C7 First confrontation

POLICE STATION - DAY

Wednesday, the routine begins. Casual amount of residents and policemen. Among them, Ricardo smiles silly, he looks with his eyes until he finds Carlos's desk. He goes to him and sits down.

"Here I am. What do you want to know?"

Carlos doesn't like Ricardo's stance, "You know that our neighborhood is relatively new, Mr. Oliveira."

"I know. I came here in 1997. There was almost no one on my street. It looked like a ghost town. Now that it's getting fun."

"Yes, and unfortunately there is a resident who is not having any sense of fun. On Monday I had to intervene in an armed robbery. You must have heard of it."

"No, our neighborhood still doesn't have a radio or a newspaper." Ricardo's tone is always jibing and mocking.

"Well, that's what happened. And today, I receive an anonymous tip about clandestine electrical connections, what people call a ‘cat’."

"Okay, and what do I have to do with it?"

"They mentioned your address, Mr. Oliveira."

Ricardo looks thoughtful. Beat, "'They mentioned', is it?"

"Verb in a third of the plural does not identify the subject."

Ricardo keeps with the silly smile, "I know, deputy, I also studied. I just find it funny that you're in a hurry to complete it."

"If you swear it has nothing to do with it, we leave it on record and proceed with the investigation."

"So easy?"

Carlos is always tough, "Easy, as long as there is no new evidence. I hope not, right?"

Ricardo is already withering, "Certainly not."

Now it's Carlos's turn to smile silly.

MALTHUS SNACK BAR

Rosa opens the door and gets in. There is still no soul. Aurélio is already ready, putting the food in order.

"Good morning, Miss Rosa!"

"How many times have I asked to cut the 'miss'."

"It is to maintain respect."

"You will not believe it, but I am twenty years old."

Aurélio stops, stares at her in amazement for a few seconds. Then, he back to service.

"No, I really don't believe it."

Rosa laughs.

Aurélio continues: "What is going to be?"

"This sausage roll has an appetizing look. It will be it today. And see me a can."

Aurélio answers Rosa's request. While he is doing other things, like organizing the tables, she goes on:

"Do you know who bought a ream of A4 yesterday and didn't pay me? The 'mayor' Tito Aguiar."

"Wow! Didn't he pay?"

"No... Who paid was a nice girl, with curly hair, even cute. She called him all the time by the title and he just missed going to the clouds. He told me that the residents' association was without funds and she was promptly paid for the sheets together with the inks."

"Paints? Do you sell paint?"

"Acrylic paint. It looks like she paints."

A puzzled Aurélio looks at the wall. In his view, an impressionist painting by Carina, signed by her.

"Wouldn't it be Carina Sousa? She is a friend of Monica, a neighbor, even."

"You know, I moved not even a year ago. I'm getting to know the interesting crowd."

Aurélio follows the arrangement in doubt. He goes to the back and then comes back with a broom. Those who read the previous chapter will understand.

RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Célio enters. He hears the noisy printer working. Tito is on the other side, receiving the sheets with the announcement of the “meeting” of residents. Perceives the boy's entrance.

"Ah, young man! Today there will be one more job for you."

Célio notices the sheets. "Got it?"

"A very conscientious resident made this donation. Now you can continue to spread the announcement of our meeting where you failed. Especially the police station."

"Yes, we need to inform everyone. Especially after I had a chat with my friend Cássio."

"What did he say?"

"He wants to be a famous soccer player from Rhodia River. Imagine the fame that this will bring to our neighborhood? But, with the square and the whole field blown up, he can't train."

"Yes, let's help our young talents!"

Tito dumps the printed pile somewhat awkwardly in Célio's arms.

CARIJÓ STREET

Monica leaves her house and walks to the sidewalk, looking at the posts' wires.

"I'll find out where this interference is coming from. Some wire must have been cut, spliced."

Monica goes for a walk and looks up. When taking a few steps after Fábia Peres's house, in the background she appears screaming at her.

"Little Monica!"

Monica makes another disgusted face, then turns. Fábia is already approaching.

A very ironic Monica replies: "Speak, Fábia, dear to my heart!"

"Gee, stop being silly. The conversation is straightforward! What's this about giving my boyfriend your phone?"

"How was it?"

"Yesterday Fabinho decided to call you and he was already dialing! That is, he had his number engraved in his mind! When did you give it to him? Any hidden meeting that I am not aware of?"

Monica faces Fábia Peres, holding on to the urge to laugh.

CASCAIS BAKERY

Annie comes in excitedly, floating until she finds Jonas in a bad mood, and with a visible bruise from yesterday's slap.

"Jonas! What happened to you? Did someone try to rob the bakery yesterday?"

He answers with another question: "Do we already have a criminal faction for something this big?"

"No, but remember that they already started with a robbery in broad daylight with Monica."

Jonas has an explosion. "They should have taken her bag, so she could run out of books and starve to death!"

Annie chooses a table to sit at. "Are you going to tell me what happened? Or can I try to guess now?"

"What do you think?"

"Whoever gave that mark was Monica. It looks like a woman's slap."

Jonas walks away and stands behind the counter. Visibly upset.

"I'm sorry, Jon..."

"You asked her not to interfere, that we had agreed, and she came in close to closing and got in. I threw truths in her face and she reacted like that."

Annie has shallow water eyes, "Honey, I'm sorry ..."

"Don't worry, Annie. It's nice to have someone to defend you."

Annie notices that Jonas has not yet served or offered anything. She gets up, with her head down, grabs her bag, and leaves. Jonas, also devastated, did not want to make Annie sad.

CARIJÓ STREET

Monica can't take it anymore and laughs at Fábia's face.

Fábia Peres gets more irritated, "What's the fun?"

Monica between laughter: "You, you are the fun! Hey girl, have you never heard of something called a phone book?"

Fábia Peres freezes. Monica continues, "Or 'yellow pages'? It works like this: Telemar takes everyone's phone numbers, you know, everyone here from Royal Hill, and puts everything in a huge catalog, so we can know people's and companies' phone numbers. What a genius idea, do not you think?"

"Are you explaining or making fun of me?"

"Really, do I have to explain to you what a phone book is?!"

And more and more Monica laughs. Fábia can't take it anymore, she pushes Monica and she gets out of balance. Bad mood. End of grace.

"Hey, you/"

"Listen here, neighbor! If I know something is going on between you and my boyfriend, things will get complicated between us! Are you finding me a terrible neighbor? So wait for me, don't tease me, don't mess with my man because I am capable of much more!"

Monica is now serious, defiant, she's not intimidated.

"You have the intellect for that, right? To make a turmoil, to lower yourself because of a man, a man who supposedly doesn't deserve you? Have you checked if he threw the girlie magazines away? Wake up, girl; I don't want anything to do with this imbecile. But, if he has my number, then the problem is with him, right?"

Fábia yells out of her lungs: "Curse you!"

Monica simply turns away and continues with her mission. An ignored Fabia returns to her home.

GRANJA SQUARE

Ed, in school uniform and backpack, is crossing the square to go home. When walking, she finds Miriam sitting on one of the benches reading a book. Around it, gathering of more residents passing the time.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Miriam?"

Miriam looks up at him, "Oh, Ed, I ain’t 21 to be called that."

"The school told us to respect our elders, and whether you like it or not, you're older than me. But that's okay. I need to tell you something. But, please, don't be mad."

"Hey, is it that serious?"

"It's just that it looks like just a gossip, but you still better check."

"I'm listening."

"Yesterday I was at Malthus Snack Bar when I heard Cássio and Sandra talk about the possibility of Carina flirting with officer Roldão."

Miriam gets shocked. Reacts stressed. Her hands are crumpling the pages of the book.

"Carina? But, that's impossible! L-like, she's so shy, so slow..."

"That's why I think it's nothing but a joke, but it was Sandra who said she saw the two of them at the police station. And they mentioned that you like him, that's why I approached you."

Miriam disguises, "Carlos and I are just friends."

Ed makes a funny face, notices the book being wrinkled, "Okay. See, don't be mad at anyone, let alone the officer who doesn't even know about this gossip. I told you to investigate. Excuse me."

Miriam smiles weakly.

"Thank you, Ed!"

Ed follows the path in doubt if he did it right.

Miriam is now talking to herself: "No, that's not possible. Sandra wasn't going to lie to me or her boyfriend... And Carina is part of our friendship circle... Doesn't she know that I'm already approaching the officer? Does she really fell into him? God, that has to be investigated! I will not be left behind!"