He looked at her in surprise. “Oh. I see. I knew there had to be a reason for…I mean, your medical school record was so fantastic. What made you decide to become a doctor?”
Honey looked down for a moment, then said softly, “I had a younger brother who was injured in an accident. The doctors did everything they could to try to save him…but I watched him die. It took a long time, and I felt so helpless. I decided then that I was going to spend my life helping other people get well.” Her eyes welled up with tears.
She’s so vulnerable, Isler thought. “I’m glad we had this little talk.”
Honey looked at him and thought, He believed me.
Chapter Six
A cross town, in another part of the city, reporters and TV crews were waiting in the street for Lou Dinetto as he left the courtroom, smiling and waving, the greeting of royalty to the peasants. There were two bodyguards at his side, a tall, thin man known as the Shadow, and a heavyset man called Rhino. Lou Dinetto was, as always, dressed elegantly and expensively, in a gray silk suit with a white shirt, blue tie, and alligator shoes. His clothes had to be carefully tailored to make him look trim, because he was short and stout, with bandy legs. He always had a smile and a ready quip for the press, and they enjoyed quoting him. Dinetto had been indicted and tried three times on charges ranging from arson to racketeering to murder, and each time had gone free.
Now as he left the courtroom, one of the reporters yelled out, “Did you know you were going to be acquitted, Mr. Dinetto?”
Dinetto laughed. “Of course I did. I’m an innocent businessman. The government has got nothing better to do than to persecute me. That’s one of the reasons our taxes are so high.”
A TV camera was aimed at him. Lou Dinetto stopped to smile into it.
“Mr. Dinetto, can you explain why two witnesses who were scheduled to testify against you in your murder trial failed to appear?”
“Certainly I can explain it,” Dinetto said. “They were honest citizens who decided not to perjure themselves.”
“The government claims that you’re the head of the West Coast mob, and that it was you who arranged for—”
“The only thing I arrange for is where people sit at my restaurant. I want everybody to be comfortable.” He grinned at the milling crowd of reporters. “By the way, you’re all invited to the restaurant tonight for a free dinner and drinks.”
He was moving toward the curb, where a black stretch limousine was waiting for him.
“Mr. Dinetto…”
“Mr. Dinetto…”
“Mr. Dinetto…”
“I’ll see you at my restaurant tonight, boys and girls. You all know where it is.”
And Lou Dinetto was in the car, waving and smiling. Rhino closed the door of the limousine and got into the front seat. The Shadow slipped behind the wheel.
“That was great, boss!” Rhino said. “You sure know how to handle them bums.”
“Where to?” the Shadow asked.
“Home. I can use a hot bath and a good steak.”
The car started off.
“I don’t like that question about the witnesses,” Dinetto said. “You sure they’ll never…?”
“Not unless they can talk underwater, boss.”
Dinetto nodded. “Good.”
The car was speeding along Fillmore Street. Dinetto said, “Did you see the look on the DA’s face when the judge dismissed…?”
A small dog appeared out of nowhere, directly in front of the limousine. The Shadow swung the wheel hard to avoid hitting it and jammed on the brakes. The car jumped the curb and crashed into a lamppost. Rhino’s head flew forward into the windshield.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Dinetto screamed. “You trying to kill me?”
The Shadow was trembling. “Sorry, boss. A dog ran in front of the car…”
“And you decided his life was more important than mine? You stupid asshole!”
Rhino was moaning. He turned around, and Dinetto saw blood pouring from a large cut in his forehead.
“For Christ’s sake!” Dinetto screamed. “Look what you’ve done!”
“I’m all right,” Rhino mumbled.
“The hell you are!” Dinetto turned to the Shadow. “Get him to a hospital.”