School Days

Chapter 52

"GARNER'S HUMPING the school shrink?" DiBella said. We were sitting in DiBella's car, parked on the main street in Dowling, a block from the Coffee Nut.

"Wouldn't you?" I said.

"Yeah, sure, but why would she?"

"Excellent question." I said. "When there are studs like you and me around."

"I'm not so sure about you," DiBella said.

"Actually, I included you," I said, "to be kind."

DiBella nodded. "Now we got that out of the way," he said. "And the school shrink was humping the Clark kid?"

"She was at least taking her picture naked with him."

"You wouldn't have it on you," DiBella said.

"Degenerate," I said.

"Sure, like you haven't studied it," DiBella said.

"Of course I have," I said. "It's evidence."

"Of what?" DiBella said. "Blair's snatch?"

"Well," I said. "Yes."

"Maybe I should see what I can dig up on both of them," DiBella said. "Garner and Blair."

"I thought you had this case closed already, and were just humoring me," I said.

"I'm in the habit," DiBella said. "I may as well humor you some more."

"Hard to believe it wouldn't have something to do with the shooting," I said.

"Pretty big set of coincidences," DiBella said.

"I don't know where it takes us," I said.

"That's why it's called investigation," DiBella said. "We see where it takes us."

From the backseat of DiBella's car, Pearl barked at a tan mongrel that went by on the other end of the leash from a middle-aged woman in cropped pants and a straw sun hat.

"Did you know," DiBella said, "that I'm not allowed to transport animals in my car?"

"Yes," I said. "I did know that."

DiBella nodded. I asked Pearl to stop barking. Which she did.

"I'll keep an eye on Blair and Garner," I said. "Maybe you could check out their history a little."

"Of course," DiBella said. "I have the vast resources of the criminal justice system at my fingertips. At your fucking service."

"Thanks."

"Your shrink says the kid is retarded?" DiBella said.

"Uh-huh."

"Cleary know that?" DiBella said.

"Uh-huh."

"What's he say?"

"Nothing," I said.

"Cleary says that a lot," DiBella said. "Which one you going to tail?"

"I'll probably take turns," I said. "And maybe I'll have a talk with Mrs. Garner."

"Gonna rat him out?" DiBella said.

"No. I'll make up some excuse," I said. "But it might energize him a little if he knows I talked with her."

"The way she's probably energized already," DiBella said, "knowing somebody's got her husband's number."

"And if they're energized together, maybe they'll do something."

"Like what," DiBella said.

"No idea," I said, "but maybe I'll catch them doing it."