Read Online Lincoln Perry 02 - Sorrow's Anthem by Michael Koryta - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Koryta
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when
Gajovich finally spoke again.
“I heard there was a stack of charges pushed under the rug for
you in that Weston fiasco, Perry.”
“People say the craziest things,” I said.
“A situation like that can get messy.”
“He threatens without threatening,” I said. “Damn, but you are
savvy, Mr. Gajovich. A politician’s politician, I’d say.”
“If I were you, I’d go back to your office and leave this one alone.
That’s all I’ll say. Gradduk was a loser, Perry. So I’m not surprised
to hear he was your friend. But losers don’t have power, and losers
don’t attract sympathy from people who do have power. They attract
trouble and then they’re stomped out. You remember that.”
CHAPTER 7
Amy went back to work and Joe and I went back to the office. I
spent most of the ride burning over Gajovich’s words, but even
while they’d angered me, they’d helped me. I knew now I was going
to have to return Scott Draper’s call, after all. My knowledge
of Ed’s life effectively ended seven years before he died. I needed
to talk to someone who’d been close to him, and Draper was the
best option I had.
“Lincoln,” Draper said when I identified myself, “thanks for
calling me back, man. I wanted to apologize. That thing in the
street, it was bullshit. The cops told me what happened, told me
you didn’t push him. From my angle, it looked like something it
wasn’t. Still, I should have better sense than to pull shit like that,
i’m sorry.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Look, you got a few minutes? Time to run down here and grab
a beer?”
“A beer in the morning?”
“Doesn’t have to be right now. Whenever you have a chance.”
“I’ll come down around noon.”
I’d just hung up the phone when the door swung open and Detective
Cal Richards stepped into the room.
He was a tall, lean black man with a face that was all hard angles
and edges, like a wood carving. He wore black slacks with a blue
shirt and matching tie, and a badge was clipped onto his belt. None
of that stood out as much as the scowl on his face, though.
“Gentlemen,” he said, easing into one of our client chairs. We
have two standard client chairs and a set of wooden stadium seats
from the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, and he gave those a
curious glance as he sat.
“How are you, Detective?” I said, offering my hand. He didn’t
take it.
“How are you, Detective?” he mimicked. “I’m a little pissed off,
Perry. Pissed off that somehow you got kicked loose last night before
I had a chance to talk with you, but for that I can blame an incompetent
sergeant who thinks he’s got authority just because he’s
old. But lest you think all the blame’s headed in that direction, I’m
also pissed off at you. I just got off the phone with a source who
informed me you intend to run a parallel investigation into the
Sentalar death without bothering to contact me.”
I pulled my hand back. “That’s not true.”
“You’re not investigating?”
I hesitated, and his gaze turned even more unfriendly. “I stump
you with that one, Perry? I can speak slower.”
Beside me, Joe was grinning. I gave him a glare and then looked
back at Richards.
“I am not investigating in any sort of official capacity, Detective.
Ed Gradduk was a friend of mine. A close friend, a long time ago.
I saw him on the night that he died, and he talked with me briefly.
You already know that from the police reports, I’m sure.”
He nodded. “And now you want to fool around with this, compromise
my investigation?”
'I have no intention of compromising anyone’s investigation,
and if I am investigating, I promise it won’t be 'fooling around,’
Richards,” I said, a touch of hostility creeping into my own voice.
I’m pretty good at what I do. I was going to contact you this afternoon,
so don’t get all bent out of shape over my failing to notify
you of my interest. It’s a waste of our mutual time.”
He loosened his tie and leaned back in his
Gajovich finally spoke again.
“I heard there was a stack of charges pushed under the rug for
you in that Weston fiasco, Perry.”
“People say the craziest things,” I said.
“A situation like that can get messy.”
“He threatens without threatening,” I said. “Damn, but you are
savvy, Mr. Gajovich. A politician’s politician, I’d say.”
“If I were you, I’d go back to your office and leave this one alone.
That’s all I’ll say. Gradduk was a loser, Perry. So I’m not surprised
to hear he was your friend. But losers don’t have power, and losers
don’t attract sympathy from people who do have power. They attract
trouble and then they’re stomped out. You remember that.”
CHAPTER 7
Amy went back to work and Joe and I went back to the office. I
spent most of the ride burning over Gajovich’s words, but even
while they’d angered me, they’d helped me. I knew now I was going
to have to return Scott Draper’s call, after all. My knowledge
of Ed’s life effectively ended seven years before he died. I needed
to talk to someone who’d been close to him, and Draper was the
best option I had.
“Lincoln,” Draper said when I identified myself, “thanks for
calling me back, man. I wanted to apologize. That thing in the
street, it was bullshit. The cops told me what happened, told me
you didn’t push him. From my angle, it looked like something it
wasn’t. Still, I should have better sense than to pull shit like that,
i’m sorry.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Look, you got a few minutes? Time to run down here and grab
a beer?”
“A beer in the morning?”
“Doesn’t have to be right now. Whenever you have a chance.”
“I’ll come down around noon.”
I’d just hung up the phone when the door swung open and Detective
Cal Richards stepped into the room.
He was a tall, lean black man with a face that was all hard angles
and edges, like a wood carving. He wore black slacks with a blue
shirt and matching tie, and a badge was clipped onto his belt. None
of that stood out as much as the scowl on his face, though.
“Gentlemen,” he said, easing into one of our client chairs. We
have two standard client chairs and a set of wooden stadium seats
from the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, and he gave those a
curious glance as he sat.
“How are you, Detective?” I said, offering my hand. He didn’t
take it.
“How are you, Detective?” he mimicked. “I’m a little pissed off,
Perry. Pissed off that somehow you got kicked loose last night before
I had a chance to talk with you, but for that I can blame an incompetent
sergeant who thinks he’s got authority just because he’s
old. But lest you think all the blame’s headed in that direction, I’m
also pissed off at you. I just got off the phone with a source who
informed me you intend to run a parallel investigation into the
Sentalar death without bothering to contact me.”
I pulled my hand back. “That’s not true.”
“You’re not investigating?”
I hesitated, and his gaze turned even more unfriendly. “I stump
you with that one, Perry? I can speak slower.”
Beside me, Joe was grinning. I gave him a glare and then looked
back at Richards.
“I am not investigating in any sort of official capacity, Detective.
Ed Gradduk was a friend of mine. A close friend, a long time ago.
I saw him on the night that he died, and he talked with me briefly.
You already know that from the police reports, I’m sure.”
He nodded. “And now you want to fool around with this, compromise
my investigation?”
'I have no intention of compromising anyone’s investigation,
and if I am investigating, I promise it won’t be 'fooling around,’
Richards,” I said, a touch of hostility creeping into my own voice.
I’m pretty good at what I do. I was going to contact you this afternoon,
so don’t get all bent out of shape over my failing to notify
you of my interest. It’s a waste of our mutual time.”
He loosened his tie and leaned back in his
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