Final justice - W.E.B. Griffin [43]
"I was about to make reference to wisdom from the mouths of babes," Washington said. "Except, of course, he's right."
"God, don't tell him that. His ego needs no buttressing."
"Actually, Peter, he will bring a fresh approach, which may very well be useful. Yesterday, when Tony walked Coughlin and our new sergeant through the Roy Rogers, Matt wondered aloud why Doer Two put his revolver under Charlton's vest. Tony was somewhat chagrined that question hadn't occurred to him."
"Is that significant?"
"Never leave a stone unturned . . ." Washington began.
". . . or the stone under the stone," Wohl finished.
"You were, as I recall, an apt pupil," Washington said. "It might be. It opens avenues of inquiry. 'Is Doer Two a cop hater?' for example. 'Is he someone who knew, and intensely disliked, Kenny Charlton?' 'Did Stan Colt--which brings us to that--use the under-the-vest technique in one of his cinema fantasies?' "
"Yeah," Wohl agreed. "What about Stan Colt?"
"The commissioner didn't mention that Sergeant Payne's services will be required in Dignitary Protection when Stan Colt comes to our fair city?"
"No," Wohl said, simply. "He didn't."
"He apparently made a very good impression on Monsignor Schneider," Washington said, "as incredible as that might sound. I am to lose his services temporarily whenever the Colt people think they need him."
"Can't you get me out of that?" Matt asked.
On the other hand, that would give me a lot of time with Terry.
"No," Washington said. "Peter--Tony just walked in, shaking his head ruefully--you asked if there is anything I need. I just thought of something."
"It's yours," Wohl said.
"I'm a little short of wheels. Sergeant Payne, obviously, will no longer be needing his sparkling new Crown Victoria."
"Okay," Wohl said. "And to prove what a fully cooperating fellow I am, I will even have Sergeant Payne deliver it to you, tomorrow when he reports for duty."
"It's always a pleasure dealing with you, Inspector," Washington said, and the line went dead.
Peter removed the cellular phone from the hands-off system, laid it on the desk, and turned to Matt.
"Now, where were we?"
The telephone on his desk buzzed, and Wohl answered it.
The conversation was very brief.
Wohl said "Yes, sir" three times, "Yes, sir, at three" once, and "Yes, sir" one final time.
He looked at Matt again. "The commissioner thinks it would be a very good idea if I were to be at the Monti Funeral Home at three," he said, "to coincide with the visit of the mayor, and his announcement that he has formed a task force to quickly get the Roy Rogers doers."
Matt nodded.
"Now, where were we?" Wohl asked again.
[TWO]
When the Hon. Alvin W. Martin got out of the mayoral limousine at the Monti Funeral Home on South Broad Street in Yeadon, just outside the city limits, he paused long enough on the sidewalk to tell the press that he would have an announcement to make as soon as he had offered his condolences to Mrs. Charlton and the Charlton family.
Then he made his way into the funeral home itself, where he found the long, wide, carpeted central corridor of the building about half full of men with police badges on their uniforms, or hanging from breast pockets of suits, from chains around the necks, or on their belts.
Each of the badges had a narrow, black "mourning band"--sliced from the elastic cloth around the bottom of old uniform caps--across it.
The mayor spotted Deputy Commissioner Coughlin at almost the end of the corridor. Commissioner Mariani had told him that Coughlin knew Mrs. Charlton, and would escort him into the "viewing room" where Charlton's body was laid out, wait until the mayor paid his respects at the casket, then introduce him to Mrs. Charlton, and finally lead him out of the viewing room.
Coughlin was in the center of a group of seven men. Mayor Martin recognized first Mr. Michael J. O'Hara of the Bulletin-- no camera, and in a suit. What the hell is he doing here? And with these people?--and then Captain Hollaran, Coughlin's executive assistant--or whatever the hell his title