Cop Hater Read Online Free PDF Page B

"Okay if I smoke?"
    "It's your apartment."
    "Gladys," Clarke said, "there's a pack on the dresser. Bring some matches, too, willya?" The girl moved into the darkness of the bedroom, and Clarke whispered, "You guys sure picked a hell of a time to come calling, all right." He tried to smile, but neither Carella or Bush seemed amused, and so he dropped it instantly. The girl came back with the package of cigarettes. She hung one on her lip, and then handed the pack to Clarke. He lighted his own cigarette and then handed the matches to the blonde.
    "What kind of a permit?" Carella asked. "Carry or premises?"
    "Carry," Clarke said.
    "How come?"
    "Well, it used to be premises. I registered the gun when I got out of the Army. It was a gift," he said quickly, "From my captain."
    "Go ahead."
    "So I got a premises permit when I was discharged. That's the law, ain't it?"
    "You're telling the story," Bush said.
    "Well, that's the way I understood it. Either that, or I had to get the barrel leaded up. I don't remember. Anyway, I got the permit."
    '7s the barrel leaded?"
    "Hell, no. What do I need a permit for a dead gun for? I had this premises permit, and then I got a job with a jeweler, you know? Like I had to make a lot of valuable deliveries, things like that. So I had it changed to a carry permit."
    "When was this?"
    "Couple of months back."
    "Which jeweler do you work for?"
    "I quit that job," Clarke said.
    "All right, get the gun. And get the permit, too, while you're at it."
    "Sure," Clarke said. He went to the sink, held his cigarette under the dripping tap, and then dropped the soggy butt in with the dishes. He walked past the girl and into the bedroom.
    "This is some time of night to be asking questions," the girl said angrily.
    "We're sorry, Miss," Carella said.
    "Yeah, I'll bet you are."
    "We didn't mean to disturb your beauty sleep," Bush said nastily.
    The girl raised one eyebrow. "Then why did you?" She blew out a cloud of smoke, the way she had seen movie sirens do. Clarke came back into the room holding the .45. Bush's hand moved imperceptibly toward his right hip and the holster there.
    "Put it on the table," Carella said.
    Clarke put the gun on the table.
    "Is it loaded?" Carella asked.
    "I think so."
    "Don't you know?"
    "I ain't even looked at the thing since I quit that job."
    Carella draped a handkerchief over his spread fingers and picked up the gun. He slid the magazine out. "It"s loaded, all right," he said. Quickly, he sniffed the barrel.
    "You don't have to smell," Clarke said. "It ain't been fired since I got out of the Army."
    "It came close once, though, didn't it?"
    "Huh?"
    "That night in The Shamrock."
    "Oh, that," Clarke said. "Is that why you're here? Hell, I was looped that night. I didn't mean no harm."
    Carella slammed the magazine back into place. "Where's the permit, Clarke?"
    "Oh, yeah. I looked around in there. I couldn't find it."
    "You're sure you've got one?"
    "Yeah, I'm sure. I just can't find it."
    "You'd better take another look. A good one, this time."
    "I did take a good look. I can't find it. Look, I got a permit. You can check on it. I wouldn't kid you. Who was the cop got killed?"
    "Want to take another look for that permit?"
    "I already told you, I can't find it. Look, I got one."
    "You had one, pal," Carella said. "You just lost it"
    "Huh? What? What'd you say?"
    "When a cop asks you for your permit, you produce it or you lose it."
    "Well, Jesus, I just misplaced it temporarily. Look, you can check all this. I mean . . . look, what's the matter with you guys, anyway? I didn't do nothing. I been here all night. You can ask Gladys. Ain't that right, Gladys?"
    "He's been here all night," Gladys said.
    "We're taking the gun," Carella said. "Give him a receipt for it, Hank."
    "That ain't been fired in years," Clarke said. "You'll see. And you check on that permit. I got one. You check on it."
    "We'll let you know," Carella said. "You weren't planning On leaving the city, were