New York Chief of Detectives Read Online Free PDF Page B

Chief, but we have a sort of stand-off here over at OCCB.”
    “What kind of stand-off?”
    “Sanchez and I are at OCCB to look at Rodriguez’s desk. There are two goons from IAB that have camped out to keep us from looking at it. They say that they have orders from ‘Harry the Hatchet.’”
    “Put me on the speaker phone.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “Gentlemen, this is Patrick O’Connor, Chief of Detectives. I need your names and shield numbers.”
    “Simmons 2318 and Harris 6112.”
    “Very well, may I ask why you’re interfering with my detectives looking at Detective Rodriguez’s desk?”
    “Chief, we were directed not to let anyone near it by Chief Doogin.”
    “Okay, boys, I want you to listen very carefully. Detective Anderson and his partner are going to search the desk for leads. You’ll be welcome to observe. If you interfere in any way, I’ll give Detective Anderson a direct order to place you both under arrest and lock you up. This is a homicide investigation, and that takes priority over any IAB witch hunt. Do you understand me gentlemen?”
    “We’re just doing what we were told.”
    “Noted, and I’ll let your boss know of my actions.”
    “Yes sir, Chief.”
    Pat was steaming and dialed Harry Doogin’s cell number.
    “Doogin here.”
    “Harry, this is Pat O’Connor. I just called off your two goons over at OCCB, and I’m up to my eyes with your IAB bullshit. You don’t have one single thing to even suggest that Tony Rodriguez was anything but a stellar detective and I refuse to allow your amateur detectives to cast doubts. If we find anything that looks out of line, you’ll be the first to know.”
    “Pat, I have a job to do.”
    “That’s where we disagree, Harry, because I haven’t seen anything that points to that.”
    “Wait a minute!”
    “No, Harry, you wait a minute. This is the murder of an NYPD Detective, and it is the job of the Detective Bureau to solve it. It’s my job, not yours! If your IAB guys start nosing around you could screw up the entire case. When an IAB rat asks a cop a question, they know they have to answer it or get fired. If one of those cops were to say something incriminating to one of your guys, they would laugh us out of the courtroom. You know that administrative statements required by the department to be given to IAB are not admissible in court. Harry, you better put your hatchet up before you cut yourself. I can promise you that the commissioner and chief will back me up on this, Harry. If you want me to get them on the line, I’ll do it!”
    “No need to do that, Pat. I’m a patient man. But if you find anything…”
    “Don’t worry.  You’ll be the first to know.”
    When Pat O’Connor had to deal with ‘Harry the Hatchet,’ he often thought of the old Louis Armstrong song “I’ll be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal, You.”
    At 1700 hours Pat returned to the conference room. Only about half of the members of the task force were there. Bryan Flannery was in the room, and stood up when the Chief of Detectives walked in. 
    “Afternoon, Chief, several of the teams are still out working leads. I told them to stay on the trail and they could update us in the morning, unless they got a major break.”
    “That’s okay with me, Bryan. Keep their feet to the fire.”  
    “I’ll go first, Chief.” Rosa Sanchez offered.
    “Sure, Rosa, what did you find out?”
    “Unfortunately, not too much. The food distributors are all closed on Sunday, but I went to a few Mexican food stores. I could find no bright blue chips. They have plenty of plain chips, red chips, black chips, and even dark blue chips, but no bright blue chips. One of the grocers was really helpful and told me that it’s likely from a restaurant or bar that makes their own, which is common. Tomorrow morning I’ll hit them hard.”
    “Thanks, Rosa.”
    “Andy Anderson, what did we find out after we came to an understanding with our IAB friends?”
    “Those two guys