“It’s Phil, Mr. Mayor. Calling for all the people out there in Phil’s Philly.”
“All right then, Phil.”
“Thank you for taking my call.”
“It’s always a pleasure, Phil.”
“I’ve been trying to call Detective Lassiter and Sergeant Payne, Mr. Mayor. They don’t seem to be available.”
“Is that so?”
“They seem to be out of town, Mr. Mayor.”
“So I understand. Commissioner Mariani told me.”
“You wouldn’t want to tell me where and why, would you, Mr. Mayor?”
“I’ll tell you why. They have a developing lead in the Williamson murder, one that looks very promising.”
“Which just happens to make them unavailable to talk to me, right?”
“I’m afraid, Phil, that seems to be the case. But as soon as they get back in town, I’m sure they will be as delighted to talk to you-and all the people out there in Phil’s Philadelphia — as I am.”
“And when will that be?”
“In four or five days, possibly.”
“And in the meantime, we don’t get to hear what happened in Stan Colt’s hotel room, right? That’s a convenient coincidence, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’d call it the press of duty, Phil. A matter of priorities. Solving that case takes precedence, as I’m sure you’ll understand, over just about everything else.”
“So what you’re telling me, Mr. Mayor-correct me if I’m wrong-is that no one out there in Phil’s Philly is going to hear what went on in Stan Colt’s hotel room until Sergeant Payne and the beautiful lady detective come back to town?”
“I didn’t say that, Phil. Would you like to talk to someone who was in Mr. Colt’s hotel suite all the time Sergeant Payne and Detective Lassiter were there?”
“And who would that be?”
“Pick up the extension, please, Detective Martinez, and say hello to Mr. Donaldson.”
“Hello.”
“With whom am I speaking, please?”
“Detective Jesus Martinez.”
“Good morni
ng, Detective. Say hello to all the people out there in Phil’s Philly.”
“Hello.”
“And where are you assigned, Jesus… You don’t mind if I call you ‘Jesus,’ do you?”
“Suit yourself.”
“All right, Jesus. Could you tell me what you were doing in Stan Colt’s hotel room all the time the mayor says Sergeant Payne and the lovely Detective Lassiter were in there?”
“I was on the Dignitary Protection Detail.”