The Murderers (Badge of Honor 6)

(Det. Payne) Certainly.

(Mr. Foley) When you shot that nutcase who was cutting up the women, what did you use?

(Det. Payne) My .38 snub-nose.

(Mr. Foley) And on the dinge who did the Goldblatt job? Same gun?

(Det. Payne) Yes.

(Mr. Foley) You got more balls than I do. If my life was on the line, I’d carry a .45 at least. You ever see what a .45’ll do to you?

(Det. Payne) Yes, I have. But we can carry only weapons that are authorized by the Department.

(Mr. Foley) That’s bullshit.

75-331D(Rev.7/70) Page 5(Det. Payne) Off the record, I agree with you.

(Mr. Foley) Sometime maybe, I’ll see you around, we’ll have a beer or something, and we can talk about guns. I was in the Marine Corps. They teach you about guns.

(Det. Payne) I’d like to do that.

(Det. Milham) I think that’s all, Mr. Foley. Thank you for your time and cooperation.

(Mr. Foley) That’s all? I’m through?

(Det. Milham) That’s all. Thank you very much.

75-331D(Rev.7/70) Page 6

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NINETEEN

“Frankie’s in love with Matt,” Wally Milham said. “He wants to buy him a drink and tell him about guns.”

“Jesus Christ!” Matt said.Jason Washington raised his hand somewhat imperiously and made a circling motion with his extended index finger, as a signal to the waitress that he wanted another cup of espresso.

They were in Café Elana, a new (and rather pretentious, Matt thought) Italian coffeehouse in Society Hill.

“That sometimes happens,” Washington said, returning his attention to the table. “I think it has more to do with Matt representing authority than his charming personality. You might find it interesting, Matthew, to discuss the phenomenon with your sister.”

“In this case, it’s because Matt shoots people,” Milham said. “Frankie found that fascinating.”

“Frankie found a kindred soul, in other words?” Washington asked, nodding. “Let’s think about that.”

“There’s something wrong with that guy,” Matt said.

“There’s something wrong, as you put it, with most people who commit homicide,” Washington said. “Or did you have something special in mind?”

“He seems detached from reality,” Matt said. “The only time he seemed at all concerned with having been picked up and taken to a Homicide interview room was when I went through the Miranda business; that made him worry that he had been arrested. But even that didn’t seem to bother him very much. As soon as Wally told him he wasn’t under arrest…”

“Matthew, you realize, I hope, that the moment he was told that he wasn’t under arrest, all the ramifications of his being informed of his Miranda rights became moot.”

“I thought going through the routine might unnerve him,” Matt said. “And I didn’t get anywhere close to asking him about his involvement in either the robberies or the murders. I just asked him if he was in the Inferno, what he was doing there, and if he saw anything out of the ordinary.”

“No harm done in this case,” Washington said, “but you were close to the edge of the precipice.”

“Matt asked me before he gave him the M