Hank Hollis switched on the radio. “Sheriff?”
“Listening.”
“You were right. There’s a full moon coming up. It’s already lit up the river. In ten minutes or so, it will rise. I’ve changed my mind. It would be too risky to change trees. I don’t know if Logan suspects I’m up here, but it’s surer to think he does. I don’t think he’ll risk coming out in the moonlight. The advantage is mine. If he does come out, I’ll nail him. There’s a big patch of flat ground before my tree. He’d have to cross it, so I’m staying where I am.”
“Hank, hadn’t I better come down? Extra firepower. I’ll be careful. I’ll come by the footpath. I want to come.”
“With respect, Sheriff, don’t. I’ve handled situations like this before. This is a one man show. If I thought you were around and I heard a noise, I wouldn’t know if it was Logan. Understand? l would hesitate to shoot and that could be fatal. So leave this to me.”
There was a pause, then Ross said, “I understand. I’ll stand by. Get in touch with me every ten minutes, and that’s an order!”
“Okay, Sheriff. It’ll work out.”
“Okay, good luck, Hank.”
“If anyone needs luck, it will be Logan,” Hollis said, and switched off.
Logan stood in the kitchen, an evil smile on his face.
An opossum?
Oh, yeah?
He was sure that tough looking Deputy was up there in the tree, with a rifle, waiting for him. Well, okay, he had to get rid of him before he made his break.
He stood for some minutes, thinking. He pulled the gun from its holster, checked it, satisfied himself it was fully loaded and returned it to its holster. Then he turned off the kitchen light and went to the small window and peered into the trees and darkness. So far the moonlight was only flooding the front of the lodge. In another few minutes, the area at the back of the lodge would be lit. Time to go.
He opened the window, got up on the sink, then slid out with the speed of a striking snake. Reaching the ground, he fell down flat, listened, then, using his elbows to propel himself, he worked his way into cover. For several minutes he lay motionless, feeling the damp soil through his shirt. He waited until his eyes grew more accustomed to the dark, then he began to move forward again. Using his elbows and the toes of his boots, he moved forward as silently and almost as swiftly as a snake. He kept moving to his left, away from the tree where he was sure the cop was concealed. His plan was to make a circle and come up on the tree from behind.
When he was at right angles to the tree, now some fifty yards away, he paused. From where he lay, with the leaves of a shrub touching his head, he had a clear view of the tree. All he could see was dense foliage in spite of the now brilliant moonlight.
He nodded to himself. The cop had picked a good spot. He would be up in the top branches from where he would get a good sight of the lodge.
Brown waited. Sooner or later the cop would make a movement. Once he knew where he was, the rest would be easy. Brown settled down to wait.
Hollis eased his aching back. His rifle lay across his knees ready for instant action, his eyes were fixed on the lodge. Lights showed in the living room and one upper room. He looked at the jeep, now brilliantly lit by the moonlight. Logan would have to come out to get into the Jeep. Hollis was confident that he could nail him the moment he appeared. It was Vietnam all over again, but with a difference. Then, his back didn’t ache. He wondered with a feeling of lost confidence, how long he could remain, straddled across the tree trunk. He shifted slightly to ease his back and the burning soreness between his buttocks. Come on, you punk! he thought. Show yourself. The silence and the lifelessness of the lodge depressed him, but he told himself, any moment there would be action. He fingered his rifle, then remembered the Sheriff’s instructions to contact him every ten minutes. He switched on the radio.
“Sheriff?”
“What’s happening?”
“Nothing so far.” Hollis held the receiver close to his lips. “I’m sure he’ll break out sometime tonight. It’s just a matter of waiting.”
“But, Hank, you’ve been up that tree for more than seven hours. How are you making out?”
Hollis forced himself to say, “I’m okay. I could stay up here all night. I feel in my bones, Logan will break out tonight. Don’t worry about me.”
Ross said “You’re a fine man, Hank. I admire you.”
Hollis smiled. Coming from an old cop like Ross this was high praise. He stiffened his aching back. “Thanks, Sheriff. I won’t let you down.”
“Call me in ten minutes. I’ll be at the radio until you have nailed this punk.”
“Okay,” and Hollis switched off. Not once during their brief talk had he taken his eyes off the lodge. What was going on in there? Then a thought dropped into his mind. If Logan was going to break out, he would disconnect the telephone.
Hollis couldn’t accept the thought that this man would kill the Westons before he left. He would probably tie them up, disconnect the telephone and take off. Hollis hoped to God he was thinking right.
Unaware that Brown was creeping through the bushes, pushing himself forward by his elbows and toes and slowly circling the tree, Hollis switched on the radio. “Sheriff, I’ve thought of something,” he said. “If Logan is breaking out, he’ll disconnect the telephone. Will you call Weston? If he answers, say it’s a wrong number. I want to know if the telephone is disconnected.”
“Okay, Hank. Hang on.” Ross said. There was a five minute pause, then, “There’s no ringing tone. I guess the telephone is disconnected.”
Hollis nodded. “Then he’s on the move. Okay, Sheriff, I’m ready for him. Can’t be long now.”
“Keep in touch, Hank.”
“Don’t worry.” Hollis switched off. He was very alert, and his eyes remained fixed to the lodge.
By now, his clothes caked with mud, Brown had reached the back of the tree.
He lay still for some moments, then began to move forward until he was within twenty yards of the tree. He peered upward. The foliage of the tree at the back was less thick, but still he couldn’t spot Hollis, so he waited.
The burning between Hollis’s legs was becoming unbearable. He cursed himself for not bringing a blanket to make a saddle across the branch. How much longer could he stay in this position?
He now knew the telephone had been disconnected. Any moment now, Logan would appear. His eyes still on the lodge, he carefully laid his rifle across the upper branches, then eased himself away from the branch he was sitting on, sucking breath in relief.
That movement was fatal. Brown saw him. With an evil grin of triumph, he drew his gun.
Sheila looked up and stared at Perry, her eyes hostile. She stiffened a little as she heard the door lock snap shut.
“Now, what?” she demanded.
“He’s getting ready to leave,” Perry said. “With luck this nightmare could be over in an hour.”
“Well, at least it will give you a movie plot, won’t it?”
“Oh, Sheila! Can’t you think about us?” Perry said, coming further into the room. “Once this is over—”
“Oh, stop it! While you were eating that ape’s food, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I have decided I have a very small place in your life. All you really think about is your stupid movie plots!” Sheila snapped. “I’m a goddam ornament to you. I decorate your home. You swell your stupid chest with pride that you have caught me as your wife. Your only interest in me is when you get into bed. There are many times when I talk to you and know you’re not listening. All you think about is money!”
Wearily, Perry sat down. “Now, Sheila, this is not the time to start a domestic brawl. You must get it into your head that we are in a very dangerous situation. Brown is leaving. He could come up here and kill us both. Don’t you understand? What has he to lose? I’ve done my best to keep friendly with him. He might be content to keep us locked in here. I hope to God he will be, but until he leaves we both are hovering between life and a violent end.”