deceased。
‘So after all the men who hurt her or used her； you gave her something that nobody else did。‘ O‘Toole paused； waiting for a reply and getting none。 ‘You gave her love； didn‘t you？‘
‘Yes。‘ Kelly‘s body shuddered for a moment。 ‘Yes； I did love her。‘
‘Let it out；‘ the nurse told him。 ‘You have to。‘
First he closed his eyes。 Then he shook his head。 ‘I can‘t。‘
This would be a difficult patient； she told herself。 The cult of manhood was a mystery to her。 She‘d seen it in her husband； who had served a tour in Vietnam as a lieutenant； then rotated back again as a pany mander。 He hadn‘t relished it； hadn‘t looked forward to it； but he hadn‘t shrunk from it。。 It was part of the job； he‘d told her on their wedding night； two months before he‘d left。 A stupid； wasteful job that had cost her a husband and； she feared； her life。 Who really cared what happened in a place so far away？ And yet it had been important to Tim。 Whatever that force had been； its legacy to her was emptiness； and it had no more real meaning than the grim pain she saw on the face of her patient。 O‘Toole would have known more about that pain if she‘d been able to take her thought one step further。
* * *
‘That was really stupid。‘
‘That‘s one way of looking at it；‘ Tucker agreed。 ‘But I can‘t have my girls leaving without permission； can I？‘
‘You ever hear of burying them？‘
‘Anybody can do that。‘ The man smiled in the darkness； watching the movie。 They were in the back row of a downtown theater； a 1930s film palace that was gradually falling to ruin； and had started running turns at 9 a。m。 just to keep up with the painting bill。 It was still a good place for a covert meeting with a confidential informant； which was how this meeting would go on the officer‘s time sheet。
‘Sloppy not killing the guy； too。‘
‘Will he be a problem？‘ Tucker asked。
‘No。 He didn‘t see anything； did he？‘
‘You tell me； man。‘
‘I can‘t get that close to the case； remember？‘ The man paused for a handful of popcorn and munched away his irritation。 ‘He‘s known to the department。 Ex…Navy guy； skin diver； lives over on the Eastern Shore somewhere； sort of a rich beach bum from what I gather。 The first interview didn‘t develop anything at all。 Ryan and Douglas are going to be working the case now； but it doesn‘t look like they have much of anything to work with。‘
‘That‘s about what she said when we 。。。 "；talked"； to her。 He picked her up； and it looks like they had a mighty good time together； but her supply of pills ran out； she said； and she had him bring her in town to score some ‘ludes。 So； no harm done？‘
‘Probably not； but let‘s try to control loose ends； okay？‘
‘You want me to get him in the hospital？‘ Tucker asked lightly。 ‘I can probably arrange that。‘
‘No！ You damned fool； this is going on the books as a robbery。 If anything else happens； it just gets bigger。 We don‘t want that。 Leave him bе。 Не doesn‘t know anything。‘
‘So he‘s not a problem？‘ Tucker wanted to be clear on that。
‘No。 But try to remember that you can‘t open a murder investigation without a body。‘
‘I have to keep my people in line。‘
‘From what I hear you did to her …‘
‘Just keeping them in line；‘ Tucker reemphasized。 ‘Making an example； like。 You do that right and you don‘t have any more problems for a while。 You‘re not a part of that。 Why does it bother you？‘
Another handful of popcorn helped him bend to the logic of the moment。 ‘What do you have for me？‘
Tucker smiled in the darkness。 ‘Mr Piaggi is starting to like doing business with me。‘
A grunt in the darkness。 ‘I wouldn‘t trust him。‘
‘It does get plicated； doesn‘t it？‘ Tucker paused。 ‘But I need his connections。 We‘re about to hit the big time。‘
‘How long？‘
‘Soon；‘ Tucker said judiciously。 ‘Next step； I think； we start feeding stuff north。 Tony is up there talking to some people today； matter of fact。‘
‘What about now？ I could use something juicy。‘
‘Three guys with a ton of grass good enough？‘ Tucker asked。
‘Do they know about you？‘
‘No； but I know about them。‘ That was the point； after all … his organization was tight。 Only a handful of people knew who he was； and those people knew what would happen if they got a little loose。 You just had to have the stones to enforce discipline。
‘Take it easy on him；‘ Rosen said outside the private room。 ‘He‘s recovering from a major injury and he‘s still on several medications。 He‘s really not capable of talking to you with a full deck。‘
‘I have my job； too； doctor。‘ It was a new officer on the case now； a detective sergeant named Tom Douglas。 He was about forty； and looked every bit as tired as Kelly； Rosen thought； and every bit as angry。
‘I understand that。 But he‘s been badly hurt； plus the shock of what happened to his girlfriend。‘
‘The quicker we get the information we need； the better our chances are to find the bastards。 Your duty is to the living； sir。 Mine is to the dead。‘
‘If you want my medical opinion； he‘s not really capable of helping you right now。 He‘s been through too much。 He‘s clinically depressed； and that has implications for his physical recovery。‘
‘Are you telling me that you want to sit in？‘ Douglas asked。 Just what I need … an amateur Sherlock to watch over us。 But that was a battle he couldn‘t win and wouldn‘t bother to fight。
‘I‘ll feel better if I can keep an eye on things。 Go easy on him；‘ Sam repeated； opening the door。
‘Mr Kelly； we‘re sorry；‘ the detective said after introducing himself。 Douglas opened his notebook。 The case had been booted up the ladder to his office because of its high profile。 The first…page color photo on the Evening Sun had e as close to the pornographic as anything the media could publish； and the mayor had personally called for action on this one。 Because of that； Douglas had taken the case； wondering how long the mayor‘s interest would last。 Not very； the detective thought。 The only thing that occupied a politician‘s mind for more than a week was getting and holding votes。 This case had more spin on it than one of Mike Cuellar‘s screwballs； but it was his case； and what was always the worst part was about to take place。 ‘Two nights ago you were in the pany of a young lady named Pamela Madden？‘
‘Yes。‘ Kelly‘s eyes were closed when Nurse O‘Toole came in with his morning antibiotic dose。 She was surprised to see the two other men there and stopped in the doorway； not knowing if she should interrupt or not。
‘Mr Kelly； yesterday afternoon we discovered the body of a young woman who fits the physical description of Miss Madden。‘ Douglas reached into his coat pocket。
‘No！‘ Rosen said； getting out of his chair。
‘Is this she？‘ Douglas asked； holding the photo before Kelly‘s face； hoping that his proper grammar would somehow lessen the impact。
‘God damnit！ ‘ The surgeon turned the cop around and pushed him against the wall。 In the process the photo dropped on the patient‘s chest。
Kelly‘s eyes went wide in horror。 His body sprang upwards； fighting the restraints。 Then he collapsed； his skin pasty white。 All in the room turned away but for the nurse； whose eyes were locke