He Walked by Night Page #5

mad enough to do something about it.

- You don't really figure that's his idea?

- I know it is.

It's a tough case, Chuck.

Not an angle, nothing to go on.

You'd know what I meant

if you were working with me.

I have been working with you.

It's all I've had to do lately...

just sit around

studying what little facts we have...

trying to figure out who he might be.

You know the kind of a guy

we're up against, then.

I tell you, Chuck,

this guy's a genius, the way he operates...

as if he's there with us

every time we go out after our lead.

Sure, Breen's been tipping him off

just to make you look bad.

Almost like that,

the way he beats us to the punch every time.

There's your angle.

You hit it on the head, but you don't see it.

Look, start adding.

One:
He is unknown to the underworld.

Two:
He beats you to the punch, right?

And three:
It's almost as if he were with you.

Isn't that what you said?

Tie that up with the other little things...

like the fact that he uses a police gun,

and the accuracy of the shooting.

Anybody could buy a police gun.

The Army could have taught him to shoot.

Yeah, but who taught him

how the police operate?

I know what you're driving at, Chuck.

But a cop?

Those things happen.

If I were still on the case,

I'd start with our department.

Then Santa Monica, Culver City,

Burbank, Pasadena.

See you later, junior.

Don't let him out of sight, beautiful. It's

the first time in years he's used his head.

But you've got a print of every mug we take.

We always send LA a copy.

- It's personnel photos I want.

- You mean of our boys?

- That's Rowlins' killer, isn't it?

- That's right.

- You've checked your own department?

- We did that first.

And so the tedious quest went on.

Sergeant Brennan wore out his shoes

and his patience...

going from police station to police station...

checking photos until his eyes were blurry.

For police work is not all glamour,

excitement, and glory.

There are days and days of routine,

of tedious probing...

of tireless searching...

fruitless days,

days when nothing goes right...

when it seems as if no one

could ever think his way...

through the maze of baffling trails

a criminal leaves.

But the answer to that is persistence...

and the hope that sooner or later

something will turn up...

some tiny lead that can grow

into a warm trail...

and point to the cracking of a tough case.

That does it, boys.

I can't say I'm sorry

you didn't find him in here.

I'd hate to think it was a cop.

Doesn't seem to be anybody.

Just a lot of pieces of a face

that never existed.

You mind if I see that again?

Sure, frame it. Put it on your dresser.

Wait a minute. He wasn't a cop.

He was a radio technician

right here in our dispatch office.

- What did you say?

- I'm saying he worked here in '42.

Come on, give!

I remember the kid well. Sort of strange.

Never bothered with anyone

in the department, just kept to himself.

He was in line for promotion

when he was drafted.

- Where was he living at the time?

- I don't remember.

Try the dead files.

He never asked for his job back

after the war.

I remember writing to him about it, though.

An excellent worker.

Here we are. Yeah, this is it.

Took a while before he answered...

but, like he says in the letter,

he wasn't interested.

Postmarked Hollywood. No return address.

What do you want us to do? All the work?

Thanks a lot, Freddie.

Remember, he was a civilian employee.

How about it, anybody recognize him?

- Not on my route.

- I never saw him before.

Okay, fellows, thanks very much.

I thought for a minute...

And yet that face... I wonder.

This may not mean anything,

but he looks like a guy that's on my route.

He never gets any mail,

but I see him around there all the time.

- He lives in one of the courts.

- Where?

- Come on, I'll show you.

- It's not that easy.

What time does your route

take you past those courts?

- About 9:
00. Why?

- Just thinking.

- You got any chocolate milk?

- Sure have, buddy.

- There you are.

- Thanks.

- Which apartment?

- Straight on back.

Second in the L, Number 7.

Right. Kind of warm today?

It's not too bad for this time of year.

- Good morning.

- Morning.

You're new, aren't you?

- Yes, a substitute.

- What happened to the other fellow?

- Sick.

- What's the matter with him?

- I don't know.

- I catch everything.

Hear about it on the radio,

and next morning I've got it.

Too bad.

You aren't very social. The regular fellow

always stops and talks to me.

- Sorry, lady, I'm a little late this morning.

- I was hoping maybe you could help me.

There's something very funny

going on in this court.

I was scared to go to the police with it.

I thought maybe I might be poisoned.

- What?

- Yeah, by the manager. She's a witch.

- She's a what?

- A witch. She puts poison in my milk.

I see.

Switch the bottles

when she isn't looking, see?

Drink her milk. Then you'll be safe, right?

I had a little accident.

Got a mop? I'll clean it up.

Leave it be. I'll clean it up myself.

Okay, mister.

The place is called Bellevue Court.

I drew this from memory, but it's close.

That's where he's hiding out, right there.

Are you sure he's our man, Marty?

Captain, I couldn't go wrong on that face.

He's our man.

There are five cottages in this area...

and two, 6 and 7,

in the L at the end of the road.

Our man lives in Number 7.

This building department plan

will show you the whole layout.

It's bounded on three sides by Fuller,

Santa Monica and Poinsettia.

The court is partly surrounded

by a high wall.

Breen, Homicide.

Good, you keep your eyes open

till we get there.

Morgan has just

gone into his bungalow alone.

Any questions?

All right, you all have your instructions.

Let's go.

We're right on time.

Wait five minutes.

Go around and block the side entrance.

Keep your lights off.

He's loose. I want a radio car in a hurry.

All units in the vicinity

of Santa Monica and Fuller...

the murder suspect in the Rowlins killing

is at large.

I want a map covering

the storm drain system in this area.

Get it and meet me at Venice and Garfield.

Jones, Miller, you stay here,

in case he comes up for air.

I want a man at every other drain entrance

along this line.

He's got to come up somewhere.

Come on, Marty. You're driving.

Keep this drain covered.

He's liable to pop out anywhere.

Why Venice and Garfield?

It's the main intersection.

We could head him off that way.

Clear Frequency 7, this is an emergency.

Control One to all cars

on Frequency 7, stand by.

Control One to 80K, go ahead.

Notify Homicide.

Send the following to Venice and Garfield:

Four squads, battle lanterns...

gas mask, tear gas. Urgent. This is a Code 3.

Control One to 80K. Roger.

He'll head down this drain

to where it comes out of the Rio Hondo.

- You take your squad and cover that exit.

- Right.

Keep spare radio cars

cruising back and forth along this street.

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