"Lawrence Treat - M As in Mugged" - читать интересную книгу автора (Treat Lawrence)

for the empty lot where the cars were parked. He strode over to the green Chevy and
unlocked the door. тАЬGet in,тАЭ he said.

Benjy hung back. тАЬW-whatтАФтАЭ

тАЬGet in.тАЭ

Nervously, Benjy obeyed, and Decker sat down next to him. тАЬWhy did you
take it?тАЭ he asked.

Benjy gave Decker a pleading look.

Decker said, тАЬYou got poison ivy from handling the flowers back there, and
your girl was wearing one of the sto-len dresses. So I know you took the car.тАЭ

тАЬLouise had nothing to do with it. Are you going to arrest me?тАЭ

тАЬJust tell me what happened.тАЭ

тАЬPlease, IтАФтАЭ

тАЬBetter tell me, Benjy.тАЭ

тАЬThat gangтАФI want them to lay off me.тАЭ Benjy com-pressed his lips and
stared at the dashboard. His fists clenched and unclenched as he tried to make up
his mind.

тАЬI took the car,тАЭ he said suddenly. тАЬI saw it there, nobody was around, and
the key was in the ignition. If I drove it over here and let them have the dressesтАФall
except one, that was for LouiseтАФwell, I thought theyтАЩd stop riding me. I never did
anything like it before and I never will again, and I didnтАЩt keep anything, except that
yellow dress for Louise.тАЭ

тАЬAnd after you brought the car here, what then?тАЭ

тАЬThe flowers were on the front seat. I moved them out of the way, and I went
riding with Louise. When we got back, the gang was waiting and they said they
wanted to see me this afternoon, at that bar. I think they wanted to sell the car and
make sure I wouldnтАЩt talk about it or about the dresses or anything else. Then you
came in andтАФwell, thatтАЩs all.тАЭ

A cop is no social service worker. HeтАЩs neither judge nor D.A., and he
doesnтАЩt decide whom to arrest and whom to let go. A cop enforces the law and lets
others wrestle with social and moral questions. Even a rookie like young Decker had
known that much.

And therein lay the difference. Lieutenant Decker, 60 years old, listened, asked
questions, and heard a long story of BenjyтАЩs background and struggles. When the
boy had finished talking, Decker made his decision.