Final Justice Part 12

"The bottom line, then, is that you don't have a clue as to who these people are."

"We're doing our best, sir."

"That's really not good enough, Commissioner," the mayor said. "I need something for the press, and I need it by three this afternoon."

"What would you like me to say, sir?"

"How about forming a task force?"

"We have one in everything but name now, sir. A cop has been killed. Was.h.i.+ngton can have anything he asks for. It's just going to take some time, I'm afraid."

"A cop and a single mother of three," the mayor said. "We don't want to forget her, do we?"

"We're not forgetting her, sir. But when a police officer is killed, it sort of mobilizes the entire department."

"Just for the record, Commissioner, the entire police department should be mobilized whenever any of our citizens is brutally murdered."

"Yes, sir. Of course."

"What about Special Operations, Commissioner?"

"Sir?"

"Supposing I announce this afternoon that I have ordered that the Special Operations Division take over the investigation? "

"Sir, it's a homicide," the Commissioner said.

"You don't think it's a good idea, I gather?"

"Mr. Mayor, it won't accomplish anything that's not already been done. If I call Inspector Wohl . . ."

"Who is?"

"The commanding officer of Special Operations, sir."

"Okay."

"If I call him right now and give him the job, he'll say 'Yes, sir,' and then he'll call Lieutenant Was.h.i.+ngton and ask him how he can help. I don't know this for a fact, but I'll bet Wohl has already done that."

"Let's do it anyway," the mayor said. "Make it official. And tell this Inspector . . . Wohl, you said?"

"Yes, sir."

"To light a fire under Was.h.i.+ngton."

"Yes, sir. Sir, Inspector Wohl was once a homicide detective. . . .""

"So much the better."

"A rookie rookie homicide detective. Jason Was.h.i.+ngton, as a very experienced, very good, homicide detective, was charged with bringing Detective Wohl up to homicide speed-" homicide detective. Jason Was.h.i.+ngton, as a very experienced, very good, homicide detective, was charged with bringing Detective Wohl up to homicide speed-"

"Commissioner," the mayor interrupted somewhat sharply, "I'm getting the feeling you're dragging your feet, for reasons I can't imagine. So I repeat, call this Inspector Wohl and tell him he is now in charge of this investigation task force, and I expect results."

"Yes, sir, I'll do so immediately."

"There's one more thing," the mayor said. "The cardinal called me at home last night."

"Yes, sir?"

"About the visit of Stan Colt. The cardinal said that Colt being here may raise a half million dollars or more for West Catholic High School."

"It probably will, sir."

"The cardinal wants to make sure Mr. Colt's visit goes smoothly. And in this case, I want what the cardinal wants."

"So do I, Mr. Mayor. After the cardinal called me about Mr. Colt coming here, I gave Mr. Colt 'Visiting Dignitary' status for his trip. He will be under the care of the Dignitary Protection Unit."

"So he told me," the mayor replied. "What he called me about was the a.s.signment to Colt's visit of a particular detective. Apparently this detective made a very good impression on Monsignor Schneider-who's doing the nuts and bolts of Colt's visit for the cardinal-when they met at some sort of preliminary meeting. I'd like this done."

"Certainly, sir. You have the detective's name?"

"Payne," the mayor said. And then he read the commissioner's face. "You know him? Is there going to be some problem with this?"

"We published the sergeant's examination ratings yesterday, " the commissioner said. "Detective Payne ranked number one."

"In other words, he's a very bright detective?"

"And a very good one."

"And now he's a sergeant?"

"He will be whenever the promotion ceremony is held."

"And when will that be?"

"Whenever you decide, Mr. Mayor."

"How about . . ." He checked his calendar. "I'm free from nine-fifteen until ten tomorrow morning."

"Sir, we have the funds to promote the top twenty-one men on the list immediately. It would be difficult to get all twenty-one in on such short notice."

The mayor gave him a look that was mingled curiosity and exasperation.

"We could promote the top five," Commissioner Mariani said. "You will recall, sir, we offered the top five examinees their choice of a.s.signment."

"And you can get all five in here tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, sir. I'm sure I can."

"Good. We'll get him in here and promote him, and the others, and then a.s.sign Sergeant Payne to Dignitary Protection. "

"But there's a small problem there, too, I'm sorry to say. Payne is ent.i.tled to his choice of a.s.signment."

"Commissioner, why don't you suggest to Detective Payne that the Dignitary Protection Unit would be a fine choice of a.s.signment?"

"He wants to go to Homicide, sir."

"How do you know that?"

"Deputy Commissioner Coughlin told me, sir. He's Detective Payne's G.o.dfather."

"Figuratively speaking, or literally?" the mayor asked, sarcastically.

"Both, sir."

The mayor exhaled in exasperation.

"Then I suggest you suggest to Deputy Commissioner Coughlin that he suggest to Detective Payne that Dignitary Protection would be a fine choice-indeed the only choice- for Detective Payne to make."

"Mr. Mayor, the prize-the choice of a.s.signment-has been widely publicized. If we don't make good on the promise . . ."

"What?"

"I'm afraid the Fraternal Order of Police would-"

"Jesus Christ!" the mayor exploded. "How about this, then, Commissioner? We promote Payne. Sergeant Payne is a.s.signed to Homicide, and then temporarily temporarily a.s.signed to Dignitary Protection for Stan Colt's visit?" a.s.signed to Dignitary Protection for Stan Colt's visit?"

"That would work fine, sir."

"Then please see that it's done," the mayor said. "I'll look for you here about quarter to three. Thank you, Commissioner. "

FIVE.

[ONE].

Inspector Wohl and Detective Payne were alone in Wohl's office at the a.r.s.enal. Payne's laptop was on Wohl's coffee table, and Payne was bent over it, using it as a notebook, as he reported to Wohl on his investigation of the sudden affluence of Captain Ca.s.sidy.

Wohl held up his hand to Detective Payne to stop; he was about to answer his cellular phone.

He picked the cellular up from his desk and answered it. "Wohl."

Then he slipped the cellular into a device on his desk, which activated a hands-off system.

"Are you there, Inspector?" Jason Was.h.i.+ngton's deep, resonant voice came from the speaker.

"Just putting the phone in the whatchamacallit, Jason."

"Lieutenant Was.h.i.+ngton reporting for duty, sir."

"Do I have to tell you this wasn't my idea, Jason?"

"I understand it was the mayor's inspiration of the day," Was.h.i.+ngton said.

"Well, just for the record: Lieutenant, you are designated the senior investigating officer for the mayor's task force investigating the murders at the Roy Rogers. You will report directly to me. Now, is there anything you feel you need to facilitate your investigation?"

"No, sir."

"If there is, you will promptly let me know?"

"Yes, sir."

"We now go off the record," Wohl said. "Who told you?"

"The commissioner. Off the record. He also told me about Matt. I thought Matt would have called me."

"Me, too," Wohl said. "Detective Payne, why didn't you telephone Lieutenant Was.h.i.+ngton and inform him of your spectacular performance?"

"He's there?" Was.h.i.+ngton asked.

"Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Well, Detective Payne?"

"I thought," Matt said, raising his voice so the microphone on Wohl's desk would pick it up, "Tony would tell you."

"As indeed he did. When can we expect your services, Sergeant?"

"Homicide's wastebaskets need emptying, do they, Jason?" Wohl asked, innocently.

"I'm not a sergeant yet."

"You will be, as I understand it, at approximately nine-thirty tomorrow morning. May I a.s.sume that you will report for duty immediately thereafter?"

"Your wastebaskets must be overflowing," Wohl said.

"I have nothing so mundane in mind for Sergeant Payne, Inspector. His first duty will be to supervise Detective Harris, and Harris's team."

Matt thought: That will be a blind man leading the guide dog around That will be a blind man leading the guide dog around.

"Tony's somehow fallen from grace?" Wohl asked.

"Actually, Peter, it was Tony's idea. He figures Matt can keep other people from looking over his shoulder. And we all know what a splendid typist Sergeant Payne is."

Wohl considered that-the problem of how rookie Sergeant Payne will fit into Homicide has been solved. Jason said it was Tony's idea, but I suspect Jason was involved. Matt will follow Harris around, relieve him of as many administrative details as possible, and since he is both bright and aware of his ma.s.sive ignorance of Homicide procedures, he will keep his mouth shut, do whatever Tony "suggests"-which will include making sure that the rest of Tony's team does what Tony wants them to do, and when-and in the process learn a h.e.l.l of a lot-and grunted his agreement.