Free Memorial Day: A Mick Callahan Novel (The Mick Callahan Novels) by Harry Shannon

now, I don't think this incident is connected with last night. Can you give me a reason to?"
    "Maybe."
    Doc turned slowly; eyes widening, face washed out like a man startled by a flash bulb. He shook his head slightly, as if to signal a warning .
    Bass said: "I'm all ears. This had better be good."
    I looked down at the creek. The sheriff seemed to swell in size and I could see him growing dark with anger.
    "There's this young gunslinger," Doc said, softly. "He asks an old pro for advice. Old guy says to draw and shoot the bow tie off the piano player. Kid does it. Old guy says, now cover your gun with grease. Kid says, why cover my gun with grease? Will that help my shooting? Old guy says, no, but that's Wyatt Earp playin' the piano, so it won't hurt as bad when he shoves it up your ass! Har har har ."
    I ignored the warning buried in the joke and let some more silence feed the fire. I remembered Sandy Palmer's bright smile and waited for Bass to erupt.
    "Mr. Callahan?" Bass barked impatiently. "You were saying?"
    "Where's her body?" I had intended to sound detached. I was surprised to hear my voice break.
    "Over to my office, in a big old fridge," Doc said. "So is that stranger. I'll keep them both cold until the state can set up an autopsy."
    "You won't be doing it yourself?"
    " Hell no, boy. I'm a vet, not a coroner. But a body is a body. They're just dead meat."
    Bass was really steaming. "I'm all ears, Callahan. What was it were you saying there before?"
    I faced him. "A young lady called my show last night. She said had a serious problem with her boyfriend. She sounded terrified, said her life was in danger. I didn't want to get into it on the air, so I ended the show. Then when I tried to get back to her, she'd hung up. Today, Sandy comes over to talk to me. She uses the name I gave that girl on the radio, Ophelia."
    Puzzled looks. Bass frowned. A brief gust of warm wind ruffled our hair and swirled around a row of dry, multi-colored leaves near my feet. There was a faint sound like bacon frying in a pan.
    "Ophelia was a character in Shakespeare's play about Hamlet. Sandy reminded me of Ophelia when she said her boyfriend was acting crazy. But it sounded like there was a lot going on . . . drugs, for example."
    Bass seemed intrigued. "So that's why you were sitting with her when those boys came over?"
    "Yes. And by 'boyfriend,' she likely meant the kid who was in my face, Bobby Sewell, although she never gave a name. Look, I remember Sandy Palmer as a little girl. I liked her, Sheriff. I want to see the body."
    Bass frowned. "No."
    Doc squinted and spat. "Why would you want to, Callahan? That's a bit morbid, ain't it?"
    "I'm not looking forward to it," I said, truthfully, "but I talked to her last night and again this morning. She asked for help, in fact she was almost a client. What's the problem?"
    "Look, I said no," Bass said. He glanced at Doc Langdon. "This is a police matter."
    Doc sighed. "The Judge may end up wanting to talk to him anyway, Glen. And he's bound to ask for a statement as to how she called the show."
    "Doc is right. I can't stay out of this, not now. And Bass, you owe me."
    "Like I said before, this is police business." Bass was clearly upset.
    "Look, it would be almost impossible to get back here from Los Angeles if you needed a statement later. If we can get this over with now, I'd be much obliged."
    After a long pause, Doc shrugged. "Why not let him look," he said. "Won't take but a minute."
    "All right," Bass said, reluctantly, "I suppose it won't do any harm. She's not a pretty sight, though. The back of her head got bashed in."
    "I know."
    Doc said: "Then let's go."
    As we were walking, I asked, "Did you get any pictures?"
    Bass smiled thinly. "I didn't have to. I just confiscated all the film those civilians shot. It's a long holiday weekend, Callahan. Things get busy in a one-horse town with one cop, especially when dead folks start popping up. That don't mean I can't do my job."
    "No