“Five stories tall,” Johnny said. “Longer than two football fields.”
“I’d just stay away from Ray,” Kevin said. “Don’t get near him. Don’t get near any cops.”
“They’re gonna have to invent a new alarm for this one,” Johnny said. “Every fucking firefighter and their mother will be there.”
“Why’d you start with the church?” Kevin said. “What was that all about?”
“That’s where I got educated on how things work,” Johnny said. “This is a dirty, fucked-up world. Only way to change things is to write what you want in big capital letters.”
56
We kicked Ray Zucco loose last night,” Belson said. “He was wearing a wire and we were riding close.”
“Terrific,” I said. “I think. What’d you find out?”
I sat with Frank Belson and Captain Glass in their utilitarian offices at police headquarters. Homicide’s offices looked very much like a place where Time/Life operators might remain on standby for your important call.
“Next to nothing,” Belson said. “He met Johnny Donovan at the Scandinavian Pastry shop in Southie. They sat there for three hours talking about how bad the Pats were going to be this year. According to Donovan, your man Heywood has lost a lot of speed and drive. He says he and Brady have gotten old and need to be traded. He also talked about Boston Fire being an underfunded crap heap. He says that nobody in this city does shit for fire while cops get their balls waxed.”
I looked over to Captain Glass. “It’s true,” Glass said. “My nuts really shine.”
“I like her,” I said.
Belson shook his head. “He was on to us,” he said. “He was playing us and Zucco froze. Zucco lost his cool and started to ramble. He kept on asking questions about Holy Innocents and Featherstone and when Donovan would go off on the Pats or whatever, he’d try and nail him down. Even the guy who makes the donuts could tell he had on a wire.”
“Did you pick up Donovan anyway?”
“We were,” Belson said. “But Zucco got into Donovan’s car and took off like a bat outta hell. We kept up with them all the way to around Braintree and then we lost the son of a bitch.”
“Wait,” I said. “What happened?”
“It happens,” Glass said. “We found Donovan’s SUV parked at the T station. He must’ve switched cars. He was prepped.”
I nodded. “Zucco’s dead.”
“The thought had crossed our minds, Dick Tracy,” Belson said. “But we needed a hotshot like you to tell us the odds.”
“I’ll bet you a dozen from the Scandinavian.”
“Spenser, I wouldn’t bet a donut hole on Zucco’s chances,” Belson said. “Christ. Any luck with the kid?”
“We had a heart-to-heart up in Saugus yesterday,” I said. “I told him Johnny Donovan was a psychopath and to step up and do the right thing before more firefighters got hurt.”
“And how’d that work out for you?” Glass said.
“Oh, he’s ready to fold,” I said. “He’s got good in him. I just know it.”
“You realize he’s missing, too,” Glass said.
“Not necessarily.”
“Not necessarily?” Glass said. “If you have anything, you better step up right now yourself or I’ll never let you set foot back in this building unless you’re being processed.”
“Such sweet talk,” I said. “How could I refuse?”
Glass gritted her teeth. Cops flitted up and around the maze of cubicles. Phones rang. Computer keys were tapped. I had the sudden urge to purchase a complete set of The Old West, starting with the gunfighters.
“The kid has some kind of hero-worship thing with Donovan,” I said. “He’s drained the Kool-Aid and licked the punch bowl clean.”
“And where do we find him?” Glass said. She glowered at me. In the past, Quirk had simply simmered.
I reached into my pocket and placed my cell phone on the table. “Keep your friends close,” I said. “And your borderline sociopaths closer. I’ve been tailing him all morning. He’s alone.”
“So we wait until he connects with Donovan,” Glass said.
I nodded. Belson stood up and reached for his rumpled blue blazer. Glass had leaned back in her chair, legs stretched out in front of her, nodding. “I guess you aren’t a total waste to know, Spenser.”
“Gee, Captain Glass,” I said. “I kinda like you, too.”
She picked up the phone and called Arson. Belson and I drove together to reconnect with Kevin Teehan.