Death Instinct - Jed Rubenfeld [86]
“On September sixteenth,” answered McAdoo without raising his voice, “New York City’s business became Washington’s business. I haven’t reached the President today, but my wife thinks Wilson would not be pleased if the Captain were fired.”
“His wife?” asked the Mayor, incredulous. “His wife? How about your wife, Enright—does she have an opinion? Excuse me, I’ll go ask my wife what the President wants.”
“For heaven’s sake, Hylan,” said the Commissioner. “McAdoo’s wife is the President’s daughter.”
There was a momentary silence.
“Daughter,” Mayor Hylan humphed and wiped his brow with a soiled handkerchief.
Littlemore cleared his throat: “Um, would I be the Captain everybody’s talking about firing?”
Commissioner Enright answered: “Is it true, Littlemore, that you took a man out of the hospital last week and jailed him even though he had just received major surgery for compound facial fractures?”
“That guy?” responded Littlemore. “That guy has a fancy lawyer?”
“Yes. His name, I’m told, is Mr. John Smith. I’m also told that Mr. Smith’s assailant is a very close friend of yours. And that you personally secured your friend’s release on bail.”
“How’d the lawyer know that?”
“I take it these facts are true.”
“Yes, sir. I think the guy’s real name is Drobac, Mr. Enright, and I think he may be the Woolworth rooftop killer.”
“May be the killer?” repeated Hylan scornfully. “Anyone may be the killer.”
“No, sir, Mr. Mayor. There are only about fifty people who could be the Woolworth killer. That’s how many were on the observation deck at the time of the murder, and over a dozen of them were kids. This guy was there, and he was recognized by an eyewitness as a wanted kidnapper.”
“Allegedly recognized, Captain,” corrected Enright. “By the man who assaulted him. Whom you released. Your friend. Who is himself charged with attempted murder.”
“Dr. Younger’s helped the force before, sir,” said Littlemore. “He’s a Harvard man. And he fought in the war.”
“The war,” repeated Enright darkly. “You know as well I do, Littlemore, that many men who fought have behaved unaccountably and committed criminal assaults since returning home.”
“Not this man,” said Littlemore.
“Enright, ask your Captain,” interjected Hylan, “what proof he has that Smith committed the Woolworth murder. I’m told there’s no evidence whatsoever.”
“Littlemore?” asked Enright.
The detective shifted uncomfortably: “Okay, I don’t have any proof—for now. But Dr. Younger definitely identified him as Drobac, who committed a kidnapping and another killing the night before.”
“Bosh—the kidnapped girl herself doesn’t recognize the man,” added Hylan. “Not to mention the fact that she’s left the state.”
“She’s only in Connecticut,” said Littlemore.
“Yes, in New Haven, I know,” said the Commissioner. “Is it true that she failed to recognize the man?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Can you identify him, Littlemore?” asked Enright. “You rescued the kidnapped girl. Could you testify that the man in jail was one of her kidnappers?”
“No, sir,” conceded Littlemore. “He’s a little—uh—banged up at the moment.”
“You see, Enright?” declared Hylan. “Your own officer can’t identify him.”
“Would you say you have probable cause, Littlemore?” asked the Commissioner.
“Probable cause? You’re not talking about letting him go, are you, Mr. Enright? This guy’s dangerous. He’s gone after the French girl twice. He might kill her if we let him out.”
Enright sighed: “You can’t presume guilt, Littlemore, and you can’t hold a man without probable cause. You know that.”
“We’ve held plenty of men on a lot less than this, sir,” objected Littlemore. “We’ve held them for months.”
“Yes, but in those cases, the men we were holding—well—” Enright did not finish his sentence.
Littlemore did: “Didn’t have a lawyer fancy enough to get a meeting with the Mayor.”
“That’s the way of the world,” said the Commissioner.
“Give me a few weeks, sir. I’ll nail him.”
“A few weeks?” said Hylan. “An outrage. I won’t tolerate it. I’ve always stood up for the common man against the interests. There’s only one