G-Lil, they beat him so bad. He’s going to need surgery, more than one. Two men on his way home from walking me to a cab. They beat him. And they called him ugly names. They said because he’s not white and I am. They said my name. He’s just lying there, so hurt. His family blames me.”
“Of course they don’t.”
“They do.” Swollen eyes spilled more tears. “His mother wouldn’t even look at me. His brother wouldn’t stay in the same room with me. They said my name when they hurt him.”
“Because they’re ugly, racist, bigoted shitheels. Not because of you. His family’s scared and worried, angry and worried. Give them time. What did the doctors say?”
“I only know what Bekka told me. They can’t give him much for the pain because of the concussion, and he needs surgery. I saw him for just a minute, but he was sleeping. I couldn’t stay because . . .”
“That’s all right. He’s young, he’s strong, and nobody’s in better shape than a dancer. Sip a little ginger ale now.”
She urged Cate to drink, then nudged her into the shower, got her girl some fresh clothes. Checking the time, calculating, she put off calling Hugh. No point waking him so early with this kind of news. And the same went for Aidan.
She’d call her director as soon as she felt Cate was steady. Another hour before Mimi arrived, she thought. Considering, she texted her personal assistant, asked her to work from her apartment, and to hold any calls that weren’t vital.
She’d make tea. She’d—
“G-Lil.”
She turned to see Cate, wet hair pulled back in a tail to leave her face, so young, so sad, unframed.
“Why don’t you lie down awhile, my sweets? I’m going to make us some tea.”
“I’m all right. The shower helped. I guess throwing up did, too. I’m all right. I’ll make tea. Being busy with something has to help, too.”
She started to walk toward the kitchen, then stopped, pulled Lily into a hug. “Thanks.”
“Nothing to thank me for.”
“Only everything. You’ve been my mother, my grandmother, somehow both almost as long as I can remember. You’re my G-Lil, and I needed you so much.”
“Now you’re going to make me cry.”
“You didn’t call Dad or Grandpa yet, did you?”
“I was going to give it another hour.”
“Good.” She stepped back. “I’ll make tea, and maybe you can help me figure out what I should do.”
“All right. I like figuring.”
They started for the kitchen together when the house phone rang.
“I’ll get that.” Lily detoured, picked up the phone. “Lily Morrow. Yes, Fernando. Oh.” She glanced toward the kitchen. “Yes, send them up.”
In the kitchen, Cate studied a bright red tin. “Energy Boost Tea. Does it work?”
“Not especially. We’d better put on some coffee, too.”
“You want coffee?”
“Sweets, that was Fernando in the lobby. Two police detectives are coming. They need to talk to you. I thought it best to just get it done.”
“Yes.” Cate put the tin back, turned to the elaborate machine Lily claimed she loved almost more than sex. “I want to help. I don’t know how I can, but there may be something. I really am all right, G-Lil.”
“I can see that. You’ve always been a strong one, Cate.”
“Not always, but I remember how to be one. I’ll make coffee for all of us.” She managed a wan smile. “Do you think cops drink it black like in the books and movies?”
“I guess we’ll find out. I’ll go let them in,” she said when the buzzer sounded.
Lily gave the living room a narrow glance as she walked through, worked out how to set the stage so she sat with Cate on the main sofa. If her girl needed some support, she’d be right there.
She opened the door.
Whatever she’d expected, it wasn’t a middle-aged woman with gray-threaded brown hair worn Judi Dench–style short and a skinny black man sporting short, neat dreads who looked barely old enough to order a legal drink.
They both wore suit jackets—his a charcoal gray with a nice clean cut, hers black and dumpy.
And they both held up badges.
“Ms. Morrow, I’m Detective Riley. This is my partner, Detective Wasserman.”
Riley, the woman, gave Lily a steady stare out of frosty blue eyes.
“Please come in. Caitlyn’s making some coffee.”
“Terrific view,” Wasserman commented while his dark eyes scanned the glass doors and beyond, the room and, Lily realized, everything in it.
“It is, isn’t it? Please, sit down.” She gestured, very deliberately to the chairs facing the sofa. “We’re both of us just