“So who’s watching her kids if she’s tranquilized?” she asked. “Eema has mine plus Esther’s? She can’t handle seven kids!…Okay. Okay…I’ll catch the first flight I can…. Well, how should I know when that will be?”

Rina rolled her eyes.

“Will you stop crying, Shayna? I’ll be there, but it’ll take me a little time to get organized…I’ll try to make it in before Shabbos. Before tomorrow night…. No I don’t think I can do it any sooner, but I won’t know until I start calling the airlines…. I’ll do the best I can…. Okay…okay. I love you, too…. Mendel? Sure, put him on, I’ll hold.”

“You’re going back?” Decker asked.

“Pessy was arrested in a massage-parlor raid,” Rina said, covering the mouthpiece with her hand. “Esther has fallen apart. My mother-in-law has Esther’s five kids plus mine. I’ve got to help out, Peter. They haven’t even hired a proper lawyer because they’re too embarrassed to let this leak—Hi, Mendel.”

“Why’s Mendel talking to you?” Decker asked.

“Hold on.” Rina turned to Decker. “I can’t talk to two people at once!”

“I thought Mendel didn’t talk to women.”

“Well, he’s talking to me right now, okay!” To Mendel, she said, “Yes, I’m still here…. Uh-huh, uh-huh…You’ve got to be kid—…Mendy, Peter doesn’t know anybody in New York….” She began to pace again. “Mendy…Mendy, every police department is different. Cops don’t have reciprocity….”

She listened to Mendel for a minute, then said, “You know, this is truly unbelievable. All last year, you and Pessy gave him grief whenever he called. Now, you’re asking for favors?…All right, all right…But don’t expect…Okay. Hold on.”

She held out the phone to Decker. He said, “I don’t have any clout with the New York PD.”

“Can’t you do anything? Just a phone call to find out how serious the charges are? Surely there’s some sort of network.”

“Rina, a week ago you were ready to kill this man. Now, you want to get him off?”

“What can I do, Peter?” She looked so desperate. “He’s family.”

Decker ran his hand over his face. “Tell Mendel I can’t do anything about it. Nothing! But between you and me, I’ll call a few people, okay?”

Rina nodded, related the message, and hung up.

“At least horny Pessy’s out in the open,” Decker said. “Takes the heat off of you.”

“One problem solved, another created.” She sighed. “Dear Lord, I dread going back.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“Can you?”

“I’ve got a couple of cases hanging over my neck,” Decker said. “If I make headway on them, I’ll join you for a few days.”

Rina fell into Decker’s arms. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”