9:41 a.m.

Parker was late. I’d left the message with his duty sergeant and got no return call. Citizen Brenda had spruced up her house and had laid out a breakfast buffet. Citizen Elmer talked a blue streak on the Chinatown killings.

“It was an all-Bureau callout, so I went. You got four dead Chinamen in one automobile, and an eyeball in some splattered chicken chow mein. Close-range fire, Citizens. They rob the Chinks, they kill them. One guy’s got a money bag cuffed to his wrist, so they cut off his hand. Ray Pinker says it’s them Japs who escaped from T.I. They drop a car and steal a car, right there in C-town. Ray found matching bullets in the trunk of the drop car and trace elements from the drop car in the Chink car. You had brains and shredded egg rolls all over the seats. There’s roadblocks all the way up to the San Gabriel hills. The posse’s up at four hundred men now. The Feds are passing out tommy guns. Ace Kwan’s offered a twenty-five-thousand-dollar reward, and Mr. Hearst’s matching it. Dud Smith and Thad Brown got the lead slots on the investigation. Ace told Call-Me-Jack that he’ll pay a hundred grand for their heads in a sack. The Hearst Rifle Team boys bought some Jap shrunken heads from this loony Chink doctor, Lin Chung. Lin’s the boss Chink eugenics man. He’s been peddling shrunken Jap heads since the Rape of Nanking. The Hearst Rifle boys are wearing them around their necks.” Brenda said, “Citizen Elmer knows how to stir a girl’s appetite. Citizen Bill’s twenty-four minutes late, and the eggs are getting cold. I’m starting to think that Citizen Kay’s been barking up the wrong tree with this deal of hers, and we should just go ahead and let Citizen Fletch get his ashes hauled.”

Elmer said, “Fletch is a whip-out man. It’s not like Kay has to go up to the doorway of being screwed, or anything close to it. Fletch just whips it out, and expects certain comments to follow. I’ll be kind here. Fletch likes his girls to exaggerate.”

I laughed and lit a cigarette. I’d spent the night swaddled in ice packs; my bruises had smoothed out and faded; a smattering of powder on and around my nose camouflaged the extent of my recent injuries. I could convincingly play a call-service girl for one night.

Elmer waved his cigar. “Lin Chung’s got a stand set up outside Kwan’s. He’s peddling them shrunken heads for two clams apiece. I got one for my civilian car. I named it ‘Tojo’ and got it all dangled up on my rearview mirror. Lin’s doing a land-office biz. Call-Me-Jack’s on this whole shrunken head business like a rabid dog. He’s issued chain saws and gunnysacks to them Hearst Rifle boys. Once the grand jury indicts our boy Shudo, Lin and Jack are going to start peddling twoskies. You get a shrunken head and a photo of yourself with The Werewolf in handcuffs. Five bucks a pop, three for ten. Christmas is Thursday, Citizens. See Doctor Chung and Chief C. B. Horrall for your wholesome shopping needs.”

Brenda said, “I’m in the market for a wholesome, 10:00 a.m. eye-opener. I brought the maid in from browntown to doll the place up, but I don’t see hide nor hair of Citizen Bill.”

The bell rang. Elmer got up and opened the door. Bill Parker walked in. He wore a crisp uniform and new glasses.

Elmer said, “Morning, Cap.” Parker looked over. He noted my appearance. He said, “Miss Allen, Miss Lake.”

Elmer said, “We put on the dog for you, Cap.” Parker registered the liquor on the buffet and reeled his eyes back.

I hadn’t thanked him yet. I needed to thank him for myself, and for Claire. I needed time alone with him.

Parker tapped his watch. “I appreciate the trouble you went to, but I have a briefing back at the Hall.”

Elmer said, “Okay, then.” Brenda said, “Jack Horrall and Fletch Bowron are working up a ‘derogatory profile’ on you, Cap. I think—”

Parker cut her off. “I know. Hideo Ashida called and told me. If the three of you have concocted a countermeasure, I’d appreciate a summary.”

Brenda said, “Citizen Kay has cooked something up. The floor’s all hers.”

I took the floor. I stressed Brenda and Elmer’s self-interest. Pierce Patchett’s cut-girl plan would deep-six their biz. I would portray a prostie tonight. A wall peek would be set up in Brenda’s spot at the Roosevelt Hotel. We’d squeeze Fletch. No Patchett call-service sanction. No derogatory profile. Parker’s sanction for Brenda and Elmer—should he become Chief.

Parker said, “Yes.”

No hesitation. No qualms expressed.

Parker looked at me. “I’ll be on the other side of the peek. Keep it to words, please. I don’t want him to touch you.”