no matter how long you stay on the job, after thirty years your pension doesn’t grow. So it makes no economic sense to stay.”
“Unless you’re a man on a mission.”
Cisco nodded.
“Exactly. Anybody who stays past thirty isn’t staying for the money or the job. It’s more than a job.”
“Wait a second,” I said. “You said Hieronymus Bosch? Like the painter?”
The second question confused him.
“I don’t know anything about any painter. But that’s his name. Rhymes with ‘anonymous,’ I was told. Weird name, if you ask me.”
“No weirder than Wojciechowski — if you ask me.”
Cisco was about to defend his name and heritage when Lorna cut in.
“I thought you said you didn’t know him, Mickey.”
I looked over at her and shook my head.
“I never met him before today but the name … I know the name.”
“You mean from the paintings?”
I didn’t want to get into a discussion of past history so distant I couldn’t be sure about it.
“Never mind,” I said. “It’s nothing and I’ve got to get going.”
I stood up.
“Cisco, stay on the case and find out what you can about Bosch. I want to know how much I can trust the guy.”
“You’re not going to let him look at the files, are you?” Lorna asked.
“This wasn’t a random crime. There’s a killer out there who knew how to get to Jerry Vincent. I’ll feel a lot better about things if our man with a mission can figure it out and bring the bad guy in.”
I stepped around the desk and headed toward the door.
“I’ll be in Judge Champagne’s court. I’m taking a bunch of the active files with me to read while I’m waiting.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Lorna said.
I saw her throw a look and nod at Cisco so that he would stay behind. We walked out to the reception area. I knew what Lorna was going to say but I let her say it.
“Mickey, are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Absolutely.”
“This wasn’t the plan. You were going to come back slowly, remember? Take a couple cases and build from there. Instead, you’re taking on an entire practice.”
“I’m not practicing.”
“Look, be serious.”
“I am. And I’m ready. Don’t you see that this is better than the plan? The Elliot case not only brings in all that money but it’s going to be like having a billboard on top of the CCB that says I’M BACK in big neon letters!”
“Yeah, that’s great. And the Elliot case alone is going to put so much pressure on you that…”
She didn’t finish but she didn’t have to.
“Lorna, I’m done with all of that. I’m fine, I’m over it and I’m ready for this. I thought you’d be happy about this. We’ve got money coming in for the first time in a year.”
“I don’t care about that. I want to make sure you are okay.”
“I’m more than okay. I’m excited. I feel like in one day I’ve suddenly got my mojo back. Don’t drag me down. Okay?”
She stared at me and I stared back and finally a reluctant smile peeked through her stern expression.
“All right,” she said. “Then, go get ’em.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
Eight
D espite the assurances I had given Lorna, thoughts about all the cases and all the setup work that needed to be done played in my mind as I walked down the hallway to the bridge that linked the office building with the garage. I had forgotten that I had parked on the fifth level and ended up walking up three ramps before I found the Lincoln. I popped the trunk and put the thick stack of files I was carrying into my bag.
The bag was a hybrid I had picked up at a store called Suitcase City while I was plotting my comeback. It was a backpack with straps I could put over my shoulders on the days I was strong. It also had a handle so I could carry it like a briefcase if I wanted. And it had two wheels and a telescoping handle so I could just roll it behind me on the days I was weak.
Lately, the strong days far outnumbered the weak and I probably could have
“Unless you’re a man on a mission.”
Cisco nodded.
“Exactly. Anybody who stays past thirty isn’t staying for the money or the job. It’s more than a job.”
“Wait a second,” I said. “You said Hieronymus Bosch? Like the painter?”
The second question confused him.
“I don’t know anything about any painter. But that’s his name. Rhymes with ‘anonymous,’ I was told. Weird name, if you ask me.”
“No weirder than Wojciechowski — if you ask me.”
Cisco was about to defend his name and heritage when Lorna cut in.
“I thought you said you didn’t know him, Mickey.”
I looked over at her and shook my head.
“I never met him before today but the name … I know the name.”
“You mean from the paintings?”
I didn’t want to get into a discussion of past history so distant I couldn’t be sure about it.
“Never mind,” I said. “It’s nothing and I’ve got to get going.”
I stood up.
“Cisco, stay on the case and find out what you can about Bosch. I want to know how much I can trust the guy.”
“You’re not going to let him look at the files, are you?” Lorna asked.
“This wasn’t a random crime. There’s a killer out there who knew how to get to Jerry Vincent. I’ll feel a lot better about things if our man with a mission can figure it out and bring the bad guy in.”
I stepped around the desk and headed toward the door.
“I’ll be in Judge Champagne’s court. I’m taking a bunch of the active files with me to read while I’m waiting.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Lorna said.
I saw her throw a look and nod at Cisco so that he would stay behind. We walked out to the reception area. I knew what Lorna was going to say but I let her say it.
“Mickey, are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Absolutely.”
“This wasn’t the plan. You were going to come back slowly, remember? Take a couple cases and build from there. Instead, you’re taking on an entire practice.”
“I’m not practicing.”
“Look, be serious.”
“I am. And I’m ready. Don’t you see that this is better than the plan? The Elliot case not only brings in all that money but it’s going to be like having a billboard on top of the CCB that says I’M BACK in big neon letters!”
“Yeah, that’s great. And the Elliot case alone is going to put so much pressure on you that…”
She didn’t finish but she didn’t have to.
“Lorna, I’m done with all of that. I’m fine, I’m over it and I’m ready for this. I thought you’d be happy about this. We’ve got money coming in for the first time in a year.”
“I don’t care about that. I want to make sure you are okay.”
“I’m more than okay. I’m excited. I feel like in one day I’ve suddenly got my mojo back. Don’t drag me down. Okay?”
She stared at me and I stared back and finally a reluctant smile peeked through her stern expression.
“All right,” she said. “Then, go get ’em.”
“Don’t worry. I will.”
Eight
D espite the assurances I had given Lorna, thoughts about all the cases and all the setup work that needed to be done played in my mind as I walked down the hallway to the bridge that linked the office building with the garage. I had forgotten that I had parked on the fifth level and ended up walking up three ramps before I found the Lincoln. I popped the trunk and put the thick stack of files I was carrying into my bag.
The bag was a hybrid I had picked up at a store called Suitcase City while I was plotting my comeback. It was a backpack with straps I could put over my shoulders on the days I was strong. It also had a handle so I could carry it like a briefcase if I wanted. And it had two wheels and a telescoping handle so I could just roll it behind me on the days I was weak.
Lately, the strong days far outnumbered the weak and I probably could have
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