The Fallen

‘How many other men?’

‘I don’t know. I’ve never seen them.’

More red squares, bobbing in the air between us. I was barely aware of them. But I was very aware that Garrett’s interest in the videodisc could only mean one thing. ‘City people?’

She nodded. ‘That’s what Ellen and her friends say. All sorts – City Hall, cops, fire, politicians, administrators. And also the guys who do business with the city – contractors, service people, company owners.’

‘That’s a bomb waiting to go off.’

‘I think it did, with Garrett. That’s why I agreed to meet you.’

‘I need to talk to Ellen,’ I said.

‘No. She can’t risk that. It’s your job to put people like her in jail. She did her part for you, Mr Brownlaw. Don’t ask for more.’

‘I don’t care what Ellen does in her spare time. I care who killed Garrett Asplundh and I need to talk to her.’

She fixed me with a cool stare. Funny how she could appear so clean and fresh, but hard. ‘I knew you’d pull that.’

‘It worked on you once,’ I said. ‘And maybe it will work on you again because you liked Garrett. And you knew he was a good man trying to do the right thing and it probably got him killed.’

‘My time is valuable. Are you prepared to pay me for it?’

‘No.’

‘Garrett Asplundh did.’

I had to dodge the red squares.

I smiled at her because I really admire hustlers. Something about the courage to tell a lie and not know if you can get away with it. You run across some great hustlers in fraud, which I enjoyed immensely. Maybe because I could never tell the smallest fib without my face lighting up. Mom and Dad would just laugh and shake their heads.

‘Actually, he didn’t pay you for your time, Ellen.’

Her stare went from cool to cold. ‘Fuck yourself, cop.’

‘Well, okay. But what’s the difference between talking to Garrett and talking to me? Besides that someone blew his brains out two nights ago after he met with you?’

‘He was cute and sad and a totally great guy.’

I thought about that. ‘I’m not cute or great, but I’m sad sometimes. One out of three, though, that’s three-thirty-three, and if the Padres could—’

‘I hate people like you.’

I shrugged but didn’t take my eyes off her because I figured she might make a break for it.

‘Look, Carrie,’ I said. ‘Or Ellen or Marilyn or Julie – I don’t care what your name is. I don’t care how you make a living, though I hope you get health care and a decent retirement plan.’

She sighed, pulled her little suede bag around and unzipped it. ‘Your judgment means nothing to me. I do the same thing your wife does but I get paid cash up-front and I can say no anytime I want.’

‘Oh, man, do I have to respond to that?’

Her lips began a smile.

‘Help me out here,’ I said. ‘Help Garrett.’

‘Okay, o-fucking-kay. Just get me out of this fog and buy me drink, will you? I’m freezing. And to tell you the truth, maybe I need to talk to a cop.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’m really kinda scared, Robbie.’

She pulled a pack of smokes from her little bag, offered one to me. I shook my head.

‘Light?’ she asked.

‘Sorry.’

‘Men were better in old movies.’

‘Our stock is down.’

‘Then, here. Learn something useful.’ She pulled a lighter from her bag and held it out to me.

I smiled but didn’t move.

‘What?’ she asked. ‘What’s so funny?’

‘Okay, whoever you are. I’ll learn something useful.’

I walked to her slowly but grabbed her wrist fast and gave it enough of a turn to smart.

She yelped.

The lighter fell to the wooden beams of the pier and I watched it roll to a stop. She watched it too.

I picked it up and she didn’t try to kick me and run. Sure enough, it was a lighter. But the other end was a pepper sprayer. I’d heard about them from some of the Vice officers.

‘Come on,’ I said. ‘Let’s get that drink. I’ll drive.’

She flexed her wrist. ‘I wasn’t going to use that on you. Swear to God, man—’

‘I think you were.’

‘Give it back.’

‘I’ll give it back later.’

‘Garrett would have lit my cigarette.’