Ben nodded slowly. ‘Looks like it,’ he said. His eyes drifted to the right of Halsey’s body. He could see what looked to him like an unmarked police car, dark green and very dusty, with nearly treadless blackwall tires, parked at the edge of the park. Two men sat in the backseat, and as their faces moved in and out of the shadowy gray which engulfed the inside of the car, he could tell that one of them was Teddy Langley.
‘So my suggestion to you, Sergeant Wellman,’ the commander said, ‘is to get this man back to headquarters as soon as possible.’
‘Yeah,’ Ben said dully, his eyes still on the unmarked car.
Tod Langley suddenly emerged from behind one of the trees in the park, walked to the driver’s side of the dark-green car and got in.
‘It’s dangerous to be in this area right now,’ the commander concluded.
Ben did not answer. Instead he continued to watch as the car pulled out slowly and headed down the avenue. In the small square of light between the commander’s broad body and the end of Ben’s line of vision, Ben could see Teddy Langley’s eyes catch sight of him, then widen slightly as he peered at him through the dusty rear window of the car.
‘So be on your way,’ the commander said authoritatively as he stepped away from the car, ‘and be alert to what’s going on around you.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ Ben said as he pressed slowly down on the accelerator. In his rearview mirror, he could see the other car as it sped quickly up the still wet street. Its tires threw up a glistening fan of droplets which fell like a silver curtain through the bright air.
‘Well, I can’t say I’m exactly glad to be back,’ Coggins said as Ben closed the cell door.
‘You boys have a high old time, did you?’ McCorkindale asked with a laugh.
Ben continued to stare at Coggins. ‘I’ll let you know what I find out,’ he told him.
An odd, appreciative smile spread across Coggins’ face. ‘Thanks,’ he said. He wrapped his fingers around the bars of the cell. ‘And of course you’ll know where to find me.’
McCorkindale smiled slyly as he walked down the cellblock. ‘You two look like you’re getting real close,’ he said.
‘You’re going to be getting in some stuff from the Coroner’s Office,’ Ben told hiin. ‘Keep a real close eye on it.’
McCorkindale looked interested. ‘What kind of stuff?’
‘Evidence. From a homicide. A gun, at least. It’s being dusted now. The rest will be going to the lab. You probably won’t see that for weeks.’
At the end of the hall, McCorkindale dropped himself heavily into his swivel chair. ‘Well, I got your afternoon assignment,’ he said. ‘Captain Starnes gave it to me.’
‘What is it?’
‘Peace in the valley, Ben,’ McCorkindale said. ‘A real plum. You’re supposed to represent the department at Kelly Ryan’s funeral this afternoon.’ He tore a piece of paper from a steno pad and handed it to Ben. ‘He didn’t have no relatives. So they’re burying him fast. Here’s all the details.’
Ben glanced at the paper, then shoved it into his jacket pocket.
McCorkindale smiled happily. ‘I swear, Ben, you are getting the sweet treatment these days.’ He shook his head wonderingly. ‘Why, if it weren’t for me, I think you’d get all the cushy jobs.’
Ben smiled thinly, then stepped away.
‘One more thing,’ McCorkindale said quickly. ‘Captain wants to see you. He’s in his office.’
‘Okay,’ Ben said. He turned, then walked back down the corridor to Luther’s office.
Luther was hunched over his desk, his large hands wrapped around a ham and cheese sandwich.
‘Just grabbing a quick bite between crises,’ he said as Ben stepped into his office. He took a gulp of coffee, then wiped his mouth with the side of his hand. ‘Listen, I heard you got something on that little girl thing.’
‘Yeah.’
‘What is it?’
‘Well, we traced the ring we found on her to a colored man that used to live in one of those storm drains over at the rubber factory.’
‘Used to live?’
‘He’s dead,’ Ben said. ‘Shot.’
‘With what?’
‘A twenty-two.’
‘Same one used on the little girl?’ Luther asked.
‘Probably,’ Ben said. ‘We found the pistol in the storm drain. It was still in the guy’s hand. We’re checking to make sure it killed both of them.’
Luther nodded thoughtfully. ‘So it’s a murder-suicide, you think?’
‘Could be,’ Ben said. ‘People called this guy Bluto. He hung around a poolhall on Fourth Avenue. He was mentally retarded.’ He decided to keep his doubts about Bluto’s death to himself for the moment.
‘Good,’ Luther said. ‘Good job, Ben.’ He took another quick bite from the sandwich. ‘Well, I guess everything’s pretty much wrapped up, then.’
Ben nodded noncominittally. ‘We’re checking the guy’s blood to see if it matches the semen we found in the little girl.’
Luther seemed no longer interested in the details. ‘Sounds like it’s all over, Ben,’ he said, waving his hand dismissively. ‘Listen, did McCorkindale talk to you about the funeral?’
‘Yeah.’
‘It’s not the greatest assignment,’ Luther added, ‘but I figured you were the one to do it. Kelly wasn’t exactly the most popular officer on the force.’
Ben said nothing.