AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Washington remained silent, his face fixed.
“The name of Seymour Meyer also came up.”
“Chief, we’re not having this conversation,” Washington said. “If we were, I’d have to report it.”
Lowenstein met Washington’s eyes.
“How much time do I have?”
Washington shrugged, then said, “Very little.”
“Are you going to tell the Mayor I cornered you and we had this little chat?”
“What little chat?”
“OK, Jason,” Lowenstein said. “Thanks.”
Washington made a deprecating gesture.
Lowenstein stood up and looked down at Washington.
“Does Denny Coughlin know what’s going on?” he asked.
It was a moment before Washington, just perceptibly, shook his head no.
Lowenstein considered that, nodded his head, and turned and walked out of the Inferno Lounge.
Wally Milham was not surprised to see Captain Henry Quaire come into the basement office of the Inferno Lounge. Quaire routinely showed up at the scene of an interesting murder, and this double murder qualified. Wally was surprised and annoyed, however, to see Detective Payne with him.“What have we got, Wally?” Quaire asked.
Wally told him, ending his synopsis with the announcement that he was about to have Mr. Atchison transported to Hahnemann Hospital for treatment of his leg wound.
“You’re ready for the technicians?” Quaire asked. “They’re here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll go get them,” Quaire said. “We want to do this by the book. Chief Lowenstein’s here, too. Keep me posted on this one, Wally.”
“Yes, sir.”
Since Detective Payne had arrived with Captain Quaire, Detective Milham reasonably presumed that he would leave with him. He didn’t.
What the hell is he hanging around for?
“I’ve been thinking that maybe I better talk to my lawyer,” Mr. Atchison said. “With something like this happening, I’m not thinking too clear.”
“Certainly,” Wally said. “I understand.”
“How long do you think it will take at the hospital?” Mr. Atchison asked.
“No telling,” Wally replied. “An hour, anyway. There’d be time for him to meet you there, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“And I’m going to need a ride home,” Mr. Atchison said. “I can’t drive with my leg like this.”
“Have you got his number? Would you like me to call him for you?” Wally asked solicitously.
“I’ll call him,” Atchison said, and, grunting, sat up and moved toward the desk.
“It would be better if you didn’t use that phone, sir,” Matt said, and when Atchison looked at him, continued: “We’d like our technicians to see if there are any fingerprints on it. That would be helpful, when we find the men who did this to you, to prove that they were here in this room.”
