cooler.’
Pause.
Farland again: ‘I told Rabowsky to put them in a cell with some hard guy, if you know what I mean.’
He heard a little laugh that sounded like the squeaking of a mouse, and had surely come from the deputy sheriff’s thin lips.
Farland again: ‘Tonight, they’ll make war, not love.’
Westlake: ‘Maybe they’ll decide to cut their hair and look for a job.’
In his hiding place, he smiled, though with a nasty taste in his mouth.
A leopard never changes its spots.
Except these guys weren’t leopards. They were vultures, of the worst kind.
He leaned out cautiously, protected by the wall. The sheriff went and switched on the TV, threw his hat on the table and sank into an armchair.
There was the sound of a baseball commentary.
‘Christ, it’s almost over. And we’re losing. I knew that playing in California wouldn’t work out for us.’ He turned to his deputy. ‘If you want a beer, there’s some in the fridge. Get me one, too, while you’re there.’
The sheriff was the boss and he made sure his deputy knew it, even when it came to hospitality. He wondered if he’d have behaved the same way if Judge Swanson had been in the room instead of Deputy Farland.
He decided that now was the moment. He emerged from his hiding place with his gun aimed at the two men.
‘The beer can wait. Put your hands up.’
At the sound of his voice Will Farland, gave a start. And when he saw him, he went white in the face.
Westlake had turned his head abruptly. Seeing him, he was stunned for a moment. ‘Who the fuck are you?’
Wrong question, sheriff. Are you sure you want to know?
‘That doesn’t matter right now. Get up and stand in the middle of the room. And you: go stand next to him.’
While the two men moved as he had ordered them, Farland tried to slide his hand down towards his holster.
All very predictable.
He took a couple of rapid steps to the side so as to have Farland completely in his sights and shook his head. ‘Don’t even think about it. I know how to use this gun. Want to take my word for that, or would you like a demonstration?’
The sheriff had raised his hands in a gesture that was meant to be placatory. ‘Listen, friend, let’s all try to keep calm. I don’t know who you are, but let me remind you, you’re committing an offence just being here. Apart from that, you’re threatening two law enforcement officers with a firearm. Don’t you think your situation is serious enough already? Before you do anything else stupid, I’d advise you—’
‘Your advice ain’t worth shit, Sheriff Westlake.’
Surprised at hearing his name spoken, the sheriff frowned and tilted his head slightly to the side. ‘Do we know each other?’
‘Let’s leave the introductions till later. Now, Will, sit down on the floor.’
Farland was too surprised to be curious. He turned to his chief, not sure what to do. The voice he heard coming at him wiped out any doubts.
‘He doesn’t give the orders now, asshole. I do. If you’d rather be lying on the floor dead, I can oblige.’
The deputy bent his long legs and eased himself down, with the help of one hand laid flat on the floor.
Once he was down, their visitor pointed to him with the barrel of his gun and said to the sheriff, ‘Now, slowly and without making any sudden movements, take your handcuffs from your belt and tie his hands behind his back.’
Westlake did as he was told, going red in the face with the effort of bending. The sharp click of the handcuffs closing marked the beginning of the Deputy Sheriff captivity.
‘Now take yours and put it on your right wrist. Then turn around holding your arms behind your back.’
There was anger in the sheriff’s eyes. But there was also a gun in front of his face, so again he did as he was told, and a moment later a confident hand locked the handcuffs on his free wrist.
‘Now sit down next to him.’
The sheriff couldn’t help himself down with his hands. He bent his
Pause.
Farland again: ‘I told Rabowsky to put them in a cell with some hard guy, if you know what I mean.’
He heard a little laugh that sounded like the squeaking of a mouse, and had surely come from the deputy sheriff’s thin lips.
Farland again: ‘Tonight, they’ll make war, not love.’
Westlake: ‘Maybe they’ll decide to cut their hair and look for a job.’
In his hiding place, he smiled, though with a nasty taste in his mouth.
A leopard never changes its spots.
Except these guys weren’t leopards. They were vultures, of the worst kind.
He leaned out cautiously, protected by the wall. The sheriff went and switched on the TV, threw his hat on the table and sank into an armchair.
There was the sound of a baseball commentary.
‘Christ, it’s almost over. And we’re losing. I knew that playing in California wouldn’t work out for us.’ He turned to his deputy. ‘If you want a beer, there’s some in the fridge. Get me one, too, while you’re there.’
The sheriff was the boss and he made sure his deputy knew it, even when it came to hospitality. He wondered if he’d have behaved the same way if Judge Swanson had been in the room instead of Deputy Farland.
He decided that now was the moment. He emerged from his hiding place with his gun aimed at the two men.
‘The beer can wait. Put your hands up.’
At the sound of his voice Will Farland, gave a start. And when he saw him, he went white in the face.
Westlake had turned his head abruptly. Seeing him, he was stunned for a moment. ‘Who the fuck are you?’
Wrong question, sheriff. Are you sure you want to know?
‘That doesn’t matter right now. Get up and stand in the middle of the room. And you: go stand next to him.’
While the two men moved as he had ordered them, Farland tried to slide his hand down towards his holster.
All very predictable.
He took a couple of rapid steps to the side so as to have Farland completely in his sights and shook his head. ‘Don’t even think about it. I know how to use this gun. Want to take my word for that, or would you like a demonstration?’
The sheriff had raised his hands in a gesture that was meant to be placatory. ‘Listen, friend, let’s all try to keep calm. I don’t know who you are, but let me remind you, you’re committing an offence just being here. Apart from that, you’re threatening two law enforcement officers with a firearm. Don’t you think your situation is serious enough already? Before you do anything else stupid, I’d advise you—’
‘Your advice ain’t worth shit, Sheriff Westlake.’
Surprised at hearing his name spoken, the sheriff frowned and tilted his head slightly to the side. ‘Do we know each other?’
‘Let’s leave the introductions till later. Now, Will, sit down on the floor.’
Farland was too surprised to be curious. He turned to his chief, not sure what to do. The voice he heard coming at him wiped out any doubts.
‘He doesn’t give the orders now, asshole. I do. If you’d rather be lying on the floor dead, I can oblige.’
The deputy bent his long legs and eased himself down, with the help of one hand laid flat on the floor.
Once he was down, their visitor pointed to him with the barrel of his gun and said to the sheriff, ‘Now, slowly and without making any sudden movements, take your handcuffs from your belt and tie his hands behind his back.’
Westlake did as he was told, going red in the face with the effort of bending. The sharp click of the handcuffs closing marked the beginning of the Deputy Sheriff captivity.
‘Now take yours and put it on your right wrist. Then turn around holding your arms behind your back.’
There was anger in the sheriff’s eyes. But there was also a gun in front of his face, so again he did as he was told, and a moment later a confident hand locked the handcuffs on his free wrist.
‘Now sit down next to him.’
The sheriff couldn’t help himself down with his hands. He bent his
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