The Glitter Dome by Joseph Wambaugh Read Free Book Online Page B

through the baby she was carrying in her arms before it killed her.”
    â€œA Korean baby,” Captain Woofer sighed.
    So it was no use. Captain Woofer had his mind made up. They were going to inherit a bad-news homicide, and though Al Mackey didn’t have any illusions about getting promoted, he had always wanted to finish his career here at Hollywood Detectives. It was getting too late in life to have his balls whacked and transferred to Watts.
    Then Captain Woofer accidentally pushed what Al Mackey knew to be absolutely, unequivocally, positively the wrong button for Martin Welborn. Captain Woofer said, “I can’t see anything you’re working on now that’s time-consuming. That Meadows case is finished, isn’t it?”
    Al Mackey jerked his face toward Martin Welborn. Marty’s long brown eyes dropped lower at the corners. They leaped out of focus. Marty stopped smiling serenely. He looked confused.
    â€œDanny Meadows isn’t finished,” Martin Welborn said.
    â€œWell, what’s left to do with the case?” Captain Woofer asked. “I thought mommy and daddy were going to cop a plea?”
    â€œDanny Meadows isn’t finished,” Martin Welborn said.
    â€œDamn, I can’t get comfortable,” Captain Woofer whined. He never noticed the lack of focus in Martin Welborn’s eyes. “You still have more testimony to give, or what?”
    â€œDanny Meadows isn’t finished,” Martin Welborn said.
    â€œThey’ve got it wrapped,” Al Mackey said quickly, with darting glances toward Marty. “Yeah, they’re copping a plea. Probably probation for mom, a little jail time for dad.”
    â€œThen the case is finished?” Captain Woofer said, glancing toward the unfocused eyes of Martin Welborn.
    â€œYes, Captain, it’s finished ,” Al Mackey said to Martin Welborn, who didn’t seem to hear him.
    â€œIt wasn’t as though it was some big-deal homicide anyway,” Captain Woofer observed. “Kid would’ve been better off if it was a homicide. Anyway, I think you could tidy up your pending cases and go talk with Schultz and Simon about the ground they’ve covered on the St. Claire thing. I’ve got some theories that …”
    Danny Meadows isn’t finished .
    Martin Welborn could hardly hear Captain Woofer. His voice came from a cavern somewhere far away. As though from a catacomb. They told him in seminary that strange phenomena often occurred in catacombs. Voices ceased to communicate properly, they were perceived as though coming from places distant, perhaps echoing the voices of the dead holy men in the crypts .
    It wasn’t as though it was a big-deal homicide anyway, Captain Woofer said .
    It wasn’t any kind of homicide. And it wasn’t often that veteran homicide detectives rolled on a call unless it was a code three call. This was only a code two broadcast. The next-door neighbor who heard the boy whimpering on the service porch had been too hysterical to respond hysterically. She had simply told the communications operator that someone had been hurt by someone else, and to send the police and an ambulance. Then she hung up and couldn’t stop screaming even after the police arrived .
    Martin Welborn remembered exactly what he and Al had been talking about when they heard the radio call. They had been discussing Paula’s agreement not to seek a divorce, thus remaining his spouse and heir as far as the Department was concerned. He was willing to pay her far more than she could have gotten in spousal support. A marriage was not dead without an official seal. Not in the eyes of man. God no longer mattered. But a bitter call from Paula for more money had precipitated a night of haunting loneliness. Martin Welborn did not sleep a moment the night before. He replayed sad and happy and hurtful scenes over and over in his mind. Mostly he thought of his two daughters, Sally and