Страница 54 из 58
CHAPTER 103
How’s Mooney doing?” Co
“He got dinged up pretty good,” Alves said. “Zardino’s gun fired four rounds, caught Mooney with three of them. Luckily none hit any bone. Those small rounds do the most damage bouncing around,” Alves said.
“I plan to go to the hospital tomorrow,” Co
“He’s not going anywhere for a couple weeks. Leslie’s been there regularly, keeping him company.”
“My victim witness advocate told me that Natalie’s mother had some chest pains for a day or so, but she’s doing okay. She’s out of the hospital and back in the house on Paris with Natalie.”
Co
“How’s the case against Zardino?” Co
“Solid. He made incriminating statements to Natalie and her mother. We’ve got the wire he used to bind the two women. Matches the wire used on all the vics. We have the twenty-two-caliber Beretta. Ballistics is a match. And best of all, we have photos of the dead college students pasted into an album. We’re reopening the investigation into his father’s death, too.” Alves tore a bit of bread and sopped up some mussel broth from Co
“What about his sidekick Luther? He have any involvement in this thing?”
“Negative. In fact, Luther was able to corroborate that Zardino had the opportunity to commit the murders. Their program is funded by a grant, and Luther kept detailed logs of the time they spent working the streets at night. Zardino’s hours got pretty spotty over the last few months. When I talked with Luther at Crispus Attucks House he was beyond pissed that Zardino would betray ‘his kids’ trust’ this way.”
“I bet he’s glad we caught Zardino,” Co
“He’s not happy about anything. Still thinks the police care more about white college students getting killed than we do about poor black kids. Like his brother.”
“You think that case will ever get solved?” Co
Alves shook his head. “How’s your case against Stutter Simpson? Ray Figgs treating you okay? I ran into him last week. Looks like Figgsy went to Bridgewater for a spin dry. Word is he hasn’t had a drink in weeks. Working out at the gym again. Seems on top of things.”
“The grand jury has everything they need to indict, the murder weapon, motive-Stutter and Jesse Wilcox were shooting back and forth at each other for months before Jesse turned up dead. My problem is Figgs. He’s busting my chops, complaining we should do more investigation before we indict.”
“Probably just wants a solid case,” Alves said. “So it doesn’t go south on you at trial.”
“Stutter Simpson is a murderer. I’m going to indict and convict him for killing Jesse Wilcox.”
They ordered coffee. It was nice to be comfortable with Angel again-talking about their cases like old friends. He didn’t like it when Alves was guarded around him, keeping things from him. Things were getting back to normal.
CHAPTER 104
Alves held the door to Silvertone open for Co
“You really are an old man,” Co
“How can you call me an old man? You’re the one who drives a minivan. A single man with no kids tooting around like a soccer mom. That’s sad.” Alves could feel himself straining for the playfulness that used to be a natural part of their relationship. “I can’t be seen riding around the city in that thing with you.”
“It’s not just a minivan, it’s the ‘snitch mobile,’” Co
“And you’ve got lights, siren, and a police radio installed. But no matter how you dress it up, it’s still a minivan.”
“It’s better than this shit box Ford you’re driving around in,” Co
“Shut up and get in,” Alves laughed. He had to keep the mood light. At some point he needed to get some information from Co
“You want to come back to my house for a beer?” Co
“I’ve got a better idea. I have a six pack in the trunk. Let’s go to White Stadium and have a few.”
“Angel, you may not have noticed, but it’s almost November and it’s freaking cold.”
“Don’t be a crybaby. It’s a great place to drink. Back when I was a juvenile delinquent, me and my boys used to hop the fence and get trashed in there. Then we’d end up playing tackle football in the dark. What a blast. That’s where I played my games in high school.”
“Me, too, but I’m not jumping any fences to go have a beer and relive my high school glory.”
“No fence jumping. I used to work the detail for the mayor’s Friday Night Game of the Week. I’ve still got the key to the gate.”
“I don’t even have a drinking glove.”
Alves reached into the back seat and pulled out two ratty looking gloves. “We each have a drinking glove. Now you have no excuses.”
“I’ll go for a beer or two, but no football tonight.” Co
CHAPTER 105
Co
As they made their way to the bleachers, Co
He would go into a zone while the song played. Everything else around him disappeared. He would imagine himself watching the sun come up over Baltimore Harbor the morning after the Battle of Fort McHenry, the American flag undaunted, standing out like a beacon. No matter how it was bombarded it kept waving in the wind. The flag itself was like an absolute truth that could withstand any attack.
That was how Co
Tonight, out on the cold ball field, a hint of doubt edged into his mind. Angel Alves might be acting as though things between them were back to normal. Acting a bit too normal, working him, trying to win back his trust. But why? There had to be more to it. Maybe Alves was working a hunch. Before that hunch developed into a theory and then an indictment, Co