by Edson, J. T.
Continuing to swing the Colt towards the next attacker, Brad began to bend his left leg and thrust his right foot behind him. While sinking rapidly into a kneeling position, with the automatic extended before him at arms’ length, he discovered that his assailant was the big, bearded man but who was now using a heavy automatic instead of the Stechkin. The Obregon spat as Brad’s right knee reached the ground, but he had reduced his height sufficiently for the bullet to pass just over his head and not into his chest. However, the Mexican was advancing and turning the barrel of his weapon downwards.
Montojo did not have the opportunity to make the required correction to his aim.
Watching the hairy face coming into his sight picture, Brad fired twice and in the only way he dared under the circumstances, to kill. The first bullet flew up to catch Montojo in the right eye and its mate, arriving a fraction of a second later, entered the left. Driving onwards, they tore apart his brain and erupted through the top of his head. Lifted on to his toes by the impact, he snatched at the Obregon’s trigger. Although the gun barked, its lead went nowhere near the big blond. Then, looking as if he had been boned, Montojo collapsed.
Even as the bearded man’s body struck the ground, Brad scanned the smoke in search of his companion. Hearing the rattle of the Stechkin as Cervera opened fire on Herrera, he rose and started to run around the slowly dispersing cloud of smoke. It was still too dense for him to see through it, but the same would apply to the last of his attackers. Given good luck, he would take the man with the Stechkin by surprise. Certainly it was unlikely that the Mexican would expect him to behave in such a manner. Not knowing who was coming, he might hold off from shooting until he was sure.
Glaring triumphantly to where Herrera had disappeared, Cervera lowered the Stechkin. He was walking forward with the intention of picking up the Schmeisser when he heard running footsteps beyond the smoke. Even as he opened his mouth to call a request for information, the big Texan appeared.
Letting out a croak of alarm, Cervera tried to return the Stechkin to his shoulder. Brad skidded to a stop, pouring lead out of the Colt at top speed while raising it to eye level. He did not know whether it was the third, fourth or fifth bullet which took effect. Hit in the right shoulder, Cervera screeched. He was spun around, the Stechkin flying from his grasp. Dropping to his knees, with his left hand clutching at the wound, he fell forward in a faint.
Discarding the empty magazine, Brad replaced it with one which was fully loaded. He remained alert and watchful until the smoke had dispersed. Then he went to gather up the quartet’s weapons.
Brad still did not know whether he had won the Annual Leatherslap, but he was aware that the lessons which he had learned from combat shooting had saved his life.
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[i] In Rockabye County, a deputy sheriff was equivalent in rank to a lieutenant in the Gusher City Police Department's Patrol Bureau, or to a sergeant of the Detective Bureau.
[ii] Fuzz: a detective.
[iii] Harness-bull: a patrolman.
[iv] The Rockabye County Sheriff's Office worked a two-watch rota, from eight in the morning to four in the afternoon and from four until midnight. If a crime should be reported between midnight and eight o'clock, the Department of Public Safety Building's permanently-manned ‘Business Office’ called a team from their homes to deal with it.
[v] Dusty Fog and Mark Counter appear in the author's Floating Outfit stories.
[vi] How this came about is told in THE PROFESSIONAL KILLERS.
[vii] L.A.: Los Angeles, California.
[viii] What the ‘accurizing’ entailed is described in detail in THE PROFESSIONAL KILLERS.
[ix] ‘Code Three’: police radio code, meaning ‘Emergency. Go with all speed. Use red light and siren.’
[x] Article 1163, Offenses Against The Person Section, Texas Penal Code, Assault With Intent To Rob.
[xi] Snitch-jacket: murdered, particularly when killed for being a stool pigeon.
[xii] Blue-noses: The Gusher City Police Department's Vice and Gambling Detail.
[xiii] Ahi te huacho: Anglicized Mexican slang meaning, ‘I’ll be watching you.’
[xiv] Steer joint: crooked gambling game. A description of one and its operation is given in POINT OF CONTACT.
[xv] The Walls: main State Prison, Huntsvtlle, Texas.
[xvi] Article 1151, Offenses Against The Person Section, Texas Penal Code, Assault With A Prohibited Weapon.
[xvii] Article 1160, Offenses Against The Person Section, Texas Penal Code, Assault With Intent To Murder.
[xviii] Gazer: derogatory name for a Federal law enforcement officer.
[xix] Peter-man: a safe blower.
[xx] I.C.R.: The Texas Department of Public Safety's Identification and Criminal Records Division, situated at Dallas.
[xxi] Shotgun: the member of the team who is not driving.
[xxii] ‘Code Two’: Urgent, no red light or siren.
[xxiii] R and I: the G.C.P.D’s Records and Identification Bureau.
[xxiv] Hot car sheet: list, amended daily, of stolen vehicles.
[xxv] Told in THE DEPUTIES.
[xxvi] Unlike the Sheriff's Office and specialist Details of the Detective Bureau, members of the Patrol Bureau worked a seven day, four-Watch rota: Morning, six a.m. to two p.m.; Afternoon, two p.m. to ten p.m.; Night, ten p.m. to six a.m.; each period being followed by ‘Days Off Watch.’
[xxvii] The nature of the assignment and its outcome are told in the ‘Persona Non Grata’ section of THE SHERIFF OF ROCKABYE COUNTY.
[xxviii] Article 1397: Offenses Against Property Section, Texas Penal Code: Burglary.
[xxix] ‘Code Nine’: officer in need of assistance.
[xxx] Policia Estatal de Caminos : State, or Territorial, Highway Patrol.
[xxxi] Although the mechanisms differ, the external appearance of the Obregon automatic pistol closely resembles that of a Colt Government Model of 1911.
Table of Contents
Part One – The Sixteen-Dollar Shooter
Part Two – Cop Killer
Part Three – Cat-Catching Cop
Part Four – The Lessons Learned from Combat Shooting
[i]
[ii]
[iii]
[iv]
[v]
[vi]
[vii]
[viii]
[ix]
[x]
[xi]
[xii]
[xiii]
[xiv]
[xv]
[xvi]
[xvii]
[xviii]
[xix]
[xx]
[xxi]
[xxii]
[xxiii]
[xxiv]
[xxv]
[xxvi]
[xxvii]
[xxviii]
[xxix]
[xxx]
[xxxi]