WHEN I RETURNED home from Susie’s, the sun was still hanging above the horizon, splashing orange light on the hood of a squad car parked right outside my apartment.
I bent to the open car window, said, “Hey there. Something wrong
You got a couple of minutes
I said, “Sure,” and my partner opened the car door, unfolded his long legs, and walked over to my front steps, where he sat down. I joined him. I didn’t like the look on Rich’s face as he opened a pack of cigarettes and offered me one.
I shook my head no, then said, “You don’t smoke.
Old habit making a brief return visit.
I’d kicked tobacco once or twice myself, and now I felt the pull of the many-splendored ritual as the match sparked, the tip of the cigarette glowed, and Rich released a long exhalation into the dusky air.
Kelly Malone is calling me every day so I can tell her that we’ve got nothing. Had to tell her about the Meachams.
I murmured sympathetically.
She says she can’t sleep, thinking how her parents died. She’s crying all the time.
Rich coughed on the smoke and waved his hand to tell me that he couldn’t talk anymore. I understood how helpless he felt. The Malones’ deaths were shaping up to be a part of a vicious serial killing spree. And we were clueless.
I said, “He’s going to screw up, Richie, they almost always do. And we’re not in this alone. Claire, Hanni
You like Hanni
Sure. Don’t you
Conklin shrugged. “Why does he know so much and so little at the same time
He’s doing what we’re doing. Wading through the sludge. Trying to make sense of the senseless.
Good word for it. Sludging. We’re sludging, and the killer is laughing - but hell, I’m a bright guy. I can translate Latin platitudes into English! That’s worth something. Isn’t it
I was laughing with Rich as he joked himself out of his blue mood when I saw a black sedan crawling slowly up the street in search of a parking spot. It was Joe.
Oh, look. Stay and meet Joe,” I said. “He’s heard a lot about you.
Nah, not tonight, Linds,” said Rich, standing up, grinding out the butt of his cigarette on the pavement. “Maybe some other time. See you in the morning.
Joe’s car stopped.
Richie’s car pulled out of the spot.
Then Joe’s car pulled in.
