Mama Law and the Moonbeam Racer. Fred Yorg

want anything else?”

      “No, I’m fine, thank you.”

      “I’ll be back around six with dinner, just call if you need anything.”

      “Will do.”

      As soon as she was out the door, I was on the phone. It was time to get face to face with the future, the sorrow of the past would have to wait. I dialed the number and a gruff voice answered on the third ring, “Law office.”

      “I’d like to speak to Elias Goodfellow.”

      “Speaking, who’s this?”

      “Mooney Law. I’m a detective with the…”

      “Yeah, I know you and I know your story. What can I do for you?”

      “I need an attorney.”

      Elias was abrupt and to the point, “It’s gonna cost you. I don’t come cheap.”

      “Not very professional of you to bring up money so early in the conversation. You let me worry about paying you. Now you want to know about the charges?”

      “I already know. They’re going to try and pin your partner’s death on you. You know there’s one more thing that doesn’t help your situation.”

      “What?’

      “The serial killer didn’t add to his list last Saturday night. There’s a rumor floating around that you may be involved in that mess. For your sake, you better hope he didn’t just quit or leave town or they’ll try and smear you in the press for those killings.”

      “I’m not overly concerned about the serial killings. You got any more good news for me?”

      “No. I thought that would be enough. Now let’s get serious, when are they gonna release ya?”

      “Doc says I’m good to go tomorrow. Check out time is 11:30.”

      “Here’s what to expect. They’ll take you out the back way and then over to the precinct house. Hell, you know the drill from there as well as I do.”

      “I should. Once we get to the house, they’ll whisk me into the interrogation room on the second floor. I expect the same crew that was here earlier will try and question me again.”

      “Who questioned ya and when?”

      “The chief, an IA rat by the name of Mike Alcala and that weasel Frank Harping from the DA’s office came by about three hours ago.”

      “You tell them anything?”

      “Yeah. I told them how Saturday night played out.”

      “How’d it go?”

      “They didn’t listen, they’ve already got their minds made up.”

      “You didn’t say anything stupid?”

      “No. It got a little nasty at the end and I sent them packing. That’s when they charged me.”

      “Good. Tomorrow, when they get you into the interrogation room they’ll try and waltz you around again. Just keep your mouth shut, tell him you’re not going to talk to them till your attorney arrives. I’ll try and get there around 1:30 p.m. See you then.”

      “Wait Elias, don’t you want to hear my story?”

      “No. I’ve heard them all before. For whatever it’s worth, I know you and Miles were straight up. I don’t believe you had anything to do with his murder.”

      “How about your retainer?”

      “We’ll talk about that and my fees tomorrow.”

      “Thanks, Elias.”

      “Don’t thank me yet we got a long way to go. Anything else?”

      “No.”

      “You got anything to wear for tomorrow?”

      “No. Just the clothes I was wearing when they brought me in.”

      “You’ll need a suit tomorrow. Anyway I can get in your place?”

      “Check with the super at my building. His name is Jerry. Tell him who you are, he’ll let you in.”

      “Give me the address, I’ll pick a change of cloths for you later tonight and drop them off with the nurse on duty.”

      “Sounds like a plan.”

      “See ya tomorrow then. Try and get some rest.”

      He hung up before I had a chance to acknowledge his farewell. Manners weren’t Goodfellow’s strong suit but he was a hell of an attorney. If he thought you were innocent he came to play, I always respected that. On the other hand, there were a couple of ugly cases he laid down on. Once Miles and I nabbed a serial rapist a couple years back, but we went over the line to get him. There was no question that he was guilty, but Elias was fully aware that we had no probable cause to stop him. If Elias pushed it, both Miles and I were confident that the evidence was history. Without the evidence from the illegal search, we had no case and the rapist would have been back on the streets. Elias knew that legally he could get him off, but he also knew that wouldn’t have been justice. He may have walked all over the canons of ethics of the profession during the case, but it was the right thing to do. Just the kind of man I needed.