Shallow Graves

still looking a mite sickly.“
    “Thought I might try to hold the weight.“
    “You really run the marathon with that bullet wound?“ I
    “Wasn’t much of a wound.“
    “Isn’t much of a brain, you ask me. The shit about that law professor all cleaned up?“
    “As much as ever will be.“
    Murphy rocked back, slitting his eyes. “Doesn’t seem like you and me have much to talk about, then.“
    “Less than that. I’m just here as a courtesy.“
    “Courtesy.“
    “Right.“
    “About exactly what are you being so polite?“
    “I drew a case from my old employer.“
    “You had a real job once?“
    “Insurance company. I worked there before you knew me.“
    “So?“
    “It’s a death claim.“
    “Homicide?“
    “Right.“
    Murphy passed a hand over a stack of six or seven thinner files near the corner of his desk. “One of mine.“
    “No.“
    “No?“
    “One of Holt’s.“
    Murphy closed his eyes all the way. “The door’s right behind you.“
    “There’s something funny—“
    “That little round thing, they call that a knob. It opens the door.“
    “Lieutenant—“
    “Cuddy, maybe you’re forgetting the last time I helped you out on one of Holt’s cases. Ever see True Grit?”
    “You a Glen Campbell fan, too?“
    “I was thinking of the scene, the Duke warns the rat to get the hell out of the grain bag, but that rat, he just don’t listen so good. You remember what caliber it was the Duke used to chastise him?“
    “Like I said, just paying you the courtesy of letting you
    know.“
    “And I appreciate that. Cuddy, I really do. This job, you treasure every little courtesy comes your way.“
    I left before Murphy could wish me a nice day, too.

- 3 -

    After leaving police headquarters, I walked back to my office on Tremont Street . The few documents from Harry Mullen and my notes from Holt went into a case folder. I did two more hours of paperwork on other files, looking forward to seeing Nancy Meagher for her birthday dinner.
    By the time I got to the entrance of the New Courthouse building, she was already down from the District Attorney’s office and talking with a female Sheriff’s Deputy at the metal detector. Nancy ’s suit was a nubby gray tweed with black and green specks over a ruffled white blouse. The deputy wore blue.
    Seeing me, Nancy brought the strap of her briefcase onto her shoulder. “Thought I’d save you a trip up the elevator.“
    I said, “Mustn’t seem too anxious for a date, counselor.“
    Nancy and the deputy rolled their eyes in unison. The deputy said, “When do you suppose men’ll stop being such jerks?“
    Nancy said, “The day genetic engineering becomes available for household use.“
    I stood a little straighter. “Could be that day has arrived. You’re looking at the body of a twenty-year-old paratrooper.“
    The deputy said,“What’re you gonna do, he asks for it back?“
    Nancy was still howling as we went through the revolving door.
    I said, “It wasn’t that funny.“
    “Oh, John, it was priceless.“
    “It was a cheap shot. She can’t be more than twenty-two herself.“
    “She’s almost thirty, and you’ve been so cock-proud ever since you ran the marathon that I was beginning to wonder how to bring you back to earth.“
    “A few weeks of feeling like a young warrior doesn’t seem so long.“
    “It does if you’re ‘dating’ the warrior.“
    I decided to change the subject. “So, how was your day?“
    Nancy shook her head. “The Usual. I’m on a bank robbery. Pretrial, our boy moved to suppress an eyewitness ID from a photo array.“
    “Denied?“
    “Yes. At trial, defendant renewed his motion, but the judge, bless her, refused to review her denial. At that point, our boy conceded identification and tried to make like he was the new Patty Hearst.“
    “I thought the Symbionese Liberation Army abolished their draft.“
    “Not to hear this guy. He actually took the stand, tried to persuade us he was kidnapped and forced to cooperate at gunpoint.“
    “Let me guess. His credibility was not without stain.“
    “Twelve priors, three for armed robbery, seven all told admissible under the prior conviction statute.“
    “You had that kind of ammunition and he still took the stand?“
    “It was his only shot, John. If he’s convicted of this one, he’s going away forever.“
    “Jury get the case yet?“
    “I finished my cross this afternoon. My guess is some wrangling over requests for jury instructions