Gaze Quote by Richard A. Lupoff
““At this point the door of the hospital room swung open and Lieutenant Adam Burke strode into the room, followed by a couple of uniformed officers. He glared at Andy Winslow. "You left the scene of the crime, Winslow." Andy looked innocently at the cop. "I did?" "You know damned well you did. Who the hell do you think you are, letting a corpse into the house and then leaving her there on the floor to die." Andy grinned. "What corpse would that be, Lieutenant?" "This one!" Burke jabbed a thumb at the slight figure on the bed. "You mean Miss Mayhew, Lieutenant? I don't think Miss Mayhew is dead. Are you dead Miss Mayhew?" The slim woman managed a wan, tiny smile. "I don't think I'm dead. I don't even feel sick. I do have a dreadful headache, though." Andy Winslow grinned, "You're entitled to that." Then, to the cop, "It's true that Miss Mayhew was shot at Caligula Foxx's house. I though it was more important to make sure that she was all right, than to wait around for New York's Slowest -- er pardon me, I mean New York's Finest - to arrive.””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: "The Lieutenant's Dilemma", 1978
A police lieutenant confronts a suspect about a presumed murder, but the victim is alive, revealing misinterpretation and flawed assumptions.
In simple terms: Police assume a victim is dead, but she’s alive, exposing mistaken judgments.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions before acting on incomplete information.
Themes
Crime
Investigation
Assumption
Misinterpretation
Dialogue
Mood
Tense
Skeptical
Narrative
Type
Gaze:0
Corpse Lieutenant:0
Lieutenant Burke:0
Mayhew Lieutenant:0
Grinned Corpse:0
Mayhew Dead:0
When to use this quote
- Interrogations
- Crime scenes
- Legal proceedings
Key Concepts
Police procedure
Human error
Narrative tension
Questions to Reflect On
- How can investigators verify facts before confrontation?
- What biases affect perception of guilt?
A Different Perspective
Reliance on appearances can lead to wrongful accusations.
