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"We are investigating allegations that your radio car partner, Abel Wozniak, has been or is involved in a string of warehouse burglaries that have occurred this past year."
McCo
Pike stared at him for a moment, then shrugged so small it was tough to see.
Krantz barked, "How long have you been partnered with Officer Wozniak?" "Two years"
"And you expect us to believe you don't know what he's doing?"
The blue eyes went to the parrot, and McCo
Krantz stood. He was given to pacing, which a
"No, sir."
"Have you ever witnessed Officer Wozniak commit an act which you know to be in violation of the law?"
"No, sir."
Louise Barshop said, "Has Officer Wozniak ever mentioned committing such acts to you, or done or said anything that would lead you to conclude that he had?"
"No, ma'am."
Krantz said, "Do you know Carlos Reena or Jesus Uribe, also known as the Chihuahua Brothers?" Reena and Uribe were fences operating out of a junkyard near Whiteman Airport in Pacoima.
"I know who they are, but I don't know them."
"Have you ever seen Officer Wozniak with either of these men?"
"No, sir."
"Has Officer Wozniak ever mentioned them to you?"
"No, sir."
Krantz fired off the questions as fast as Pike answered, and grew increasingly irritated because Pike would pause before answering, and each pause was a little longer or shorter than the one before it, which prevented Krantz from working up a rhythm. McCo
"Yes, sir. May I ask a question?"
"Fire away." McCo
"Do you suspect that I'm involved?"
"Not at this time."
Krantz glared at McCo
McCo
Krantz turned back to Pike and paced the length of the table. "You don't expect us to believe this, do you?"
The blue eyes followed Krantz, but Pike said nothing.
"We're all police officers here. We've all ridden in a car." Krantz fingered through his stack of files. "The smart way to play this is to co-operate. If you co-operate, we can help you."
McCo
Krantz snapped an ugly scowl his way, and McCo
Pike said, "I wanted to do good."
Well, there it is, McCo
Krantz made a hissing sound to let everybody know he was pissed, then snatched a yellow legal pad from the table and started barking off names. "Tell us whether or not you know anything about the following places of business. Baker Metalworks."
"No, sir."
"Chanceros Electronics."
"No, sir."
One by one he named fourteen different warehouses scattered around the Ramparts Division area that had been burglarized, and after every location, Pike answered, "No, sir."
As Krantz snapped off the names, he paced in an ever-tightening circle around Pike, and McCo
"Thomas Brothers Auto Parts."
"No, sir."
"Wordley Aircraft Supply."
"No, sir"
Krantz slapped the tablet in frustration. "Are you telling us you don't know about any of this?"
"Yes, sir."
Krantz, red-faced and eyes bulging, leaned over Pike and shouted, "You're lying! You're in on it with him, and you're going to jail!"
McCo
Harvey Krantz said, "Bullshit, Mike! This sonofabitch knows something!" When he said it, Krantz jabbed Pike on the shoulder with his right index finger, and the rest happened almost too fast for McCo
McCo
Pike didn't let go. Pike held Harvey Krantz against the wall, Krantz's face turning purple, his eyes staring at Pike the way deer will stare at oncoming headlights.
Louise Barshop shouted, "Leave go, Pike. Leave go now/" She had her purse, and McCo
McCo
Harvey Krantz had shit his pants.
McCo
Pike did, and Harvey hunched over, his eyes filling with rage and shame as the mess spread down his pants. He lurched knock-kneed out of the room.
Pike returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.
Louise Barshop looked embarrassed and said, "Well, I don't know."