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The sun had shifted while I was in Lieutenant Weiner’s office, and instead of shade, now ht I left it where I had parked it and walked along Main Street toward the Rum River I was still upset about both Mollie Pratt’s murder and Weiner’s behavior, and I wanted to think it over I passed the Avant Garden because I thought it was a damn silly name for a coffeehouse and instead crossed the street and strolled a couplesalon and tattoo parlor as well as a coffeehouse, which appealed to ht a frozen concoction topped hipped cream I ate it with a plastic spoon at a small table in front of theI looked across the street at the Anoka City Hall and the dam built across the Run flashed the time, date, and place of various community events, BRUNCH WITH COUNTY ATTORNEY DAVID TUSEMAN 10:30 AM TODAY GREENHAVEN GOLF COURSE read one of the ured I just ht make it before they ran out of hash browns

The banquet hall of the Greenhaven Golf Course had been set for four hundred people, yet only about three hundred sat around the large round tables covered hite linen A long, straight table had been set near the far wall between two large s Tuse khakis and a blue shirt with the creases ironed in, stood at a podium mounted at the center of the table His red, white, and blue can--DAVID TUSEMAN STATE SENATE FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW--was taped to the podium

A microphone had been placed on a stand in the center of the room for supporters anted to ask the candidate a question A half dozen lined up behind thesoe fifty bucks for a plate of cold scray hash browns, and a blueberry muffin the size of the Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome, but no one did (There was also a plate laden with fresh fruit, but I ignored it) Tuseh he didn’t need it He spoke as though soave polished nuance to every word and carried easily across the room Sometimes he actually answered the question More often, he recited a short, biting position on an issue that had only a nodding acquaintance with the subject the supporter had asked about

I didn’t knohat Tuseman was for However, in the course of about fifteen s that Tuseainstfor the public school systeainst both abortion and sex education that didn’t stress abstinence He was against increasing the ainst crime When asked why he should be elected to the State Senate, Tuseh conviction rate, and the fact that people convicted of crier prison sentences than the state average The supporters liked hearing that Truth be told, so did I But then so Merodie Davies to help your reelection chances?"

Tuse except how careful he ith his teeth "I take exception to your insinuation, sir"

"I don’t mind," I told hi ihtswiftly toward an exit I figured I had about twoMerodie Davies for personal benefit of any kind," Tuseman said

"I’ you what I heard"

"From who?"

"People You know, around the courthouse"

"They’re wrong," Tuseman replied His raised his hand as if he wanted to brush soht better of it, and let his hand fall to his side

"That’s what they’re saying," I told him

"Tell you what Next tih-profile case Court TV is not going to cover Merodie Davies’s murder trial"

"The Anoka County Union and the Coon Rapids Herald will So will the Minneapolis Star Tribune if it’s juicy enough"

"What makes you think so?"

"How many murders have been committed in Anoka County in the past decade? A dozen?"

"Probably less"

"The Merodie Davies ot"

"Crime is the cancer of our society," Tuseman declared "Like cancer, it must be eradicated completely if we are to survive We cannot live with even a little bit of cancer"