Part 25 (1/2)
”You didn't tell me the end of the first story,” she said.
”Which?”
”The automobile claims case. What finally happened?”
”I lost it,” he said.
”The woman who came to me was lying completely.”
The afternoon of the next day Thomas walked down Third Avenue to the Nineteenth Precinct. He asked for Detective Aram Sha.s.sad by name and was shown through a large squad room cluttered with desks, chairs, and patrolmen in uniform. Then he was guided upstairs to where Sha.s.sad sat alone in the small s.p.a.ce he shared with Hearn.
”I'm Thomas Daniels,” said Thomas, offering his hand.
”I received a note saying you wanted to see me.”
”Seventy-third Street?” asked the harried Sha.s.sad.
”Yes , ”Of course. Sit down.”
”I don't know how much I'll be able to help you Thomas said.
”I.
didn't know the victim.”
”We're talking to everyone” said Sha.s.sad.
”Formality really.”
”I understand. I'm an attorney-, ”I see” said Sha.s.sad.
”Single? No wife?,? Thomas nodded.
At that time Patrick Hearn entered the cubicle, drew up a chair and sat at his own desk. Sha.s.sad introduced his partner brusquely to Daniels.
He also sought to dispel the inner dislike and distrust he had of lawyers. Lawyers and judges, to Sha.s.sad, were the people who kept the felons on the street.
Sha.s.sad briefly outlined the problem with which the police were posed.
A homicide had been committed in front of Daniels's building. Was Thomas home that night or at that hour, they asked, and had he seen or heard anything at all unusual? They omitted mentioning that they had linked the dead man with a woman, and that the victim had stepped from Daniels's building just prior to being murdered.
”To tell you the truth” said Thomas routinely,
”I left the building in the middle of the night' Hearn's attention perked, as did Sha.s.sad's.
”Why did you do that?” asked Hearn politely.
Thomas explained about the fire in his office.
”Do you know what time it was?”
Thomas thought for a moment.