"Double Abandando"
page 2
"Ya know Eddie Reyna?" they ask.
Jennifer winces. "Yeah, but I haven't seen him for a long time."
"Where were you between 9:30 and 10 this morning?"
"In a staff meeting. What happened? Did somebody trash Eddie's apartment or something?
Det. Lesniak: "He got shot."
Jennifer: "Is he dead?"
"Naw, he's ok. He thinks you did it."
"He knows I'd like to."
"He told us you made threatening phone calls."
"I tried to get in touch with his girlfriend. I tried to warn her. I am sure he's threatened by that."
Det. Martinez: "Why?"
Jennifer: "I'm HIV positive. Eddie infected me."
Det. Martinez: "How do you know he infected you?"
Jennifer: "I don't do drugs, I'm monogamous, and all my old boyfriends tested negative."
Det. Lesniak: "Has he been tested?"
"No! He...refuses! I am not his only victim...I am sure I am not the only one who would like to kill him."
"Who else?"
"Ah! He's such bad news, it's like: take your pick! Some drug dealer once shot at him in front of my building."
"He deals drugs?"
"Yeah, he has. He bragged about all the money he made before I met him. Spent it on a vacation to Jamaica!"
"What a prick he is. Look, I'm sorry...I really hate the bastard."
Det. Martinez: "You know the names of these dealers?"
Jennifer: "No. I know the girl he went out with before me. He infected her too. She's dying."
Det. Martinez: "We'd like to get her name."
Jennifer: "Cathy Manning. Uh, her name's in my roladex, I'll get it for you."
She leaves, and the detectives are stunned. Martinez is thinking back to that morning, when he helped Eddie get his coat off: "Ya know, I got pretty close to that guy."
Lesniak: "Hey, he may not have it. The guy looked really healthy."
Martinez: "Yeah, so did she."
Lesniak: "Yeah."
They question Eddie and his new girlfriend separately. She stands by his man, even refusing to take a blood test. She does eventually, though. Later, Eddie is shot, fatally, by "drug dealers", according to her. They find the murder weapon on her, and take her away. (Det. Martinez does not contract HIV, BTW. Six years later, he is promoted to seargent, and leaves the 15th precinct).
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