Before Jack Bliss was the NPD's first full-time detective, he pushed a cruiser, just like a lot of us. One early morning he fell in behind a Cadillac, driving fitfully toward the old Beach Club Hotel, near the Naples Pier. The vehicle would speed up, slow down, and ride on both sides of the road. Jack flipped on his siren and red light.
The driver paid no attention and continued to meander down the road. Finally, Jack pulled up beside the Caddy and shined his door-mounted spot light on the driver. The driver uttered some curses and pulled over.
Jack pulled in behind the drunk, and was alighting from his vehicle, when the Caddy took off again. This time Jack forced the car to the berm by wedging in front of it. He approached the car again.
The driver was a distinguished looking fifty-ish gent, in a dinner jack and wilted bow tie. He gave Jack a surly look. "Well," he slurred, "I guess you think you're the big frog in this small pond."
"Let me see you license," Jack said.
The drunk ignored him. "The big law and order man, arrest just about anyone you want?'
"Anyone that needs it," Jack said. "Let me see your license."
"But, I bet you lay off anyone important, has some horsepower, don't you?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Jack said. "I've arrested the mayor, a few city councilmen, a movie star once, a priest. . ."
"Yes," the driver smirked, "but I'll bet you never arrested one of these." Whereupon he fished a card from his wallet and handed it to Jack. The card identified him as a U.S. Senator from the mid-west.
"No sir," Jack said, opening the car door, fishing out his handcuffs, and grabbing the driver by the arm, "but it was right at the top of my To Do list."
Jack always was an equal opportunity destroyer.
The driver paid no attention and continued to meander down the road. Finally, Jack pulled up beside the Caddy and shined his door-mounted spot light on the driver. The driver uttered some curses and pulled over.
Jack pulled in behind the drunk, and was alighting from his vehicle, when the Caddy took off again. This time Jack forced the car to the berm by wedging in front of it. He approached the car again.
The driver was a distinguished looking fifty-ish gent, in a dinner jack and wilted bow tie. He gave Jack a surly look. "Well," he slurred, "I guess you think you're the big frog in this small pond."
"Let me see you license," Jack said.
The drunk ignored him. "The big law and order man, arrest just about anyone you want?'
"Anyone that needs it," Jack said. "Let me see your license."
"But, I bet you lay off anyone important, has some horsepower, don't you?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Jack said. "I've arrested the mayor, a few city councilmen, a movie star once, a priest. . ."
"Yes," the driver smirked, "but I'll bet you never arrested one of these." Whereupon he fished a card from his wallet and handed it to Jack. The card identified him as a U.S. Senator from the mid-west.
"No sir," Jack said, opening the car door, fishing out his handcuffs, and grabbing the driver by the arm, "but it was right at the top of my To Do list."
Jack always was an equal opportunity destroyer.
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