He had actually glimpsed the flashily turned-out Blinky a couple of times coming and going, as had the police, most likely, because the place was under close surveillance, but attentiveness to duty being negotiable in those days, there were intervals of invisibility for anybody who could afford it.
* * * * * * * * * *
"in those days"
I don't think those three little words have the strength to convince anybody that police were only corrupt five to six years previous to 1893. Perhaps in 2006, when Pynchon wrote this novel, police corruption always seemed slightly worse in the rearview so Pynchon was commenting on that aspect, pointing out at the same time that if people in 1893 felt cops were less corrupt than previous years and people in 2006 feel cops were less corrupt than previous years than that means they've always been corrupt but people just delude themselves into thinking current cops are good people. Of course now, in 2025, we've seen the exact opposite take place year after year. Police just get worse and worse. Obviously they've never been great. A bunch of pig-headed, violent, power-hungry assholes who all think their "gut instinct" is on par with the brains of Albert Einstein.
Anyway, they were corrupt enough in 1887 to take bribes to look the other way when men came and went from Nelly Lowry's brothel.
"glimpsed the flashily turned-out Blinky a couple of times coming and going, as had the police"
My first thought was the police had seen Blinky Morgan at this establishment before he was wanted for killing a cop which is why they know it's one of his hangouts. But maybe that's me engaging in that whole belief that cops aren't too corrupt. It's not that I don't think cops couldn't be bribed to not stop a cop killer! I just assumed they'd want to beat the shit out of him and murder him more than earn a few bucks. But it makes sense that they'd take the bribe and ignore Blinky's current location since stopping a cop killer is dangerous and hard work and a bribe is easy cash in the hand. And from everything I've ever witnessed, cops are never willing to do the hard work. How anybody actually thinks they're heroic first responders is beyond my comprehension. If anything, they're "First Make Things Worsers".
My second thought remembered how Merle got to town during the Blinky manhunt which means Blinky has definitely been seen entering Nelly's since then and the cops are being paid to not notice. Also, Blinky's "flashily turned-out" because he robbed a bunch of furs and he's probably at maximum pimp look at the moment.
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