"But hold it a minute. Sure, the alarm was gimmicked. But there are plenty of pros would know how to do that."

"There's a lot more, but no time to go into it now," I said. "Give me anything else you've got on it."

"Okay. They figure there were three of them, at least, and maybe four. They hijacked the gasoline rig at a trucker stop on the highway about ten miles from town. Police found the driver the next morning in some bushes back of the place. They'd started to tie him, apparently, and then discovered they didn't have to. They'd hit him too hard.

"This power sub-station was out in the edge of town where the highway dropped down a little grade, on a curve. Fenced, of course, like they all are, but it might as well have had a silk scarf around it. They rolled the tanker right into it and let it burn. Melted the transformers and poles and switches like peanut brittle, had all the firemen and police in the county there for three hours, and put out the lights in the whole end of town where the supermarket and jewelry store were. The gang must have had a good-sized truck of their own, and dollies and hoists, because they just picked up both the safes and walked off with 'em. Burned them open out in the country somewhere, I suppose."

"Talley's junk yard would have a big truck, wouldn't it? And heavy moving gear, and acetylene torches."

"Sure. He's got all that stuff."

"How about the time and date?" I asked.

"Sub-station went just a little after midnight. November eighth. It was almost daylight before anybody discovered the robberies. Look, have you got any kind of proof at all?"

"No," I said. "Not yet. But I've got some very interesting people. And I'm going to have more if my luck holds."

"Anything I can do?"

"Yes. If you will. Is Frankie Crossman married?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. You told him to go home after that fight, so he should be there now. Get where you can watch his house. He's going to come out in a few minutes and drive off. After he's been gone a few minutes, knock on the door and ask for him. Be as vague about it as you can so you won't get in trouble, but give his wife the impression Frankie's wanted for questioning in something very serious."

"Got you."

"Then drive out to Redfield's house. I pulled his phone out of the wall. He won't be there, of course, but say you've been trying to get hold of him at the office and he's out. Give her the message, just in case she sees him first. Say that I called you. I wouldn't say where I was, of course, but it was a local call, so I'm still in the area and cut off, and I sounded as if I'd gone crazy. I wanted you to call the F.B.I, because I had some information in a Federal case of some kind, and that as soon as they were here to protect me I'd come in and surrender on the rape charge. Your opinion, of course, is that it's a lot of hogwash, but you think I might try again and they can trace the call if they'll set up a watch on your phone. Or Redfield himself could call the nearest office of the F.B.I, and make arrangements with them to have the call traced if I try to get in touch with them direct."

He whistled. "Son, I don't know how this is going to come out, but there's one thing. They'll sure as h.e.l.l know you've been here."

I hope so."

"If only there was some way I could stop Redfield!"

"You can't. His office has jurisdiction. And he's in charge."

"Maybe if I did call the F.B.I-"

"I've got no proof. Not yet."

"Well, good luck."

"Thanks," I said. "I'm going to need it."

I hung up, and checked my watch. It was twenty past midnight; we were going to have to work fast. T.J. and Trudy were watching me uncertainly. I called Georgia. She hurried in.

I think we're in business," I said. "But there's no time to talk now. See if there's a sheet on that bed back there."

She brought it, and I began tearing it into strips. She watched, mystified. I rolled T.J. over on the floor, and tied his hands behind his back. The sheet was raw muslin, and quite strong. He struggled weakly and cursed. I shoved cloth in his mouth and made it fast with a strip tied in back of his head. I tied Trudy's hands, but didn't bother to gag her. She called me things I'd never heard before.

Hauling T.J. to his feet, I took the car keys from his pocket, handed Georgia the sap, and jerked my head towards Trudy. She was lying on the floor in front of the jukebox. "If she tries to get up, slice her across the backs of the legs just as hard as you can. Think you could do it?"

She nodded grimly. "I would love to. Believe me."

I shoved T.J. out the door ahead of me, and took him outside to his car. Pushing him inside on the rear seat, I tied his legs together with some more of the sheet, and drove the car down behind the barn where it would be out of sight. When I went back, Trudy was still mouthing obscenities and Georgia Langston was kneeling beside her with the blackjack poised. I untied Trudy's hands. Georgia looked at me questioningly.

I grinned coldly. "Trudy's our secretary. She's a great little girl on the telephone and she's about to go to work for us now."

I hauled her to her feet, "You impress me," she said. "You really do. Scare me some more."

"This may not be very pretty," I said to Georgia. "You keep an eye on the road."

"All right," she said quietly. "But don't think it would bother me." She went out.

I took Trudy's arm and led her over to the desk. "What a pair of creeps," she said, full of bright insolence.

I ignored her, looking up Frankie Crossman's residence in the phone book. Hoping he and his wife would be asleep, I dialed it, and listened, holding my finger on the switch. It went on ringing . . . four . . . five ... six. . . . Just after the seventh ring, somebody picked it up. I pressed down at the same instant, breaking the connection. I hung up.

"I'll bet that was a real smart move," Trudy said. "If I was stupid enough to figure it out."

"You don't have to," I said. "You just do what I tell you. In about two minutes, as soon as he gets back to bed, you're going to call him. I'll tell you what to say."

"Up yours," she said.

I slapped her.

She staggered sideways and fell to one knee. When she got up she tried to scratch me. I caught both her wrists in my left hand and slapped her twice more, forehanded and backhanded. I shoved and let her go. She fell backwards.

She looked up at me with the beginnings of doubt.

"You sumb.i.t.c.h, you're crazy-"

"Get up, Trudy," I said.

She climbed to her feet, watching me warily and trying to back away. I said nothing, and merely slapped her again, feeling a little sick at my stomach. She was about eighteen. But it had to be done. This was the method they'd left us.

"You cut it out," she said, sullen now instead of insolent.

"Your trouble, Trudy, is that you've been milking complacent mopes all your life and never did run into a desperate mope before. I haven't got anything more to i lose. Catch?"

I pulled the .38 from my pocket and c.o.c.ked it.

"You wouldn't." She licked her lips nervously.

"We can use T.J. if you don't want to do it. He'll be easier to convince, too."

"Why?" she asked.

"Guess," I said.

She cracked. All the bra.s.s melted at once and she began to whimper. "What do you want me to do?"

"That's better," I said. I want you to call Frankie. If his wife answers the phone, don't say anything. I'll ask for him myself, because she might recognize your voice. As soon as we get hold of him, you do the talking. Here's what you say." I told her. "You got it?"

She nodded.

"All right," I said grimly. "And remember. If you try to tip him off, G.o.d help you. The State can't kill me any deader than Redfield."

I dialed the number and held the instrument so she could speak into it and we could both hear. Crossman himself answered.

"Listen, Frankie," she said hurriedly. "Pearl just called from town, and he's on his way out here now. He said he tried to get you, but you didn't answer-"

"He hung up before I could get to the phone," Frankie grumbled. "What is it?"

I don't know, except something's gone wrong. All he said was he was leaving right then and for me to call you and keep calling till I got you, if I had to try every place in town. Don't tell anybody, not even your wife, but just get out here as fast as you can."

"I'll be right there," Frankie said. He hung up.

I replaced the instrument and looked at my watch. It was 12:47. We were cutting it dangerously fine. She'd said Pearl sometimes came home as early as one. It would take Frankie a couple of minutes to dress, and then Calhoun would wait two or three more. It was very still in the room. I was hot in the flannel jacket. Sweat ran down my face. My hands were so stiff now I could hardly close them.

"How long have you been living with Pearl?" I asked Trudy.

"Three or four months," she said defiantly. Then she started to whine again. "I didn't have nothin' to do with anything. I came here from Tampa."

"When did T.J. show up?"

"About the same time. He was in a cuttin' sc.r.a.pe up in Georgia."

They were small change, I thought. I had to have the three big ones, and some kind of proof, and even then it might do me no good at all.

"What's in the safe?" I asked.

"I don't know," she replied sullenly.

"What's in the safe?" I repeated harshly, taking a step towards her.

"Honest to G.o.d." She began to whine again. "He never lets n.o.body see in it. Or watch him open it. That Miz Redfield offered me three hundred dollars if I could steal the combination-" She stopped abruptly.

"Why?" I asked. "What did she want with it?"

She retreated into sullen stupidity. "I don't know. But Pearl carries it in his head. n.o.body'll ever know it but him."

I looked at my watch again. It was 12:55. Calhoun should be talking to Mrs. Crossman now. And Frankie should be here any moment. "When Mrs. Crossman calls," I told Trudy, "tell her Frankie's not here and Pearl's not here. Nothing else. Got it?"

She nodded. We went on waiting in hot, bright silence.

The phone rang. I nodded, and she picked it up. I stood beside her with my ear close to the edge of the receiver.

"This is Bessie Crossman," a woman's voice said. "Is Frankie there, Trudy?"

"No," Trudy replied. "He hasn't been here."

"You don't know where Pearl is?" I shook my head. She replied no.

"I'm worried. He got a phone call and rushed off somewhere, and then Calhoun come looking for him just a few minutes later."

It was beginning to work. I motioned for Trudy to hang up.

Almost at the same instant Georgia Langston said quietly at the side window, "Car turning in, Bill."

"Right," I said. "Stay out of sight. Don't come in unless I call you."

I strode to the corner beside the door, where I could watch Trudy and was out of sight from the windows. "Stay right where you are," I ordered. "And don't say a word."

The car came on and stopped under the tree near the corner of the front porch. Hurrying footsteps sounded in the hall, and Frankie came in. "Hey, Trudy, hasn't Pearl got here?"

I put a hand in his back and pushed. "You're the first, Frankie. Come on in."

He whirled, and the dark and bony face was mean as he caught sight of me. The lip was swollen where I'd hit him in the bar. He was wearing only khaki trousers and shirt, and I could see no place he could be carrying a gun, but I whirled him around against the wall and shook him down anyway. He had nothing except a knife. I threw it under the bed at the back of the room and returned the revolver to my pocket.

He looked from me to Trudy, and back again. "What the h.e.l.l's all this? Where's Pearl?"

"He'll be here, Frankie," I told him. "And Cynthia, I hope. Too bad Strader can't come. You could have a reunion."

Fear showed on his face for an instant. He whirled on Trudy. "Why, you little s.l.u.t!" "Why, you little s.l.u.t!"

She shrilled at him, "He made me call you!"

"Who killed Langston?" I asked. "All of you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Who hit the truck driver too hard?"

"You must be nuts."

"It makes no difference," I said. "You know that. All of you take the rap, regardless of who hit him."

I was wasting time with Frankie. He had realized by now that Trudy had told me nothing. "Turn around," I said. "Against that wall."

He glared, about ready to jump me. I was too tired to want to fight him. I took the sap from my pocket and swung it in my hand. "Turn around, Frankie." He turned. I tied his hands with another strip of the sheet and stuck a wad of it in his mouth and made it fast. I shoved him onto the sofa, and turned to the girl.

"Call the Silver King and ask for Pearl. Here's what you say." I told her carefully, and then repeated it. "You got it?"

She began to cry. "He'll kill me."

"He won't be able to. Call him." She still hesitated, deathly afraid of him. "Call him!" I said harshly. My nerves were about ready to snap.