Striking Out by Alison Gordon Read Free Book Online Page B

who have gone through it. They hold your hand, talk about the nightmares, make sure you don’t blame yourself, that kind of thing. I’m surprised they haven’t been here yet.”
    “How do you know so much about it?”
    “I’ve been on the team before. They try to use people who already know the man involved. I wonder who they’ll send for me.”
    “Not Bob Flanagan, I hope.”
    He laughed, then winced.
    “No, sensitivity isn’t exactly his strong point.”
    “I’m surprised to hear he has a strong point.”
    “Don’t start, Kate. He’s a little rough, I know . . .”
    “But he’s a good cop,” I joined in. “You’ve told me that before, but he makes my skin crawl. What’s he doing on this case, anyway? I thought he had been kicked off homicide for beating up a suspect. Wasn’t he sentenced to going around to schools with Honker the talking police car?”
    “He’s been in counselling, he’s off the booze, and they’ve let him back, under Stimac’s supervision. And he’s a great investigator when he’s got his temper under control.”
    “Well, I still think he’s a pig. And I had to sit with him all last night.”
    “Poor baby. You’ll get your reward in heaven.”
    “I’d better get it sooner than that.”
    Andy looked over my shoulder and smiled. I turned and saw Jim Wells crossing the ward.
    “You look better than the last time I saw you,” he said. “How are you doing?”
    “Good, thanks to you,” Andy said.
    “Man, I thought I was going to be carrying your hat for a while there.”
    “You don’t get rid of me that easily.”
    “What’s this about carrying his hat?” I asked.
    “It’s a cop thing,” Andy said. “At police funerals, the partner carries the dead guy’s hat.”
    “Oh, jolly. And how are you doing, Jim?” I asked.
    He made a so-so gesture with his hand.
    “Not bad, for a brutal racist death-monger.”
    “Sounds like Josiah Brand’s been making pronouncements,” Andy said.
    “Got it in one.”
    “You getting any help on this, Jim?”
    “Oh, yeah. The critical incident guys are all over me. The Police Association’s got me a lawyer. No problem.”
    “How’s Carol?” I asked.
    “It’s tough on her and the kids. I’m trying to get them to go stay with her folks at the cottage for a couple of weeks. At least they won’t be reading about it in the paper and seeing it on television every day.”
    “That’s a good idea. Why don’t you go too?”
    “Not now. Let’s get Andy out of the hospital first, and get this investigation over. Then maybe I’ll think about it.”
    “Did you get any sleep last night?” I asked. “You look a little rough.”
    “Well, it wasn’t my best night.”
    He turned to Andy.
    “I just keep asking myself how this happened. Is there something we should have done different?”
    Andy shook his head.
    “No, Jim. It just happened. It wasn’t our fault.”
    “Maybe if we’d kept him from going into the other room.”
    “He said he had to take a piss. What were we supposed to do? He wasn’t even a suspect. Stop beating yourself up.”
    “Jim, you saved Andy’s life,” I said. “Just concentrate on that.”
    “I guess.”
    “Let’s change the subject,” Andy said. “This is too morbid.”
    “What do you want to talk about?”
    “What’s happening to our investigation? Have they put someone else on it?”
    “Yeah. Stimac told me he was going to.”
    “Shit. We were so close.”
    “Makes sense. I’m out of action until this thing blows over, and you’re in bed.”
    “Oh, no, not cop shop talk,” I said. “Unless you want to drive me away.”
    “No, I have to leave anyway,” Jim said. “Carol’s waiting. I just wanted to see for myself if this ornery bugger was back in the land of the living.”
    “Thanks for coming,” Andy said. “Thanks for everything.”
    “It’s nothing. You’d do the same for me. I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll bring the cribbage board.”
    “You don’t have to,”