let you rest. But we do need your help as quickly as we can get it, Officer.â She heard the doctor move restlessly behind her. She turned, gave him a sunny smile, and said, âWeâre not going to put him on the rack. When he tires, Doctor, we will go. May we ask you to leave now?â
No one, Savich thought, bucked Sherlock when she used that sweet iron voice.
Officer Biggs studied Savich for a moment. âYou heading this investigation, Agent Savich?â
âThe FBI is heading it, Officer Biggs.â
âSo the marshal of the Supreme Court Police isnât coordinating everything?â
How could Biggs ever have thought that, Savich wondered. âMarshal Alice Halpern and her people will be involved, certainly. Youâre really a lucky man, Officer Biggs. One of your friends, Officer Clendenning, wondered about you, and went looking. The man who struck you down had thrown a tarp over you, left you right there beside the wall.â
âAnd nobody realized when he came in that he wasnât me.â
Savich said, âNo, but weâre still speaking to all of the officers on that shift. Maybe someone noticed something, felt something wasnât right. By the time the alarm was raised, the killer was gone.
âAll right now, Officer Biggs.â Savich leaned close to his gray face, where so much pain and rage flickered in his faded eyes. âIneed you to think back to this past week, particularly yesterday. Did you notice anyone who seemed to be hanging around, watching, waiting, perhaps leaving, then returning, anyone who didnât look right, who gave you pause?â
Officer Biggs closed his eyes. Slowly, he shook his head. âWeâve got a residential neighborhood not a block behind us, and there are people hanging around all the time. I didnât notice anyone in particular, and theyâd be more noticeable at night when Iâm on duty.â
âI want you to think about this after we leave. If you recall anything, call us. Now, sir, itâs a quarter of twelve last night. You havenât had a smoke for two hours. Youâre antsy, hurting. You want to skip this break since youâre trying to stop, but you had an argument with your wife, and itâs eating at you. You donât want to go outside because itâs cold and beginning to snow, but youâve got to have that cigarette. Tell us exactly what you did.â
âHow did you know about that fight with my wife?â
âShe told us,â Sherlock said. âSheâs really worried about you. She wants you to forgive her.â
Those pain-faded eyes burned a bit. âIt was about our oldest son. It doesnât seem like much now. But she really made me mad,â said Officer Biggs. âOkay, so, I have my area, right there on the first floor, through the Great Hall and into the courtroom. I keep watch, always listen for any noise that shouldnât be there, make my rounds, watch and listen. Dear God, Justice Califano is dead, heâs dead, such a nice man, and itâs all my fault.â
Sherlock put her hand on his forearm again and left it there. âDid you see Justice Califano come in?â
âNo, but I heard some of the guys talking. Justice Califano was a regular, coming in at all hours of the evening. It was kind of ajoke, you know? Weâd lay bets on when heâd come in, laugh about fights with his old lady, about her driving him off.â
âBut you have no idea why he came in last night?â
âA couple of the guys were talkingâsomething Justice Califano said at the entrance, something about having a lot to think about. But no one knew for sure. Jerry Quincy thought it could be about that death penalty case they were hearing on Tuesday. That sixteen-year-old kid killing three people. Of course he isnât sixteen now, heâs closer to thirty. Jerry saw him head up to the library. That was one of his favorite places.
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