There was no sound from Lattimore. Corey turned and saw the tall ex-con sitting with his head thrown far back, his mouth and eyes wide open. There was a bullet hole in his chest. The slug from Macy’s gun had gone through his heart.

Corey opened the door and got out of the car. Now Macy’s corpse was facedown in a deep muddy crevice. Corey turned the corpse over, went through the pockets, and took back the badge and the card and the police pistol. Then he used his handkerchief to wipe his prints off Lattimore’s gun. He leaned inside the car and put the gun in Lattimore’s hand, forcing Lattimore’s fingers onto the butt and barrel. When he let go of Lattimore’s hand the gun slipped loose and fell onto the seat at the side of the dead man.

That should do it, Corey thought. That sets it up so they shot each other. You sure you want it that way? Well for Christ’s sake of course you want it that way. You can’t do it no other way. I mean if you were a policeman you’d call in and make a report, but the deal is you’re not a policeman.

The badge was in his hand; he looked at it. As matters stand, he said to himself, that is to say according to the records, you’re a policeman, you’re a member of the Night Squad.

The badge’s shining face looked up at him and said, that’s correct.

He said to the badge, you go to hell. You don’t tell me nothing.

Then he said to himself, now look, let’s get it straight once and for all. You’re a member of only one organization. It’s got only this one member and it’s known as the Friends of Corey Bradford.

You slimy worm, the badge said. You zero you—

Get outta my way, he said to the badge, and quickly slipped it into his pocket. But as he walked away he could feel its weight. He grimaced with discomfort and the weight of the badge was heavier. He tried to pull his thoughts away from it; but it continued talking to him.

In his room the going was easier. He opened the small closet and found some loose boards in the wall. He took out the boards, arranging a place of concealment for the badge and the card and the police pistol. He put the boards back in position and then got undressed and climbed into bed.

As he drifted into sleep, the only thought in his mind was the bonus money offered by Grogan—the fifteen thousand dollars.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6