Finnegan's Week (1993) by Wambaugh Joseph

Author:Wambaugh, Joseph [Wambaugh, Joseph]
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2010-12-23T23:20:56.078000+00:00

Chapter 17

While Jules Temple cruised unhappily in the placid waters of San Diego Harbor, Fin Finnegan foundered in the turbulent waters of show biz.

"I'm not surprised," he said to his agent when he received Orson's call at the police substation.

"I'm shocked," Orson said. "It wasn't too much dialogue for you, was it?"

"He's toast," Fin said.

"What?"

"That was the dialogue. He's toast."

"That was it?"

"I said it every way I could think of. I coulda done it in Uzbek, but it wouldn't of mattered. Can you get me a second chance with somebody that has better karma?"

"I don't see how I can go around her."

"Orson, I'm not asking to play Macbeth at the Old Globe!"

"I can try."

"In the length of time it took you to get me the last job, Russia turned democratic. Can you be a little more speedy?"

After his agent hung up Fin was even too depressed to wallow, so he called Nell Salter.

"Good day to you!" he said.

"By that delighted exclamation, this can't be Detective Finnegan," she said. "He'd be attending an A. A. meeting today."

"I'm sorry about last night," he said. "I don't usually ..."

"Yeah, you said. You don't usually."

"By way of apology, let's do lunch. Sorry, I was just talking to my agent. Let's have lunch."

"Too much work to do."

He tried another tack: "I was thinking about driving over to that waste hauling company. You know, Green Earth?"

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"Well, the stolen-vehicle report was made here at Southern, wasn't it? In my presence. So I've got a proprietary interest in this case. I think I oughtta talk to the truckers in more detail. There're a lotta part-time truckers and full-time thieves hanging around Angel's Cafe where the truck got ripped off. These Green Earth truckers might have a thought or two now that they've had time to remember. Like who they mighta seen there on the day in question."

"That's remote," she said.

"Sure, but it's worth doing because of the load they lost, isn't it? I mean, if I can get a lead on the suspect, I might find the stuff. The truck thief died from it, so maybe I don't want someone else to die. I thought you might feel the same way."

That neurotic little bastard was laying a guilt trip on her! And it worked! "Okay," Nell said, sighing. "I'll meet you at Green Earth in thirty minutes. But I can't do lunch."

"See you there," Fin said.

When he hung up, he opened his desk drawer and gathered his electric razor, his shaving lotion, and his emergency toothbrush. He figured that after he did the cursory questioning of the two drivers, he'd be able to persuade her to have a burrito at his favorite Mexican joint on Palm Avenue where all the cops and Border Patrol did lunch.

They were well inside the jetty, cruising past a buoy where, on this sunny afternoon, three adult sea lions shared their space with two young ones. Every animal was asleep and did not stir when the yacht motored past them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.