Matt was ahead of Philip Forsythe and William Peterson when he arrived on the second floor. The first door, Alan’s bedroom, did not have a constable present. An unease swept over him. Not waiting for the others, he picked up his pace. The hallway curved into a long, straight corridor with several doors on either side. Constable Rowntree stood outside one of them which Matt knew was Susan’s bedroom. “Where’s Constable Smythe?” he called out. “He was to remain outside the boy’s room.”
“The boy is in here with his mother, sir,” replied Constable Rowntree. “He was causing such a ruckus earlier we thought it best to put them together to quiet him down. As you can hear, everything is pretty quiet.”
“What was the ruckus all about?”
“Honestly, sir, I don’t know. I think you will have to ask Robbie, I mean, Constable Smythe.”
“Where is he?”
Rowntree nervously tilted on one foot then the other, “Uhm…He said he heard some noises coming from the back stairs and he went to check it out.”
“How long ago?”
“Shortly after he brought the boy here.”
Matt stared at him. “The boy and his mother? How long have they been together?”
Smythe peered at his wristwatch. “Maybe twenty minutes.”
“So, you’re telling me that Constable Smythe has been gone for almost twenty minutes and you never thought to notify anyone?! Where’s your head, man?! Get after him and find him! Now!”
Matt shook his head in disgust as he watched Constable Rowntree scurry down the corridor and disappear through the door before the bend in the hallway that led to the boy’s room. Before he knocked on Susan’s door he turned to Peterson. “Bill, I need to ask a favor.”
“Shoot,” he replied.
Matt pulled out the photos from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them to him. “I’ve written the names of each person on the back of the photo. Bertie…I think you know him?” Bill smiled and nodded, “Good. Well, he along with a couple of other constables from the Linsdale Division may have already arrived to assist. If not, wait until they do. Then find those people from the photos and have them wait in the library. Send word once that’s done.” He let out a big sigh. “I’m sorry about dragging you into this but…”
“Matt, I understand.” He reached out and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. “Anyway,” he continued with a chuckle, “I’m sure my team can get along just fine without me a little longer.”
“Thank you, Bill.” The two shook hands before Bill left. For a moment Matt watched him disappear down the stairs. He hoped that Bill would not have to wait long for the arrival of Bertie and his crew. Unexpectedly, he felt himself being ushered to one side by Philip whose face wore a scrutinizing appearance.
“I’m assuming you have a game plan and not just flying by the seat of your pants,” Philip said.
Matt was astonished by the remark. Asshole! He thought. “I do,” he replied sharply. His neck felt afire. He always measured the intent and impact of his words. But the tone of his words bounced out of his mouth like an unintended belch at a dinner table. In a nutshell, he felt that he was about to lose his normative professional cool. Like oversized grey gun barrels, Philip’s eyes were aimed directly at him, and he was about to give them the proverbial finger if their conversation trended south.
“Matt, I only asked to ensure we would be on the same page, on the same team, before we walked in there. You’re still the quarterback. I just need to know how to play out my part.” He cleared his throat as if buying time to think something through. “Whatever you think is going on between me and Audrey must be put on the backburner. Can you do that?”
Matt drew in a deep breath. He had never let personal problems interfere with solving a case and he wasn’t going to start now. With a nod, he said, “Yes, I can do that.” He glanced back a Susan’s door. “Now, let me explain what I hope will transpire once we enter that room. By the way, are you okay with playing the good cop in a good cop-bad cop scenario?”
Philip nodded. “Now I’m intrigued. Go on.”
Ten minutes later, Matt had filled Philip in on the basics of his plan. “What do you think?”
“It sounds solid enough… I think it’s worth a try.”
“As Yoda from Star Wars would say, sir: ‘There is no try.’ Let’s crack this case wide open.” He mustered up a smile. In the back of his mind an image was playing out, one in which he gave Philip a good crack or two on the jaw. So, it was not without some degree of surreal satisfaction that the way he knocked twice on Susan’s door drew a bizarre expression on Philip’s face. When the door opened, he followed the Deputy Commissioner inside.