Murderous Matrimony(23)

“Manny, I think that’s the country from the movie Coming to America,” I said. “Did you recently see that movie?”

“No. Seriously, Lady Jessie. My father is the king of Zamboulia. I am the crown prince. That is why I know so little about your culture. I ran away, hoping to have many adventures before I have to take my father’s place on the throne of my country.”

“Detective Almond isn’t going to buy that story,” Chase said. “Not without some heavy proof.”

“If I tell him the truth, and he contacts my father, the royal guards will drag me back home. I shall never have this opportunity again.”

Chase and I exchanged disbelieving glances.

“How did you get a lawyer?” I asked him.

“Another friend from Zamboulia who I swore to secrecy.”

Chase ran his hand around the back of his neck. “Look, I want to help you, Manny. I really do. But I have to call the police. It’s part of my job. You can tell them your story about being a crown prince—but it better be true.”

“I would rather die!” Manny declared dramatically, but those were real tears in his eyes.

“Okay.” Chase got to his feet, towering over Manny. “I think you’re gonna have to come clean about—whatever you’re into. Call your lawyer, and have him meet you here, and then I’ll call the police. I can help you with bail money if the police arrest you.”

“I have plenty of gold with me.” Manny got to his feet. “I don’t need help paying the police to release me, if that is what it takes.”

“It’s more complicated than that.” I tried to explain. “Let us help you. You can hide out here until we see if we can find the bookie that might’ve killed Dave, or some other lead to his death that will get you off the hook. If the police can’t find you, they can’t arrest you.”

Manny’s eyes grew hopeful. “You would do this thing for me?”

“Yes,” I solemnly replied.

“No,” Chase said at the same time.

“We have to help him,” I persuaded. “We’re the only friends he has.”

Chase grinned at Manny as he grabbed my hand. “Excuse us a minute.”

We stepped outside the apartment and stood on the stairs.

“I can’t help him,” Chase whispered. “I have to call the police. It’s my job. I work with Detective Almond. You know that.”

“Manny is our friend. We know he’s not guilty. We can’t just hand him over like yesterday’s laundry.”

“Funny you didn’t feel like that today!”

“That was different.”

“He has to come clean with the police, Jessie. You know he’s not a crown prince, hiding out at the Village. He might have some problems with his family or something, but who doesn’t? Better that than problems with the police.”

I didn’t know what to say that would change his mind. I thought about what Madame Lucinda had told me about the sorcerer who was supposed to be coming to take back his bracelet.

I leaned against Chase and he held me close. “What if he’s the sorcerer that Madame Lucinda said was coming?” I whispered the words as quietly as I could. I didn’t believe it for a minute, and I didn’t want to give Manny any other crazy ideas.

“What?” Chase said in his normal voice, and I shushed him. In a quieter tone, he said, “Sorcerer? Really, Jessie?”

“You didn’t believe Wanda was a ghost either,” I reminded him.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. Until we were at Polo’s when Wanda struck, you thought I was just tired and felt guilty about her.”

He frowned. “That wasn’t exactly what I thought. Anyway, I believed that you really thought you saw her.”

“Whatever. It works out the same way.” I started whispering close to his ear again. “What if there really is a sorcerer? We don’t know if he’s good or bad. He obviously wants to keep his identity a secret. Maybe this is him. It would explain the crazy stuff about Manny not having any ID.”

Chase shook his head, his braid moving across his shoulder. “I don’t know. It sounds totally insane. I can’t tell Detective Almond we think Manny is a sorcerer.”

I shrugged. “Don’t tell him anything. Until we know what’s really going on, we could hide him here. If he’s a crown prince—or a sorcerer—we can explain it to the police later.”

His arms tightened around me. I could see by his expression that this wasn’t sitting well with him. “All right. For now, anyway. We’ll let him stay here.”