Part 3 (2/2)
”Well, that's interesting.” Anderson said when he was through. ”I wonder how it relates to the wife's death?”
”I don't know, yet. It's just one or two pieces. We can make more sense of it after we get more pieces.” Angelo said.
”We don't even know if the wife's death was foul play. The current theory is that it was an accident.” Franks said.
”True. The pieces may line up that way. We don't know until we have the pieces in hand.”
”Ahem.” Captain Brown said.
Angelo turned to see his old supervisor standing over him with a characteristically sour look on his face.
”h.e.l.lo.” Angelo said. He wanted to say annoying things to his old boss but found that he was still locked into the role of straight man. Marcus was the one who would make the snide comments, and then Angelo would keep a deadly straight face that sent Brown through the roof.
”Well, if it isn't Ex-Detective Mancuso.” Brown said. ”I thought I made it plain the last time. You aren't welcome here.”
”Actually, I'm still a Detective.” Angelo said.
”Not around here you're not! What makes you think that giving cows parking tickets qualifies you to come in here and bother my Detectives!?” Brown yelled. Brown's yelling was legendary in the downtown precinct.
”I had some information that might be valuable in the Aiken-Marlowe case.” Angelo said. ”I was reporting it to the police. That's what citizens do, isn't it?”
”Citizens?! You think you're a citizen? You're a G.o.dd.a.m.n peeping tom, that's what! Mr. Marlowe's the citizen around here. He brings in money and jobs and good press that this town sorely needs. I won't have you chasing people around digging up skeletons out of their closets for no good G.o.dd.a.m.n reason. Is that clear!?” Brown shouted.
”It was just some background data, chief.” Franks said. ”Detective Mancuso just saved us digging it up today is all.”
Brown whirled on Franks ”Oh, is that so? What, are you taking f.u.c.k up lessons now? Let me tell ya, Detective Mancuso is the one to talk to about that!”
”Captain, don't you think you're taking this a little too seriously?” Anderson asked. He had a resigned look on his face. Evidently Franks and Anderson were Brown's favorite targets now that Angelo and Marcus were no longer there.
”Seriously? SERIOUSLY!? You don't think that maybe World War Three is serious, Anderson?!” Brown screeched.
”World War Three?” Franks asked. She was grinning at Angelo.
Angelo rolled his eyes.
”This man and his maniac slacker of a partner invaded the Russian Consulate and shot the h.e.l.l out of it! They killed five Russian citizens and injured fifteen others including the Russian Consul! We're lucky they didn't nuke Los Angeles!” Brown yelled.
”We thought they had Anya Donovitch in there.” Angelo explained. ”We thought her life was in danger.” It was an old story, and Brown never listened, anyway.
”Hot pursuit doesn't count for RUSSIA!!” Brown thundered. ”They could have held her up to the d.a.m.ned window and strangled her in front of your eyes and you still weren't allowed in! I told you so repeatedly before you ever went in there!”
”Well, you don't see the Russian Mafia smuggling drugs into L.A. too much anymore.” Angelo said. Some times it seemed as if Brown forgot who were the bad guys and who were the good guys.
”No, but now the Russian Military has a G.o.dd.a.m.n ICBM targeted on my a.s.s!” Brown yelled.
”What happened to this Anya person?” Franks asked.
”We don't know. She wasn't there. With her gone, our whole case fell apart. That's why Brown was able to get rid of us.” Angelo said. ”The other times we were able to bring in enough evidence to convince everyone. That time, the witness skipped out and left us holding the bag.”
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