Emma ate ice cream from her spoon as she talked to him about the Mancinni case, but Emilio noticed that she was talking more about Alexander, than the case itself.
"The thing is, Alexander had been investigating this guy for months and instead of voicing the clear evidence against this Mancinni guy, the press decides to make Mancinni the victim of process, instead of exposing him as the crooked son of bitch that he is. Then, Alexander instead of being the hero is now the villain. This whole city is fucked," Emma said.
"I know what you mean. I'm frustrated too, but I honestly don't see how we can do anything. I mean, some people do support our work and I think it's awesome, but maybe we should just report the same crap the others do," Emilio replied. Emma shook her head.
"I am so sick of this. It's the dishonesty and the fact that because I went independent, I am some sort of joke. I'm more of a journalist then those sons of bitches. Frauds," Emma said annoyed. Her eyebrows crunched and the only thing that made her feel better was the delicious taste of the chocolate chip ice cream. It cooled her heated mood. Emilio looked around and noticed that some people were gazing at their table.
"Maybe we shouldn't discuss this here... I mean..." Emilio said and then he moved his chin to show that they had spectators.
"I'm sorry. I'll lower my voice, but they should know that what they're seeing on the news is bullshit," Emma replied.
"Bullshit sells apparently," Emilio replied.
"I need to calm down," Emma said. She decided to eat the rest of her ice cream in silence. Emilio did the same. When they were done, Emilio asked her if they should leave.
"I can't go home right now. Let's windowshop," Emma replied.
"Okay. You're the boss. Whatever you say," Emilio replied. Emma didn't know why, but that kind of annoyed her. She was the boss? The boss of what? She heaved. She didn't mean to exhale so strongly, but she was angry and breathing out roughly was an attempt to keep herself composed. They threw away their spoons, cups and napkins to go windowshopping.
They couldn't really afford anything, or they could, but then they wouldn't be able to pay the rent or utilities bills on time. They both walked side by side and watched sports stores, toy stores and antique shops. When they reached a women's apparel store, Emma wanted to stay a little longer. Emilio shook his shoulders and simply waited for her, as she dreamed of having it on. In her dreams she was wearing the dress and walking with high heel shoes to a gala. Men admired her and women either wanted to be like her or envied her.
Emilio on the other hand looked at the girls inside of the shop and wondered if he could date any of them. They seemed nice and cheerful. They were also very attractive and seemed to be his age or at least approximate to his age.
After Emma day dreamed a bit, they walked on. They strolled through a lot of stores and looked at the many items placed on the display shelves. Suddenly, they decided to make a stop in one of the stores Emma grabbed a round, black bottle of perfume and sprayed a bit on her wrist. Then she sniffed it.
"Yumm, this smells wonderful," Emma said. It had a mixture of coconut and vanilla scent. It was pretty incredible when applied on the skin.
"Would you stop that shit, someone from the store could see you and then we would get into trouble," Emilio said nervously and shaking his head from side to side. Emma glared at him and then she rolled her eyes at him.
"So what? I'm just seeing this and trying on the merchandise. It's not like I'm taking the bottle with me, although maybe I should," Emma said with a chuckle.
"Stop joking around with that shit, it's not funny. Seriously, enough," Emilio said.
"Oh, come on Emilio, what would life be like without some kind of adventure? Besides of Mr. Mancinni can get away with a whole fucking crime organization, why can't I get away with a bottle of perfume? I say, fuck it," Emma said and then she laughed. She looked left and right and then placed the bottle of perfume inside her purse. Emilio's jaw dropped.
"What the fuck are you doing? This is no way to act. Remember what the priest said," Emilio said.
"Yeah, and what's he going to do about it? Let me see," She placed her fingers below her chin and paused as if in waiting.
"Hmm… Nothing," Emma said.
"Put it back," Emilio said. Emma stared at Emilio for a moment. Emilio had never seen that look in the her face before and it scared him. She looked, different, wild and there was something almost… sinister about her expression.
"Stop looking at me like that, it's freaking me out. What the hell's the matter with you?" Emilio said and Emma giggled at his expense. She took the bottle out of her purse and placed it back on the shelf just as Emilio had said. She then laughed again.
"I'm the one who's supposed to be the wuss here," Emma said sarcastically and chuckling as she looked at her cousin. Emilio was so nervous that he began to sweat. He also frowned at her because he didn't like her behavior.
"Hey, that was not cool," Emilio said. Emma and Emilio walked on. However, Emma noticed that there was someone following them. She could hear the clicking of footsteps. She fastened her pace to another aisle and noticed that the speed of the pace matched with hers. She tilted her head gently and noticed that a security guard not very far away was following them. He wore a dark grey suit and a cap with the word security printed on it. The color of the word was white. Emma shook her head and laughed.
"How fucked up is this city, huh? There's a mobster right now on the lose who's about to turn the entire city into a junkie world and in the meantime, these fuckers are more worried about a bottle of perfume. Then you wonder why this city is so fucked up," Emma said. Emilio tilted his head towards the security guard.
"Let's just get out of here," Emilio whispered.
"Why? I'm still looking," Emma said challengingly as if she didn't even give a shit. Then the security guard, who was a medium sized man, slim, with a long nose and had a dark hair that had been recently trimmed approached them.
"Would you please come with me," the security guard said. He had a dark grey long sleeved buttoned shirt and black pants. His clothes were well pressed, and his badge had the number 5678 on it. His black shoes were shiny and well-polished. So much so, that the light reflected back.
"Why?" Emma asked challengingly. Emilio wondered if she was drunk or something. She clearly wasn't acting like herself at all.
"Emma," Emilio whispered and begged her in her ear to please cooperate.
"Security cameras just saw you place something in your purse and you need to come with me now," the security guard said.
"Oh, really? Well… you can't search me without a warrant and recordings are inadmissible according to a court of law. Didn't you see the Mancinni's case today? He's going to turn this place into a cocaine carnival and there's nothing anyone can do about it," Emma said.
"For fuck's sake," Emilio said waving his hand up in protest, but Emma ignored him. She was both angry and amused. Then, the security guard was called on the radio. He turned and talked into the radio. Emma didn't think of it much, she simply reacted on impulse. As soon as he turned, she ran away from the security guard and headed for the front door of the store. Emilio ran after her. When the security guard finished communicating on the radio, he turned around and noticed she was gone. He immediately headed to the front and saw her running away through the halls of the mall with her cousin.
"What the fuck?" Emilio shouted panicked as they both ran out. She took her shoes off as the security guard went on pursuit. She tossed her shoes at the security guard and one of the shoes hit him on the head. She laughed immensely as she saw that and fled away. She ran to the electronic moving escalator and Emilio followed. Their legs never stopped moving, they went faster and faster as they avoided at all costs to get caught. She slid through a crowd to reach the top of the stairs.
"Ha, ha, ha. Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me thanks, thanks, thanks, excuse me," she said as she squeezed in and Emilio followed pursuit and he thanked people too.
"What the fuck?" Emilio continued to say. He looked at the security guard and then continued to follow his crazed cousin. She ran as fast as she could, but when she reached the middle of the food court she was caught by two security guards and Emilio immediately rose his arms up surrendering and without putting up a fight. Emma turned and saw Emilio's hands up and shook her head in disapproval.
"Pussy," she spat at him. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe his cousin was acting like this. Who was this person? He didn't know. She may have walked, talked and looked like Emma, but she definitely didn't act like her. They were both cuffed and then escorted to the security office with her cousin Emilio. She was seated on one of the chairs and Emilio sat next to her. It was a small office with only a few feet. There was a grey desk, two chairs facing it and a door that led to the monitoring office.
"Officer, this is completely unnecessary," Emilio said. Emma giggled as if this was some sort of a joke. She looked like she was having the time of her life. Emilio wasn't thrilled and wondered what the fuck was going on in her cousin's brain. Why was she acting this way and above all, why couldn't she just shut the fuck up.
"She stole merchandise from Frida's store and now she's going to have to pay the price," the security guard said.
"It's a mistake. She didn't steal anything," Emilio said, but Emma shushed him.
"No, let them. I want to see the cops' faces when they get here. It's going to be wonderful," Emma said with a grin. The security guard went to his desk, got a piece of paper that seemed to be a form and started filling it out.
"What's your name?" The security guard asked her. The other officer opened the door to the monitoring office. He closed the door behind him and left.
"Wonder Woman," she said and laughed.
"For fuck's sake," Emilio said nervously. His hands shook a bit. The security guard wasn't amused.
"Wonder Woman is a hero. You're a villain," the security guard said. Emma laughed again. The security guard glanced at Emilio who seemed to be more cooperative.
"You seem more reasonable. What's her name?" He asked Emilio.
"Emma Mia Ricci," Emilio replied.
"Sissy," Emma said to her cousin and then she stuck her tongue out at him. The security guard ignored her.
"Emma Mia Ricci, the reporter?" The security guard asked her. She nodded. He couldn't believe it.
"But aren't you blond?" The security guy asked her and she scoffed laughing again. He shook his head with disgust. He didn't expect to see her like this.
"I'm kind of disappointed," the security guard commented.
"Disappointed at me, but not at the corruption that allows Mancinni to be free. Spare me the fucking lecture," Emma replied. The security guard addressed Emilio.
"And yours?"
"Emilio Roberto Ricci," he said. The security guard was writing down the names on a long notepad.
"Excuse me Sir, but that report won't be necessary. You see, she didn't steal anything. She was just playing around. She did grab a bottle of perfume, but then she put it back on the shelf," Emilio said, but the security guard ignored him. The other security guard came out of the office. He was a bit shorter than the one who had stopped them at the store. He had curly dark hair and a blue shirt. His uniform was also well pressed and it looked very clean.
"The police is already on their way," the security guard said.
"Shit. Look, we need to make a call," mumbled Emilio.
"You can only make one call and only one of you can make the call," the security guard said.
"I'll make the call," Emma said raising her hand. Emilio shook his head. We're fucked, he thought to himself. The security guard escorted her to an office with a phone and Emma made the call. She called her detective friend Alexander. She really wasn't concerned about the call. She just wanted to call him because she liked him and she felt that it would be nice to hear his voice over the phone. Hopefully, he would say hello.