Page 36 of Lion & Lamb

TWO SURPRISESawaited Veena Lion at Lankenau Medical Center.

One was the armada of TV reporters blocking the entrance to the emergency department. She’d known word would travel fast, and the media was starving for any crumbs they could link to the Archie Hughes murder. But it was rare for TV reporters to beat Janie Hall on a breaking development. This case was going to test all of them.

The second surprise was waiting just behind the security checkpoint, which Veena got past by telling the officer she was Roy Nguyen’s personal attorney. “How many lawyers does this guy have?” asked the beleaguered Lower Merion cop. “Your colleague is over there, by the vending machines.”

Cooper Lamb, who was no lawyer, was busy ripping open a plastic bag of turkey jerky.“Rowrr.”

“Baaaaa,”Veena replied.

“I didn’t know you were close with the chef.”

“Yeah. He makes incredible fried spaghetti.”

“If that’s an in-joke, I’m missing the gag.”

“Life doesn’t revolve entirely around you, Cooper. What’s the latest?”

The latest was that Roy Nguyen was still in surgery, and the hospital was clearly not prepared for all of the attention or the constant inquiries from private investigators.

“So we might as well go for a cocktail,” Cooper said. “Unless you want to get in on this jerky with me. We can even split a root beer.”

“I need to talk to Roy the minute he wakes up.”

“Get in line. The police are downplaying this, but did you know that Chef Roy was fired by the Hughes family justtwo daysbefore the murder?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Do you know why?”

“Of course.”

“See, I don’t think you do. He probably told you that Francine Pearl was just a bitch or something. But no, the dude flat-outstole stufffrom the house. Watches, jewelry, sports memorabilia. And he was caught on ananny cam.”

Veena frowned. “That doesn’t sound right. Who’s your source?”

“Nobody you’d know.”

“Is it Red from Atlantic City? Your old army buddy?”

“Damn it. I wish I’d never told you about him. Look, Red knows his stuff. Including the fact that your boy Roy owed a lot of people in Atlantic City a lot of cheddar. Which would explain the not-so-petty larceny from the Hughes home.”

Veena considered this and replayed some of their lunchtime conversation. She thought about her legal-pad list of suspects. She thought about Maya Rain. But mostly, she considered that the day had been a very long one.

“Throw that crap away,” she said, “and let’s have that cocktail.”

Chapter32

9:08 p.m.

EARLY INhis career, Mickey Bernstein had spent a few years undercover. He’d told his superior he just wanted more street experience. But his real motivations were more complex.

A lot of it was wanting to be out from under his dad’s thumb. But it was also the secret thrill of letting himself disappear into the rougher sections of the city and enjoying some of the pleasures associated with those places. Being the son of Philly’s most famous cop meant he’d grown up under constant scrutiny, both inside his home and out. It was nice to slip into another man’s skin.

And he could still do that from time to time.

Like now, walking toward a dive bar near the infamous intersection of Kensington and Allegheny. They said this area was slowly gentrifying, just like nearby Fishtown, but Mickey knew better. Woe to the hipster moron who stepped off the El looking for avocado toast and a craft IPA. Mickey didn’t want to look like that. Or, even worse, like a cop. So he’d pulled on workman’s clothes, skipped his evening shave, and got into character.

Bernstein opened the door to Dmitri’s and found an empty barstool. People gave him the usual once-over, but nobody seemed to make him. He ordered a shot of Jack, a Bud back, and a fifty-cent bag of greasy potato chips. In the corner was a long-defunct Donkey Kong console that now doubled as an ashtray and a place to hang Christmas lights, which were apparently up all year.

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