Crime Seen Read Free Page B

‘‘Dutch tells me you’re going to help him out on a couple case files.’’
    I squirmed in my chair. ‘‘I was thinking about it,’’ I said, poking at my dinner and suddenly feeling pressured. ‘‘Jeez, Dutch, I didn’t realize you were going to tell the whole world I was helping you.’’
    Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dutch glare at his friend. ‘‘I only told Milo, Abs.’’
    ‘‘I think it’s a great idea,’’ Milo said helpfully. ‘‘After you work on some of his cases, would you mind looking at a few of mine?’’
    Dutch cleared his throat and said quickly, ‘‘Abby’s taking it slow and easy, buddy. Let’s just see how comfortable she is looking at my stuff first, okay?’’
    Milo shrugged and changed the subject. ‘‘So, you ready for the hearing next Wednesday?’’
    ‘‘Almost. Did you bring me the file?’’
    ‘‘It’s in my car. I’ll bring it in after dinner and we can talk about which way to play it.’’
    ‘‘What hearing?’’ I asked, relieved that the attention was off me.
    ‘‘There’s a parole hearing next week that Milo and I have to attend.’’
    ‘‘Who’s coming up for parole?’’
    ‘‘Bruce Lutz,’’ Dutch said, and I couldn’t help but notice the even tone of his voice when he spoke the name.
    ‘‘Bad guy?’’ I asked.
    ‘‘The baddest,’’ Milo said. ‘‘He murdered my partner nine years ago.’’
    I sucked in a breath of surprise. I’d never thought of Milo having a partner before Dutch. ‘‘I’m sorry,’’ I said. ‘‘I didn’t know.’’
    Milo shrugged again and gave me a smile, but I could tell the memory still bothered him. ‘‘Walter was a great guy,’’ he said quietly. ‘‘I was a rookie detective when I came up here from walking a beat in Detroit. Walter had been on the Royal Oak payroll for almost twenty-five years. He was a real fixture around here. He used to go to the middle schools and high schools and talk to the kids about staying out of trouble. Everybody loved him.’’ Milo shook his head and took a breath before continuing.
    ‘‘He was one of the best detectives in the biz. When he worked a case, he treated it like it was his only case. He really cared about people. That’s what made him such a great detective—he wanted to give closure to people and he wanted to get the scum off the streets. I only worked with him for about a year, but everything I learned from him, I still use today, almost ten years later.’’
    I looked at Dutch, who had been listening quietly while Milo talked. ‘‘Did you know him too?’’
    Dutch shook his head no. ‘‘Not really. I met him once at a police conference where he’d given a lecture. But I remember how impressive the guy was. He was smart, he knew his stuff, and his reputation was legendary.’’
    Milo chuckled. ‘‘Yeah, he was a legend, all right. Riding patrol with him was like riding around with a superhero. Everybody knew him.’’
    ‘‘So what happened?’’ I asked quietly.
    Dutch looked at Milo, and I noticed how quickly Milo’s eyes went from amused to angry. ‘‘He was shot execution style one night in August, nine years ago.’’
    ‘‘Did you see it happen?’’ I asked.
    ‘‘No,’’ Milo said bitterly. ‘‘I was in the hospital passing a kidney stone. Walter and I had been working a case against a guy named Dick Wolfe, a real SOB. We were scheduled to go on a stakeout that night in front of Dick’s girlfriend’s house, but I’d started having really bad abdominal pain around noon. Walter convinced me to go to the hospital, and the next day I walk into the precinct and the captain tells me Walter’s been murdered.’’
    ‘‘How does this guy who’s up for parole—what’s his name?’’
    ‘‘Bruce Lutz,’’ Dutch said.
    ‘‘Yeah, how does he fit into the picture?’’
    Dutch said, ‘‘He was working for Wolfe at the time, and word had it that Wolfe wasn’t very impressed with his track record