The Judgment by William J. Coughlin Read Free Book Online Page A

nickel-and-dime matters confronting the bishop from time to time. But I didn’t do that.
    Mark Conroy’s examination was coming up, and during the week the deputy chief had driven up to my office several times so we could go over the case the prosecution might present. I felt instinctively that he was holding back. Not lying, but not telling me everything he knew. I wondered if I felt that because I didn’t like him, or whether my instincts were correct. We would find out at the examination.
    Conroy was again in my office when I returned.
    In Michigan, the prosecution must either present a case to the Grand Jury or present it to a judge in open court, called a preliminary examination. The defense doesn’t offer proofs. The only thing that needs to be shown is that a crime was committed and there is reasonable cause tobelieve the defendant committed it. Either procedure keeps the prosecutor from bringing frivolous cases that he knows he can’t win.
    The prosecutor had decided to go the preliminary examination route with Chief Conroy. It was a highly public case and the Grand Jury method was secret. The preliminary examination would allow the prosecution the chance to try the case in the newspapers and on television. Wonderful new careers could be carved out from such a juicy case.
    I liked preliminary examinations. It gave me a chance to look at the opposition’s cards. Also it gave me some idea of how their witnesses would do on the stand in the main event.
    Although Conroy denied it, I knew he had an army of policemen loyal to him combing the streets trying to locate the Mouse, the cop who was going to be the chief witness against him. I tried, too, but they had the Mouse tucked nicely away.
    The prosecutor provided me with a list of witnesses, which I went over with Conroy.
    Mostly, they were city officials whose only role was to say that the confiscated cash had been handled by Chief Conroy in a way forbidden by regulations. The Mouse would say that Conroy stole the money, or so I assumed.
    A Mary Margaret Tucker was listed as a witness.
    “Do you know her?” I asked Conroy.
    “She was a civilian employee in the department,” he said. “She worked as my secretary.”
    “Why would they call her as a witness?”
    Conroy didn’t answer at once, but paused, then spoke. “This is somewhat embarrassing.”
    “Girlfriend?”
    He nodded. “It happens, Sloan.”
    “How long did the affair go on?”
    “A year or so.”
    “When did it end?”
    “It didn’t, or at least I didn’t think it had. She stoppedseeing me just before they dropped the net. I suppose, now that I look back, she was trying to break the thing off for some time.”
    “She must have some connection with the missing money, or the prosecutor wouldn’t call her. I can keep her off the stand if his only intention is to embarrass you.”
    “She didn’t have anything to do with the witness fund. In fact, she hasn’t worked for the department for the past month.”
    “Where does she work now?”
    “She doesn’t,” he said, dropping his voice.
    “Were you taking care of her? Giving her money?”
    He paused. “More or less.”
    “It’s either one way or the other.”
    “She’s living in a building I own. She’s a senior in college. As soon as she graduates, she’s going on to law school. I was, well, sort of financing her education.”
    “How much a month?”
    “Depends. Usually about a thousand, give or take.”
    I looked at him. “Did your wife know?”
    He shook his head. “No. She’s very busy. Works all the time. I don’t think she even suspects.”
    “This is going to give you some problems at home.”
    He sighed. “What’s to be is to be.”
    “Did you give her money, or did the Mouse?”
    “I did.” He hesitated. “Once in a while I’d give money to the Mouse to give to her. It depended on how busy I was.”
    “You’ve got problems, Chief.”
    “I know.”
    “Everyone will think the money came from the secret