THE LAST TIME Mischa had seen Donatello Bianchi was ten days ago, when the prison had a memorial service for his fiancée. It'd been a surreal affair given the circumstances of Felice's death. One hundred inmates had attended. Donatello had looked damaged beyond repair. Surely he suspected that Felice had suffered more than an accidental slip-and-fall in her cell, but his grief, for the moment, had overcome his anger, and it hadn't been the time or place for her to raise the subject with him.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ASBINcqkN
Now was the time.
After Rihanna died, Mischa spent a week in solitary, Le Mitard. Delannoy had threatened a thirty-day stay---in fact, he'd even mentioned forty-five days, which was beyond the legal limit---but she knew he was bluffing. She knew it was a bluff for one very important reason: they couldn't kill her in solitary confinement. It would be impossible to blame anyone but the guards if she died in Le Mitard. They needed her out.
Now she was out. And she wasn't safe. It was just a matter of time. Days, not weeks.
Mischa had met Donatello twice before the memorial service. He always had a gentle expression, an artist's carefree perspective. He'd been in good spirits because he was counting down the days until Felice would come back to him, when they would, once and for all, move on with their lives after their addictions and criminal behavior.
Now his eyes were sunken, lifeless. He was unshaven and pale.
"J'ai entendu les nouvelles de votre ami," he said to me. He'd heard about Rihanna. Everyond had. The official story was that Rihanna had committed suicide. She had returned to her cell, they said, and self-injected a very high dose of methadone----a drug used to treat heroin addicts. She was found unconscious in her cell. The time of her poisoning was said to have been between 1:00 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.----right around the 2:00 p.m. shift change for the guards.
Mischa's favorite guard, Josette, as it happened, had worked the shift around 2:00 p.m.
The official story was that Rihanna couldn't stand another trial, revisiting her shame once more. It was a pretty good story, really. Rihanna had not been the only one of them who was not pursuing an appeal, so this whole thing fit into a nice, neat package. There was the typical rumor and intrigue following her death, but all in all, nobody had trouble believing the official line.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93Rpzzf4GR
"Rihanna's death wasn't a suicide," Mischa told Donatello in French. "And Felice's wasn't an accident."322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLAKiD5nnz
Donatello stared back at her, his face and body posture intense. He blinked his eyes to indicate his acknowledgment. He'd figured as much. He'd been in prison. He knew enough to know that the prison guards had their run of the place and could make almost any story stick; and he knew enough to know that they were watching them now, and he had to contain his emotions.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYQfcfNTyV
"Pourquoi?" he whispered. Why?322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLpd4sZyGp
Mischa thought he already knew the reason. She pointed at herself. "She's dead because of me," Mischa said in French.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJLBWldvNG
Donatello's face twisted in agony. Tears fell. She told him she was sorry, over and over again, and she cried as well. He took her hands and squeezed them hard.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2CHNZFdgb
"Elle vous aimait," he said. She loved you.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXlysj3hS1
Mischa loved her too. She loved them both, Felice and Rihanna. This was so unfair. So unbelievably unfair.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTlFaE29aD
Mischa cleared her throat and got hold of her emotions. She wasn't doing this solely for herself. She was doing this for them, too.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28OGOlRbq8
"Donatello," Mischa whispered. "J'ai besoin de vortre aide."322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2o1JSqOnbh
(I need your help.)322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tGLRbttCO
"Mais il pourrait etre dangereux."322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhdlJ5urqK
(But it could be dangerous.)322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37sXlwoSt8
Donatello let her words sink in for a moment. He wiped at his eyes and then fixed them directly on Mischa. He answered her in one word. In English.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRTd7xzVS6
He said, "Anything."322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuPNNVrw7D
