The Witness (Badge of Honor 4)

“I have high hopes,” Payne replied. “You have to eat, Inspector.”

“Who do you think you are, my mother?”

“Think of the starving children in India,” Payne said. “How they would love a breakfast steak.”

“Oh, Jesus,” Wohl groaned, but after a moment added, “Okay. Do that twice, please, miss.”

Payne read the editorial and handed the newspaper back.

“You didn’t expect anything else, did you?” Payne asked.

“I can ignore those bastards when they’re wrong. But it smarts when they’re right.”

“Harris and Washington will come up with something.”

“He said, not really believing it.”

“I believe it.”

“As a matter of fact, the longer they don’t come up with something, the greater the odds are that they won’t,” Wohl said.

The waitress delivered the coffee, milk, and orange juice, sparing Payne having to respond. He was grateful; he hated to sound like a cheerleader.

Wohl ate everything put before him, but absently. He volunteered no further conversation, and Payne decided he should keep his mouth shut.

They were halfway between The Country Club and Special Operations headquarters when Wohl decided to tell Payne about Lieutenant Jack Malone.

“We’re getting a new lieutenant this morning,” he said. “And Lucci’s being transferred out.”

“That sounds like bad news-good news.”

“Lieutenant Malone used to be Commissioner Cohan’s driver. Cohan is behind the transfer.”

“Then it’s good news-good news?”

“Not necessarily,” Wohl said. “Cohan sprung this on me at Commissioner Czernich’s reception. Malone’s had some personal problems, and in a manner of speaking has been working too hard. Cohan wants to take some of the pressure off him. He’s had the Auto Squad in Major Crimes; that’s where Lucci’s going. It’s a good job. Cohan’s afraid that Malone will think he’s been shanghaied to us. Which means that I have—”

“Has he?” Payne interrupted. “Been shanghaied to us?”

“I used the wrong word. Punished would be better. He’s been shanghaied in the sense that he didn’t ask for the transfer, and probably doesn’t like the idea, but I’m not really sure if he just needs some of the pressure taken off, or whether Cohan is sending him a message. Cohan made it plain that he expects me to put him to work doing something worthy of his talent.”

“What did he do?” Payne asked.

Why the hell did I tell him any of this in the first place?

“He caught his wife in bed with a lawyer and beat them up.”

“Both of them?”

“Yeah, both of them. But that’s not why he’s being sent to us, I don’t think. The pressure began to affect his work.”

“I don’t think I understand.”

And aside from that, the problems, personal or professional, of a lieutenant are really none of the business of a police officer. But I started this, didn’t I? And Payne is really more than a run-of-the-mill young cop, isn’t he?

“He’s got a wild idea that Bob Holland is involved in auto theft,” Wohl said.

“Holland Cadillac?” Matt asked, a hint of incredulity in his voice.