CHAPTER 7The telephone booth was in front of a drug store on the east side of the boardwalk. From it, Tommy could see the entrance to Dexter’s place. That damned attendant in the parking lot had held him up. Russell had beat him by a whole half-block.
Tommy was dialing the telephone as he watched. He heard it ring, heard the gruff voice of Corporal Gonzalez at the sub-station up the coast.
“This is Riggs,” he said. “Corporal, I don’t feel so good. Doctor says I shouldn’t work today.”
“I feel for you, Riggs, but I can’t quite reach you. Bingham got less sleep than you did, but he’s on the job.”
“Swear to God, that’s exactly what I told the doctor. Said it’d look funny as hell, my partner working and me not. You want to talk to the doctor, Corporal? He’s right here.”
“No, I don’t want t
