The Witness (Badge of Honor 4)

“There was just the one victim?”

“He was the maintenance man; he walked in on it.”

“They have a lead on the doers?”

“I think Detective D’Amata has a good idea. He said that the witnesses were still pretty shaky; he wanted them to calm down a little before he showed them pictures.”

“That may work, and it may not,” Washington said. “A lot of people, with good reason, are nervous about having to go to court and point their fingers. Particularly at scumbags like these, a gang of them.”

“Yes, sir,” Matt said.

Washington met his eyes.

“I am not going to tell you anymore not to call me ‘sir,’” he said.

“Sorry,” Matt said, throwing up his hands. “It just slips out.”

“Let me show you what the postman brought today,” Washington said. He went to the table by the door and returned with a postcard and handed it to Matt.

It was a printed form, Number 73–41, (Revised 3/72) issued by the Personnel Department of the City of Philadelphia, headed FINAL RESULTS OF EXAMINATIONS. It informed Jason Washington that his Final Average on the Examination for Police Sergeant was 96.52 and that his Rank on List was 3.

“Jesus!” Payne exclaimed happily.

“You asked what the occasion was,” Washington said.

“Well, congratulations!” Matt said enthusiastically. “I didn’t even know you had taken the examination.”

“I’d almost forgotten I had,” Washington said.

Matt looked at him with curiosity in his eyes, but did not ask.

“Two days after Wohl shanghaied me to Special Operations,” Washington explained, “I put my name in. I almost didn’t take it. I never cracked a book.”

“But you came in third,” Matt said.

“As I said, Officer Payne, you may now call me ‘sir.’”

“Well, I think this is splendid!”

Spoken like a true Main Line WASP. “Splendid.”

“Splendid?” Washington asked dryly.

“I think so.”

“Thank you, Matt,” Washington said.

“So what happens to you now? Will they transfer you?”

“I devoutly hope so,” Washington said. “Back to Homicide.”

“I’d hate to see you go.”

Now that I think about it, I’m not so sure I want to go back to Homicide. Not as a sergeant.

“I don’t think Peter Wohl will let me go anywhere until we catch the cop killer,” Washington said.

“Is that the way that works? It’s up to the inspector?”