The screen went blank for two agonizing minutes before it cleared again to show Lynch's face.
"Hello, Mr. Malone," Lynch said formally. "Have you found some new little trick to show up poor stupid policemen? Like, say, making yourself vanish?"
"I'll make the whole damn police force vanish," Malone said, "in a couple of minutes. I called to ask a favor."
"Anything," Lynch said. "Anything within my poor power. Whatever I have is yours. Whither thou goest—"
"Knock it off," Malone said, and then grinned. After all, there was no sense in making an enemy out of Lynch.
Lynch blinked, took a deep breath, and said in an entirely different voice, "Okay, Malone. What's the favor?"
"Do you still have that list of Silent Spooks?" Malone said.
"Sure I do," Lynch said. "Why? I gave you a copy of it."
"I can't do this job," Malone said. "You'll have to.".
"Yes, sir," Lynch said, and saluted.