Part 68 (1/2)
”This one was of a young woman raped and murdered in her apartment. It was on the NCIC, looking for a similar modus operandi modus operandi.”
”That one made the front pages. It seems like the cops were actually on the scene, but couldn't take the door because there was no sign of forced entry. They took a beating for a while in the press.”
”Well, one of my agents heard about the case, and then there was a similar modus operandi modus operandi in a little village across the bay from here, and he went to check it out. . . .” in a little village across the bay from here, and he went to check it out. . . .”
”And it was the man the locals here are looking for? Good for you, Walt! A little favorable publicity never hurts the Bureau, does it? You're sure you've got the right man?”
”When he got over there, your locals were already there.”
”You don't say. That's odd. I had lunch with the Commissioner-Commissioner Ralph J. Mariani-yesterday, and he didn't say anything to me.”
The sonofab.i.t.c.h! There's no way Philadelphia cops would go all the way to Alabama without Mariani knowing all about it. And he didn't say a G.o.dd.a.m.n word!
”There were Philadelphia Homicide cops there, plus an a.s.sistant D.A.”
”Well, your man took over, didn't he, Burton?”
”He ran into a stone wall, Walt. I was hoping you could speak to somebody up there.”
”You didn't get any names, by chance?”
”There was a Lieutenant Was.h.i.+ngton, a Sergeant Payne, and a female detective-I don't have a name on her-an a.s.sistant D.A. named Cohen, and some wisea.s.s of a reporter named O'Hara, who accused my agent of shamelessly trying to steal the arrest. Do you think you could say a word in the appropriate ear up there?”
Of course I could. And then Mariani would shove it down my throat. With great joy.
”No. I don't think I could, Burton.”
” 'No'? Just like that? 'No'?”
”Let me tell you about the locals you're dealing with, Burton,” Davis said. ”Starting with the sergeant. You remember a couple of months ago, when one of my people had to put down a terrorist?”
”The guy with the machine gun? A real O.K. Corral shoot-out? ”
”That's the case. Well, he had with him a local cop who, it has been reliably reported to me, said, 'Some of my best friends are FBI agents, but I wouldn't want my sister to marry one.' ”
”A real wisea.s.s, eh?”
”Whose father is a senior partner in what is probably our most important law firm. That's the sergeant. The lieutenant is probably Jason Was.h.i.+ngton. Is he a great big black fellow? ”
”That's the man. My agent says he's enormous.”
”Who is married to a lady who moves in the same exalted arty circles as our mayor, and incidentally is the best Homicide investigator I've ever known.”
”I see.”
”Mr. Cohen is one of our two-hundred-odd a.s.sistant district attorneys. He specializes in the prosecution of homicides. He is generally held in high esteem-on a scale ranging upward from one to two hundred, he would be mighty close to two hundred, in other words-by those who know him. Including me.”
”Well, they didn't behave with anything like professional courtesy, no matter who they are. They stood right there while this belligerent reporter-”
”And that would be Mr. Michael J. O'Hara, Burton, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter of the Philadelphia Bulletin, Philadelphia Bulletin,” Davis interrupted, ”whom I have been a.s.siduously attempting to cultivate since they made me the SAC here. Without conspicuous success. I can only hope your agent didn't antagonize him.”
There was silence on the line for a long moment, before Davis continued.
”So, for the reasons mentioned, Burton, no, I cannot say a word in the appropriate ear here. My advice, for what it's worth, is to stay away-far away-from these people unless they ask for your a.s.sistance, in which case I suggest you be the spirit of cooperation.”
[SIX].
”Chief Yancey,” Jason Was.h.i.+ngton said, ”I would be very grateful if there were someplace private where I could confer with Mr. Cohen and Sergeant Payne for a few minutes before we talk to Mr. Daniels.”
”You're welcome to use this,” the chief said.
”You are very kind, sir,” Was.h.i.+ngton said, and waited for the others to leave.
”What's this, Jason?” Cohen asked the moment the door closed.
”With the caveat that what I suggest would have to have your approval-not implied approval, and certainly not grudging approval-I am going to suggest a scenario for the initial interview.”
”Shoot.”
”Sergeant Kenny will handcuff and shackle Mr. Daniels in his cell, and bring him . . . here, I suppose, inasmuch as they do not have an interview room as such, would be as good a place as any, and I think the chief would make it available to us-and handcuff him to a heavy and, it is to be hoped, uncomfortable chair, if such can be located.
”Here, for ten minutes, he will wait-with Sergeant Kenny standing out of his sight behind his chair-while absolutely nothing happens. It will, I think, in his frame of mind, seem like much longer.
”It is possible that he will feel the call of nature, and I hope this indeed happens, because it will give Sergeant Kenny the opportunity to lead him-after he takes, say, five minutes getting permission to do so, while another silent officer stands behind the chair-back to his cell, and then back here, all the time in handcuffs and shackles. The ten-minute time clock will start again, if this happens, on his return here.
”I think his only experience with being either handcuffed or shackled was when he was first detained by the concerned citizens. There is a feeling of both helplessness and humiliation when one is shackled and handcuffed.”
”You don't want to go too far with that, Jason,” Cohen said.
”Handcuffs and shackles are a normal security precaution. Nothing will take place that could possibly be construed as a threat of physical violence.
”His attorney will next appear. Mr. Daniels will almost certainly ask him what's going on, to which Mr. Bernhardt will give the only reply he knows, that they are waiting for the police-I hope the word 'homicide' is used-and another ten minutes will pa.s.s.
”Then Sergeant Payne will enter the room and prepare to begin the first interview-”
”Sergeant Payne?” Cohen asked, incredulously, ”and where am I?” Cohen asked, incredulously, ”and where am I?”
”Pray indulge me. I will be grateful for any objections or suggestions you might have, but let me finish, please, first.”
”Go ahead.”
”Payne will unlimber a recording device, not hurrying at all. One with two microphones would be good, and if we can find one with four, that would be even better.”
”A little theater, Jason?”
Was.h.i.+ngton nodded.