To: 
From: "Jay  P Hailey" 
Reply-To: trekcreative{at}yahoogroups.com


Title: Long Arms
Author: Jay P. Hailey (jayphailey{at}tic1.net) and K.A. Strickland Series:
Vista City/Four Corners
Part: 11/13
Rating [PG] (Some Violence)

 Scott walked out of the Federal Offices feeling like a wrung out dish rag.
It had been a grueling debriefing.  Scott wasn't too surprised about that.
He hadn't been debriefed by The Agency since 1992 and they had some
catching up to do.

 The sun was just going down and the heat was abating.  Four Corners looked
just as picturesque and Norman Rockwell as ever.  Scott enjoyed that as he
walked along.  As the evening wore on, neon was coming up.  Scott spotted a
couple of hot rods cruising the main drag.  They looked very nice.  The
people cruising had evidently put a lot of work into their cars and it
showed.

 Scott idly wondered if there was time for him to walk down to the Tastee
Freeze and have an ice cream cone.  Scott was a big fan of Americana and
sampled it when he got the chance.

 Jim Mosley pulled up in a gray Chevy Lumina.  It looked all the world like
a police plain wrap.  It even had the antenna and radios like a police unit.

 "Scott!"  Mosley waved him over.

 "Mr. Mosley?" Scott Approached.

 "Hey, got a minute?"  Jim asked.

 "Certainly, Sir."  Scott said.

 "Well then get in and call me Jim."

-*-

 Angelo and Sonja sat in Axel's and listened to country music while they
waited for Karla Morgan to return.  Karla had insisted on going out to
interview Kyle Warner on her own first.  She said she didn't want to start
a confrontation until absolutely necessary.

 A four armed man with a short hair cut and red skin under his out door tan
walked up to Angelo and Sonja.  He was wearing a simple durable denim
shirt, cut for his four arms, work boots, jeans and the obligatory dark
glasses. He had a poll cue ostensibly from the game he was just playing.

 "Hey, Short!"  He growled.

 Angelo looked up at the belligerent man.  "Can I help you?"

 The man was distracted momentarily by the sight of Sonja's butterfly tattoo
fluttering up her neck and settling itself firmly on her cheek.  Then he
blinked a couple of times and returned to business.

 "We don't want you around here, Short."  The man said.

 "I'm sorry, Sir.  We're here for a while and then we'll leave." Angelo
said.

 Sonja noticed somewhat uncomfortably that there were several four armed
patrons of Axel's watching the confrontation.  Their body language was
tense and ready for a conflict.  They seemed to agree with the hostile man
in front of Angelo.

 "We don't need no shorts comin' in here and tellin' us how to run our
business."  The man said.

 "I see.  And what's your name, Sir?"  Angelo asked.

 "I'm John Stanley.  And I'm the guy telling you to get out of Four
Corners."  The man growled.

 "I'm sorry Mr. Stanley. I am here investigating a crime.  I have to find
out what happened."  Angelo said.

 "Marlene Summers got what she deserved for going out to live in the outside
world.  Some short whacked her for having four arms out in the world and
you're here trying to pin it on us, so you can go your merry way without
having to admit what sort of bastards you shorts really are."  Stanley
said.

 "I'm sorry you see it that way."  Angelo said.

 "You mean you're sorry that I see the truth.  You mean you're sorry that
your kind has had its day and the next team is here. You mean that you're
sorry that you can't just dump poor Marlene's body on us and then wall us
away again." Stanley charged.

 "Angelo." Sonja warned.  She was afraid that Angelo's ego wouldn't allow
him to avoid the confrontation.  Sonja was good at avoiding these sorts of
confrontations.  You agreed happily with whatever the idiot said until you
could get away.  What did it matter what some drunk in a bar thought?

 Angelo glanced quickly at Sonja and caught what she was looking at Stanley
had back-up.

 "John Henry Stanley, What the hell do you think you're doing!?" A female
voice demanded.

 It was Mollie, the four armed waitress/bartender at Axel's.  She was
carrying a tray of beers for a nearby table.

 "I was just discussing what business these shorts have in here, Mollie."
Stanley said to her, with an aggressive grin.

 "Well, you hairy ape, they got money and I got beer to sell.  Do I have to
draw you a map?" Mollie came over and stood by the detectives.

 Stanley shook his head at her.  "No.  Here in Four Corners."

 "I don't care."  Mollie said.  "When I woke up this
morning, this was still
the United States of America.  That means people are free to come and go as
they please 'round here."

 "Tell that to Marlene."  A voice behind Stanley called.

 "If you want to be free in this country then it has to start at home."
Mollie yelled.  "If we want to be treated like people then we are
going to have to make it start here, with us!"

 "Mollie, there ain't no America for us.  We're too different.  They won't
accept us."  Stanley said.  "Four Corners is our home and our
country.  If we don't defend it against these shorts, then whose going
to?"

 "You keep talking like that, John Stanley and I wonder where you'll be
buying you beer next week, 'cause I'll have Axel eighty-six you so quick
your head will spin!" Mollie said.

 "You can't do that Mollie."  Stanley said.  "You have to
live here, too."

 "Are you threatening me, John?"  Mollie got right into Stanley's
face.  "I
hope you're not threatening me."

 "I'm just telling you the truth, Mollie."

 "That's it.  Get out."  Mollie gestured theatrically at the door with her
lower left hand.  "You've had enough for today."

 Stanley walked out of the bar.  "You just remember where you live and how
many arms you got, Mollie."

 "Don't let the door hit you in the ass!"  Mollie yelled.

 Mollie stared defiantly as about half of her customers walked out with
Stanley.  Then she turned back to Angelo and Sonja.  "I'm sorry about
that folks.  We like to think we're a little more civilized than that
around here."

 "We didn't want to cause any trouble."  Angelo said.

 "We should be going."  Sonja said.

 "I wouldn't recommend that right now."  Mollie said. "John
and his crew are
going to be hanging out right now, having resentful thoughts and trying to
decide where they want to get drunk for the rest of the night.  If you walk
right into the middle of that then it's bound to get ugly."

 Angelo nodded  "Makes sense."

 "Where's the Sheriff?  I thought y'all were her guests."  Mollie asked.

 "She's out interviewing Kyle Warner."  Angelo said.  "He
might be a witness
in the case."

 "Kyle?  He was Marlene's boyfriend before she left, you know."   Mollie
said.

 At the next table, Kate McAslin and Billy-Joe Wilcox listened to this
conversation.  They agreed whole heartedly with John Stanley, but didn't
see the point in getting eighty-sixed from their favorite watering hole
about it.  Now they listened and picked up what Angelo and Sonja knew as
well as what Mollie was telling them.  After Angelo and Sonja had ordered
dinner for themselves, Kate and Billy-Joe left quietly and without fuss.

-*-

 The sun was down and early evening lay softly across Four Corners.  Scott
enjoyed the view out the window of the Mayor's office.

 "Wow."  Mosley said.  " A real celebrity."  He shook
his head.  "Sort of
hard to believe."

 Scott grinned faintly.  "Thanks.  But I was just someone with a job to do.
It wasn't the sort of thing one did to become a celebrity.  Besides. 
You're the leader of a colony of a new type of people. In two hundred years
will they look at you like we see George Washington or Thomas
Jefferson?"

 Mosley laughed.  "Heaven forbid!  Any way, so tell me, why is a former
astronaut playing cops and robbers in a small town?"

 Scott shrugged.  "You know Taylor Dane, right?"

 "Uh-huh."

 "You about what he does?"

 "A little.  Not much."

 "After I left the space program I was drafted into the 'Department of
Unusual Phenomena.'  After I finished my tour there, I wanted to join a
community and put my skills to use in support of that community."
Scott said.  "I'm the one of the most obscure people who was involved
in the Space Program.  I'm surprised you recognized me."

 "Well," Mosley shrugged.  " I can't take credit for that. 
It was the final
question in a game of Trivial Pursuit that I lost about ten years ago."

 Scott grinned.  "You remember the answers to Trivial Pursuit questions you
lost ten years ago?"

 "Well, I'm not liable to forget.  It was the town championship and my wife
never let me forget losing it like that."  Mosley grinned back.

 "So I'm a Trivial Pursuit question now?"  Scott shook his head. 
"Oh, the
fickle finger of fame."

 Jim grinned.  "It's worse than that even. No one plays Trivial Pursuit any
more. So tell me what really brings you people to Four Corners. Tell me
about the case."

 Scott reported about the case.  He mentioned the suspect, Freddy Rios and
how he didn't work out. He mentioned the forensics evidence that cleared
him.  Scott mentioned that checking the close family of the deceased was a
basic step of the murder investigator.  Scott mention the two cars that
were seen at the back of "The Soul Attraction".

 "What!?" Mosley said.  "Describe that car."

 Scott complied.  "A 1963 Ford Fairlaine.  Fire engine red with a white top.
It was jacked up in back with chrome mag wheels and extensive chrome
fittings.  The license plate was black with white numbers, but the witness
couldn't identify the state."

 Mosley slammed his hand down on his desk.  "Damn!  This would have been
much simpler if you'd told me that to begin with.  That's Kyle Warner's car."

 Scott said "We described it to Sheriff Morgan but she didn't
recognize it."

 Mosley was up pulling notes off of a wall map to reveal it in detail.
"Karla Morgan is a genius.  She's tough and good leader. She makes
almost a perfect Sheriff.  To her, cars are 'boy toys'.  She can't tell
make and model from nothin'."

 Scott got up and help Mosley finish uncovering the map.   Mosley turned
from that task to the radio on his desk.

 "How long do you think that it would take to drive from Vista City to Four
Corners?"  Mosley asked staring thoughtfully at the map.

 "Depends on how you do it, and what your endurance is like."  Scott said.

 "Straight through?"

 "Driving as straight as possible, he'd be arriving about now."

 "And if he rested and drove normal?"  Mosley asked, checking his own
thought process.

 "Err, two, maybe three more days."  Scott said.

 Mosley walked over to a radio in his office  "Evie?  Jim calling, Come
back."

 "Go ahead, Jim.  I read you."  The dispatcher said.

 "Get me the Sheriff, please."

 "Calling now, Jim."

 The radio crackled a bit.  "Jim?  Karla here.  Go ahead."

 "Karla, That other car at the night club.  That sounds like Kyle Warner's
car.  Can you check the location on Kyle Warner, over?"

 "Damn!"  Karla cursed.  "Jim that's a negative on Kyle.  I
am at his place
now.  No one has been here for a week or so.  Over."

 "Right, well if he was coming in from the west and trying to be sneaky
about it, he'd be coming down Highway Sixty-One from Rome, wouldn't he?
Over."  Jim said, peering at his map.

 "I'm out of position, Jim.  I am at Kyle's place right this minute with the
Dennison brothers. Over."

 "Evie, you on line?" Jim asked.

 "Affirmative, Jim."

 "Call Crenfield.  See if he can get out to Highway Sixty-One in time to
catch Kyle. Over."

 "Negative, Jim.  Crenfield is logged out of his car and off the clock,
right now.  I have been trying to get him, but there's no answer."  Evie said.

 "Then I'll go get him.  Karla you stop by in town and pick up Angelo and
Sonja, then meet us out there. Over."

 "Negative! Jim you're the Mayor not-" Karla's voice was cut off as Mosley
took his hand off the button for the radio.

 "Shall we?" Mosley gestured to Steve.

 A car roared by outside, its big v8 motor sounding muscular.

 "I don't know, Jim.  She's right, you are the Mayor of this town.  I'd hate
to see what would happen if you got hurt in an incident..."  Scott temporized.

 "In case you forget Scott I was Sheriff around here before she was.  I
don't think I have forgotten anything important.  Besides.  What was that
you said about being of service to your community?"  Mosley had his
sports coat on and was already walking out the door.

 Scott sighed and hurried to catch up.

-*-

 The gray Lumina slid out of its parking space and out onto Main Street.
Mosley put a red flashing light on the dash board and pressed the accelerator hard.

 The motor of the car gave an angry hiss through its well tuned exhaust
system.

 "Forgive me for saying so, but the Mayor's official vehicle bears a strong
resemblance to an unmarked police unit."  Scott said.

 "Yep. When I was elected Sheriff, I pressured them to let me keep my old
unit as the Mayor's vehicle and to buy Karla a new one of her own." 
Mosley said.  "Just call me sentimental."

 He whipped through the turns, passed the gas station and hotel and north on
Highway Sixty one.

-*-

 Finishing their meal, Angelo and Sonja paid Mollie off and made to leave.

 "Are you folks sure you want to leave right now?"  The waitress asked.

 "Yes."  Sonja said.

 "We do have work to do.  Thanks for your help."  Angelo said.

 "Just be careful, okay?"  Mollie said.

 "You bet."  Sonja said.

-*-

 The Georgia forest was green and seemed soft as it slid by.

 "Why are we driving so fast?" Scott asked Mosley.

 "Three reasons. Mosley said.  He was driving with his two upper arms and
had his lower right on the manual gear lever.  "One.  I don't want
anyone to get to Warner before us and maybe warning him that we'd like to
speak with him.  Two.  Did you hear that car going by my office as we left?
 That's a coincidence.  I don't coincidences.   And lastly, I haven't had
the excuse
in a long time."

 Scott grinned and shook his head.  "That last one I'll believe, anyway.
Why the hurry?  We don't even know if he's on this road or not."

 "If we get to Roman without seeing him, I'll ask Sheriff Manowar to keep an
eye out."

 As a curve flowed past them a pair of tail lights was visible ahead.

 "I wonder who that is?"  Mosley asked.

 "I don't know but he's going awfully fast for a evening's drive." Scott
said.

 "About as fast as we are."  Mosley said casually.

 "How fast is that?" Scott asked.

 "About a hundred and ten."  Mosley said.

-*-

 Angelo and Sonja walked along the street casually.

 "See anyone?"  Sonja asked.

 "Not a soul." Angelo answered.

 "My butterfly still showing?"  Sonja asked.

 "Yep."  Angelo said shortly.

 "I don't like that."  Sonja said.  Her butterfly only made itself visible
when definite danger threatened her.

 "Neither do I.  Instead of the Hotel why don't we go over to the Sheriff's
office and wait for Sheriff Morgan?"  Angelo suggested.

 "Sounds good."  Sonja agreed.  The two detectives altered course for the
court house.


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