Read Online Milk and Honey by Faye Kellerman - Free Book Online Page B

him the folder. Decker read a moment, then said, “The ambulance took the girl. Who took Atwater to the hospital?”
    “I don’t remember,” Andrick said. “Someone must have called another, because they didn’t put the two of them in the same wagon.”
    “Nobody was tending to Atwater’s head wound all this time?” Decker asked.
    “Look,” Andrick said, unbuttoning his shirt, “you got a victim, you got a perp. One ambulance. You’re gonna lose some sleep because some rape-o asshole bled to death?”
    “No.” Decker scanned the file. “You heard him say this? Or is this what the uniforms reported that he said?”
    “Nope,” Andrick said. “Everything I wrote down in my notes, I heard with my own ears…. What exactly did I write?”
    Decker read, “‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Fuck, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.’”
    Andrick said, “Yeah, I heard him say that. Those kind of statements don’t do much to clear your good name. Is it hot in here?”
    “A little,” Decker said absently. Lost in thought, he remembered Abel uttering similar words before. One particular memory suddenly flooded Decker’s consciousness. Heavy fire. A gutted village. A little girl around six, her belly blown away. Abel standing over her, his eyes watering from all the smoke. He had whispered it:
    I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt anybody, honest to God, I didn’t .
    Ugly recollections. He pushed them away and looked up at Andrick. His coloring had become pale, his skin pasty, dripping with sweat.
    “Jesus!” Decker whispered. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
    “A minute.” Andrick looked around. Medino had gone to the john. It was safe. He yanked open his desk drawer, and with shaking hands opened a vial of tablets. He placed a pill underneath his tongue.
    A minute later, Decker said, “How long do you think you can hide your condition from the department?”
    “What condition?” Andrick said. “I’m sucking on a peppermint.”
    “A peppermint?”
    “Yeah, a fucking peppermint,” Andrick said. “Keeps my breath fresh…. Look, Detective, I’ve got two more years before I cash in twenty-five big ones and a nice-size pension. We’ve got the condo in Murietta Hot Springs, two daughters in college, I need that extra ten percent to make ends meet, you know what I’m saying? So if you want to talk about the case, that’s all right by me. If not, find the door.”
    Medino came back to his desk. Andrick cleared his throat. Decker understood the hint. He said, “Where’s Myra Steele now?”
    “Originally, they took her to Hollywood Pres, but her mom moved her to County because she didn’t have any insurance.”
    Decker said, “Mind if I have a word with Myra?”
    “Be my guest,” Andrick said. “She should be there at least another week. Why all the interest in this case?”
    Decker explained his involvement.
    “And you think your scuzzbag friend is innocent?”
    “I’m withholding judgment.”
    Andrick sat back in his chair and wiped his damp forehead with a handkerchief. He felt much better, was breathing easier. “So what are you gonna do with Myra Steele? Grill her until she retracts what she said?”
    Decker said, “Hell no! If the sucker did it, I’ll kill him for doing that to her and making an ass out of me. But for starters, I’d like to know who’s pimping her.”
    “You won’t get the name from her.”
    “I can try.”
    “Sure,” Andrick said. “Try.” He gave Decker a wary half-smile. “And if you get it from her, you’ll give it to me, right?”
    “Absolutely,” Decker said. “I’m not playing hot dog.”
    “Just so you and I understand each other.”
    “It’s your collar, Detective,” Decker said. “I don’t dancewith anyone else’s woman,’ cause I get pissed when someone dances with mine. I’d like to copy the file.”
    “Go ahead,” Andrick said.
    When Decker returned, Andrick said,