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THE POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO the shooting of Al Niro at Chi-Chi’s was going nowhere. Since Niro was just a bookie, that fact was not of much concern in the City of Providence until the same incident also claimed the life of Richie Cardella. Suddenly, it became an “outrageous crime,” as the nearby Woonsocket Star began calling it.

About a dozen people who were in the bar at the time were brought to police headquarters and shown mug shots of hundreds of ex-convicts. None, however, saw a face that made them believe, even for a moment, that they were looking at a photograph of the killer. Each of the potential witnesses sat down with a police artist and described what he or she remembered from a quick glimpse of the young man as he strode past their booths. The composite drawing that resulted from the information was all that Providence’s finest had to go on.

Jenna Richardson spoke to Dan McMurphy about working on the story on the very first day. He was quick to refuse. “You’re writing political stuff, Jenna, you’re not on the crime beat. It’s Cohen’s jurisdiction. One reporter on the story is enough.”

She was back in McMurphy’s office the day Cardella died, pressing her case again. “You’ve got to let me chase down this story, Dan. Cardella was running for governor. That puts it in my territory.”

“I don’t see it that way,” he said. “It’s just an accidental connection, not a political story on its own.”

“Not so,” she shot back. “His death affects the whole race. There’s going to be a lot of ‘what ifs’ right through the election and even after it’s over.” Jenna got up and stood next to Dan’s desk. “I’ll make a deal with you,” she said.

“What is it?”

“If the police don’t come up with a substantial lead in one more week, and if Nate Cohen can’t produce any new information to justify keeping the story in the paper, I get a crack at it.”

McMurphy sat back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his neck and stared up at the ceiling. The time seemed like an eternity to her. When he agreed, the proviso he extracted was that she continue giving him a good column, three days a week, on the general election.