BOILER

Chapter 17

Daylight filtered down through a cold mist. Bill parked and knocked the stick into neutral. Toland was on his way out the door when Bill caught his arm and sat him down again.

'What does this guy know about you?'

'Not much beyond what I cost in commission. He stays out of my way.'

'The pills and that?'

'He either doesn't know, or he doesn't bring it up.'

'Good. How often do you take them, anyway?'

'When I don't sleep,' Toland said. He'd been conscious for just about two hours and had eaten one for each of them.

'You don't take turns for the worse or anything like that.'

'No.'

Bill met his eye for confirmation. 'Good,' he said. 'You go get yourself together while I straighten this little arrangement out.'

The captain was sat at his desk and contemplating what was left of the whiskey bottle on it. Bill knocked the door and the captain invited him in.

'Yeah,' the captain said.

'How's your morning?' Bill asked, closing the door.

The captain caught his eye briefly, and then looked at a white china pot on his desk.

'That is a very ignorant question,' he said. He opened the pot and took out a thin cigar. He clipped it, lit it, and puffed away.

'Yeah, rough nights bring tender mornings. I brought your boy back for you.'

'Boy?'

'Toland.'

'Oh yeah? He alive or dead?'

'He's alive just about. He's getting showered.'

'Well, that's nice. There another reason you're here? Other than returning my people.'

Bill walked to a chair. He had a well-practised face for benevolence — he might want you hanged, but you couldn't be sure before feeling the rope. That face was being put to good use. He sat down and looked at the captain. 'You're probably aware all that mess last night was in my district, right?'

'I had an idea.'

'Right.'

Bill didn't go any further. The captain shrugged to coax him. 'So,' he said.

Bill smiled. He sighed. 'Well, you know the situation. I've got a commission to put out. You've lost a man. I'm sure you'd want action brought pretty swift, right? You want justice for your boy.'

'I want justice. But I don't see the swift part happening. Two trained lawmen died last night, and the other might punch out any day now. I don't know who's capable of that kind of damage, but I know most agencies avoid that sort of trouble like the plague. And the ones that don't, well, they tend to be expensive.'

Bill crossed his legs and plucked some silvery thread from his sleeve. He let it go in the air and watched it for a moment. He looked at the captain.

'Why don't you take it?'

'You miss the plague bit I just talked about? I'd rather take a colonoscopy with a cactus.'

'This is a big commission? Don't you wanna climb the ladder? Make some copy?'

The captain gave him a sideways glance and reached for his ashtray. 'You people love your games. No, I don't want the media around. I got no interest in the ladder — the thing turns into a snake anytime you make a move on it. I stick to a lane. I know where it goes.'