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"Looks like you got company," Scott said. Two police vehicles had just turned off the highway and had stopped just inside the gate. Sheriff looks like. Checking the plan one last time. Jessica and Michelle shouldn't be here. "Jess, you and Michelle disappear quick, where you can keep an eye on us." Jessica and Michelle walked to the front deck just a few yards away and went inside. They would be difficult to see from outside the screen panels enclosing it. "Think they were close enough to see the girls?" Alex asked. "Probably not. They might make out there were more than two people, maybe not. We'll see if they give us any clues." The Chevy Yukons were fairly new and clean. Dark green with light-to-medium mudcolored letters and stripes, a common color scheme for rural sheriff's departments. They came slowly up the drive, stopping side by side a few yards away from where Alex and Scott were standing. Two deputies emerged from each and approached. "We're looking for Alex Stern," the one apparently in charge said. "You're looking at him," Alex replied. "Mr. Stern, I have a warrant for your arrest." "Can I see it?" The deputy handed him the papers. Guess that little fracas gave someone the excuse they wanted. Or thought they wanted. First-degree assault with a deadly weapon, terroristic threatening. Guess they need at least a couple. Alex handed the warrant back. "Now what's your procedure?" "You're being arrested on basis of this warrant. You'll be transported to the county jail and processed in. After that it's up to the judge. You can call your lawyer at that time." "Transported. In handcuffs?" "That's the procedure." "Suppose I don't want to wear cuffs?" "That is not an option." "What if I don't want to go?" The nearest deputy unsnapped the strap on his Taser holster. One of the ones from the second vehicle did the same, his partner had his hand on his gun. Alex looked over at Scott. "Think I should go with them?" Wonder if any of'em are smart enough to be gettin' a little apprehensive about now. Not likely. Cops part of the system, it's always in control. Me foolin' around ain't worried'em yet. At least one of'em, maybe the youngest one, ready to pull his gun, probably hopin' I'll giv'em an excuse. His partner older, got a few years in this game. He still figurin' ain't nothin' gonna happen 'cept a little fun for them and some stories to tell back at the station. "Your call," Scott replied, "but as you always say...." The deputy with the warrant nodded to his partner, who produced a set of handcuffs. The one that had freed his Taser was gripping it now, ready to draw. "What do I always say?" "About the door." "Oh that, yeah." The red half of the lightbar on one of the vehicles exploded, red plastic shards and parts of the lights scattering. All four deputies went for their weapons and retreated to the shelter of their vehicles, crouching and looking around as the sound of the rifle shot arrived. Alex and Scott did not move. Only the two deputies between the vehicles could see one another. The one in charge could not see any of them, and neither could the older deputy. Alex called to the one with the warrant. "Get up and come over here. Just you. You're safe as long as you don't do anything seriously stupid." Slowly, deliberately the deputy rose, holstered his gun and returned to face them. "Whatever you think you're doing, you won't get away with it." he said. "You're better off coming with us with no more trouble. This..." he gestured to the shattered lightbar, "can be explained as an accident." "I seem to recall advising you not to do anything seriously stupid," Alex said. "You're getting close to seriously." "You're going to take on the whole sheriff's department? Over forty deputies and as many auxiliaries? The state police? You're the one being seriously stupid." "What say you?" Alex asked Scott. "I say you got them rattled. The unexpected does that. That young'un over there, one was itchin' to shoot you, especially." Alex raised his right hand, but not the left one, then lowered it. The blue part of the lightbar exploded. The deputy flinched, but quickly regained his composure. "Don't make us do it the hard way," the deputy said. "Be smart and stay alive." "Deputy..." Alex leaned slightly forward to read the deputy's name tag, "Deputy Allen, if you don't know by now you're out of your depth you're way behind. I don't know how far down the food chain the rot goes, I only checked on your boss to confirm he was dirty. Whether you boys, any of you or all of you, are getting a cut I don't know and don't care. It's not worth what it's going to cost you. And I know the judge that signed the warrant is dirty. I don't know how many others are paying him - probably quite a few - but what Carlisle is paying isn't enough. "Those boys out there - you can probably tell that rifle's about four hundred yards out - you're not putting cuffs on me. I know what the plan is. Tell him to find another way. I can be reasonable, but dead people all over the place is going to draw a lot of unwelcome attention to McLaren County and Jonesboro in particular. And some of those eyes are in DC. Do you take my meaning? He's kinda dirty. I can see that, wheels turnin' in there. He may be the one was gonna do the deed. "I'm going back to Jonesboro," the deputy said. "I'll talk to the prosecutor. Meanwhile, don't plan on going anywhere." He gonna talk to Carlisle and Carlisle will talk to the prosecutor. We'll see if he's capable of bein' smart. "I'll go where I please, when I please," Alex replied. "But I plan on being here for a long time. Tell your boss we have business to conclude, and how it gets concluded is up to him. Within certain parameters." The deputies returned to there vehicles and departed. "That trigger-happy one gave you a right nasty look," Scott said. "He may be reconsidering his career choice about now." "Lot of cops don't have much choice," said Alex. "Which is why there are so many bad ones. One reason anyway." Jessica and Michelle returned. "Quite a performance," Jessica said. "It would be fun to know what some of them are thinking about now." |
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