Counter Blow by Robert F. Clifton (ebook reader for pc .txt) 📕

“Robert, I know what you are going through, but you have to eat”, said his wife.

Wallace shifted his attention to Mary. “A priest! A priest. He had to be on Mars not to know that marrying a key witness to a suspect hindered our investigation.”

“Are you inferring that the priest deliberately married those two in order to prevent Bennett being tried for murder?”

“No, I'm not inferring. I'm saying it outright. I'm saying that he did it with knowledge of Bennett's guilt and did what he did deliberately”.

“Why? Why would he do that?”

“Honey, we are living in troubled times. There are two large issues confronting us. One is the Civil rights Movement. The other is the Vietnam War. Catholic priests and other clergy have been joining civil rights demonstrations and anti war demonstrations through out the country”

“Is that so wrong?”, asked Mary.

“Of course not. What is wrong in my opinion is that some of the clergy of all denominations have become somewhat anti-police”

“Why? What evidence do you have that they are against the police?”

“I'm sure you have watched and seen southern police using billy clubs, water cannons and dogs on protesters. Several clergymen have been assaulted and jailed. I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to bet that the good Father Presti was either one that was jailed or very sympathetic to either movement, Civil rights or Anti-War”

“And there is nothing you can do, legally?”

“Evidently not. I tried to get Saul Cohen to arrest Father Presti for Obstruction of Justice. His answer was that what he did was not against the law. Personally, I think he doesn't want to take on the Catholic Church and the Camden Diocese”.

“That might be. Right now, knowing you I'm telling you as your wife do not make matters any worse by arresting Father Presti”.

“I won't, but I'm sure as hell going to confront him”.

Chapter Nine

Baltimore

Captain Wallace answered the ringing telephone on his desk, “Major Crime Squad, Captain Wallace”.

“Good morning Captain, Louis Lambraca. How are you this morning?”

“I've been better”, Wallace answered.

“I'm sure. I'm sure. Mr. Gargiulo is concerned about a few matters and has asked me to contact you”.

“And just what are the matters he's concerned with?”

“It has been said that you have lost a key witness needed to testify in the murder of his son and the young police officer”.

“No sense denying it. We did”.

“I see and could you possibly tell me how this happened?”

“In New Jersey a wife can not be made to testify against her husband. Somehow, someway, a priest was able to marry them in the County Jail. The woman in this case was a key witness.”

“It has been brought to the attention of Mr. Gargiulo that you are somewhat upset with this development”.

“I'm not upset. I'm pissed off”.

“I can understand how you feel. Let me assure you that Mr. Gargiulo does not hold you responsible. As a matter of fact he hopes that you could meet with him here in Baltimore”.

“For what reason?”,asked Wallace.

“I am sure it is in reference to the murder of his son, such as the money he is willing to provide for any and all information that would help your investigation. At the same time you would perhaps be able to answer any questions Mr. Gargiulo might have”.

“Most likely I could meet with him there. Where exactly does he want to meet?”

“At his home. Are you familiar with Baltimore, Captain?”

“Somewhat. I use to pull liberty there when I was in the Navy. There was a burlesque theater on East Baltimore Street. It was called the Gayety.”

“The building is still there. However, if possible I suggest that you drive to the Benihana Of Tokyo Restaurant. That's on the seven hundred block of Eden Street. What time do you expect to arrive?”

“Between one and two in the afternoon”.

“Excellent. I will waiting for you. Now, shall we pick a day?

“The day after tomorrow. Will Mr. Gargiulo be free?”

“I am certain that he will make sure that he is available. Thank you Captain I look forward to seeing you again. Good by”.

Two days later Robert Wallace drove the unmarked radio car on Route Forty riding through the outskirts of Richland and Elmer passing empty fruit and vegetable stands and empty, harvested, farm fields. When he entered Woods town he stopped at the Woods town Diner and over a stack of pancakes with sausage studied the city Map of Baltimore, Maryland.

He paid for his breakfast and soon crossed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. As he did he reminisced, remembering the many times he hitch-hiked these same roads when he was a young kid in the Navy. Old signs and landmarks began to appear, Rising Sun, Perryville, Havae de Grace, Susquehanna River and Aberdeen.

At one twenty in the afternoon Wallace pulled into the parking lot of the Benihana Restaurant located on Eden Street. Across the parking lot he saw the long, silver, limousine with black film covered windows. After getting out of his vehicle He stood and watched as Louis Lambraca walked up to him.

“Captain, how nice to see you again even though I must admit it is rather sudden. Come, leave your car. One of Mr. Gargiulo's employees will keep a watch. We will ride in the limousine”.

Twenty minutes later the limo pulled into a circular driveway, a driveway constructed of multicolored stone. Wallace followed Lambraca through the front door, opened by a butler. They stepped on to a stone inlaid foyer floor. Wallace looked down at the floor then he looked up admiring the marble statues that lined the walls.

“This place must have cost a million dollars” he said to Lambraca.

“Actually it cost over two million if you include the art work”, Lambraca replied, just before they entered the library.

When they entered a tall, muscular man attired in expensive, light blue, polo shirt, black trousers and black loafers, about sixty years old stood in the middle of the room. Wallace noticed that the man appeared to be in excellent physical shape. His jet black hair had traces of gray at the temples and his deep olive complexion offered a picture of health.

“Captain Wallace. How nice to finally meet you. I trust that your drive from New Jersey was safe and uneventful”, he said as the two men shook hands.

“Yes sir, it was and may I thank you for this invitation”.

“You are quite welcome. Come, Let us talk while we have lunch. I expect that it's been a while since you had breakfast”.

“I could use a cup of coffee”, Wallace replied.

“Ah yes. I have heard that you are a coffee and doughnut man. I'm afraid my kitchen staff was not prepared. My fault you see, not theirs”.

“Please Mr. Gargiulo, I don't expect you to go to any trouble on my account. A cup of coffee will be fine”.

“Nonsense, it is no trouble. My chef is preparing a lunch of shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, french fired potatoes, country stewed tomatoes and for desert sweet potato pie. You are in Baltimore Captain, a city well known for it's crab and seafood. I'll leave it up to you to select the wine. Take a seat here. Louis always sits on my right. He's my right hand man so to speak,”said Gargiulo with a laugh, pointing to a chair.

Wallace sat down at the long dinner table. When he did a footman filled the glasses with water poured from a silver pitcher.”

“You have a very beautiful home sir”, said Wallace.

“Thank you. At times I find it somewhat ostentatious. Nonetheless, I find that other times the appearance of it is required in my business interests. At the same time I use the home as a space to not only display my art collection but also a place where I can enjoy it. My hobby, so to speak.”

“May I ask what business you're in?”

“Certainly, I import and sell marble and stone. Most of what I buy comes from Italy or Spain. I have it shipped to the Baltimore Port. That's why I live here. The port is just a short ride away”.

“I see”, said Wallace as the footman placed a silver cup filled with ice and five, peeled, jumbo shrimp in front of him.

Franco Gargiulo smiled.”I hope I haven't disappointed you. I think you were expecting a member of organized crime. I assure you Captain I am not connected to any Mafia or Cosa Nostra types, although I will admit, I do know some of them”.

“So do I”, said Wallace as he dipped a cold shrimp into the cocktail sauce.

“Excellent, now tell me, why is it suddenly a difficulty in charging the man known as Donovan Bennett for the murder of my son. Giovanni?”

“Somehow a Catholic priest was able to get into the county jail and married Bennett to our key witness. The county prosecutor doesn't feel that he can get a conviction with only one witness.

He has decided to try Bennett for an armed robbery of a liquor store”.

Gargiulo wiped his mouth with a napkin, then spoke. “This Catholic Priest, do you know his name?”

“Yes sir. Father Salvador Presti”.

“Is he still in Nautilus Beach?”

“No sir. I don't know where he is. I went to the church and met with the Monsignor. It seems that the bishop of the dioceses moved him to another parish, but I don't know where and they won't tell me”.

“And, this Bennett, is he still in jail?'

“Yes, no bail”.

“That leaves one Leroy Dunbar. Where is he?”

“I wish I knew sir. I wish I knew”.

“Alright Captain. I am willing to pay five thousand dollars for the man known as Dunbar and another five thousand dollars for the location of the priest”.

“Good, now, may I have a cup of coffee?”

“Oh, I'm so sorry. Of course. Sergio, bring Captain Wallace a cup of coffee.”

Wallace raised the hot cup of coffee to his lips took a sip and placed the cup on the table. “I'm sorry that I had never met your son Mr. Gargiulo, but I'm not much for using night clubs as entertainment. I will say there was never too much trouble at the Hobby Horse, an occasional drunk from time to time. That was about all”.

“Giovanni, he was a good son. Not interested in joining me in the business. He was young, good looking. He enjoyed cars, music and girls. So when he wanted to go into the night club business I said, fine, go into the night club business, but as my son, you keep it clean. No cheap watered down booze. No hookers fleecing customers or turning tricks in the back rooms”. This he did. He ran a legitimate business. I backed him financially. Little did I know I was setting him up to be a murder victim I'm only glad that his blessed mother did not live to see her son shot and killed, like an animal”.

Chapter Ten

Verdict

On Monday, September 12, 1977, Robert Wallace sat at the kitchen table taking occasional sips of coffee as he read the newspaper. He found that what he was reading was not registering in his mind and he had to go back again and again in order to retain the printed words. Finally, he gave up. He folded the paper and placed it on the table.

“Nothing interesting?” ,asked Mary.

“Not really. I've got this trial that begins today on my mind” Wallace replied.

“As I recall this is Captain Haynes case, not yours”.

“They're related. Bennett is just as guilty of murder as Dunbar. He didn't pull the trigger, but he was there from the beginning. What pisses me off is if he beats this robbery charge he walks free from the homicide. So far we can't find Dunbar and the case remains open”.

“I'm sure there are other open, unsolved cases. Why is this one so important?”,asked Mary.

“First of all, homicide investigations in this town are my responsibility. Second of all, they killed a police officer. That's what makes it important. Important to me”.

“Very true my dear husband. However, you have already solved the case.