THE DOOR OPENED. Mischa had drifted off. Actually, what that meant is that her mind wandered. Some might call it sleep. She didn't know what to call anything anymore. She'd barely slept the night of the partying and the yacht and Benito----and since then she hadn't had more than a few winds. She thought she'd drifted off when they put her on the a few hours last night----or was it noon? The morning?----but otherwise she'd fallen into a semiconscious haze.638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcc54oiWlQ
Don't say anything to them, she tried to tell herself. Your brain's out to lunch.
They showed her papers. She stared at them for a time, my head wobbly. Proces-verbal d'audition de la personne gardee a vue, they said. Some kind of a witness statement.
"Your last---chance," said LaForge. "You can see that the others have complied. Your friend Rihanna has confessed.
She closed her eyes, or maybe they were already closed.
Rihanna----no.
"The others have confirmed---yes?"
"Corroborated," said Picard.
No----impossible---a bad dream---someone else's nightmare....
LaForge pushed her chin up from her chest, so she was facing him. "Rihanna says you gave her the gun. You assisted her."
No----not the gun----not my gun.
"No," Mischa managed. "Never---touched a----gun." Her tongue was heavy; her words were coming with great effort.638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3WZGYFkEC
LaForge shook the papers, the witness statements, in her face for emphasis. "You see here. All of them say it. It was le chantage. Blackmail, Mischa."638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5JGilpDe2
"Black---blackmail----who----?"638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMey8TMOUrE
"Still? Still you insist that you know nothing?"638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1E4ecaXEON
"Why would we black----blackmail Diego?"638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTYimX4GBH
"Diego," LaForge scoffed. "From now on, you are forbidden to call him that."638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGKn7LBnOa
"What do----do I call him?"638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpSykZuGcA
Picard approached Mischa, holding up an official photo of a balding man in a suit, his posture proud and dignified, giving a speech with the flag of France behind him.638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jpZOg3OOD
It took her only a moment, her mental inebriation notwithstanding. Put a beard and a toupee on the man in the photo....638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0EV44uA3N
"Oh, no," she whispered.638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡes3D8bpKf4
Diego the Tycoon was Cesar Diderot.638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILAaA6lE9F
Mischa Barton was being accused of assassinating the president of France!638Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZj8fFh2yn
