Part 4 (1/2)
”Youd better get into the wagon,” a white patrol cop said, approaching Dulcy Grave Digger gestured him back
Johnny escorted Dulcy toward his parked Cadillac convertible as though she were an invalid
When Alamena came out, she stepped froot in beside Dulcy
No one said anything to her
Johnny started the motor, but was held up for a moment by a car from the coroner's office that had stopped in front of hi and walked toward the body Two cops came from the apartment entrance with Mamie Pullen and Reverend Short
”Over here,” Alamena called
”Thank God,” Mamie said She made her way slowly between the parked cars and climbed into the back seat
”There's room for you too, Reverend Short,” Alamena called
”I'll not ride with avoice, and went tottering toward the second of the wagons that had just pulled up
The eyes of every cop went quickly from his face toward the occupants of the cream-colored Cadillac
”Take your curse off ain
”Shut up!” Alamena said harshly
Johnny shi+fted into drive without looking around, and the big shi+ny carCoffin Ed and Grave Digger followed close behind
6
The prelieant, Detective Sergeant Brody froer Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson, assisting
The questioning was conducted in a soundproof room without s on the first floor This rooeon Nest” It was said that noenough he would hatch out a pigeon
The roolare of a threehundred-watt spotlight focused on a loooden stool bolted to the boards in the center of the bare wooden floor The seat of the stool was shi+ny fro of countless suspects who had sat on it
Sergeant Brody sat with his elbows propped atop a big battered flat-topped desk that stood along the inner wall beside the door The desk was beyond the edge of shadow that screened the interrogator froht
At one end of the desk, a police reporter sat in a straight-backed chair with his notebook on the desk in front of him
Coffin Ed made a tall indistinct shadow in the corner behind
Grave Digger stood at the other end of the desk, his foot propped on the one re chair Both had kept on their hats
The principals--Val's friends and intimates, Johnny and Dulcy Perry, Maniie Pullen, Reverend Short and chink Charlie--were being held upstairs in the detective bureau for the last
The others had been herded into the bull pen downstairs and were brought out four at a tiht of the corpse and the subsequent ride in the wagon had sobered them too suddenly They were sweaty and evil,like African war ht
After their naeant Brody asked them routine questions in a passionless copper's voice: ”Were there any arguhts? Did any of you hear anyone mention Valentine Haines's name? Did any of you see chink Charlie Dawson leave the room? What time? Was he alone? Did Doll Baby leave with him? Before? After?
”Did any of you see Reverend Short leave the house? Leave the sitting room? Go into the bedroom? Did you notice whether the bedroo? How much time elapsed between the time he disappeared until his return?
”Did any of you notice Dulcy Perry leave the house? Before or after Reverend Short returned?
”How much time elapsed between Reverend Short's return and when all of you went to theto look for the bread basket? Fivethat tiht have had a grudge against him? Was he in any kind of trouble?”
There were seven men in the pickup who hadn't been at the wake Brody asked if they'd seen anyone fall from the third-story-front ; if they'd seen anyone passing along the street, walking or in a car None ad All swore that they'd been inside of their hoone out on the street after the patrol cars arrived
”Did any of you hear anyone cry out?” Brody asked ”Hear the sound of a car passing? Any strange sound of any kind?”
His questions all drew negatives
”All right, all right,” he growled ”All of you were in bed, sleeping the sleep of the righteous, drea, didn't hear anything, and you don't know anything All right
All were asked to identify the roup None did
In between the questions and the answers, the stylo of the police reporter was heard scratching on sheet after sheet of foolscap paper
The contents of each person's pockets had been dueant examined only the knives When the blades exceeded the two inches allowed by law, he inserted them into the crevice between the top of the center drawer and the desk top and broke theht doard pressure As time went on broken blades piled up inside the drawer
When he'd finished with the last group, Brody looked at his watch
”Two hours and seventeen minutes,” he said ”And all I've learned so far is that the folks here in Harleers don't stink”
”What did you expect?” Coffin Ed asked ”For somebody to say they did it?”
”Do you want me to read the transcript?” the police reporter asked
”hell no The coroner's report says the victim was killed where he lay But nobody saw him arrive nobody remembers exactly when chink Charlie left the flat nobody knohen Dulcy Perry left nobody knows for certain whether Reverend Short even fell out of the Goddaer?”
”Why not? This is Harle can happen”
”We people here in Harle,” Coffin Ed said
”You're not trying to pull , are you, pal?” Brody said dryly
”I' to tell you that these people are not so si to find the et enough proof”