Days of Reckoning (24 page)

Sam managed to get a couple hours of sleep before going back into the office to teleconference with Lieutenant Armstrong and the FBI. The federal men took over the bulk of the case. Sam faxed over his notes; they would get the hard copies later. Since most of the evidence was at the Sheriff’s office, he didn’t need to worry about being involved in the transfer of it to the FBI. With that off of his plate, he could focus on tracking down Miranda. The FBI agent offered all the assistance he could, which at the moment wasn’t a whole lot until the Federal team was organized and ready to go. “You know,” he said, “I’d check with those remaining militia guys. I mean, it looks like they’re the only link left. Anyway, we’ll be down there tomorrow. Some big-shot right wing preacher is speaking at your school. We’ve been keeping an eye on him for a while now; trouble always seems to turn up in places he’s visited.”

“Shit,” Sam said suddenly, “tomorrow’s that Unity Day rally.”

“Yeah, this ‘Reverend’ likes to protest anything that preaches peace, love and other Christian principles that he doesn’t think apply anymore. Funny, in a way. These peace rallies have a way of getting ugly when people like him attend.”

Sam hung up the phone, sat back and shuddered. Things were suddenly becoming much clearer now.

Miranda. What if she wasn’t in danger after all? What if she really was the danger?

He couldn’t believe it. It chilled him to think she could be involved, especially since he had asked her to watch over his own aunt. He thought back to the empty hidden room in Beaumont’s underground shelter. There could have been any number of weapons stored down there. What if Miranda had somehow gotten to Damon and Beaumont, and then the weapons? Then he thought about the shoot-out from two nights before. It had been with a woman. A woman who looked similar to the one described by his aunt and the receptionist. His aunt thought Miranda was that woman. And he hadn’t seen Miranda since they parted on that evening.

The thought was galling, but the possibility was very real. Her brother had disappeared, and now the militia members were turning up dead. Revenge was a powerful motivator. He rubbed his temples. Chief Wainwright had been the one to bring her on board at the office. What if Wainwright had an ulterior motive? Use his position as leader of the militia to threaten Justin, and as head of the police department to threaten Miranda? Or vice versa? The possibilities were endless.

And now this “Reverend” was coming into town. That definitely put a whole new wrinkle on things. The local militia would have been awfully happy to see him coming. What if they had been arming for his arrival? It was a stretch, but then everything crossing Sam’s mind at this point seemed far-fetched. Weapons brought in… Miranda finds out about them maybe…suddenly the way to vengeance is open. But where were those guns now? Easy, she had them. And was certainly willing to use them. But against whom?

And suddenly the answer was clear. “Check with those remaining militia guys,” the FBI agent had said. “They’re the only link left.”

He was right, they were the only ones left. Which meant they would be next on the list.

Sam burst out of his office, scaring the daylights out of the duty sergeant. “I need every available officer, and I need them now. Tell ’em to meet me in the armory."

Tim and Eldon continued the ritual of drinking beer and watching pornography, something they had practiced since holing up in Eldon’s trailer almost three days ago.

“We’re getting’ low on brews, Eldon,” Tim announced from the refrigerator.

“Yeah? Well, we can go out together and get some. Just make sure we watch each other’s backs. And you’re buying this time, since you’ve drunk all of mine, practically.”

Tim responded with a hearty belch as he returned to his spot on the couch. “Reverend’s comin’ in tomorrow. We still gonna show?”

“Fuck no!” Eldon looked over at his friend incredulously. “With all the heat that’s been on us? Not to mention the fact that someone out there’s gunnin’ for us. No sir, if the Reverend wants fireworks, he’s gonna have to bring his own.”

Tim breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I never was real sure about that whole deal anyway.”

“Damn straight. Too many good white folks might get caught in the line of fire. Just ‘cause they’re misguided don’t mean they gotta be killed off. Niggers and spics doin’ enough of that as is. No sir, we gotta preserve and educate the white folks, then fight together against these inferior races.”

Tim’s mouth hung open in awe. “Damn, Eldon,” he finally managed, “You’re a mighty fine preacher yourself. Sound just like the Reverend.”

Eldon shrugged. “Just get riled up when I speak the truth, is all.”

They paused in their conversation to watch two college cheerleaders get intimate in a hot tub. “Some nice tits on that there girl,” Tim said. “Wouldn’t mind watchin’ a few of them fine girls from the school, myself.”

“You got that right. I could sure use some nice box right about now.”

Almost in answer to Eldon’s request, a knock came at the door. The two men looked at each other. “Who the hell do you think that is?”

Eldon shook his head. “Dunno. Ain’t expectin’ no one. Maybe it’s the cops again.”

“Shit.”

Eldon got up and went to the door, looking through the peephole. “Well I’ll be damned. Tim, look here! I was just askin’ for some nice box; didn’t think it’d show up on our doorstep.”

Tim joined Eldon and maneuvered to look through the small opening. “Damn. You ain’t lying. Who is she?”

“Don’t know. You?”

“No idea.” Then Tim’s face fell as a warning bell sounded through his beer-soaked brain. “Oh fuck. Eldon, remember what that one cop said happened over at Jesse’s place?”

Tim looked about the trailer. His gaze went to the bedroom, where he knew there was an emergency trapdoor cut into the floor. “You think we should maybe bug outta here?”

Eldon followed his gaze. The woman outside knocked again. “No,” he said. “I’ve got a better idea. You go out through the trap door, all right, only don’t bug out on me.” He turned to the door and hollered, “Be right there!” Eldon turned back to Tim. “Then here’s what you do…”

#

Miranda tapped her foot impatiently. She had heard the call from inside, so she knew Eldon was there. She just wasn’t sure what the hold-up was, or if she needed to worry about it. She thought about going back to her car, getting one of the MP-5’s and hosing down his trailer, but she didn’t want any bullets passing through and harming an innocent bystander. These trailer parks were packed full, and the thin sheet-metal walls weren’t much better than paper for stopping a stream of hyper-velocity bullets. No, it would be better to do this inside, with the silenced pistol.

She heard something rustle under the trailer, but then the door swung open wide. “Can I help you, miss?”

She smiled up at Eldon. “I hear there’s a party going on. Am I at the right place?”

Eldon smiled back at her. “No, dear, but we can get a party started if you want.” His grin widened as he showed her his pistol. “Just come on in and make yourself at home.”

Miranda paled for just an instant. She tried to dive out of his line of fire, but then a second man appeared behind her and grabbed her by the throat. “Where you think you’re goin’, missy?” Tim hissed at her, punctuating it with a click from his own weapon. “Do what Eldon says. Just go on up the stairs and be a good girl.”

Sam was able to round up Arnie Freed, Kevin Jones, Hal Golding and four other officers. He huddled them up in the station’s armory and gave them as much of a briefing as he could.

“Arnie and Kevin were out there yesterday to talk with these guys. They’re belligerent, and definitely don’t like the police. We don’t have anything hard on them yet, so I’m going to go and try to talk to them unofficially. I think there might be gun running going on that they’ve had a hand in, but I don’t have any concrete evidence. But that’s not our biggest problem.” He drew a handkerchief across his forehead. “Of much more pressing concern is that their lives may well be in danger. The same person that killed the Chief and those other clowns, the same person that tried to take me out at Jesse’s, is probably going to make a play for them. And I think she’s going to do it tonight.”

“She?” one of the officers asked.

“Why tonight?” Kevin said simultaneously.

“Yes, she,” Sam said, “and she’s going to do it tonight because I think she wants them out of the way before Unity Day tomorrow. I don’t know if she’s the one with big plans for the event, or if they are. Either way, we’re going to have to be extra careful. Everybody involved, gentlemen, is to be considered armed and dangerous.”

The officers looked around at each other. They all looked grim but ready.

“We’ll take shotguns with us. Arnie and I will make the approach to the residence, see if we can get these boys to come in quietly. Kevin and Hal will make sure no one tries to bug out the back. I want two of you and the entrance to the trailer park, checking ID’s of anyone coming in, especially single young women traveling alone. The other two will go to the near-by neighbor’s places and tell them to keep their heads down, and then provide back-up for Arnie and me, just in case things really go to hell. Any questions?”

“Should a couple of us take AR’s? I’d be a lot more comfortable with the extra firepower.”

Sam shook his head. “Too much chance of shooting through the target and hitting people on the other side. Shotguns will have to do. We’ve got the old Ithacas and some new Remingtons. Take whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Do we have an ID on this mystery woman?” Hal asked.

Sam paused, wondering if his hunch was right. “Not positively. But if Miranda Leider shows up, she definitely should be stopped and handled with extreme caution.”

“Miranda? But I thought…”

Sam held up a hand. “Like I said, I’m not sure. It may be that they’ve got her inside, in which case we’ve got a hostage situation. But I have a feeling that if she’s there, those boys are in a world of trouble.”

Finding the silenced Walther PPK pretty much cleared up any doubt about what Miranda’s true intentions were. Eldon hefted it in his right hand briefly. “Nice little piece,” he said. “Always liked these German guns.” Then he backhanded her hard across the face.

Miranda stumbled under the force of the blow and dropped onto the sofa behind her. She made no sound other than a brief grunt, but stars danced in her line of vision and she could taste blood in her mouth.

“So what’s a pretty little thing like you doing walking around with one of these monsters?”

Miranda didn’t reply. She sat up on the couch and smoothed her skirt, hoping neither of the men had seen the stiletto strapped to the inside of her left thigh. Eldon tossed the pistol on the kitchen counter and sat down beside her. Tim stood near the trailer door, arms folded across his chest. His pistol was still firmly in hand.

“Where’s Damon?” Eldon asked.

Miranda focused on the floor. She could probably get Eldon with the knife, but there was no way she’d be fast enough to get to Tim before he had a chance to shoot her.

“He’s the one been doin’ this, ain’t he,” Eldon said. “And you been helpin’ him out. Why is that?”

Miranda’s wig was off and also lying on the counter, next to her Walther. Maybe if she got Eldon and spun his body in front of hers…

Another slap left her with ringing ears and a fresh wash of saltiness in her mouth. She held her face briefly and spat blood out onto the floor.

Eldon put a hand on her thigh and stroked it. “You know, we can make this tough on you,” he ran his hand up under her skirt, “or tougher.”

Miranda tried to squirm away, but he held fast onto her. She shuddered. If she pushed him into Tim, she might have a chance to get out. But her car was a fair distance away, parked in a visitor’s lot. They might be able to get her outside. Still, anywhere was better than here.

Miranda gritted her teeth. Eldon was only centimeters away from her last line of defense. She thought she could bear the sexual assault; she’d known all her life that as a woman, she would always be at risk for that. As long as she had a chance to fight back. But if Eldon found that knife, all bets were off. And even if she came out of it alive, it was unlikely she’d get another shot. She had been lucky to even find them, at least until the tables had turned. Jesse, for instance, was out of her reach. She didn’t want that to happen again.

Miranda sprang up from the couch. Tim moved quickly, putting his pistol in her face, but she meekly back away with her hands in the air. Eldon rose and stood behind his partner. For a moment, all that could be heard was the sound of three desperate people breathing heavily.