Run Cally Run

by S G Read

  He crossed the bridge and walked to his car. His torch was playing about but it did not stop him from going down the track toward the houseboat. Half way there the torch flickered and died. He cursed, he always used the police torch when working but, as this was his free time, he used his own torch. He never looked after his torch as he usually used the police torch. He shook the torch to make it light but it was dead and he laid it down so he could find it on the way back. That made travelling through the trees slow and he had to make sure he did not fall and alert Baptiste. In an effort to be quiet and make good time he managed to lose his direction. He knew he had, as soon as he fell into the water! Things were not going well. He spluttered and tried to find the bank. It was dark and he could not see the branches above to hold onto. Suddenly a light shone on him from the other bank. In the torch light he could see a branch and grabbed hold of it. The light went out and Pruitt pulled himself onto the bank fighting protruding sticks, which threatened to take his eye out, as he did so. Before he was out of the water the torch shone from just in front of him and he could see an outstretched hand. He took it and the hand pulled him from the water.

  ‘Had the same idea as me then Pruitt,’ Lieutenant Stone said, ‘except for the swim that is, I wasn’t planning on that!’

  ‘Nor was I lieutenant. I saw a light and thought I’d investigate but my torch went out.’

  ‘A light! Where?’

  ‘In the boat sir.’

  ‘Do you think it was the girl?’

  ‘I don’t know sir.’

  ‘We picked the boy with her up, near the hospital and it was a girl’s voice who called us to him, so unless she came here at some speed it isn’t likely to be her. Are you sure you didn’t think it was Baptiste?’ The last question was an accusation.

  Pruitt did not answer it. They hurried to the boat, guns drawn but there was no one there. There were signs that someone had been there and met an untimely end. There was blood on the floor and a trail led to the side of the boat.

  ‘Better go and call out the troops someone’s in the river but we don’t know who yet. There is no sign of Baptiste now Pruitt!’ The last statement was another accusation.

  The noise Pruitt had made falling in the water had alerted whoever was on the boat and they were long gone.

  ‘No lieutenant, there isn’t, I’ll go and get some help.’

  ‘Then you can go and get some sleep. See me in my office first thing in the morning to go over police procedures!’

  ‘Yes lieutenant.’

  Cally heard men walking and talking above her. More men came with brighter lights and she found herself stuck where she was and ruing her decision to come to the boat in the first place. Light filtered through the hatch more and more and Cally assumed it was daylight. She heard men outside on the river; she assumed they were on the river not in it.

  ‘Got something lieutenant.’ Beeson shouted from the dinghy.

  They hauled the body with the weights still attached to the surface and rolled it into the dinghy.

  ‘Looks like its Arty, did he choose the wrong place to doss!’ Benson called from the dinghy.

  ‘Take him over to the ambulance and let the doc look at him.’ Stone ordered.

  ‘Yes lieutenant.’ Benson replied. ‘This is the first time I’ve seen him clean!’

  ‘Sergeant Grogan!’ Stone called.

  After a few minutes the sergeant appeared from the trees.

  ‘Yes lieutenant.’

  ‘Any sign of him?’

  ‘The dogs lost the scent in the river not far from the dolphin. Do we go in and have a look?’

  ‘Have you got a witness who saw him go in there, in fact have you anyone who knows what he looks like?’

  Below Cally nodded.

  -I could tell you- She thought -but for now, I just wish you would all just go away-

  ‘No lieutenant.’ Grogan replied.

  ‘Then no, we don’t go in and have a look! Not after that last fiasco.’

  ‘Do we call it a day then?’

  -Yes, yes- Cally wished from below them. –Call it a day-

  ‘Yes we call it a day sergeant but don’t worry we’ll get him. By the way did Toms give you that address?’

  ‘Yes lieutenant.’

  ‘Good send a man out there to have a look round, out of uniform I think.’

  Cally waited and waited. Again she wanted to go but this time she was going to go properly. Slowly the noise above lessened until there was a serene silence. She waited a few minutes more then slowly lifted the hatch lid up. She could see no one. She let the hatch lid go back as far as it would, pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the opening massaging life into her hands and legs. Below her she could see the hard lump she had spent the night perched on.

  ‘So it was the engine,’ she complained, ‘no wonder it was so uncomfortable.’

  When she was satisfied, that she was in no immediate danger she stood up, only to have her legs give way under her. She sat on the floor next to the open hatch and all she could hear was the tick of Dan’s clock. She looked at the time. It was ten o’clock in the morning and she was on the nine o’clock bus! Now she felt really low. She pulled her ticket out of her pocket but it had been soaking all night and it was illegible. She dropped it on the floor and started to cry, it was all too much for her. How was she going to get to her mother’s place now? If she stayed here Baptiste would eventually catch her and she knew how that would work out. The need for the toilet stopped her feeling sorry for herself and she made for the little cubicle. When she came out she smiled, a plan was forming in her little brain. She started to look in the drawers and cupboards in the boat until she was rewarded with some more of Lucy’s clothes. They were girl’s clothes but it was what she wanted at the moment. She took her boys clothes off and dried herself with the towel. Then she dressed up as a little girl once more. She had to clean the only mirror to be able to see herself and for once she was happy with what she saw.

  ‘That’ll do!’ She said triumphantly, picked up the ticket and headed for the door.

  CHAPTER 16

  At the door she stopped and peered out, there was no one in sight but she still hesitated. After a long look, just to be sure that she was alone, she swung herself onto the bank trying to make sure she did not get wet, she had just about had enough of water! When she was on the bank, she straightened up her clothing and started for the bus station. She made it half way to the road before she remembered the boy’s clothes; there was a good chance that she would need them when she reached Wilmington. She hurried back to the boat and wrapped the clothes up in the towel, it was all there was and she was sure Dan would forgive her for taking his only towel. Now she could start for the bus station again. The dress she wore this time was a faded green and blended well with her surroundings. At the end of the track she looked long and hard in all three directions, first each way along the road which passed in front of her then the road which lead directly forward from where she was emerging.

  When she was sure that no one was waiting there to grab her, she stepped on to the sidewalk and skipped along as a little girl should. The first shop she passed was a bakers and the smell from inside reminded her that she was very hungry. The baker was just inside the door and she stood in the doorway, making sure he saw her.

  ‘I don’t suppose you have any spares?’ She asked with her best ‘little girl in need look’ on her face.

  The baker looked at her and smiled.

  ‘We won’t miss one pie now will we,’ he answered quietly and took a pie from the display, ‘but don’t let the missus see or she’ll kill me!’ He added with a whisper.

  Cally took the pie from him and whispered. ‘Thank you.’ Then she put her index finger to her lips and skipped away.

  It was hard work waiting until she was out of sight of the shop before she devoured the pie but wait she did, then ate the pie in a very unladylike way. When the pie was history, she walked to the bus station. It was
a shorter walk than the one from the hospital. On the last corner before she reached the bus station, she stopped and peered round to see who was about. A man sat in a car, and the car was one of the cars that had chased her but she did not recognize the man who sat inside it. She hesitated, for a second and a little smile crossed her face; then instead of hiding or trying to sneak in she walked on, it was time to stop running. The man in the car looked at her as she approached and she changed direction toward his car.

  ‘I dropped my ticket in a puddle and it’s gone all funny. Do you think they’ll let me on the bus?’ She asked sweetly.

  ‘I doubt it!’ The man answered gruffly and returned to reading his paper.

  Cally started to cry.

  ‘But I’ve got to get on the bus! My grandma’s sick and I want to see her before she dies.’ She wailed, causing people to look in their direction.

  ‘Look beat it kid, you’re causing a scene!’ The man replied, looking at the people who, in turn, were looking at them.

  ‘Couldn’t you spare me a few dollars for another ticket?’ She pleaded.

  ‘No! Now beat it!’

  She started to wail loudly and it was too much for the man in the car.

  ‘Look here’s five dollars now beat it!’

  Cally took the five dollars.

  ‘Thanks mister, you’re a gent.’

  Cally walked into the bus station to see the ticket clerk.

  Marco Conte walked back to the car from the bakers with a box of doughnuts.

  ‘What was that all about?’ He asked.

  ‘Some simpering little brat with a ruined ticket, she only wanted me to give her some money to help her out!’

  ‘At least we know it wasn’t the girl we’re looking for, she’s more boy than girl! How much did you give her?’

  Marco asked without stressing it or making it an accusation and it caught the other man unawares.

  ‘Five dollars, but only to- shit.’ The driver said when he realised he had been caught out. ‘She was making the car seat wet so I had to get rid of her.’

  ‘From what I hear from Luke you should have grabbed her and taken her up for Barney up in Wilmington, Arnold. He only chose an old washerwoman’s house thinking she had several kids for him to choose from. He chose the house because it had a load of kids washing on the line. He’s fit to kill.’

  Arnold laughed.

  ‘Well if she comes back and tries for more money, I might just do that!’ He exclaimed and went back to reading his paper, Marco sat down beside him to eat his doughnuts.

  Cally walked up to the ticket office she had bought the ticket at and tried to look pitiful.

  ‘I dropped my ticket in the river!’ She wailed. ‘It took me ages to get it out because no one would help me. I can’t read it anymore.’

  The clerk took it and read it.

  ‘Well it isn’t any good now! For all I know it could have been yesterday’s ticket or last weeks!’

  Cally wailed pathetically but this man was made of stone.

  ‘I’ve seen it all before,’ he said with no emotion, ‘if you want to buy another ticket I’ll sell you one, if not you’re holding up the line!’

  ‘What sort of man are you?’ A man said from behind her.

  Cally turned to see a man in a sailor’s uniform.

  ‘No ticket, no travel!’ The clerk answered without emotion.

  ‘How much is her ticket?’ The sailor asked.

  ‘I have no idea,’ the clerk replied, ‘the ticket is illegible! She might have been going to Nova Scotia for all I know!’

  ‘How can you say that, when you sold me the ticket only yesterday? I’d a took a bus yesterday but you said, they were all filled up!’

  ‘That was to a boy, how am I to know who he bought it for?’

  ‘But you know you sold it!’

  ‘Yes and I also know that the bus went out this morning, which makes your ticket more than worthless.’

  ‘That’s not fair, I haven’t got enough money for another ticket you took all my money yesterday!’

  The sailor reached into his pocket.

  ‘How much do you want?’ He asked.

  ‘Twelve dollars for the full journey, any less and she has to walk the rest.’ The clerk answered.

  ‘How come you charged my friend fifteen dollars yesterday?’ Cally retorted.

  ‘He must have been mistaken.’ The clerk replied or perhaps he just said that to take more money off you.

  Cally did not argue, she could hardly do that, not without letting him know that yesterday she bought the ticket, dressed as a boy.

  The sailor fumbled with his money but could not raise the full twelve dollars. A woman behind him gave the sailor 50c; another gave him some loose change. Soon everyone was putting down a little money to send Cally to Wilmington. At eleven dollars and fifty cents, the clerk gave in and gave her a ticket, which would take her to the outskirts of Wilmington. Cally did not mention the five dollars in her pocket, she was proud of the way she got it and she knew she would get hungry again. She could always use it to pay to go on for another stop if she wanted to.

  ‘The bus leaves at three o’clock, try to make this one!’ The clerk said dryly as he gave her the ticket.

  Cally turned round and thanked everyone in turn then sat down in the corner. When the people who helped pay for her ticket, left on their bus, it left Cally all alone in the bus depot. She stood up and looked out at the car. A second man sat in it and she recognized him as the man who had sat outside of the hotel room door, when they had her imprisoned. At first, she panicked and looked for a back way out of the bus station, then calmed a little.

  -all the time they’re out there and I’m in here there’s no problem.- She thought and chose a seat which allowed her to see the car and it’s occupants.

  It was a long boring wait until she saw Marco get out of the car and head for the bus station. Now panic set in and once again she looked for somewhere to hide. She walked to the rest rooms and watched through a crack in the door. Marco just kept coming and she fled to a cubicle and held the door shut; as there was no bolt on it.

  She heard the door open and slam, then after a few minutes, she heard running water followed by the door slamming again. She looked out to find herself alone and realized she had gone into the men’s restroom. She peeked through the door, to make sure no one would see her come out but a bus must have arrived and there were people everywhere. She returned to the cubicle and waited as the door banged and men came in. There were odd noises, rude noises and terrible smells. Several times someone tried to open the door of the cubicle she was in but she held it closed by sitting on the toilet with her feet against the door. She started to panic, it was getting close to the time her bus was going to leave and she did not want to miss this bus!

  Still men came in and went out again, she looked under the door to see where everyone was and when the only people in there were in cubicles, she ran for the door. As she ran through the door she ran into a man.

  ‘Sorry!’ She said and ran on. ‘Wrong room!’

  Unfortunately for her I t was Marco again, this time going in to get a drink; he paused long enough to look back at her then walked on. Half way across the rest room he stopped.

  ‘That’s her!’ He cried, realizing who had just run into him.

  He turned to chase her but another influx of bus passengers, all in need of the rest room, delayed him.

  Cally ran to the desk.

  ‘My bus-’ she started to ask.

  ‘Your bus is just about to leave without you! Hurry or you’ll miss it!’ The clerk said interrupting her.

  Cally ran as fast as she could, just as she reached the bus the doors closed and she hammered on them. She glanced behind and saw Marco running toward her. The bus started to move forward. She hammered as hard as she could.

  ‘Open this door!’ She shouted. ‘I’ve got a ticket!’ She held the ticket up for the driver to see but he was looking where he was going,
seemingly oblivious of everything else.

  She needed on the bus so she ran in front of the bus and stood there. The driver slammed on the brakes and opened the door. Cally walked round to the open door and met the driver coming out.

  ‘Are you deaf?’ She shouted and flapped the ticket in his face. It was then she saw the deaf aid fitted to his ear. As her cheeks turned bright red, she pushed past him and sat down.

  ‘I do have a time table you know!’ The driver said grumpily before sitting back down in his seat.

  He closed the door again, just before Marco reached it. Marco hammered on the door, even using his gun, but the driver heard nothing and drove off up the road. Some of the passengers heard the man with the gun hammering on the door but no one told the driver as no one wanted him to stop. Marco ran back to the car.

  ‘It was her!’ He said breathlessly.

  ‘Who was?’ Arnold asked.

  ‘The girl in the green dress, the one you gave five bucks to was the girl we’re after!’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Yes, and she’s on that bus!’

  ‘Well she aint gonna get of that bus, without us being there is she now? I thought for a moment I was in trouble. Where’s that bus going?’

  ‘I don’t know and we can’t stop to find out but as her ma lives in Wilmington I’d guess that’s where she’s headed. Get after them Arnold.’

  Arnold started the car and followed the bus with Cally straining her neck to see them in the car behind the bus. Passengers whispered to passengers and soon all passengers knew something was wrong, some had seen the gun and those who had not seen it, soon knew about it, as a buzz of conversation flowed round the bus. Cally found herself sitting alone on her seat, no one wanted to be near her in case the men fired at her and one of the bullets hit them. She sat, urging the bus to go faster or the car behind to crash and burst into flames but the bus just chugged along with the car behind. A passenger stood up after half an hour and walked to the door, he tapped the driver on the shoulder for him to stop the bus. Cally’s heart almost stopped at the prospect of the bus stopping. The bus stopped and she saw Marco get out of the car and walk toward the bus as the passenger climbed down the steps. He hurried but before he reached the doors the bus was moving again. Cally breathed a sigh of relief and settled back in her seat.