“You just want a big gold star on your record, and you don’t give a shit what happens to me. Let me tell you this, Mister Policeman. My man and my lawyer are handling this. You just keep your big nose out of my face, and maybe you and your buddies’ll get a itty-bitty gold star for putting the son of a bitch away for a couple of months.”

“You’re not worried about him coming back?”

Myra laughed. “They never come back. Just go on and carve up a new one. Hell, by then, I’m out of here.”

“You don’t seem too traumatized by the rape,” Decker remarked.

Her eyes grew mean. “I don’t need to cry and moan and weep like them weak bitches out there. But that don’t mean it didn’t happen to me.”

Decker said, “I’m sorry about that, too.”

“You just full of sorrys today.”

Decker’s brain moved fast, putting two and two together. Myra didn’t want to testify because she didn’t want her sexual conduct coming out in court. She was willing to plea-bargain the case down to a lesser count. But why? She seemed like a tough woman, could stand up against all the shit in court.

“Myra,” Decker said, “I don’t mean to sound blunt, but people know what you do. Why are you so anxious to keep it under wraps?”

“None of yo’ business.”

Decker thought hard. Who wouldn’t she want to know her past. A boyfriend? Her parents? Or was she protecting her man by not testifying, afraid that she might give something away if she went on the stand?

All guesses. He recalled what he knew about her. She came from Detroit, but her three priors happened in L.A.

On a hunch, he said, “You called Mama when it happened, huh? And she came out to lick your wounds. She doesn’t know about you, does she?”

Myra sucked in her breath, then let out a phlegmy cough.

Decker waited until she was done and said, “Can’t blame you for not wanting her to know. What’s your problem? Mama won’t leave until the whole mess is settled? Meaning if this goes to trial, she’s gonna hear everything about you?”

Myra said, “Man, if I’da knowed all this was gonna happen, I don’t think I woulda said nothing.”

“Mama’s driving you crazy?”

“Mister Po-liceman, you don’t know the half of it. Mama’s fine in the clinch. And fine if you like tea parties with the preacher and happen to be sexual in the usual way. But since this girl never wanted no boys, no husband, and no babies, we just didn’t get on real good, know what I’m sayin’?”

Decker nodded. “Can’t get rid of her?”