2

Spring was still drifting in.

“Everybody likes him for it,” Quirk said. “Us, the studio, people on the crew, everybody. Girl’s parents.”

“You like him for it?” I said.

“Governor likes him for it. Mayor likes him for it. Commissioner loves him. Command staff loves him more. Senate president. House speaker. Both newspapers. Everybody on TV. Every fucking cyberspace moron who can type,” Quirk said.

“You?” I said.

“I don’t think he murdered her,” Quirk said. “Or if he did, we don’t have enough hard evidence to say it. We’re guessing.”

“And everybody wants it to go away and take him with it,” I said.

“They do,” Quirk said. “He was probably with her when she died, and what they were doing may have killed her, I don’t know. But I don’t think you can convict a guy of murder on what we’ve got, and I’m afraid we might.”

“The fact that he’s a creep helps move it along,” I said.

“It’s not illegal to be a pain in the ass,” Quirk said. “It was, you and me probably be doing time.”

“Maybe you,” I said. “Whaddya need from me?”

“I want you to look into it,” Quirk said.

“Because you can’t?”

“Correct,” Quirk said.

“Anybody gonna pay me?” I said.

“The movie studio has hired Rita Fiore to represent Jumbo,” Quirk said. “I’ve talked to her. She says Cone, Oakes will hire you to investigate.”

“And bill the studio,” I said.

“Be my guess,” Quirk said.

“What makes you think he didn’t commit first-degree murder?” I said.

“Maybe he did,” Quirk said. “And if he did, we’ll try to prove it. But right now I think he’s being railroaded, and I can’t stop it and stay a cop.”

“What if I find out that he’s guilty as charged?”

“Tell me,” Quirk said. “I’ll be thrilled. You want to look at our notes, so far?”

“I like to start fresh,” I said. “I think better if I’m in the process.”

“Yeah,” Quirk said. “I know.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Okay you’ll take the job?”

“Yep.”

“Just like that?” Quirk said.

“Yep,” I said.

“You might start out by talking to Rita Fiore,” Quirk said.

“You might start out by not telling me what to do,” I said.

“Okay,” Quirk said. “What are you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna talk to Rita Fiore,” I said.

“Good idea,” Quirk said.

He almost smiled.

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