, not giving Nikki time to answer. “Phone for you. Nicolette!” Her mother’s pitch reached a high note on her name.
    Nikki pulled a t-shirt over her head and opened the door. The dogs bounced up and down at her feet, excited to see Victoria. Of course, they greeted everyone that way. Oliver barked, but Nikki held up her finger to him and, for once, he obeyed and fell silent.
    “It’s Ina,” Victoria said in a stage whisper. She was already dressed in her signature outfit: a jogging suit, this one pink, by Christian Dior. She wore a white silk turban that exposed only the front of her platinum hair, and a short string of pearls. “She wants to talk to you. Jorge’s been arrested, but he doesn’t want his mother to come to the jailhouse. He doesn’t want her to see him like that. Ina wants you to go. Can you go?”
    “Ina’s still on the phone?” Nikki asked, pointing at the cordless house phone in Victoria’s hand.
    “Yes, she wants to talk to you. I just said that.”
    “Let me have the phone, then.” Nikki put out her hand, wondering why her mother was telling her all of this if Ina could tell her.
    Victoria handed over the phone, but stood there.
    “Ina.” Nikki turned around and walked away. “I’m so sorry. I know you’re worried sick about Jorge.”
    “Thank you. I’m just sorry your mother’s name has to be dragged into this.”
    “Is there anything I can do?” Victoria interrupted. “Maybe I should be the one to go to the jail to see him.”
    Nikki ignored her mother. “It’s all right, Ina. Anyone can be accused of a crime. That doesn’t mean he or she is guilty.”
    “He’s a hothead. He’s always been a hothead. I told him his temper would get him in trouble one day,” Ina fretted. “He says he doesn’t want me to come to the jail, to see him like that, but I’m worried about him.”
    “Ask her if he’s been arraigned yet,” Victoria instructed.
    Nikki walked farther away from her mother. The dogs were now racing back and forth between the two of them. “So he was arrested last night, or this morning?”
    “I don’t know,” Ina said. “Sometime last night, I think. They held him for hours. Questioned him. Then they arrested him. But I don’t know—”
    “Has bail been set?” Victoria asked. “Ask her if bail’s been set.”
    Nikki couldn’t hear Ina over Victoria’s talking. “He hasn’t been arraigned, right?” she said into the phone.
    “Tomorrow, he thinks, but he doesn’t know.”
    Nikki walked to her window and opened the heavy draperies, letting the morning sunlight in. “He’ll be arraigned tomorrow, Mother.”
    Oliver began to chase Stanley and bark.
    “Well, bail can’t be set,” Victoria said with great authority, “until he’s seen a judge at the arraignment. Bail is set by a judge, Nicolette.”
    Ina started talking again, but between the dogs barking and Victoria shooting questions at her, Nikki was only getting every other word.
    “Ina, I’m sorry, could you hang on for a second?” Nikki covered the mouthpiece with her hand.