Lawmen of Rockabye County (Rockabye County Book Two)

by Edson, J. T.

  As opposed to the Sub-Offices in the five other main towns of Rockabye County, the Sheriff’s Office—based at the Department of Public Safety Building in the county seat, Gusher City, which also served as headquarters for the G.C.P.D.—worked a two-watch rota. xliii The Day Watch commenced at eight o’clock in the morning and ended at four in the afternoon. Taking over at four, the Night Watch continued until midnight. If deputies were required for duty from midnight until eight in the morning, they would be called from their respective homes by the permanently manned ‘Business Office’ of the G.C.P.D’s Bureau of Communications. The deputies arranged their days off watch and vacations informally amongst themselves, in conjunction with their Watch Commander.

  In addition to their other duties, the members of the Sheriff’s Office in Gusher City were responsible for the investigation of homicides and some twenty-two other legal infractions—such as wife beating, bigamy, train wrecking, assault and armed robbery—which might end in murder. The idea behind this arrangement was that, if death should result from the commission of any of those crimes, the investigating officers would have some prior knowledge of the events which led up to it. Furthermore, unlike the officers of the G.C.P.D., whose authority ended at the city limits, the deputies had jurisdiction throughout the whole of Rockabye County. xliv

  Appendix Two

  Unlike her partner, Deputy Sheriff Bradford ‘Brad’ Counter, q.v., Woman Deputy Alice Fayde had entered the Rockabye County Sheriff’s Office by the conventional means. Prior to having ‘caught her star’, she had served for seven years as a member of the Gusher City Police Department’s Bureau of Women Officers. Rising through the ranks, from walking a beat to becoming a sergeant in the Detective Bureau, she had gained experience by working out of such diverse Divisions as Evans Hill—the low rent area known to the local law enforcement agencies and its residents as ‘the Bad Bit’—and the elite, high rent, Upton Heights. On winning her promotion to the Detective Bureau, she had added to her practical knowledge by serving with various specialist departments such as Traffic, Juvenile, Vice & Gambling and Narcotics.

  Joining Brad to help bring to justice the professional killers who had murdered her uncle, Deputy Sheriff Thomas Cord, Alice had become the permanent partner of the blond giant. Without in any way affecting their ability to function as a team, their association became much closer as time went by. xlv By virtue of her greater length of service and practical ‘street’ experience, she was the senior member of the team and Brad had not the slightest objection to the arrangement.

  Alice possessed a sound knowledge of self defense, being well able to protect herself when necessary in bare handed combat against other women. xlvi In addition, she was skilled in the use of firearms and her ability with a handgun had given her a classification of Expert, for which she received an increment of eight dollars a week to her salary. xlvii Although at the time of this narrative she was carrying a Colt Cobra .38 Special revolver with a two and a half inch barrel, having seen a demonstration of its lack of penetrative powers, she later changed to a Colt Commander .45 automatic pistol—a lightweight version of the Colt Government Model of 1911—which was vastly more potent than her previous choice. xlviii

  Appendix Three – Radio Codes

  353a -Escape From Jail

  450 -Unlawful Assembly To Frighten Anyone By Disguise

  454a -Wearing Mask In Public

  474 -Disturbing The Peace

  477 -Drunk In Public Place

  483 -Unlawfully Carrying Firearms

  489b -Possession Or Sale, Etc., Of Machine Guns

  490 -Bigamy

  525 -Procuring For Immoral Purposes

  535c -Indecent Exposure To Child

  625 -Keeping Premises For Gambling Purposes

  666-4 -Manufacture, Sale Or Possession Of Liquor Unlawful (Moonshining)

  725b -Violation Of Narcotics Laws

  725d -Transportation Or Possession Of Contraband Narcotics

  1148 -Aggravated Assault

  1151 -Assault With A Prohibited Weapon

  1160 -Assault With Intent To Murder

  1162 -Assault With Intent To Rape

  1164 -Assault In Attempting Robbery

  1189 -Rape

  1256 -Murder

  1265 -Seriously Threatening Life

  1314 -Arson (Private Property)

  1397 -Burglary

  1398 -Burglary Employing Explosives

  1408 -Robbery

  1440 -Theft Of Horse Or Mule

  1441 -Theft Of Cow Or Hog

  The above are the numbers of the appropriate Articles of the Texas Penal Code

  Code 1 -Acknowledge Message

  Code 2 -Urgent (No Red Light, Siren)

  Code 3 -Emergency (Red Light, Siren)

  Code 4 -No Further Help Needed

  Code 5 -(Adam) -Sufficient Help At The Scene; Suspect Still In Vicinity

  Code 6 -(Adam) -Out For Investigation, May Need Assistance

  Code 7 -Off Watch To Eat

  Code 8 -Fire Alarm Box Pulled

  Code 9 -Request For Assistance

  Code 20 -Notify News Photographers

  A.C. -Aircraft Crash

  1020 -What Is Your Location?

  10-4 -Message Understood?

  Roger -Understood

  MAJOR DISASTER Code 12 – Disaster is believed present. Field Units to reconnoiter their beats and report evidence of damage. Off duty officers and reserves notified. Stand by for one hour for instructions.

  Code 13 -(Fred) - Disaster has occurred. Field Units reconnoiter their beats and report extent of damage. Off duty officers and reserves notified. Report as planned. Suffix will indicate area affected.

  Code 13 -(Daniel) -Disaster has occurred. Field Units reconnoiter their beats and report extent of damage. All off duty officers, reserves and auxiliaries report as planned.

  Code 14 -Recall Code 12 and/or Code 13 in its every form. All officers return to normal duties. Reserves and auxiliaries relieved of further duties.

  The employment of code numbers is less of a security measure, against criminals monitoring the calls, than a means by which the Dispatchers of the Bureau Of Communications’ Central Control can pass information quickly to the officers on patrol.

  Appendix Four

  Before questioning a suspect, a peace officer in Rockabye County is required to carry out the following procedure by saying:

  ‘In keeping with the Supreme Court’s decision in “Miranda versus Arizona”, I am not permitted to ask you any questions until you have been warned of your right to counsel and your privilege against self incrimination. First: you have the right to remain silent if you choose. Second: you do not have to answer questions asked by myself or any other peace officer if you don’t want to. Third: if you decide to answer any questions, the answers may be used against you.

  ‘You also have the right to consult with an attorney before, or during, questioning.

  ‘If you do not have the money to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to consult with you.’

  Between each sentence, the officer has to ask whether the suspect understands what it means. Should the suspect be of an ethnic origin which does not claim English as its first tongue, an interpreter must be produced to ‘read the rights’ in the appropriate language. If this is not done, they may be ruled invalid on a claim they were not understood.

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  More on J. T. Edson

  i Information pertaining to the various types of Colt Model P Single Action Army revolver—as it was designated by the manufacturers—first put on the market in 1873 and which became known to many of those who used it as the Peacemaker can be found in those volumes of the Floating Outfit series coming
after THE PEACEMAKERS in the chronological sequence.

  ii How one man was affected by arriving in Gusher City during Frontier Week is told in: Case Three, ‘Walt Haddon’s Mistake’ of this volume.

  iii In this instance, we are using the term ‘jeep’ to describe any small, four-wheel drive vehicle with the capability of travelling across country and not specifically the famous Willys Truck ¾ ton, 4x4, which was given the name, ‘Jeep’—derived from a character in the POPEYE cartoon series—by servicemen during World War II.

  iv Designed at the instigation of General Samuel J. Browne (1824-1901) of the British Army, because he had lost an arm in action and needed extra support when carrying his weapons—a pistol when on horseback and a sword if dismounted—the type of military belt which eventually came to bear his name originally had one or two light shoulder straps running diagonally across the chest from left to right. While the basic Sam Browne belt is still popular for uniform wear with peace officers in the United States, the shoulder straps have now gone out of favor and are seldom used.

  v The official in question was Assistant Chief Patrol Inspector William ‘Bill’ Jordan, author of one of the most authoritative books available on the subject of modern gun fighting techniques and equipment, NO SECOND PLACE WINNER.

  vi An explanation of the various radio call signs employed by the Rockabye County Department of Public Safety can be found in: APPENDIX THREE.

  vii Information regarding the hours worked respectively on the ‘two’ and four’ watch rotas by different branches of the law enforcement agencies in Rockabye County is to be found in: APPENDIX ONE.

  viii ‘Police Gun’; for an explanation of the term, see: APPENDIX ONE.

  ix ‘Caucasian’; in this context, a member of the white-skinned division of the human race: so called because of a skull found in the Caucasus region, which was taken as establishing the type.

  x See second paragraph of our: AUTHOR’S NOTE.

  xi The family of Sheriff Jack Tragg have had a long tradition for being involved in the enforcement of law and order in Texas. Information regarding three earlier Traggs who served as peace officers can be found in: SET A-FOOT, BEGUINAGE IS DEAD! and the various volumes of the Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog series.

  xii A suggestion of why the two prostitutes were present can be found in: THE SHERIFF OF ROCKABYE COUNTY.

  xiii ‘F.I.L. the Firearms Investigation Laboratory of the Scientific Investigation Bureau, based in the Department of Public Safety Building and manned by technicians of the Gusher City Police Department.

  xiv How the ‘rights’ are ‘read’ to a suspect in Rockabye County is described in: APPENDIX FOUR. An example of how Sheriff Jack Tragg put to use his ability to speak Spanish with great fluency is given in: THE SHERIFF OF ROCKABYE COUNTY.

  xv Even the late and very great John Wayne can be seen performing such a check of his revolver in his 1975 movie, BRANNIGAN. However, in exculpation, we believe the ‘ Duke’ only did this to establish for latecomers in the cinema audience that—despite the action taking place in ‘gun free’ London, England—he was armed.

  xvi An example of how dangerous a failure to take such a precaution can be when drawing a handgun is given in: THE FAST GUN.

  xvii The velocity of a bullet from a modern rifle—even the far from excessively powered No. 4 Mark 1, which was the standard issue to the British Army while we were doing our recruit training with the Rifle Brigade—is sufficiently high for it to be travelling faster than the speed of sound. Therefore, it passes the person at whom it is directed before the detonation of the cartridge is heard.

  xviii A more complete description and information regarding another type of work in which Cousin Jan was equally proficient is given in: THE SHERIFF OF ROCKABYE COUNTY.

  xix Information regarding an earlier member of the Besgrove-Woodstole family, the Right Honourable Lady Winifred Amelia who—using the alias Freddie Woods—migrated to and married in the United States of America can be found in various volumes of the Floating Outfit and, by inference, Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog series. She also makes ‘guest’ appearances in: WHITE STALLION, RED MARE and Part Five, Belle ‘the Rebel Spy’ Boyd in, ‘The Butcher’s Fiery End’. J.T.’S LADIES.

  xx Information regarding the family background and special qualifications of Deputy Sheriff Bradford ‘Brad’ Counter is given in: APPENDIX ONE.

  xxi Told in: THE SHERIFF OF ROCKABYE COUNTY.

  xxii Information regarding the career and special qualifications of Woman Deputy Alice Fayde is given in: APPENDIX TWO.

  xxiii The researches of fictionist-genealogist Philip Jose Farmer—author of among numerous other works, TARZAN ALIVE, A Definitive Biography Of Lord Greystoke and DOC SAVAGE, His Apocalyptic Life—have established that Sub-Lieutenant (as he was then) currently Vice Admiral Sir David Andrew Uglow Ramage, K.C.B., D.S.O. and Bar, D.S.C. and Two Bars, R. N. Rtd., is a descendant of Admiral of the Fleet Nicholas, Eleventh Earl of Blazey, details of whose career whilst he was still Lord Ramage are given in the series of biographies of His Lordship by Dudley Pope.

  xxiv ‘Eagle Squadron’: name given to the squadrons of Fighter Command formed by Americans who had enlisted in the Royal Air Force prior to the official entry as a belligerent of the United States of America during World War II.

  xxv ‘Confederate States’ Air Force’: an organization of wealthy enthusiasts who own and maintain aircraft used in World War II in flying condition.

  xxvi Due to an oversight when we were working on the production of, THE ¼-SECOND DRAW, we referred to First Deputy Ricardo Alvarez as ‘Ricardo’.

  xxvii Why Woman Deputy Alice Fayde and Deputy Sheriff Bradford Counter became a team and how their personal relationship changed is told in: THE PROFESSIONAL KILLERS and THE ¼-SECOND DRAW.

  xxviii An example of just how recklessly a Staffordshire bull terrier could behave when confronted by grave danger is given in: HOUND DOG MAN.

  xxix We know of no nation in Africa which uses the name, ‘Upetangi’, so suspect it was created by its user to place emphasis upon his ethnic ‘roots’.

  xxx The lack of trade had been taken into account by Deputy Sheriffs Iain Grantley and Jacob Melnick when deciding how they would deal with the situation which brought them to the Gusher City Holiday Inn East Hotel. Knowing they would be in contention against a pair of exceptionally dangerous criminals, they had been relieved to learn the rooms all around were unoccupied as this had made their task much easier.

  xxxi How somebody else took advantage of the lax conditions at this particular State Prison Farm, which we call ‘Jonestown’ for obvious reasons, is given in: THE JUSTICE OF COMPANY ‘Z’.

  xxxii ‘Big D-Cowtown’: colloquial name for Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.

  xxxiii By an oversight when we were producing, Part One, The Sixteen Dollar Shooter in the volume of that name, we gave the age of Deputy Sheriff Thomas Cord as forty-eight. We have since been informed that he was actually fifty-eight.

  xxxiv On being informed of the discovery, ‘Theo’—the associate of First Deputy Ricardo Alvarez, serving as a detective lieutenant at the Manhattan South Precinct—had inquiries made by the Intelligence Detail of the New York Police Department’s Organized Crime Bureau. Their investigations established that the lower echelons of the Syndicate were unaware of the clinic’s existence and the ‘soldiers’ assigned the ‘contract’ to search for and kill Anthony ‘Crazy Doc’ Christopher believed he had done no more than burn to the ground an ordinary ‘safe house’—a property not known to have any connection with criminal activities and used as a hiding place for badly wanted men—after having murdered the people who ran it.

  xxxv How the duty was performed is told in: Part Twelve, the Rockabye County Sheriff’s Office series, ‘Preventive Law Enforcement’, J.T.’s HUNDREDTH.

  xxxvi Details of the career and family background of James Allenvale ‘Bunduki’ Gunn—whose sobriquet arose from a pun based upon the Swahili word for any kind of hand held firearm being
‘bunduki’—are recorded in: Part Twelve, ‘The Mchawi’s Powers’, J.T.’S HUNDREDTH and, with the exception of THE AMAZONS OF ZILLIKIAN, the volumes of the Bunduki series.

  xxxvii Details of the career and special qualifications of Mark Counter can be found in the various volumes of the Floating Outfit series. He also makes ‘guest’ appearances and demonstrates his penchant for being a ‘ladies man’ in: CALAMITY, MARK AND BELLE; CUT ONE, THEY ALL BLEED—respectively ‘expansions’ of; Part One, ‘The Bounty On Belle Starr’s Scalp’, TROUBLED RANGE and Part One, ‘Better Than Calamity’, THE WILDCATS—and THE BIG HUNT in the Calamity Jane series.

  xxxviii Information regarding Company ‘Z’ of the Texas Rangers and the special law enforcement operations for which it was formed can be found in the various volumes of the Alvin Dustine ‘Cap’ Fog series. Sergeant Ranse Smith makes his first appearance in: THE JUSTICE OF COMPANY ‘Z’.