Criminals -- Fiction; Social problems -- Fiction; United States -- Social conditions -- 1865-1918 -- Fiction
"Men," he said, "I want a word with you--about this Flanagan job. We’ve
got to get the murderers. They’re somewhere in town right now. I want
you to keep a lookout; run in every suspicious character you see
to-night--no matter who he is--run him in. See what I mean? We’re
going to have a cleaning up. I want you to pull every place that’s open
after hours. I want you to pinch every crook and gun in town. See what
I mean? I won’t stand for any nonsense! You fellows have been loafing
around now long enough; by God, if something isn’t done before morning,
some of you’ll lose your stars. You’ve heard me. You’ve got your
orders; now execute them. See what I mean?"
This proceeding was what Cleary called maintaining discipline on the
force, and, in delivering his harangue, he had worked himself into a
rage; his face was red, his cheeks puffed out. The line of policemen
shifted and shuffled; the red faces became still redder, deepening at
last to an angry blue.
Cleary, with their anger and resentment following him, left the drill
room, descended the stairs, and burst into the detective bureau. The
room, like all the rooms in the old building, was large, the ceiling
high, and in the shutters of the tall arched windows the dust of years
had settled; on the yellow walls were wire racks, in which were thrust
photographs of criminals, each card showing a full face, a profile, and
a number; there was little else, save some posters offering rewards for
fugitives.
The detectives who had been on duty all the day were preparing to leave;
those who were to be on duty that night were there; it was the hour when
the day force and the night force gathered for a moment, but this
evening the usual good nature, the rude joking and badinage were
missing; the men were morose and taciturn; in one corner Kouka and Quinn
were quarreling. When Cleary halted in the door, as if with some
difficulty he had brought himself to a stop, the detectives glanced up.
"Well," Cleary exploded, "that Flanagan job is twenty-four hours old,
and you fly cops haven’t turned anything up yet. I want you to turn up
something. See what I mean? I want you to get busy, damn you, and get
busy right away. See what I mean?"
"But, Chief," one of the men began.
Cleary looked at him with an expression of unutterable scorn.
"G-e-t r-i-g-h-t!" he said, drawling out the words in the lowest
register of his harsh bass voice. "Get right! See what I mean? Come
to cases, you fellows; I want a show-down. You make some arrests before
morning or some of you’ll quit flyin’ and go back to wearin’ the
clothes. See what I mean?"
He stood glowering a moment, then repeated all he had said, cursed them
all again, and left the room, swearing to himself.
Down-stairs, in the front office, the reporters were waiting. Cleary
stopped when he saw them, took off his cap, and wiped his forehead with
a large silk handkerchief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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