Mary, Mary

Chapter 39

To: agriner@latimes.com From: Mary Smith To: Carmen D'bruzzi: You worked at your restaurant until three in the morning last night, didn't you? Busy, busy girl! Then you walked two long blocks by yourself to your car. That's what you thought, isn't it? That you were all alone?

But you weren't, Carmen. I was right there on the sidewalk with you. I didn't even try to be careful. You made it easy for me. Not too bright. So into yourself. Me, me, me, me.

Maybe you don't watch the news. Or maybe you just ignore it. Maybe you don't care that someone is out there looking for people just like you. It was almost like you wanted me to kil1 you. Which is good, I guess. Because that's what I wanted, too.

Watching you, trying to be you, I had to wonder if you ever told your two darling children to look both ways when they cross the street. You sure didn't set a good example for thony and Martina last night. You never looked around, not once.

Which is too bad for all of you, the whole damn pretty-as-a-picture family as seen on your cooking show.

There's no telling when your children might end up alone on the curb without you, is there? Now they'll have to learn that important safety lesson from someone else.

After you got