“Getting back to the main business at hand here, what do you think about Bender being murdered like that? Do you agree with that officer’s theory that the chief had to know and trust whomever it was that shot him?”
“Looks that way on the surface, don’t it,” Longarm agreed in a too cheery tone of voice.
“Why do I get the impression you don’t really mean that?” Amos asked.
Longarm shrugged. And handed Amos the bulky ledgers he’d confiscated from Braxton. “Do something t’ keep these safe, will you? Me, I’m purely worn out. I got t’ get some sleep else I’ll be walking into walls soon.”
“Good night, Longarm.”
“G’night, Amo … Lester.”
Chapter 36
Longarm hadn’t so much as had time to get through his breakfast before the locals began making courtesy calls. Courtesy hell, he realized. What they were doing was pleading for protection. Now that the police chief was dead, himself a victim of the unknown killer he had been sworn to apprehend, the Addington bigwigs were worried that their own asses might be on the line next. If J. Michael Bender could be shot down at his desk, then so could any of the rest of them. They knew it. And it scared the shit out of them.
“As mayor of this magnificent city,” Hiram Worthington declared in a rich, mellow tone as if from a speaking dais, “I do concur with my vice mayor’s action of last night, sir. I do hereby, and I might add quite heartily, request the assistance of the United States Justice Department and of you as a United States deputy marshal, sir, in upholding the laws of Texas and of this nation. And, um,” he glanced about on all sides and lowered his voice considerably, “I would ask in particular that you protect the elected officials of our city and of this county.”
“Anyone special that you have in mind?” Longarm asked, knowing damn good and well who the mayor was most interested in but curious as to whether he would admit it.
“Well, um, naturally I am concerned for the well-being of all our officials and indeed of all our citizens.”
“But …?”
“But I, uh, think perhaps the most vulnerable would be those in, ah, the highest and most exposed positions.”
“Namely?”
“Yes, well, uh, in truth, sir, I would suggest that as mayor …” Worthington didn’t want to complete the sentence. He did not want to seem the coward. On the other hand he was even less desirous of seeing himself bravely dead. He dropped his voice to a bare whisper and leaned close, hissing practically into Longarm’s ear, “Dammit, sir, I need protection.”
“Yes, sir, I think perhaps you do. And if I had any authority over the local police …”
“Is that what you want? Fine. I can, um, I can offer you a temporary appointment, complete with remuneration in the same amounts …”
“No pay,” Longarm said. “I draw my salary from the Justice Department. We don’t take anything on the side, not for services rendered nor even rewards. That kinda keeps things on a even keel if you see what I mean.”
His honor the mayor seemed slightly disappointed to discover that he did not have the leverage of cash to apply to his own future welfare. But he recovered quickly enough. “You would accept the appointment, though, if not the pay?”
“Yes, sir, I reckon I could do that for you.”
“Then consider yourself to be the new police chief pro tempore of Addington, Texas, Mr … excuse me, what is your name again?”
Longarm hid his amusement and settled for answering the question.
“Long. Yes. Of course.” The mayor smiled. “Deputy Long. Or perhaps I should say Chief Long, mm? I have the authority to make the appointment now on a temporary basis and we will convene a special meeting of the city council, say, tonight at eight o’clock in the second-floor chambers at City Hall. Your appointment will be confirmed then. You are, uh, welcome to attend if you wish. In fact, uh, I would be particularly grateful if you could be with me on a rather regular basis for the next few days and …”
“Mr. Mayor, excuse me for interrupting here, but I reckon I know what it is you’re getting at. An’ I got t’ tell you, being a bodyguard, however valuable that service would be, ain’t exactly what I come here t’ do. Besides, guarding one fella would just tell our killer he should go after someone else as an easier target. No, what I gotta do is find out who’s doing the shooting an’ put a stop to it that way. Howsomever, sir, as chief o’ police I expect I can assign one o’ the duty officers to keep a special eye on you an’ on the other, shall we say, more vulnerable folks.”
“That would be, uh, entirely acceptable, Chief.”
“Yes, sir. Now if you’ll excuse me?”
The mayor left, and the duly appointed police chief pro tempore finished his breakfast with not more than three further interruptions by public and party officials who were worried about protecting their butts.
Once done with his meal he stopped at the hotel desk to ask that a tub and hot water be carried up to his room, then walked over to City Hall to inform the day shift that they had a new, albeit temporary boss, and to instruct them that the powers that be should be mollified with a show of interest on the part of the uniformed officers.
“Make yourselves conspicuous as hell,” Longarm told the cops, all of whom had come in, including those who were not technically on duty at the moment. “You aren’t expected to accomplish much. No killer in his right mind will try anything with you boys around. Which o’ course is the whole idea. Keep the killer away by showing yourselves an’ at that same time you’ll be pleasing the fellas that come up with your pay. All right?”
The Addington police weren’t really all that bad a bunch, Longarm thought. They couldn’t much like the idea of a stranger taking over from their dead boss, but they were polite and didn’t offer any public mutiny. That was about as good as he could have hoped, and he was satisfied with it.
“I got an appointment over at the hotel,” he said without bothering to mention that his appointment was with a
