“Still out. The doctor must?ve given her enough Sec to knock an elephant on its ass.”
“Good, the more sleep she gets, the better. I?m afraid she?s going to be in for it from the homicide
cops, once they finish the autopsy.”
“She doesn?t know shit.”
“You know it and I know it,” I said. “But the turkeys from the murder division also don?t know shit.”
“I?ll handle them,” he snapped.
“Stop acting like Humphrey Bogart. They?d be dumber than I think they are if they didn?t talk to her.
“What do we do about the pictures that came in on the telex? They?ll be out here flashing them
around.”
“Burn them. She can?t ever see him, Stick, not the way he looks now. She?d have nightmares for the
rest of her life.”
“You?re beginning to sound like a concerned friend.”
“I?m trying. This is one tombstone I?m sorry I kicked over. Besides, Tony?s death isn?t going to be
handled by the local cops. It?s out of their jurisdiction.”
“Where?d he wash up?”
“Saint Solomons Island.”
“That?s Saint Simons Island.”
“Well, they?ve got him down there, and it?s their problem.”
“Five gets you ten they dump it up here anyway.”
“If it relates.”
“If?” Stick said.
“Let?s wait and see on that one,” I said.
“There?s something else bothering me,” the Stick said.
“What?s that?”
“Nance,” he said. “He?s moving around like a wolf on the prowl. Lange and Zapata are taking turns
with him.”
“I?ve been keeping my eyes open,” I said.
“Why don?t we lean on him? We can bust his ass—at least, let the fucker know he can?t go around
taking pot-shots at federal agents.”
“He?d be on the street in thirty seconds. Costello?d see to that. I want the full clock on that son of a
bitch when he goes. Life with no parole. There?s no percentage bringing him in and then having him
walk. All that is, is frustrating. Besides, I don?t think he was ordered to put me on ice, I think he got a
wild hair up his ass and decided to just do it. Nesbitt told me he took a lot of shit because he missed
