The Big Nowhere

Da

Da

Breuning whistled; the print man called out, “Nothing but the guy from the elimination set.” Da

Breuning pulled out a notebook. “Will do, but where do you expect to get the extra men for your stakes on those names? Gene and Jack and I have got work up the wazoo already, and Dudley told me he’s got you busy on that Commie thing.”

Da

The arclight went off; the stretch of roadway went dark. Breuning said, “Upshaw, what’s with this name Augie Luis Duarte? The killer ain’t Mex and none of his victims were, so why’d you call it in?”

Da

Breuning whistled again. “Maybe Dudley can get us the extra men. He’s good at that.”

Da

Cy Vandrich vamping him.

Breuning going strange over the zoot sticks, like one of the things was slashing at him.

Niles and his two parolees; his “I got a County pal who says you’re not the goody two shoes you pretend to be.”

“Make it good you County fuck” and an LAPD man bloody at his feet.

The chase, like a car thief gig reversed; it had to be him, it couldn’t be him, it was too wrong to be him and too right not to be him.

Gordean making like a mind reader.

Strong-arming a pathetic homo.

The takes dissolved into a cold craving for a drink that saw him the rest of the way home. Da

Ted—

You were brilliant at the picket line today. I was camped out at a surveillance spot on De Longpre and saw the whole thing. By the way, I told the Academy man to call you a “County fuck,” hoping it would give you an added incentive to kick ass. Your ability exceeded my expectations, and I now owe that officer a good deal more than a bottle of whiskey—you broke all his fingers and nicely enlarged his nuts. I wangled him a commendation, and he’s mollified for now. More good news: Captain Will Bledsoe died this morning of a massive stroke, and DA McPherson has promoted me to Captain and appointed me Chief DA’s Investigator. Good luck with the UAESers (I saw Kostenz approach you). Let’s nail them good, and after the grand jury I’ll recommend you for an interim LASD Sergeantcy and start pulling strings to get you to the Bureau. I need a good exec, and the lieutenant’s bars that come with it will make you the youngest brass hat in City/County history. Meet me tomorrow night at midnight at the Pacific Dining Car— we’ll celebrate and you can update me on your work.

Yours,

Mal.

Da

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chief DA’s Investigator.

Two Silver Bars, an extra 3.5 grand a year, prestige for the custody battle. The command of twenty-four detectives culled from other police agencies on the basis of their brains and ability to collect evidence that would stand up in court. Substantial say-so in the decision process: when or when not to seek major felony indictments. The inside track for LAPD Chief of Detectives and Big Chief. Power: including rank over Dudley Smith and the noblesse oblige to make an afternoon of shitwork with Buzz Meeks tolerable.

Mal walked into the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Ellis Loew had called early; he and Meeks were to meet at INS, “Try to bury whatever hatchet exists between you,” and check the service’s files on UAES sympathizers born outside the United States for deportation levers. Loew had phrased it like an order; captain or not, he had no choice. The DA had also requested a detailed memo on his non-UAES questionings and an update on the overall investigation—which he was late on—eyeballing Da

Mal settled into the file room the records supervisor had arranged for them to use. He checked his watch and saw that he was early: Meeks wasn’t due until 9:00; he had forty minutes to work before the fat man slimed in. Stacks of files had been arranged on a long metal table; Mal shoved them to the far corner, sat down and started writing.

Memo— 1/10/50

To: Ellis Loew

From: Mal Considine

Ellis—

My first memo as Chief DA’s Investigator—if it wasn’t confidential you could frame it.

First off, Upshaw made a successful approach yesterday. I didn’t get a chance to tell you on the phone, but he was terrific. I observed, and saw the UAES member screener approach him. I left Upshaw a note instructing him to meet me late tonight at the Dining Car for a report, and I’m betting he’ll have made contact with Claire De Haven by then. I’ll call you tomorrow morning with a verbal report on what he has to say.

Two days ago, Dudley and I approached Nathan Eisler and Leonard Rolff, screenwriters not subpoenaed by HUAC. Both men corroborated UAES members Minear and Loftis as pla

Here’s some random thoughts:

1. - This thing is becoming an avalanche and soon it’s going to be an avalanche of paper. Get those clerks out to your house: I’ll be submitting reports, questio

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 bo

Yours,