One of the things about men is that they’re never around when you need them. I went downstairs the next morning at a quarter to nine, my date with Captain Malone at the Second Detective Division, 12th and Pine, weighing a little heavily on my mind. I’d sort of taken it for granted that Colonel Primrose wouldn’t let me go alone, but I hadn’t had any word from him since he left Abigail’s before Laurel tried to burn Monk’s handkerchief. I couldn’t exactly blame him, considering that I’d been anything but helpful—and not reasonable, but when has any woman been reasonable? Nor was there any reason I shouldn’t go alone. A police station is probably the safest and most respectable place in the world.
Nevertheless, I thought Colonel Primrose was playing me a dirty trick, and I was glad when Abiga
