excerpt
“I’m sure you will. And he’ll tell you what you think
about it. Thank God you don’t get much into criminal matters,
Albert.”
The chief walked out of the city hall, up the street and across the
park. As he started up the courthouse steps, he heard his name and
turned to see Paul Willliams. The young district attorney’s handclasp
and his smile brimming with enthusiasm reminded Spanger
that the derailment had caused him to miss the Rotary meeting.
Always something to be grateful for.
“I didn’t see you at Rotary,” Williams said.
“Something came up,” Spanger said. “In my line of work, that
happens. I was just coming to see you.”
“It’s a beautiful day, Darwin. Why don’t we go into the park and
talk, unless you’d rather be in a dark office full of law books.”
“I don’t think you’ll need them to help me get something
straight.”
At a table under a Chinese elm, Spanger traced a phantom move
across the checker board painted onto the flaking green surface. He
looked across at Williams.
“You know about the train wreck, I suppose.”
“Sure. I heard about it on the radio while I was shaving. Drove
down there before I came in this morning. A mess. It’s a shame
about that fella who died. It looks as if the damage could have been
a lot worse.”
“That’s what Joe Gellardy said. He lost some apples, maybe a
tree or two. But he’s better off than Poodie James.”
“What do you mean? Poodie’s a hero. An unlikely one, at that.
When I saw the locomotive on its side, I couldn’t believe he got up
into it. Strong little guy, though. Always was. Practically taught
me to swim.”
“Well,” Spanger said, “our mayor doesn’t think Poodie’s a hero.
He thinks that Poodie and the vagrant damaged the track and
caused the wreck.”
Williams’s grin subsided.
“You’re joking.”
Libros Libertad 