“Where is he?” Amy asked.
“Honey!” Wohl said, warningly.
“Peter, as I understand it, Sergeant Payne is no longer assigned to Special Operations,” Weisbach said.
“That’s right.”
“That makes me ask, you’ll understand, what you’re doing here?”
“What we’re doing here?” Amy flared. “Jesus H. Christ! I want to see my brother, is what we’re doing here.”
“And what Dr. Payne is doing here?” Weisbach continued.
“Inspector,” Captain Kimberly said. “That was Captain Hollaran on the phone. He and Commissioner Coughlin are en route here. He asked who was the supervisor. I told him you were.”
Weisbach nodded his understanding.
“Unless you can tell me you have official business here, Peter,” Weisbach said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you and the lady to leave.”
“I’m not a lady, goddamn it, I’m a physician. And I demand to see my brother.”
“Take it easy, honey,” Wohl said. “Mike’s just going by the book. He has to.”
“Screw his book. Screw him. I demand to see my brother.”
“Peter… ” Weisbach said.
“Inspector Weisbach, with your permission,” Peter said, “I’d like to stay here with the lady until the arrival of Commissioner Coughlin.”
The door opened again.
Armando C. Giacomo strode in. He was wearing a tweed jacket, gray flannel trousers, a pajama top, and bedroom slippers.
“Sorry it took me so long to get here,” he said. “Hello, Mike. Amelia. Peter. What brings you two here?”
“They won’t let me see my brother,” Amy said. “Tell them they have to.”
“Do I correctly infer that it is Sergeant Payne who was allegedly involved in this unfortunate incident?”
Weisbach nodded.
“I’m not sure if they have to give you access to your brother, Amy,” Giacomo said, “but I am absolutely sure that I have the right to see the detainee, accompanied by the physician of my choice. Isn’t that correct, Inspector Weisbach?”
“I think you can have a police physician, Counselor,” Weisbach said. “I’ll have to check about Dr. Payne.”
“You’re splitting hairs, Inspector. If the police department can seek, as they have on several occasions that come readily to both our minds, the consultation of Dr. Payne in the investigation of crimes, the only reason I can see why you refuse her, as my consultant in this matter, access to the detainee is that you are personally biased against my client, determined to deprive him of his full rights under the Constitution, or, perhaps…”
“He’s in there, Counselor,” Weisbach said, pointing to the closed door of the interview room.
Amy walked quickly to the door and pulled it open.
Sergeant Payne was sitting at a table.
Tears were running down his cheeks.
He smiled like a child when he saw Amy.
“I guess I did it again, huh, Amy?”