or states, or just sends them packing when he thinks they might compromise his action?”
I reached into my pocket and took out the photo that O’Shea had taken and offered it to her.
“Ever seen this guy before?”
She looked, brow scrunching, studying longer than necessary.
“I’ve seen him before,” she finally said. “But I’ve never seen him here. This is Kim’s, right?”
She was a good investigator, strong in the details. She probably recognized the jukebox just as I had.
“You have a name?” I said.
“No, I’m not that familiar.”
“He snuck out of Kim’s the other night as soon as you walked in.”
The corner of her mouth turned up.
“Lot of people wouldn’t want to be seen sitting at a bar by a detective.”
“Yeah, I know,” I said and waited.
“Why else did you single him out, Max?”
“He seemed to have some kind of connection to the new bartender, the one who was watching us that day when we were interviewing Laurie.”
“Connection?”
“Yeah. When he bolted, she kept looking from us to the spot he left, very nervous.”
She was still looking at the photo, her eyes narrowed. There was something else there, I was sure of it. And she was trying to decide whether she was going to share it with me.
“He’s a cop. Works patrol. Maybe even in that sector,” she said, looking up into my face.
“No shit,” I said, mostly to myself.
“Easy, Freeman,” she started. “Lots of cops wouldn’t want to be caught at a bar by a superior officer, even if they’re off hours. Who knows, maybe he doesn’t want word getting back to the wife?”
“Can you get a name and run a history, get a look at his record?” I said, my head working the possibilities.
“Jesus, Freeman. You’re ballsy,” she said. “Trying to blow my case on the main suspect, and asking me to help you line up another officer for the fall guy? A defense attorney would have a field day with that. ‘I understand, Detective Richards, you were also investigating another possible suspect? Doesn’t that mean you aren’t sure who may have done this?’” she said, making her voice deep and smarmy.
Maybe I should have just let it sit. She would think about what she’d said without my holier-than-thou response. But I didn’t.
“Come on, Sherry,” I said, stepping closer to her. “We’re not like them, the lawyers trying to argue through who wins and who loses and to hell with what’s right or just. We’re cops. We’re here to stop it. If there’s even an outside chance with this guy, you can’t just kick it to the curb.”
“I’m a cop, Freeman. You used to be,” she said. “Maybe your old cronies up in Philadelphia forgot some of the basics of homicide investigation while they were covering themselves for getting laid on the job.” She started to say something else, then held it.
“I’ve got a suspect who had opportunity, a suspect with a violent past, a suspect who is on the top of another agency’s list in the disappearance of another vulnerable woman. I thought you were the one who never believed in coincidences.”
Her eyes were still burning when Billy walked up.
“Sh-Sherry.”
She put the photograph in the pocket of her slacks and extended her hand to meet his.
“You are l-looking great,” Billy said, taking her hand in both of his and meaning, I knew, every word.
“Counselor,” she said. “You were quite impressive in there. I’m sure I’ll get a call from the prosecutor for not warning him who he’d be up against this morning.”
He stepped in and at first I thought he might kiss Richards on the cheek, but instead he whispered: “It’s not personal, Sherry.” And then louder: “I s-still need a good crew person on my Sunday b-beer can races. Diane is learning, but slowly.”
“I’ll see if I can get a weekend evening free,” she said.
“Wonderful,” Billy said and turned to me. “Ready?”
He stepped away and I turned to Richards.
“I’ll guarantee it,” I said.
“What?”
“I’ll guarantee that no one will be in jeopardy while O’Shea is out.”
She didn’t answer. She just nodded. When I caught up with Billy I looked back and her hand was back in the pocket of her slacks.
We walked over to the county courthouse which was next to the jail. Billy said he needed to visit an acquaintance. As an attorney, he might never show up in court, but the man had more connections than a senator at a lobbyist’s convention.
“It w-will take a couple of hours for them to process O’Shea out.”