1 Confession Is Murder, page 17
“Why Joseph?” Lucille stood back and watched as the ball wobbled off to the right. One pin down. “Looks like I’m out of practice.”
“He was a challenge?” Flo shrugged. “I don’t know. He was so shy and all, having just come out of seminary. I thought it would be fun.”
“Fun?” Lucille was feeling more confused by the moment. That certainly wasn’t her idea of fun. She rolled again, and the ball went through the narrow opening where the one pin had been.
Flo stood poised at the top of the lane. “It’s a thrill, getting a guy to notice you and ask you out.”
What did she know about that? Lucille thought. She and Frankie had been going out since eighth grade. Except for those two months when they’d broken up and Richie Sambuco had starting coming around . . .
“Not that it was all that hard with Joseph. But then trying to get him to do more than just kiss me good night! All he ever wanted to do was talk.” Flo watched as seven pins went down. She got into position again. “He told me he was saving himself for marriage.” She laughed. “You know me, Lucille, that’s all I needed to hear.”
“So what happened then?”
“I found out I was pregnant.” Flo slouched into the seat next to Lucille. “Your turn.” She penciled in her score. “Suddenly my silly game didn’t seem like so much fun anymore.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because. Then you’d have told Frankie, and then eventually everyone would find out.”
“How come you and Joseph didn’t—”
“Get married?”
Lucille nodded. She looked over toward the counter where they served food. She could smell some burgers sizzling on the grill. All this talk was making her nervous, and when she got nervous, she got hungry.
Flo laughed. “Me married to Joseph? Now, wouldn’t that have been a good joke. Come on, it’s your turn.”
“It would have been easier than raising Tony Jr. alone. You’d have had a better life. And your boy would have had a father.” Lucille picked up her ball.
“I know. There was only one problem.”
“What was that?”
“Joseph didn’t want to marry me. He was beside himself when he found out I was pregnant. At first he refused to believe me.” Flo shook her head. “All he could talk about was how he had sinned and was going to go to hell. And what would happen if his aunts found out.”
Lucille rolled and went back to stand by Flo as they both watched her ball make its way down the lane.
“You mean he never offered to marry you? Not even after you told him about your condition?” Lucille glanced at Flo and then prepared to roll again.
“No.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“Way to go, Lucille!” Flo clapped as the remaining pins fell. “I had to ask him myself. To marry me. He almost went crazy. Started crying and moaning about how he couldn’t do that. Then he went on and on again about how he had sinned and was going to be punished.”
“But he had a responsibility.”
“Yeah, right. He didn’t give a shit about his responsibility. All he could think about was making sure no one would find out. Like it would be okay if no one knew about it.”
“You getting kind of hungry, Flo? I am.”
“Sure, let’s grab a burger.”
“How did you manage?” Lucille gave their order to the fellow behind the counter. The young man with the tattoo moved down a couple of stools.
Flo gave him a long, slow assessment before turning back to Lucille. “Joseph gave me some money. He’d been working, and he never spent anything. At least not on our dates. He wouldn’t even spring for popcorn the few times we went to the movies.”
Lucille glanced around the bowling alley. More of the lanes were occupied, and there was a kid’s birthday party at the far end where the two ladies had been.
“I wasn’t planning on contacting Joseph or anything when I came back.” Flo squeezed some ketchup onto her burger. “I figured there wasn’t any point. I’d sent him a picture of Tony Jr. after he was born but never heard anything.” Flo took a bite of her hamburger. “But then we ran into each other at your house. And I found out he’d married Connie.” She looked around the room. “Place is filling up.”
She turned back to Lucille. “I guess Joseph and Connie weren’t having any luck starting a family. That’s what got Joseph interested in Tony Jr. He started coming around every once in a while to see him. Then when Tony Jr. got old enough, Joseph took him into the business with him. And his visits got more regular, too. Every Wednesday night. Told Connie he was going to his K of C meetings.” Flo snorted. “We’d have dinner all together like we were some kind of regular family. Of course he never admitted to Tony Jr. that he was his father.”
“Did he help you out at all?” Lucille took a bite of her burger, and ketchup shot out onto her shirt. She scrubbed at the spot with her napkin.
“Yeah, he gave me some money. As much as he could spare. That wife of his spent most of it.”
“I guess I just can’t believe no one said nothing.”
“Well, Joseph certainly wasn’t going to say anything. He didn’t want anyone to know about it. He wouldn’t even let me tell Tony Jr. Tony Jr. figured Joseph had just taken an interest in him. Besides, you know Tony Jr., he doesn’t talk to anyone—except maybe Bernadette.”
“Yeah, and Bernadette doesn’t talk to no one neither.” Lucille sighed. She looked down. The spot on her shirt hadn’t come out completely. Hopefully the wash would take care of it—this was her favorite bowling shirt.
“I know it made Joseph nervous sometimes. That Tony Jr. or me might slip and say something. I figured he deserved it, backing out on his responsibility the way he did. Sometimes I would tease him and say that I was going to tell everyone at Sunday dinner one day. He figured I wouldn’t do it, but he was never sure. He always managed to find a little extra cash to give me on those days.”
“Flo!” No wonder Joseph was so quiet when he and Connie came over on Sundays.
“Well, it wasn’t easy raising a kid alone. And here Connie was living in a nice house and getting everything she wanted. It wasn’t fair.”
“Oh, Flo. I wish I had been able to help you.”
“Should we finish our game?” Flo started to get up.
Lucille glanced at her watch. “Look at the time. We’d better hurry. I have a hair appointment this afternoon.”
• • •
Flo was right—it wasn’t fair. Being stuck raising a kid alone with no help from the father. Lucille hurried out to the van. It was almost four o’clock, and she had to get to the Clip and Curl. She hadn’t realized how late it had gotten.
The skies were black now. Lucille hoped the rain would hold off till she got out of the beauty parlor and back home again. Her hair wouldn’t keep as well if it got wet, and she hated doing it herself.
Her hands were shaking a bit as she started up the van. She couldn’t believe the story Flo had just told her. Imagine all these years not knowing that Joseph was really Tony Jr.’s father. There wasn’t much of a resemblance—she always figured Tony Jr. looked like the mysterious Anthony Baldini. And here Flo had made him up from a name in the phone book.
Poor Flo. Things just hadn’t gone right for her. No wonder she resented Connie and all the things that Connie had. She would probably have felt the same way herself.
Lucille dropped Flo off at home and drove over to the Clip and Curl. She pulled into the lot and found a space near the door. It was starting to drizzle. She turned her collar up, ran toward the back entrance of the shop, and pushed open the door. Carmela was throwing some towels in the dryer, and waved as Lucille went by.
Lucille was hanging up her coat in the closet in the back by the restrooms when she realized something.
It had suddenly occurred to her that Flo had as good a reason as anyone for wanting Joseph dead.
Chapter 17
“What are we going to do today?” Rita stood in back of Lucille and smiled inquiringly at Lucille’s reflection in the mirror.
“The same as usual, I guess.”
“How about something different? A little special maybe.” Rita wagged her scissors playfully at Lucille, then spun the chair around and tied a plastic cape around Lucille’s shoulders. “Highlights. That’s what you need.”
“Highlights?” Lucille could feel her palms beginning to sweat.
“Very subtle ones. Just a bit of lighter color here and there.” Rita spun her back to face the mirror and ran her hands through Lucille’s hair. “See, a little brightness around the face.” She stroked the hair along Lucille’s forehead.
“Well . . .”
“Come on, Lucille. You haven’t done anything different since I’ve known you. Besides, you’ll hardly notice them. They’ll just give you a bit of a boost. One of my other clients got them, and everyone thought she’d been away or had a face-lift or something. No one noticed it was the hair.”
“If you’re sure—”
“Good. You’re going to love them, Lucille.”
Rita bustled toward the back of the shop, and Lucille stared at her reflection glumly. Maybe Rita was right. Maybe she could do with something different. She began to feel a bit excited. Maybe she’d buy a new lipstick, too. No one was wearing frosted pink anymore, although she still liked it herself. Lucille said a quick prayer to St. Rose of Lima, patron saint against vanity, and settled back in her seat.
Rita reappeared with a small brown pot and a thick brush. “We’re just going to section off a few hairs here and there to highlight.” She bit her lower lip as she painted some stuff that looked like mud onto strands of Lucille’s hair.
Lucille tried to see around Rita and into the mirror. It didn’t look so bad. Just a little lighter than her own hair. Maybe these highlights were going to be just what she needed.
Rita set a timer for half an hour and left Lucille with a tattered copy of the Star.
“Would you like a cup of coffee or anything?” Carmela sat down in the empty chair next to Lucille.
“No, thanks, Carmela. I’ve already had my cup for the day.”
“It sure feels good to get off my feet for a minute.” Carmela stretched her legs out and wiggled her feet. “We’ve been awful busy for a Monday. Thank goodness it’s almost five o’clock.” She turned to Lucille and put a hand on her arm. “How are you holding up, honey? It can’t have been easy losing your brother-in-law like that with you finding the body and all.”
“It’s been rough, Carmela, you’re right.” And Carmela didn’t know the half of it, Lucille thought, risking a peek at herself in the mirror. There didn’t seem to be much of a change yet.
“And poor Flo!” Carmela massaged her right knee. “Having her son arrested like that. I don’t know how she managed, I really don’t. Flo never liked Connie all that much before, but now . . .” She took a small cloth from her pocket and wiped a spot of dye off Lucille’s cheek.
Carmela leaned close to Lucille and lowered her voice. “You should have heard them going at it that day.” She raised thin, arched eyebrows at Lucille. “Rita had to ask them to step outside.”
“When was this?”
Carmela rubbed her forehead. “Couple weeks ago maybe? I wish I could remember. The time is going by so fast I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving.”
“I know what you mean. Then Christmas will be around the corner.”
Carmela nodded. “Time sure does fly.” She stretched her legs out again. “Wait, I do remember. I remember what day it was—the day Connie and Flo had that big fight. It was the same day they found your brother-in-law dead over there at the church. I remember because it was a couple hours later we heard all the sirens and all. I saw them go flying right by the shop. I was up at the front desk, answering the phone. On account of Flo having gone home early.”
“Flo went home early?”
Carmela nodded. “She was so upset, Lucille. I’ve never seen Flo like that. You know Flo, nothing bothers her.” She got to her feet. “Well, it’s back to work for me. Sure I can’t bring you anything?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks.”
But she wasn’t fine, Lucille thought. She felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach. Flo and Connie had a fight the day Joseph died. Flo left early. Meaning Flo could easily have gone over to St. Rocco’s while Joseph was there. She didn’t want to think any further. Flo couldn’t have done it, she just couldn’t have.
Twenty minutes later the timer on the counter pinged.
“Carmela,” Rita called from her station, “could you rinse Lucille out, please?”
Lucille left her purse on the chair and followed Carmela back to the wash tubs.
“Rita give you highlights?”
Lucille mumbled.
Carmela eased Lucille’s head back over the basin. “You’re going to love them. Rita does a great job.”
Lucille tried to relax as the warm water cascaded over her head, but all she could think about was Flo.
Carmela wrapped her head in a towel and led her back to Rita’s station. “Here you go.”
“No peeking till we’re done.” Rita turned Lucille’s chair away from the mirror and flipped on the blow dryer.
Lucille couldn’t wait to see her transformation. She wondered what Frankie would think—his wife all dolled up like the other ladies. Yes, she was definitely getting a new lipstick and maybe some eye shadow too. Flo could show her how to put it on.
“Almost done.” Rita teased a few hairs in front and then sprayed Lucille’s head with hair spray.
“Ta da! What do you think?” She turned Lucille back to face the mirror.
Lucille screamed.
• • •
Lucille pushed open the door to Come Clean, the dry cleaners next to the Clip and Curl.
“Hey, Lucille.” Gil was behind the counter, sorting through a pile of men’s shirts. “What’s up?” He threw a blue oxford into a canvas bin and walked over toward Lucille.
“I was real sorry to hear about your brother-in-law. What a shock. Stuff like that doesn’t usually happen in New Providence, you know what I mean?” He thumped Lucille on the back. “I think it must have been one of them gang members from Newark or Irvington. Probably thought they’d find something worth stealing in the church, but Joseph surprised ’em.”
He went behind the counter, pressed a button, and a large overhead rack of clothes began rotating. “Here you go.” He grabbed a plastic-wrapped bundle and hung it on a hook next to the cash register.
Lucille handed Gil a twenty-dollar bill.
“I almost got myself killed that same day.” Gil punched some numbers into the cash register and tore off a receipt. “I was crossing the church parking lot on my way to Friendly’s for lunch when this car came along like a bat out of hell. It nearly ran me down. I had to jump out of the way, and I think I pulled a muscle because I been getting this pain ever since.” He put a hand to his back.
“Some kid, I bet.” Lucille took her change and put it in her wallet.
“Nah, it was a woman. I didn’t get a good look at her, and I didn’t think to get her license number. The way some people drive these days.” He shook his head and handed her the clothes.
Lucille put out a hand and then paused. “This was around lunchtime? In the church parking lot? What color was the car?”
“I dunno. Darkish? It all happened so fast.”
A darkish car leaving the church parking lot right around the time Joseph was killed. And going so fast it nearly ran Gil down. Flo’s car was dark. And Flo wasn’t at work that afternoon.
“You’re looking good, Lucille. Different.” Gil made a twiddling motion with his hand over his head.
“Yeah.” Lucille had forgotten all about her hair. She opened the front door and the bell tinkled.
“Say, I saw Frankie over at Marco Polo the other day. What’s up? You guys split or something?”
Lucille stopped with her hand on the knob. “What do you mean?”
“He was with some girl. Snuggled down in one of the booths in the back.” Gil shrugged. “At least I think it was Frank.” He laughed. “Hey, it’s none of my business—I was just wondering.”
Betty. Frank was out having dinner with Betty. “Yeah,” Lucille said again and went out the door.
Lucille started the van and looked at her watch. Five thirty. Just enough time to nip over to her mother’s and drop off the pair of slacks she’d taken to the dry cleaner for her.
She was making the left turn onto Springfield Avenue when she heard brakes squealing. A car careened toward her, the driver gesturing rudely. Lucille stepped on the gas and made a gesture back. Sheesh, she was going to have to get her mind off Frank and Betty or she was going to get into an accident. Besides, Gil said he only thought it was Frank. Maybe she was getting all riled up over nothing.
The moving truck was still in front of the Espozas’ house when Lucille got home. Two movers were squatting next to a massive buffet, puffing cigarettes and glugging sodas. They stared as Lucille walked by.
Mrs. Espoza was coming out her front door. She started to wave and then stopped and stared, openmouthed. Lucille turned the key and hurried into the house before Mrs. Espoza could say anything.
Lucille couldn’t get Frank and Betty off her mind. Just who the hell did Betty think she was, having dinner with Lucille’s husband? Lucille slammed the door in back of her. And in broad daylight, when Frank was supposed to be hiding on account of the police.
Well, she wasn’t giving up her man without a fight. No siree. She remembered that time back in senior year when Paula Tuscano began putting the moves on Frank. Hmmph, she certainly showed Paula who was boss. She still felt a sense of satisfaction when she thought of holding Paula’s head under the cold water faucet in the girls’ room. Paula hadn’t looked so pretty with her hair dripping wet and her eye makeup run all over her face.
Lucille went into the powder room and looked in the mirror. She put a hand to her hair. These highlights were just the ticket. And now she was going to be working out, too. She couldn’t wait for Frankie to see the new her.
