Counter Blow - Robert F. Clifton (beautiful books to read .txt) 📗

that night, citizens watching who expect their police to serve and protect. Grant reacted and it was to apprehend and arrest. The second mistake he made was getting too close to the subjects. Miss Miller related that she heard Officer Grant shout, “Halt Police” and the subjects did stop and put up their hands. It appears that Grant could of stayed where he was, out of range of the shotgun and had the two subjects covered with his revolver.

For some reason he walked up to them. When he did, he died.

“In any death of a police officer there is an added investigation. That investigation is how and why did the officer die. The findings then are examined, studied and given to all members of the department in training and retraining hopefully to prevent such a mistake to be prevented in the future. To answer your question, yes, in all probability he did make a mistake. However, other than death by natural causes, most deaths are the result of mistakes. There are fatal traffic accidents, drownings, falls, lung cancer caused by smoking and the list goes on. Next?”

“How is Officer Grant's family at this time?, John Casper, Atlantic City Press”.

“Mrs. Grant is devastated. She and Officer Grant had only been married for three years. They were planning to raise a family”. Wallace answered.

“Will the Nautilus Police Department make sure that she is taken care off financially? Adam Green, Salem Gazette”.

“I'm sure. However, I suggest that you talk to Officer

William Hopkins. He is the President of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association. He can answer any and all questions related to Officer Grants benefits. Next?”

“Harvey Maddon, Cumberland Record. During these robberies , beatings and shootings it appears that the victims were elderly Jewish businessmen. At any time during your investigation was there any indication that the Jewish Defense League was or wanted to get involved and if so how would you have handled the situation?

“ There has been no signs of the Jewish Defense League wanting to come into Nautilus Beach to protect Jewish businesses or the Jewish community. As to how I would deal with their presence if that occurred the answer is simple. I would expect that my superior officers, those being the Chief of Police, Commissioner of Public Safety and the Mayor would contact the Attorney General of New Jersey. Someone in that group would then make a decision based on law. I would then enforce that law. That's it. If you have any further questions Sergeant Gale Wimberg will try to answer them”. Wallace walked out of the room.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six

Man Hunt

 

The members of the Major Crime Squad including Captain Wallace were working twelve hour days. They interviewed persons of interest, the latest victims and in particular those who in the recent past were subjected to armed robberies by black men. After the first week of the double homicides they were still searching for a breakthrough.

Captain Wallace read again and again all reports submitted in reference to the crimes and all he had from the two witnesses was the fact that one man was dark complected and tall, the other lighter complected and short.

His attention to detail was interrupted by the ringing telephone on his desk. “Captain Wallace”, he said answering the call.

“Forensics Captain. We retrieved two latent prints from the shotgun shell found inside the Hobby Horse Club. One forefinger, one thumb.

They match the prints of one Leroy Dunbar. Dunbar has a long rap sheet. Including armed robbery”.

“Is there anything else?”asked Wallace.

“Yes Sir. The fifteen fiber strands you submitted from the body of John Gargiulo are cotton. There is evidence of a black dye. The two fibers removed from the body of Officer Grant are also cotton with black dye and are consistent with coming from the same source”.

“Do you know the source?”

“We are sure that the fabrics came from a cotton sack, such as a laundry bag. We base that on the similarity of the holdup and robbery of the Inlet Liquor Store where fabrics were found in and on Mr. Silverstien's leg”.

“Is that it?', asked Wallace.

“Yes Sir”.

“O.K., thank you”.

As Wallace was hanging up the telephone, Officer Gwen Shapiro knocked lightly on the open door of the Captain's door.

Wallace looked up and seeing the officer beckoned her to enter. “I hope you got something good to tell me”, he said.

“I finished the composite drawing from the information that the Miller woman gave me. I thought that you would like to see it”.

“Of course”, said Wallace holding out his hand.

“Officer Shapiro handed the drawing to the Captain and said. Miss Miller said that what you see here is identical to the man she saw and talked to as she left the club on the night of the murders”.

“Excellent. Have Records Unit print enough copies of this, get them to the patrol division and make sure we get enough up here”.

****************

In the city of Nautilus Beach, the citizens, residents and tax payers have the luxury of having their trash cans picked up and moved to the sidewalk by Sanitary Workers on trash day. On the day just before Thanksgiving at seven o'clock in the morning Peter Bannister walked behind the house located at 213 Hampton Court. As usual he placed his hand truck next to the trash can with the numbers 213 crudely painted on the side of the can.

When he leaned forward to tilt the can and place the folding nose of the hand truck beneath the bottom of the can, he looked down. He stood silently for a moment as he gazed upon the walnut stock of a shotgun. Bannister slowly lowered the trash can, putting it back as close as possible to its original place. He then turned and walked back through the ally to the street. There, he saw his supervisor sitting in the city car, a car with a two way radio with the ability to talk to city hall.

Carol Myers rushed into the Captain Office. “They found the gun! They found the gun!”, she said excitedly.

*****************

Robert Wallace sat silent for several moments gathering his thoughts, mentally arranging the questions he wanted answers to from Iris Mitchell who sat quiet, but with a resentful expression on her face. He had already connected Leroy Dunbar to Donovan Bennett through informants. He also knew that Iris and Donovan had been living together for some time. She nodded her head after she was given her rights under the Miranda Warning.

Wallace handed Iris a printed copy of the composite drawing of one of the subjects wanted for the two murders. “Could you tell me who that is?”, asked the Captain.

Iris glanced at the drawing and said,?”No”.

“Come now miss Mitchell, isn't that a drawing of Donovan Bennett?”

“How would I know. I don't know any Donovan Bennett”.

“Well, unless he's using another name he's living in the same house as you”.

“Ain't no one living with me”.

“How about a man named, Leroy Dunbar? Do you know him?”

“Nope”.

“Funny, we have information that Dunbar was either in or near your house”.

“No way?”

“Then, how do you explain the fact that the murder weapon, a sawed off Remington shotgun was found in your trash can. A shotgun that has Dunbar's finger prints all over it”.

“Any fool could have put it there. The ally behind my house runs from Hampton Court to Chester Ave. People all the time cut through the ally goin one way or the other night and day”.

“Let's change the subject just a bit Iris. What I have here on my desk is your arrest record. You've been busted twice for using narcotics. One time marijuana, the next for possession of heroin. Also, three arrests for prostitution.”

“So? What do you expect? I can work as a maid in the hotels for sixty cents an hour or open my legs to a john for thirty dollars a half hour. That be a dollar a minute. What would you do?

Make beds, or make money?”

“Hey, I understand where you're coming from. Unfortunately for you prostitution is still against the law. This other piece of paper I'm holding in my hand is a copy of the court order placing you on probation for three years. This is year two. Looks like we got you by the short hairs. Now, before I call your probation officer, which means three years at the Edna Mahan Prison for women in Clinton for you, I'm going to ask you one more time. Do you know Donovan Bennett?”

Several minutes passed before Iris answered, “Yes”.

“How do you know him?”

“He's my man”.

“Does that mean he lives with you?”

“Yes”.

“Where is he?”

“I don't know. Honest, I don't know”.

“Leroy Dunbar, do you know him?”

“Yes”.

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Bout a week ago. Maybe ten day ago, maybe longer”.

“Think. Was it on November the fifth?”

“Could have been”.

“Where did you see him?”

“Sittin at my kitchen table drinkin whiskey”.

“With who?”

“Donovan”.

Wallace stood up and looking at Iris said,“Alright. You're free to go for now. I or the County Prosecutor might want to question you later. Play it smart, don't try and bullshit us. If you have contact with Donovan tell him he's better off coming in and giving himself up. The longer he runs and hides the worse it will be for him”.

After Iris Mitchell left police headquarters Captain Wallace left the interrogation room and returned to his office. As he sat behind his desk reading reports the telephone on his desk rang. He answered it. “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”.

“Cool Loo”.

“I haven't seen you in months. You're either in trouble or need money. Which is it?”, asked Wallace.

“Money man”.

“How much and for what?”

“Two or three C's for knowing where Donovan be”.

“You know where Donovan Bennett is?”

“Damn straight”.

“Is he close?”

“Real close”.

“In the city?”

“Yes sir”.

“Alright, meet me at our usual place. I'm on the way”.

“Man, I'm already here. Just bring the cash”.

Twenty five minutes later Wallace sat on the fender of his unmarked sedan listening to one of his informants, Henry, “Cool Loo,” Harris.

“Listen, not that I'm interested in just how poor you are and how much you need scratch. Tell me what I want to know”, said Wallace.

“Man what I got for you got to be worth five C's maybe more'.

“I'll be the judge of that. Where is Bennett?”

“He be at the Westly Holmes Projects. He hiding in his sisters place. It be number 717. Third floor in the rear”.

“You're sure?”

“Man have I ever jived you What I'm tellin you is gospel”.

“Yeah like you just came from church. Alright, here's three hundred. Thanks, and stay out of trouble”.

“Only three? Man, my info worth more than that”.

“I haven’t got him yet. Besides, I'm a returning customer. If you're smart you'll keep your prices reasonable. Remember what they say. Never bite the hand that feeds you. Have a nice Thanksgiving”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

Line Up

 

Captain Wallace stood behind the two way glass contained in the wall of the line up room. Standing beside him was Selma Silverstein, Cynthia Helm, Janice Miller and Emanuel Weiss. Seated in a wheelchair was Abe Silverstein,

“In a moment, several men will be standing on the small stage you see there”, said Wallace to the three other people in the room. “You can see them, but they can't see you or hear you. I want you to take your time. Study the features of each individual and if you recognize anyone let me know”.

“You are being certain that they can't see us?”, asked Selma Silverstein

“I'm positive Mrs. Silverstein”.

“If you are saying so. Good”,Mrs. Silverstein replied.

Wallace turn off the light in the small observation room. When he did the light in the line up room illuminated making the interior of the room appeared bright and clear.

Six men entered the room and stepped up on the stage. Each man held a number, one through six. Sergeant Frank Stiles in charge of the lineup said to those on the stage. “All of you hold your number to your chest.'” All six men did as they were told.

In the observation room Captain Wallace said, “Now, take your time. Look at these men carefully. If you