"Stephen Goldin - Herds" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

"Howard, you know as well as I do that nothing's ever been
proved against them…"

"That doesn't make them innocent, does it? Where there's
smoke, I smell arson."

Maschen cocked his head sideways and narrowed his eyes as
he looked the DA over. "Stoneham really stepped on you, didn't
he?"

Willsey bristled. "What if he did? You may forget it
sometimes, John, but we're little fishes in this pool. Stoneham is
a big fish. You and I both have to run for our offices again next
year, remember? And Stoneham's help will be more than
welcome in my campaign, I assure you."

The sheriff sighed. "All right, for your sake I'll go and have a
talk with Polaski…"

"Not just a talk." Willsey pulled some papers out of his coat
pocket. "I've taken the trouble to get a warrant sworn out for his
arrest." He flung the papers on the desk.

The sheriff just looked at them, stunned. "Did you ever stop to
consider the possibility that you might be wrong?"

Willsey shrugged. "In that case, we let him go and apologize.
But if we're going to maintain the public's trust, we have to act
fast on something this big."

"Howard, I know it might sound selfish, but I could be sued
for false arrest."

"Believe me, it's not going to come to that. Besides, I'm the
one directing you to make the arrest, and I think there's
sufficient evidence."

"What evidence?"

"That writing on the wall—'Death to Pigs'. That's a hippy
slogan, isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

Willsey stood up to leave. "Now trust me, John. You just go
out there and arrest that Polaski, and I promise you that
everything will work out fine."

For nearly five minutes after Willsey left, Maschen remained
seated, wondering how much worse the day was going to get