Death of the Black-Haired Girl

24

SALMONE HAD NOT HAD a call back from Eddie Stack, so he made another call of his own. He had thought a lot about it.

“I been thinking more and more we should sit down, Eddie. They must have told you this is a homicide one way or another. It may be involuntary, but it could be deliberate. Things I need to know.”

“You don’t have the driver?”

“We don’t. You know how it is up here, the Staties doing that. They’re checking out stops that night but, you know, it’s incomplete.”

“Yeah.”

“She was drinking, Eddie. Kid drinking, you know? I’m really sorry — Maud and this Brookman, they were both drinking.”

“I know about fucking Brookman. Brookman cut her loose. She was out of her mind.”

“We’re running down Brookman.”

“The fuck is married. He’s gotta be married, right?”

“Yeah, he’s married. His wife is out there when it happens. She’s fucking pregnant. They’re in front of his house. You heard that?”

“No. Not about the house. Sal? I gotta see you, man. I’ll come up.”

“If you could.”

“You’re working, Sal, I know that. I can do it.”

“If you could, Eddie. It would be the best, I think, and soon, know what I mean? And us, we’ll sit down quietly.”

“Something I have to do first. I have to put Maud with her mother.”

“That’s good, Eddie. I’m so sorry. Call me and we’ll talk.”