The Tin Collectors Read Online Free PDF Page A

leaned back in his chair and templed his fingers under his chin.
    "Barbara Molar is quite an attractive woman."
    "Yes, sir, she is. The lieutenant was very lucky."
    "Until tonight."
    "Well, yes, that's what I meant, sir. "Right."
    They sat in silence for a few moments.
    "Did you and Lieutenant Molar retain a friendly relationship after you were reassigned to the Valley Division?"
    "Well, sir . . . no. Like I said, we sort of drifted our separate ways."
    "I heard you and he got into some kind of scuffle one night, back in '84, just before you were separated as partners."
    Shane looked over at Captain Halley for help, but the captain only nodded slightly, encouraging him to keep answering. It was now painfully obvious that Mayweather had someone in the IA Administration Section open his sealed jacket in violation of his rights under Section 202. The fight with Steeltooth had been logged because Shane had needed medical attention for his injuries. However, neither he nor Molar had pressed for a hearing, so it went into his sealed record as an unsustained incident. He couldn't prove that Mayweather had opened his file. The deputy chief could claim he had heard about the fight secondhand. Now Shane had to answer the question or face insubordination charges. He felt used and double-crossed.
    "I need an answer," Mayweather said. "Was there an altercation?"
    "I guess you could say that. We had a kinda problem once."
    "What was that all about?"
    "Shit, it was nothing. ... I mean, shoot. . . we . . . we'd been working long hours and I was nervous, facing that Internal Affairs board. I was stressed. Molar was fucking around. We were in the detective squad room in Southwest. He threw ice water on me, so I pushed him and he went down over a chair. If you knew Ray at all, you wouldn't have to ask what happened next."
    "What happened next?"
    "We went down into the parking garage, and while six or seven guys from the squad stood around and watched, Ray punched out two of my teeth, broke my nose, and pretty much destroyed me."
    "And you're not mad about that?"
    "Well, for a while I guess, but that was Ray. He and I had just about ended our tour by then, so we unhooked. I was rotating out. He was on the lieutenant's list back then. Pretty high up. The sixth band, I think, so he was going to get his bar in a month or two anyway. We both just moved on."
    "And you didn't harbor any resentment? I find that hard to believe."
    "Chief, if I could ask . . . has anybody looked at the damage on Barbara Molar's face? Has anybody seen what he did to her? 'Cause if all these questions strike to some other possible motive, that's why I went over there. I tried to break it up. He fired first, and I was forced to return fire. He was seconds from killing both of us. I hope you photograph those injuries because all I was trying to do was keep us off Forest Lawn Drive."
    "We'll get photographs, don't worry about that."
    There was another charged silence in the room that lasted for almost a minute.
    "Anything else you want to say for this record?" Mayweather said.
    "No, sir. That's what happened. I'm sorry he's dead, but he gave me no choice."
    "Okay, then." Mayweather looked at his watch. "This interview is concluded. It is five thirty-five A . M . This tape recording has been continuous, with no shutoffs, and it has been witnessed throughout by Captain Bud Halley." Then he snapped the machine off and rubbed his eyes. "That's it, Sergeant. I'm going to forward this transcript to the Officer Involved Shooting Section of the Robbery/Homicide Division, and they will schedule your Shooting Review Board. Don't sweat it. That board is mandatory with any incident involving firearms."
    "I know, sir."
    "Then get outta here. Go give the lab tech his sample and go home."
    "Yes, sir."
    Shane got up and moved past Captain Halley, into the hall. He waited for his CO to come out, thinking they would ride down together and Shane could get a performance critique, but Captain