Page 35 of Shelter for Martina

“It’s TrooperDennison, sir.”

“Andy, who’s there with you?”

“Eldred.”

“Good. Here’s what I need.” Bud spent the next couple of minutes telling Andy what was happening and that he needed the two of them to observe from inside the building while he met with Marty. He’d make an assessment of what needed to happen as soon as that was over.

He was there in ten minutes and Marty was nowhere in sight, but he was about fifteen minutes early, so he just sat. In a few minutes, he recognized Marty’s pickup truck as it pulled in and drove around back of the post. Yeah, he reallywasafraid. Bud pulled around and got out. “Hands up,” he ordered when Marty opened the truck door, and Marty complied instantly.

“I ain’t got no weapon, sir, just like I promised. The guns is all on the seat here. You can take ‘em. Just please, let me go inside, okay? I don’t like standin’ out here in the open.”

Bud looked through the truck window. He’d looked up the theft and, sure enough, they looked like the weapons reported stolen. “Okay. Let’s go in. Come on.” He led Marty through the back door and straight into Andy and Eldred. “Andy, could you please go out and get those weapons out of Mr.Burgess’s truck? And check them against the burglary last week in Fordsville?”

“Sure thing, detective.”

“Eldred, I need you to sit in with me. Come on, Marty. We’ve got some phone calls to make.”

They headed straight to the post’s conference room and Bud called his captain. He knew Len wasn’t going to like getting a call like that on Sunday evening, but Bud didn’t think it could wait. He let Marty talk to Len on speakerphone, and while he was doing so, Andy stepped up to the door and gave Bud a thumbs-up. All the weapons were accounted for, and Bud was satisfied that Marty was telling the truth. When he’d finished telling his tale to Len, Bud asked Eldred to take him out to the front and get him something to drink. As soon as the door closed, he picked up the handset.

“Well? Whaddya think?”

“I think that’s a tall tale,” Len said and sighed.

“Yeah, but he brought all the guns that were stolen last week in Fordsville. They’re accounted for. So he didn’t lie about that. Personally, I think he’s telling the truth and he’s scared shitless of Adams and Young.”

“I knew that smarmy bastard was trouble, but I didn’t know how much,” Len said with a growl.

Bud snickered. “Which one?”

“Exactly. Okay. We’ve got to take him somewhere safe. Let me put in a call to the sheriff in MuhlenbergCounty, see if we can find him somewhere there.” Before Bud could agree, Len chuckled and said, “Unless you want to take him home with you!”

“Hell no! I think not!” Bud answered, laughing. “I’m interested in what he’s got to say, not turning him into my best buddy!”

“I’m relieved. I sure hoped you had better taste than that. And now you know what we’ve got to do.”

Bud knew what Len was going to say. “Involve KDCI.”

“Yep. We’ll have to. Got a pick of agents?”

“Regardless who else comes, I’d like to see AmosFletcher take this on. I trust that guy. He’s good at what he does. Worked that case with us, TrooperPalmer’s murder. He’s good at what he does.”

“Okay then. I’ll call and request Amos and another agent. I’ll ask them to let Amos pick somebody he works well with. We’ll see if we can get them here by tomorrow afternoon. I know you’re interested in finding that girl, but this is bigger than all that and you know it.”

Bud sighed. “Yeah. I know. I’ve got a personal interest in that, and if KDCI can take the rest of this, I can concentrate on that. And that’s what I’d rather do. Whoever takes down the other two, it needs to be somebody from somewhere other than here.”

“I agree. So we’ll let KDCI handle that part and you can concentrate on the Anderson girl. Get on it, Bud. I know you can.”

“Thanks, Len. Now I’ve got to go home and patch things up.”

Len let out a loud guffaw. “Awww, domesticity! Ain’t it grand?”

“Actually, it’s pretty damn fine,” Bud answered, and he wasn’t kidding. He’d take a fight over being alone anytime.

Len’s voice was soft and deep. “Yeah. I know it is for you. I’d miss mine if anything happened to her. I know losing Becky was hard on you, and I hope the two of you make it through this. You deserve some happiness.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. Let me know when they’re coming tomorrow and I’ll be here.”

“Will do. Night, Bud.”

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