Lou Boldt: A Mysterious Profile

By Ridley Pearson

The New York Times–bestselling author’s “engaging cop hero” finds himself on the other side of the interview room in this revealing short story (Publishers Weekly).
 
After twenty-seven years on the force, Lt. Lou Boldt is suddenly seated at a table being grilled as part of an internal investigation. They want him to talk about what happened with ten grand in cash in the evidence room. As the pressure mounts and Boldt leads his interrogators on numerous conversational detours, they will touch upon issues of crime and corruption, but also subjects like friendship and loyalty, trauma and trust—in this short story that explores the Seattle detective’s life and career.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MysteriousPress.com Open Road
• Release date: May 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781504074520

Ridley Pearson

Ridley Pearson is the bestselling author of over fifty novels, including Peter and the Starcatchers (cowritten with Dave Barry) and the Kingdom Keepers and Lock and Key series. He has also written two dozen crime novels, including Probable Cause, Beyond Recognition, Killer Weekend, The Risk Agent, and The Red Room. To learn more about him, visit www.ridleypearson.com.

Book preview

Lou Boldt

A Mysterious Profile

Ridley Pearson

Lou Boldt

Boldt: First for the record, I want to say emphatically that I’ve not committed any crime. I’ve agreed to talk without counsel. Anyone who knows any detective knows he would never speak without an attorney present, not to his own mother if she were accusing him of eating an extra piece of pie. But your accusation is a bit more serious than that, isn’t it? And for the record: my mother is dead. So’s my father. I have a sister, lives in central Washington. That’s what left of that part of my life. But anyway, I’m innocent of the charges.

Define your relationship with Captain Philip Shoswitz, as well as with Detective John LaMoia.

Boldt: Define it? Have you got a few hours?

We have all the time you need, Lieutenant.

Boldt: First, can I make some observations, Sergeant Feldman? You and Dr. Hainer. I’m guessing you’re what, Sergeant? Forty-two? Dr. Hainer’s thirty-five, thirty-six? I imagine you slogged your way through beer and co-eds and managed a bachelor degree in pub-crawling. Same as any red blooded kid. Dr. Hainer did not fare so well. He never left the bottle behind.

Let’s keep this to the investigation, shall we?

Boldt: If you don’t mind, it’s important to the people reviewing this interview they understand the mindset of those doing the interview. Very important to me. I’m trained in detection, Sergeant, same as you. And it’s important that we know each other. Dr. Hainer looks like a man who lived for graduate school. Probably lived off the parents’ checkbook for as long as possible. Maybe a few years too many. See his clothes? He’s worn that jacket a long time. There are stitch marks where he removed an emblem—a college or fraternity emblem, I’m guessing. The bloodshot eyes