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the camera’s tiny screen. “Do you Milstein casually scanning the room, no
recognize this man?” McKenna pulled the doubt looking for a room service cart or
camera to his face and examined the dirty dishes. “Did you notice anything
digital picture. “Aw, god,” he said, quickly unusual about him?” she asked.
looking away. “It’s Parker Sinclair.” He “Anything at all out of the ordinary?”
tried to shake off the picture of Parker, “Nothing sticks out in my mind, but we
lying dead on a city sidewalk, the front of spoke for only a couple of minutes.”
his white button-down shirt soaked in Milstein looked thoughtful. “Have you and
blood. “His wallet was missing,” Milstein Mr. Sinclair had any problems in the
said. “Your phone number was in his past?”
pocket. I take it you knew him?” “No,” McKenna said decisively.
“Yes. Parker used to work for me a couple “No disputes?”
of years ago,” McKenna said, letting the “No,” he repeated, this time with a bit of
disturbing picture sink in. “I’m in town on edge to his voice. “Look, I know you’re just
business. We were supposed to meet for doing your job, but I’ve told you, this was
dinner earlier this evening.” McKenna ran the first I’ve seen Parker in years. And it
his fingers through his thick brown hair. was for two or three minutes, max.”
“He never showed.” “Was there a particular reason you two
“Do you know how we can reach his were having dinner?”
family?” Milstein asked, scribbling “A reason? No, we were just catching up.
something on a small notepad. Given my current position, it’s not
“I’m not sure,” McKenna said. “We haven’t unusual for former colleagues to want to
kept in close touch. I know where he get together. Parker had been a good
works, though. Parker’s a law clerk for the clerk, so I just thought it beat dining
Second Circuit Court of Appeals. I’m sure alone.” McKenna was not one to throw his
you can get the information you need from weight around, but he didn’t like the
Judge Petrov’s chambers.” McKenna was suggestion implied in Milstein’s questions,
still reeling inwardly from the picture. and he thought it was time to remind the
Parker Sinclair had been his law clerk two detectives of just whom they were dealing
and a half years ago, when McKenna was with. “Your position?” Assad asked, taking
a federal district court judge just before he the bait. “As I said to you on the phone
was nominated for solicitor general. He after you woke me up, I’m the Solicitor
had recommended Parker for a prestigious General of the United States.” Milstein
federal appellate clerkship with the looked up from her notepad and examined
legendary Judge Ivan Petrov. “So you two McKenna. Her expression showed a
had dinner plans?” Milstein asked, glimmer of recognition. “Black
watching him closely. “I gave a speech at Wednesday, right?” she asked. “You were
Columbia Law School earlier this evening. shot when the—” she started to say, but
Parker happened to be there and said he cut her off with a clipped nod. “The
hello. Since we hadn’t seen each other in speech at Columbia was just a favor to a
some time, I agreed to meet him for a late friend. The reason I’m in town is for a
dinner after my speech. He had to leave meeting with the Supreme Court
early, so we planned to meet at Aquavit, a Commission.”
restaurant on East Fifty-ninth. We were The detectives may not have heard of the
supposed to meet at ten o’clock, but I gave solicitor general’s office, but surely they
him my cell number in case something knew of the commission. It had been six
came up.” “And he just didn’t show?” months, but the nation was still coping
Assad asked. with the tragedy of Black Wednesday, and
“That’s right.” the commission’s investigation into the
“Did he call and say he wouldn’t make it?” slaughter at the high court remained a
“No. And I didn’t know how to reach him, staple of front-page news. As it turned
so I just came back to the hotel and out, Chief Justice Kincaid had not
ordered room service.” McKenna noticed murdered his brethren. On the contrary,
98 | Extensive Listening & Reading
