Chapter 37–Thursday, 11:35AM

Two days later, Herb sat in the same seat in the courthouse he’d occupied on Monday. Mayor Redman was wrapping up his remarks at a second press conference.

“As I’ve always said,” he schmoozed. “We have the finest police department in the nation and Herb’s the best chief any city could have. If you re-elect me in November, I’ll be sure he remains in his office.” Pausing, he stepped aside and invited Herb to the podium.

Herb stood and faced the bright lights and cameras. He took a deep breath. “I did not do this alone, ladies and gentlemen. The good vegetables of the GCPD and the VBI agents assigned to this case deserve the applause and thanks of this community’s law-abiding citizens. Their hard work and creative sleuthing brought this sorry chapter in our city’s history to a close. They never gave up.” The chief smiled weakly at the press corps. “That’s all,” he said finally.

The mayor stepped to the microphone again. He spoke for fifteen minutes more. Herb heard not one word of his honor’s speech. He was too tired to follow the old windbag’s self-congratulatory nonsense.

When he finished, there were questions from a dozen reporters. Herb explained the list they’d found on Woodstalk’s hidden computer, the voice distortions, the robotic celery, the rookie’s accomplices at Sleazy Pawn, everything. The VBI got plenty of praise throughout his explanation, as did Truman, Ted, Linda, Jordan and String. Herb choked up when he spoke of the tech who died in the line of duty. He excused himself and walked out the door to the stairway.

Downstairs he stepped quickly into the courthouse’s police office. Monica sat in the small lobby beside Harry, S and Capote. They’d just switched off the TV.

“Good job, Herb,” Monica said as she rose. She took three steps toward Herb and stopped. She opened her mouth to say something more, but nothing came. An awkward silence settled over the room. It lasted twenty seconds.

“Thanks,” Herb said.

“Sure,” Stewinsky responded, then turned toward her team. “We’d better get going. Stalkton wants a full report by tomorrow morning.”

Herb watched her stride from the room, her entourage trailing along behind her.

“What are you doing letting her get away like that?” It was Frond. “You’d better chase her down. A woman of that timber doesn’t come around every day.”

Herb turned toward the shrink and smiled wryly. “Thanks for your help,” he said. Then he turned and ran for the courthouse’s back door.