“Your husband is aiding a fugitive of justice and ….” Will started in more angry than Trent had ever seen.
“Mrs. McElroy,” Morris cut off his partner, “we thank you for your time. If you do find out where your husband might be and you change your mind, please let us know.” He produced a business card from his wallet. “Just call my cell phone if you need anything. We’re just trying to figure this out. Okay?” Will slinked back a little, understanding Trent was pulling rank.
This seemed to settle her down a little; she took the card and nodded.
“Thank you. We’ll leave you alone, Ma’am. We really would appreciate any help you can give us.”
The two men stood and walked toward the door. As Will opened it and walked across the threshold, she stopped them. “Officers,” her voice was firm, but had become pleasant again, “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that, we’ve known Sean a long time. And I know that he wouldn’t do anything like what you’re sayin’. But if I had to guess, knowin’ him, I’d bet Sean was tryin’ to find his friend.”
The two detectives looked at each other, then Trent said, “You mean trying to find Schultz?”
She gave a quick nod. “Those two have been like peas in a pod since the day they met. If something happened to one of ‘em, it happened to both. Know what I’m sayin’?”
Trent acknowledged the statement with an understanding smile as the two of them turned and ambled back down the steps to their cars. Mrs. McElroy stood in the doorway to the cabin with the floppy-eared dog standing by her side watching the men as they got in their cars and took off down the driveway.
Chapter 36
Joe guided the pickup truck back up the street toward where the hummer was parked. As they slowly rounded the curve, he could see that the three men who had been over by the caged boulders before were nearly back to their vehicle. Walking casually toward it, they were completely unaware of any possible threat.
Sean held down his emotions as he saw Tommy escorted by a tall blonde male, probably mid to upper thirties and a tree-trunk of a man, shorter, but much thicker.
“I see ‘em,” Joe confirmed what Sean was thinking.
No response came from the back as they approached where the four men were now standing together in the parking lot. They looked startled as Joe slowed the truck to a stop right behind the black SUV. “Excuse me fellas,” he said in what was definitely a deeper southern accent than he normally used. “Ya’ll don’t happen to know where the Apple Festival is, do ya?”
Tommy stood absolutely still, recognizing the face of his old friend Joe McElroy. Where was Sean? If Joe was there, then Sean had to be close by.
The two muscular guards looked questioningly at the tall blonde, who was apparently in charge of the whole operation. No one said a word. Finally, the blonde man simply shook his head.
“I think we might have taken a wrong turn,” Joe went on, trying to stay cool. He reached down and pulled up a sheet of paper. “These directions are a little vague.”
All four of the men standing on the asphalt were staring at the paper in the driver’s hand when suddenly, the loud pop of a gun erupted from the direction of the truck bed. Four more shots followed almost instantly. The short, flat-topped man at the front of the entourage collapsed backwards, three bullet holes grouped in the center of his chest. The surprise on the faces of the other three disappeared quickly as the larger, suited man jerked his weapon from its holster and dropped the bag he’d been carrying.
Another two shots fired from around the front of the truck, one striking the big man in the arm. He seemed unaffected as a volley returned from his black firearm, drilling holes into the side of the truck.
Joe ducked down below the window just seconds before a bullet zipped over his head.
Allyson risked popping around the grill of the pickup to squeeze off a few more shots at the tall guard. The man noticed her too late as he took a round in the chest and stumbled backward into the open passenger door of the big SUV.
The blonde man had grabbed Tommy as soon as the bullets started flying and was holding him around the neck as a human shield, gun extended towards the attackers.
Upon seeing his subordinates taken down, he fired off three quick shots at the driver of the pickup truck. The bullets thudded into the door as the man behind the wheel stayed down to avoid the barrage.
Instantly, the blonde man turned toward the truck bed where the initial shots had been fired and launched a retaliation, sending more rounds pinging into the metal. As he backed up toward the front of the SUV, he sent two bullets at the woman who jerked back behind the cover of the pickup’s engine.
Sean knew he’d taken down one of the three men, but was not sure if Allyson had been able to take down one of the others. Shots were hammering into side of the truck, and there was no way he could risk a glance over the edge. He looked in the direction of the rear window of the truck and saw that his friend was out of sight. For a split second, he worried that Mac had been shot. Then, the truck lurched forward and turned into a position where the rear was facing the back of the Hummer, now about twenty-five feet away.
Sean raised his head slightly over the tailgate and caught a glimpse of the blonde man shoving Tommy into the backseat of the SUV. Amazingly, the shorter henchman was slowly getting up, and crawling into the opposite door.
After pushing Tommy into the vehicle, Ulrich slammed the door and, leaning around the back quarter panel, squeezed off four more rounds. Three of the bullets thumped harmlessly against the tailgate but one found its way into the back left tire of the truck. Instantly, the rubber gushed white air from the wound.
Sean felt the truck sag and knew exactly what had happened. He heard the Humvee rev to life and squeal its tires. He risked another look over the edge of the truck bed and watched as the four men in the SUV tore past the pickup. He fired off his remaining few bullets at the tires of the escaping truck, but the shots missed.
Allyson also sent her remaining clip at the accelerating vehicle, but it disappeared over the hill as the clicking sound of her gun signaled it was on empty.
Lowering his head in disappointment, Sean realized he might have just missed his one chance at getting his friend back.
Chapter 37
Trent and Will sat quietly, eating the breakfast they’d ordered. After leaving the McElroy place, they had driven into the nearby town and stopped at a diner to get some food. Both of them had left Atlanta in a hurry earlier that morning so by the time they were seated, the entire menu looked appetizing.
The restaurant was nice enough for a cliché 1950s place. It had the traditional jukebox in the corner, checkerboard tile floors, and pictures of celebrity icons from the time period. Cushiony booths were upholstered in the traditional glossy vinyl with black and white stripes down the center. Even the waitresses dressed the part with the cute little skirt and red and white striped shirt. Their particular server’s blouse was unbuttoned at the top and sported a nametag that read, “Wanda.”
Neither cop had said much to the other since arriving at the eatery. After the meal was almost gone from both plates, Will finally spoke up. “I’m sorry I lost it back there, man. I didn’t mean…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Morris cut him off. “You’re alright.”