XXI
Charles walked down the street and ran immediately into a challenge from a police sergeant.
"Where you from, mister?" the cop demanded, balanced and ready to draw.
Charles gulped and let Lee Falcaro's drilling take over. "Oh, around, sergeant. I'm from around here."
"What're you so nervous about?"
"Why, sergeant, you're such an exciting type, really. Did anybody ever tell you you look well in uniform?"
The cop glared at him and said: "If I wasn't in uniform, I'd hang one on you sister. And if the force wasn't all out hunting the lunatics, that killed Mr. Regan I'd pull you in for spitting on the sidewalk. Get to hell off my beat and stay off. I'm not forgetting your face."
Charles scurried on. It had worked.
It worked once more with a uniformed policeman. One of the Chicago pla
