just nodded as he heard the man regurgitate the company’s spiel about being “an integrated security firm with several levels of service.” When the man made a pause Lombardo said to the Fat Man, “Gonzalez, you were pretty quiet in there. I thought you had fallen asleep.”
The Fat Man laughed and said, “I did. People don’t believe me when I tell them I can sleep with my eyes open.”
“ Well, since you are so well rested, why don’t you go over to your car and call in. Ask them if the body was taken to the University’s morgue.”
Lombardo had been told by the forensic medics that that’s where it was going to be taken but with the Fat Man out of the way Lombardo could make a certain request of the Security Manager.
When they were outside, Lombardo lit a Delicado and said to the security man, “What I would like is for you to look through the recordings made by those cameras.” He pointed to the two white boxes perched above the Computer Center’s main entrance. “I would appreciate it if you could get me the bit that shows when Victor Delgado left the building.”
“ Of course, Captain,” said the security man.
“ Also,” said Lombardo while spitting out bits of tobacco that the unfiltered cigarette had deposited on his tongue, “any recordings that show people unconnected to the Computer Center—you know, suspicious characters.”
The security man looked at Lombardo as if trying to decide if this last was meant as a joke or sarcasm, but Lombardo was looking straight ahead with a serious look on his face.
“ Yes, Captain—suspicious activity. I’ll order copies for you.”
Lombardo extended a hand; the security man mistook the gesture for a handshake until he saw that Lombardo was holding a calling card.
“ Here is my phone number. Let me know when the copies are ready and I will send someone over to pick them up.”
“ Don’t worry about that, Captain. I will have them delivered to you.”
Lombardo said good-bye and walked over to the car where the Fat Man was busily talking on the radio.
“ Let’s go, Gonzalez. Stop snitching to your boss because we have another stop to make,” he said loudly to the Fat Man so the Director could hear over the radio.
As Lombardo walked toward his car, he saw that the security man was still standing there on the steps to the Computer Center, looking at his card, and talking into his phone. “Probably checking to see if he should do what I asked him,” Lombardo said. “Everyone’s a bureaucrat; they’re all afraid of losing their jobs.”
Gonzalez was huffing and puffing again as he tried to keep up with Lombardo. “Captain, that interview was something one could not describe even as routine. You were so tame with them, you put me to sleep.”
“ Look, Gonzalez,” said Lombardo stopping suddenly in the middle of the parking lot, “these bureaucrats are not going to tell us anything they don’t want us to know. I’m sure your boss called to warn them I was coming so they knew beforehand what they were going to say. I would bet that they are probably relieved that my questioning was very brief. Everybody is happy, you see?”
“ No, I don’t see,” said Gonzalez, “but I’m glad that there was nothing much to report to the Director. No one got upset, no feathers ruffled, eh? I think I’ll go have lunch now and then have a nap at home and then I’ll go to the station sometime in the late afternoon.”
He whistled to his driver and the white cruiser rushed to pick him up.
“ Where are you going now?” asked the Fat Man.
“ I thought I would go down to the Public Ministry and read the report your buddies wrote. Don’t you want to come along?”
“ Listen, Lombardo,” he said, “I know you’re just lying to hide what you are really going to do. You consider yourself a better man than me but as you can see I am more honest than you. I
The Fat Man laughed and said, “I did. People don’t believe me when I tell them I can sleep with my eyes open.”
“ Well, since you are so well rested, why don’t you go over to your car and call in. Ask them if the body was taken to the University’s morgue.”
Lombardo had been told by the forensic medics that that’s where it was going to be taken but with the Fat Man out of the way Lombardo could make a certain request of the Security Manager.
When they were outside, Lombardo lit a Delicado and said to the security man, “What I would like is for you to look through the recordings made by those cameras.” He pointed to the two white boxes perched above the Computer Center’s main entrance. “I would appreciate it if you could get me the bit that shows when Victor Delgado left the building.”
“ Of course, Captain,” said the security man.
“ Also,” said Lombardo while spitting out bits of tobacco that the unfiltered cigarette had deposited on his tongue, “any recordings that show people unconnected to the Computer Center—you know, suspicious characters.”
The security man looked at Lombardo as if trying to decide if this last was meant as a joke or sarcasm, but Lombardo was looking straight ahead with a serious look on his face.
“ Yes, Captain—suspicious activity. I’ll order copies for you.”
Lombardo extended a hand; the security man mistook the gesture for a handshake until he saw that Lombardo was holding a calling card.
“ Here is my phone number. Let me know when the copies are ready and I will send someone over to pick them up.”
“ Don’t worry about that, Captain. I will have them delivered to you.”
Lombardo said good-bye and walked over to the car where the Fat Man was busily talking on the radio.
“ Let’s go, Gonzalez. Stop snitching to your boss because we have another stop to make,” he said loudly to the Fat Man so the Director could hear over the radio.
As Lombardo walked toward his car, he saw that the security man was still standing there on the steps to the Computer Center, looking at his card, and talking into his phone. “Probably checking to see if he should do what I asked him,” Lombardo said. “Everyone’s a bureaucrat; they’re all afraid of losing their jobs.”
Gonzalez was huffing and puffing again as he tried to keep up with Lombardo. “Captain, that interview was something one could not describe even as routine. You were so tame with them, you put me to sleep.”
“ Look, Gonzalez,” said Lombardo stopping suddenly in the middle of the parking lot, “these bureaucrats are not going to tell us anything they don’t want us to know. I’m sure your boss called to warn them I was coming so they knew beforehand what they were going to say. I would bet that they are probably relieved that my questioning was very brief. Everybody is happy, you see?”
“ No, I don’t see,” said Gonzalez, “but I’m glad that there was nothing much to report to the Director. No one got upset, no feathers ruffled, eh? I think I’ll go have lunch now and then have a nap at home and then I’ll go to the station sometime in the late afternoon.”
He whistled to his driver and the white cruiser rushed to pick him up.
“ Where are you going now?” asked the Fat Man.
“ I thought I would go down to the Public Ministry and read the report your buddies wrote. Don’t you want to come along?”
“ Listen, Lombardo,” he said, “I know you’re just lying to hide what you are really going to do. You consider yourself a better man than me but as you can see I am more honest than you. I
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