detective, like my dad, and get to go to crime scenes.â
âYou watch too many crime television shows, Phyllis.â Betty chuckled.
Phyllis gave her a blank stare.
âYou know, those forensic programs that deal with trace evidence solving big cases,â Joceline said helpfully. âThey call it fiction.â
âSo many people donât know the difference.â Betty sighed. âNow juries are so clued up that they argue with attorneys about trace evidence in murder trials. They watch a television show a few times and think theyâre qualified to rule on pathological evidence.â
âYes, itâs nothing like what they show on television,â Phyllis said. âBodies are so clean and tidy. In real life, the blood is everywhere. It splashes around like paintâ¦â She stopped because they were staring at her silently. âOh, my dad lets me look at file photos sometimes,â she said quickly. âTo teach me how evidence is really gathered.â
âI see,â Betty said, but she was visibly uncomfortable.
âSome of those shows are just a little too graphic for me, especially when my son might walk in and see somethingthat would give him nightmares,â Joceline said with a smile.
âI was never squeamish, even when I was little,â Phyllis scoffed. âThat murder case we worked on with Mr. Blackhawk was really fascinating, the one that Jay Copper got arrested for,â she added suddenly. âArenât you working with a file about that Hancock man? Digging out information about his past?â
âIâm trying to run down stuff. I got some rap sheets from San Antonio P.D. this morning. Theyâre on my desk. I havenât had time to input the information. I may have to sign them out and do it at home.â
âI guess itâs a long rap sheet,â Phyllis said.
âVery.â
âSuch a sad case, the Kilraven murders,â Betty said. âImagine, someone killing a child like that.â
âKids, adults, a life is a life.â Phyllis shrugged. âThey all die the same.â
âYou have a different outlook when you have a child,â Joceline said tautly.
Phyllis assumed a smile. âWell, of course you do.â
Betty sipped more coffee. âI worry about Monroeâs threats,â she said somberly. âMr. Blackhawk seems to think itâs a joke, but the man is dangerous. His wifeâs uncle taught him how to be a monster, and his brother-in-law is a terror.â
Joceline nodded. âJay Copper is going to do some very hard time, if he manages to avoid the needle,â she addedmeaningfully. âImagine ordering the death of a woman and a small child!â
âAnd Iâm sure that he did order it, despite all his denials,â Betty said grimly. âDan Jones may have done the actual killing, but Jay Copper was behind it. If they can just convict him, is the thing. I hope they do.â
âMr. Blackhawk is supposed to meet an informant tonight at seven,â Joceline said heavily. âHe refuses to have a bodyguard. He doesnât think Monroe is a threat.â
âThatâs foolhardy,â Betty said. âLook what happened to Detective Marquez when he went to meet some shadowy informant.â
Marquez had been blindsided and hospitalized. Joceline was uneasy about the meeting tonight. âMr. Blackhawk takes chances.â
âOh, Iâm sure heâll be all right,â Phyllis said airily. She glanced at her watchâa very expensive one. âGosh, I have to get back to work. Thanks for the coffee.â
She left without putting change in the kitty that helped pay for renewing the canteen supplies. Without a word, Betty took a bill out of her pocket and placed it in the container.
âYoung people.â She sighed.
Joceline smiled. âYouâre nice.â
âThanks. So are you.â
âI do hope they can convict Jay