“A
“Yes, sir. I understand.”
“Phone calls from here to police in Tarrytown, Bear Mountain, Beacon. Same alert. But tell them, do not stop or interfere with suspect. Let him run. If he crosses their bridge, call us. Let him get across the river but inform us immediately. Tell them he’s a cop-killer. Got that?”
“Yes, sir,” Blankenship nodded, writing busily. “If he tries to cross at the Tappan Zee, Bear Mountain, or Newburgh-Beacon Bridges, they are to let him cross but observe and call us. Correct?”
“Correct,” Delaney said definitely. He looked at Javis. “You heard all that?”
“Yes, sir,” the man faltered.
“Good,” Delaney nodded. “Outside and stand by.”
When the door closed behind the detective, Blankenship repeated, “You didn’t have to do that, Captain.”
“Screw it.”
“You’re going after him?”
“Yes.”
“Can I come?”
“No. I need you here. Get those alerts off. I’ll take the three cars from Special Operations and more men. I don’t know the range of the radios. If they fade, I’ll check by phone. I’ll call on my private line here.” He put his hand on his desk phone. “Put a man in here. No out-going calls. Keep it clear. I’ll keep calling. You keep checking with Tarrytown, Bear Mountain and Beacon, to see where he goes across. You got all this?”
“Yes,” Blankenship said, still jotting notes. “I’m caught up.”
“Bring MacDonald back to Barbara. The two of you start on the paperwork. You handle the relief end: schedules, manpower, cars, and so forth. MacDonald is to get the statements, the questioning of everyone we took in. Clean up all the crap. He’ll know what to do.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If Deputy Inspector Thorsen calls, just tell him I’m following and will contact him as soon as possible.”
Blankenship looked up. “Should I call the hospital, sir?” he asked. “About your wife?”
Delaney looked at him, shocked. How long had it been? “Yes,” he said softly. “Thank you. And about Fernandez, Tiger One, and Bulldog Three. I’d appreciate that. I’ll check with you when I call in. Let’s see…Is there anything else? Any questions?”
“Can I come with you, sir?”
“Next time,” Captain Edward X. Delaney said. “Get on those alerts right now.”
The moment the door closed behind Blankenship, Delaney was on the phone. He got information, asking for police headquarters in Chilton, N. Y. It took time for the call to go through, but he wasn’t impatient. If he was right, time didn’t matter. And if he was wrong, time didn’t matter.
Finally, he heard the clicks, the pauses, the buzzing, then the final regular ring.
“Chilton Police Department. Help you?”
“Could I speak to the commanding officer, please?”
A throaty chuckle. “Commanding Officer? Guess that’s me. Chief Forrest. What can I do for you for?”
“Chief, this is Captain Edward X. Delaney, New York Police Department. New York
“Well!” the Chief said. “This
“Fine,” Delaney said. “No complaints. A little nippy, but the sun’s out and the sky’s blue.”
“Same here,” the voice rumbled, “and the radio feller says it’s going to stay just like this for another week. Hope he’s right.”
“Chief,” Delaney said, “I’ve got a favor I’d like to ask of you.”
“Why, yes,” Forrest said. “Thought you might.”
Delaney was caught up short. This was no country bumpkin. “Got a man on the run,” he said rapidly. “Five homicides known, including a cop. Ice ax. In a Chevy Corvette. Heading-”
“Whoa, whoa,” the Chief said. “You city fellers talk so fast I can’t hardly make sense. Just slow down a mite and spell it out.”
“I’ve got a fugitive on the run,” Delaney said slowly, obediently. “He’s killed five people, including a New York City detective. He crushed their skulls with an ice ax.”
“Mountain climber?”
“Yes,” the Captain said, beginning to appreciate Chief Forrest. “It’s just a slim chance, but I think he may be heading for the Chilton State Park. That’s near you, isn’t it?”
“Was, the last time I looked. About two miles out of town. What makes you think he’s heading there?”
“Well…it’s a long story. But he’s been up there to climb. There’s some rock-I forget the name-but apparently he-”
“Devil’s Needle,” Forrest said.
“Yes, that’s it. He’s been up there before, and I figured-”
“Park closed for the winter.”
“If he wanted to get in, how would he do it, Chief?”
“It’s a small park. Not like the Adirondacks. Nothing like that. Chain-link fence all around. One gate with a padlock. I reckon he could smash the gate or climb the fence. No big problem. This fugitive of yours-he a crazy?”
“Yes.”
“Probably smash the gate. Well, Captain, what can I do you for?”
“Chief, I was wondering if you could send one of your men out there. Just to watch. You understand? If this nut shows up, I just want him observed. What he does. Where he goes. I don’t want anyone trying to take him. I’m on my way with ten men. All I want is him holed up.”
“Uh-huh,” Chief Forrest said. “I think I got the picture. You call the State boys?”
“Alert going out right now.”
“Uh-huh. Kinda out of your territory, isn’t it, Captain?” Shrewd bastard, Delaney thought desperately.
“Yes, it is,” he confessed.
“But you’re bringing up ten men?”
“Well…yes. If we can be of any help…”
“Uh-huh. And you just want a watch on the Park gate. Out of sight naturally. Just to see where this crazy goes and what he does. Have I got it right?”
“Exactly right,” Delaney said thankfully. “If you could just send one of your men out…”
There was a silence that extended so long that finally Captain Delaney said, “Hello? Hello? Are you there?”
“Oh, I’m here, I’m here. But when you talk about sending out one of my men, I got to tell you, Captain: there ain’t no men. I’m it. Chief Forrest. The Chilton Police Department. I suppose you think that’s funny, a one-man
“I don’t think it’s funny,” Delaney said. “Different places have different titles and different customs. That doesn’t mean one is any better or any worse than another.”
“Sonny,” Chief Forrest rumbled, “I’m looking forward to meeting you. You sound like a real bright boy. Now you get up here with your ten men. Meanwhile, I’ll mosey out to the Park and see what I can see. It’s been a slow day.”
“Thank you, Chief,” Delaney said gratefully. “But it may take some time.”
“Time?” the deep voice laughed. “Captain, we got plenty of that around here.”
Delaney made one more call, to Thomas Handry. But the reporter wasn’t in, so he left a message. “Break it. Blank running. After him. Call Thorsen. Delaney.” Having paid his debt, he hitched up his gun belt, hooked his choker collar. He went into the radio room, pointed at three men; they all headed out to the heavy, armed cars waiting at the curb.
Still high, the air in his lungs as sharp and dry as good gin, Daniel Blank came dashing down the inside staircase of Celia Montfort’s home, leaped over the fallen Valenter, went sailing out into the thin winter sunlight, those distant screams pursuing him.
