United States or Mauritius ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Hennessy, get the corpse to the morgue, and mark it down as a robbery attempt. I'm going to have to book you and your men, Mr. Jurgens!" The heavy leader of the two angry knife-men grinned. "Okay, Captain. But it's going to slow down the work I'm doing on the Mayor's campaign for re-election! Damn that Maxie I told him to be discreet. Hey, you know what you've got, though a real considerate man!
Part of Jurgens' old crowd had broken away from him and established a corner on most of the drugs available; they had secretly traded a supply to Wayne, who had become an addict, for a stock of weapons. Gordon remembered the contraband shipment of guns, and compared it to the increase he'd noticed in weapons, and to the impossible prices the pushers were demanding. It made sense.
Come out now, and we'll let you go peaceful. Or stay in there and we'll blast you out in pieces." It was the voice of Jurgens' henchman who had called on Mother Corey before elections. The thick voice must belong to the big ape who'd been with him. "Come on out," the little man cried again. "You don't have a chance. We've already chased all your boarders out!"
The club rolled toward Gordon, who caught it before it could reach the floor. But Jurgens was only momentarily out. As Gordon slipped the loop over his wrist again, one of the new captain's hands groped, seeking a button on the edge of the desk. The two corporals were at the door when Gordon threw it open, but they drew back at the sight of his drawn gun.
Trench had once been a colonel in the Marines, before a court-martial and sundry unpleasantnesses had driven him off Earth. His dark, scowling face and lean body still bore a military air. He looked Bruce Gordon over sourly. "I've been reading your record. It stinks. Making trouble for Jurgens could have been charged as false arrest.
"Where's Captain Trench?" The heavy features didn't change as Jurgens chuckled. "Commissioner Trench, Gordon. It seems Arliss decided to get rid of Mayor Wayne, but didn't count on Wayne's spies being better than his. So Trench got promoted and I got his job for loyal service in helping the Force recruit. My boys always wanted to be cops, you know."
He stepped through, drawing it shut behind him, while his eyes checked the position of his gun at his hip. Then he looked up. There was no sign of Trench. In his place, and in the uniform of a Municipal captain, sat the heavy figure of Jurgens. "Outside!" he snapped. Then his eyes narrowed, and a stiff smile came onto his lips as he laid the pen down. "Oh, it's you, Gordon?"
I am marrying another Joe, Joe Jurgens, next month. He is a wonderful man who lost his wife two years ago. He has a fourteen year old son and a twelve year old daughter, so I have a lot to do. I think of you often. Keep writing. You have a lot to do, too. Love, Alison. Well! Joe knocked on his wooden table top and wished her luck. He sent her a lavish congratulations card.
Jurgens reached out for tobacco and filled a pipe. He fumbled in his pockets, as if looking for a light. "Too bad. I knew you weren't in top shape, so I figured a convoy might be handy. Well, no matter. Trench left some instructions about you, and " His voice was perfectly normal, but Gordon saw the hand move suddenly toward the drawer that was half-open.
Nick the Croop had ridden his reputation long enough to be careless, and the third truck had its key still in the lock. He threw the two into the back and struck a cautious light. One of them was Jurgens' apelike follower, his stupid face relaxed and vacant. The other was probably also one of Jurgens' growing mob of protection racketeers.
Word Of The Day