Chapter 19: The Terrace

The Marlowe Club terrace was crowded at ten in the morning with people who had no business being on it.

Two cameras stood on the stairs, and a dozen reporters were held back by a velvet rope.

The detective in the gray coat had brought a young officer.

Tierney's lawyer and the club's manager stood beside them.

Tierney herself leaned on a chair someone had brought her, in her sling and her cream silk.

Livia stood at the French doors with Luca a step behind her and Mirella on her other side.

Zia had been told to stay at the diner and had refused.

She sat in the club's lobby with her purse on her knees.

"I was standing here," Tierney said, laying a hand on the stone rail, "with my back to the city."

She paused.

"I heard someone behind me. I turned, and there was a coat."

"A black jacket," said the detective.

"I only saw it for a moment."

"You saw a woman."

"I saw a woman I'd been warned about."

Livia said nothing.

She had promised Luca she would say nothing until she had to.

"The camera at the door shows a woman in Mr. Benedetti's jacket passing at nine-oh-six," the detective said.

"Yes."

"You say the push came at nine-fifteen."

"Nine-fifteen, nine-ten. I wasn't looking at a clock."

"Ms. Carrano left in a car at nine-twelve."

"Anyone can hand a receipt to a driver."

"The car company says it picked up a single woman at the side door at nine-twelve, and it paid in cash."

The detective turned a page.

"That woman was gone from this building before you fell."

Tierney looked at her lawyer.

The lawyer cleared her throat.

"Detective, we'd like to note that Ms. Holloway has suffered six fractures, and..."

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