“Actually, Phil, I read both every day before I go to Center City, in no particular order, but I just haven’t had a chance to look at either so far today.”
“Well, what I’d like to do, Mr. Mayor, if you’re willing…”
“Anything within reason, Phil.”
“How about I call you at the office at eleven?” Mr. Donaldson asked, reasonably. “By then you’ll have had plenty of time to read the editorial…”
This is the last fucking time you’re ever going to get me on the phone. How stupid do you think I am?
“I may not be in the office at eleven, Phil.”
“Well, then, where will you be at eleven? Someplace without a telephone? I thought they were all over these days, like inside plumbing.”
“I really don’t know right now, Phil, where I’ll be at eleven. You have to understand…”
“You wouldn’t be trying to give me-and all the good folks out there listening in Phil’s Philly-the runaround, would you, Mr. Mayor?”
“Now, Phil, why would you say something like that?”
“Because that’s what it sounds like, Mr. Mayor.”
You sonofabitch, you got me!
“You call my office at eleven, Phil, and I’ll be happy to take your call.”
“Cross your heart and hope to die?”
“I give you my word, Phil.”
“I asked you to cross your heart and hope to die,” Phil said, paused, and added, “Just a little joke. I’ll take you at your word, Mr. Mayor, of course. And we’ll look forward to talking to you at eleven.”
“I look forward to it myself, Phil. It’s always a pleasure.”
“Have a nice breakfast, Mr. Mayor,” Mr. Donaldson said.
He broke the connection and leaned into his microphone.
“Well, you heard it folks, the mayor gave his word that he’d take my call-which means he’ll take our call-at eleven. That should be an interesting conversation. Make sure you tell all your friends to be tuned in. And now a word from the friendly folks at Dick Golden Ford on the Baltimore Pike. Be right back afterward.”
He turned off his microphone.
“Gotcha, you bastard!” he said.
Lieutenant Jason Washington was in the lieutenant’s office in Homicide when Matt and Olivia walked in
. Matt was surprised; it was quarter to eight, and Washington usually showed up at ten or later.
As Matt walked toward the lieutenant’s office, Washington looked up, saw them, and motioned for them to come in.
“Good morning, Detective Lassiter,” he said.
“Good morning, sir,” Olivia said.
“Is there some reason you chose to answer neither your radio nor your cellular, Matthew? Or you, Detective, your cellular?” Washington asked.
“I turned the radio off when I was ferrying Colt around,” Matt said, “or he would have wanted to respond to anything that came over it. And obviously, I didn’t turn it back on this morning.” He took his cellular from his pocket. “And the battery is dead in this.”
“And you, Detective?”