The Burial Hour (Lincoln Rhyme 13)

Frieda...

Shit.

Approaching the doorway of the old flat. It was a shabby two-story place, on a quiet stretch of road. The building had probably been a single-family at one point but then converted into a two-unit apartment. He lived in the basement.

He paused and found his key. Then Garry was startled by two people walking up to him. He was cautious. He'd been mugged once already. An ambiguous threat; two skinny but mean-eyed men had asked to borrow money. He'd given it up, along with his watch, which they hadn't asked for but had happily taken.

But then he saw that these two were police officers--middle-aged, stocky both of them, a man and woman, in the blue uniforms of the Police of State.

Still, of course, his guard was up.

"Yes?"

Speaking good English, the woman asked, "You are Garry Soames?"

"I am."

"May I see your passport?"

In Italy, everyone was required to carry--and produce upon demand--a passport or identity card. It rankled the civil libertarian within him but he complied without protest.

She read it. And slipped it into her own pocket.

"Hey."

"You were at a party Monday night, in the flat of Natalia Garelli."

His memories of just a few moments ago.

"I...well, yes. I was."

"You were there all night?"

"What's all night?"

"When were you there?"

"I don't know, from maybe ten p.m. until three or so. What's this all about?"

"Mr. Soames," the man said, his accent thicker than his partner's. "We are putting you under arrest for certain events that occurred at that party. I would like you to present your hands."

"My--"

Steel cuffs appeared.

He hesitated.

The male cop: "Please, sir. I would recommend you do this."

The woman lifted the backpack off his shoulder and began to look through it.

"You can't do that!"

She ignored him and continued to rummage.

The man cuffed him.

The woman completed the search of his bag and said nothing. The man searched his pockets, taking his wallet and leaving everything else. He found three unopened condoms and held them up. The two officers shared a look. Everything the man took he placed in an evidence bag.