A Handy Death by Robert L. Fish Read Free Book Online

Dupaul got into this trouble.”
    â€œAll right,” Ross said. “Let’s get into that trouble.”
    â€œRight. Well, on the night of July 25, 1964, Billy Dupaul went out on a binge. Probably to celebrate signing the contract with the Mets for that much money. After all, two hundred thousand is a bit of change for a boy of nineteen to lay his hands on. He started off in his hotel room, apparently, and then went down—”
    Ross interrupted. “When did he actually sign the contract?”
    Steve dug into his papers and came up with a glossy photograph.
    â€œHere’s a print from the newspaper shot that was in the Daily News showing the actual signing. It’s dated—” he turned the five by seven print over, “—July twentieth. Mr. Quirt is in it, too, standing back of Dupaul while he’s signing the contract.”
    Steve handed the photograph over. Ross laid it aside without studying it.
    â€œSteve, if Dupaul signed his contract on the twentieth, why did he wait nearly a week until the twenty-fifth to celebrate the event?”
    Steve frowned. It was a point he had not considered.
    â€œMaybe he wanted to wait until the check cleared. Until he actually had the cash?”
    â€œNo,” Ross said definitely. “To begin with, if you’re known you can draw against a check the minute it’s deposited, and against a check signed by Charley Quirt of the Mets—in front of a roomful of newspapermen—you can draw the full amount and the bank will even give you an armed guard to see you don’t get rolled on the way home. And secondly, how much money do you need to go out on a drunk? You certainly don’t need any more than most men carry in their pockets when they aren’t going out on a drunk.”
    He nodded to Sharon to note the discrepancy and turned back to Steve.
    â€œWas anything said or brought out during the trial as to Billy Dupaul’s reason for going out and getting drunk that night? By that I mean that particular night?”
    â€œNo,” Steve said, “only that he did. Is it important?”
    â€œIt’s too early to say what may be important and what may not be. Still, anything unexplained is always potentially important. Maybe Billy Dupaul wasn’t celebrating; maybe he was commiserating with himself for one reason or another. Feeling sorry for yourself is a far more common reason for getting drunk, especially among youngsters, and especially among youngsters who are athletes and don’t drink as a general rule.”
    He looked at Sharon. She read the footage of the tape, marked it down, made a note in her book, and bobbed her head. Ross turned back.
    â€œAll right, Steve, let’s go on.”
    â€œYes, sir. Of course,” Steve said, “as far as Dupaul’s reasons for getting drunk that particular night, we can always ask him when we get around to interviewing him at the Tombs.”
    â€œExcept I like to have independent evidence whenever possible. Clients, even clients facing a life sentence, often lie. They think they know better than their defense counsel what can help them and what can hurt them. As witness Billy Dupaul changing counsel in midstream, going from Louie Gorman to Al Hogan. I don’t love Gorman, but compared to Al Hogan he has to look like Clarence Darrow.”
    â€œYes, sir,” Steve said. He returned to his sheet of paper. “Well, speaking of this drunk he went on, he started in his room. He had a bottle there and he testified to having a few drinks before going downstairs. Then, downstairs in the hotel bar, he ordered another drink—”
    Ross raised his hand, interrupting.
    â€œI know it’s legal at eighteen in New York, but did anybody in the bar ask him for any identification?” He smiled and tilted his head toward Sharon. “When Sharon first came to work here she was—well, past eighteen—but whenever we went out to eat,