played it as I saw it, Detective.”
“And the judge’s response was …”
“I spoke to her bailiff. He said he’d handle it.”
“Well,” said Rivera, “right now
you’re
the prime target so let’s take care of
your
situation and everyone else will benefit.”
I said, “Effo wires up, meets with Sykes, you’re listening in?”
Rivera slashed air with one hand. “Effo meets with no one. His participation is officially over, no way we’ll get that cozy with him, last thing we need is he goes to trial and his lawyer tries to cash in big-time brownie points for heroic law enforcement cooperation.”
She scooted forward on her chair. “You need to be clear about this, Doctor: Your situation has created an inconvenience for us but no matter what he’s done for
you
, we
will
get him.”
Milo said, “Yeah, we’re stinging her, but using our own. I borrowed Raul Biro from Hollywood.”
I said, “Raul doesn’t come across gangster.”
“Give him credit, Alex. He’s quick on his feet and he can play cold-blooded.”
“When’s it happening?”
Rivera said, “When we’re ready.”
“I want to be there.”
Rivera laughed.
Milo didn’t.
She said, “El Tee?”
I said, “This woman tried to kill me. I want to watch her go down.”
Milo said, “Nice to know you’ve got the revenge gene like the rest of us.”
Rivera said, “Well, I need to talk to
my
lieutenant.”
“Bill White’s a good man, Millie. I’ll handle it.”
“Fine, your responsibility.” She stood. “Nice meeting you, Doctor. Try to stay healthy.”
Milo got up, as well, but he left the attaché case on the floor and he didn’t follow Rivera.
She stopped. “Something else, El Tee?”
“Gonna stick around a bit. Educate the doctor a little more.”
“Ah … good luck with that.”
We walked Rivera out, remained on the terrace, watched as she sped away.
Milo said, “You’re gonna have to chauffeur me back to the station.”
“After you educate me?”
He laughed. “Like Millie said, good luck.”
I said, “You think I screwed up by not reporting it?”
“My protective instincts say yeah, it’s more of your usual denial. But the truth is, she really didn’t threaten you, she just acted nasty. Sothere’s nothing I could’ve done other than to warn her away. And I don’t know her well enough to predict how that would turn out.”
“I thought about telling you, figured if you did step in and she complained it could get sticky department-wise.”
“No doubt.” He smiled. “What a pal.”
“So what’s Rivera’s problem? I got on her bad side without really trying.”
“It ain’t you, Alex. She’s going through a rough patch.”
“Gang work burnout?”
“Probably that, too,” he said. “But the main thing is an ugly divorce. Her ex is an arson D from Van Nuys. Not a bad guy but he and Millie are going at it. One kid and they’re ripping at each other. So Millie’s not too high on men, nowadays.”
“She told you about it?”
“I have my sources.”
Returning to the house, he headed for the kitchen.
Two roast-beef-and-coleslaw sandwiches and half a pint of milk later, he said, “How you doing with it?”
“With what?” Stupidest answer in the world but I couldn’t find anything else to say.
“With the pollen count—what do you think?”
I shrugged.
He washed his dish and his glass, returned to the table. “You were pretty much Dr. Sphinx with ol’ Millie and I’m sure you had your reasons. But now it’s just us Boy Scouts, so feel free to emote.”
“I’m all right.”
He let that ride. Returned to the fridge and scrounged for dessert.
I repeated that to myself:
I’m all right
. Punishment for the lie arrived a split second later in the form of a wave of nausea that surged below my sternum and scuttled up to my gullet. My breathing caught,my vision fogged, nausea switched to vertigo, and I braced myself with two hands on the table.
That didn’t work, so
“And the judge’s response was …”
“I spoke to her bailiff. He said he’d handle it.”
“Well,” said Rivera, “right now
you’re
the prime target so let’s take care of
your
situation and everyone else will benefit.”
I said, “Effo wires up, meets with Sykes, you’re listening in?”
Rivera slashed air with one hand. “Effo meets with no one. His participation is officially over, no way we’ll get that cozy with him, last thing we need is he goes to trial and his lawyer tries to cash in big-time brownie points for heroic law enforcement cooperation.”
She scooted forward on her chair. “You need to be clear about this, Doctor: Your situation has created an inconvenience for us but no matter what he’s done for
you
, we
will
get him.”
Milo said, “Yeah, we’re stinging her, but using our own. I borrowed Raul Biro from Hollywood.”
I said, “Raul doesn’t come across gangster.”
“Give him credit, Alex. He’s quick on his feet and he can play cold-blooded.”
“When’s it happening?”
Rivera said, “When we’re ready.”
“I want to be there.”
Rivera laughed.
Milo didn’t.
She said, “El Tee?”
I said, “This woman tried to kill me. I want to watch her go down.”
Milo said, “Nice to know you’ve got the revenge gene like the rest of us.”
Rivera said, “Well, I need to talk to
my
lieutenant.”
“Bill White’s a good man, Millie. I’ll handle it.”
“Fine, your responsibility.” She stood. “Nice meeting you, Doctor. Try to stay healthy.”
Milo got up, as well, but he left the attaché case on the floor and he didn’t follow Rivera.
She stopped. “Something else, El Tee?”
“Gonna stick around a bit. Educate the doctor a little more.”
“Ah … good luck with that.”
We walked Rivera out, remained on the terrace, watched as she sped away.
Milo said, “You’re gonna have to chauffeur me back to the station.”
“After you educate me?”
He laughed. “Like Millie said, good luck.”
I said, “You think I screwed up by not reporting it?”
“My protective instincts say yeah, it’s more of your usual denial. But the truth is, she really didn’t threaten you, she just acted nasty. Sothere’s nothing I could’ve done other than to warn her away. And I don’t know her well enough to predict how that would turn out.”
“I thought about telling you, figured if you did step in and she complained it could get sticky department-wise.”
“No doubt.” He smiled. “What a pal.”
“So what’s Rivera’s problem? I got on her bad side without really trying.”
“It ain’t you, Alex. She’s going through a rough patch.”
“Gang work burnout?”
“Probably that, too,” he said. “But the main thing is an ugly divorce. Her ex is an arson D from Van Nuys. Not a bad guy but he and Millie are going at it. One kid and they’re ripping at each other. So Millie’s not too high on men, nowadays.”
“She told you about it?”
“I have my sources.”
Returning to the house, he headed for the kitchen.
Two roast-beef-and-coleslaw sandwiches and half a pint of milk later, he said, “How you doing with it?”
“With what?” Stupidest answer in the world but I couldn’t find anything else to say.
“With the pollen count—what do you think?”
I shrugged.
He washed his dish and his glass, returned to the table. “You were pretty much Dr. Sphinx with ol’ Millie and I’m sure you had your reasons. But now it’s just us Boy Scouts, so feel free to emote.”
“I’m all right.”
He let that ride. Returned to the fridge and scrounged for dessert.
I repeated that to myself:
I’m all right
. Punishment for the lie arrived a split second later in the form of a wave of nausea that surged below my sternum and scuttled up to my gullet. My breathing caught,my vision fogged, nausea switched to vertigo, and I braced myself with two hands on the table.
That didn’t work, so
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