Fletch Won by Gregory McDonald Page A

Harrison and Haller, Donald Edwin Habeck, sixty-one, was found shot to death in his latemodelblue Cadillac Seville this morning in the parking lot of the
News-Tribune.’ ”
    “This bedroom faces west, but still this room is as full of light before dawn as a church at high noon Sundays.”
    “ ‘Police describe the murder as, quote, in the style of a gangland slaying, unquote.’ ”
    “ ‘Gangland’!”
    “That’s what it says. ‘Mr. Habeck’s law partners, Charles Harrison and Claude Haller, issued a joint statement before noon this morning.’ ”
    “I’ll bet they did. Dropped all other work and put themselves right down to it.”
    “ ‘The legal profession has lost one of its most brilliant minds and deft practitioners with the passing of Donald Habeck. His incisive understanding and innovative use of the law as a defense attorney, especially in criminal cases, made Donald Habeck an example to attorneys nationally, and somewhat of a popular hero. We mourn the passing of our partner and dearest friend, especially under such despicable and inexplicable circumstances. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Donald’s widow, Jasmine, his son Robert, daughter Nancy in parenthesis Farliegh, and his grandchildren.” ’ ”
    “ ‘Innovative,’ ” Fletch said. “First time I’ve heard that word to mean crooked.”
    “Was he crooked?” Barbara asked.
    “There was a moment yesterday when I referred to Habeck as a
criminal lawyer
I was afraid someone would think I was making a joke.”
    “Some wordsmiths, these guys. ‘Despicable and inexplicable circumstances.’ ”
    “Lawyers are the only people in the world who get to say, ‘Words don’t mean what they mean. They mean what we say they mean.’ A deft practitioner of the law. Ha! A perverter of the legal system.”
    “You seem to have formed a personal opinion, Fletch.”
    “I hear what I hear.”
    “Don’t let personal opinion get in your way. There are other perfectly good ways you can destroy us over this story.”
    “You’re right.”
    “ ‘Habeck’s wife, Jasmine, was placed in seclusion by her doctors and therefore was not available for comment.’ ”
    “There must have been a first Mrs. Habeck. Any reference to her?”
    “Not that I see. ‘Neither Harrison nor Haller would comment on the nature of Habeck’s death pending police investigation.’ ”
    “It was no gangland slaying.”
    “ ‘According to John Winters, publisher of the
News-Tribune
, Donald Habeck had requested a meeting with Mr. Winters for ten o’clock this morning to seek advice regarding the announcement of a charitable contribution Mr. Habeck intended to make in the city. “I did not personally know Donald Habeck,” John Winters said. “Naturally, all of us here in the
News-Tribune
family express our regrets to his family and friends.” ’ ”
    “Wise old John Winters. Hold the sleazy lawyer at arm’s length even in his death. Amelia Shurcliffe said no one would dare declare Donald Habeck either a friend or an enemy. I guess she was right.”
    “ ‘Mr. Habeck’s body was discovered by
News-Tribune
employee Pilar O’Brien while she was reporting to work. Police Lieutenant Francisco Gomez stated Mr. Habeck had been shot once in the head at apparently close range by a handgun of as yet undetermined caliber. The gun was not discovered at the scene of the crime.’ ”
    “It was not a gangland slaying.”
    “ ‘A graduate of the state system of education, and for years a visiting lecturer at the law school, Habeck…’ Blah, blah, blah. The report goes on to recount his mostfamous cases.” Barbara turned to an inside page. “At great length. Want me to read all that?”
    “I went through all that yesterday. Even I know how to write obituaries.”
    “I think son-in-law Tom Farliegh should be arrested, charged, convicted, and imprisoned immediately.” Barbara refolded the newspaper.
    “You think Tom Farliegh murdered Habeck?”
    “Tom Farliegh