Part 32 (1/2)
Matt saw that McFadden had no idea who was shaking his hand.
Charley's father put that in words. ”Who're you?” he asked.
”Mr. McFadden,” Lieutenant Pekach said, ”this is Chief Inspector Coughlin. And that's Sergeant Lenihan. I'm afraid I don't know the other gentleman.”
”My name is Matthew Payne,” Matt said, putting out his hand.
”Matt is ... Captain Moffitt was Matt's uncle,” Coughlin said.
”I'm sorry about your uncle,” Charley McFadden said. Then he realized that he should be standing, and got up. He looked at Coughlin. ”You're Chief Inspector Coughlin,” he said, but there was a question, or disbelief, in his voice.
”That's right,” Coughlin said.
”Could I offer you gentlemen a little something to drink?” Mrs. McFadden asked.
”All I got, I'm afraid, is the Seagram's Seven,” Mr. McFadden said.
”Well, we're all off duty,” Coughlin said. ”I think a little Seagram's Seven would go down very nicely.”
More cheese gla.s.ses were produced, and filled three-quarters full of whiskey. .
”I'm afraid the house is a terrible mess,” Agnes McFadden said.
”Looks fine to me,” Dennis Coughlin said. He raised his gla.s.s. ”To Officer McFadden, of whom we're all very proud.”
”I didn't want that to happen to him,” Charley McFadden said, very slowly. ”Jesus Christ, that shouldn't happen to anybody.''
”Charley,” Coughlin said, firmly. ”What happened to Gallagher, he brought on himself.''
Charley looked at him, and finally said, ”Yes, sir.”
”Lieutenant Pekach, may I see you a moment?” Coughlin said, and signaled Matt to come along.
They went to the vestibule.
”Where's his partner?” Coughlin asked.
”He was here, Chief. His doctor gave him something to calm him down, and it didn't mix with the booze. I sent him home.”
”McFadden on anything?”
”No, sir.” Pekach said. ”He's got a thing about pills. He won't even take an aspirin.”
”How long are you going to stay?”
”As long as necessary,” Pekach said. ”The booze will get to him, sooner or later.''
”Had you planned to write him up?”
”A commendation?” Pekach asked. ”I hadn't thought about that. But yes, sure.”
”Not only 'at great risk to his life,' ” Coughlin said. ”But 'exercising great restraint,' et cetera, et cetera. You follow me?”
”Yes, sir.”
”This is going to be all over the papers,” Coughlin said. ”George Kegley tells me that Mickey O'Hara was even up on the elevated tracks. What's that going to do to McFadden on the streets?”
”Well, he won't be much use, not what he's been doing,” Pekach said.
”I'll find something else for him to do.” Coughlin said. ”When you're that age, working plainclothes, and they put you back in a uniform, you think you did something wrong. I don't want that to happen.”
”I'll find something for him, Chief,” Pekach said.
When they went back in the kitchen, Officer McFadden was being nauseous in the sink. Coughlin put out his hand and stopped Matt from going in, then gestured for Sergeant Lenihan to come along with them.
When they were in the car, moving north on South Broad Street, Coughlin reached forward and touched Matt Payne's shoulder. Matt turned and looked at him.
”Still think you want to be a cop, Matt?” he asked.
”I was just wondering how I would react in a situation like that,” Matt said, softly.
”And?”
”I don't know,” Matt said. ”I was wondering. But to answer your question, yes, I still want to be a cop.”
Coughlin made a grunting noise.
”Tom,” he ordered, ”when you get to a phone, call Pekach and tell him I want that boy and his partner at the funeral tomorrow. And then find out who's in charge of the seating arrangements and make sure they have seats in Saint Dominic's.”
”Uniform or plainclothes?”
Coughlin thought that over a moment. ”Uniforms,” he said. ”I think uniforms. Tell Pekach to make sure they get haircuts and are cleaned up.”
”I've got to check my machine,” Peter said, when he and Louise had returned from dinner and put the Jaguar into the garage. ”It won't take a minute.”
”I'll go with you,” she said, and caught his hand and held it as they walked up the stairs. Inside the apartment, as he snapped on the lights, he saw that she was standing very close, looking at him.
She wants to be kissed, he realized. Jesus, that's nice.
But when he put his arms around her, and she pressed her body against his, and he tried to kiss her, she averted her face.
”I've got some Lavoris,” Peter said.
She chuckled.
”No,” she said. ”That's not it. But I'll be on the air at eleven, and I don't want everybody in the Delaware Valley thinking, 'That dame looks like she just got out of bed.”'
”You really think it shows?” he asked, smelling her hair.