按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eles voters are going to be asked to do the same thing…vote in a five…million…dollar bond proposal to upgrade the LAPD's equipment and provide for an 8 percent pay raise for all personnel。 Keep in mind the examples of Mr。 Fire and Mr。 Ice。 Vote 〃Yes〃 on Proposition B on Election Day。
Finishing； I handed the pages back to Inspector Stensland。 He started to speak； but Thad Green shushed him with a hand on his shoulder。 〃Tell us what you thought of it； Officer。 Be candid。〃
I swallowed to keep my voice steady。 〃It's subtle。〃
Stensland flushed； Green and Malloy grinned； Blanchard hooted outright。 Ellis Loew said； 〃Proposition B is going to lose hands down； but there's a chance to reintroduce it in the off…year election next spring。 What we had in…〃
Green said； 〃Ellis； please；〃 and turned his attention to me。 〃One of the reasons the bond is going to fail is that the public is less than pleased with the service we've been giving them。 We were shorthanded during the war； and some of the men we hired to remedy that turned out to be rotten apples and made us look bad。 Also； we're top…heavy with rookies since the war ended； and a lot of good men have retired。 Two station houses need to be rebuilt and we need to offer higher starting salaries to attract better men。 All this takes money； and the voters aren't going to give it to us in November。〃
I was beginning to get the picture。 Malloy said； 〃It was your idea； counselor。 You tell him。〃
Loew said； 〃I'm laying dollars to doughnuts we can pass the proposal in the '47 Special。 But we need to drum up enthusiasm for the Department to do it。 We need to build up morale within the Department； and we need to impress the voters with the quality of our men。 Wholesome white boxers are a big draw； Bleichert。 You know that。〃
I looked at Blanchard。 〃You and me； huh？〃
Blanchard winked。 〃Fire and Ice。 Tell him the rest of it； Ellis。〃
Loew winced at his first name； then continued。 〃A ten…round bout three weeks from now at the Academy gym。 Braven Dyer is a close personal friend of mine； and he'll be building it up in his column。 Tickets will go for two dollars apiece； with half allotted for policemen and their families； half for civilians。 The gate goes to the police charity program。 From there we build up an interdivisional boxing team。 All good wholesome white boys。 The team members get one duty day off a week to teach underprivileged kids the art of self…defense。 Publicity all the way； straight to the '47 Special Election。〃
All eyes were on me now。 I held my breath； waiting for the offer of the Warrants spot。 When no one said a word； I glanced sidelong at Blanchard。 His upper body looked brutally powerful； but his stomach had gone to flab and I was younger； taller and probably a whole lot faster。 Before I could give myself reasons to back down； I said； 〃I'm in。〃
The brass gave my decision a round of applause； Ellis Loew smiled； exposing teeth that looked like they belonged on a baby shark。 〃The date is October 29； a week before the election；〃 he said。 〃And both of you will have unlimited use of the Academy gym for training。 Ten rounds is a lot to ask of men as inactive as you two have been； but anything else would look sissy。 Don't you agree？〃
Blanchard snorted； 〃Or munistic〃； Loew shot him a shark…tooth grimace。 I said； 〃Yes； sir；〃 and Inspector Malloy raised a camera； chirping； 〃Watch the birdy； son。〃
I stood up and smiled without parting my lips； a flashbulb popped。 I saw stars and got a back pounding； and when the camaraderie stopped and my vision cleared； Ellis Loew was standing in front of me； saying； 〃I'm betting on great things from you。 And if I don't miss my bet； I expect we'll be colleagues soon。〃
I thought； You're a subtle bastard； but said； 〃Yes； sir。〃 Loew gave me a limp handshake and walked away。 I rubbed the last of the stars out of my eyes and saw that the room was empty。
I took the elevator down to street level； thinking of tasty ways to regain the weight I had lost。 Blanchard probably weighed 200； and if I came in at my safe old 175 against him he would wear me down every time he managed to get inside。 I was trying to decide between the Pantry and Little Joe's when I hit the parking lot and saw my adversary in the flesh…talking to a woman blowing smoke rings up at a picture postcard sky。
I went over。 Blanchard was leaning against an unmarked cruiser； gesturing at the woman； still intent on her rings； putting them out three and four at a time。 She was in profile as I approached； head tilted up； back arched； one hand on the cruiser's door for support。 Auburn hair in a pageboy cut brushed her shoulders and long； thin neck； the fit of her Eisenhower jacket and wool skirt told me she was thin all over。
Blanchard caught sight of me and nudged her。 Letting out a lungful of smoke； she turned。 Up close； I saw a strong…pretty face； all mismatched parts： high forehead that made her hairdo look incongruous； crooked nose； full lips and big black…brown eyes。
Blanchard made the introductions。 〃Kay； this is Bucky Bleichert。 Bucky； Kay Lake。〃
The woman ground out her cigarette。 I said； 〃Hello；〃 wondering if this was the girlfriend that Blanchard met at the Boulevard…Citizens robbery trial。 She didn't play as a heister's quail； even if she had been shacking with a cop for years。
Her voice had a slight prairie twang。 〃I saw you box several times。 You won。〃
〃I always won。 Are you a fight fan？〃
Kay Lake shook her head。 〃Lee used to drag me。 I was taking art classes back before the war； so I brought my sketch pad and drew the boxers。〃
Blanchard put an arm around her shoulders。 〃Made me quit fighting smokers。 Said she didn't want me doing the vegetable shuffle。〃 He went into an imitation of a punch…drunk fighter sparring； and Kay Lake flinched away from him。 Blanchard shot a quick look at her； then fired off some left jabs and right crosses at the air。 The punches were telegraphed； and in my mind I countered a one…two at his jaw and midsection。
I said； 〃I'll try not to hurt you。〃
Kay smoldered at the remark； Blanchard grinned。 〃It took weeks to talk her into letting me do it。 I promised her a new car if she didn't pout too much。〃
〃Don't make any bets you can't cover。〃
Blanchard laughed； then moved into a side…by…side drape with Kay。 I said； 〃Who thought this thing up？〃
〃Ellis Loew。 He got me Warrants； then my partner put in his papers and Loew started thinking about you to replace him。 He got Braven Dyer to write that Fire and Ice horseshit； then he took the whole pie to Horrall。 He never would have gone for it； but all the polls said the bond issue was heading for the deep six； so he said okay。〃
〃And he's got money on me？ And if I win I get Warrants？〃
〃Something like that。 The DA himself don't like the idea； thinks the two of us wouldn't work as partners。 But he's going along…Horrall and Thad Green convinced him。 Personally； I almost hope you do win。 If you don't； I get Johnny Vogel。 He's fat； he farts； his breath stinks and his daddy's the biggest nosebleed in Central dicks； always running errands for the Jewboy。 Besides…〃
I tapped Blanchard's chest wi