The Long Twilight by Keith Laumer Read Free Book Online Page B

to get indigestion."

    "How far am I from the perimeter wall?"

    "About three miles as the crow flies, across the bay. Nearly seven by road. How did you get this far?"

    "I swam."

    "Yes, but . . ." Her eyes went to the crude bandage on his shin, visible under his pants cuff.

    "You're hurt . . ." Without waiting for a reply, she knelt, with deft fingers opened the crude knot and pulled away the wet cloth. There was a faint pink scar across the tanned skin. She gave him a puzzled look as she rose.

    "I'll move on now." He got to his feet. "I'm grateful to you for your kindness."

    "What do you intend to do? Just walk out there and wait to be caught?"

    "It will be better for you if you know nothing of my plans."

    "You're on a peninsula here, there's only one way out. They'll have it blocked."

    A car passed on the road. They listened as the growl of the engine receded.

    "They'll be checking here soon," the girl said. "There's a crawl space above the kitchen."

    "Why?"

    "Why not?" Her tone was defiant.

    "Why are you willing to involve yourself?"

    "Perhaps I have a feeling for a man on the run."

    He waited.

    "I had a brother at Caine Island. That's why I bought this place— I was allowed to see him one day a week. He had nobody else; and neither did I."

    "That doesn't explain—"

    "He's dead. Three months ago. Leukemia, they said. He was only thirty-four."

    "You blame the authorities?"

    "They had him," she said flatly.

    Scarlet light struck the front window, glowed through the gap under the blind. A brilliant white light replaced it, pushing shadows across the floor. The growl of an engine was audible over the rattle of rain on the roof.

    "We waited too long," the girl said tightly.

    "Stay out of the way, out of sight," Grayle said. Outside, car doors slammed. He flattened himself against the wall beside the door. There was a sharp rap. A moment later the knob turned, the door was thrown violently open. Rain blasted in. There was the sound of metal rasping on leather, the click of a safety catch being snapped off. A tall man in a shiny yellow slicker took a step into the room. Grayle moved then, caught the man's gun hand, jerked him to him.

    "Don't cry out," he said into the cop's startled face.

    "Harmon!" the man yelled. "Don't—"

    Grayle gripped him by the shoulder, gave him a sharp shake. He went slack. Grayle lowered him to the floor. The second man came through the door at a dead run. As he passed Grayle rapped him on the side of the neck; he fell hard, lay still. Grayle pushed the door shut. The girl's eyes met his.

    "I never saw anyone move so quickly—"

    "Good-bye," Grayle cut her off, "and thank you—"

    "What are you going to do?"

    "Don't involve yourself, Miss—"

    "Rogers. Anne Rogers." She avoided looking at the two unconscious men on the floor. "And I'm already involved."

    "I'll be all right, Miss Rogers."

    "Take my car."

    "I never learned to drive one."

    Her eyes searched his face. "Then I'll have to go with you."

    She flicked off the lights, took out her flash, opened the door, stepped out into the rain. Grayle followed. She reached inside the police car, switched off the lights. The radio crackled and muttered.

    The inside of the small car smelled wet and moldy. The starter groaned sluggishly.

    "I'll have to try to jump it from their car." Anne got out and went back to the trunk, opened it, took out a pair of heavy insulated cables. Grayle lifted the hood for her as directed, watched as she attached the big copper alligator clips, making sparks jump and sputter.

    This time the starter whirled energetically; the engine coughed, broke into stuttering life. She revved it, sending clouds of exhaust rolling past the window.

    "Hold your foot on the gas," she said, and jumped out of the car to disconnect the cables. The deck lid thumped. She slid back in beside him.

    "Here we go. Be thinking about how to handle it when we get to the causeway."

    For ten minutes they drove