“No,” Herbie said, his face dumb.
“I didn’t think you would,” Elrick said. “You see, simpleton, I know Renzelli’s background. And when I put all the facts on the table, and fix them up so they fit, I’ll have the case all wrapped up and ready to be delivered to the D. A. And a few days after that I’ll be taking off this dark blue and putting on plain clothes.”
“You mean they’ll fire you?”
Elrick’s lips tightened and he pushed the cap back on his head. “When you were born, your brains must have leaked out through your ears,” he said. “No, they won’t fire me. They’ll make me a detective. A plainclothes man.”
“That’ll be nice,” Herbie said.
“You tellin’ me?” Elrick blurted, “That’s what I been hoping for. But I never thought the break would come. Even though I got brains, I’m not exactly educated, like some of these smooth young guys who come out of the colleges. Like that smart-aleck Reeve.” Satisfaction settled itself into Elrick’s eyes. “I’ll show that squirt what a cop can do.”
There was a commotion at the other end of the alley, where policemen were holding back a curious crowd. Then three cops came walking down the alley followed by a man in a plain light blue suit. He was of medium height and sparingly built.
He pushed his way past the cops and leaned over the body.
He glanced up at Elrick. “Anything more?”
“Nothing more than what you see there,” Elrick said. “Two kids found the body and told me about it. I put in a call.”