Chapter 27. It wasn't 11 o'clock yet when I was brought in to see Sabian by a uniformed

officer with enormous feet who was apparently called Nelson. He seemed a little mild

mannered to be Sabian's perpetual whipping boy, though I had heard his name shouted in frustration

on more than one occasion. But then again, he didn't really open his mouth other than to tell me that the lieutenant would

like to see me and to ask if I would like a ride downtown.

He seemed polite, respectful, and not at all hostile, like his brother officers had been

of late. But I imagine that he had been coached in that regard.

I walked through the squad room and hit the same wall of hostile stairs, but I was getting used to them by now,

and I chose to simply feel sorry for them that they were unable to relax and enjoy the view

as I passed them on my way towards Sabian's office. II'm sorry,' Nelson said awkwardly.

"'The lieutenant is this way.'

He indicated the hallway that led to the interrogation rooms,

and I could hear one or two plain-clothes officers chuckle at this,

as if I would soon get what I had coming to me.

I wondered if perhaps they were not right,

but I did not show it as I followed the erstwhile

Nelson down the hall. He opened the door to interrogation room two, to reveal Sabian

pacing back and forth on the other side of the desk. He nodded at Nelson, who looked

sympathetically at me and then left, closing the door behind him.

So you decided not to sleep, I said, putting my handbag down on the table, but not sitting.

Yeah, he said, walking forward to lean on the desk. Heartburn, who eats pizza for breakfast?

Is that what's keeping you pacing, I asked, or are you just trying to keep awake?

...