Page 180 - Labelle Gramercy, Detective

Slow Burn

“They can swear you were here at five o’clock?”
“Five? Well, actually I went out around then to buy some beer.
It’s just a five-minute run in the car down to the liquor store on 28th
Street. Let me see, I probably have the receipt here somewhere.”
He rummaged around on the floor of the trailer, tossing aside
magazines and food containers in his search. Labelle took the
opportunity to scan the visible portions of the place.
“Here it is,” said Quigley, as triumphantly as if he’d just turned
over a royal flush. Which he had, in a way.
Labelle peered at the tiny white rectangle young Carbone had
fished out of a flimsy plastic bag. She handed it to me. I would have
to interview the liquor store clerk; that was clear. As for the evidence,
if it weren’t a forgery, Quigley had made the purchase of a six-pack at
5:08 p.m. yesterday.
“We’ll just take custody of that, if you don’t mind,” said Labelle,
fishing out an evidence bag from her purse.
“Do I get a receipt for my receipt?” Quigley maintained his dead-
pan innocence.
“Of course.” She didn’t crack a smile. “If necessary, we will obtain
a search warrant for these premises. Thank you for your co-
operation.”
We stood. Labelle almost had to stoop. “Sergeant Donat will take
the names and addresses of everyone at that card game Sunday.
Please point them out to him if they are present.”
We went outside. I had to break the news to Quigley’s poker
buddies that they were going to be questioned later. It was the same
bunch as yesterday and, as far as I could tell, every day. To a man
they supported his story, although they were a little imprecise on his
departure and arrival. The game’s general idea, after all, was to
obliterate time, not keep track of it.
When I got back to the car Labelle was busy typing in license plate
numbers. Perhaps Starview Motorpark was in reality a chop-shop, a
hotbed of car thieves. We drove off. I was beginning to wonder
about the course of our investigation.
“You think this one has an unbreakable alibi, too?”
“We haven’t begun to beat on it, Duncan. But it does look like a
valid cash register tape. We can subpoena the whole day’s activity, if

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