Chapter 13

"So," said the foreign woman as she took a few steps towards the witness, swirling her wine glass as she did so, "Shall we get to the business?"

The witness observed her interrogator with an expression of fear for a few moments. She slowly rose to her feet, stumbling slightly as she delivered a response in a hoarse voice.

"P..please Edyta," said the woman, "I don't want any trouble. I'll give you whatever you want, just leave us in peace."

"Brandy," said Edyta as she placed her arm on the woman's shoulder, "You don't have to worry about being so scared. I'm not here to harm, I merely seek information regarding something you see last night."

"C'mon Dyt, I may be an addict but I'm not completely stupid," said Brandy, "No matter what I say, I'm not getting out of here without being beaten, not with the way your vile street thugs operate."

Edyta giggled.

"My my," said Edyta, "Isn't this...how do you say?...the pot call pan...pot call..."

"The pot calling the kettle black, my Lady," said the slim woman of Asian origin, assisting Edyta with her statement.

"Thank you," said Edyta, "I'm no good with the metaphors. You are sharing house with some of most wanted criminals in city , no? Theft, drug dealing, hookers, all use house as home base. I know fact that you steal from senior citizen home and neighborhood residents to support habit, and take part in murder of rivals, so do not try to act as if we are only bad ones here."

Edyta giggled as Brandy adopted a saddened expression.

"Only innocent one of you is no longer here," said Edyta, "Smart she was, too smart for street. She use fact that I was not in right state of mind for ten years to advantage, and was able to hide and make escape. It is this person I seek...you have contact with her, no?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Brandy.

"Come now, no lies please," said Edyta, "I was told by little bird that red head, freckle-face woman pay visit to house last night, a woman I once knew very well. I know this is fact because she drop this as she took her leave."

At that point, Edyta reached into her pocket and removed a small wallet sized photograph, inadvertently dropped by Tabby the previous night as she retrieved her cigarettes from her pocket. The photograph depicted Tabby, Rod, and their three daughters, standing together in front of their house with smiles. It seemed to have been taken rather recently; Marie's eye surgery had been completed, and she had adopted her new hairstyle. In addition, May's overbite was far less pronounced, due to her braces doing their job.

Edyta held the photograph up to Brandy's eye-level, placing her index finger hear Tabby's face as she did so.

"You spoke to this woman, no?" asked Edyta.

Brandy sighed

"Alright, so I did," said Brandy, "But it's really none of your business anyway, so what do you care."

Edyta giggled

"You should know by now that I do not pay special visit unless I have good reason," said Edyta as she lowered the photograph to her side, "I'm afraid you have backwards, this is my business and none of yours."

Edyta puffed her cigarette.

"Let's make deal," said Edyta, "You tell me address you gave to Tabitha Kanker, and I won't tell rival dealer where they can find you. I am reasonable woman, we solve with words, alls you have to do is say a few numbers and street name, and we leave in peace, never to see each other again. Sounds good no?"

Brandy gazed into Edyta's eyes, pondering her thoughts intently as she did so. After a few moments, she closed her eyes, glanced toward the ceiling, and uttered the words Edyta had been seeking.

"245 22nd Avenue," said Brandy, "New York City, The Bronx."

Edyta's eyes widened.

"Interesting," said Edyta, "Who would think that she would get opportunity to visit New York before me, let alone live there. I suppose it's nothing to be jealous about, she just trade one shit hole for other."

Edyta giggled as she turned her back to Brandy, and began walking towards the front door.

"You have given me all that I need," said Edyta, "I have nothing left to say and as promised will take leave."

Edyta paused, turning around towards Brandy with a sly smile.

"I appreciate your cooperative efforts," said Edyta, "Hopefully you will appreciate mine."

Edyta once again turned away from Brandy, leaving the decrepit woman in complete disbelief as she approached her two top cohorts.

"Gianna, gather girls and return them to house," said Edyta, addressing the larger of the two women"We will follow."

"Yes Noble Madam," replied Gianna, as she proceeded to execute Edyta's orders.

As Gianna took her leave, the woman of Chinese heritage approached Edyta's side in a calm manner, engaging the small woman in conversation as she did so.

"So, Noble Madam" said the woman, "Care to share what's on your mind?"

"Hmm, that depends " said Edyta, "How about we do trade? You tell me what I do during my...how do you say?...psycho state... to make me wind up needing surgery to fix tooth and broken arm, and I tell you what's on my mind."

"State of psychosis is the proper term my lady," said Mingxia, "And as for your request, I'm afraid all's I can say is ignorance is bliss."

Edyta sighed.

"Fine," said Edyta in a long drawn out manner as she adopted a shallow smile, "But if you must know, last nights visit from that red-headed buffoon has awakened a sense of inspiration in me."

"Ooooh, inspiration," said Mingxia in a feminine manner, "Hopefully something good?

"Bittersweet at most" said Edyta, "It seems that unfinished business twenty years in making may be coming to close."

"Interesting," said Mingxia, "So you've found her?"

"I am most certain," said Edyta, "And furthermore she was right under nose whole time. Final piece of puzzle is in New York, and is the only one standing in way of getting her back..."

Edyta turned towards Mingxia, gazing up into her eyes with a smile.

"Pack bags," said Edyta, "We head to big city tomorrow. Perhaps while we're there, we can see New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, I always dreamed of playing there."

"As you wish, my lady" replied Mingxia, as the two woman took their leave through the front door, plotting their seemingly sinister plan as they did so.