Blood on the Water P. N. Elrod

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.I savagely shook off the guy's grip and bolted to the left.The photographer was encumbered by the camera, but tried to block me long enough to hold for his pals.I bowled past him and tore to the right.I absolutely had to get out of sight, and my best hope was to circle around to the stacks.They were wise to that one.Blair and another man outflanked me, the latter drawing his gun and ordering me to stop.I doubled back, making a feint for a side door on the other end.The photographer left his camera and tried to tackle me.I caught him before we both went off balance and swung him around sharply.He lost his footing and stumbled, blocking Blair's rush for a few precious seconds.I took the opening only to face two more men drawing their guns.Cutting between them was not the best option, but the only one left.I was moving too fast to stop, anyway.A gun went off, probably by accident.I felt nothing and remained solid.Someone cursed and caught my arm again.I punched an elbow in his direction and got free.Blair shouted something, but I lost it as I gained the narrow opening between two long lines of crates.I was suddenly free of the uncomfortable pressure of the water below us.At the far end and coming up quickly was one of the guys from the front office.Halfway along, he paused to pull out his gun and level it.Behind me, Blair and the others paused as well, abruptly aware that they were in each other's line of fire.The crates stacked on either side were about four feet square, graduating to smaller ones on top like giant building blocks.I latched onto a narrow edge and heaved upward with desperation-inspired agility.Blair and his men suddenly closed in.One of them just missed grabbing my foot as I lurched up to the next tier.Blair ordered someone to run around to the other side of the stack to head me off.I wasn't quite sure how, but I made it to the top of the wooden mountain about twenty-five dizzy feet up.A little belatedly, I remembered my fear of heights as I teetered on my uncertain perch.Blair yelled, telling me to come back before I got hurt.He stopped a man from following; evidently they were all cops except for Chaven and Kyler.They were standing well back from the activity.Kyler had me in full view, still wearing a look of expectation on his normally blank face.He'd set me up good, and now I knew why.Blair's voice cut through my disgust with the situation, reminding me that I had to keep moving.Fine, except that I was now limited to two directions, unless you wanted to count a sudden drop as a third.Cops were now on both sides of the stack, ready to nail what was left if that happened.Fortunately, the boxes up here were small enough to be useful, as I discovered when I tipped one over and sent it crashing.The men scattered hastily as the thing tumbled down.Metal parts, shards of wood, and excelsior hit the floor like a bomb.Another gun went off—I couldn't tell from which side—and I ducked in reflex.Before he could get a second shot, I dropped two more boxes, one left, the other right, and then plastered myself flat.With everyone rushing to get out of the way I figured they'd be too busy to notice my disappearance.I also hoped that the angle and height of the intervening crates would help block Kyler's view of the stunt.Two more random shots went off before Blair called for a stop, followed by a long, confused pause as they tried to locate me.I held my place, and figuratively held my breath, waiting them out.Confusion gave way to frustration, and a man was boosted up on the stacks for a look around.I flowed well away from any chance contact and let them get on with the search.After a time I eased my way down to the floor and tried to make sense of their shouts and rushing around."Where the hell is he?" was the most frequently repeated phrase.No one had an answer to it, either.Blair sent men to cover all the exits and to check the street.The rest circled and recircled the place.After several minutes of futile combing they began to realize they'd been skunked.Blair shouted a question at Kyler.Between the distorting echoes and the natural muffling caused by my unnatural state I could hardly make it out, and neither could Kyler."What?" he called back.I zeroed in on Blair's voice."I said, did he get past you?" He was striding toward Kyler.I froze onto him and held tight, letting him carry me along.With his unknowing help I was able to move out over the water again.Despite the heavy leather coat, he began to shiver."We didn't see anything," Kyler answered.I hoped that he was telling the truth."If you're trying a double cross, you may regret it.""Lieutenant, I was only doing my civic duty.As you can see, we got the bracelet back for you and I understand that it is a crucial piece of evidence in the case you are working on.This lunatic has killed twice, one of them a close friend and associate of mine.I have told you before how much I want to bring this man to justice; I think my cooperation tonight in informing your department of this meeting proves my sincerity.""And were you able to identify him, then?"Kyler let the pause drag out and I moaned inwardly."Were you?""I regret to say that I did not recognize the man," was his bland reply.Now, what the hell was he up to?"You're certain of that?""Yes, Lieutenant.He was wrapped up in that muffler, but I am positive that if I'd had any previous contact with him, I would have remembered it.I have a very good head for names and faces, you know."Blair had nothing to say to that and called for a report from his men.The answers were all negative.He walked off to join them.I hung back to eavesdrop on Kyler."Where do you think he went?" Chaven asked him in a low voice."Who knows? He might still be here.""This is crazy, Vaughn.""But you saw what happened.""I saw a guy go up who hasn't come down yet.What's with him? How does he do it?""I'm working that out [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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