'Boss, I know how bad you must feel, but there are a hundred things that need your attention right now.'

'I'm aware of that. And I'll take care of them. But I need a little time with my son first. Five minutes. Then you can get a couple of fellows to take him to the funeral parlor.'

'All right. I'm sorry for your loss. Junior was a good guy.'

'No he wasn't,' Big Jim said. He spoke in a mild just-telling-it-like-it-is tone of voice. 'But he was my son and I loved him. And this isn't all bad, you know.'

Carter considered. 'I know.'

Big Jim smiled. 'I know you know. I'm starting to think you're the son I should have had.'

Carter's face flushed with pleasure as he trotted up the stairs to the ready room.

When he was gone, Big Jim sat on the bunk and lowered Junior's head into his lap. The boy's face was unmarked, and Carter had closed his eyes. If you ignored the blood matting his shirt, he could have been sleeping.

He was my son and I loved him.

It was true. He had been ready to sacrifice Junior, yes, but there was precedent for that; you only had to look at what had happened on Calvary Hill. And like Christ, the boy had died for a cause. Whatever damage had been caused by Andrea Grinnell's raving would be repaired when the town realized that Barbie had killed several dedicated police officers, including their leader's only child. Barbie on the loose and presumably planning new deviltry was a political plus.

Big Jim sat awhile longer, combing Junior's hair with his fingers and looking raptly into Junior's reposeful face. Then, under his breath, he sang to him as his mother had when the boy was an infant lying in his crib, looking up at the world with wide, wondering eyes. 'Baby's boat's a silver moon, sailing o'er the sky; sailing o'er the sea of dew, while the clouds float by… sail, baby, sail… out across the sea…'

There he stopped. He couldn't remember the rest. He lifted Junior's head and stood up. His heart did a jagged tarradiddle and he held his breath… but then it settled again. He supposed he would eventually have to get some more of that verapa-whatsis from Andy's pharmacy supplies, but in the meantime, there was work to do.

6

He left Junior and went slowly up the stairs, holding the railing. Carter was in the ready room. The bodies had been removed, and a double spread of newspapers was soaking up Mickey Wardlaw's blood.

'Let's go over to the Town Hall before this place fills up with cops,' he told Carter. 'Visitors Day officially starts in'—he looked at his watch—'about twelve hours. We've got a lot to do before then.'

'I know.'

'And don't forget my son. I want the Bowies to do it right. A respectful presentation of the remains and a fine coffin.You tell Stewart if I see Junior in one of those cheap things from out back, I'll kill him.'

Carter was scribbling in his notebook. 'I'll take care of it.'

'And tell Stewart that I'll be talking to him sooru Several officers came in the front door. They looked subdued, a little scared, very young and green. Big Jim heaved himself out of the chair he'd been sitting in while he recovered his breath. 'Time to move.'

'Okay by me,' Carter said. But he paused.

Big Jim looked around. 'Something on your mind, son?'

Son. Carter liked the sound of that son. His own father had been killed five years previous when he crashed his pickup into one of the twin bridges in Leeds, and no great loss. He had abused his wife and both sons (Carter's older brother was currently serving in the Navy), but Carter didn't care about that; so much; his mother had her coffee brandy to numb her up, and Carter himself had always been able to take a few licks. No, what he hated about the old man was that he was a whiner, and he was stupid. People assumed Carter was also stupid—hell, even Junes had assumed it—but he wasn't. Mr Rennie understood that, and Mr Rennie was sure no whiner.

Carter discovered that he was no longer undecided about what to do next.

'I've got something you may want.'

'Is that so?'

Big Jim had preceded Carter downstairs, giving Carter a chance to visit his locker. He opened it now and took out the envelope withVADER printed on it. He held it out to Big Jim. The bloody footprint stamped on it seemed to glare.

Big Jim opened the clasp.

'Jim,' Peter Randolph said. He had come in unnoticed and was standing by the overturned reception desk, looking exhausted.'I think we've got things quieted down, but I can't find several of the new officers. I think they may have quit on us."

'To be expected,' Big Jim said. 'And temporary. They'll be back when| things settle and they realize Dale Barbara isn't going to lead a gang of bloodthirsty cannibals into town to eat them alive.'

'But with this damned Visitors Day thing—'

'Almost everyone is going to be on their best behavior tomorrow, Pete, ind I'm sure we'll have enough officers to take care of any who aren't!'

'What do we do about the press con—'

'Do you see I happen to be a little busy here? Do you see that, Pete? Goodness! Come over to the Town Hall conference room in half an hour and we'll discuss anything you want. But for now, leave me the heck alone'.

'Of course. Sorry.' Pete backed away, his body as stiff and offended as his voice.

'Stop,' Rennie said.

Randolph stopped.

'You never offered me condolences on my son.'

'I… I'm very sorry'

Big Jim measured Randolph with his eyes. 'Indeed you are.'

When Randolph was gone, Rennie pulled the papers out of the envelope, looked at them briefly, then stuffed them back in. He looked at Carter with honest curiosity. 'Why didn't you give this to me right away? Were you planning to keep it?'

Now that he'd handed over the envelope, Carter saw no option but the truth. 'Yuh. For a while, anyway. Just in case.'

'In case of what?'

Carter shrugged.

Big Jim didn't pursue the question. As a man who routinely kept files on anyone and everyone who might cause him trouble, he didn't have to. There was another question that interested him more.

'Why did you change your mind?'

Carter once again saw no option but the truth. 'Because I want to be your guy, boss.'