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“What is it with women and hair?”
“What?”
Lou made a circle with his finger. “You changed your hair. Why do women do that?”
“To confuse cops.”
Lou’s eyes went flinty. “I’m here to take the job, Rosato, so don’t start with me. Bad enough you got a buncha hens up here.”
“They didn’t bite, did they?”
“No, but they didn’t laugh either. It’s a great joke, admit it.”
“I admit it.” Be
“I like to stand up.” Lou folded his arms.
“Suit yourself. I’ll begin at the begi
“For forty years, until last year.”
“That’s quite a career. You just retired?”
“Yep, and hating every minute of it. That’s why I got the security job.”
“What was your district?”
“The Fourth.”
“That’s South Philly. So you’ve canvassed neighbors before.”
Lou smiled. “In my sleep.”
“Good.” Be
“I know the drill.”
“Also, find out if any of them saw Co
“Nobody said bad guys were smart. They make stupid mistakes all the time.”
“Well, see what you can find out. I’ll give you a copy of the file. Read it before you go.”
“When you want this neighborhood survey done?”
“Right now. You got a bus to catch?”
Lou shrugged. “No.”
“Good.” Be
35
“Jesus!” Co
“Tell me about it.”
“You look exactly like me! You haircut is the same, and that eye makeup!”
“I did it myself.”
“No shit.” Co
“I’ll get better.” Be
“How’d you do that, overnight?”
“I got a new haircut and a bad attitude.” Be
“Which is?”
“We play twins, at trial,” she began, and briefed Co
“It’s amazing,” Co
“It’s risky, though. You have to follow my rules or it’ll blow up in our faces. I control all communication about the trial and about us. At no time do you speak to the press. About anything. You don’t even say ‘no comment.’ I don’t want your voice heard. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t talk to anybody here about this conversation. Understood? This is confidential trial strategy. If word gets out it’s intentional, it’ll kill us.”
“You mean, me,” Co
“Good. Now. We have to talk about Della Porta. I went back to the apartment last night and got it in order the way you two had it.”
“You what? My place? Jeez, you’re full of surprises.”
“So was the apartment. Tell me why everything in it is so expensive.”
“What do you mean?”
“The art, the kitchen stuff. Anthony made about fifty grand a year as a detective, right?”
“Right.”
“Did he have any source of income other than that? Family, stocks? Or from boxing?”
“No way. Anthony’s family is long gone, and Star was a money drain. Anthony spent all his own money on his training, plus the uniforms, the equipment, advertising, the whole thing. That’s why he needed the backers.”
“What about other sources of income?” Be
“Nothing. I didn’t have it.”
“Where’d he get all that money then?”
Co
“Not on that salary.” Be
“Anthony? No way. I told you before, he was straight as an arrow.”
“Isn’t it possible that this dispute in the past, between Anthony and the other two cops, Reston and McShea, involved corruption of some kind?”
“Like what?”
“Maybe Reston and McShea were taking money and they wanted Anthony involved and he turned them down. Or maybe Anthony was in with them in the past, before he met you, taking money, and then he stopped?”
“No way. At least, I don’t know. All I know is the cops jumped all over themselves pointing the finger at me.”
“Did you ever hear or see any kind of unusual discussions between Della Porta and other cops, like at the board meetings you told me about?”
“No. I think they talked girls and boxing.”
Be
“Sure, they had to, but he never talked about work. He didn’t like to bring it home.”
“Did he ever have any sources or snitches who were involved with drugs?”
“Not that I heard him say. I didn’t know anything about his business.”
“When he was a uniformed officer, did he bust a lot of drug dealers?”
“I didn’t know him then.”
Be
“When do I get outta here?” Co
“They’ll move you right before the trial, probably Sunday night or Monday morning. During the trial you’ll stay in a holding cell in the Criminal Justice Center.”
“Shit, I can’t wait. Free!” Co