by Edson, J. T.
‘I got the notion they were just putting your people and the Mirror on about being radicals,’ Lacey explained, his features so innocent of guile it would have taken a completely skeptical person to mistrust him. ‘After they’d called, one of them told me they were sure to get the support of you cruddy Commies in the media by making out they were the same kind of Pinko crap.’
Listening to the conversation, Bellamy needed all his considerable ability as a poker player to retain an impassive demeanor. He silently conceded he had been doing the plump businessman an injustice. By playing upon the ‘liberal’ proclivity towards ethnic butt licking, whereby no member of a minority group could ever be in the wrong, he had reduced the eagerness of the newscaster and the reporter from the Mirror—who had come over without joining the discussion—to lend moral support to the ‘suspects’. At first, he had mentally cursed Lacey for doing what he was hoping to avoid by allowing them to learn the nature of the men against whom his party was in contention. Now he realized he was wrong. Far from ruining his efforts, Lacey had given him immeasurable support. Neither representative of the media believed radicals wishing to flee the United States would want to be taken to the capital city of a country ruled by a very firm Right Wing Government.
‘The other one said he wondered if they’d get to use napalm to zap the Commies there like they had in ’Nam,’ the businessman continued, having recognized the newcomers and guessed what lay behind their delayed appearance on the scene, he had thought up a means by which he could help the peace officers. ‘Which made me think maybe they weren’t figuring on joining the “freedom—”!’
At that moment , the man in the house made a statement which—apart from the reference to ‘Fascist pigs’—seemed to give credence to the story Lacey was telling.
‘The sheriff’s on his way now!’ Sergeant Bulpin announced over the megaphone, with complete veracity; although not in the context which it was hoped the two radicals would accept the declaration. ‘He’ll be here soon!’
~*~
‘Fun’s over, Joe!’ Jack Tragg said quietly over his shoulder. ‘Ready or not, we’ve got to call it a “go”.’
‘This is fun!’ Patrolman Garrity replied.
Continuing to wriggle up the narrow rift until he estimated they were as far as it was possible to go above the roof, the Sheriff edged slowly out of its protection. Followed by his companion, he clung precariously to the side of the cliff. At that moment, neither of them underestimated the danger. Rapid movement was impossible. If they should be spotted by the radicals, the range was so short even the one armed with the Colt Government Model automatic pistol would be unlikely to miss.
Yet, desperate though the position of the two peace officers undoubtedly would be in such circumstances, it was not completely untenable!
Neither was it a sinecure!
While Jack and Garrity were now fully exposed to view, the beams of the spotlights coming from Route 228 were glaring against the cliff above and below them. On a darker night, the contrast might have rendered them close to invisible. However , under the prevailing “conditions—in spite of realizing it was unlikely to be the case—the bright moonlight had the effect of making each of them feel as if he was facing an audience on a well lit stage.
Slowly and with extreme care, the peace officers continued to move in the direction of their objective. There was now, each appreciated, an even greater urgency required to ensure every place upon which a foot was rested or a hand grasped could be trusted to hold. Not only was there an increased danger of slipping but a piece of loosened rock falling to the ground would almost certainly be heard inside the house and bring at least one of the radicals to investigate.
At last, Jack felt that safety was practically attained!
The Sheriff was within fifteen feet of the building and some twenty feet higher than the nearest window. Even if one of the fugitives happened to look out, he could not see the approaching peace officers unless he should turn his gaze upwards for some reason. There did not appear to be any cause for him to do so.
Letting out a sigh of relief as he was groping for another handhold, Jack chanced to glance downwards!
What the Sheriff saw caused him to freeze with his arm extended and crooked fingers just clear of the crack for which he had been reaching!
A figure was standing at the nearest window, which was slightly ajar!
The face was upturned!
The eyes were staring straight at the peace officers!
Chapter Four – It’s the Sheriff
For a single, breath-taking and heart-stopping instant, which seemed to be a vastly longer period of time, Jack Tragg thought it was one of the radicals gazing at him!
Then the Sheriff realized he was being studied by a pretty, curvaceous and stylishly dressed girl of obvious Hispanic birthright!
In spite of having established the gender of the observer, however, Jack was painfully aware that his position might not be any more of a sinecure than if either Richard Cleverly or Edward Gierek were looking at him. He had been detected by a person who, although the law enforcement agencies of Rockabye County were far from oppressive where prostitutes were concerned as long as they were well behaved, might have a real or imagined grudge against peace officers in general. Or she could believe the pretence of the fugitives that they were stalwart protectors of the ‘poor and downtrodden’ ethnic minorities, so might feel it incumbent upon herself to alert them to the danger she had discovered.
In either case, the life expectancies of the Sheriff of Rockabye County and Patrolman Joseph Garrity would be far from extensive!
Nor, Jack suspected, would the black harness bull qualifying as a member of a leading ‘poor and downtrodden’ ethnic minority group prevent either of the radicals from opening fire upon him!
Even as the Sheriff was drawing his unpalatable conclusions, but before he could even start to decide upon a line of defensive action, the girl looked over her shoulder!
To add to his consternation, Jack saw another figure was approaching the window with rapid strides!
The newcomer was male and the color of his hair identified him as Edward Gierek!
If either of the peace officers had been able to draw a weapon and take the simplest way out of their difficulties, the brown haired radical would have presented them with an easy target as he was crossing the room. Although he was pulling the Colt Government Model automatic pistol from his belt, as yet he was displaying no sign of being aware of their presence.
Unfortunately, even if their training and ethics would have permitted such an action without direct provocation, the Sheriff and the patrolman each required both his hands to continue clinging to the face of the cliff!
In fact, Jack had been compelled to complete the movement he was making when becoming aware that he was being watched!
Should either the Sheriff or Garrity so much as attempt to reach for his holstered revolver, he would immediately be precipitated backwards to the ground!
Gierek spoke!
However, the words were not directed at the all but helpless peace officers!
‘Just what the “mother-something” hell are you up to?’ the radical demanded, sharing with Faith Robertus and numerous other middle class ‘liberals’ an outlook which considered that the frequent use of profanity in mixed company expressed a willingness to come down to the level of the ‘little people.’
‘Just what I told you I would be,’ the girl replied, in accent free English. Her tone implied resentment and hostility as she elaborated, ‘I’ve been to the john. Where else?’
Having been on the point of telling the patrolman to take a chance and jump, the Sheriff refrained!
Clearly, regardless of her illegal way of earning a living, the prostitute did not intend to denounce the peace officers!
‘Are you sure you weren’t planning to split?’ Gierek challenged, glancing at rather than through the partially open window.
‘You don’t think I’
d leave Cousin Rosa alone with you two, do you?’ the girl replied with cold dignity, then continued after hesitating for a moment, clearly to think up an acceptable excuse for her behavior, ‘Seeing as your friends from the media haven’t come rushing out to help you, I thought I’d find out what the fuzz are doing.’
‘What are they doing?’ the radical demanded, stepping forward.
‘A Buick sedan drove up just now,’ Maria Esteban lied, pointing towards the road. ‘It’s the Sheriff come at last.’
For all the words and courageous behavior of the girl, Jack knew the danger to the patrolman and himself was not at an end!
If Gierek happened to glance upwards instead of in the direction being indicated by the prostitute, all would be lost!
And not only for the peace officers!
The radical would almost certainly kill the girl for what he would consider to be an act of betrayal!
The problem did not arise!
Although Gierek pushed Maria aside and went to stand at the window, his gaze turned immediately towards the area at which she had pointed!
‘Where the “something” hell is that “mother-something” Buick?’ the radical demanded looking over his shoulder towards the girl after having stared out of the window for what seemed to the prostitute, and the two peace officers clinging precariously to the face of the cliff, to have been a considerably longer time than was actually the case. ‘I can’t see anything of it on the road, or the “mother-something” Sheriff either.’
‘It kept going,’ Maria answered, striving to prevent the growing tension she was feeling from becoming apparent in her voice and demeanor. ‘You don’t think he’d be loco enough to stop his heap and get out where that amigo of yours could have a clear blast at him. Sheriffs are only that stupid in The Dukes Of Hazzard, or B.J. and the Bear.’
‘Is that so, you greaser whore?’ Gierek asked, employing a term which no Hollywood “liberal” scriptwriter would have thought to put into the mouth of a noble radical activist in conflict against the evil Capitalist Establishment. He was annoyed at the disdain shown to two television series he regarded highly for their anti-law and order content. ‘And maybe it wasn’t his heap you saw?’
‘It was him all right, you can bet on that,’ Maria asserted, stiffened in her resolve by the racist slur. ‘You think I don’t know super-heat’s heap when I see it, maybe?’
Without waiting for a response from the clearly annoyed radical, the prostitute turned and walked defiantly across the room. Watching her move, the sheriff was filled with admiration for her courage and strength of will. He had detected a mounting timbre of worry in her tone and perturbation in her manner. For all that, there was nothing in her bearing as she was taking her departure to suggest she was even slightly aware of the terrible gamble she was making.
After Maria had disappeared from the view of the men outside the building, Gierek let out an angry snort and returned his gaze to the window. Only briefly, however. Nor did he look upwards. Conducting his scrutiny of the road for a few seconds, he once more snorted and shrugged his shoulders. Then, returning the automatic pistol to his belt, he swung around to follow her.
‘Whooee!’ Garrity breathed, remembering the girl as one who used Gusher City South Division as a base for her illegal transactions. ‘I owe you one, Maria!’
‘We both do!’ seconded Jack, just as quietly and with equal vehemence.
Neither peace officer gave the matter any thought, but the behavior of the prostitute was a tribute to the fair dealing and general standard of conduct insisted upon by the Sheriff and Chief of Police Phineas Hagen.
With their respective sentiments uttered, Jack and the patrolman resumed their interrupted advance!
As he was once more moving along the face, the Sheriff found he was now deliberately keeping his gaze straight ahead and avoiding so much as glancing at the windows of the building. He realized that, as a defensive measure, this was no more effective than the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand. For all that, he could not restrain himself from behaving in such a fashion. Being so close to his goal, he told himself grimly if silently, he had no intention of stopping again. Not even if one of the radicals was to lean out of a window and yell, or opened fire, at him. One way or another, his sole desire at that moment was to have the ordeal over.
What was more, when discussing the incident afterwards, Jack discovered Garrity had been subject to similar emotions and had behaved in an identical fashion.
Suddenly and shockingly, the Sheriff realized he was caught in the full glare of a spotlight!
Even as he was being assailed by a sensation of furious outrage, brought about through the assumption that somebody on Route 228 had been so careless as to direct the brilliant beam upon him, Jack glanced downwards. He received a most welcome surprise. No such error had been committed. Instead, he had finally arrived in the illuminated area. This meant, being at last directly over the roof of the building, he was now safe from the view of any of the occupants. Furthermore, unless something untoward happened, it would only be a matter of seconds before Garrity too was in a similarly safe position.
Working his way downwards, employing just as much caution as he had while making the crossing, regardless of his feeling of relief, the Sheriff contrived to step over and arrive upon the flat roof. A glance around told him that the patrolman was behaving with an equal care. Then, a few seconds later, having been just as successful in making the transfer without noise, his companion joined him.
‘Should I ever be loco enough to volunteer for a caper like this again, sir,’ the burly black harness bull requested, in a whisper charged with relief. ‘Take pity on my poor old mammy’s half-witted lil boy—and say, “No way”!’
‘I’ll keep it in mind,’ Jack promised, wiping perspiration from his brow.
‘All right already, you “mother-something” Fascist pigs!’ Richard Cleverly yelled, from somewhere ahead and below the peace officers. ‘We know the “mother-something” sheriff’s arrived and we’re out of patience. How about it?’
‘You heard Dick!’ Gierek supplemented when, in accordance with the instructions he had received from Jack, Sergeant David Bulpin had not replied after a few seconds. ‘We’re pee’d off with waiting and are coming down. Either you let us through, you “mother-something” sons-of-bitches, or you’re going to have a couple of very dead Chicano hookers on your hands to explain away.’ Walking across the roof on tiptoe, grateful to discover it was justifying the confidence expressed by Oliver Lacey in its sturdy construction (he had claimed it would support the weight of the two peace officers without giving any indication of their presence). Jack halted just clear of the front edge. Although concealed from anybody inside the building, he was exposed to the law enforcement officers and other spectators on the road. Not that he remained in their sight for long. Giving a wave and having it returned immediately by Bulpin, he turned and followed Garrity who—having kept out of view—was already stepping quietly towards the eastern end.
The appearance of the Sheriff had been of such brief duration, neither the reporter from the Gusher City Mirror nor the television newscaster and her crew had noticed him. Having accepted the story regarding the political affiliations of the fugitives told by Lacey, none of them were paying any particular attention to the way in which the operation was being conducted. Although she would have suggested an acceptance of their terms if she had known the truth about the radicals, Faith Robertus had not raised any objections on being informed that it was unlikely these would be met and she was willing to wait until Jack Tragg put in an appearance in the hope of making some kind of capital from what she otherwise considered to be a waste of her time.
‘This is Captain Bellamy of the G.C.P.D.!’ the Watch Commander from the Gusher City South Division announced, having gone over to take the megaphone from Bulpin. ‘It must have been me you saw come, the Sheriff isn’t down here yet. But we’ve had word from him and he says we’ve got to be show
n proof that both girls are still alive and unharmed before we can consider agreeing to your terms.’
‘They’re alive!’ Gierek stated.
‘And unharmed!’ Bellamy countered.
‘They’re unarmed!’ the brunette radical asserted indignantly. ‘God damn it, even if Dick and I weren’t into Gay-Lib, do you think we’d be wasting our time raping a couple of god-damned greaser hookers?’
‘Let the girls show themselves on the porch where we can see them!’ the Watch Commander demanded. ‘The aircraft’s ready and waiting, but you’re not coming through until I’m satisfied they’re both all right.’
‘We’ll have to go along with him, Ed!’ Cleverly advised. ‘Send them out, I can drop them both if they try to run away.’
‘If you have to,’ Gierek pointed out, ‘that won’t help us!’
‘It will help them a lot less,’ the blond answered. ‘Anyway, you don’t think a couple of god-damned hookers will let themselves get wasted to help the pigs, do you?’ Making a derisive gesture with the Armalite carbine in the direction of the two girls, he went on in a mocking tone, ‘How about it, do either of you feel like sacrificing yourselves?’
‘Like hell we do!’ Maria declared vehemently. While the radicals were talking to the peace officers, she had taken the opportunity to inform her cousin of the discovery she had made in the bedroom. Knowing herself to be the stronger personality, she had already ordered Rosa Moreno to let her do all the talking and she continued, ‘But there’s something you two had better remember, particularly you, hombre bravo with the carbine. There’s no way the fuzz are going to let you get a car to the airport unless they’re certain we’re in it, alive and kicking.’
‘Don’t let that worry you,’ Gierek growled. ‘Having you pair along is our ticket to Cuba. So you can show yourselves and let them know I meant what I said about wasting you if there are any tricks.’