The D.A. Breaks an Egg

Brandon pushed back his chair. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? I’m personally going to serve that warrant.”

22

Lefty, the butler with the cauliflower ear, answered the door.

“Mr. Carr home?” Selby asked.

“No, sir, Mr. Carr is not at home.”

“Mrs. Carr home?”

“No, sir, she’s not at home.”

Selby said, “This happens to be a matter of considerable importance. It’s very much to Mr. Carr’s interests that he knows I’m here.”

“He’s not at home.”

“All right,” Brandon said, pushing forward. “You see this? I suppose you know what this is?”

“What is it?”

“It’s a search warrant,” Selby said. “We’re searching this house for stolen property.”

“You and who else?”

“I’m making the search,” Brandon said truculently.

“You’re not coming in here, warrant or no warrant.”

“This is a warrant,” Brandon said. “I’m the sheriff. I’m serving it and I’m coming in. I don’t know what your record is, but if you want to add resisting an officer to it that’s fine. And if you want to back up your play I’m going to start putting chips on the table. Now then, stand to one side. I’m coming in.”

The man blocked the door with his big body.

Brandon suddenly shoved his shoulder against the man’s chest, pushed him back off balance.

Lefty, weaving from the hips after the manner of a professional pugilist, started for Brandon.

Brandon stood stock-still, but his browned right hand dropped to the weapon at his belt. He said, ominously and steely-eyed, “You’re resisting an officer in the performance of his duties.”

Lefty hesitated. The cold glitter of Brandon’s eyes held him.

Brandon said, “I wouldn’t use fists if I were you, Lefty. Either stand to one side or else start reaching for a gun if you’ve got one. This is a showdown. I’m playing with blue chips.”

“I haven’t got a gun,” Lefty said hastily.

“I have,” Brandon told him.

The butler seemed unable to remove his eyes from Brandon.

Suddenly there were steps in the corridor and Carr’s voice said, “Dear me, what’s all the commotion? Well, well! My good friends Selby and the sheriff! That’s quite all right, Lefty. Let them in. I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I had left word that I wasn’t to be disturbed under any circumstances. I was afraid that there might be an attempt on the part of the press to... But do come in.”

“We’re coming in,” Brandon said. “This time I’m coming in not as a guest, but as an officer of the law. I have a search warrant for this place.”

“A search warrant?” Carr exclaimed incredulously.

“A search warrant,” Brandon said.

“For heaven’s sake what...?”

“I’ll tell you in a very few words, Carr. I have a search warrant authorizing me to search these premises for certain stolen jewelry.”

“Stolen jewelry!” Carr exclaimed. “Stolen jewelry? Are you crazy? What would I want with stolen jewelry?”

“I have a search warrant. I’m going to search.”

“Good heavens, Selby,” Carr said, “you’re an attorney. You know that a warrant of that sort can’t be issued unless there’s an affidavit filed and a showing of probable cause.”

“I’ve made the affidavit,” Selby said.

“You have!”

“That’s right, and the jewelry we’re looking for is the antique jewelry with which, as it happens, you are so remarkably and fortuitously familiar. The jewelry which belonged to Moana Lennox.”

Carr for once in his life seemed completely nonplused.

“You say the word, boss,” Lefty said, “and...”

“Yes, yes,” Brandon interrupted eagerly. “Go ahead and say it. Just say it, Carr. Go ahead, say it!”

Carr hesitated a moment, and said suavely. “Do come in and be seated, gentlemen. Let’s talk this over.”

“There’s nothing to talk over,” Brandon said. “I’m going to start searching. I’m tired of talk — your talk particularly.”

“Now, wait a minute,” Carr said. “Let’s be reasonable about this.” He motioned Lefty to one side, led the way to the living room.

“To hell with being reasonable. I’m going to start a search,” Brandon said. “I have a force of deputies waiting at my office. I’m going to get on the telephone, call them up here and I’m going to search this house from garret to basement.”

Carr said angrily to Selby, “You usually are a lot more astute than this, Counselor. You’ve placed yourself in a legally vulnerable position.”

“You’re probably right,” Selby said. “I’m taking a gamble. You should be smart enough to realize that I now can’t afford to be talked out of that gamble. I’ve already put my chips down. I can’t pick them back up. Therefore, I have to see if I hold the winning hand. In other words, Carr, I’m going to search this house.”

Carr abruptly turned his back on them, walked over to the big fireplace in the living room, and stood, drumming his fingers nervously on the wooden mantel.

Selby waited a matter of some ten seconds, then said to Brandon, “All right, Rex, telephone your deputies. And, in the meantime, since we don’t want to have any misunderstanding about this, you gentlemen will remain right here where we can watch you.”

Brandon started toward the telephone.