Read Online Lincoln Perry 02 - Sorrow's Anthem by Michael Koryta - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Koryta
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chair. “You interfere
with this and I’ll take you down hard, Perry. You know that, because
you know my rep.”
“And you know mine.”
A slight smile played on his face. “Oh, yes. Yes, I do know your
rep, friend.” He jerked his head at Joe. “And your partner’s, of
course. Thirty years of distinction. You, Perry? Not so many.”
“Should be enough,” I said.
“It is enough,” he said, “provided you don’t get clever with me on
this.”
“Anything I know, you’ll know, too.”
He chewed on that for a while before speaking again. “Your
buddy’s been dead less than twenty-four hours and already you’re
on the move and concerning people. Makes me wonder what you
know.”
“Not a damn thing,” I said. “And your source for this information
couldn’t be more obvious, because the only person we’ve
talked to today is Mike Gajovich.”
Richards smiled then, and something about the look made me
think that if I had to pick just one man in the city that I would
never cross, he would have to be close to the top of the list. Something
in that smile spoke of a total self-confidence and dangerous
intuitiveness that few men possessed, and I knew at that moment
that never in Cal Richards’s life had he acted simply because it was
what another man told him to do.
“Listen,” he said, “Mike Gajovich has hardly given me the time
of day before this morning. Then suddenly we’re best friends and
he wants to keep me apprised of something that could jeopardize
my investigation. You want to know how I responded to that? By
losing whatever respect I ever had for the man. Because as soon as
he tells me this, I know he’s made the call only to save his own ass.
Why? I don’t know. But don’t think I’m buying it.”
Joe looked at me and grinned as if to say, Isn’t this guy a scream?
Richards said, “Here’s what I’m going to tell you: Stay away
from the Anita Sentalar murder investigation. I don’t like freelancers
stepping inside. However … if you want to dig up every
last damn thing you can about Ed Gradduk’s recent past, go for it.
I know you two are capable investigators. It’s very simple: You
don’t interfere with my work, and I won’t waste my time on you.
Sound fair?”
“Sounds fair,” I said after pausing long enough to make his eyes
narrow. “But can I ask you if there’s anything to suggest the victim
even knew Ed Gradduk?”
Richards took a deep breath, his broad chest filling with air. “I’ll
get back to you on that one.”
“Come on.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, Perry. That’s the very thing I’ve been
busting my ass on all day, and while I have a start, I’m not to the
point where I want to throw around theories. When I nail their relationship
down, I’ll let you know.”
“But they did have a relationship? Not total strangers?”
“Not total strangers,” Richards said. “But I’m not taking more
questions. Just stay the hell away from my murder investigation.
You want to look at Gradduk, fine. Not Sentalar. Clear?”
“Clear.”
He shifted his eyes to Joe. “You were a hell of a cop, Pritchard.
Everyone knows that. I’m trusting you to keep your cowboy partner’s
heart in the right place.”
“I’m usually too concerned with keeping his head out of his ass,
but I’ll try to worry about the heart, too,” Joe said.
Richards turned back to me. “Now we’re going to have an official
talk. This is my murder investigation, and that incompetent
asshole Padgett took it upon himself to conduct an interview with
you and then put you back on the streets last night without ever
bothering to check in with me. I’ve already put the fear of God
into him, but I still need to hear what went down.”
And so I told it again, a story I was already growing weary of telling. Richards asked more questions than anyone else had, so it
took longer to tell, but in the end I couldn’t provide him with anything
more.
“Were you with Padgett and Rabold when they went to arrest
Ed
with this and I’ll take you down hard, Perry. You know that, because
you know my rep.”
“And you know mine.”
A slight smile played on his face. “Oh, yes. Yes, I do know your
rep, friend.” He jerked his head at Joe. “And your partner’s, of
course. Thirty years of distinction. You, Perry? Not so many.”
“Should be enough,” I said.
“It is enough,” he said, “provided you don’t get clever with me on
this.”
“Anything I know, you’ll know, too.”
He chewed on that for a while before speaking again. “Your
buddy’s been dead less than twenty-four hours and already you’re
on the move and concerning people. Makes me wonder what you
know.”
“Not a damn thing,” I said. “And your source for this information
couldn’t be more obvious, because the only person we’ve
talked to today is Mike Gajovich.”
Richards smiled then, and something about the look made me
think that if I had to pick just one man in the city that I would
never cross, he would have to be close to the top of the list. Something
in that smile spoke of a total self-confidence and dangerous
intuitiveness that few men possessed, and I knew at that moment
that never in Cal Richards’s life had he acted simply because it was
what another man told him to do.
“Listen,” he said, “Mike Gajovich has hardly given me the time
of day before this morning. Then suddenly we’re best friends and
he wants to keep me apprised of something that could jeopardize
my investigation. You want to know how I responded to that? By
losing whatever respect I ever had for the man. Because as soon as
he tells me this, I know he’s made the call only to save his own ass.
Why? I don’t know. But don’t think I’m buying it.”
Joe looked at me and grinned as if to say, Isn’t this guy a scream?
Richards said, “Here’s what I’m going to tell you: Stay away
from the Anita Sentalar murder investigation. I don’t like freelancers
stepping inside. However … if you want to dig up every
last damn thing you can about Ed Gradduk’s recent past, go for it.
I know you two are capable investigators. It’s very simple: You
don’t interfere with my work, and I won’t waste my time on you.
Sound fair?”
“Sounds fair,” I said after pausing long enough to make his eyes
narrow. “But can I ask you if there’s anything to suggest the victim
even knew Ed Gradduk?”
Richards took a deep breath, his broad chest filling with air. “I’ll
get back to you on that one.”
“Come on.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, Perry. That’s the very thing I’ve been
busting my ass on all day, and while I have a start, I’m not to the
point where I want to throw around theories. When I nail their relationship
down, I’ll let you know.”
“But they did have a relationship? Not total strangers?”
“Not total strangers,” Richards said. “But I’m not taking more
questions. Just stay the hell away from my murder investigation.
You want to look at Gradduk, fine. Not Sentalar. Clear?”
“Clear.”
He shifted his eyes to Joe. “You were a hell of a cop, Pritchard.
Everyone knows that. I’m trusting you to keep your cowboy partner’s
heart in the right place.”
“I’m usually too concerned with keeping his head out of his ass,
but I’ll try to worry about the heart, too,” Joe said.
Richards turned back to me. “Now we’re going to have an official
talk. This is my murder investigation, and that incompetent
asshole Padgett took it upon himself to conduct an interview with
you and then put you back on the streets last night without ever
bothering to check in with me. I’ve already put the fear of God
into him, but I still need to hear what went down.”
And so I told it again, a story I was already growing weary of telling. Richards asked more questions than anyone else had, so it
took longer to tell, but in the end I couldn’t provide him with anything
more.
“Were you with Padgett and Rabold when they went to arrest
Ed
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