“Why do you gotta play this crap,” Detective Washington said to Officer Barras. “This same crap every time we’re in the car.”
“Not my fault you don’t like Nugent, man. Or rock.”
Washington rolled down the window an inch. It had been raining earlier and the city’s streets were wet as they drove through, but the smell was better than how the city usually smelled. And even the city was better than the smell in Barras’s squad car.
“I like rock fine. But this… what’s the point of this song? It’s just gross. He’s just talking about these girls and their… It’s gross.”
“Cat Scratch Fever is a classic.”
“To you maybe. Maybe because you’re from Detroit.”
“It’s a classic out here too. Why else would they be playing it on the classic rock station?”
“Whoever chose the 40 songs or so that make up the playlist on every classic rock station owes all of music an apology.”
Barras turned on 4th. “So you think this guy… the doctor… You think, what? He killed some people?”
Washington had no idea. He had the word of a scared little boy in a hospital. A little boy who knew things he shouldn’t have known. Couldn’t have known.
“I don’t think anything. I just gotta check him out.” He reached in his pocket and felt the package of gummy worms he had bought for his daughter. He thought about her, and about his wife, and how if this kid, Ronnie, was able to do the things he said he could do. What he’s already showed him he could do. How was he ever going to be able to keep this from them? Everything he knew about the world would be turned on its head.
“It’s not usually out beat to take on a cold case like this is what I’m saying, “Barras continued.
“You want me to get another partner on this, Mac? Is that what you’re asking?”
“No, no…” Barras kept driving. “I’m not saying I don’t want to. It’s just not normally our thing.”
Washington rolled the window back up as the rain started again. The drizzle came down the windshield, Barras had to put the wipers on, and then adjusted them to high.
“You know, Mac. I agree. There is nothing normal about this one.”
