The chief, Brazil and West were in the lead car. Behind them was Judge Davis in her Volvo and Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael in his Honda Accord. Trailing from a bit of a distance was an old Mercury Cougar carrying Sue Cheddar, who had quit and then been fired by Weed and was now ordered by Judge Davis to stay on the case.

“I sure as hell hope he was telling the truth,” West said to Hammer and Brazil.

Wipers beat and the rain beat back. Hammer was driving very slowly, leaning over the steering wheel and squinting to read street signs.

“He was,” Hammer said as if she knew Weed very well.

They splashed along Waterview Avenue, tree branches whipping and violently grabbing at them. Silhouettes of angels watched them pass. Dark tombs drew Hammer’s imagination through windows of stained and leaded glass, and she remembered childhood fears. She was ten when her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Wheat, was buried in the Baptist church cemetery a block away, her gray granite headstone in plain view from the street. Every morning on Hammer’s way to school, she would run past the cemetery as fast as she could because she had never liked Mrs. Wheat and was certain Mrs. Wheat knew it now that she was in heaven.

Hammer still hated cemeteries. She did not like anything about them. She was afraid of their pungent smells and insect sounds and subtle mounds. She was afraid of death. She was afraid of what she felt about Seth’s. She was afraid of being alone. She was afraid of failure. She was afraid of fear. All of her many fears took energy, and frankly, at this moment, she was fucking fed up.

“This is ridiculous,” she said to West and Brazil. “I’m not going to quit, retire, do nothing, whatever.”

“Well, if you do, I’m not hanging around here,” West retorted.

“I’m history, too,” Brazil let his boss know as they neared Davis Circle.

“Are they still behind us?” Hammer peered in the rearview mirror.

“You absolutely shouldn’t quit, Chief Hammer,” Brazil advised her. “Especially now. I think the more people pick on you, the more you should offend them with your presence.”

“That’s very astute.” Hammer considered Brazil’s words. “I rather like that thought.”

Not everyone had praised Hammer for tackling Smoke and putting a gun to his head while yelling obscenities. The mayor told all TV networks in time for the six o’clock news that the incident should never have happened to begin with and he had gone on to label Hammer’s heroics a self-serving publicity stunt. Lelia Ehrhart told Q94 that Hammer was a “Jack Footed Thung” who didn’t give a “hoo” about prevention. The city manager had called for a thorough investigation by internal affairs.

“Don’t be discouraged by today.” Brazil seemed to know what she was thinking. “Don’t forget, Governor Feuer was impressed. He called to congratulate you. He ought to count more than the other ones do.”

“Aren’t we supposed to turn somewhere?” Hammer couldn’t see a damn thing.