by Chris Ryan
“That’s interesting. Somebody should get that on camera or on a recording device. The Crockwells may need that in court to force the RCMP or the Department of Justice to pay for the damage they’ve caused. And who knows how much damage there will be before this is over.”
“Don’t worry. A number of people have recorded that. They’re fucked now, having said that and someone after recording it. Don’t worry, Michael, the bottlenosers from Bay Bulls are smarter than the gammy birds from Witless Bay.”
“I wouldn’t say that, now, Dutch. I don’t see anyone from Witless Bay holed up in a house surrounded by the RCMP for five days.”
“That could happen to anyone in any community in Newfoundland. That’s not a reflection on our community. The truth is the cops jumped the gun. They should have let Leo cool down for a few hours. There was no need to surround his house in as quick a time as they did.
“Don’t worry, someone will have to answer a lot of questions when this is over. This is unheard of anywhere. Taking the RCMP five days to get a man out of a house. Sure, if you tried to write a story about something like this, would you be able to? This is not even a Newfie joke anymore. It’s gone way beyond that.”
“I might dart over later for a look. I guess I’ll need my binoculars.”
“Those binoculars you got, they’re garbage.”
“What do you mean, garbage?”
“Garbage . . . that’s exactly what they are. They’re only fifty- or sixty-dollar glasses. I’ll let you use mine for a few minutes.”
“And I know yours are that much better than mine.”
“Michael, I paid close to $1,000 for them.”
“What? Why would you pay that much for a pair of binoculars?”
“For birdwatching.”
“You’re off your fucking head.”
“I’ve been told that before by better men. Anyway, thanks for supper, Annie. Michael, we’re right up next to Mrs. Aggie McCarthy’s house. Stay on the farm road, where the track forks off to the right—you can’t miss us if you come over for a look.”
“I’ll tell you what, if anything big happens, give me a call, will you?”
“Okay, will do.”
I got back to the pit around six thirty. Joe’s was the only vehicle there. I parked and got in with him.
“Joe, what did Janet have for supper?”
“A moose roast. With all the veggies and gravy. One of my favourite meals. She even had dandelions.”
“Where did she get dandelion this time of the year?”
“I picked them earlier in the year and froze them.”
“Can’t beat them, even if they are frozen. With lots of vinegar.”
“What did Annie have?”
“Fish stew.”
“Fresh?”
“No, frozen also. But you wouldn’t know it. She packs the fish in water in milk cartons before she freezes it. Retains its moisture.”
“She’s quite the cook. One of the best in Witless Bay. Sure, her house is always full. Go in her house any day of the week and there are eight or ten at the table for dinner.”
“Wonder what’s going to happen tonight? I’m expecting something big. Perhaps the night might hold a few surprises for us.”
“Dutch, they got to get him out. The bill for this has got to be adding up. They’re here since Saturday. And with a few dozen officers flown in from the Maritimes. How will the Minister of Justice justify the bill for this?”
“Good question. Don’t worry, he’ll put his spin on it.”
“I bet he will.”
“Joe, the white truck is on the move again. I’m getting some sick of watching that truck going up and down St. John’s Road.”
“There are two Suburbans following it. Normally there’s only one.”
“That’s strange. Something’s up. Joe, here, look through the scope. What’s that one of the cops is carrying? He’s to the right of the games arcade, behind the Suburbans.”
“I don’t know. What do you think it is?”
“It looks like a battering ram. One of those devices for powering through a door. They’re going in tonight. Watch him. He’s now by the first garage. There are two cops by the first garage and there are six by the second garage. Definitely, that back door is coming off the hinges tonight.”
“Don’t get too excited. The robot couldn’t budge it.”
“But there’s a lot more power with 450 or 500 pounds of cop pounding the door than a robot moving in slow motion.”
“Time will tell.”
“I wonder what time they’re going to try to get in?”
“I’d say it will be very late. They beat the windows out late last night, didn’t they?”
“You’re right, they did.” I decided to phone Ann Marie.
“Ann Marie, what are you at?”
“Out on the deck. Keeping an eye on the back of the house.”
“You see the eight cops by the two garages?”
“I only see two.”
“Well, there’s six by the closest garage to the house and two by the one closest to the hangout, towards Bernie’s.”
“What do you think their game plan is?”
“Well, one of them is carrying a battering ram, so you mark it down, they’re going in tonight. Let me rephrase that. They’re going to try and go in tonight.”
“That sounds more correct, Dutch.”
“I wouldn’t be shocked if that door is booby-trapped.”
“Never thought of that.”
“He is getting more tormented and cornered every night. Technically, his world is getting smaller, so anything is game with Leo, going forward. I’d say this is going to be the night with the most action yet. I hope they don’t wait until three or four o’clock in the morning. I don’t want to miss it. When I saw that battering ram I knew we were in for action tonight. Only time will tell. You staying up late?”
“I’ll see how I feel as the night progresses. This is slowly taking a toll on me.”
“Yes—you, me, and everyone else. Joe has probably gotten ten or twelve hours sleep since this started on Saturday. Okay, we’re in the pit if anything big happens over on your side. You know my number.”
“Hang on, Dutch. Jesus. You’re always in a damn hurry. Did you and Joe see the two that are living in Brian Ryan’s house walk up St. John’s Road late last night?”
“Yes, we did see them. Did you see them?”
“No. But I figured the two of you would see them, with the high-powered gear you’re using. Someone told me today that the cops nabbed them by Foodland late last night. And as soon as they told me, I said to myself, guaranteed Joe and Dutch would have seen them. Anyway, apparently they were told under no circumstance were they allowed to walk up St. John’s Road. They were told to walk down St. John’s Road until this standoff is over. The story is the cops flipped on them.”
“I believe that, Ann Marie.”
“Wonder they never locked them up until this is over.”
“That, along with the stunt Donna pulled, is making the cops look like amateurs. So, what did they do with them? Don’t tell me they let them go back to that house?”
“No. Definitely not. The person I was talking to said they’re staying down to Loyola and Norma Mulcahy’s until this is over. The cops asked them if they had anywhere else to stay in Bay Bulls until this is over. If they didn’t, they told them that the RCMP would find them lodging. Apparently buddy helps Loyola out crab fishing when the crabs are plenty or if he is down a man.”
“Ann Marie, they could be down there for the winter.”
“That’s what I thought. All right, later.” I hung up and asked my brother what he was seeing through the binoculars before I picked up the scope.
&
nbsp; “Joe, all cops still there around the garages?”
“Two have left. See, they’re already cold. They don’t seem to be very tough, do they? They don’t be by the garage ten minutes when they’re rotating for a bit of heat.”
“The two that left, they’re sitting in the Suburban in Bernie’s yard. I can see it idling. I see the smoke rising from the rear of it.”
“I don’t see it.”
“I can see it with the scope.”
“Why can’t I see it with the binoculars?”
“Joe, those binoculars are only ten-power. This scope is thirty- to sixty-power. A big difference from this distance.
“The fellow with the battering ram is still there.”
“I wonder how they’ll do it? I noticed, also, that three or four of them are carrying shields. The ones with clear glass. Jeff must have homework again tonight. If he didn’t, he’d be here.”
My phone rang. It was Jeff.
“Hello, Jeff, your ears must be burning. I was just saying to Joe that it was strange that you never dropped up for a look when you got home from school.”
“I was planning on going up, but I dozed off watching the news. What’s on the go?”
“Not a lot. Did I tell you last night that there were six cops by the closest garage?”
“Yes, you did.”
“Well, now there are eight. Two by the other garage. One of them is holding a battering ram and four are carrying shields.”
“What do you think they have up their sleeves for tonight?”
“I don’t know, but I’d say they’re going to try and get past that back door. Technically, that’s their Achilles heel. They pounded and pounded on it last night with the robot and never put a dent in it. Guaranteed Leo has that reinforced. And they also beat all the glass out of the windows in the basement.”
“When did they do that?”
“Sometime after Joe left. He was the last one of us here last night. I bet when this is over we’ll find out that it was reinforced. I can’t wait for this to end to find out the little details. From both sides, Leo’s and the RCMP’s. I’d say we’ll be shocked at the little details that we’re missing or are not privy to. I’d say Leo’s side of it will be much more interesting than the RCMP version. The bad guy’s story is always more interesting than the good guy’s. Like cops and robbers on TV, when we were kids.”
“Jesus, Jesus . . . the poor fellow. How long can he endure all this? Sure, a sane man would be after snapping.”
“You’re right, Jeff. But all men are not like Leo Crockwell. I said earlier the week that he is getting a big laugh out of all this. They picked the wrong fellow to go to war with.”
“Yes, Dutch. A big laugh for Leo, but how long can he stay in that house with no power and nearly every window beat out of it?”
“Good question. I’m thinking tonight something big will happen.”
“I’m not going to bother going up for a look tonight. Give me a shout if anything happens before midnight.”
“Will do. Later.”
“Dutch, what was Jeff saying?”
“Not a lot, Joe. Just wondering, much like ourselves, how Leo is. In there with no heat and all the windows beat out. Remind me to call Jeff if anything big happens before midnight, will you?”
“Yes.”
“Joe, Ann Marie just filled me in on the two that walked up the road past Leo’s last night, that are staying in Brian Ryan’s house. Apparently they were warned not to go up St. John’s Road. Told to go right when they walked out their driveway. I guess they don’t know left from right.”
“What did they do with them?”
“She didn’t say what the cops did with them. I’m sure that they got quite the lecture. She told me they’re staying down to Loyola Mulcahy’s until this is over. Cops told them if they didn’t have a place to go that they would find a place for them.”
“Dutch, they could be down there until Christmas. Or probably the whole winter.”
“The story is he crab-fishes with Loyola whenever he needs an extra man. Joe, did you see them take the robot out yet?”
“They did. But they lifted it back into the truck. I watched four of them lift it back in.”
“Interesting—must be broke. Why else would they be lifting it? Leo might get some peace and quiet with that piece of shit broke down.”
“Dutch, you wait and see, they’ll have that fixed in no time. I’d say there’s a technician on the way up from town as we speak.”
Technical help arrived from St. John’s within the hour. We used the scope to watch work being done on it behind the town hall. Within ten or fifteen minutes the robot drove itself back into the truck.
“Joe, that didn’t take long. The truck is going up St. John’s Road again. Seems like there are more lights on it. Look how bright the front of the house is. Here, take the binoculars, I want the scope. I’m watching that place like a hawk tonight. They’re doing something tonight. What, I have no idea. But something big. Joe, what time is it?”
“Ten.”
“Getting late. Soon time for them to make their move. Joe, look at the robot, it’s going around the front and looking in the basement. It has looked in the two front windows and it’s gone around the side up towards Sharon’s. I guess that’s why they beat the windows out. So they could look in. So that answers the question that I’ve been wondering. The windows towards Sharon’s are beat out. So when they beat out the windows, they did all the basement windows, not just the ones we can see. I’d say it has a camera on it. And whoever is operating it from the mobile command post can see in the basement when the robot pokes that arm in.”
“I’d say they’re trying to figure out which room Leo is in.”
“Okay, Joe, coming across the front. Going up the side of the house. On the garage side. Here we go again. ‘Leo, come out. Leo, come out, we won’t hurt you. Leo, don’t worry about your mother’s house, we’ll fix it.’
“Joe, focus on the two garages. Count the cops. How many do you see?”
“Ten.”
“That’s exactly how many I counted.”
“One is still carrying the battering ram.”
“Notice how he stands it on its end resting against his leg. I’d say that thing is not light.”
“And I counted six cops with six shields.”
“Pay attention. Don’t take your eyes off them. They’re going for that back door any minute now. See them, Joe? They’re stretching. Bouncing up and down. Touching their toes. Pulling their knees up into their chests. They’re getting the blood pumping, limbering up. And trying to get the adrenaline pumping, too. They’re trying to psych themselves up. Joe, watch them. Joe, they’re going.
“Watch the robot . . . it’s slowly moving back. It looks like it went much farther back than ever before. It’s almost back by the truck. Almost like it’s trying to get out of the way. Don’t take your eyes off this corner of the house.
“Joe, Joe, they’re going . . . they’re going! Joe, Joe, Jesus, Joe, pay attention, the cops are rushing the back door. Joe, Joe . . . they’re going, they’re going. Every one of them. All ten. No, eight of them.”
“Hear that? That sounds like the flash bombs. Holy fuck, look at all the smoke!”
“What a fucking bang! My ears are ringing. Joe, I can hardly make out the shape of the house with all the smoke. Listen, Joe, I can hear them pounding on the door.”
We saw and heard more flash bombs, and then noises like a high-powered rifle being fired twice.
“Did you see the blue flashes in the windows? Leo fired. I hope for his sake it was into the ceiling or the floor. Not the door. He fires at that door, they’ll say he fired at them.”
“You think, Dutch?”
“Definitely. The bangs
, the fifth and sixth, not as loud as the first four, the bangs with the blue flashes, they were not near as loud as the flash bombs, the first four. Definitely, Leo fired. Holy fuck, Joe. This is like a war movie. Look at the smoke.”
“If I didn’t know any better I would think the place is on fire.”
“Joe, hear the dogs? Sounds like there is more than one barking.”
“They’re moving back.”
“Look, look, look . . . they’re all running for the cover of the garage.”
“Definitely, he fired.”
“That’s why they’re running.”
“He did something major for them to hightail it out of there.”
“I hope the fuck they didn’t hurt him. Or vice versa.”
“I pray no one got hurt. Please, Lord, let this end peacefully for everyone involved.”
“Holy fuck, Joe. Wasn’t that wild? I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. Joe, how many bangs did you hear?”
“I heard four real loud ones. And the fifth and sixth not near as loud as the first four. The first four were the noisemakers. I then saw two blue flashes, and as I saw the blue flashes I heard two more bangs, but not near as loud as the first two bangs. Those bangs with the blue flashes I’m sure were flashes from a gun barrel. I wonder if the cops are firing in canisters of pepper spray, too?”
“Just look at the two garages. Not a cop to be seen. Joe, they didn’t hang around the garages.”
“I saw two Suburbans going down the road a minute after I saw them all run for the garages. And they were moving.”
“I’d say they’re all back in the town hall. Shaking like a leaf and licking their wounds.”
“I guess this attack didn’t go as they had planned. Cops zero, Leo one.”
My phone rang.
“Dutch, Ann Marie.”
“Wasn’t that wild? It was wild from the pit. You must have seen some action.”
“Dutch, it was unbelievable. They got the door.”
“What?”
“The cops knocked the inside door down off the hinges.”