'The worst. For all of us. The whole department, maybe. But especially for me. And John.' He told it all at a machine-gun pace.
Hank surprised him by not blowing up. Beyond agreeing, 'You're right. You screwed up like a grand champion.'
But Railsback could be that way. When it was too late, when the situation was too serious for yelling, he sometimes didn't.
'Dad!'
Cash had to repeat it all for Hank's father.
'You gotta go in after him,' the older man told them.
'I know that,' Hank replied. 'What I'm wondering is how we can cover ourselves.'
'Say you went in after a burglar reported by an anonymous caller. I'll go over to the liquor store and make the call.'
'That won't mean shit if the inspector's office starts digging.' He was furious behind the calm exterior. There would be hell to pay later. 'The first question will be how come Homicide responded to a B-and-E.'
Cash stared at the worn oak flooring, tracing the dirt-filled cracks. Why hadn't he let go of this thing?
John. Gone!…
'You ain't got no choice.'
'I know, Dad. I know.' Railsback opened the door. 'Tavares! Smith! Tucholski! In here!'
Once they arrived, packing the room painfully tight, till body heat and increased humidity made the place a torture chamber, Railsback explained. 'Our idiot friend here, the ghost hunter, the flying saucer man, the part-time time traveler, has managed to lose his partner in his favorite haunted house. We're going in after him. And you ain't telling nobody anything about it, not now, not never, unless you get my say-so. It ain't going to be legal, and so I mean
Everyone nodded.
'Good. Tavares, call downstairs for a couple extra shotguns; tear gas; handy-talkies; vests; the works. Tucholski, you, Smith, and Dad will take the backdoor. Me, Norm, and Beth will go in from the front.'
'Me, too?' Beth asked from the doorway. She had not yet been permitted into the field, though technically she was a detective in training. Railsback was that kind of boss. Had she had any gumption, she could have forced him to stop using her as a secretary.
'You heard me. This's a family matter… Cash!'
'Eh? Sir?'
'Where's your piece?'
He had to think about it. Contrary to regulations, he almost never carried his weapon. Though there was the riot gun in the trunk of his cruise car…
'In my desk.'
'You'll carry it today. And every day from here on in. Hear this, everybody. This's going to be a model squad room starting now. When the inspector's office gets onto our case they aren't going to find a thing. I make myself clear?'
He didn't make them sign in blood, but the thought was there.
There were problems with the equipment, but Railsback lied and bluffed. In ten minutes they were moving, a car for each group. Cash drove and kept his mouth shut. He wasn't about to antagonize Railsback. Not even by observing that his having deputized his father was outright illegal.
Smoke hung heavy over the neighborhood. 'Looks like that fire is a real bitch kitty,' said Cash.
'Don't want to wish anybody misery,' Hank replied, 'but it'll help. Everybody for blocks will be over there rubbernecking.'
Cash parked. Hank was right. There wasn't a soul on the street.
'That the place, Norm?'
'That's it.'
'Spooky,' said Beth.
They donned protective vests.
'Me and Norm will go in,' said Railsback. 'You hang on at the door, Beth. And for God's sake holler if you have to.' He handed Cash a shotgun.
The fear was there again.
Beth checked her service revolver, a little frightened, a lot awed. Hank used a handy-talkie to tell Smith and Tucholski to break in the back simultaneously, leaving his father to guard the rear.
When everyone was in position, Railsback ordered, 'Go!'
Both doors were unlocked.
Cash went in first, low, just like in training. Hank whirled in behind him.
Norm hadn't known what to expect. Anything but what they did find, which was a whole lot of nothing and no one on the ground floor.
