L.A. Mental Read Online Free Page A

the mist with moving mouths that seemed to have a lot of teeth, and the questions came so fast I only half caught most of them.
    â€œDr. Crandall, that must have been a harrowing rescue. Can you tell us—”
    â€œSir, what caused your brother to—”
    â€œWas there a struggle?”
    â€œ . . .  drugs involved?”
    I held up a hand, palm first. “I don’t have anything to say right now.”
    â€œCome on, people, give him a break,” Drabyak called out more forcefully. That stopped the questions, although they still walked along with us, cameras flashing.
    We got into his car, a Ford sedan that was unmarked but had door-to-door dashboard electronics, a squawk box emitting bursts of copspeak, and a racked shotgun. Still, the peace and warmth were comforting.
    â€œEver see that movie Night of the Living Dead ?” he said wryly, jerking his head toward the figures milling around us.
    In spite of it all, I couldn’t help smiling.
    â€œHow about some coffee?” he said, rummaging under his seat. “Station house crap, but it’s hot.”
    â€œYou bet.”
    He came up with a battered steel thermos and filled two foam cups with the steaming brew. It was crap, all right, but maybe the most welcome crap I’d ever tasted.
    â€œYou’ve had a hell of a night,” he said. “Sure you’re feeling all right?”
    â€œI’m sure.”
    â€œA lot of people wouldn’t be so steady. But I guess it’s not the first time you pulled somebody out of the water.” He was watching me without seeming to—feeling around.
    â€œIt scared the shit out of me every time I did, Detective, and nothing in my life ever scared me like tonight,” I said. “But yeah, you get thick-skinned. I’m sure it’s the same for you guys, only a lot worse. Nobody was ever shooting at us.”
    Drabyak exhaled, a sound that seemed both sad and grimly amused.
    â€œThere’s an upside—we’ve usually got solid ground under us and air to breathe.” He put the car in gear, and we started out. I thought the reporters might follow us, but they didn’t; I was sure they weren’t done with this, but the immediate high drama was over.
    â€œDr. Crandall, we might as well get clear right away,” Drabyak said. “I need to know what happened between you and your brother. Why don’t you give me a rundown while we drive?”
    I knew I didn’t have to agree—I could have insisted on having a lawyer before I said a word. But that would raise a red flag. I took the gamble that the best way to tamp this down was to talk like I was willing and even eager to. I told him the story, leaving out only the part about the dope in Nick’s car.
    Drabyak drove slowly, his right wrist hooked over the wheel. Dawn was coming on now, with the early light suffusing the fog.
    â€œLet me confirm a few things,” he said. “You and Nick weren’t still scuffling when he fell, is that right?”
    â€œYes. We were a good ten feet apart.”
    â€œYou never provoked him or tried to harm him? Didn’t threaten him in any way? Yell something angry, act like you wanted to keep fighting?”
    â€œNothing like that. Like I said, I was trying my damnedest to get him calmed down and safe. I’ve been annoyed at Nick plenty—no question there. But I’d never do anything to hurt him, and in general, I never blow up. If I couldn’t control myself, I’d have dropped out of psychology a long time ago.”
    Drabyak gave me another of his judicious nods. “Okay, I’m fine with all that. No offense intended, by the way—you don’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d throw his brother off a cliff. I just need to cover the turf.”
    â€œUnderstood,” I said, relieved that I seemed to be off the hook, at least for now.
    â€œSo why did Nick freak out so bad? You said that