'No, you're not. You're a cop.'
'I'm not a cop.'
Gretchen heard a chuckle behind her.
'Do you have a search warrant?' the person inside asked.
'No. I'm trying to tell you, I'm not a cop.'
The minuscule opening in the door began to close. Matt's arm shot out to stop it. He flashed identification with his other hand. 'I'm the cop,' he said. 'Don't make a bad choice. Open the door and talk to us.'
'Don't you need a warrant?'
'Not to ask questions about a death.'
The door swung open, and Ryan stepped hesitantly out onto the porch wearing the black do-rag. He squinted and rubbed his eyes. His shoulders slumped with an air of defeat, like he expected life to keep disappointing him. Classic drug addict's philosophy, Gretchen thought. They blamed their circumstances on bad luck and the actions of others, instead of taking control and making different choices.
'I don't feel too good,' Ryan said, leaving the door ajar.
'I think I'm sick.'
Matt gave him a cold stare.
The porch was covered with cigarette butts and round burn holes. Gretchen tried to look past Ryan into the house, but the interior was dark. The sunlight blinded Ryan. He covered his eyes. 'Make it quick,' he said. 'I gotta go. I'm gonna be sick.'
Gretchen tried not to look at the silver ring piercing his lower lip.
Matt leaned against the stucco wall, outwardly relaxed and appearing casual. But he wasn't. 'First, I have a complaint. You assaulted this woman.'
Ryan glanced at Gretchen. 'She chased me down the street and grabbed me. I was looking through the window, and she started yelling and coming after me.'
Gretchen squirmed. He wasn't lying. When he said it like that. .
'You struck her and knocked her down.'
'She started it.' Ryan said, a kid's whine in his voice.
'Let it go,' Gretchen said to Matt.
'But he assaulted you. Don't you want to press charges?'
'No.'
'Why not?'
Gretchen didn't know why not. All she knew was that she felt sorry for him. She'd worked with the afflicted before, serving meals and donating money when she could spare it. Ryan, although not exactly destitute, had a certain helplessness about him. He brought out the maternal side of her, as weird as that sounded.
Go figure. She felt sorry for the guy who'd slugged her. She looked up at the crumbling pink stucco and wondered how many drug addicts lived inside. 'I only wanted to talk to you about your mother,' she said to Ryan. 'You didn't have to hit me.'
'I really think it's important that you press charges,'
Matt said.
'No.'
'Can I go now? I'm really gonna be sick.'
'Not yet,' Matt said. 'How did you learn that your mother died?' He didn't say
'One of her friends came by and told me.'
'When?'
'Saturday. . um. . like afternoon.'
'Who?'
'Britt somebody.'
'What did she say?'
'That my mother had a heart attack.'
'What kind of relationship did you have with your mother?'
Gretchen studied Matt. Cool, crisp, and professional but with the appearance of casualness. Even though he wasn't taking notes, she was sure he'd remember every word of the conversation.
'Not too good, but it was her fault. She didn't approve of my lifestyle. Wanted me to be more like her, like everybody else.' Ryan's eyes were bloodshot, and his face was pale. Who would want to look and feel this bad every day?
After several more questions, Ryan hunkered down on the side of the porch and retched.
Gretchen and Matt looked at each other.
'We'll have more questions later,' Matt said to him. Gretchen wasn't sure Ryan heard.
She stepped off the porch with Matt right behind her. 'I don't understand you at all. I thought we were in agreement,' he said in a low voice. 'Wasn't the whole point to bring him in for questioning? The assault was a perfect opportunity. His mother was murdered and. . I don't know why I'm even trying to explain it to you.'
Gretchen frowned at him. Men! Talk about miscommunication. Or more like no communication. Other than a few Neanderthal grunts, none of them had the ability to express themselves. 'I wish you had told me you were going to threaten him,' she said, looking back. Ryan had disappeared inside.
'I wish you had told me what you wanted.'
'You need to drop it,' Gretchen said, wanting the last word. 'I'm not pressing charges.'
This time Matt scowled at her.
'What's going to happen to him?' She meant it philosophically, but Matt took her literally.
'If you aren't interested in pursuing charges? Nothing. I really want to know why he's been hiding. And why he struck you.' Matt stopped by her car. 'Why did he think you were a cop when he opened the door?'
Geez. Did she really have to go into this? She stopped and dug through her purse.
Matt leaned forward and peered inside. 'Where's the little fluff ball?'
'He's with Nina. We're meeting at the shop. Here it is.' She held up the Best in the West badge. 'April gave me this and had pinned it on right before Ryan looked through the window. He saw it and automatically assumed-'
'So yesterday he thought he was punching a cop?' Matt shook his head.
The situation seemed to be getting worse.
Without waiting for a reply, Matt turned and started out down the street, whistling a tune.
'Where are you going?' Gretchen called after him.
'Back to my car.'
'I'll give you a ride.'
'I'm a terrible passenger.'
'My driving was that bad?'
'I'm really just a bad passenger.'
'We're miles away from your car.'
'One point four miles, to be exact. Don't worry about me. If I need help, I'll call for a squad.'
Look who's the impossible one now?
'Wait up.' She trotted to catch up.
'I'd love company,' Matt said. 'But the logistics are complicated. For example, who'll drive your car?'
'You can give me a ride back.'
'This gets sillier by the second.'
'You started it.' Using the same tactic Ryan had. Blame it on the other guy.
Matt raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. 'Okay, let's go.'
Gretchen looked around at the boarded-up houses and litter in the yards. 'This isn't the best neighborhood to leave my car. Or to be walking.'
'Anyone bothers us, I'll shoot them.' He flashed that great smile, swung his head to check for cars, and jaywalked across Van Buren. Gretchen trailed him across, then quickly fell in next to him.
