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I grabbed the dog's legs and lowered him to the floor； he promptly turned his attention to my crotch。 Lee was talking to the slattern； showing her a mug shot strip。 She was shaking her head no； hands on hips； the picture of an irate citizen。 With Hacksaw at my heels； I joined them。
Lee said； 〃Mrs。 Albanese； this man's the senior officer。 Would you tell him what you just told me？〃
The slattern shook her fists； Hacksaw explored Lee's crotch。 I said； 〃Where's your husband； lady？ We don't have all day。〃
〃I told him and I'll tell you！ Bruno's paid his debt to society！ He doesn't fraternize with criminals and I don't know any Coleman what's his name！ He's a businessman！ His parole officer made him quit hanging out at that Mexican place two weeks ago； and I don't know where he is！ Hacksaw； be nice！〃
I looked at the real senior officer； now stagger…dancing with a two…hundred…pound dog。 〃Lady； your husband's a known fence with outstanding traffic warrants。 I've got a hot merchandise list in the car； and if you don't tell me where he is； I'll turn your house upside down until I find something dirty。 Then I'll arrest you for receiving stolen goods。 What's it gonna be？〃
The slattern beat her fists into her legs； Lee wrestled Hacksaw down to all fours and said； 〃Some people don't respond to civility。 Mrs。 Albanese； do you know what Russian roulette is？〃
The woman pouted； 〃I'm not dumb and Bruno's paid his debt to society！〃 Lee pulled a 。38 snubnose out of his back waistband； checked the cylinder and snapped it shut。 〃There's one bullet in this gun。 You feeling lucky； Hacksaw？〃
Hacksaw said； 〃Woof〃； the woman said； 〃You wouldn't dare。〃 Lee put the 。38 to the dog's temple and pulled the trigger。 The hammer clicked on an empty chamber； the woman gasped and started turning pale； Lee said； 〃Five to go。 Prepare for doggie heaven； Hacksaw。〃
Lee squeezed the trigger a second time； I held in belly laughs when the hammer clicked again and Hacksaw licked his balls； bored over the whole thing。 Mrs。 Albanese was praying fervently with her eyes shut。 Lee said； 〃Time to meet your maker； doggy〃； the woman blurted； 〃No no no no no！ Bruno's tending bar in Silverlake！ The Buena Vista on Vendome！ Please leave my baby alone！〃
Lee showed me the 。38's empty cylinder； and we walked back to the car with Hacksaw's happy barks echoing behind us。 I laughed all the way to Silverlake。
* * *
The Buena Vista was a bar and grill shaped like a Spanish rancho…whitewashed adobe walls and turrets festooned with Christmas lights six weeks before the holiday。 The interior was cool； all dark wood。 There was a long oak bar just off the entrance foyer； with a man behind it polishing glasses。 Lee flashed his shield at him and said； 〃Bruno Albanese？〃 The man pointed to the back of the restaurant； lowering his eyes。
The rear of the grill was narrow； with Leatherette booths and dim lighting。 Wolfish eating noises led us to the last booth…the only one occupied。 A thin； swarthy man was hunched over a plate piled high with beans； chili and huevos rancheros； shoveling the slop in like it was his last meal on earth。
Lee rapped on the table。 〃Police officers。 Are you Bruno Albanese？〃
The man looked up and said； 〃Who； me？〃
Lee slid into the booth and pointed to the religious tapestry on the wall。 〃No； the kid in the manger。 Let's make this fast； so I don't have to watch you eat。 You've got outstanding warrants； but me and my partner like your dog； so we're not taking you in。 Ain't that nice of us？〃
Bruno Albanese belched； then said； 〃You mean you want some skinny？〃
Lee said； 〃Whiz kid；〃 and smoothed the Maynard mug shot strip on the table。 〃He cornholes little boys。 We know he sells to you； and we don't care。 Where is he？〃
Albanese looked at the strip and burped。 〃I never seen this guy before。 Somebody steered you wrong。〃
Lee looked at me and sighed。 He said； 〃Some people don't respond to civility；〃 then grabbed Bruno Albanese by the scruff of the neck and smashed his head face first into the plate of goo。 Bruno sucked in grease through his mouth； nose and eyeballs； flapping his arms and banging his legs under the table。 Lee held him there； intoning； 〃Bruno Albanese was a good man。 He was a good husband and a good father to his son Hacksaw。 He wasn't very cooperative with the police； but who expects perfection？ Partner； can you give me a reason to spare this shitbird's life？〃
Albanese was making gurgling sounds； blood was leaking into his huevos rancheros。 〃Have mercy；〃 I said。 〃Even fences deserve a better last supper。〃
Lee said； 〃Well put；〃 and let go of Albanese's head。 He came up for air bleeding and gasping； wiping a whole Mexican cookbook off his face。 When he got breath he wheezed out； 〃The Versailles Apartments on 6th and Saint Andrews room 803 and please don't give me a rat jacket！〃
Lee said； 〃Bon appetit； Bruno〃； I said； 〃You're good。〃 We ran out of the restaurant and highballed it code three to 6th and Saint Andrews。
* * *
The mail slots in the Versailles lobby listed a Maynard Coleman in Apartment 803。 We rode the elevator up to the eighth floor and rang the buzzer； I put my ear to the door and heard nothing。 Lee took a ring of skeleton keys from his pocket and worked them into the lock until one hit and the mechanism gave with a sharp click。
We entered a hot； dark little room。 Lee flicked on the overhead light； illuminating a Murphy bed covered with stuffed animals…teddy bears； pandas and tigers。 The crib stank of sweat and some medicinal odor I couldn't place。 I wrinkled my nose； and Lee placed it for me。 〃Vaseline with cortisone。 The homos use it for ass lube。 I was gonna turn Maynard over to Captain Jack personally； but now I'm gonna let Vogel and Koenig have him first。〃
I moved to the bed and examined the animals； they all had ringlets of soft children's hair taped between their legs。 Shivering； I looked at Lee。 He was pale； his features contorted by facial tics。 Our eyes met； and we silently left the room and took the elevator downstairs。 On the sidewalk； I said； 〃What now？〃
Lee's voice was shaky。 〃Find a phone booth and call the DMV。 Give them Maynard's alias and this address and ask if they've processed any pink slips on it the past month or so。 If they have； get a vehicle description and a license number。 I'll meet you at the car。〃
I ran to the corner； found a pay phone and dialed the DMV police information line。 A clerk answered； 〃Who's requesting？〃
〃Officer Bleichert； LAPD badge 1611。 Auto purchase information； Maynard Coleman or Coleman Maynard； 643 South Saint Andrews； LA。 Probably recent。〃
〃Gotcha…one minute。〃
I waited； notebook and pen in hand； thinking of the stuffed animals。 A good five minutes later； 〃Officer； it's a positive；〃 jarred me。
〃Shoot。〃
〃De Soto sedan； 1938； dark green； license B as in boy； V as in Victor； 1…4…3…2 Repeat； B as in boy…〃
I wrote it down； hung up and ran back to the car。 Lee was scrutinizing an LA street atlas； jotting notes。 I said； 〃Got him。〃
Lee closed the atlas。 〃He's probably a school prowler。 There were elementary schools near the H