Anyone else in there would likely turn out to be a friend of that Linoge, and I don't want to meet any of his friends, if it's all the same to you. Now come on!
STORM OF THE CENTURY 149
He grabs HENRY by the coat and practically drags him back to the Sno-Cat. ROBBIE fires it up, guns it impatiently as he waits for HENRY to clamber in, then turns it in a circle and heads back for the street.
As he does, the Island Services four-wheel drive conies trudging out of the storm. ROBBIE
corrects his course, meaning to go around, but HATCH sees his intention and cuts him off neatly.
42 EXTERIOR: FEATURES SNO-CAT AND ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE NIGHT.
HATCH gets out of his vehicle, flashlight in hand. ROBBIE opens the canvas-sided door of the Sno-Cat and leans out. He has recognized HATCH and has regained his previous hectoring authority.
Once again, EVERYONE SHOUTS to be heard over the SOUND OF THE WIND.
ROBBIE
Get out of my way, Hatcher! If you want to talk, follow us back to the town hall!
HATCH
Mike sent me! He wants you over at the constable's! Henry, you too!
132
ROBBIE
I'm afraid that's impossible. We have wives and children waiting at the town hall. If Mike Anderson wants either of us to stand a watch later, that's fine. But for the time being HENRY
Lloyd Wishman's dead . . . and there's something written on the side of one of the fire trucks. If it's a suicide note, it's the weirdest one I ever heard of.
KIRK comes around to the front of the Island Services truck, holding his hat down with both hands.
KIRK
Come on, let's get going! This ain't no place for a discussion!
150 STEPHEN KING
ROBBIE
(annoyed)
I agree. We can have our discussion back at the town hall, where it's still warm.
He starts to close the door of the Sno-Cat. HATCH grabs it.
HATCH
Peter Godsoe's dead, too. Hung himself, (pause) He also left a weird suicide note.
ROBBIE and HENRY are dumbfounded.
HATCH
Mike asked me to come get you, Robbie Beals, and that's what I'm doing. You come on and follow me back to the store. I don't want to hear any more sass about it.
HENRY (to ROBBIE) We better do it.
KIRK
Coss you better do it! Hurry up!
HENRY
Peter Godsoe . . . my God in heaven, why?
ROBBIE is being driven in a direction he doesn't want to go, and he hates it. He grins without humor at HATCH, who stands pudgy and determined behind his flashlight.
ROBBIE
You're the one who keeps putting that department store dummy on the porch of the store. Do you think I don't know that?
HATCH
We can talk about it later on, if you want. Right now the only thing matters is that we've got bad trouble tonight . . . and not just the storm. I can't make you pitch in and help if you don't want to, but I can make sure that when this is over, people know you were asked . . . and you said no.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 151
133
HENRY I'll come, Hatch.
KIRK
Good boy!
HENRY opens the door on his side preparatory to getting out and joining HATCH and KIRK.
ROBBIE grabs him by the jacket and hauls him back into his seat.
ROBBIE
All right . . . but I'll remember this.
HATCH You do that. Did you lock the place up?
ROBBIE
(contemptuously) Of course. Do you think I'm stupid?
HATCH won't touch that one with a ten-foot pole . . . although he probably could if he wasn't set on being as diplomatic as possible. He only nods and starts slogging back toward the Island Services vehicle, his flashlight cutting arcs through the falling snow. HENRY opens his door again to call after him.
HENRY
Can you raise the town hall on the CB? Tell Carla and Sandy we're okay?
HATCH gives him a thumbs-up and climbs into the truck. He revs the engine, then pulls slowly around so he's headed back toward the market, all four wheels whirring and spuming up snow. The Sno-Cat, with ROBBIE at the controls, follows.
43 INTERIOR: THE CAB OF THE ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE, WITH HATCH.
HATCH (on the radio) Ursula? Are you there, Ursula? Come on back?
152 STEPHEN KING
44 INTERIOR: THE TOWN OFFICE.
There's a good-sized crowd, very anxious, grouped around URSULA. Among them is FERD
ANDREWS, now out of his coat, sipping a hot drink and wearing a blanket. Also prominent are MOLLY, CARLA, and SANDY, who now has DON with her, for comfort.
HATCH (staticky radio voice) . . . sala? . . . Come on ... ack . . .
URSULA ignores the voice for a moment, holding the mike against her shoulder and looking uneasily at the crowd, which is hemming her in even more closely now, eager to hear any fresh news. These are her neighbors, sure, but . . .
MOLLY sees the incipient agoraphobic reaction and turns to the crowd.
MOLLY
Come on, folks, give Ursula some room. Back off ... If we hear anything, you'll know.
TESS MARCHANT
(joining in)
Move back! Move back! If you don't have anything else to do, go on downstairs and watch the storm on the Weather Network!
UPTON BELL
134
Can't! The cable's out!
But they move back and give URSULA some room. She flashes MOLLY and TESS a look of thanks, then raises the microphone and pushes the transmit button.
URSULA
You're weak, but I've got you, Hatch. Talk slow and loud, come on back.
45 INTERIOR: THE ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE, WITH HATCH.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 153
