The Black Hearts Murder by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online Page A

nodded. “Also known as Blacktown. By the same people who say ‘nigger.’”
    The squadroom door opened again, this time imperiously; the plump, pink man with the gray crewcut and the eyes of a slug whom McCall had seen at the prosecution table in the courtroom that morning came in. District Attorney Volper beat them to the occupied corner by a step.
    He glanced at McCall, apparently assumed he was a new member of the detective bureau, and dismissed him. McCall could have pushed his face in.
    He said abruptly to Lieutenant Cox, “You get anything out of Rawlings?”
    â€œWe haven’t asked him anything, Mr. Volper,” Cox said. “We just brought him in.”
    Volper stared at Dixon, who had risen and was standing like a soldier. “Get anything out of her?”
    Sergeant Dixon said, “We kind of figured you’d want to question this one personally, Mr. Volper.”
    The D.A. nodded his approval. He turned his wet eyes to Isobel Franks. “Do you know where your brother is, Mrs. Franks?”
    â€œYou don’t have to answer any pig question, Issy,” LeRoy Rawlings said. “Look here, Volper. I demand my right to phone my attorney, Mr. Wade.”
    â€œYou shut up till I get to you.”
    â€œYou forgot to say ‘boy,’” Rawlings said.
    Something like life crept into the dead eyes. “One more comment like that out of you, Rawlings, and I’ll have you dragged out of here and tossed in a cell!”
    â€œAnd beat up?”
    â€œI guess we better oblige him, Mr. Volper,” the big blond sergeant said with a grin.
    â€œShut up!” the district attorney said. “Rawlings, you going to keep your mouth shut?”
    Before the black man could reply, Mrs. Franks said, “Roy. Please. Don’t get yourself dragged away. I’d like you to be here.”
    â€œSure, Issy. Just for you, I won’t call this pig a pig any more.”
    Volper chose to ignore this.
    â€œYou haven’t answered my question, Mrs. Franks!”
    She shook her head. “I’m not answering no questions, no, sir. Not till I’ve talked to Mr. Prentiss Wade.”
    â€œBut you’re not under arrest!”
    â€œThen what am I doing here?” she asked quietly. “I didn’t want to come. They made me.”
    â€œNext thing you know she’ll say we slapped her around,” Sergeant Dixon said. “Right, Issy?”
    â€œMy name is Mrs. Franks!” she flashed at him.
    â€œDixon, what did I tell you?” The district attorney’s pink was now in the red range. “Mrs. Franks, do you know that aiding and abetting a person under indictment to jump bail is a felony in this state when the bail is more than a thousand dollars?”
    â€œPardon me,” McCall said. “That law hasn’t been invoked since it went into the book. You might conceivably stick Mrs. Franks with the same charge you’re bringing against Mr. Rawlings here, if you can prove she helped arrange her brother’s flight, but anything else would be reaching for it, wouldn’t you agree, Mr. District Attorney?”
    Volper had wheeled to stare at him as if he had turned into a man-sized bullfrog. “Who the hell are you?”
    Lieutenant Cox coughed. “This is Mr. McCall, Governor Holland’s special assistant, Mr. Volper.”
    Volper blinked. After a moment he growled, “I thought you were one of the bureau officers. Still, I don’t think I need any advice about the law, Mr. McCall.”
    â€œSeems to me you could use some,” McCall said mildly. “The Supreme Court has made it quite clear that arrested persons are entitled to legal counsel from the moment of arrest, before being questioned, unless they knowingly waive. Your prisoner just demanded permission to call his lawyer, and your response was to tell him to shut up. You’ve already laid the ground for reversal of any conviction you may