06-Juror by Parnell Hall

Author:Parnell Hall
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Crime and Mystery
ISBN: 9781936441143
Publisher: Parnell Hall
Published: 2010-11-11T05:00:00+00:00

22.

GOOD LORD.

This was an occurrence far beyond the scope of just an unexpected ringing doorbell. I knew MacAullif, sure, from various homicide investigations. I’d done a favor for him once, and he’d done a favor for me. And I liked MacAullif, in a sort of strange, adversarial way, and I had a feeling he felt the same. But it was at best a business relationship. A relationship of convenience. Or necessity, if you will. I mean, we’d never go to the ballgame together. Or have an outdoor barbecue. I’d never been to his house, and he’d never been to mine. And I couldn’t imagine that ever happening, somehow.

And yet, here he was.

There was a pause while I stood there gaping at him.

“Well,” he said. “You gonna invite me in, or should I just stand here like a schmuck?”

I exhaled. I hadn’t realized I’d stopped breathing, but I must have, because a lot of air came out. “Sorry,” I said. “Yeah. Come in.”

I stepped aside and MacAullif came into the foyer. He turned and saw Alice standing there.

I’m poor at social situations, and particularly with introductions.

When I suddenly realize two people I know don’t know each other, the ball is in my court. When that happens, I have a tendency to immediately panic and blank out on either name, even though both of them are people I know well.

That didn’t happen in this case. I knew the name Alice and I knew the name MacAullif. I even knew his first name, William, although I’d never used it. But even so, I felt totally awkward and embarrassed and on the verge of total panic. I mean, Jesus Christ, introductions. What the fuck was it? In proper etiquette you introduce the person you want to honor to the other person, who I guess is the person you don’t want to honor. Or was it the other way around? Anyway, in this case, who did you honor—your wife or your arresting officer?

“Oh,” I said. “Excuse me. Alice, this is Sergeant MacAullif. Sergeant MacAullif, this is my wife.”

Alice has no problem with social graces. She smiled charmingly, held out her hand and said, “Sergeant MacAullif. How nice to meet you.”

MacAullif took her hand and mumbled, “Pleased to meet you.” He seemed as awkward and embarrassed as I was. He took a breath, said, “Excuse me, ma’am, but I really need to talk to your husband.”

Alice said, “Sure. Why don’t you two go in the living room.”

MacAullif hesitated, looked at me. “I think we should talk outside.”

“There’s a coffee shop up the block.”

“That would be fine.”

A few more awkward pleased-to-meet-yous and MacAullif and I were out the door. We waited in silence for the elevator, rode it in silence to the lobby.

Jerry, our young elevator man, gave us a funny look. MacAullif is big and beefy, and even in plainclothes he looks like a cop. Jerry had to be wondering what was going on.

We walked up Broadway to Au Petit Beurre, a coffee shop on the corner of 105th.

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