"They lynched him?" Mike asked.
"That's what it looks like," Hannibal said. Their client looked sickened. They were standing around in the kitchen drinking coffee, grey morning light coming feebly through the blinds. Mike was still in pyjamas and a robe.
"What's your next move, Colonel Smith?" Mike asked.
"In a way that's up to you." Hannibal said. "At this point I think there's enough for you to call in the FBI or the state police to start an investigation. On the other hand you could let us finish the job. It's up to you." He held up a hand. "Don't answer right away, think about it. But not for too long."
"Alright." Mike put his coffee cup on the bench. "I'd better go and get David out of bed."
"Right. Oh, and BA will be driving David all the way to school and will pick him up from there later. For security. And I don't want you to let him out on his own into town."
Mike looked worried, but nodded. "Of course, thank you." He left.
"Jeez, Hannibal, way to scare the poor guy." Face said, when Mike was out of earshot.
"He has to know what we're up against," Hannibal said. "He's got the kid to think about."
"I know, but…" He shrugged. "Seems a lot to put on the guy that's all."
"Hannibal," BA said. "You want me to stick with the kid at the school?"
Hannibal smiled at the image of David walking around school with BA as his personal bodyguard, but said. "No, he should be safe enough once he's in school." He checked his watch. "Okay, I know we're all tired, but we have a full day ahead of us. Let's get some breakfast and then get out there and stick with the brothers grim. Murdock make some more coffee. Make it strong."
After BA had left with David Mike came up to Hannibal who was at the command post, watching the work crew from Bridgeport getting out of their van.
"Colonel, you want to nail these men, I can see that." Mike said. "So go do it." He held out his hand and Hannibal clasped it and shook it. Then Hannibal turned to Face and Murdock. "Let's go guys."
They picked up three rental cars. When they arrived at the roadhouse the severely hung over Heinemann's were just staggering out into the morning light.
"Okay, I'll take Jed," Hannibal said, over the CB, "Murdock stick with Zeke, Face you've got Aaron. Keep in touch guys."
"Well," Face said "That's…" he checked his watch, "nine hours of my life I'll never get back."
"Aaron stayed home all day, huh?" Hannibal said. The two of them were back at the hotel. It had been a long and tedious day. Hannibal had followed Jed all day, in the car and on foot. The man went home first, came back out in the early afternoon, drove into town in his sedan, made a couple of phone calls from a public call box, visited his mother for about an hour and then drove back to the road house to join his brothers.
Since the three brothers were now all in one place Hannibal had left Murdock down there on watch while he and Face came to check on things back at base. BA reported all was quiet. David was back home safely from school and seemed to be happy enough to stay in all evening watching TV.
"You think they're growing some brains?" Face asked. "Think they've given up?"
"Nah," Hannibal said. "They're just too dumb to know what to do now. Probably once they've had a few drinks they'll come up with their next move."
"Which is guaranteed to be a stupid one, right?"
"Oh yeah."
"Report, Murdock."
"Some interesting stuff, Colonel." Murdock's voice crackled over the CB. "They've kept the place closed again, though some guy named Al is in there. They've been talking about how 'Bob' made sure there was nothing suspicious to find at 'the Chink's' house. Dunno who Bob is."
"Sheriff Heinemann is named Robert." Mike said quietly, from behind Hannibal.
"Anything else?" Hannibal asked.
"They seem kind of subdued. They keep talking about not being sure if they should go ahead with it, think it's too crazy. But they won't explain what 'it' is." Murdock sounded a little frustrated.
"Very inconsiderate of them. Okay, report in again in an hour, unless you have something for us before then. Stay awake."
"Not easy, Colonel. These guys are dull with a capital duh. But they've just put a game on the TV. That might keep me from dozing off."
Hannibal smiled. "Good. Out." He put down the radio handset and turned to the others.
"So who wants to put money on 'Bob' being the sheriff?" Hannibal asked. Mike shook his head, looking disgusted.
"I guess that's why the deputy didn't find anything suspicious at Alan Chen's house." Face said. "Sheriff Bob had already been in and cleaned it out. Isn't it nice to see family coming together to help each other out?"
"The deputy coulda been in on it too," BA said. "If the sheriff is bad the whole department is probably gonna be bad."
"A fish stinks from the head." Hannibal observed. He yawned, checked his watch. It was after midnight. "We need to catch a little shuteye guys. Face take first watch. Stay alert. Whatever 'it' is I want to be ready for them trying it. One of us will have to go relieve Murdock in a few hours. He must be half asleep already."
"Touchdown!" Murdock yelled, punching the air. "Go Cowboys! Yeah!" He rubbed his eyes, which felt gritty and heavy.
"I just love stakeouts." He said, out loud, considering calling base, just to have someone to talk to. He ate a hard candy and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he crunched the sweet up. Nothing of note had come through the bug for ages, the brothers seemed to be wrapped up in the game. Murdock started fiddling with the CB.
"Hey, I wonder if I could raise Daisy Duke on this thing?" He grinned. Thinking about Daisy Duke occupied his attention for a few minutes.
"Coffee." He said. "Give me coffee. I demand coffee. Where is my coffee?" He found the flask of coffee on the passenger seat. "Would you care for some coffee, Mr Murdock," he offered himself, pouring out a cup. "Why thank you," he answered in an English accent. "That would be splendid." He sipped it, still too hot, put the cup on the dash. "Now I know I've got a candy bar in here somewhere. Where did I put it?" He rummaged around in a grocery bag on the seat beside him, come up empty handed in the chocolate department. "Another mystery for the Great Detective…" he bent down and felt around in the foot well in case it had fallen down there. No sign. "When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Therefore I deduce I put it in the glove compartment." It was in there. Murdock sat up, very pleased with his successful deduction. He looked out of the window.
"Uh-oh."
Face heard doors opening, then in a moment the sound of a toilet flushing. He went to the door of the room, checked the corridor outside. Mike came out of the bathroom. He nodded to Face, headed back towards his bedroom. On the way he pushed open the door to David's room to glance inside. Face went back into the command post, checked his watch as he did so. Murdock was overdue for his report, and Face wondered if he'd fallen asleep. He went to try to raise Murdock on the radio.
"Mr Peck! Lieutenant!" Mike ran into the room. He looked panicked. "Lieutenant, David is gone!"
Face pulled his handgun and ran to the boy's room, easily outpacing Mike.
"Wake Hannibal and BA," Face ordered as Mike followed him into the room. Mike turned and ran out. Face turned on the light and checked the room. No signs of a struggle. Well, no sign beyond the normal appearance of a teenager's bedroom. Nothing broken anyway. The window was closed, but it slid open when Face tried it. Unlocked. He looked outside. A fire escape. He put his gun back in his shoulder holster as Hannibal and BA came into the room.
"Report." Hannibal snapped.
"Kid's gone. Out of the window and down the fire escape. He couldn't have got past in the corridor without me hearing him"
"You're sure?" Hannibal said.
"I haven't been asleep if that's what you mean." Face said, sounding a little affronted.
Mike had followed Hannibal and BA into the room.
"Are you saying he sneaked out on his own?" He asked.
"Looks that way to me," Face said.
"But why?"
"Colonel," BA handed Hannibal a piece of paper he'd found on the nightstand. It was pink and it smelled of flowers.
"Damn." Hannibal said. He read out what was written on the paper. "'Dear David, I'm writing to say I really hate what my father and uncles are doing to your father. I really, really like you and I want to see you, but it will have to be in secret. Meet me tonight in the parking lot behind the theatre at two a.m. I'll have to sneak out. I know a place we can go to talk. Please be there, I really, really want to see you. Love, Debbie.' She must have handed this to him at school. Jed must have called her there. Classy, Jed. Using your own daughter as a honey trap."
"No," Mike said, shaking his head. "My David is a smart boy, he wouldn’t fall for something that obvious."
"He's fourteen," said Face, "Kid that age, he's a walking har… ah… hu… hormone factory. I mean, 'A place we can talk'? If he didn't fall for that I'd be worried about him."
"He has a point," Hannibal said. He frowned. "Why hasn't Murdock called in? It's after two now. If they were going to grab David at the parking lot they must have headed over there by now."
"He's overdue, I was just about to call him." Face said. He ran out of the room.
"Colonel," Mike looked up at Hannibal. His eyes were stricken. "You think they've got my boy?"
"If they have we'll get him back." Hannibal promised him. "I mean that. Nothing bad will happen to him." He hoped to god he could keep that promise.
"Murdock. Murdock, come in. Come in, Murdock." Face was sounding a little frantic Hannibal thought as he came into the room. BA stood beside the Lieutenant, a deep frown on his face. Eventually he pushed Face to one side and fiddled with the radio for a while.
"Come on, fool, where are you?" He looked up at Hannibal. "It's definitely working. He just ain't there."
"Okay, leave it, get your…" He stopped as they heard the sound of a phone ringing. Mike ran from the room. The phone was in his living room, just down the corridor. He ran in without turning on the light, picked up the phone.
"Hello… Yes, it's me… Jed, you bastard, where’s my boy?" The others came into the room, switching on the light. "If you've hurt him, I'll kill you." There was a pause as he listened, and then his face went hard, his eyes steely. "How tall do I have to be to use a gun, Jed?" He listened again then he held out the phone to Hannibal. "He wants to talk to you."
Hannibal took the phone. "Yeah, Smith here."
"Smith, I've got the boy and I've got your man." Jed laughed. "Seems like I'm holding a winning hand here, don't it. Two aces. Gotta admit I only expected the kid. It was real nice of you to send me your man as a little extra leverage. Though how do you stand that guy? What is he, nuts? He never shuts up. Well he did shut up eventually, Zeke got a little tired of him…"
"What do you want, Jed?" Hannibal demanded.
"Same as always. Harper leaves. Tonight. Though before he goes he can sign the hotel over to us. Consider it damages, for the truck."
"And us?"
"If you give me what I want you guys can go. See, I'm not being unreasonable am I? Parking lot behind the theatre. I want to see all of you, including the midget. Fifteen minutes. Don't be late or the nutball gets it first." He hung up.
Hannibal looked around at the others. "Let's go, we don't have much time."
Within a minute they were in the van and heading out. Hannibal was rummaging in the back.
"What's the plan, Hannibal?" Face asked. Hannibal came back to the front, holding a small black box. He flicked a switch on it and a red light began to blink.
"Jed is pretty pleased with himself that he has a couple of aces in his hand. What he doesn't know is that one of those cards is marked."
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© Elizabeth Charles 2005