Armageddon_ A Novel of Berlin - Leon Uris [61]
Sean slumped back in his chair. His eyes welled with tears. Why in the name of God did Dante do it? Sean continued to read more deeply into the documents.
Bolinski was still drowsy from his rude awakening, but having worked under O’Sullivan he was used to having his sleep interrupted. Sean apologized to his legal officer for the hour; through a yawn Bolinski said it was okay.
Sean questioned him carefully. “Bo, you’ve been drawing up the recommendations for the indictments against the Von Romstein family. How far have you gotten on it?”
Bolinski scratched his jaw. “I’ve been going through the interrogations and recommendations. Matter of fact, I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“How do you feel about our case?”
“Dante Arosa seems to think the count is pretty clean.”
“Are we going to be able to link him with Schwabenwald?”
“Not according to Dante.”
“How about crimes against humanity for use of slave labor?”
Bolinski shook his head.
“Any known collusion between Ludwig and the Nazi brother?”
“According to the interrogations the count looks as pure as driven snow. If we go on Dante’s stuff we couldn’t get a conviction for jay walking.”
Sean nodded. “Thanks. Sorry I woke you up, Bo. Keep it quiet.”
“Sure.”
Sean watched from his south window, looking toward the bridge, waiting for Blessing’s headlights to come into view. He watched the jeep cross the bridge, park, and the fat man make his way out.
“Lord almighty,” Blessing said to Sean’s back, “I got twenty men digging around in passageways inside passageways. They’re turning the castle inside out.” Then the weariness of the hours fell on him. “Well, one thing good about nonfraternization—been working so hard I haven’t seen the end of my pecker for a month.”
Sean spun about. “Where’s Dante Arosa?”
“How the hell am I supposed to know?”
“If you’re my police chief, you damned well better know.”
“Hell’s afire. You call me over here just to ...”
“Don’t get folksy with me, Blessing!”
“Can’t talk to you when you’re riled up like this ...”
“You’ve been covering up for him, haven’t you?”
Blessing turned beet red.
Sean’s arm and shoulder muscles bulged with anger. “I ought to bust you in your fat stomach!”
Blessing fell into a chair. “I only knew about it for a week. I swear to you, Major, I just found out about it. I’ve been going through plain hell, Major ... just plain hell. I know Dante’s been doing something wrong but I swear ... I just couldn’t bring myself to telling you. I just hope to God he ain’t hurt you.”
Slowly Sean’s anger ebbed from him. Now there were two of them in the predicament
“In my work,” Blessing said, “I have to use informers. You hate the goddamned little wart who squeals, but you’ve got to use him. Informers are the lowest polecats in the world. I just didn’t want to become one myself. I was going to talk to Dante ... try to set him straight ...”
“Too late now.”
“What’s he gone and done?”
“Whitewashed the whole Von Romstein family. He’s doctored up every report, every interrogation.”
“How’d he figure he’d get away with it?”
“With so many tens of thousands of legal processes being drawn up he figured we’d be long gone from Rombaden before Von Romstein got into court. I suppose there’s a woman involved?”
Blessing nodded.
“Who? Von Romstein’s daughter?”
“Yeh. I followed him last week and waited until he left. I stayed until dawn and saw her come out and tailed her home.”
“Where are they?”
“Bombed-out apartment down near the factory.”
“Let’s go.”
They parked two blocks away from the apartment. They tiptoed the rest of the way through the silent streets. Blessing pointed to the second floor of a badly shattered house; then they retreated around the corner to where Dante’s jeep was hidden inside an archway of a courtyard.
“We can rush it.”
“No,” Sean whispered, “at least let him have the dignity of being caught with his pants on. I’ll stay here by his jeep. You watch the apartment and pick up the woman when she shows up later.”
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