“I was stuck with a cold case. We were routinely interviewing everyone who was interviewed at the time. I told you that the first time we spoke.”

“Who the fuck remembers? What cold case?”

“Dr. Bennett Little.”

“Nobody ever interviewed me for Bennett Little’s murder. I told you, I barely remember it.”

Decker said, “Well, your name came up somehow. Who the hell knows? We haven’t made any progress on it, so we’re shelving it again. What’s going on inside there, Rudy?”

“Assholes. A guy can’t even fuck in peace anymore. How the hell did you find me?”

“Find you?” Decker paused for effect. “I didn’t know you were missing.” A beat. “What’s going on, Rudy? I was rudely awakened from a sound sleep and told to get my ass down here. I’m getting all kinds of conflicting information. I want to hear from you.”

“Don’t give me that fucking sincere jackass bullshit! What you want is for me to step outside so you can shoot my ass off.”

“If that’s what you think, don’t step outside.”

The negotiator was gesticulating like a wild man. Decker looked down at the notepad and promptly passed up his suggestion. “Hey, Rudy, you called me.” A beat. “Talk to me, man. Maybe I can help you.”

“You tell those motherfucking, asshole pricks that if I go down, I’m going down in a blaze of glory! You fucking assholes don’t know who the hell you’re dealing with!”

Decker began to improvise. “Rudy, everyone knows who you are. The Doodoo Sluts went platinum, buddy. We all know who we’re dealing with.”

“Who put you up to this?”

“To what?”

“To looking for me?”

“I told you, Rudy, I wanted to talk to you about Bennett Little. But that case is dead—”

“You talked to that bitch, didn’t you? Fucking cunt thinks I had something to do with her asshole boyfriend’s death. I was nowhere around! I was at a party.”

“Which woman are you talking about?”

“C’mon, c’mon. I don’t like games. You play me for a fucking fool, I fucking blow holes in these bitches’ heads!”

Decker took a chance. “I don’t know who you mean. Do you mean Melinda Little?”

“Melinda Little?” A pause. “What does she have to do with it?”

“I told you, I was working on the Bennett Little case. She’s the only woman I know.”

“Not Melinda Little. Marilyn Eustis.”

“Who’s she?”

“You’re shittin’ me.”

“No, I’m not. Who is she?”

“Primo Ekerling’s girlfriend.”

“Ekerling isn’t my case, Rudy.” Decker hoped his lie was smooth. “It’s Hollywood’s case. The only thing I know about it is what I’ve read in the newspaper. I know you two were business partners, I know you two were bandmates. I had no idea that Hollywood wanted to talk to you.”