Gin Palace 01 - The Poisoned Rose

right again, let alone run. He was college-bound, you know that. University of Michigan, full scholarship.”
    Frank gave me a minute to think about all that, let it sink in, then said, “Now, the Chief has two eyewitnesses who picked out a photograph of the man they say attacked them and his son last night. Don’t suppose I need to tell you who that person is, do I?”
    I said nothing.
    “Of course, you can always just take off, right? Not much keeping you here. You could always do what your father did when things got tough—just up and disappear. I mean, the train station is right out your door. I’m sure that’s why you live in this dump, right? Frankly, I’m surprised you haven’t run already. I figured I’d knock on your door a few times and no one would answer.”
    Frank paused, then said, “But you’re still here, and I have to admit, that says something about your character. You had to know what would be waiting for you over at the Village Hall. The holding cells are in the basement, at the bottom of a nasty set of cement stairs. A guy could spend all night falling down those stairs and no one would hear a thing.”
    “Is there a point coming soon, Frank?”
    “Augie has a living will, did you know that? I know about it because I notarized it for him. He’d had it drawn up only recently. It makes you Tina’s legal guardian, should anything happen to Augie. And since something has happened to him that means that, as his friend, I can’t let anything happen to you. So I met with the Chief early this morning. I caught him just as he and his men were on the way out the door, in fact. On their way here. I informed him that his two witnesses are clearly in error, because you were with me at the time of the attack, working a case way the hell out in Montauk. I reminded the Chief of how dark it is behind the library, and that his two witnesses had been beaten up pretty badly themselves. Identifications such as those tend to shatter pretty easily against an alibi as rock-solid as the one I provided for you. I also reminded the Chief that if Tommy were to take the stand against you, he’d be open to cross examination by a DA who would be, let’s say, well-briefed. The tearful testimony of any number of girls would certainly lead to the public demanding an investigation. And should no such investigation materialize, the FBI would have no choice but to step in and take over.”
    My life, I knew then, had changed in every way imaginable.
    Even if I wanted to say anything, I wouldn’t have been able to speak. There was no air in my lungs.
    “You’re free and clear, MacManus, but you might want to consider lying low for a while. Considering the way cops take care of their own, you wouldn’t want to get stopped for a broken taillight or because you ran a stop sign. And it might seem to you like a good idea to move, find a quiet place for you and the girl to hide. But I would prefer it if you stayed right where I can find you, if you get my meaning.”
    Nothing in the world was clearer to me than what he meant. Nothing was brighter than the small circle of light Frank Gannon had caught me in.
    “I don’t pretend to know you well, MacManus. I don’t pretend to understand you. But I’d be willing to bet you’re planning on finding out why Augie was almost beaten to death in his own home. Who knows, maybe you’re even thinking of taking revenge. Needless to say, I can’t allow you to do either of those things. Trust me, I’ll be doing what I can to look into the matter. Do you hear what I’m saying to you?”
    I told him I did.
    Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to his Cadillac. His hand closed into a tight fist around them.
    “Stay put, MacManus,” he said. “Take care of Augie’s kid. And take care of yourself, too. I just may need you to return the favor one day.”
    He left, and I stood there like a tagged boxer, too stunned to even fall.
    When Tina woke up a few hours later she reminded me that it was a school day and that someone would have to call into the high school main office for her. I dialed the number and told the secretary who answered that Tina wouldn’t be in today, that her father was in the hospital. The secretary asked who I was and I told her I was Tina’s uncle and hung up before she could ask anything more.
    Tina didn’t want breakfast, but I made her drink a pint of green tea. I sat across from her and drank mine. I wasn’t used to having another