"Well, that would really solve that problem," Cohen said. "But let's hope it doesn't prove necessary."
"Kenny?" the chief asked.
"I'll set it up, in case we need it," Sergeant Kenny said.
"Okay, that settles that," Cohen said. "Now, where was I? Okay. With Joe on the airplane are two lab technicians, we don't know who yet, and two detectives, ditto. They're going to change planes in Atlanta, fly to Pensacola, pick up a rental car, probably two rental cars, and then drive here, to the world-famous $37.50 No-Tell Motel, where Matt and Olivia are staying."
"I had a call from Peter Wohl, Steve," Washington said. "We know who the detectives are. Mutt and Jeff."
"Really?" Matt asked. "What are they going to do when they get here? And what about Stan Colt?"
"All I know is Inspector Wohl said that's who he's sending, and what they're going to do is sit on Daniels's truck as long as it's here, and when we locate a truck, or trucks, large enough to haul Daniels's truck-with contents-back to Philadelphia, they're going to ride back with it."
"When are you going to search the truck?" Chief Yancey asked.
"Where we are legally with that, Chief," Cohen said, "is that Matt has statements from Fats Gambino and you, Fats's stating that he saw Daniels lock the truck and trailer in his locked and guarded lot, and the truck has been there, under guard, since then. Yours states that the keys in your possession believed to be those to the truck and trailer were taken from Daniels at the time of his arrest and have never left police possession since that time. Tomorrow, the lab technicians will make an examination to see if anyone has forced any locks, and be prepared to testify they saw no evidence of such. I don't know for sure, but what they will do then is probably see what prints and whatever they can get from the exterior of the truck-stuff that might get lost between here and Philadelphia-and then conduct a cursory search of the interiors of the truck and tractor. If they don't find a body-which is not entirely out of the question here-or something else spectacular, they will seal both tractor and trailer as well as they can, and supervise the loading of it onto whatever we finally get to haul it back to Philadelphia."
"That seems like a hell of a lot of work," Yancey said. "Taking everything to Philadelphia."
"It is," Cohen agreed. "My boss is concerned-and so am I-about preserving the chain of evidence. We've got three jurisdictions here. Philadelphia; Daphne-Baldwin County; and because the truck is in Mobile, Alabama-Mobile County. But I think it's under control. Legally, the search will be executed by the Mobile police, using the search warrant the Mobile County judge issued. Matt and I-and to cover all the bases, Mutt and Jeff, too-will be there. And if you can send somebody-"
"I think Sergeant Kenny and I can find time to be there," Yancey interjected.
"Then any of us, or all of us, can testify under oath that Philadelphia police and Daphne police witnessed the search- and had control of the evidence-from the time the Mobile police exercised their search warrant-and put Daniels's keys in the locks."
"Kenny and I will be there," Yancey repeated, and then asked, "How are you going to get him to Philadelphia?"
"That's yet to be determined," Washington said. "I have given Sergeant Payne a list of other people from whom he and Detective D'Amata should take statements, which should keep them gainfully occupied for the next day or two. Detective Lassiter and I have reservations for a flight leaving Mobile at one-fifteen tomorrow afternoon. That may or may not provide time for me to speak with Detective D'Amata…"
"I'm going back tomorrow?" Olivia asked.
"At one-fifteen," Washington said.
She was obviously surprised at the announcement. So was Matt. But when he looked at her, there was no mistaking what the coldly furious glint in her eyes meant.
She thinks I knew all about it. Hell, she thinks I asked Washington to send her home.
"… but inasmuch as Mr. Cohen and Detective D'Amata will have three hours together in a car coming back here, I don't see that as a problem. Do you, Sergeant Payne?"
"No, sir."
"In that case, our business having been completed, you may summon a waiter and you and Steve can begin to drink yourselves into oblivion."
"If that's all, sir, may I be excused?" Olivia asked.
"Olivia, I hope you understand that was an attempt at humor. We're going to have a very few drinks, and then dinner."
"I have a headache, sir."
"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
"No, thank you. I just don't feel-"
"I understand," Washington said, as, ever the gentleman, he rose to his feet. "I'm sure you'll feel better by morning."
"Would you like me to take you to the motel, Olivia?" Matt asked.
"I'll get a cab, thank you just the same."
"I don't know if they have cabs," Matt said.
And really hope they don't.
"We have the next best thing," Chief Yancey said. "Kenny?"
Kenny spoke to the microphone pinned to his shirt.
"Barbara-Anne, send whichever car is closest to the Grand Hotel to give Detective Lassiter a ride to her motel. She'll be outside the front door."
"Thank you very much," Detective Lassiter said.
They watched her walk out of the Bird Cage Lounge.
"Didn't want to ride with you, huh?" Mickey O'Hara asked. "Is that what they call 'a lover's quarrel'?"
"Go to hell, Mickey," Matt snapped.
"What is bothering her, Matt?" Washington asked. "Something obviously is."
"I think she thinks I arranged for her to be sent back," Matt said.
"I can quickly straighten that out, if you'd like."
"She wants to stay in Homicide," Matt said. "Is there any chance she can? She's a pretty good cop."
"Your loyalty is commendable…"
"Is that what it is, 'loyalty'?" Mickey said.
"Mickey," Washington said, coldly angry, "sometimes, as now, you don't know when to stop." He turned to Matt. "As for her staying in Homicide, that, I'm afraid, is self-evidently out of the question. And you should know it is."
Matt couldn't think of a reply.
"And I just thought of something else," Washington said. "When I spoke with Commissioner Coughlin, he suggested that your father might like you to call. And I had the feeling that the commissioner would not consider a call from you to be an unwelcome intrusion on his time."
"Well, I guess I'd better do that right now," Matt said. "Before I become incoherent."
He got up from the table and went through a plate-glass door to an area between the hotel building and the bay. They could see him taking out his cellular.
"I think what we have here is raging testosterone," Cohen said. "And I'm not making fun of him."
"For that reason, I was deaf to his insolence," Washington said. He looked between Chief Yancey and Sergeant Kenny.
"I think a word of explanation is in order. Sergeant Payne is carrying his father's badge. Shortly before Matt was born, his father was killed on duty, answering a silent alarm. Deputy Commissioner Coughlin was his father's best friend. He is Matt's godfather."
"Being a cop's in his blood, huh?" Sergeant Kenny said.
"Prefacing this by saying I am-perhaps too obviously- fond of our young sergeant, I sometimes wonder if he's not flying a little too high for his experience."
"He did a good job with Daniels, Jason," Steve Cohen said. "Absolutely professional."
"And now he knows it. That's my point, Steve. Our Matty is not burdened with over-modesty."