The Victim (Badge of Honor 3)

"I never tried one," the state trooper said. "I always thought I would kick my leg or something, and the gun would go flying across a room."

"No. They work. They just rub your leg, is all."

"You working?"

"I cannot tell a lie, I'm on my way to see my girl."

"This is yours?" the state trooper asked incredulously, gesturing at the Porsche.

"We take them away from drug dealers," Matt said.

"You work Narcotics?"

"Until Monday I work in something called Special Operations."

"Nice work."

"Yeah. It was. Monday I go back in uniform."

"Into each life some rain must fall," the state trooper said. " Take it easy."

"I will."

"I mean that. Take it easy. I clocked you at seventy-one."

"Sorry," Matt said. "I wasn't thinking. I'll watch it."

"My sergeant is a prick. He would ticket Mother Teresa."

"I have a lieutenant like that," Matt said.

The state trooper returned to his car, tooted the horn, and resumed his patrol.

It wasn't that I wasn't thinking. I was thinking. And what I was thinking was the closer I get to Scarsdale, to Amanda, the worse of an idea it seems. This is not the time to see her. She would not understand anything I have to say to her. And the reason for that is that I have nothing to say to her. Nothing that makes any sense, even to me.

Shit!

He put the Porsche in gear, reentered the flow of traffic, and at the next intersection turned around and headed for Philadelphia.

The second time Matt Payne attracted the attention of police officers charged with enforcement of the Motor Vehicle Code on the public highways took place several hours later, on Interstate 95, just inside the city limits of the City of Philadelphia.

"Jesus Christ!" he said aloud as he pulled to the side of the road, "this is really my day."

He glanced at the floorboard. His revolver and holster were safely out of sight.

Two Highway Patrol officers approached the car.

"You're a cop?" one asked.

"You're Payne, right?"

"Guilty," Matt said.

"You better come back to the car with us," one of them said. " They're looking for you."

"Really?"

We have changed our minds about you, Payne. You are really an allaround splendid fellow, and we have decided that instead of sending you to the 12^th, we are going to make you a chief inspector.