“You’re needed, Ragen. I believe someone has committed a crime or crimes, and we may now be in danger.”

“Is not my problem,” Ragen said. “I did not commit these crimes.”

“I’m sure that’s true, but may I remind you that if one of our people is sent to prison, the children will go too. Imagine Christene in that environment, a pretty little girl locked up with all those sex maniacs and perverts.”

“All right,” Ragen said. “You know my veakness.”

“We’ve got to figure out exactly whats going on.”

Arthur began a general inquiry. One after the other, he questioned the various people inside, and—though he was sure some of the undesirables were lying—he began to piece together a picture. Tommy told him of Marlene’s suspicions that he had been involved in the Gray Drug Store robbery, and also told of having observed a shipment of drugs earlier.

Walter denied having touched Ragens guns since his own banishment from the spot for shooting a crow, but he recalled having heard a voice with a Brooklyn accent talking about a perfect crime at a roadside rest. Philip finally admitted the roadside-rest assaults, but denied any involvement with the Gray Drug Store robbery.

Kevin then told of having planned it.

“But I wasn’t there. I just set it up and then ripped them two guys off. It was a sting, that’s all. Maybe those guys tipped off the police, but I’m clean. There’s no way the cops can tie me to that robbery.”

Arthur reported back to Allen and Ragen: “Now, both of you, think: Is there anything to which they can connect us, anything they can arrest us for?”

As far as they all knew, there was nothing.

Several days later, Billy Milligan was fingered by a fence in Columbus who owed a detective on the narcotics squad a favor. The fence reported that a quantity of drugs matching the description of those stolen from the Gray Drug Store had been sold to him by Milligan. The word was passed on to the Lancaster police department. A warrant was issued for Billy’s arrest.

(2)

When Marlene came to the apartment on Monday after work, Tommy gave her an engagement ring.

“I want you to have this, Marveen,” Tommy said, calling her by his pet name for her. “And if anything happens to me, I want you to know I’ll always love you.”

She stared in disbelief as he put it on her finger. It was a moment she had dreamed of for a long time, but now it was painful. Had he gone out and bought it because he expected something to happen to him? She felt the tears in her eyes but tried not to show her feelings. No matter what he had done, no matter what they did to him, she would stand by him.

In her calendar for January 20, 1975, she wrote: “Got engaged. Really surprised me to death.”

They arrested Danny the following day.

They pushed him into the cruiser and took him down to the Fairfield County Jail. They read him his rights and began questioning him. He had no idea what they were talking about.