dorm.'
'Hot damn.'
They turned the corner and Gary's house came into view.
'We've got to be careful with this,' Downes cautioned. 'Everything by the book. Lots of 'Please' and 'Thank you.' The bathroom, if he's got to pee. Coke, if he's thirsty.'
'Gotcha,' Patrick agreed with a knowing smile.
'With one exception.'
'And that is?'
'The kid's gonna trust me,' Downes said as he parked the car. 'I got him out of that peeping scrape and treated him right. We can play on that, but I might need some help. That's why I brought along the meanest prick on the force.'
Patrick's smile widened. He knew exactly what Downes wanted. They had played this game before.
It was seven-thirty and the living room lights were on in Gary's house. Downes could hear the mindless chatter of the TV set when he rang the bell.
A moment later, Gary opened the door. He was barefoot and wearing jeans and a Whitaker football team tee shirt. The presence of four policemen on his doorstep confused and frightened him.
'Hi, Gary, remember me?' Downes asked with a cheerful smile.
Gary's brow furrowed. Then, he remembered Sergeant Downes. He was the nice policeman who helped him the night he ... Gary's initial relief was replaced by anxiety as he recalled the humiliating circumstances of his arrest for peeping. Had the girl he spied on pressed charges? Were these men here to arrest him?
'What do -you want?' Gary asked warily.
'Hey, Gary, there's nothing to worry about. I'm here because I need your help. Can I come in?'
Gary hesitated for a moment, but he remembered the good manners Mom had taught him and stepped aside.
Downes led the other policemen inside.
'Nice place you got here,' Downes commented.
'Thank you. Do you want to sit down?' he asked, acting just the way his mom told him he should act when company called.
'Sure,' Downes said, lowering himself onto the sofa.
'Say, Gary, could we turn the TV off? It's a little loud.'
Gary turned off the set and sat opposite the burly police officer. Gary noticed that none of theother policemen sat down. One stayed by the front door, one stood near the entrance to the hall and the officer with the greasy hair made Gary uncomfortable by moving out of Gary's line of vision and standing behind his armchair.
'Have you heard about the girl who was murdered in Wishing Well Park?' Downes asked.
Gary nodded. Downes took a snapshot of Sandra Whiley out of his breast pocket and handed it to Gary.
Whiley was standing on a lawn in front of the business school dressed in shorts and a tank top, acting silly. She was leaning slightly forward because the camera had caught her while she was laughing.
'She sure was pretty, don't you think?' Downes asked.
Gary nodded noncommittally, even though he did think the girl was pretty. After his problem at the Stallion and his arrest at the dorm, Gary was afraid of expressing too much interest in girls.
'We're talking to anyone who might have seen this woman last night. Did you see her?'
'I don't think so.'
'Take another look. You were at the Stallion yesterday evening, weren't you?'
Gary's heart rate increased. They were here about that girl. The one he yelled at.
'Hey, Gary, relax. You look uptight,' Downes said.
'No I ain't,' Gary answered defensively.
'Well, that's good, then, because there's no reason for you to be worried. This is just a routine inquiry. Now, you were at the Stallion last night, weren't you?'
'Yeah.
'Why don't you tell me what you did there.'
Gary felt sick. He did not know what to say. Downes waited patiently.
'I don't remember too much what happened. I was drinking a lot.'
'Did you try to pick up a girl at the bar?' Downes prodded.
'I ... I might have.'
Downes lifted his head a fraction of an inch and made eye contact with Bob Patrick.
'Look, Harmon,' Patrick barked, 'we know you attacked a girl at the bar, so can the shit.'
Gary's head swiveled around. Patrick loomed over him. He looked as if he might hit Gary.
'Calm down, Officer Patrick,' Downes said firmly.
'Mr. Harmon invited us into his home. He's not a suspect and that remark was uncalled for.' Patrick stared hard at Gary, but said nothing more.
'Sorry about that, Gary, but we did talk to the bartender and some other witnesses and they told us about the argument you had with a girl. Were they telling the truth?'
Gary hung his head. He wished Steve or Donna were there to protect him, but they were on their honeymoon.
'Well, Gary?'
'I got a little mad. I shouldn't of.'
'What made you mad?'
'I don't know,' Gary mumbled.
'You wouldn't be rude to a young lady without a reason. Am I right?'
Gary looked down at the floor. He didn't know what to say. Downes let him sit like that for a while, then he said, 'I have a suggestion to make. Why don't we continue our conversation at the station. Is that all right with you?'
Gary's head snapped up. He looked panicky.
'You ain't gonna arrest me?'
Downes laughed a deep, friendly laugh.
'Arrest you? What gave you that idea? I want your help, that's all. We'll drive you home as soon as we're through. You do want to help me, don't you, Gary?'
Gary hunched forward a little and wrung his hands in his lap. He didn't like the police station. He was scared to go there.
Downes leaned close to Gary. 'Remember how I helped you out? Remember how I fixed everything for you?'
Gary nodded.
'Do you trust me, Gary? Do you think I'm your friend?'
Gary hesitated.
'I didn't tell your mom about what happened at the college with that girl, did IF' 'No,' Gary answered grudgingly.
'Then, will you be my friend and help me solve this terrible case?'
Gary squirmed in his chair. Then, reluctantly, he nodded his head.
'Terrific! Why don't you get dressed and we can go.'
Gary went to his bedroom and Downes and the mean policeman followed him. Patrick stood by the door, but Downes went inside the room. The first things he saw were the Stallion football posters and memorabilia.
'You really are a Stallion fan,' Downes said while Gary put on his sneakers.
'Yeah,' Gary said, brightening. 'We're going all the way.'
'I sure hope so. I never miss a game.'
'Steve bought me season tickets.'
'He's a nice guy. Even when he defends his clients in court, he treats us cops with respect. He's a good citizen, just like you.'
Gary felt proud that Sergeant Downes thought he was like Steve. He didn't feel so scared now that he understood that he was just being a good citizen and helping the police solve a murder.
