American Tabloid - James Ellroy [121]
The windshield exploded. The dashboard fell on his lap. A steel bar cracked the steering wheel and ripped the gearshift out.
Hands jerked him across the hood. Glass ripped through his cheeks and lodged in his mouth.
Hands dumped him in a ditch.
Hands picked him up and pinioned him against a barbed-wire fence.
He was dangling. Steel barbs pierced his clothes and held him upright.
The monster ripped his holster off. The monster hit him and hit him and hit him.
The fence shook. Twisty metal gouged his backside down to the bone. He coughed up blood and chunks of glass and a big piece of a Chevy hood ornament.
He smelled gasoline. His car exploded. A heat blast singed his hair.
The fence collapsed. He looked up and saw clouds ignite.
DOCUMENT INSERT: 5/19/60. FBI Memorandum: Milwaukee Special Agent-in-Charge John Campion to Director J. Edgar Hoover.
Sir:
Our investigation into the near-fatal assault on SA Ward Littell is proceeding but making scant headway, primarily due to SA Littell’s poor attitude and lack of cooperation.
Agents from both the Milwaukee and Chicago Offices canvassed Lake Geneva for eyewitnesses to the assault and for witnesses to Littell’s general presence in the area and were unable to locate any. Chicago SAC Leahy informed me that Littell was under loose surveillance for matters pertaining to internal Bureau security and that on two recent occasions (May 10th and May 14th) the agents mobile-tailing Littell lost him on roadways leading north to the Wisconsin border. The nature of Littell’s business in the Lake Geneva area is thus far unknown.
Per investigatory specifics:
1)—The assault occurred on a rural access road four miles southeast of Lake Geneva. 2)—Brush marks in the dirt near the remains of Littell’s car indicate that the assailant obliterated all traces of his tire tracks, rendering forensic casting impossible. 3)—Littell’s car was burned with a highly-flammable nitrous gas compound of the type used in the manufacture of military explosives. Such compounds burn themselves out very quickly and are used because they minimize the risk of decimating the area surrounding the target. The assailant obviously has military experience and/or access to military ordnance. 4)—Forensic analysis revealed the presence of charred U.S. currency laced with paper bag fragments. The aggregate weight of the fragments indicates that Littell was carrying a large amount of money in a grocery sack. 5)—Farmers rescued Littell, who was pinned to a downed section of barbed-wire fence. He was taken to Overlander Hospital near Lake Geneva and treated for a massive series of posterior cuts and lacerations, broken ribs, contusions, a broken nose, broken collarbone, internal hemorrhaging and facial gouges caused by contact with windshield glass. Littell checked out against medical advice fourteen hours later and engaged a taxi cab to drive him to Chicago. Chicago Office agents assigned to loose-tail Littell saw him entering his apartment building. He collapsed in the entry hall, and the agents interceded on their own authority and drove him to Saint Catherine’s Hospital. 6)—Littell remains at the hospital. He is listed in “good condition” and will most likely be released within a week. A supervising physician told agents that the scarring on his face and backside will be permanent and that he should slowly recover from his other injuries. 7)—Agents have repeatedly queried Littell on three topics.: his presence in Lake Geneva, the presence of the burned money and enemies who might want to hurt him. Littell stated that he was in Lake Geneva scouting retirement property and denied the presence of the money. He said that he had no enemies and considered the assault a case of mistaken identity. When asked about CPUSA members who might be seeking vengeance on him for his Bureau Red Squad work, Littell replied, “Are you kidding? Those Commies are all nice guys.” 8)—Agents have surmised that Littell has made at least two trips to Lake Geneva. His name has not appeared