Private Heat by Robert E. Bailey Read Free Book Online

plumbing company and a car repo outfit. The repo chatter is pretty entertaining. One of their guys repopped a T-bird and discovered a boa constrictor in it while he was sailing through the S curve on Highway 131.”
    â€œI’m sure the snake was disgusted with the company.”
    â€œHe didn’t have it for long,” I said. “The guy bailed out on the shoulder, and a freightliner took the driver’s door off.”
    â€œWhat happened to the snake?”
    â€œDon’t know, the guy with the radio never looked back.” We laughed. “The plumbing outfit is pretty rude. They’re working off forty-watt dash units and real gratuitous about stepping on other traffic.” I gave Ron a spare battery and the dash plug adapter. “I take it your cell phone is up and running?”
    â€œSure is.”
    â€œI’ll give you a radio check when I get into the neighborhood.”
    Ron nodded in the affirmative and departed.
    After normal business hours the doors to the Hall of Justice are locked. You have to announce yourself at an outside box. Telling them that my visit regarded a restraining order got me buzzed in quickly, but I suppose just about anything short of asking to use the bathroom would net the same result.

    The fresh young face at the counter disappeared with a copy of the restraining order in her hand. Sergeant Franklin appeared shortly thereafter with the document in his hand and his mustache twitching.
    â€œThis is a police officer,” he said.
    â€œYes sir.”
    â€œHe’s on duty,” said Franklin.
    â€œI’m not here to serve him.”
    The sergeant studied me silently with angry eyes. Finally, he asked, “Why are you here? What do you want?”
    â€œI’m here because the plaintiff and her family are afraid of Officer Talon. I came to ask for a supervisor, or at least a patrol car, to be present when Officer Talon comes to get his personal effects.”
    Franklin loosened his tight jaws to say, “You guys do anything for a buck, eh? This is a
police officer
. You come here and act like this?”
    â€œSergeant, you know how emotionally charged a thing like this can be.”
    â€œYeah, and we don’t need people like you making trouble.”
    â€œMaybe you should come out there just to make sure the plaintiff and I don’t make up any lies about Officer Talon.”
    On reflection, I’d say it was right then that Franklin decided that I’d failed the attitude test. He stuck out his left hand and said, “I want to see some ID. I want your driver’s license, your private ticket, your permit, and the registration for that handgun you wag in and out of here.”
    He waggled his fingers. I delivered.
    He disappeared through the doorway behind the counter, and I could hear him fingering me into a computer terminal. The trainee backed up to the wall, folded her arms over her blue blazer, and regarded me suspiciously. The surveillance camera mounted high on the wall behind the desk deflected in my direction with a hum, then the lens screwed me into narrow focus.
Ten minutes. If I’m not out of here in ten minutes I get to meet Randy Talon, maybe his whole squad
. Franklin was busy but it was a goodbet that someone else was on his way to the dispatcher.
    Four minutes into the program I heard the printer ratting me out. I was curious as to what Sergeant Franklin thought worth printing. There was nothing active, not even a parking ticket.
    â€œSocial Security number?” he asked through the door.
    I told him.
    â€œYou got a Social Security card with you?”
    â€œI got a retired military ID card with my number on it. I lost the Social Security card a long time ago.”
    â€œGive it to the CLIP.”
    â€œCLIP” is what they call their interns. Someday I’m going to ask what that stands for. I handed it to the girl.
    He got the card and said, “Jesus!” I guess Sergeant