Guns Are For Show

Guns Are For Show - Part 2

Guns Are For Show             

by sloanranger 

Part  2

"For-the-luv-a..." the Lieutenant said under his breath. Then to the woman: "If you'll just take a seat Mrs. O'Malley, I'll try and get some information for you."

"I don't want no seat and I don't want no infah-mation," she yelled. "I want my doighters!"

Doyle went back to the squad room and asked if anyone knew anything about two women being brought in today. One of the two officers grinned and the other one suppressed a laugh.

"What's so funny, Womack?" he asked.

"Check out Hardiman in the locker room, Lieutenant." Santini offered. "He should be able to help you." The other patrolman grinned broadly.

Exasperated, Doyle headed out.

A small precinct, he didn't have far to go; the locker room was two doors away. He found Officer Michael Hardiman on a bench in front of a row of lockers. The opposite wall contained shower stalls.

Though it looked as though he'd showered, Hardiman reeked of alcohol. He was in a sleeveless undershirt and loose boxers and he appeared to be picking glass from his head and arms.

"You been drinking, Hardiman?" The Lieutenant said.

The man jumped up and said, "No, Sir! Ah, well Sir, I..." before he grabbed his head and had to sit down again.

"What's wrong with you, detective?"

"Nothing, Sir. A little accident."

"What accident?"

"Well, a couple of ladies, ah, women, Sir..." he kept running his fingers through his hair and bringing out bits of glass.

"I asked you what happened, Hardiman?"

"I was off duty sir."

"I'm only going to ask once more. What happened?"

"These two ladies and I, well we were ah, sort having a, ah, drink Sir – after I was off duty.

The Lieutenant's face darkened: "Go on."

"Well, I sort of fell, Sir. Uh... well, I'm not sure what happened exactly, but the ladies may have gotten confused, Sir – or maybe it was me..."

"How did you get glass in your head, Detective-Officer-Hardiman?" Doyle sounded out each syllable.

"I, ah, may have fallen, Sir."

"And how was that?"

"Uh, the women, Sir; well they got pretty feisty. They was ah, kind of uh, a danger to themselves and ah... to me."

"You?"

"Yessir. Why, you ought to see the car..." He started, but thinking better of it, quickly shut-up

(To be continued).