The Investigators (Badge of Honor 7)

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??Yes,” Mr. Savarese said. “I saw them. I was going to have a word with you about them.”

Mr. Desidiro tried not to show his surprise that Mr. Savarese recognized the heir to Nesfoods International and his wife.

“Yes, Mr. Savarese.”

“They have a friend with them,” Mr. Savarese said.

“A Mr. Payne,” Mr. Desidiro said.

“Yes, I know,” Mr. Savarese said. “You should be very careful around him, Tony.”

“Yes, sir?”

“He is not only a policeman, but he shoots people in the head,” Mr. Savarese said. “Isn’t that so, Paulo?”

“That’s right, Mr. S.,” Paulo agreed.

“You remember that crazy man, Tony, who was kidnapping and then doing sexual things to women in Northwest Philadelphia?” Mr. Savarese asked.

“Yes, I do. A policeman shot him?”

“That policeman,” Mr. Savarese said.

“Right in the head, Tony,” Cassandro said, miming someone shooting a pistol. “Ka-pow! Ka-pow!”

“Very interesting,” Mr. Desidiro said, wondering what a cop was doing having dinner—Mr. S. had said “a friend”—with the guy whose father owned Nesfoods International.

“If Mr. Payne should ask for the check, Tony,” Mr. Savarese said, “please tell him that it has been taken care of by a friend—make that ‘an admirer.’ ”

“Right, Mr. Savarese. ‘An admirer.’ ”

“Please have the courtesy to let me finish, Tony,” Mr. Savarese said.

“Excuse me, Mr. Savarese,” Mr. Desidiro said. “I beg your pardon.”

“You should learn to listen, Tony,” Mr. Savarese said.

“Jesus Christ, Tony!” Cassandro snapped.

“If young Mr. Payne asks for the check, please tell him that it has been taken care of by an admirer of his father,” Mr. Savarese said.

“Of his father,” Mr. Desidiro said. “Right, Mr. Savarese.”

And then he had a question, which, after a moment, he spoke aloud.

“And if Mr. Nesbitt should ask for the check, Mr. Savarese?”

“Then give it to him,” Mr. Savarese said. “I am not indebted to his father.”

“Right, Mr. Savarese.”

“You understand, Tony,” Cassandro said. “You don’t mention Mr. S.’s name?”

“Right. Of course not.”

“I’m going to Harrisburg,” Matt Payne announced after they had all ordered, at the suggestion of the waiter, roast lamb with roasted potatoes, a spinach salad, and were waiting for the shrimp cocktail they had ordered for an appetizer.