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“Supposing I announce this afternoon that I have ordered that the Special Operations Division take over the investigation? ”

“Sir, it’s a homicide,” the Commissioner said.

“You don’t think it’s a good idea, I gather?”

“Mr. Mayor, it won’t accomplish anything that’s not already been done. If I call Inspector Wohl…”

“Who is?”

“The commanding officer of Special Operations, sir.”

“Okay.”

“If I call him right now and give him the job, he’ll say ‘Yes, sir,’ and then he’ll call Lieutenant Washington and ask him how he can help. I don’t know this for a fact, but I’ll bet Wohl has already done that.”

“Let’s do it anyway,” the mayor said. “Make it official. And tell this Inspector… Wohl, you said?”

“Yes, sir.”

“To light a fire under Washington.”

“Yes, sir. Sir, Inspector Wohl was once a homicide detective…."”

“So much the better.”

“A rookie homicide detective. Jason Washington, as a very experienced, very good, homicide detective, was charged with bringing Detective Wohl up to homicide speed-”

“Commissioner,” the mayor interrupted somewhat sharply, “I’m getting the feeling you’re dragging your feet, for reasons I can’t imagine. So I repeat, call this Inspector Wohl and tell him he is now in charge of this investigation task force, and I expect results.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll do so immediately.”

“There’s one more thing,” the mayor said. “The cardinal called me at home last night.”

“Yes, sir?”

“About the visit of Stan Colt. The cardinal said that Colt being here may raise a half million dollars or more for West Catholic High School.”

“It probably will, sir.”

“The cardinal wants to make sure Mr. Colt’s visit goes smoothly. And in this case, I want what the cardinal wants.”

“So do I, Mr. Mayor. After the cardinal called me about Mr. Colt coming here, I gave Mr. Colt ‘Visiting Dignitary’ status for his trip. He will be under the care of the Dignitary Protection Unit.”

“So he told me,” the mayor replied. “What he called me about was the assignment to Colt’s visit of a particular detective. Apparently this detective made a very good impression on Monsignor Schneider-who’s doing the nuts and bolts of Colt’s visit for the cardinal-when they met at some sort of preliminary meeting. I’d like this done.”

“Certainly, sir. You have the detective’s name?”

“Payne,” the mayor said. And then he read the commissioner’s face. “You know him? Is there going to be some problem with this?”

“We published the sergeant’s examination ratings yesterday, ” the commissioner said. “Detective Payne ranked number one.”

“In other words, he’s a very bright detective?”

“And a very good one.”

“And now he’s a sergeant?”

“He will be whenever the promotion ceremony is held.”