sure we got him down on the books." He tapped the sheaf of papers from
the computer with a firm forefinger. "We can be pretty sure that he's
one of those guys right down there!"

He waved his hand again, but, this time, he took in the whole
city--the whole outside world. "Like clock-work. The minute they
goof, we nab 'em."

"Sam," I said, "just listen to me a minute. We know that ninety per
cent of the men on that list right there are going to be convicted of
a crime of violence inside the next five years, right?"

"That's what I've been tellin' you. The minute--"

"Wait a minute; wait a minute. Just listen. Why don't we just go out
and arrest them all right now? Look at all the trouble that would save
us."

"Hell, Roy! You can't arrest a man unless he's done something! What
would you charge 'em with? Loitering with intent to commit a
nuisance?"

"No. But we _can_--"

I was cut off by a uniformed cop who stuck his head in the door and
said: "Inspector Royall, Dr. Brownlee called. Says they picked up
Hammerlock Smith. He's at the 87th Precinct. Wants you to come down
right away if you can."

I stood up and grabbed my hat. "Sam, you can sit on this one for a
while, huh? I've been waiting for Hammerlock Smith to fall for two
months."

Sam Kleek looked disgusted. "And you'll see that he gets psycho
treatment and a suspended sentence. A few days in the looney ward, and
then right back out on the street. Hammerlock Smith! _There's_ a case
for you! Built like a gorilla and has a passion for Irish whisky and
sixteen-year-old boys--and you think you can cure him in three days!
Nuts!"

I didn't feel like arguing with him. "We might as well let him go now
as lock him up for three or four months and then let him go, Sam. Why
fool around with assault and battery charges when we can wait for him
to murder somebody and then lock him up for good, eh, Sam? What's
another victim more or less, as long as we get the killer?"

"That's what we're here for," he said stolidly. "To get killers." He
scratched at his balding head. "I don't get you, Roy. I'd think you'd
_want_ these maniacs put away, after your--"

He stopped himself, wet his lips, and said: "O.K. You go ahead and
take care of Smith. Get some sleep. I'm going to. I'll leave orders to
call us both if anything breaks in the Donahue case."

I just nodded and walked out. I didn't want to hear any more.

But the door didn't close tightly, and I heard Kleek's voice a