I said, "Carrot Top seemed to know you."
"Don't know him, but I do know his mommy."
"Mrs. Chief and the vaunted Charlie."
He sighed.
I said, "He looked a little down."
"Would you want Him for your dad?"
"Touche."
"Maybe he'll be happier when he's in New Haven warbling the Whiffenpoof Song."
"How do you know about stuff like that?"
"Been reading up on the Ivy League. A little cultural anthropology never hurt."
"What'd you learn?"
"That I'd never have gotten in."
A navy Bentley Continental rolled up. Pretty black girl staring straight ahead and chewing gum energetically, gigantic dad at the wheel wearing a white tracksuit. Several seasons since he'd performed buzzer-beaters for the Lakers.
"Whole different world here," said Milo, rubbing his face. "C'mon, Marty, show yourself."
By eighty forty-two, the last car had passed through, with no sign of Martin Mendoza.
Milo said, "Onward," and we continued on foot. The cobblestone was smooth under my shoes, as if someone had hand-polished every inch. Monumental Chinese elms flanked the drive, creating a shady allee. As we got closer, smidges of youthful vocalization filtered from behind the school's facade, but the rustle of leaves in the breeze was louder.
Rounding a curve exposed the guardhouse. Two people walked toward us.
Woman in a black pantsuit speeding several steps in front of a large man in a khaki uniform.
Headmaster Mary Jane Rollins said, "Oh, it's you," in a flat voice. "I've just fielded a storm of complaints."
The guard remained behind her, hands folded on his buckle. Midsixties, beefy and ruddy, with piercing blue cop eyes that transcended retirement. Flashlight and walkie-talkie on his belt, no gun. A brass name tag read Walkowicz. Rollins's back to him gave him the courage to wink at us.
Milo said, "Complaints about what, Doctor?"
"Two men lurking at the entrance," said Rollins. "Needless to say, parents were alarmed."
"Never been called a lurker, Doctor."
"I fail to find humor in the situation, Lieutenant."
"Sorry about the inconvenience, Doctor. Luckily for everyone concerned, we're here to protect and serve."
Walkowicz grinned.
Mary Jane Rollins said, "Given the tense world we live in-now exacerbated by Ms. Freeman's death-upsetting our students is the last thing we needed this morning. They've barely achieved closure."
"About Ms. Freeman's death?"
"We've held two Town Halls as well as a voluntary grief counseling seminar for anyone interested. It's been an emotional experience."
I said, "How was the turnout for the seminar?"
"What difference does that make?"
"Just wondering about student interest."
"Why? So you can interrogate them? Turnout was fine, our people are doing well. All things considered. Or they were until two men were spotted-"
"Lurking implies underhanded," said Milo. "We stood right out in the open and to my eye none of the kids seemed bothered."
Mary Jane Rollins fingered eyeglasses hanging from a chain. "With all due respect to the acuity of your eye, Lieutenant, you created stress and bother. Now, if there's nothing more-"
"You're not curious why we're here, Dr. Rollins?"
"I've too many things on my plate for idle curiosity."
Walkowicz rolled his eyes. Rollins sensed something and pivoted toward him. By the time their gazes met, the guard had returned to stoic immobility. But when Rollins faced us again, his mouth flirted with mirth.
Milo said, "We need to talk to one of your students. The intention was to find him before he entered the school grounds. To minimize disruption."
"A student? Who?"
"Martin Mendoza."
Silence.
"He is a student here, Doctor?"
"Why do you want to talk to him?"
"We didn't see him enter. Did he arrive extra-early?"
Rollins's eyes moved past us. Engine noise huffed from the mouth of the drive. Seconds later, a gray Crown Victoria rolled into view, picked up speed, came to an abrupt, tire-squeaking stop. Captain Stanley Creighton got out. Brown suit in place of the cream getup he'd worn at the crime scene.
"Morning, Dr. Rollins, I'll take it from here."
"Thank you, Captain."
She turned to leave. Walkowicz remained in place. Staring at Creighton, a bushy gray eyebrow arced.
Rollins said, "Return to your post, Herb."
"Yes, ma'am." To Creighton: "Captain, ay? Congrats."
Creighton squinted. Nodded. "Herb."
Rollins said, "You know each other?"
Walkowicz said, "Sure, we go back. Right, Stan?"
Before Creighton could answer, Rollins got between them. "How wonderful for you, Officer Walkowicz. Now let's put aside auld lang syne and get back to our respective jobs."
"Yes, ma'am." Saluting conspicuously, Walkowicz followed Rollins as she race-walked up the drive, veered to his booth, and closed the door hard. Putting a little hip-roll into his stride, the cop-waddle that came from a Sam Browne laden with gear.
Milo said, "Old officers don't die, they just sit on their asses and pretend to be useful."
Stan Creighton said, "He was one of my training officers at Central. Then he transferred to Glendale PD and we lost-" His eyes hardened. "What the hell were you thinking, coming up here with no authorization?"
"Working on my improv skills, Stan."
"Cut the shit, man, this is a major problem. What possessed you?"
"A problem for who?"
"Don't play with me," said Creighton. "What was going through your head?"
"I need to talk to a student, I figure school's the logical place to find a student."
"What student?"
"Kid named Martin Mendoza." Milo offered a sketchy summary.
Creighton said, "Kid's got a temper so he's a suspect?"
"I'm open to suggestions, Stan."
"Whatever. The point is even with a student the school's not the logical place because the rules were made clear to you. Kids have homes, start there. Now get the hell out of here."
"And here I was thinking a stroll on campus would be educational for all concerned."
"You really have a death wish, don't you?"
Milo smiled. "I'm assuming you're talking metaphor, Stan."
Creighton's pupils were pinpoints. His right eye ticced. "Go. Now."
The elms rustled. From the distance, a girl's laughter sweetened the air.
"You're defying a direct order?"
"Just looking for a shovel so I can dig that grave."
Creighton's nostrils flared.
Milo 's jaw worked.
I thought of a trip Robin and I had taken to Wyoming. Herds of bison, face-offs between pairs of massive bulls until someone limped away.
Creighton said, "Don't make me ask you again."
Milo said, "Can I check first to see if I've got rope in my car?"
"Rope? For-"
"So you can tie one of my legs back so I can't walk without falling on my ass, then you can bind both of my arms to my side and oh yeah, maybe I've got some rags in the trunk so you can gag me if God forbid I should talk to a goddamn witness without seeking permission, then you can use some other rags for the blindfold so I walk into fucking walls. After that's done, Stanley, you can tell me how to do the job."
Creighton's neck veins bulged. His fists were the size of cabbage heads.
Rapid pulse in the veins. Audible breathing.
Suddenly he laughed, forced himself into a relaxed posture. "Oh, man, you are really fucking up the job."
"I can only fuck up the job if I've got a job."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means, Stan?"
Creighton snickered. "Right, like you'd quit."
"Like I do, Stan," said Milo, tossing his badge to the ground. "Life's too short, send my regards to the Emperor. If the brain-dead battalion surrounding him grants you access."