What he would do, he originally thought, was have a couple of drinks, enough to make him sleepy, and then fall in bed.
But by the third Famous Grouse, he thought that maybe it would be a good idea to go to the Fraternal Order of Police bar. By the fifth drink, it seemed to be a splendid idea. So he went down and got in the Porsche.
By the time he got to Broad and Market, going to the FOP bar seemed less a splendid idea. Everybody in the place would have heard about Penny; everybody he knew would be offering sympathy, and he didn’t want that.
He drove around City Hall, and headed down South Broad Street, headed for Charley McFadden’s house. Charley was working days, he would get him out of bed, and they would have a couple of drinks someplace.
Five blocks down South Broad, he realized that would also be a bad idea, an imposition. Charley would, out of pity, get out of bed and be a good guy. Not fair to Charley.
Dropping in on Peter Wohl was similarly a bad idea. For one thing, Peter lived way the hell out in Chestnut Hill. More importantly, he might have—probably did have—company, spelled A-m-y, and not only would he be an unwelcome guest, but they would correctly surmise that he had not swallowed Amy’s pill.
And then he thought of Wally Milham. Milham was working midnight to eight. And Milham’s personal life was nearly as fucked up as his own. The Mayor had gotten up on a moral high horse at Martha Peebles’ party because Milham had gotten involved with his wife’s sister, and, worse, was using this as a basis to suspect that Milham was somehow involved in the Kellog shooting.
Milham, Matt reasoned, would not only be up and awake, but might welcome some company.
Matt made an illegal U-turn on South Broad Street and headed for the Roundhouse.
Matt had been to Homicide often enough to know how to get past the wooden barrier. There was a little button on the inside of the barrier, which activated the solenoid that opened the gate.
There were half a dozen detectives in the room, one of whom looked up, registering surprise, when he saw Matt. And then he gestured with his finger across the room to where Wally Milham sat at a desk before a typewriter.
Matt walked over to him. It was a moment before Milham became aware that he was standing there.
“Well, I expected you, but not so soon,” Wally Milham said.
“Excuse me?”
Milham pushed a memorandum across his desk. Matt picked it up.
* * *
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
MEMORANDUMTO: SERGEANT ZACHARY HOBBS
FROM: COMMANDING OFFICER, HOMICIDE UNIT
SUBJECT: INFORMANT’S TIP
1. We have an informant’s tip on the Inferno job concerning an individual named Frank, or Frankie, Foley. The informant, whose information in the past has been reliable, identifies this subject as a “mob-connected hit man.”
2. Neither Records, Intelligence or Organized Crime has anything on him.
3. Assign Detective Milham to investigate this lead, instructing him to continue his investigation, making daily reports to you, until such time as further information is developed, or until he is convinced there is nothing to it.
Detective Payne, of Special Operations, will be working in the Homicide Unit for an indefinite period. When he reports for duty, assign him to assist Detective Milham.
Henry C. Quaire
Captain
cc: Chief Inspector Lowenstein
82-S-1AE (Rev. 3/59) RESPONSE TO THIS MEMORANDUM MAY
BE MADE HEREON IN LONGHAND
* * *