Prayers for the Dead Read Online Free PDF Page A

mother soundly. He was slightly taller than her, but his hold was firm. “Let’s go back to bed.”
    “Oh, Michael, what
happened
?”
    “I don’t know—”
    “Did you call Bram?”
    “Right now—”
    “Maybe he knows. Bram always knows.”
    “Maybe, Mom—”
    “Tell him to come right away!”
    “I will,” Michael said. “Come on, Mom. You’ve been sick—”
    “Just let me phone Father. To tell this man he’s wrong.”
    “Mom, he isn’t wrong.”
    “But he
has
to be wrong! It can’t be.”
    She started to sob loudly as Michael pulled her into a room. Then the door closed in Decker’s face. Left him standing there, alone and useless. He could make out sounds behind the door — moans, sobs… no words. At these moments, he felt like a Peeping Tom, privy to private grief. Dirty and perverted. He could never understand why people watched talk shows. Why see people at their worst?
    He exhaled slowly, hoping Dolores Sparks would have enough emotional and physical strength to make it through the night. He would have liked to have questioned her, asked her what her husband had been doing, parked in the back alley behind Tracadero’s… asked her about Sparks’s daily habits. But nothing would have sunk in right now because the woman was still in denial. Perhaps when the shock wasn’t as overwhelming, they could talk. Tomorrow, he would try again.
    No sense standing around, so he went downstairs. Maggie was shaking, a phone receiver in her right hand. She turned to Decker, her cheeks soaked with tears. “He’s not in. What should I do?”
    “Why don’t you sit down, Maggie. Is there a doctor I can call? Maybe a close family friend of your mother’s?”
    Michael came running down the stairs. “She’s asking for Bram, Mag. Is that him?”
    “He’s not home! I called his apartment
three times
and just got the machine!”
    “You called his
apartment
?” Michael sighed. “Maggie, you should have called the church!”
    “Oh God, what’s the num — auto dial one, right?” She held the receiver to her ear.
    Michael began to pace. To Decker, he said, “I gave her a sedative… to calm her down.” He rubbed his face, continued to pace.
    Maggie shouted into the receiver. “Bram, if you’re there,
pick
up the phone! This is an emergen… Hello? It’s Maggie Sparks, can you please get my broth—”
    Michael grabbed the phone away from her. “Get my brother on the phone, now. This is an emergency!” To Maggie, he said, “Go upstairs and look after Mom. And try not to be so hysterical!”
    Maggie dashed up the steps.
    Michael yelled into the mouthpiece. “You’ve got to get over here quick! There’s been a terrible…” Tears exploded from Michael’s eyes. “Police are here, Bram. Dad’s been murdered.”
    Decker could hear a voice over the line saying, “Oh my God!”
    Michael said, “You’ll come over?”
    Another pause. Michael saying, “She’s in the bedroom with Maggie. I gave her a sedative… No… not yet. Can you call them? I can’t… no… no… no… he said he thought it was Dad, but I’m not sure… Look, why don’t
you
talk to him.” He shoved the phone in Decker’s face, and resumed pacing.
    Decker said, “This is Lieutenant Peter Decker. To whom am I talking, please?”
    A beat. Then a soft voice said, “I’m Dr. Sparks’s son Abram. What happened?”
    The voice was calm, especially when compared to the surrounding hysteria. Decker said, “It would be better if we talked in person.”
    “How’s my mother?”
    “Resting. Your brother gave her a sedative. Is that all right?”
    “Yes, that’s all right. My brother said my father was murdered. Is this true?”
    “Yes, sir, that appears to be the situation. I’m very sorry.”
    “Are you sure it’s him? Has someone identified him?”
    “His personal identification was on him — his license, his credit cards, his professional cards. Besides, your father is a recognizable person in this