“Yeah, that. Or even glued to your scalp, under your hair.”
“So, even if I took all my clothes off, I would still be wired?”
“That’s an extreme example, but yes.”
“What is it we want to learn about Daltry? Whether he had the woman killed?”
“Somehow I don’t think he’s going to confess to you. What we want to know is who he got to do it. The guy cut off this woman’s head in a fit of rage, and that doesn’t square with a hired pro. Maybe it’s somebody who’s Daltry’s friend, or something. We’re looking for suspects so we can work their alibis and see who was available to run out to New Jersey and commit this heinous act.”
“How soon do I start?”
“Just as soon as you’ve researched Daltry.”
“I can do that in a few minutes, on the Internet.”
“Okay, this evening, then.”
“What am I going to have for backup?”
“I’m putting four detectives on this. Who’s your partner? I forget.”
“Bernstein.”
“And what’s your last name again?”
“Bernstein.”
“You’re not married to your partner, are you?”
“Nope. No relation.”
“Okay, Bernstein and four other detectives.”
“Do I get to choose?”
“I get to choose.”
“Who do you choose, Boss?”
“You get started on the Internet thing, and I’ll see who doesn’t have enough work to do.”
“Can I make a request?”
“Maybe.”
“Can I have another woman as one of the four?”
“Why?”
“Because I think a woman who was listening to me on a wire might understand better what I’m thinking than a bunch of guys. She could also cover me in, say, a bar without attracting attention. Cops have a way of looking like cops.”
“You’ve got a point. Okay, pick one of the other women in the squad.”
“Shelly Pointer.”
“Okay, you’ve got Pointer; you can have her partner, too. Go tell her.”
“Thanks, Boss.” Detective Willa Bernstein got up and left.