The Long Lavender Look Read Free Page B

fast?"
    "Sixty to sixty-five."
    "In a crock that old?"
    "She's very able, officer."
    "You were driving and your friend there was with you. And you were going sixty-five and no other vehicles were involved and you put it into the canal?"
    "Not exactly like that. A woman ran across the road directly in front of me. She came out of nowhere. I had to swerve to keep from hitting her."
    "Sure you didn't?"
    "Absolutely positive. I nearly lost it right there. I was all over the road trying to bring my car out of it. I finally started to make it. Then a rear tire blew and that did it. She went in fairly easy. It's in about ten feet of water, aiming back the way we came, resting on the left side. We got out of it. Then we came here and waited until Al showed up to open up."
    "Point of departure and destination."
    "We were coming from Lake Passkokee and going home to Lauderdale."
    "Twenty miles north from here would put you in Cypress County. Here. This copy is yours. Al will probably call them on his radio when he's in range. If Sher'f Norm Hyzer has a car come out to look it over, this is your proof you turned in the accident report. And maybe your insurance will want to take a look at it, too."
    He went out to his car. I saw him talk into the hand mike and knew he was checking in to make sure there was nothing out on the car or the driver. It is standard procedure and seldom forgotten, as nothing makes a cop look sillier than finding out later that the plausible stranger is wanted for a bank job.
    He talked for a long time, then reached in and hung the mike up, shoved his hat back a little with one paw, and unholstered the Police Positive with the other. "Okay. Both of you. Face down.
    Spread it out. Grab the back of your neck."
    Quick, rough, thorough, and very cautious. Officer Nagle was a competent cop.
    "What'd they do, Beef?" Al asked.
    "I wouldn't hardly know. All I know is, Norm wants 'em, and he'll be coming right along to get them."
    "Isn't there something about rights?" I asked humbly.
    "If I was the arresting officer, I'd read you what it says on the little card, McGee. But all I'm Page 7

    doing is detaining you, a professional favor for the sher'f of Cypress County. Move back there in the shade, and lean against the wall. Move a little further apart from each other, boys. That's fine."
    "You're making a mistake," Meyer said.
    He looked owlishly astonished. "Me? How can I be making a mistake doing what the man asks me to do, asks me nice? Any kind of mistake in this is all Norm Hyzer's, and I hear he doesn't make too many. Int that right, Al?"
    "They seem to keep on electing him up there," Al said. From the tone I guessed he wasn't a Hyzer fan. He headed out to the island to take care of a dusty Buick with a noisy fan belt. The big young one named Terry stood and stared at us with vacuous, adenoidal intensity.
    A blue Rambler came down Route 112, waited at the stop sign, then came across and parked beside the station. A broad brown man with a white grin got out. It said HENRY over the pocket of his coveralls. "Hey there, Beef. What's going on?"
    "How come you can't hardly ever get here on time?" Al demanded.
    "Now look, honest, I had a bad night, and I clean slept right through that alarm again, and . . ."
    "And Hummer was promised the Olds at ten-thirty and you haven't even started on the brake job yet, so don't stand around asking dumb questions. I don't want Hummer so damn mad he starts yelling in my face again. He sprays spit."
    Time passed. Traffic was picking up, but visibly and audibly slowing at the sight of the patrol car with the distinctive blue roof lights. Meyer started to say something to me, and Beef Nagle said politely that he'd rather we didn't carry on any conversation.
    At last I heard the thin distant scream of an approaching siren. It came down 112, slowed a little at the sign and plunged across, swung and left rubber on the apron in a dramatic smoking stop.
    Green sedan with a red flasher on the roof.