"lineupmurder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Daniels Norman A)

LINE-UP MURDER

by NORMAN A. DANIELS


Jimmy Nolan's revolver killed the man he hoted. But Nolon swore he hedn't fouched
his gun.


The hospital room spun a little; his legs felt like rubber. But as Detective Jimmy
Nolan guided the knot of his necktie into place, he grinned in the mirror at the
whitecoated orderly who stood behind him.

"Who cares," Nolan said, "what the doctors say? Six weeks ago my best friend,
Sergeant Carey, was murdered and two slugs were pumped into my midriff. Six weeks
I've been in bed, except for those short walks during the past few days. All that
time Carey's murderer has gone free. Then, last night, they landed the killer.
I'm going to the line-up and have a look at him, Gilkin. No combination of doctors
can stop me. Say--in the top drawer is my service pistol. Let's have it. I've
carried a roscoe so long I feel undressed when I'm not heeled."

Jimmy Nolan shoved the gun into a well-worn holster on his hip. He drew on his coat
and grabbed the fedora which still bore a few blood stains from that ghastly night
six weeks before when bullets whizzed in all directions.

He taxied to police headquarters, paid off the driver and strode into the building.
There was a crush near the license bureau and Nolan realized that his strength was
several notches below par when he was jostled about by the motley throng. Then
Captain Blane of homicide saw him and extended his hand.

"Nolan--I didn't think they'd let you out for days. In fact, when I asked if you
could appear at the line-up this morning, the doc said no, very firmly. But they're
getting ready to show the hood who put Sergeant Carey away and nearly put your name
on the bronze honor roll, too."

"That's why I came," Nolan said. "I want a look at the rat. Those boys were masked
that night, but I'm not so bad at judging heights and sizes. How'd you happen to
round up this guy?"

"He had a gun, was picked up on suspicion, and we tested the gun as a routine
measure. The bullet that killed Carey and a couple taken out of your hide were fired
by that gun. Paraden--he's the man arrested--gave us a weak yarn about finding the
gat. But, tucked in the toe of his shoe, we also found a fifty-dollar bill. Being
as how all crooks are saps, Paraden didn't notice that a very small piece of
currency wrapper from tbe bank still adhered to the bill. It ties him up--in knots!"

Captain Blane opened the door of the line-up room. It was crowded with detectives.
The small stage was brightly illuminated, but tho room itself was in semidarkness.
While the assembled detectives could see the prisoners, they, in turn, could see
nothing of the men who watched them.