Every footstep in the hall made him look up, and when the steps stopped, as if some burly cop were about to knock, he cringed.

The speaker was a burly cop whose arms reached to his knees.

In the middle, still walking tall, was the slender, black-suited figure of Pendergast, hands cuffed behind his back, two burly cops on either side.

"Two big burly cops came in here nosing around, asking all sorts of questions about you and your car."

The burly cop looked around and then whispered vehemently, "But it's not just your business anymore, Amelia.

The burly cop, after an appreciative sip of the coffee, began without her help.

The burly plain-clothes cop shook it, still smiling his small, benign smile.

The press, swarming like flies, drifted back and forth, impatient for the news being denied them by closed doors and burly cops.

"He's 55 years old, and these are big burly cops."

"Well, then, how about a big, burly, brusque cop to keep me in line?"