「yougottobetold?you’reanexperiencedman,itsaysintherecords.iwantadetailedstatementofthisman’smovementsforthepasttwenty-fourhours.maybelonger,butthatmuchatfirst.iwanttoknowwhathedideveryminuteofthetime.iwantitsignedandwitnessedandchecked.iwantitintwohours.theniwanthimbackhereclean,tidy,andunmarked.andonethingmore,sergeant.」

hepausedandgavegreenastarethatwouldhavefrozenafresh-bakedpotato.

「—nexttimeiaskasuspectafewcivilquestionsidon’twantyoustandingtherelookingasifihadtornhisearoff.」

「yes,sir.」greenturnedtome.「let’sgo,」hesaidgruffly.

gregoriusbaredhisteethatme.theyneededcleaning—badly.「let’shavetheexitline,chum.」

「yes,sir,」isaidpolitely.「youprobablydidn’tintendit,butyou’vedonemeafavor.withanassistfromdetectivedayton.you’vesolvedaproblemforme.nomanlikestobetrayafriendbutiwouldn’tbetrayanenemyintoyourhands.you’renotonlyagorilla,you’reanincompetent.youdon’tknowhowtooperateasimpleinvestigation.iwasbalancedonaknifeedgeandyoucouldhaveswungmeeitherway.butyouhadtoabuseme,throwcoffeeinmyface,anduseyourfistsonmewheniwasinaspotwhereallicoulddowastakeit.fromnowoniwouldn’ttellyouthetimebytheclockonyourownwall.」

forsomestrangereasonhesatthereperfectlystillandletmesayit.thenhegrinned.「you’rejustalittleoldcop-hater,friend.that’sallyouare,shamus,justalittleoldcop-hater.」

「thereareplaceswherecopsarenothated,captain.butinthoseplacesyouwouldn’tbeacop.」

hetookthattoo.iguesshecouldaffordit.he’dprobablytakenworsemanytimes.thenthephonerangonhisdesk.helookedatitandgestured.daytonsteppedsmartlyaroundthedeskandliftedthereceiver.

「captaingregorius’office.detectivedaytonspeaking.」

helistened.atinyfrowndrewhishandsomeeyebrowstogether.hesaidsoftly:「onemoment,please,sir.」

heheldthephoneouttogregorius.「commissionerallbright,sir.」

gregoriusscowled.「yeah?what’sthatsnottybastardwant?」hetookthephone,helditamomentandsmoothedhisfaceout.「gregorius,commissioner.」

helistened.「yeah,he’shereinmyoffice,commissioner.ibeenaskinghimafewquestions.notco-operative.notco-operativeatall...how’sthatagain?」asuddenferociousscowltwistedhisfaceintodarkknots.theblooddarkenedhisforehead.buthisvoicedidn’tchangeintonebyafraction.「ifthat’sadirectorder,itoughttocomethroughthechiefofdetectives,commissioner...sure,i’llactonituntilit’sconfirmed.sure...hell,no.nobodylaidagloveonhim...yes,sir.rightaway.」

heputthephonebackinitscradle.ithoughthishandshookalittle.hiseyesmovedupandacrossmyfaceandthentogreen.「takethecuffsoff,」hesaidtonelessly.

greenunlockedthecuffs.irubbedmyhandstogether,waitingforthepinsandneedlesofcirculation.

「bookhiminthecountyjail,」gregoriussaidslowly.「suspicionofmurder.thehasglommedthecaserightoutofourhands.lovelysystemwegotaroundhere.」

nobodymoved.greenwasclosetome,breathinghard.gregoriuslookedupatdayton.

「whatchawaitingfor,creampuff?anice-creamconemaybe?」

daytonalmostchoked.「youdidn’tgivemeanyorders,skipper.」

「saysirtome,damnyou!i’mskippertosergeantsandbetter.nottoyou,kiddo.nottoyou.out.」

「yes,sir.」daytonwalkedquicklytothedoorandwentout.gregoriusheavedhimselftohisfeetandmovedtothewindowandstoodwithhisbacktotheroom.

「comeon,let’sdrift,」greenmutteredinmyear.

「gethimoutofherebeforeikickhisfacein,」gregoriussaidtothewindow.

greenwenttothedoorandopenedit.istartedthrough.gregoriusbarkedsuddenly:「holdit!shutthatdoor!」

greenshutitandleanedhisbacktoit.

「comehere,you!」gregoriusbarkedatme.

ididn’tmove.istoodandlookedathim.greendidn’tmoveeither.therewasagrimpause.thenveryslowlygregoriuswalkedacrosstheroomandstoodfacingmetoetotoe.heputhisbighardhandsinhispockets.herockedonhisheels.

「neverlaidagloveonhim,」hesaidunderhisbreath,asiftalkingtohimself.hiseyeswereremoteandexpressionless.hismouthworkedconvulsively.

thenhespatinmyface.

hesteppedback.「thatwillbeall,thankyou.」

heturnedandwentbacktothewindow.greenopenedthedooragain.

iwentthroughitreachingformyhandkerchief.