PATSY by Kenneth L. Ehrenthal (fantasy novels to read .txt) 📕

he was close to the detectives in Manhattan South.  He used to work there.  He walked in there one day carrying several dozen Duncan donuts.  When he walked in, after climbing six flights of stairs, since the detective's were housed on the top floor of the 19th Precinct.   The climb was tough especially on his gimpy leg.  He sat down heavily on the first chair he came to.  The detective looked up, smiled, and said. "Well George. What are you in for?  I didn't do nothing smiled George, some utter guy did it."  He held out the boxes of donuts which the detective picked up, thanking George, and taking them over to the "coffee station.  He brought George back some coffee and a chocolate donut.  "Boy, he said, you must really want something real bad to bring the eats and come all the way up here.  Couldn’t I just be being nice, said George, "Yah, sure", said detective Green walking over to George.  "OK, he said, "what do you want?"
 
"I'm working on a case and I just need a little information.
How do now get the place where you stash witnesses for their protection.  When I was here we just took them to some cheesy motel in Queens.  Do you still do that?  Gee George you sure have been gone a long time.  We had to change that since some of the "boys" were stashing their girl friends that way.  We now have to go through the DA's office.  They make the assignments.  And their places are a lot better that those Queens motels.  Although I don't think that their stash houses are necessarily any safer.  Who at the DA's does, if know, because if you do I'll get my information there.  You might have a tough time with that; a couple of boxes of donuts won't do it. 
 
 
 
                                                   Chapter 26
 
 
When Walter got home, the weather in New York had turned very cold.  Snow hung in the air.  Entering his house, he called out to the family...."you're winters are solved" Mary Catherine came out of the kitchen.  She looked at her tanned husband and frowned.  Now I know why
you're so happy, look at you, the picture of health.  We froze here this week and they expect another six or seven inches of snow."  George hugged her and loudly reported," I have solved our winter blues, I've bought a gorgeous Villa on St. Croix, and this is the last winter we will have to spend all the time here."   "I go back in two months to close on the property and its ours forever!!!"  "You did what", said Mary Catherine. "Listen woman, we're going to become snow birds and when next winter gets bad we go to paradise." Why didn't you tell me about this when we talked on Wednesday?"  I didn't want you to get your hopes up since we were still dickering over the price."  Mary Catherine stepped away from her husband, looking him askance in the eye and slowly left the room, she turned and said, "Will you tell the kids or should I?"  "You can do it" he said.  "I've go to up stairs and unpack."

 The second week in March McGinty went back to St. Croix.  (The reason he said was to close, the Villa closed before he left in January).  Sarah Alpert had arrived the day before and the Villa was fully stocked.  McGinty left two days later.  Moog had extracted a promise that when he got home he would try to find some kind of upgrade for her living arrangements.  She wanted to spend more time with him and living as she was with two roommates was not conducive to either any secrecy or privacy.  In May Sarah moved into the Fifth Avenue apartment.  She was in heaven.  McGinty came to see her as often as he could.  They only thing they couldn't do were going out together, or even meet in public.  But for the first few months they were rarely out of bed much less wanting to go out.  She never knew that there was another apartment in the same building that McGinty had access to.  And even several times in the first two years she was there, McGinty's family was in the same building.


                                               
 
 
                                          Chapter 27
 
 
Frank Carroll had been around a long time.  Almost 10 years older than Sid, he should have been the senior in the office, or at least a partner.  Frank Carroll was a bachelor, and liked to live free and unencumbered.  He didn't like titles or extra responsibilities.  He made enough money and he pursued his fancy by taking as many anti-establishment cases he could find.  He loved working in this shop because all of the people liked each other, really.  He thought very highly of Sid when he took this case.  How much better could it be to defend a black, probably Islamic, poor and downtrodden?  Someone had found a real PATSY.  Now, if they could find that the killer or those protecting the killer were members of the establishment it would make his year! Why not let my fancy take flight.  Two establishment entities were involved; The Police and the DA.  For fun, let's pass the police and hone in on the DA, he thought.  Certainly, most if not any of the assistant DA’s had no power to make decisions to where witnesses could be held.  Some maybe were asked, but it would have to be a decision made by upper level staff.  George had made it very clear that the assistant DA trying the case was "pissed off" at his boss for involving himself closely in the prosecution of the case.  Certainly, McGinty, or Almond or even the DA could make decisions about witness placement.  Almond was McGinty direct assistant, but I doubt McGinty gave him much power.  It’s got to be either McGinty or the DA.  I vote for that pompous bastard, McGinty.   If it were up to McGinty, he'd put all Moslems, blacks, PR's, gays, abortionist, into jail and he'd throw away the keys.

Frank had had a long talk with Sid about his feeling with the case.  Sid listened and tended to agree.  He ran this past Heidi on Thursday night.  They had finished dinner.  The weather was improving so they sat looking out of the windows to the now darkening sky toward New Jersey.  They were sipping coffee and just relaxing.  Both had had very busy days.  Heidi was saying, “It’s so nice to be able to calmly sit here and just veg-out."  Sid decided to just bluntly present Frank's theory.  Heidi’s head picked up.  "You know Sid that makes sense.  Think about it.  He was very close to the case.  Why couldn't he have gotten so DNA from the samples they had, taken some out, put Mohammed name on the test tube and viola!  He certainly could have.  Who would have questioned the Bureau Chief?  Ok!  She continued.   Who was he protecting?  "Now that would be the $64,000 question."

At the meeting, Frank presented his theory.  When he finished there was rapt silence.  Heidi then continued with her DNA theory.  Again there was no immediate comment.  George was the first to speak.  You know, that makes sense.  But who was he protecting?  "I was left with the same question", said Heidi.  They all began speaking at once.  "Hold on", said Sid.  Let's hold up on that for a moment.  George, can you get to someone in the DA's office and get a list or some information about where the DA"s office stashes their witnesses?"  "I can certainly try", he agreed.  Then let's adjourn now, and get together next when George has the information, or if he can't we can meet to consider other ways to go.  Let’s have a great weekend guys."
 
Deep in sleep the phone wakes Sid up.  I hope it’s not one of my nutty clients in need of my legal representation after carousing all night, and getting in trouble.", he thinks.  He picks up the phone and growls, "Yes".  "I'm so sorry to awaken you," says Ann Lawrence.  I haven't been able to sleep and I waited as long as long as I could."  "Ann", said Sid now wide awake and concerned, are you all right, are you in trouble?"  "No, no, no", said Ann.  "I listened very carefully yesterday and I think may be able to help."  Ann, are you involved in this case in some way?"   "No, no" said Ann.  "When we were talking about the DA's office, I realized I could help.  My boy friend works in the DA's office.  He's an intern, but it didn't seem too important until now, because he's just been there since September.  But now you want current information and he is there!"
 
Sid is silent for a while...."Ann, I’m thinking.....Alright, first this is great news and no one can blame you for saying nothing since the case is now almost 4 years old.  Now this is what you are going to do.  Listen very carefully and do exactly what I say."  Yes sir, I will.  "Ann, say nothing, not to anyone else in there office and especially to your boyfriend.  Not to your mother, or father, best girl friend, and if your Catholic not even you confessor.  Do you understand?"  Yes, Sid, I do.  I want you to put this out of your mind and I'll se you on Monday and then we'll talk.  Please have a good weekend.
 
Heidi was intently listening but only got one side of the message.  Her eyes asked the question.   Sid smiling said, "Ann's boyfriend is an intern in the DA's office."  Oh Sid, she said, what a break!  "Well it maybe yes, and it maybe no.  We'll see.  But it does move us a little more forward.  He reaches over and pulls Heidi to him saying, since we are both up we shouldn't waste this good time."

Sunday was a drag.  It snowed and Sid had his kids.  They went to a movie, which Heidi swore off and she stayed home and baked cookies, straightened up and just luxuriated in a hot bath.  Sid was home at 6pm sans Kids and they had dinner.  They went to bed early. 

 
                                     
 
                                        Chapter 28
 
 
Margaret Winthrop walked into the DA's office.  She had angrily endured the security to get here and she was really pissed.  She strode to the reception desk and sharply said to the young person behind the desk, "no member of the bar should ever have to endure the type of treatment I have just had.  I wonder if male members of the bar are treated this way".  All business in the office immediately stopped.   "I want to see Stephanie Trowell, and I want to see her now!!!”  The chastised receptionist immediately dialed a number and loudly said, Ms. Trowell please come out to reception now.”
 
A moment later a door opened and a young woman appeared.  Margaret looked at her and "said, I was asking for Stephanie Trowell, not this child."  I'm assistant DA Trowell, won't you follow me.  Margaret sat down at once as the DA went behind her desk.  "I don't think you re the person I should be talking to", she said.  I need someone who can answer some questions.  "I really hope I can help you", she said.  "Well then, let's see.  I have a client who was arrested on a material witness warrant and they've hidden her away where I, her lawyer, can't get to her."   "Maybe your right, I might not be able to help you."  "If it's a felony, only the Bureau Chief makes the assignments and the security detail carries it out.  Even we don't know."