Fletch Won (30 page)

Biff exploded. “Son of a bitch!”

“Matt?” Frank said into the phone. “Frank Jaffe. Draw up a severance check for Biff Wilson. I want him out of here by five o’clock. Fired? Yes, fired. Not another minute’s protection does he, or his enterprises, get from the
News-Tribune”

Biff jumped to his feet. His hands were fists. “You son of a bitch!”

He took the few steps toward Fletch and swung.

Fletch rolled off his chair, tipping it over onto the floor.

The door opened.

Hamm Starbuck said, “I’m sorry, Frank, the cops, something about Fletch.” He looked at Fletch on the floor. “What are you, a rug fetishist?”

Biff swung a kick at Fletch, but Fletch rolled away from it.

The cops poured into Frank’s office. Fat, slim, old, young, they were arguing with each other loudly. They were pointing fingers at each other and, occasionally, pointing fingers at Fletch on the floor.

Biff, feet planted either side of Fletch, bent over. He picked Fletch up by the neck.

“Alexander Liddicoat!” shouted one cop. “I recognized him at the stoplight!”

“You didn’t check his license plates!” shouted another cop. “We did! He’s Irwin Fletcher, wanted for selling PCP!”

Fletch gurgled. “Help! Police!”

“Armed robbery…”

“Were you asleep at roll call this morning?”

“Angel dust…”

“Listen, Fletch.” Frank had come around his desk. Hands on knees, he bent over Fletch being strangled on the floor by Biff Wilson. Clearly, Frank was concentrating hard. “I want the complete story of Habeck’s murder, Childers’s confession and arrest in the morning edition. Gomez said they’re arresting him this afternoon. The other press will have the story of the arrest, but we’ll have complete background. Also the news that he confessed to a
News-Tribune
reporter. You’ll do a follow-up for the Saturday newspaper.”

“Grrr-uggg!” Fletch was trying to force Biff’s arms apart.

“Cut that out!” Frank hit Biff’s forearm.

“Every traffic violation in the book!” shouted a cop. “Whoever he is, we got him on all that! Even a broken muffler!”

Frank continued. “We want a complete wrap-up, all the background, on the Habeck story, for the Sunday newspaper. We’ll need that by six o’clock Saturday.”

Hamm Starbuck, after wondering awhile what he was witnessing, took action. Fletch’s face, having gone from red to white, was turning blue. Putting his arms around Biff’s shoulders, he locked his hands under Biff’s chest. He lifted.

Not letting go of Fletch’s neck, Biff lifted Fletch higher off the floor.

Six policemen argued vehemently.

The phone was ringing.

Frank stood up as Fletch rose. “Now, what about the Ben Franklyn story? I think that ought to be treated as an expose in Sunday’s newspaper. We’ll publish teaser-promos on it tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday. That means we’ll need that story, complete, by midday Saturday, for pictures.”

Hamm finally wrestled Biff off Fletch.

Biff’s grip on Fletch’s neck broke.

Fletch fell flat on the floor. His head bounced on the carpet.

“Can you do that?” Frank asked.

Grabbing breath, Fletch said, “I’m getting married Saturday!”

“Ah, the hell with that!” Frank turned away in disgust. “There’s no sense of sport in this business anymore!”

He looked around his office.

In one corner, Hamm Starbuck was struggling, restraining Biff Wilson.

Five cops were arguing with each other about Irwin Fletcher, angel dust, Alexander Liddicoat, armed robberies, and traffic violations. Two had their night sticks drawn.

The sixth policeman was bending over, trying to put handcuffs on Fletch.

Fletch’s hands were rubbing his throat.

Almost the entire city-room staff was looking through the door and windows into Frank’s office.

“What’s going on!” Frank yelled. He grabbed the arm of the policeman about to handcuff Fletch. “Cut that out! I need him!” The cop did stop. “Jeez,” Frank said. “Whatever
happened to the sanctity of the newspaper office!”

“ ‘Just a breath of fresh air,’ ” Fletch quoted from the floor, “ ‘a young maverick who would shake things up a bit…’ ”

Frank Jaffe’s secretary leaned over him. “Fletcher, there’s a woman on the phone who says she must talk with you. She says it’s urgent.”

“ ‘… See things differently, maybe,’ ” Fletch quoted as he got to his feet, “ ‘… jerk people out of their ruts,’ ” On his feet, he swayed. “That was my assignment, wasn’t it, Frank? Isn’t that why I was hired?” Frank had six policemen talking to him, mostly at once. Fletch muttered, “Some ruts are deeper than others.”

Among the people marveling through the office door was Ann McGarrahan. A smile played at the corners of her lips.

Hamm Starbuck was talking into Biff’s ear. Biff nodded affirmatively twice. Hamm released him.

Straightening his jacket, then making fists of his hands again, Biff skirted all the arguing policemen. He marched out of the office.

“Biff!” Fletch held his throat as he shouted after him. “I know a good lawyer! He’s available!”

The secretary said, “She said her name is Barbara something-or-other.”

Frank was saying, loudly, to the assembled police, “Look, guys, he can’t go to the police station now. He’s needed here.” Frank watched Fletch pick the phone up off his desk. “I’ll go with you to headquarters. Straighten things out myself.”

“Hello, Barbara!” Fletch croaked into the phone. “I won’t be able to make it to dinner with your mother tonight. Not tonight. Not tomorrow night. Not Friday night. Absolutely. I’ve got work to do. Got a job. I’ll try to see you Saturday. Wait a minute. Hang on…” Fletch put his hand over the receiver. “Frank?”

At the side of the room, Hamm Starbuck was breathing deeply.

Frank, surrounded by policemen, looked at Fletch.

“When I do the story on Ben Franklyn,” Fletch asked, rubbing his throat, “you want me to report the full particulars of the involvement of Biff Wilson, late of the
News-Tribune?”

“Damned right.” Frank grinned. “Screw the bully.”