Dead Man in the Harbour, page 13
“Okay but it’s on the way to Kelly’s. Why don’t we just stop and get it?” She was right. Her flat was on Morris Street up near South Park but there wasn’t a tram line and the street wasn’t usually very busy, which would leave them exposed.
“I don’t want you outside any longer than necessary,” he said.
They jostled and bumped their way through the mob of people until they reached a corner where he led her across the street. They stopped at the bus stop to wait on the next tram, which was due any minute.
O’Toole remained alert but felt less stressed now that she was here with him and they were on the way to a safe place.
* * *
I was sitting at my desk eating a cold Spam sandwich that passed for my supper what with rationing these days. Parks was sitting with me pecking away at a sandwich. Guess he wasn’t too partial to Spam. Pete Duncan came in carrying a small wooden box.
“The guns and enough ammo for two reloads,” he said, setting the box on his desk. “Duty officer out front jus’ told me that Monroe called. Sez he’s come up with nothin’ so far. Sez it’s like the Slaunwhite woman jus’ disappeared. He can’t figure it out,” he said.
“Right. Well, we can’t sit aroun’ waiting on him gettin’ a line,” I said, glancing at my watch. We still had almost two hours to kill before we set out. “The men are due in soon. What’s the latest on Cunningham? We hear anything yet?”
“Yeah as a matter a fact. Call came in from the hospital. He’s awake. Looks like he’s all right accordin’ to the doc. Gonna be laid up awhile though. Guess we could take a run over there and talk to him. See if there’s a tie-in to what we’re doin’.”
“Yeah. Let’s go, You wanna tag along?” I asked Parks.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll stay here if it’s all the same with you. Sort of hold the fort, so to speak.”
“Okay. We’ll be back in half an hour.”
When we arrived at the hospital, we were told that Cunningham was sent up to a ward bed where he would stay for a day or two. We went up and found him in a bed, his head and rib cage wrapped in bandages. He was able to talk and told us he got jumped by a couple of liquored up servicemen looking for money for more booze. When he said no they piled on him.
Pete asked why he was in that part of town at night. He explained he was finished for the day and was on his way to see a girl he was dating who lived on Tower Road.
Satisfied the Cunningham beating had nothing to do with the case, we said we were sorry he got beaten up and wished him a quick recovery, then left.
“Well, at least that’s not another complication we gotta deal with,” Pete said as we left the hospital.
“There’s that. Shame though.”
“What?”
“I think we’re gonna be dealing with a lot more of this sorta thing in the coming months, maybe years.”
“Yeah, s’ppose you’re right. It’ll be tough on the beat cops for sure.”
“Uh-huh. Maybe I’ll have a chat with Morrison about steppin’ up a greater military police presence in the city. Maybe even have one of them patrol with one of ours.”
“Sounds good,” Pete said, getting in the driver’s seat and inserting the key into the ignition.
At eight thirty, all the volunteer officers were sitting and standing around the squad room. Some were smoking cigarettes. Some were chatting quietly among themselves. Pete sat on the corner of his desk next to the box with the weapons. Parks and I stepped into the room and everyone went quiet.
“Right,” I said. “First, I want to say thanks for volunteering for this assignment. As I’ve already indicated, this is primarily a surveillance setup. However, the two men we’re lookin’ for are hard cases and we’re pretty sure one of them has already murdered two people, one a woman, so you’ll be armed. One of these men is a suspected member of the IRA, the other a possible German agent. It’s the German who is the killer. If at all possible, I want to take them alive, understood?”
There was a smattering of Yes sirs and nods from the assembled men.
“Good. Any questions, so far?” No one spoke up.
“Okay. Here’s the plan,” I said, stepping over to the city map on the wall.
“You’ll pair up and take up positions here, here, and here.” I pointed at the specified locations. “Three of you, along with either Detective Duncan or me, will be on the street mingling in the crowd. So, everybody got it? Any questions?” I asked again, ten minutes later.
“Yes, sir,” said a young man standing near the back.
“Go on.”
“I know Kelly’s place. It’s on my beat. Usually after ten, eleven o’clock, it’s pretty busy. Lots of civilians and servicemen hangin’ around. Whadda we do if we hafta deal with these two guys with that mob about?”
“We’ve set up a radio link to here. Lieutenant Parks here will coordinate with the military police and our guys and will have a flying squad ready to assist if needed. He has also put together a simple set of hand signals we’ll use to communicate with each other, so see him when we’re done here and pay attention to him. Your main job is to make sure our suspects don’t slip away. I want to contain them in the house if possible. So, if you do spot someone or something, don’t do anythin’ to prevent them goin’ inside, and let either me or Duncan know, okay?”
“What about comin’ out?” the other man asked.
“Detain them. Clear?”
“Yes, sir. Thanks.”
“In fact, Pete, you keep in touch with these guys at the back.”
“Any more questions?” None. “By the way, has anyone else patrolled that beat, recently or currently?”
One other man raised his hand.
“I had that beat before Walters,” he said, glancing quickly at the man who asked the questions.
“How long ago?”
“Two months. I’m now on the beat down near the depot.”
“Okay, jus’ to be safe, you and him, pair up and take the position at the rear of the house by the coal yard. Both of you keep an eye open for anyone who might try to enter or exit from the back. Keep to the shadows as much as you can and remember, I want these guys alive, got it?”
One nodded and the other said, “Yes, sir.”
“Okay, men step over to Detective Duncan’s desk and get your guns, and good luck tonight.”
Parks and I stepped off to a corner.
“Everything’s set up with your crowd?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, nodding. “There will be three vehicles standing by a couple of blocks away with sufficient men. They will only arrive if called for.”
“Good. Let’s hope it won’t come to that. The last thing I want is a goddamn shoot-out or riot in that crowd.”
“Amen to that. Looks like you put together a good plan. I’m impressed.”
“Thanks. It wasn’t that hard. Most of these men know the city like the back of their hands. They know what to look for and their way around any of the back alleys our guys could use to get inside the house.”
“Like I said…it’s a good plan,” Parks said with a smile. “Now all we need is for our little flies to step into the web.”
* * *
Meanwhile, O’Toole and Marie Slaunwhite arrived at Kelly’s. Business was light this time of day, so they had no difficulty getting inside. He led her upstairs to Kelly’s private quarters.
“So, this is her, huh?” Kelly said when O’Toole closed the door.
“Yeah. Marie, this is Iain Kelly,” O’Toole said. “Iain, Marie.”
“Welcome,” Kelly said, offering her a chair. “Can I get you somethin’?”
“No thank you, I’m good,” she said.
“I gotta leave for about half an hour but I’ll be back,” O’Toole said.
Kelly shot him a quick look.
“Gotta get her things.”
“Risky don’t ya think?”
“Should be all right for now. It’s still daylight an’ she lives over on Morris so I should be okay.”
“I advise against it but…”
“You sure it’s okay us being here for the night?” O’Toole asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah. I got a coupla more men watchin’ things. The bastard tries to get in he’ll git himself a surprise. Sure,” Kelly said. “Listen, I’m thinkin’ that it’ll be dark in an hour or so. I say wait ‘til then before ya go. Be better I think.”
“Yeah, ya might be right. Okay. I’ll wait. I’ll slip out the back and come back in the same way.”
“I’ll let the boys know. You carryin’?”
O’Toole patted his coat pocket and nodded. He turned and looked at Marie who remained silent while they talked. He saw the worried look on her face.
“It’ll be okay, pet. I’ll nip out and get yer kit an’ be back before ya know it. Iain here will keep ya safe. Jus’ stay here an’ think about what awaits us once we’re away.”
Chapter Ten
The squad room was mostly empty with only a couple of men lingering around waiting to leave for their assignment. Most of the others had left to get a coffee or have a smoke. Everyone was ready.
I had laid out the plan, divvied the men into two-man teams and assigned specific locations for them to take up. We were all to leave at eight-thirty and make our way to Inglis Street, arriving at the designated spots no later than nine-fifteen. Everyone was in place by nine-twenty when I checked.
There were about twenty to thirty men and women milling about the street, some in front of Kelly’s place, some making their way inside, others slipping out, a bottle in hand. I spotted a few couples heading into a dark alley, laughing, sharing a bottle. It wasn’t hard to figure out what they had in mind. But that wasn’t my concern right then, although I began to see why Morrison was concerned about the level of complaints coming in lately from this neighbourhood.
I stayed on the street mingling with the crowd on the sidewalk, keeping an eye on the faces that passed by. I kept well away from the entrance to the house without losing sight of it. It wouldn’t do to have one of Kelly’s people recognize me and raise the alarm. Pete was working the crowd farther up the street with a view of the coal yards behind Kelly’s. Every so often he and I would look to our men for any signal.
It was nearly ten o’clock when I spotted Pete dashing out of sight toward the back of the house. I made my way there from the other end. When I arrived, my men had a man pinned on the ground. Pete was standing over them with his gun drawn.
When I reached them, Pete looked at me. “O’Toole.”
The three of them were in between a couple of small piles of coal. I looked down at the man lying face down with one of our men holding him with his knee on his back. His partner stood to the side with his pistol out.
“Get the fuck offa me, ya bastard,” O’Toole spat between clenched teeth.
“Shut up,” my man said as O’Toole continued to squirm under his weight.
“Good catch, fellas,” I said.
“Now what?” Pete asked.
I thought for a moment. I could shackle him and have him taken back to the station, or I could take him into Kelly’s place, wait for the German and maybe pressure him and Kelly into talking. I quickly rejected that idea, too many chances for complications.
“Can you two handle him and get him back to the station?” I asked, looking at the men.
“Yes, sir. No problem,” one of them said.
“Okay, stand him up and pat him down good, and then head over to where backup is waiting and get one of them to drive you to the station. Put him in a cell. You better head off that way so you don’t draw attention.” I pointed away from the house through the coal yard. “Don’t let the navy guy know we got him yet.”
“Yes, sir,” he said as he stood up, pulling O’Toole up with him by his coat collar.
“Pete, you stay here in case the German tries to get in this way. I’ll send one of the men from out front to back you up.”
“Okay,” he said. “One down, one to go.”
I made my way back to Inglis Street where I spotted one of our men nearby. I casually walked up to him, took out a cigarette and asked for a light. As he struck a match, I ordered him to head over to join up with Pete. Then I went back to working the street.
It must have been nearly one o’clock when I heard the woman scream. It came from down near the corner of Victoria Road. I took off at a run, arriving where a small crowd had gathered in front of an alleyway.
“Make way, make way. Police,” I shouted at the backs of the people standing there. They moved aside as I pushed my way through.
I made it to the front of the crowd where a woman was being held by a young sailor with her face buried in his chest.
“Okay, step back, everybody. Make room. Not you two,” I said, pointing to the sailor and woman.
By now several of our men arrived and began getting the crowd back and the scene under control. I stepped into the alley. About eight feet in, the body of a man lay face down on the ground. When I knelt down, I recognized him as one of my men. I quickly placed two fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse. He was still alive. I reached inside my coat and pulled out the walkie-talkie Parks gave me and depressed the button on the side.
“This is Robichaud. I got a man down. I need an ambulance…now. Corner of Victoria Road. Hurry.”
There was a brief crackle in my ear, then, “On the way. Over.”
I went back to the body and did a quick search, looking for where he was hurt. A moment later I felt the thick, warm stickiness of his blood on my fingers. He had been stabbed in the back on the left side about three inches below his heart.
“Uuuugggghhh,” he groaned softly.
“It’s okay, buddy. Jus’ take it easy, okay? Help’s on the way,” I said softly as I gently placed a hand on his shoulder. “You jus’ lie still.”
Five minutes later the wail of a siren sounded in the distance.
By the time the ambulance arrived and loaded him in back, the street was crawling with police and uniformed MPs. Pete and I stood off together watching the ambulance head up Victoria Road.
“Sonnofabitch,” he muttered. “How do ya figure he knew?”
“My guess, he probably decided not to approach the house directly. Most likely, he came through one of the alleyways back there,” I said, indicating the far end of the alley. “That’s when he made our man.”
I headed back into the alley with Pete following behind.
“Okay, but why attack our guy? He coulda jus’ turned away.”
“Maybe our man caught wind of him before he could fade back. Besides, are we certain it was him?”
“Whaddya mean? Of course, it was him. Had ta be, right? I mean, who else, for Chrissake?”
I looked back at the street, surveying the crowd still milling about.
“Yeah, you’re right. It was him.” We continued to the end of the alley. When we reached the end, it opened onto a courtyard of sorts with access to several other alleyways.
“Guess there’s no point to hang around here now,” Pete said.
“Yeah. Tell the men to call it a night and go home. Make sure they remember to bring their guns in.”
“Okay. At least we got O’Toole.”
“Yeah. I can’t wait to have a chat with him.”
“What about Kelly? Wanna take him in too?”
“Not yet. Let’s see what we can squeeze outta O’Toole first.”
We returned to the street. I decided to leave the crowd to the MPs and stood my men down, sending them home. Ten minutes later, Pete and I headed back to the station. I was too keyed up to go home and needed to take my anger out on someone.
This wasn’t going to be a good day for Sean O’Toole.
It was almost two thirty before Pete and I made it back to the station. I told him to get O’Toole and take him to the interrogation room while I went to the washroom to clean the fallen officer’s blood off my hands.
As I left the washroom and headed down the hall to the interrogation room, Parks stepped up beside me.
“Heard you were back,” he said, looking at me. “My God, you look awful.”
No point in keeping him in the dark, I thought.
“Guess you heard,” I said.
“Uh-huh. I was on the radio when you called for the ambulance.”
“Looks like I was right. The German showed up. He got away, but not before he knifed one of my men,” I said testily. “Oh yeah, we did get O’Toole.”
“Great news but what about your man? Is he all right?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know yet. He’s been taken to the hospital. Look. I need to talk with O’Toole before you take over. I still got to close my file. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
Parks picked up on the tone of my voice. “Certainly. I can wait.”
We reached the interrogation room. I opened the door and we stepped inside, Parks closing the door behind him.
The room was windowless with only a small square table and three chairs situated under a bright white ceiling light. O’Toole sat on one side with his wrists still manacled. There was a single brown mug and an ashtray on the table. Pete stood leaning against the wall to my right.
I pulled a chair over and sat down. Parks did the same.
“Not your lucky night, is it?” I said.
O’Toole looked from Parks to me with a contemptuous look on his face.
“Right. Let’s cut the crap an’ git right to it. Whaddya know ‘bout Cafferty’s body we found in the harbour, an’ don’t even think about wastin’ my time playin’ silly buggers with me. I’m not in the mood. I know it was Cafferty and he was a friend of yours,” I growled.
“Don’t know what…” he started to say.
I leaned forward and threw a sharp right jab into his face. His head snapped back, a surprised look in his eyes. Blood ran down his chin from a split lip.
“I told ya, I’m not in the mood for your crap.” I sat back down.
O’Toole spit on the floor, then turned back wiping his sleeve across his mouth.
