30 — Finding Out
October 30, 1938
"You sure you're all right?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I got it."
Dwight had found Pauline among the crowd after the shooting died down, trying to help the injured, and he'd hurried her home. He'd intended to stay as long as she needed him, but she'd begged him to go out again and see if Nunzia was all right. For anyone else, he might not have done it, but Pauline was like family. He had to help.
Luckily, while Annunziatta Tamburo had been struck by a bullet, the shot hadn't been fatal. She had a nasty wound and a cracked rib, but by the time Dwight and Sergeant Henratty found her, she was practically fighting to leave the hospital. They'd agreed to accompany her, and now, Dwight was helping her out of the car.
"Look, you sure you..." he started.
"I'm just fine. Fine. Thanks."
He watched her move slowly over to the stoop of Pauline's building, and he started to follow, to offer assistance, but Nunzia shot him a hard glare.
"I'm all right. I'll get where I'm goin'. Thanks."
Nodding, Dwight returned to the car and clambered back inside. Henratty, lighting a cigar, looked to him.
"Ain'cha gonna see a lady up to her place?"
"Ain't her place. It's my secretary's."
"Oh. They friends?"
Dwight shrugged.
"Might say that."
"Thought you were no believer in gettin' mixed up with Tamburos."
"'m not. But I can't exactly tell Pauline who she can or can't see, can I?"
"Suppose not."
There they sat, both staring straight ahead. Finally, Henratty started the car.
"Can I drop ya somewhere?"
"I need a drink."
"Before noon?"
"Now who's bein' judgemental?" Dwight asked.
"Jeez. All right. I, uh, I know a place that might work. If you don't mind going out to the Village, that is."
"Village, eh? What, there a bar there the cops frequent?"
"Not most of us, no," Henratty said.
"Fact is, they barely trust me in there, but they know I'm... Well, I'm sympathetic."
"Yeah? And what, Sergeant, makes ya think I might be?"
Henratty laughed.
"Dwight, buddy, you ain't the only guy in town with inside sources, ya know?"
Pauline had the door open almost as soon as Nunzia knocked. Once the door was shut again, they embraced, but quickly Nunzia backed away.
"Careful, doll. I got a little pain."
"I was so terrified you were... I thought..."
"Ah, I'm all right. It ain't bad."
Turning aside, Nunzia pulled up the shirt an orderly had found for her.
"Got hit. Just grazed, mostly. Didn't go far in. Smacked a rib, but good."
"Oh, God, are you..."
"I'm safe, Lina," Nunzia breathed, and let the shirt fall back into place.
"Should you still be at the hospital? I mean, if..."
"They let me go. Lucky your boss and some bull of a cop showed up and vouched they'd make sure I got somewhere safe."
"I sent the boss to look for you. I had to know you were all right."
Nunzia smiled a little, head tilted to the side.
"You that worried about me?"
"Well of course! You went running off into a damn gun battle, and I didn't see you again. I... You could've been dead!"
"I'm not. Hey. C'mere, please?"
They locked together again, seemingly frozen in closeness. At last, Nunzia spoke.
"Can we lie down a little while? Just a little while?"
"Of course. You come right along so I can put you to bed and look after you."
Posted Oct 30, 2019, 6:42 AM UTC · edited