“Oh, I’ll probably run into him first.”
The two men smiled cordially and shook hands at they stood.
“Where you off to?” said Blue.
“Running down to check on the Granville Oliver trial,” said Strange.
“Another solid citizen,” said Grady. Strange didn’t respond.
“I talk to you a minute?” said Blue.
Strange nodded as Quinn and Grady left the room.
“Anything more on that break-in last night?” said Blue.
“I don’t expect I’ll be hearing anything,” said Strange. “It was a professional burglary. I’m not gonna let it interfere with what I’m doin’.”
Blue stroked his thick gray mustache. “You mean you’re not going to take the warning.”
“I’ve pretty much decided I’m just gonna keep doing my job.”
“You can’t fight the government, if that’s who it is.”
“True,” said Strange. “But I don’t know what else to do.”
Strange and Blue, friends for thirty-some-odd years, shook hands.
Quinn was waiting for Strange out in the hall. They took the stairwell down to the first floor.
“Interesting meeting,” said Quinn.
“I’m thinking about it,” said Strange.
Strange’s Caprice was beside Quinn’s Chevelle in the lot behind the station. Strange motioned for Quinn to come with him.
“Where we headed?” said Quinn.
“Gotta get myself lookin’ right first. Then the office, then downtown.”
“We’re gonna need two cars today. You and me got different things planned.”
“We’ll pick yours up later. We’re swinging back up here for our lunch appointment anyway.”
They settled onto the front bench of the Caprice.
“That Grady guy,” said Quinn, “he’s the one keeps death photos, like art or something, hanging in his crib.”
Strange turned the ignition. “Yeah, that’s him.”
“Man looks like that actor played in Walking Tall. Not Joe Don Baker. Parts two and three, I mean. The ones that sucked.”
“Bo something or other,” said Strange.
“Derek?”
“Funny.”
“It’s Svenson, dude.”
“That’s it. Damn.” Strange pulled out of the lot. “Was killing me, looking at Grady across that table. I just could not remember that cat’s name.”
STRANGE had his hair cut and his beard trimmed at Hawk’s, then walked to the office, where he met Quinn, who had been making some calls and gathering equipment and files. Greco greeted Strange as he entered the storefront, settling back onto his red cushion after receiving a rub on the head. Lamar Williams was up on a ladder, changing a fluorescent bulb, and Janine was seated behind her desk, tapping the keyboard of her computer.
“Good morning,” said Janine. “You look nice.”
“My neck itches,” said Strange, picking up his messages off Janine’s desk. “I’ll be right back out.”
In his office, Strange looped his belt through the sheath of his Buck knife and retrieved a sand-filled sap from his top desk drawer. He slipped the sap into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled his shirttail out to cover it. He made a phone call, then grabbed some files and other items, and went back out to the front of the shop.
“Here you go,” said Janine, handing him a PayDay bar, his favorite snack. “In case you miss a meal.”
“Thank you, baby,” said Strange. “Stick to your desk if you can today. I’m gonna need to keep in contact with you, hear?”
Strange looked up to Lamar, on the top step of the ladder.
“What’s goin’ on, boss?” said Lamar.
“What’s goin’ on with you?”
“Keepin’ this place clean. Taking care of my mother and my baby sister. Studying for my final tests. Same old same old.”
“Were you studying for your tests when I saw you walkin’ down Georgia toward the Black Hole the other night?”
“Dag, Mr. Strange, you got eyes everywhere? I was just checking out some go-go they had up in there, wanted to see if I could run into this girl I wanted to get to know. I’m allowed to have some fun, ain’t I?”
“Long as you take care of that other stuff you claim you’re doing, too.”
“I am.”
“You keep it up, then.”
Quinn got up from his chair, a file in one hand and a fresh pack of sugarless gum in the other.
“Can I get one of them Extras, Terry?” said Lamar.
Quinn handed Lamar a stick of gum. “You ready, Derek?”
Strange nodded. “Let’s go.”
Out on the street, walking to Strange’s car, Quinn said, “You’re a little rough on him, aren’t you?”