Final Justice Part 57

"You don't say?"

"Can you tell me if there was a knife involved? Did your guy have a great big knife?"

"Sergeant, I don't know for sure you're who you say you are, and even if I did, I'm not sure if I could answer that question. This is an ongoing investigation, and there's some things we don't want to get out, you understand."

Which means, of course, that he did have a knife, otherwise you would have said "no."

"How about a camera? A digital camera? Could you tell me that?"

"What part of I'm-Not-Going-To-Answer-Any-Questions-About -This-Investigation don't you understand, Sergeant?" the chief asked.

"Certainly, Chief, I understand. But if you don't think it would interfere with your investigation, could you tell me if the window he was peeping through was that of a young woman? And was he just looking, or maybe trying to open the window?"

There was a long pause.

"No, I don't think I'd better get into that," the chief said, finally.

This sonofab.i.t.c.h isn't going to tell me a G.o.dd.a.m.n thing!

"Chief, I'll probably be in touch with you again," Matt said, politely. "In the meantime, if you'll give me your police teletype address, I'll have the department confirm who I am."

"That sounds like a good idea, Sergeant," the chief said, and gave it to him.

"I'll get that out as soon as I get to the Round . . . police headquarters," Matt said. "And thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Chief. I can imagine how busy you are."

"My pleasure," the chief said, and hung up.

[SIX].

"You don't look so happy, boss," Captain Frank Hollaran said as Deputy Commissioner Dennis V. Coughlin slipped beside him into the front seat of the car.

"Have you seen the Bulletin? Bulletin?" Coughlin asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And Matty's picture on the front page with Stan Colt?" Coughlin asked, and then went on without waiting for a reply. "I don't like it, Frank. I understand why Matty's showing that guy around, and from the perspective of Mariani and the mayor, it may be a great idea, but I don't think it belongs in the newspapers."

"I guess you haven't seen the Ledger? Ledger?" Hollaran asked.

"Same picture?"

"And worse," Hollaran said, and indicated the newspaper on the seat between them. "The editorial page, Commissioner. "

" 'Commissioner'? The editorial page? That sounds ominous, " Coughlin said, as he flipped through the paper looking for the editorial page.

Ten seconds later, he said, "Oh, s.h.i.t!"

And ten seconds after that, "Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!"

NO WONDER MURDERERS REMAIN FREEThis newspaper received a publicity photo (below) of movie star Stan Colt and Homicide Sergeant M. M. Payne, getting out of a police car at the Mayor's Reception for Colt at the Bellvue-Stratford last night. The press release went on to say that while Colt is in town raising money for West Catholic High School, his alma mater, Sergeant Payne is showing him how things really are in the Philadelphia police department.The way things really are in the police department are that there are two open unsolved recent cases of brutal murder, and one can only guess how many "old" unsolved murders on the books.One of the new open cases is that of a young woman who very probably was raped and murdered in her apartment while police officers chatted with her neighbors.The second is that of a single mother of three who was murdered in a fast-food restaurant during a robbery. When the police finally responded to that call for help, the murderers killed the responding officer.At last report the Philadelphia police department doesn't have a clue as to the ident.i.ty of the murderers.Perhaps they would if Sergeant Payne were spending his time doing what the taxpayers hired him to do, investigate homicides, rather than spending it showing a movie star how things really are.And it's not only Sergeant Payne. Earlier yesterday, Payne was seen taking into Colt's hotel an attractive young woman later identified as Detective Olivia La.s.siter. Presumably, she was showing Colt how things really are in the Philadelphia police department.And it's not only the junior officers. At midnight, Inspector Peter Wohl, Commanding Officer of the Special Operations Division, who is supposed to be heading up the Mayor's Task Force to solve the murders at the fast-food restaurant, and Homicide Lieutenant Jason Washington were seen showing how things really are in the Philadelphia police department by feeding Stan Colt beer and cheese steak sandwiches at D'Allesandro's.But maybe that's the way things really are in the police department.And maybe it's time for a change in the police department, starting at the top with the commissioner, who permits this sort of thing to happen.Or maybe in City Hall itself. After all, one of the primary responsibilities of Mayor Alvin W. Martin is the supervision of the police department.

And ten seconds after that, the radio went off.

"C-2, go," Halloran said to his microphone.

"C-2, meet the commissioner at the Roundhouse."

"Radio, we are en route. Estimate ten minutes."

"I guess somebody else has been reading the morning's papers," Deputy Commissioner Coughlin said.

SIXTEEN.

[ONE].

The editorial in the Philadelphia Ledger Philadelphia Ledger was brought to Mayor Alvin W. Martin's attention by Mr. Philip Donaldson, who decided the editorial was worth finally playing one of his aces in the hole, this one the mayor's unlisted and carefully guarded home telephone number. was brought to Mayor Alvin W. Martin's attention by Mr. Philip Donaldson, who decided the editorial was worth finally playing one of his aces in the hole, this one the mayor's unlisted and carefully guarded home telephone number.

After this call, Phil was sure, the number would go unanswered until another unlisted number could be obtained and the original one taken out of service.

"Yeah?" the mayor said, somewhat less than charmingly, into his kitchen telephone.

"Am I mistaken, or did the Honorable Alvin W. Martin, our mayor, answer his phone himself?"

The voice was familiar, but the mayor could not quite place it.

"This is Alvin Martin," he said, now far more pleasantly, "who not only answers his own phone, but whom you caught in the midst of making his own breakfast."

"The little woman didn't make it for you, Mr. Mayor?"

"No, she didn't. Who is this?"

"Phil Donaldson, Mr. Mayor, of Phil's Philly. Phil's Philly. And you're on the air!" And you're on the air!"

How the h.e.l.l did you get this number?

Just in time, the mayor stopped himself from asking that thought aloud. Instead, mustering what charm he could under the circ.u.mstances, he said, "Well, good morning, Phil."

"And good morning to you, Mr. Mayor."

"What can I do for you, Phil, so early in the morning?"

"Just a question or two, Mr. Mayor, and then you can go back to making your own breakfast. Do you always make your own breakfast?"

What business is that of yours?

"Is that one of your two questions?"

"Maybe it will be three questions. But what about breakfast? "

"I try, like every other husband, I suppose, to pitch in whenever my wife is tied up."

"Tied up?"

You flip sonofab.i.t.c.h!

"A figure of speech, Phil."

"Of course."

"The questions, Phil?"

If I ever find out who gave this b.a.s.t.a.r.d my number . . .

"Have you seen this morning's Ledger, Ledger, Mr. Mayor?" Mr. Mayor?"

"I was just about to."

"After you finished your breakfast, you mean?"

"I thought I'd have a glance at it while I was eating my breakfast."

"That's probably a good idea, Mr. Mayor. The Ledger Ledger has some pretty startling, even unkind, things to say in an editorial about the police department generally, and you specifically." has some pretty startling, even unkind, things to say in an editorial about the police department generally, and you specifically."

Oh, s.h.i.t!

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, they do, I'm sorry to tell you. And I-and all the good folks out there listening in Phil's Philly Phil's Philly-would like to get your reaction to them."

What the h.e.l.l's in this G.o.dd.a.m.n editorial?

"An editorial, you say, Phil?"

"That's right, Mr. Mayor. They just about called for you to resign, after after you fire Police Commissioner Mariani." you fire Police Commissioner Mariani."

G.o.dd.a.m.n it! What the h.e.l.l is the Ledger Ledger onto now? onto now?

"Did they say why, Phil? Or are they just still sore that I won the election?"

"No, it's a little more serious than that, I'm afraid, Mr. Mayor. Now, I don't want to put you on a spot, Mr. Mayor . . ."

The h.e.l.l you don't! That's your stock-in-trade, you slimeball!

". . . and if you haven't read the Ledger Ledger. . . . So you read the Bulletin Bulletin first, did you?" first, did you?"

You p.r.i.c.k!

"Actually, Phil, I read both every day before I go to Center City, in no particular order, but I just haven't had a chance to look at either so far today."

"Well, what I'd like to do, Mr. Mayor, if you're willing ..."

"Anything within reason, Phil."

"How about I call you at the office at eleven?" Mr. Donaldson asked, reasonably. "By then you'll have had plenty of time to read the editorial. . . ."

This is the last f.u.c.king time you're ever going to get me on the phone. How stupid do you think I am?

"I may not be in the office at eleven, Phil."

"Well, then, where will you be at eleven? Someplace without a telephone? I thought they were all over these days, like inside plumbing."

"I really don't know right now, Phil, where I'll be at eleven. You have to understand . . ."

"You wouldn't be trying to give me-and all the good folks out there listening in Phil's Philly Phil's Philly-the runaround, would you, Mr. Mayor?"

"Now, Phil, why would you say something like that?"

"Because that's what it sounds like, Mr. Mayor."

You sonofab.i.t.c.h, you got me!

"You call my office at eleven, Phil, and I'll be happy to take your call."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?"

"I give you my word, Phil."

"I asked you to cross your heart and hope to die," Phil said, paused, and added, "Just a little joke. I'll take you at your word, Mr. Mayor, of course. And we'll look forward to talking to you at eleven."

"I look forward to it myself, Phil. It's always a pleasure."

"Have a nice breakfast, Mr. Mayor," Mr. Donaldson said.

He broke the connection and leaned into his microphone.

"Well, you heard it folks, the mayor gave his word that he'd take my call-which means he'll take our our call-at eleven. That should be an interesting conversation. Make sure you tell all your friends to be tuned in. And now a word from the friendly folks at d.i.c.k Golden Ford on the Baltimore Pike. Be right back afterward." call-at eleven. That should be an interesting conversation. Make sure you tell all your friends to be tuned in. And now a word from the friendly folks at d.i.c.k Golden Ford on the Baltimore Pike. Be right back afterward."

He turned off his microphone.

"Gotcha, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" he said.

[TWO].