by S G Read
‘I know you don’t I?’ Dan asked quietly. ‘I recall you throwing things at me sometime.’
‘Tomatoes, they were tomatoes and I hit you too but only because you were too drunk to get out of the way of them.’
Cally turned on Drummond.
‘Drummond-’ she paused when she realized she did not know his other name. ‘Whatever your name is, I’m ashamed of you!’
‘As I recall, you and your little gang were no angels!’ Dan added, as his memory started to recover. ‘But I suppose it was my own fault for drinking too much.’
He held out a shaky hand.
‘Nice to meet you, Drummond.’
‘Nice to find you not drunk for once, Mr. Craigrose.’ Drummond replied and they shook hands.
‘Dan to my friends. I’m in here for a while, so you’d best go find your mother and take her advice.’
‘How do I get there? My money was in my dress and that’s on your boat.’
‘No the police have it.’ Dan corrected.
‘That’s stealing!’ Cally protested.
‘They used it to get the dogs, onto your trail. It saved you from the ones who were following you.’ Dan explained.
‘We didn’t see anyone, did we Drummond?’
‘I bet it was Baptiste! We’re lucky to still be alive, well I am, they wanted you. Me I’d be laying out there with my throat slit!’
That caused a shiver to run right through Cally.
‘How come I haven’t heard of this Baptiste?’ Dan asked.
‘You haven’t actually had much dealings with everyday life for a while now, have you?’ Drummond replied.
‘No I don’t suppose I have but all that changes from now. I won’t take another drink, until I toast your return to your family and Clo’s defeat.’
‘Good!’ Cally replied.
‘Get me a glass of water please.’ Dan asked.
Cally did as Dan asked and brought him a glass of water. She was surprised when Drummond took the glass away when Dan had had a drink from it.
‘What are you doing?’ She asked.
‘If the nurse comes in and he’s got a glass of water she’ll wonder where he got it from won’t she.’ He declared.
It was more of Caleb’s teaching.
‘She’ll think another nurse got it for him!’ Cally retorted.
‘And how many nurses have you seen on this side of the hospital? Drummond asked. ‘How many nurses have come in to check on Dan?’
‘You could have waited until the glass was empty!’ Cally complained.
‘We don’t know when the next person’s going to come in here, do we? Any moment the elevator might go ding-’
As Drummond spoke the elevator outside went ding.
‘Quick, out of sight!’ Drummond hissed.
Cally ran into the little washroom, Drummond followed and almost shoved Cally into the hole before coming back into the little room and diving under the bed. Cally held the cover in front of her, peered through the grating and saw a man walk in.
‘Good to see you again lieutenant.’ Dan greeted. ‘It gets a bit lonely in hospital if you’re sober.’
The brown paper parcel with the red dress in it stood next to the washbasin in the little washroom. When Cally saw it her heart missed a beat. The lieutenant stood with his back to her by the bed. She hesitated for just a moment, then slid out of her hiding place, picked the bundle up and with a quick glance at the lieutenant she slid it in the hole she had been hiding in and followed it in. As the cover slid back it made a slight noise. Cally froze as the lieutenant looked her way.
‘You can’t have rats this high up, surely.’ He said standing up, intent on a closer look.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me if they followed me from the boat.’ Dan joked.
The lieutenant laughed with him and with a cursory glance walked round out of sight. Cally knew there was a chair on the other side of the bed.
-Surely he isn’t going to sit down? - She thought.
The lieutenant pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down showing that he was in no hurry to go anywhere.
CHAPTER 12
Captain Wells arrived and looked through the things in the warehouse.
‘You say the boat blew up?’ He asked.
‘Yes sir.’ Grogan replied.
‘No one come ashore yet?’
‘Not that we saw sir.’
‘There’s nothing here to help us, unless we find someone who can take us out to where the bodies were dumped, then also testify as to who did it and on whose orders. Seal it back up but we’ll watch the street that leads up here. If any of Clo’s men come up here we’ll surprise them as they’re fitting their victim with his concrete overcoat; he might be willing to spill the beans by then. Send a boat out to see if there is a body floating out there.’
‘Yes sir.’ Grogan replied.
He watched Captain Wells drive away.
Bertram Dill watched everything that went on and saw the boat blow up, he was still watching and hiding when the police left. He was considering trying to break into the warehouse with the food in it when he saw a wet and bedraggled Harry Drew emerge from the water. Bertram was immediately frightened. He cowered behind the empty boxes he was using for cover and waited. Harry chose to walk right past him. Bertram thought about his next actions, his decision was a life or death decision for both of them. Did he let Harry go or would they just come back and search the area thoroughly. If they did it meant they would find him anyway? He pointed Harry’s pistol at Harry’s back and pulled the trigger. The power of the gun surprised him; Harry was thrown forward to the ground and did not move again. The noise rang in Bertram’s ears for sometime.
Now he had another problem, he had to get rid of the body and with a lump of concrete round his feet, it was not going to be easy. He thought of hiding him in the boxes he was just about to vacate but then he remembered all the shots the police had fired at the boat. If Harry was found in the water dead from a gunshot the police would assume one of them hit him. He started the long task of dragging the body to the water with the lump of concrete still round his feet. He just had to make sure that when he reached the water, he did not fall in!
Cally waited, first patiently, then impatiently until lieutenant Stone left the room. She waited, to make sure he was not going to come straight back in. The elevator went ding to signify that it had arrived and then the doors closed. She crawled out of her hiding place to find Drummond sitting on the bed.
‘They don’t clean under the bed much.’ He grumbled.
‘You should try hiding in that duct!’ Cally replied.
‘That was your idea!’
‘Stop arguing you two, you sound like you’re already married!’ Dan said and shifted to a more comfortable position in bed. ‘As I said, if you won’t let me tell the police, then it’s your mother you should go and see.’
‘No police.’ Cally said emphatically.
‘Why not?’ Dan asked.
‘My mum left my pa because my grandpa was a policeman, that was before he got sick and had to retire!’
‘And some of them work for Clo.’ Drummond added.
‘You’ll need money for the fare!’ Dan replied. ‘I wish I had some to give you but I haven’t.’
‘There’s money in our shack, we have a secret place we hide it in.’ Drummond announced. ‘Caleb won’t need it now.’
‘So we go to the shack-’ Cally started.
‘Making sure we don’t meet Baptiste there!’ Drummond added.
‘Definitely making sure we’re not caught.' Cally agreed. 'We get the money and get a bus up to my ma’s and let her know what’s going on!’
‘Sounds good but first we’ve got to get out of this hospital!’ Drummond exclaimed.
‘Yes that will need a bit of thought,’ Cally replied, ‘still we got in so we’ll get out okay.’
‘I wish I had your confidence!’ Drummond said wistfully. ‘Have you got any ideas Mr. Craigrose
?’
‘Let’s think about this. Clo’s men are looking for a girl in a red dress and the cops are looking for two boys. Seems to me you should split up and meet somewhere.’
‘The shack?’ Cally asked.
‘No. They know about the shack, is there anywhere else that’s safe?’ Dan replied.
‘What about the camp?’ Drummond asked.
‘Could you find it again?’ Cally asked.
‘Quicker than I can get into it, I was taught by a blind man!’
‘Then we’ll meet there.’ Cally said emphatically.
‘Won’t they grab any boy they see?’ Drummond asked.
‘No because they’ll see a girl in a red dress run out of the hospital and when she’s out of sight, it’ll be like she disappeared!’ Dan replied.
‘How do I do that?’ Cally asked.
‘You don’t.’
‘But if she- Hold on I’m not going to put that red dress on!’ Drummond cried in horror.
‘Well it won’t fit me.’ Dan retorted with a chuckle.
‘But--’ Drummond started but said no more, he gave in and looked suitably crestfallen. ‘I hope none of my friends see me in it!’ He added after a few seconds.
‘Do you want any help putting the dress on?’ Cally asked.
‘What do you think? I haven’t worn a dress before!’ Drummond replied.
The two of them were in the washroom for some time, with arguments and complaints filtering through the door, until they emerged. Drummond in the red dress, looking very feminine and Cally in her borrowed boys clothes looking anything but feminine.
‘You’re such a baby!’ She complained as they came out.
‘Well it hurt!’ Drummond retorted.
‘Will you two shut up?’ Dan shouted. ‘Now Drummond, if you head out of the hospital and head for the trees in the park, you can stop there and while everyone’s in there looking for you Cally can walk out and hopefully get away scot free.’
‘I wouldn’t do this for just anyone!’ Drummond complained.
Cally kissed him.
‘That’s the first time I kissed a girl!’ She declared.
‘Very funny.’ Drummond retorted, he opened the door and peered out.
‘All clear.’ He whispered.
Cally ran to the elevator and pushed the button to call it. At the same time Drummond started down the stairs. When the lift arrived Cally sent it back down empty and then found a vantage point from where she could see the front of the hospital. She saw Drummond, his red dress waving in the wind, run out of the hospital and into the park through the gates. Two men immediately jumped out of a car and followed him and two men followed from him the hospital. -I wonder which ones are the cops and which ones are the robbers- Cally thought. She walked back to Dan’s room.
‘I’ll come and see you when this is all over.’ She said and gave him a gentle hug.
‘Was it your Pa?’
‘Yes. He wouldn’t answer me but he’ll answer ma, he always does!’
‘Bye Cally.’
There were tears in Dan's eyes when he spoke, in his mind he was really saying goodbye to Lucy. Cally walked to the elevator pushed the button and waited. The lift arrived and she stepped in, not knowing what to expect. The lift was empty but when it stopped on the ground floor two policemen hurried into it and nearly knocked her over.
‘Out of the way kid!’ One ordered. ‘I’m in a hurry!’
Cally walked out of the lift, across the foyer past the information desk and outside. Once outside she started to speed up but without trying to show that she was hurrying, a backward glance found Dan at the same window. How he had got there, she did not know but she waved anyway.
‘Anyone I know?’ Lieutenant Stone asked standing behind Dan.
‘You know very well who it is!’ Dan replied.
‘I do that. Everyone goes one way and she walks out without any trouble. Where is she going?’
‘You know that as well, so does Clo. I just hope you can improve on what you’ve done so far!’
‘We’ll try. Why didn’t you tell me they were here?’
‘Cally didn’t want me too. She blames the police for her parents splitting up!’ Dan explained.
‘How come?’
‘Her granddad is a policeman, or was, I think he’s retired now.’
‘I’ll look into it. We haven’t found her mothers address yet.’
‘If he was an old timer, just ask the old time policemen, one of them will know.’ Dan replied. ‘Oh and by the way, there’s a nasty bit of work named Baptiste on her trail now!’
‘What the Frenchman?’
‘I suppose so. Not met him myself but Drummond seemed very scared of him.’
‘He’s like a bloodhound but without all the baying. I’ll have him arrested on sight that will keep him out of the way for a while. Can I help you back to your room?’
‘It’s either that or I end up sleeping out here.’ Dan replied.
Baptiste walked up the alley and crossed the street. He was working on smell and intuition. He lost the trail and back tracked. He kept going like it all night until he sniffed the same familiar smell. He followed it and came to a dead end once more. He backtracked again and again until the same smell led him to the same place again.
-This only looks like a dead end- He thought and looked about thoroughly until he saw a small opening. He sniffed the opening.
‘Ah. Voila they are playing rabbit’s.’ He said softly.
He listened for noise down below. It was quiet. He sniffed about and found where they had pushed through a loose plank in the fence.
-Gone but will they come back, I wonder?-
He walked back to the den and looked in as well as he could. Then he looked round seeking a spot to wait. It had to be somewhere out of sight but where he was able to keep an eye on the den. He settled down in some bushes, made himself as comfortable as he could, as it was liable to be a long wait.
-Soon Luigi, I will have her soon- He thought as he sat there.
Drummond ran into the park with the brown paper package under his arm and kept on running, he passed two boys he knew but at that moment, he was just glad they did not recognize him. He found a dense area of foliage and stripped off. It took him three minutes to change from girl to boy but it took him another three minutes to wrap up the parcel, so that nothing showed. He walked back to where his friends were playing and joined in, the parcel dumped unceremoniously on the ground. He thought that being with his friends was the best cover going, especially as there were strange men walking about. They were obviously searching for Cally but without obviously searching.
He stayed with his friends until the men decided to move on, then as his friends were going home, he went with them. He walked with them until they started going away from the camp. He said goodbye to them and changed direction but when he reached the loose plank he remembered the parcel and the dress. It was still in the park! There was no way he could face Cally after he had lost the dress so he ran all the way back to the park but when he reached the spot where they were playing, it was gone! Where it had gone and who had it was a mystery but it was gone and Cally was going to be angry. He cursed and headed back to the camp but his run into the park and search for the parcel had aroused the interest of two men who were sitting in a car by the gates. They got out of the car and when he started walking away from them, they started to chase him and he ran. At first he ran toward the camp but then, realizing that Cally would be on her way there he veered off and headed for the part of Chicago he knew. If he made it to the shack he could take the money from its hiding place and go find Cally when it was safe.
Cally walked away from the hospital and started to cut across the city using alleys and back streets. She knew this part of town better than anywhere. As she walked she thought about her mother. Since her mother had moved out of the city, she had not been to see her, in fact she did not know where she lived! She remembered that the address book at hom
e had her mother’s new address! She changed direction and headed for the house.
She spotted a car parked in front of their house. She did not know whose side it was on but to her it did not matter. She climbed the creeper that grew up the side of the house and crossed the roof, this time keeping low in hopes of the people in the car not seeing her. She ducked into her window and crept downstairs. It took her ages to sift through the things that were strewn everywhere but she found the two halves of the book and found the address she wanted. She peered outside and saw another car out there; this was the first car, the one which the men who had trashed the house came in. She longed for a gun to shoot them with but with no gun, plus the fact that she was just a girl and not very big, she just looked at them. They stayed in the car with the other car parked across the street from them.
-I wonder just who is watching who- She thought and started to check for more money everywhere, just to make sure there was none about.
It was while she was searching the back of an armchair that the key round her neck dangled down into her sight. She remembered her father giving it to her and telling her to look after it. When she made it to her mother’s she would give her the key. Her mother could look after it for a while! The search proved fruitful and with a dollar and a half in her pocket, she headed upstairs to the window in her room. The second car had parked so that they could see that window, they knew she went out that way last time! She stopped and weighed up what to do. Last time she ended up down a drain with them still after her, if she waited until they went, she could leave without being chased. She sat on the bed, it now sloped at forty five degrees, after the bad men had searched her room, so there was very little chance of getting very comfortable. She made herself as comfortable as she could.
Bertram Dill reached the water after dragging Harry Drew and the lump of concrete round his legs from the cardboard boxes. He pushed Harry Drew into the water and started back toward the warehouse with the food inside. He had heard the police talking and it had made him very hungry when he heard what was stored inside. Without dragging the corpse, travel was easier, although by now he was very tired. After all, he was only a bookkeeper. To save going round the front he stopped at a side door and used the pistol to batter the lock into submission. When he reached the food he ate, he was hungry. When he had eaten he looked around and saw tools stored on one side. He took a hammer and started hammering on the concrete that covered his feet; he was getting fed up with having that on there! Chips flew everywhere, even in his eyes. He stopped long enough to take out his glasses and put them on. He did not need them for this type of work but he thought it might stop the bits of concrete from going in his eyes again! He started hammering again and kept on despite the blisters that were forming on his hands. After an hour, he was pleased to see the concrete part in the middle. The two halves were still round his feet but now they were smaller and he could move about. He found the washroom and cleaned himself up. Clo was in for one hell of a surprise! He used a tin of plasters on his hands before he started hammering again.
