“What happened?” I asked the old woman.
“First, I’d like to know your name. I’m tired of calling youBalconyBoy.”
“Forgive my manners, it seems I’ve forgotten them with all the pain,” I said with as much of a smile as I could muster up. “I’m Silas. Thank you for everything.”
“You can call me Grace and this is my grandson, Harry.”
I studied Harry. He was deeply concentrating on cleaning me up. My guess would have been he was younger than me by maybe ten years.
“The police came by since I was the one that called,” Grace said capturing my attention once again. I wanted to know what she’d told them but I had a feeling I shouldn’t interrupt her. “They asked me if I knew anything. I told them I heard a bunch of crashing and gunshots coming from upstairs. Then they asked me if I saw anyone. So, I told them that I saw that man go flying beyond my balcony. That was all.”
“You didn’t tell them about me?” I asked needing her to really spell it out. I knew I couldn’t hide the suspicion from my face.
“You know, my memories not as good as it once was. There’s no telling when I might recall something I forgot about.” Her eyes pinned me with a twinkle.
“Okay, I get it. But why?”
“I need to know what happened,” she said like it was something that was easily explained.
“What did the cops tell you?” I asked.
“That they got three dead bodies upstairs and one on the street below. And they took the woman from up there out of here in cuffs.”
I attempted to sit up at that.
“Don’t move,” Harry said sharply.
“I have to get to her,” I said as I tried to push him away. But I was weak and though he wasn’t that built, he managed to hold me down.
“I don’t think you’re in any condition to go anywhere. Not to mention, it’s not all that wise to walk into a police station looking like you do.”
Just because she had a point didn’t mean I was happy about it.
“What was she doing there?” I asked more so to myself.
“Jessica is a wonderful woman. I’ve often asked that question myself.” Grace shook her head as if she couldn’t comprehend the answer.
“I’m going to guess that you have somewhat of a clue about your upstairs neighbor.”
“I do,” she said and there was a world of knowledge in her eyes. “I’ve lived here a long time. I know this city like the back of my hand. He is a bad man with a charming face. It doesn’t get more dangerous than that.”
Before she realized that I wasn’t talking about what happened when I was up there, I started shooting off questions.
Grace told me that Jessica moved in about five months ago. She went on about how much a delight Jessica was and I almost felt weird learning about her through this woman. For a second I was angry because I should have already known all this stuff, and perhaps I did. The picture she painted wasn’t much different from the little girl I’d known. She sounded as if she was tough, but still sweet.
“Now, tell me why you came here,” she demanded clearly wise to my stalling tactics.
“That is something I can’t discuss, I’m sorry. It’s safer for you if I don’t.” It was only partially a lie. I mean, I didn’t usually go around telling people what I did for a living. And I was still unsure of what she was going to do with me, so there was that.
“I’m going to assume you are responsible for the mess up there. But what I can’t figure out is why and how you know Jessica.”
“I never said I knew—”
“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face. But what I can also see is that you didn’t expect her to be there.” Grace paused and pinned me with her eyes. I could see her trying to work it all out in her head. “So you were there for another reason other than to save her. Am I right?”
“Yes,” I answered shortly.
“Okay,” Harry said cutting in. “I’m done and it seems like the perfect time to leave. I want nothing to do with any of this.”
