The Murder Book

'Merit badge for murder,' I said. 'What a concept.'

Walking back to the Seville, he said, 'Something that smells of evidence, I'm starting to feel like a real-life detective, gee whiz. The question is where to take it. Can't exactly march into the boardroom at Cossack Development and accuse the brothers of being scumbag killers.'

'Can't confront John G. Broussard, either.'

'A working cop never mentions John G. Broussard in polite company. Did you see that piece in the paper about him this morning?'

'No.'

'The mayor approved him for a raise but the police commission has the authority and they say no way. Last few weeks, the Times has printed a few other less-than-complimentary comments about John G.'s management style.'

'Broussard's on the way out?' I said.

'Good chance. He must've finally annoyed the wrong people.' As we neared the parking structure, his cell phone squawked and he slapped it to his ear. 'Hello- hey, how's it- what? When? Where are you? Okay, just stay right there- no, just stay put, I'm with Alex over at the U., we'll be there in ten.'

He hung up and sped up to a jog. 'That was Rick. Someone stole the Porsche.'

'Where?' I said, matching his pace.

'Right out of the doctors' lot at Cedars. You know how he loves that car… he sounded shook up, c'mon let's go.'

I broke speed laws and made it to the Cedars-Sinai complex in fifteen minutes. Rick was waiting at the corner of Beverly Boulevard and George Burns Avenue wearing a long white coat over blue scrubs. Except for surgeon's fingers that never ceased flexing, he was motionless.

As I pulled to the curb, Milo bounded out of the Seville, rushed to Rick's side, and listened as Rick talked. At a casual glance, they appeared to be two middle-aged men exhibiting no obvious physical affection but the bond between them was obvious to me and I wondered if anyone else could see it. Wondered about something else, too: Hot Dog Heaven, where Paris Bartlett had accosted Milo, was only a block away, and the fast-food stand's picnic tables afforded a full frontal view of the hospital. Sometimes Milo dropped in at Cedars to have lunch with Rick, or just to say hi. Had he been watched, and if so, for how long?

Then I thought about the two cops gabbing in the ER cubicle. Supposedly unaware of Rick's presence in the next booth. But maybe the chat about the HIV detective forced to retire had been for his benefit.

Throw in Bartlett's little display, the call from LAPD Personnel, and a stolen car, and it added up to psychological warfare.

As Milo and Rick talked, I sat in the driver's seat and looked around. All I saw was a flood of anonymous faces and cars, the usual L.A. ratio of one pedestrian to five hundred vehicles.

Rick stopped talking, slumped a bit, Milo patted his back and eyed the Seville. Rick got in back and Milo returned to the front passenger seat.

'Hey, Alex,' said Rick.

'Sorry about the car.'

He grimaced. 'An alarm and a steering lock, and it's gone.'

Milo glanced back at him. His eyes were cold, his neck cords were taut, and his mandible jutted like that of a fighting cur, straining to enter the pit.

I said, 'When did it happen?'

Rick said, 'I got to work at 5 A.M., didn't come out until 2 P.M., so sometime in between.'

'He thinks he might've been followed,' said Milo, 'driving to work.'

'It was probably nothing,' said Rick. 'But that early, you don't expect too many cars on the street and there was a set of headlights behind me when I pulled out to San Vincente and it stayed with me until I got to Third Street.'

'And you have no idea exactly when that started?' said Milo.

Rick sighed. 'I told you, no. I had an emergency splenectomy at six. My focus was on getting psyched up.' Rick's voice was steady. His fingers kept flexing. 'I really don't think it was anything, Milo. Probably some other early bird.'

'How many other cars do you usually see when you hit the early shift, Rick?'

'Usually none. But sometimes one or two- as I said, I don't pay attention. If the Porsche hadn't been ripped off- if you hadn't asked me about being tailed, I'd never have given it a thought.'

'Give it a thought,' said Milo. 'We've both got to think.'

'About what?'

'Watching our backs. Maybe even a temporary change of address.'

'Oh, come on,' said Rick.

'I'm serious.'

Silence. Rick said, 'Well, first things first. I need a rental car. Alex, would you be so kind as to drive me over to-'

'I'll take you,' said Milo. 'Drop us off a block from our house, Alex.' To Rick: 'You wait while I check out the premises. I'll pick you up in the Taurus and drive you to Budget. No, let's use another company, just to play it safe. I want to minimize any links between us.'

'You can't be serious,' said Rick.

'Drive, Alex.'

'Minimize links?' said Rick.

'Sorry,' said Milo. 'Right now putting a layer of separation between you and me is the nicest thing I can do for you.'

CHAPTER 28

Alex dropped Rick and Milo around the corner and drove off. Milo left Rick waiting under a Brazilian floss tree and walked to his house with his eyes on high beam. The rental Taurus sat alone in the driveway, and he gave it a cursory once-over. Nothing weird. Slipping behind the car, he made his way up the driveway, unholstered his gun, and unlatched the back door, feeling foolish. The alarm buzzed, a positive sign. He disarmed the system, covered each room as if stalking a suspect. Playing Robocop in his own domicile, Jesus.

Nothing had been disturbed that he could see and the junk in the spare bedroom closet was stacked just as he'd left it: on top of the movable floorboards that concealed the safe. Still, the prickly heat of paranoia coursed up and down his back. He hadn't relaxed a bit by the time he got in the Taurus and drove back to Rick.

Rick said, 'Everything okay, I assume.'

'Seems to be.'

' Milo, the Porsche probably had nothing to do with anything.'

'Maybe.'

'You don't think so?'

'I don't know what to think.'

'Well given that,' said Rick, 'let's not get overly dramatic. After I get a rental, I'm going back to work, and afterward I'm coming home.'

Milo started up the Taurus but kept it in park. Rick cleared his throat, the way he did when he got impatient.

Milo said, 'What'd you do this morning, work-wise?'

'Why?'

'How many surgeries did you perform?'

'Three-'

'Was I there in the O.R., telling you which scalpel to use?'

'Listen,' said Rick. Then he went silent.