Read Copp On Ice, A Joe Copp Thriller (Joe Copp Private Eye Series) for Free Online Page B

Murray."
           "Not exactly. The rule doesn't apply to him now anyway."
           "What exactly, then?"
           "What do you mean?"
           "What was the nature of your business in there tonight?"
           "I don't have to answer that. I'm not going to answer it. Goodnight, now. I'm going home."
           I leaned into the car door to prevent her from opening it, said, "Murray seemed to take it hard, the news about Manning and Peterson."
           "Why shouldn't he? They were his officers for quite a few years. What'd you expect, just laying it on him that way? I was about to tell him with some sensitivity when you came in and pre-empted me."
           "I thought he overreacted."
           "That's not how I saw it," she said. "Can I go home now?"
           "You didn't come here just to tell him that," I decided. "You came for information before you laid it on him. Are you working homicide now, Detective?"
           She just glared at me, said nothing.
           "Is that also why you went to Schwartzman's home? What was his connection with the dead officers?"
           She sighed heavily, showed me a defeated smile, replied, "Look, some strange things have been happening lately. I've been very confused about some of it. I'm just trying to sort it out, that's all. I'm still numb from. .. well, I knew those guys pretty well too. Chief Murray did not overreact to the news. They were good cops, maybe a bit flashy at times, but good cops and good friends."
           "That's why you were so anxious to snitch on them."
           It was like I'd slapped her. "That is a hell of a way to put it! What's to snitch? You knew who we were and you knew what we'd done. I was just trying to give you some perspective."
    "Thanks for the thought," I said drily. "I already had the perspective. Someone didn't want me coming to Brighton. Who? Why? That's what I need to know. Why should I be that much a threat to anyone? Can you give me that perspective, Turner?"
    She was still hot under the collar but didn't seem to know exactly how to vent it. "Why the hell don't you just call me Lila, like everyone else?"
    "Doesn't change the questions, kid," I replied.
    "Doesn't change the answers either," she said. "Take your hand off the door, please. I really must go now. I log in at eight o'clock. Catch me then if you wish to continue this examination."
    "What examination?" I growled, but I opened the car door and closed it behind her after she slid inside.
    She lowered her window and said tightly, "Don't follow me, please."
    "Lila Boobs," I said.
    "What?"
    "That's what I've been calling you to myself all night. So maybe it fits better than anything else, at least until you've leveled with me. We started off bad, kid. So let's forget the chiefs and Indians stuff, it never wore with me anyway, and I don't want it getting in the way of direct communications. Whatever game this is, it's being played for keeps. You go home and mourn your dead partners if you want to, but save a little grief for yourself too because you're in this thing as deep as they were and I don't think you're heavy enough to handle it alone. When that sinks in on you, give me a call."
    "Where would I reach you?" she inquired soberly.
           "I'll be camping in my office until they throw me out."
           She smiled suddenly, a genuine smile, said, "Lila Boobs, huh?" and drove away.
           I realized that it was the first real smile I'd seen on that pretty face. And I decided that maybe I'd gotten my message through to her.
           I just hoped it wasn't too late.
           It was, it seemed, a tad too late for me. Billy Boy and two of his pals emerged from the shadows of the building and leaned against my car, daring me to pass. I asked them, "You boys sure you want to play?"
           Billy spoke for them. "Mr. Murray wants to make sure you get safely off the property. We just came out to