Cry of the City

It might be the end of the line for New York criminal Martin Rome: in a hospital on the possible brink of death from gunshot wounds, if he survives he faces the electric chair because he killed a police officer in the shootout that gave him his wounds. He is visited in the hospital by lawyer W. A. Niles, who wants to bargain with him to confess to the Digracia jewelry heist--something for which Niles' client Leggett has been charged--in part to have a bargaining chip to lessen his sentence for the police killing. This case is a difficult one for Homicide Detective Lieutenant Vittorio Candella: though he would like to see Marty put away as much as anyone else on the force, he grew up in the same Little Italy neighborhood as the Romes, Marty's parents, with whom Candella is still friendly, but who continue to want to remain unaware of Marty's criminal activities. Seizing on an opportunity, Marty, who survives following surgery, is able to escape. Beyond the fact that Marty is still lame, Candella, with his partner Lieutenant Jim Collins, could have an upper hand in knowing Marty's background. Beyond Marty's younger brother Tony, who dotes on his brother, Candella and Collins will watch many of Marty's old associates. While some of his old girlfriends, such as Brenda Martingale, are willing to help Marty, at least to an extent in knowing that he is a hot commodity, Marty is working on getting away with the one he professes to love, Teena Riconte. Thus, Candella must find Teena, who has disappeared; her whereabouts could be the key to apprehending Marty.