by Tony Masero
“What happened, Brian and what’s this woman to you?”
Barely looking over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on Joline´s semi-conscious face; Brian explained all that had happened, ending with Bubba´s fiery admission in the middle of Main Street. Reason listened silently, his jaw muscles clenching as he watched his son´s heaving shoulders and heard his words. Without saying a thing, he turned on his heel and left the room.
Ruth hurried back in, a bowl and towels in her hand.
“This poor child. Oh my, such a terrible thing. Here, step aside, Brian. Let me get to her. Now, run and fetch me a clean nightgown from my closet. This dear thing´s clothes are all messed up.” She fussed and bustled as Brian stood back, feeling totally helpless.
“Momma, “ he whispered. “She going to be alright?”
“Why, sure,” said his mother, sensing her son´s pain. “She’ll be fine. We´ll get the doctor right away; let him tell us what’s what. Now where´s your father run off to?”
Brian had no answer but then they both heard the sound of an emery sharpening stone hissing on metal in the workshop.
“Mercy!” sighed Ruth. “That man. First sign o´ trouble an´ he runs off to start work. I do believe I don´ know what he´s thinking of.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jimmy Luke awakened from his doze to the smell of bacon frying. He stretched and writhed comfortably in the warmth of the bed. He lay in a dreamy state, wondering all over again at the physical capacity he had unearthed in himself after they had both moved into the bedroom. He smiled with contentment.
Iris called to him cheerfully from the kitchen. “Jimmy Luke, you like your eggs over easy or sunny side up?”
“Either will do,” he answered, breathing the smell of her perfume on the pillows.
“Well, get on up and come and get it then.”
Jimmy Luke went into the lounge and picked up his clothes, dressed and collected the two-way from under the pile where it had successfully nullified Stoeffel´s earlier calls. Shoving the Magnum into the back of his jeans he followed the scent of breakfast into the kitchen.
Iris had laid the table carefully. A checkered cloth borrowed from the Low Down, fresh-squeezed orange juice and hot coffee and rolls in a basket. She looked at Jimmy Luke across the table, frying pan in hand.
“How´re you, Jimmy Luke?” she asked softly.
“Why,” he answered, taking in the spread. “Don´t this beat all. Me, I feel right as rain, Iris.”
“Then sit,” she said, sliding rashers onto a dish.
She watched him as he ate. Jimmy Luke was hungry and he raced through the meal, only looking up as he mopped up the last of the eggs with the soft edge of a roll.
“Aren´t you eating, Iris?” he asked.
“No,” she smiled. “I never have breakfast.”
They looked at each other distantly for a moment.
“Something I should say,” said Iris. “The thing with George. I oughta explain. It was only a sex thing, you understand. Not like this. I have real feelings for you, Jimmy. You should know that.”
Jimmy Luke looked at her with soft eyes. “I know that, Iris.”
“You will come see me again, won´t you?” she whispered.
Jimmy Luke nodded. “Try and stop me.”
She laughed, pleased, eyes sparkling with a happy smile.
Jimmy Luke sighed inwardly. It was like the sun had come out in his life. He looked into Iris´ beaming face and thought she was surely the most beautiful creature in the world.
“Jimmy Luke, come on in. Jimmy Luke, you there?” The two-way squawked, breaking the moment between them.
Jimmy Luke grimaced and snatched up the radio. He had totally forgotten about everything else.
“I´m here, Chief.”
“Where the hell you been, boy? We´re in all kinds of trouble here. Now, listen to me...”
Jimmy Luke did not like it. Not at all. Here he was for the first time in his life with the prospect of something good happening to him and that damned Bubba Rose had to spoil it all. Bubba Rose and his little army of drug dealing malcontents. Tough men all and way beyond Jimmy Luke´s capacity to deal with. How the hell was he supposed to go up against them? All of them being hardened criminals to boot. He slipped the car into park and sat thinking about it. Stoeffel had said they would probably be up high. Somewhere overlooking the police station. Somewhere that would give them a clear line of fire. The church tower or the Town Council building, those would be the best bet. He climbed out of the vehicle and made his way down a side street that exited onto Main Street. The streets were empty, everybody in the neighborhood having heard the gunshots and quickly gone to ground. Jimmy Luke walked alone, feeling vulnerable and exposed. The only good thing was at least he did not look like a cop. Maybe they would just think he was an ordinary civilian passing by.
Jimmy Luke hunched his shoulders unconsciously, sure that every window held a watchful eye. He looked up the deserted Main Street towards the Holy Christ Church sitting at the far end. A white clapboard building built in traditional style with a square bell tower and steeple roof above it that carried the cross. He saw the dark shape moving there below the bell. So, there was his sniper. Now his only problem was, how to incapacitate him.
Jimmy Luke had an idea. He started a roundabout route through the back streets, making his way towards the rear of the church. He thought about the many times he had cursed that church bell clanging him out of his Sunday morning lie-in while it called the faithful to service. This was the moment to put the damned thing to some good use. Making it to the back door of the church he found the door open and holding the Magnum before him eased his way inside. There was only the smell of furniture polish and emptiness. Beyond the plain altar, he could see right through the body of the church to the pews and open doors at the far end. Main Street shone brightly in the rising sun out there, with hard shadows cast along one side by the angle of light. The tower steps and bell pull were situated next to the doorway. Cautiously, Jimmy Luke moved into the body of the church.
A soft voice made him jump. “Go easy, Mr. Jimmy Luke. There are evil men in here.”
Jimmy Luke spun around, almost firing the pistol in fright.
“Damn it, Reverend!” he whispered, seeing the stooped figure of Reverend Clitus Mummers kneeling in one of the pews. “You near scared me half to death.” There was a nasty bump rising on the church man´s domed forehead.
“They mean nobody well,” he intoned gloomily. “They are an affront to the house of God.”
Jimmy Luke looked at him in frustration.
“I know that, Reverend. Damned if I don´t. Look here, they have the Chief pinned down in his station. I have to get him out, can you help? We have to stop these guys, they´re the one´s killed little Epsie Links.”
Reverend Clitus nodded knowledgeably, as if it was all understood on another, higher level.
“Yes, they would indeed be the ones. But Jimmy Luke I may cause no other man harm, I am after all a man of the cloth. A servant of the Lord Almighty.”
“Sure, Reverend, I understand. Look here, I have a plan to get this man out of the tower. Would it hurt your sensibilities if you just pull the bell rope? I reckon the noise alone will deafen him, let alone drive him out.”
Reverend Clitus thought about it for a long moment.
“I see no reason why I cannot do that. The sound of the bell is no more than a calling to better things after all.”
The only better thing I´d like to see for that guy up there is a pinewood box, thought Jimmy Luke ungraciously. But aloud he said, “Give me five minutes to get into position, and then pull that rope like the devil himself was a-coming, okay?”
“Let us say a short prayer,” offered the Reverend.
Jimmy Luke wondered what on earth he was doing as he hung his head reverentially and crossed his hands before him, the Magnum dangling by its grip from his fingers. Chief Stoeffel would never believe this.
“Lord
,” said Reverend Clitus mournfully. “Cast Your eye down on our poor actions most generously. See that we mean no more than to drive the unclean from Your house. Stand beside us in this hour of trial and be a strong right hand that we may smite the sinners with all the righteousness of Your justice and fortitude.” The Reverend´s voice began to rise as the spirit took hold of him and Jimmy Luke winced at the ascent of volume. “Amen. Lord, amen, I say.”
“Easy, Reverend, easy.” he whispered, glancing around nervously. “Amen, right. Amen.”
“Don´t concern yourself, Jimmy Luke. We have right on our side, we shall prevail.”
Damned glad to hear it, thought Jimmy Luke doubtfully.
“Five minutes. Okay.” With that he was gone, slipping out of the rear door again.
When he made it out front, Jimmy Luke waited in the shadowed side of the street below the church tower. He looked up and could see the long barrel of a rifle poking out over the balustrade. Time’s up, Reverend, he thought. Now is the moment.
On schedule, Jimmy Luke saw the massive bell begin its swing above the head of the sniper. A deep tone rang out over the town. Then another, and another as the bell gained momentum. Soon it was clashing with all the volume that Jimmy Luke had come to despise. He saw movement up there, the rifle barrel disappearing from view. Then a face took its place, peering down at him. Jimmy Luke raised his Magnum. He was a fair to middling shot and this was an easy one. The sniper obviously could not see him amongst the shadows, he was calling out to somebody but his shout was lost under the sound of the ringing bell.
Jimmy Luke fired. He saw a splinter of wood fly from the balustrade and then the sniper´s head snap back as it exploded a wash of blood over the metal sides of the great bell behind. The man flopped backwards arms outstretched only to be caught by the bell´s forward swing. It carried his limp body up and over the edge of the tower. The body dropped, tumbling over as it fell to land wetly, askew in a fluff of dust on the church steps.
Jimmy Luke backed away as the body rolled over and on down the church steps. He looked into the dead eyes of Hose Cobble, the old drunk who cleaned for Bubba Rose. It hurt Jimmy Luke to see that it was just an old man he had brought down and not one of Bubba´s more dangerous associates. He turned quickly; ready to slip away into one of the side roads.
The bullet hit him high in the back with a high velocity force that catapulted him forward, slamming him down hard into the pavement.
They had backup, he thought dimly as he floated free. They each have backup. Then the darkness enfolded him.
Chapter Thirty
The men in the police station heard the shots over the sound of the ringing bell and Summersby risked a scramble through the wrecked office to peer over the frame of the shattered window.
“I see two down,” he called. “I think they got Jimmy Luke though. Looks like a tall black man is up there with him. Guy in black, like a pastor or something. I can see Jimmy Luke’s Hawaiian shirt. The man´s dragging him away.”
Stoeffel gritted his teeth.
“Damn it to hell!” he cursed himself for putting Jimmy Luke in harm´s way. The soft little coroner was no match for these men, but what else could he have done. Now it was surely up to the three of them alone.
They all regrouped behind the safety of the corridor wall and as Summersby brushed dust from his sleeve, Stoeffel looked at them all grimly.
“We need a distraction. Something to give us time to make a breakout. If we can get out there in the street the three of us can separate. Take them from whichever way, make it hit and run attacks. In, out, quick stuff.”
The church bell in the tower slowed its booming ring to an intermittent tone and gradually silence filled Main Street again.
“Guerrilla tactics?” asked Summersby.
“Somethin´ like that,” agreed Stoeffel. “Our one failing is we don´t know where they are all situated.”
“Stoeffel!” The call came from the street, interrupting him. It was Bubba Rose. “You seen that? That’s your buddy Jimmy Luke got capped up there. Could be he nailed that one old fart of mine before he went down, but that’s no big deal now, is it? Gabby old whisky head was a pain in the ass anyhow.”
“Your time is coming, Bubba,” bellowed back Stoeffel angrily. “You can bet money on that.”
“Time is what I have plenty of, Chief, you ain´t going nowhere and as for the money, come the noon hour we´ll be flying out of here with enough of the right stuff to set us up for eternity.”
“Nowhere will be safe enough for you Bubba Rose. I´ll come find you wherever you hide,” promised Stoeffel.
Bubba chuckled eerily. “All this bold chit chat is kinda nice, Chief. But come see what I have here.”
Stoeffel did not like the sound of that laugh and he cautiously peeked around the corner of the wall and into the street. Bubba Rose stood there, legs apart and towering above the slender figure of a woman. He had her raised up on her toes by one hand, lifting her by the long ponytail she wore, in the other hand he held a long, broad bladed Bowie knife that glittered at her throat.
“Jenny!” gasped Stoeffel. He heard Jenny bite back a whimper as Bubba pulled her even higher by the roots of her hair.
“See that, Stoeffel? Want I should cut your lady a little? I don´ mind doin´ it, you know. Fact is, I quite like it. ´Specially on a pretty thing like this.” His small round head rolled back and he broke into a roaring laugh that filled the street with its insane echoes. “Gotcha there, don´ I, Stoeffel?”
Stoeffel slumped back, emotion churning in his breast.
Summersby leaned across the Chief, his face a mask of tension.
“Is that how you did my brother, you dirty son of a bitch?”
Bubba looked bemused.
“Your brother? And who do we have here? What brother are we speaking of?”
“Bo Summersby. You diced him then cut him down to die in the street. I know it was you, Rose.”
Bubba smiled again, enjoying the memory.
“Why, sure. I remember Bo. Sharp as a pin, long as his nose was out of the white stuff. You his brother then, are you? Well, isn´t this a nice surprise? Why, I´ll be glad to oblige you anytime, same as I did your brother. He bled real good, you know.”
Summersby trembled with rage, his hand raising the semi-automatic he held and pointed it waveringly in the direction of Bubba Rose. Stoeffel´s hand closed over the barrel, pushing the weapon down.
“No, Alex. The girl. You might hit the girl.”
“So listen up, Chief,” Bubba went on, his tone changing from sneer to a harder edge. “Make another move like the last one an´ this lady here ends up like the nigger child. Don´ fuck with me on this, Stoeffel. We be out of here by noon, then you can all go back to enjoying this little shit pile you inhabit.”
There was a tight cry as he jerked Jenny away by her hair.
“Don´t you listen, Paul!” she screamed. “You come get this...” her voice was cut off by the sound of a heavy thump. Stoeffel looked up quickly and saw that Bubba had knocked Jenny about the head and was carrying her limp form easily under one arm.
Legrand was watching Stoeffel quietly. “We got two hours, Chief,” he observed, indicating the smashed glass of the station clock. Stoeffel´s eyes turned to him vaguely.
“Jason. He´s got Jenny,” his throat was dry and he whispered helplessly. “He´s got Jenny.”
“Don´t change nothing, Chief,” said Legrand. “We still got a job to do. That’s what we´re paid for.”
“And I want that bastard for myself,” hissed Summersby. “I tracked him down and by God I want him now.”
“You´d better stand in line, son,” murmured Stoeffel.
“He said he was flying out,” prompted Legrand, in an attempt to get them both on track again. “Now where would he be doing that from? Land´s too steep and forested around here for a small airplane. Unless he has a chopper coming down somewhere.”
Summersby thought on it. “Not in the town,
my guess is there isn´t a roof strong enough. No room in the streets here either, what with the blades and all.”
Stoeffel´s eyes sparked, his attention returning to the problem. “Has to be a quiet roadway. Something long and straight enough to get a plane down, then up again.”
“Only one place I know you could do that if you were a good enough pilot,” said Legrand slowly.
Stoeffel nodded agreement. “Dead Fall Back.”
“Has to be,” agreed Legrand. “That’s why he set the mines there. Keep the road clear as well as keeping us in and everybody else out.”
“I don´t know,” said Summersby thoughtfully. “If they´re planning on exporting a pile of drugs like that heavy crate in the storeroom, there´s no way they´ll get it all into a plane small enough to hit a country road.”
“That’s a good thought, you´re right there,” agreed Legrand.
They all pondered the problem in silence for a moment.
“How about this?” asked Stoeffel. “They lift the crated dope out with a cargo copter. It never touches down. Winches the stuff up.”
“That makes more sense,” agreed Summersby. “But where from?”
“Only one place in town with a big enough roof and that is Rose´s own place.”
“Shit, yes,” agreed Legrand. “Place is a block long and flat to boot and he´s got a service elevator in there goes right to the top.”
“But would they EVAC their personnel from there as well?” asked Stoeffel.
“Depends,” shrugged Summersby. “Depends on the load the copter will take. Should be easy enough for them all to get out that way as well though, I would have thought.”
“Maybe,” agreed Stoeffel. “But Bubba´s smart. He´ll have another back door just in case. My bet is he´ll be holding Dead Fall Back as a reserve just in case, I know I would.”
“Well,” sighed Summersby. “Doesn´t make one hell of a lot of difference either way as long as we´re holed up in here.”