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“The inspector and I are going to talk to the cops who were on the job.”
“There’s bullshit in there somewhere,” Tony said as he got up from the table. “The cops going off the job say they were relieved. The cops coming on the job say there was nobody there when they got there.”
“Tony,” Washington said. “Check with the district and see what their RPCs who rolled by there just before six saw. And the same from Highway. I’ll be at Bustleton and Bowler for the next hour or so.”
Harris nodded his understanding and walked out of the cafeteria.
“What was that you were saying before about Stillwell?” Washington asked.
“He’s being appointed a deputy attorney general for corporate crime,” Wohl replied. “He told me last night. He wants me to become his chief investigator.”
“Are you going to take it?”
“Last night, it was all I could do to keep myself from telling him to go fuck himself. Now, after this, I may need the job.”
“That’s why you tied one on?”
“He said he doesn’t think we can get a conviction. And that was before we lost Monahan. But he did say that the feds are going after Payne.”
“I don’t understand that.”
“You ever hear of the Coalition for Equitable Law Enforcement? Something like that, anyway?”
“Yeah. I know who they are.”
“They have requested that the Justice Department investigate the shooting of Charles David Stevens, alleging that it violated his civil rights.”
“And the feds are going along with it?”
“According to Stillwell, they are,” Wohl said. “But to answer your question, Jason, I don’t know why I got drunk. But at the time, it seemed like a marvel
ous idea.”
“I don’t think Matt’s got anything to worry about. That was an absolutely justified shooting; Stevens had shot at him—hit him—before Matt shot.”
“Tell that to the Coalition for Equitable Law Enforcement.”
“I don’t know what, if anything, this means, but I just remembered hearing that they—the Coalition—were just about out of business, going broke, when Arthur Nelson rescued them with a substantial donation.”
“That figures, knowing Nelson’s interest in equitable law enforcement,” Wohl said bitterly. “Jesus, what a field day that sonofabitch is going to have with this!”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” Washington said, shook his head, and then asked, “You know what’s going to happen now?”
“Those sleaze-balls are going to walk.”
“You’re going to the Athletic Club, where you will take a steam bath, followed by a shave and haircut.”
“Am I?”
“You’re going to have to face Czernich and the mayor, and soon. Don’t give Czernich the opportunity to point out to Carlucci that you were hung over. I’ll try to get to the bottom of which cops were where and when. And by then, maybe the medical examiner can tell us what happened to Monahan.”
“He got shot, is what happened to Monahan,” Wohl said. “Because I fucked up his protection.”
“Wait until we sort it out before you start kicking yourself. Right now, go sweat the whiskey out of you.”
“A good long shower will do as well as a steam bath,” Wohl said. “Besides, I’ve got to go home anyway to dress properly before I meet the firing squad.”
“Then don’t answer your phone. Or the radios in your car.”
