Night and Day by Ken White Read Free Book Online Page A

little bit, then put him back behind the
bar.” He laughed. “Apparently the kid is a hell of a bartender.”
    “Will do,” I said.
    Joshua was staring at me. “What does that asshole Holstein have against you?”
    “How much did you hear?”
    Smiling, Joshua said, “I heard a discussion about ballistics, followed by a question about a
machete.” His smile faded. “It sounded to my uneducated ear like he was trying to pin the
Cross/Ponittzo murders on you.”
    “That’s the way Ray works,” I said. “Holstein and I go back pre-war. He was a Robbery-Homicide detective, I was the plainclothes looking to take his job. And he knew it. Holstein’s a
mediocre detective, but he makes up in quantity what he can’t produce in quality. Bring in
enough suspects, you’re bound to make something stick to one of them. Even if they’re not
guilty.”
    “Charming,” Joshua muttered. “Do you want me to have a word with Al Ferrer?”
    “Not necessary,” I said. “You put him in his place. He wanted to see how far he could get
with me, you showed him. Right now he’s fighting a burning desire to repay you for treating him
like the piece of shit he is. He’s not even thinking about me anymore.”
    “Your call,” he said. He paused. “I’m not implying that you can’t carry your own water.”
    “I know. And I appreciate the offer. But the day a bug like Ray Holstein gives me the
shakes is the day I start thinking about retirement.”
    “Just remember that one bug is just an annoyance, but a swarm of them can sting you to
death.”
    I laughed. “Thanks for the tip. I like it when you share some of your fortune-cookie wisdom with me.”
    “My pleasure,” Joshua said with a thin smile.
    “Speaking of your wisdom, I’d like you to take a look at my notes about the Klinger case
tomorrow night when you get in.”
    “Certainly,” he said quickly. “But I thought that was finished. Girl was tapped dry.
Unfortunate, but hardly unique. And it usually indicates the investigation has come to a close.”
    “Not quite,” I said slowly. “There’s something...I don’t know, not right about the whole
thing. I’d like a second opinion.”
    “A second opinion from your partner, or a second opinion from a . . . Vee?”
    “Both. Just take a look after I write it up tomorrow, and see if anything smells rotten to
you.”
    “Charlie, you put a lot of time into the case,” Joshua said slowly. “You sure you don’t want
it to be more than it is?”
    “Maybe,” I said. “That’s why I want your opinion. Everything looks okay to you, we put it
in the filing cabinet and move on to the next one.”
    He nodded. “Good enough. Leave the file on my desk and I’ll take a look as soon as I get
in.”
    “Thanks, Joshua.” I looked around the desk. “Okay, I’m out of here.” I
stood. “Have a good night.”
    “Sweet dreams,” Joshua said, walking to his desk. “Keep your door locked and your pistol
under your pillow.”
    “I always do, pal,” I said, walking to the door.
    Sara smiled at me sweetly as I came out of the office and closed the door behind me.
“Going home so early?” she asked.
    “You could have mentioned those two goons that were in there,” I said, stopping in front of
her desk.
    “You didn’t ask, Charlie,” she said. “You never ask.” She batted her eyes at me, still
smiling.
    “Maybe I’m afraid of the answer,” I replied.
    “Maybe you’re afraid you’ll like the answer,” she said.
    “Have a good night, Sara,” I said. I went out the door.
     

Chapter Five
     
    Jedron Marsch was no more than 20 feet in front of me, arm around a girl I figured for his
girlfriend, walking slowly along the sidewalk. I’d picked them up outside a coffee bar on Fourth
Street, and stayed behind as they meandered through the crowds on the sidewalk. At ten in the
morning, the sidewalks of the neighborhood can get busy, especially with the open-air market
just a couple of blocks south. It didn’t