Free Killing the Blues by Michael Brandman

intercom?”
    â€œYes.”
    Molly didn’t say anything.
    â€œYou answer most of the calls that come in to the station, correct?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou always ask who’s calling, right?”
    â€œWhere is this leading, Jesse?”
    â€œEvery time there’s an incoming call, you answer it and then you shout out the name of who’s calling. And who it’s for. Do you think it’s possible that shouting might not be the most effective way of alerting our personnel to incoming calls?”
    â€œDo I need an Internal Affairs representative present for this conversation?”
    â€œWould you ever consider placing an incoming call on hold and then notifying the recipient by use of the intercom?”
    â€œWould I get paid more?”
    â€œDo you think it’s possible we could attempt an experiment involving the intercom?”
    â€œAre you instructing me to use it,” Molly said.
    â€œI wouldn’t put it that way.”
    â€œWhat way would you put it?”
    â€œI’d like you to try using the intercom.”
    â€œI don’t like the intercom.”
    Jesse didn’t say anything.
    â€œAre you instructing me to use the intercom,” Molly said.
    â€œNo. I’m asking.”
    â€œYou’re not instructing.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI’ll take it under advisement,” she said, and stood up.
    As she was leaving, she looked back over her shoulder and shouted, “Rich Bauer phoned.”
    Jesse stared at her.
    Then he returned Bauer’s call.
    â€œThe dogs, Jesse,” he said. “It’s awful.”
    â€œHow awful?”
    â€œAwful. Whoever killed them really meant to do it.”
    â€œSimilarities?”
    â€œBroken necks. How could anyone do that to a dog?”
    â€œTakes all kinds, Rich.”
    â€œWhat are we gonna do?”
    â€œWe’re gonna find who did it is what we’re gonna do,” Jesse said.

24
    Y ou’re here because you’re feeling overwhelmed,” Dix said.
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    â€œWhat did you say?”
    â€œI said things had heated up somewhat.”
    â€œSo you don’t feel overwhelmed?”
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    â€œWhy does this have to be so hard,” Dix said.
    â€œI’m feeling stressed,” Jesse said.
    â€œHow are you handling the stress?”
    â€œI’m talking to you.”
    â€œYou may be talking, but you’re not saying anything,” Dix said.
    Jesse didn’t say anything.
    â€œThis car business. How are you handling it?”
    â€œUnconventionally.”
    Dix didn’t say anything.
    â€œI don’t want to talk about it,” Jesse said.
    â€œTell me again why you came here.”
    â€œTo talk.”
    â€œPerhaps I’m missing something.”
    â€œLet’s put it this way. Let’s say that I’m baiting a trap.”
    â€œWill this trap place you in harm’s way?”
    â€œIt might.”
    â€œSo you feel vulnerable,” Dix said.
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    â€œHow do you feel about it?”
    â€œHow do I feel?”
    Dix didn’t say anything.
    â€œAnxious,” Jesse said.
    â€œYou feel anxious?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow do you handle it?”
    â€œThe anxiety?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI handle it,” Jesse said.
    â€œBut you’re experiencing a great deal of it,” Dix said.
    â€œOnly on occasion.”
    After a pause, Dix said, “Are you drinking?”
    â€œNot really.”
    â€œAre you sticking to your rule?”
    â€œWhat rule?”
    â€œThe two-drinks-a-night rule. This is brutal.”
    â€œMostly I’m only having one a night.”
    â€œSo you’re not drinking?”
    â€œI overstepped my limit the one time.”
    â€œAfter the parking-lot killing,” Dix said.
    â€œI couldn’t get the image of the widow out of my mind. She was so