“I struck out in her office. There has to be something at the house.”
“I’m sure the police searched it.”
“Then we need to search it again.”
“Mace, if we get caught, you’ll have violated your probation. Can’t your sister help us?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve got my reasons.”
“I’d like to hear them.”
Mace sighed. “She’s not exactly thrilled with me right now. So how do we get into Tolliver’s house? Do you have a key?”
“No, why would I have a key to her house?”
“Well, we have some time to muddle that. Right now we’re heading over to check out some stuff for Abe.”
“Is that why you wanted me along?”
She glanced at him. “What, you mean for protection?”
“I’m not that stupid. I clearly failed the bodyguard test.”
“Not when you put your car between me and the shooter. Those rounds could easily have hit you. That took real courage. But I thought you might enjoy hanging out with me. And bring you back to your old, wild CJA days.”
“Long way from Georgetown.”
“A lifetime, Roy. A lifetime.”
CHAPTER 56
THE PEOPLE at Social Services working with Abe Altman were both extremely helpful and laudatory of the wealthy professor.
“He’s a man with vision,” said the supervisor, Carmela, a young Hispanic woman with straight dark hair and dressed in a pleated skirt and blouse and flats. “He gets it.”
“Well, I hope I get it too,” said Mace.
They were sitting in the woman’s office, a ten-by-ten square with a rusty window AC unit that didn’t work. There were water stains on the ceiling and walls. The furniture looked like it had been rescued from the dump and the clunky computer on her desk was at least a decade old. The government purse had clearly not been opened very wide to outfit this place.
She said, “Mr. Altman mentioned that you used to be a cop.”
“Don’t hold that against me.”
“I won’t. My older brother drives a scout car right here in Seven D.”
“Then he’s got his hands full.”
“You know this area?”
“Used to be my old stomping ground.” Mace glanced down at the sheaf of papers in her hand. “So these are all the names?’
“Yes. We’ve made contact and they will be expecting you at whatever meeting times you give us. After you called to say you were on your way, I made contact with Alisha, the first on the list. She’s expecting you in the next thirty minutes.” She glanced at Roy. “You look like a lawyer.”
“Mr. Kingman is assisting me in this project.”
The woman gave him an appraising look. “You ever been down this way?”
“Was down in Six D just last night if that counts.”
She looked surprised. “What for?”
“Looking for some excitement. And I found it.”
“I bet. Well, the places you’ll be going are a little rough.”
“I assume that’s why we’re going to them,” answered Mace. “We’ll be okay.”
“How rough?” Roy wanted to know.
“Even my brother doesn’t like taking calls at some of the places on your list, unless he has a couple units as backup.”
Roy glanced at Mace with a worried look. “Really?”
“Thanks, Carmela,” said Mace, tugging on Roy’s arm. “We’ll be in touch.”
They climbed back in the Honda. Mace read through the file and said, “Okay, Alisha Rogers here we come.”
Roy had been reading over her shoulder. He said, “She’s only sixteen and already the mother of a three-year-old?”
“Don’t sound so stunned. We left the world of Leave It to Beaver a long time ago.”
He read off Alisha’s address. “Do you know where that is?”
“Yep. Middle of Cheerio Alley. How do you like your Cheerios, Roy?”
“Usually without OxyContin. How exactly are we supposed to go into places where the police don’t want to go and come out reasonably healthy?”
“It’s a little late to be asking that, isn’t it?”
“Humor me.”
“We’re going to help people, not bust their ass. That’ll count for something.”
“That’s it? We just tell them we’re here to help people and the dangerous seas will part? This isn’t a Disney flick.”
“I never took you for a cynic.”
“I’m not a cynic. I just want to go home alive tonight.”
Mace’s smile faded. “Never a bad goal to have.”
CHAPTER 57
ALISHA LIVED in an apartment house that more resembled a bombed-out building in the middle of Baghdad than a residence within an easy commute of the Capitol building. As they pulled into the trash-strewn parking lot where the skeletons of a dozen cars lurked, Roy looked around nervously. “Okay, I’ve definitely been in Georgetown too long, because we’re still in the car and I’m already freaking out.”