Driving west across the Bay Bridge
Wednesday, April 14, 1954
Rush hour
As usual during the evening rush hour, the automobile traffic heading into the City was lighter than what was moving in the other direction towards Oakland.
After Nick paid his quarter toll and began to pick up speed, Carter looked over to his right at Treasure Island. Originally the site of the Golden Gate Expo before the war, it was now a Navy base. Carter had gone to the Expo a couple of times with his then-boyfriend, Henry Wilson. They'd gone once at night, which was really the time to see everything there was on display with all the bright lights. They'd even walked the Gayway and seen Sally Rand's Nude Ranch. He was about to ask Nick about whether he'd ever gone to the fair, but then—
"I'm glad I was able to give you a ride home, Chief."
Carter turned to look at Nick as he drove their Buick Special across the bridge. They had the windows rolled down and the heater was blasting since it was damp and on the chilly side. Carter, who had a sensitive nose, could smell an almost noxious blend of gasoline fumes coming from the cars around them mixed with the rancid odor of burning oil powering the ferries under the bridge. But that was nearly cancelled out by the sweet and salty tang of the bay.
"Me too. What case were you working?"
"It was the one in Kensington," said Nick.
"The Cal prof who's trying to get the goods on his wife?"
"Yeah."
"Any luck?"
"I sat outside the house until after lunch. She got in their Caddy and then drove down to Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley for some afternoon shopping."
"And?"
"And she nearly gave me the slip."
"You?"
Nick smiled a little while he braked. Traffic was beginning to slow down as they got closer to the tunnel. "Yeah. She went into the ladies' at Penny's."
"Oh," said Carter with a smirk.
"But then I found her having a cup of coffee in the back of a lunch counter a few doors down. She was with her date. They were exchanging sweet nothings and were very much in love."
"College kid?"
"Of course."
"So what now?"
"I'm going to call Dr. Denton and tell him I couldn't find out anything."
"Why?" asked Carter. Although he was curious to know what led Nick to make that decision, it didn't surprise him that much. They were wealthy enough that Nick didn't ever have to take another paying client again. Not for the next hundred years, or so. But when Nick turned down payment or refused a case, he always had a reason. And it was always a good one.
"Because Mrs. Denton is in love with a gal. How was your day?"
Putting his arm over the top of the bench so he could rub his husband's neck, Carter replied, "Fine enough. I had a look at that warehouse in Alameda."
"Arson?"
Carter nodded. "Someone stole a barrel of kerosene from the airport early Sunday morning. I could smell the stuff as soon as we pulled up. There's likely a connection."
"When was the fire?"
"Monday morning around 1 a.m."
"Was it a county matter or city?"
"County," replied Carter as he ran his finger along the outside of Nick's ear.
"Mmm," said Nick over the sound of the wind and the engine and the passing cars.
"Nick?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't think I'm hungry." His finger was tracing the line of Nick's jaw right then.
"Mrs. Kopek has the day off. I was gonna make a pot pie out of that roast chicken we have left over..."
"I'd rather go to the Far East in Chinatown. Say around 9 or so?" Carter leaned over and kissed Nick's cheek. They were driving in the tunnel on Yerba Buena Island, so Carter wasn’t worried.
Nick's only reply was to say, "Mmm," again.