2. – You were worried on the Upshaw secrecy angle. Don’t be. We checked and rechecked. “Ted Krugman” was not directly known to any UAES members, he’s secondhand known at best, but known of. Upshaw is a very smart officer, he knows how to run with the ball and I suspect he’s enjoying his role-playing.
3. – Where’s Dr. Lesnick? I need to talk to him, to run psych overview questions by him and to get his opinion on certain parts of Eisler’s diary. Also, all his files end in Summer ‘49. Why? There’s a gap (‘42–’44) in the Loftis file, key to the time he was rabidly mouthing Commie sentiment and portraying cops as evil on screen to “undermine the American system of jurisprudence.” I hope he didn’t die on us–he looked almost dead ten days ago. Have Sgt. Bowman locate him and make sure he calls me, will you?
4. – When we’ve got our evidence together and collated, we’ll need to spend a goodly amount of time deciding which of our friendlies to call to the stand. Some will be shaky and angry, thanks to Dudley and his browbeatings. As I said before, his methods have to backfire. Once we’re satisfied with the number of witnesses we’ve turned, I want to take over the questionings and go solo on them, kid gloves–more for the sake of the investigation’s security than anything else.
5. – Dudley has a bee in his bonnet over the Sleepy Lagoon case, and he keeps bringing it up in our questionings. By all accounts, the defendants were innocent, and I think we should gag testimony pertaining to the SLDC in court–unless it tangents us to viable testimony. The case made the LA left look good, and we can’t afford to make the UAES members (many) who also belonged to SLDC out as martyrs. I outrank Dudley now, and I’m going to dress him down on this and generally have him play it softer with witnesses. In light of the above and in keeping with my new rank and promotion, I’m asking you to promote me to commanding officer of this investigation.
Yours,
Captain M.E. Considine,
Chief DA’s Investigator
Writing out his new title gave Mal the chills; he thought of buying a fancy pen to commemorate the occasion. He moved down to the file stacks, heard “Think fast” and saw a little blue object lobbing toward him, Buzz Meeks the lobber. He caught it on reflex–a velvet jeweler’s box. Meeks said, “A peace offering, skipper. I’ll be damned if I’m gonna spend the day with a guy who mighta had me shot without kissin’ some ass.”
Mal opened the box and saw a pair of shiny silver captain’s bars. He looked at Meeks; the fat man said, “I’m not askin’ for a handshake or a ‘Gee, thanks, old buddy,’ but I sure would like to know if it was you sent those torpedoes after me.”
Something about Meeks was off: his usual slimy charm was subdued and he had to know that whatever happened in ‘46 had no bearing on now. Mal snapped the box shut and tossed it back. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Meeks palmed the gift. “My last shot at civility, skipper. When I moved on Laura, I didn’t know she was a cop’s wife.”
Mal smoothed his vest front; Meeks always made him feel like he needed steam cleaning. “Take the files on the end. You know what Ellis wants.”
Meeks shrugged and complied, a pro. Mal dug into his first file, read through a long INS background check report, sensed a solid citizen type with bum politics spawned by the big European inflation and put the folder aside. Files two and three were more of the same; he kept stealing glances at Meeks grinding notes, wondering what the cracker wanted. Four, five, six, seven, eight, all Hitler refugee stuff, poison that made drifts to the far left seem justified. Meeks caught his eye and winked; Mal saw that he was happy or amused about something. Nine and ten dawdled over, then a rap on the file room door. “Knock, knock, who’s there? Dudley Smith, so Reds beware!”
Mal stood up; Dudley came over and gave him a barrage of hard back slaps. “Six years my junior, and a captain you are. How grand! Lad, you have my most heartfelt congratulations.”