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98. Q. Did Mr. Stevens say anything to you when you went to him in the alley after you shot him?

A. No.

99. Q. What happened after you stepped on the pistol?

A. Mickey O’Hara was there. He took a couple of pictures, and then Lieutenant Suffern showed up and handcuffed Mr. Stevens.

100. Q. Was Mr. Stevens conscious?

A. Yes.

101. Q. Could you tell anything of the nature of his wounds?

A. No.

102. Q. Did you attempt to render first aid to Mr. Stevens?

A. No.

103. Q. What happened to you then?

A. I was put onto a stretcher, loaded in a van, and taken to Frankford Hospital.

104. Q. Do you know what happened to Mr. Stevens at that time?

A. He was in the same van as I was. He was taken to Frankford Hospital with me.

105. Q. (Chief Inspector Coughlin) Considering your weakened physical condition, Officer Payne, do you feel up to answering any more questions at this time?

A. I would rather not answer any more questions at this time.

106. Q. (Detective Kramer) You understand, Officer Payne, that we will be asking you more questions when your physical condition permits?

A. Yeah.

107. Q. Thank you, Payne.

* * *

TWENTY-ONE

There was a Mercury station wagon with a Rose Tree Hunt Club decal in the rear window parked beside Matt Payne’s silver Porsche in the underground parking lot of the building on Rittenhouse Square when the convoy rolled in.

“My mother’s here,” Matt said.

“I thought she might be,” Chief Inspector Dennis V. Coughlin said matter-of-factly, and then added, to Sergeant Holloran, “Francis, we can get him upstairs. You take the car around and park it in front.”

“Yes, sir. You want me to come up, Chief?”

Coughlin hesitated just perceptibly.

“Yeah. You might as well see the layout.”

The Highway Patrol RPC had dropped out, but otherwise, the convoy was the same as the one that had carried Matt to the Roundhouse. Malone’s car had led the way from the Roundhouse, followed by Coughlin’s Oldsmobile, and Jesus Martinez in a second unmarked Special Operations Ford.

Holloran stopped the car as near as he could get to the elevator. Charley McFadden got out and then turned to help Matt get out and onto his feet.

Coughlin got out of the front seat.