Motor City Burning Read Online Free PDF

appointed one of Reverend Cleage’s cronies to the Citizens Review Board—guy has the beer concession at Tiger Stadium—and suddenly I’m getting deluged with Tigers tickets. Just remember, you’ll be watching Al Kaline compliments of the Church of the Black Madonna and the Stroh Brewery Company.”
    They shared a laugh at the way the world works.
    â€œAll seriousness aside,” Rod said, “what’re you doing down there on a Saturday morning?”
    â€œPaperwork. And I just got a call on the Hull case.”
    â€œThe Hull case?”
    â€œHelen Hull. You know, Henry’s wife—from the old Greenleaf Market.”
    â€œSo who was the call from?”
    â€œHenry, of course.”
    â€œJesus, he still tending the flame?”
    â€œAfraid so.” Doyle paused. He didn’t like the sound of what he’d just said. “Actually, I’m glad he is. Mrs. Hull didn’t deserve what she got. Neither did Henry.”
    â€œI hear you. I can’t believe you boys’re still working shit from the riot, though.”
    â€œWell, believe it. One went down last week, but we’ve still got two unsolved. And your friend on the eleventh floor of the City-County Building wants them to disappear in the worst way. He’s even started calling Sarge to check our progress in the case.”
    â€œCavanagh’s been calling Schroeder?”
    â€œAfraid so.” This time he didn’t mind the sound of what he’d just said.
    â€œSo why don’t you figure out a way to pin it on the State Police—or better yet, the National Guard—and make everyone happy? Cavanagh, you, me, and every black-power wacko this side of the Ohio state line.”
    â€œBelieve me, the thought’s crossed my mind more than once.”
    They shared another laugh. This one was shorter than the first.
    â€œI’ll let you go,” Rod said. “Kat made me promise to pin you down on that dinner invite. She says you’re working too hard—but mainly she wants you to come visit . . .”
    I’ll bet she wants me to come visit, Doyle thought.
    â€œ. . . and the girls want to see their favorite uncle.”
    â€œI’m their only uncle, Rod.”
    â€œTrue, but they still ask. Christ, you wouldn’t believe how fast they’re growing up! Liz just got her first pair of toe shoes and we bought a horse for Val.”
    â€œYou bought a horse ?”
    â€œA pony, actually. And we didn’t buy it, strictly speaking. Kat did.”
    â€œOh.” Alcohol makes people do strange things, though Doyle guessed it probably wasn’t all that strange for a teenage girl in Bloomfield Hills to have her own pony. What was strange to Doyle was that his brother had actually left the city, had let his wife’s family money talk him into a four-bedroom Dutch colonial on an acre of suburban lawn that looked more like a putting green than most putting greens. The hardwood trees that towered over that lawn had been around longer than the Model T. Yes, it made perfect sense for a girl in that world to have her own pony.
    â€œSo when can I tell Kat and the girls you’ll be out?” Rod said.
    â€œTell them I’ll be out as soon as I clear a few things up. Maybe next week.”
    â€œPromise?”
    â€œPromise. And thanks again for the tickets.”
    â€œDon’t thank me. Thank Rev. Cleage.”
    â€œI’ll do that next time I see him.”
    Doyle’s coffee cup was empty and he was awake at last. Talking to his brother—thinking about his life out there in the suburbs—did what it always did. It made Doyle itch to show the world that there was still hope for the Motor City. He got up from the desk without touching the stack of paperwork. He couldn’t wait to get to the Harlan House and hear Henry Hull tell him about the unbelievable thing they’d missed.

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    T HERE WAS A WEDDING RECEPTION AT O AKLAND H