'He show you how to hit what you shoot at?' I said.
'Already knew that,' Bernard said.
'I guess that thing makes accuracy less of an issue.'
'You think I'm not accurate?' Bernard said. 'I'm accurate.'
'I hope so,' I said. 'I don't want you shooting one of us with that thing.'
I was watching the brush where the deer had silently moved. There was always some sort of muffled visceral tug when I looked at a wild animal. I never really knew what the tug was. But I liked it when it happened.
'You sure they're going to come?' Bernard said.
'They'll come.'
'We backed them down pretty good in town,' Bernard said.
'There's forty of them and seven of us,' I said.
'You think The Preacher doesn't know that?'
'So?'
'So why fight us when the odds are even?'
'Then why don't we try what Bobby Horse says? Lock them up in the valley and shoot them from up above?'
I shook my head.
'Lot of us think it's the way to go,' Bernard said.
'I don't,' I said.
'Maybe we should vote.'
'Maybe I should make my phone call,' I said. Bernard shrugged and walked down to the other end of the porch. I called Wilbur Harris.
'I don't usually do this,' Harris said. 'But our mutual friend is entitled to a favor.'
'You got surveillance on a guy in L.A. named Morris Tannenbaum?'
'No further mention of names, please,' said. 'We have him under consideration.'
'Phone tap?' I said.
'Yes.'
'Visual surveillance?'
'Yes.'
'Got a bug in the house?'
'Yes. In his study.'
'How long?'
'Two years.'
'He make you?'
'I think he's spotted the visual. They all assume they're tapped. I don't think he's wise to the bug.'
'Can you give me the logs from the bug?'
'Sure,' Harris said. 'Maybe do your tax returns for you?'
'And transcripts?'
'You can't have the transcripts. It would take too long to copy them.'
'How about I give you a few names and if you come across them, you send me their transcripts?'
'Gimme the names. I'll see what we can do.'
I gave him some names.
'If they're all in the logs it's too many,' he said. 'We got a serious problem staffing clerical help.'
'God forbid you do the Xeroxing yourself.'
'God forbid.'
'Can you overnight them to me?'
'And what do we get?' Harris said.
'I think Tannenbaum's tied to a big swindle,' I said. 'If I can bust my end of it, you might get Tannenbaum.'
'Gimme your address.'
I did.
