From five separate points came the deeper boom of the 37 mm smoothbore dischargers, their projectiles leaping out in the direction of the two front and side windows of the living-room, and at the kitchen and one of the bedrooms.
The elongated Flite-Rite projectile fired at Brad’s side streaked across the open. On leaving the gun’s barrel, fins sprang open, stabilizing the projectile’s flight and preventing it from tumbling in the air. After covering about fifty yards, a time fuse began to operate, igniting the burning process and liberating gas in a gradually increasing flow. The projectile Brad watched passed through the hole smashed by his shotgun’s slugs and the Thompsons’ bullets.
One of the other projectiles struck high and might have bounced off, although designed to shatter an ordinary window or burst through the thinner panels of a door, had the mesh not been so badly ruptured by the bullets that it broke through.
Striking within a second of each other, five clouds of gas rushed up and filled the atmosphere of the room. On at least one hold-up Colismides’ gang had made use of gasmasks, but the useful items had long since been discarded. Without such protection, no man could remain for long in the enclosed vicinity of tear gas.
Jumping forward, one of the gang tried to pick up and throw out the nearest projectile, but it proved far too hot for him to handle. ‘Whamp!’ Another hissing charge sailed through the right front window and bounced across the living-room to add its quota to the ever-swelling fumes.
The moment the projectiles began to enter, probably before, Colismides saw they spelled the end. Springing to the front door, he tore it open and dashed out. Shot after shot slashed from the burb-gun’s stubby barrel as he tried to make a break for the car. Among others, Major Houghton-Rand gave his attention to the gang leader. Three times the carbine in the Englishman’s hands spat flame, but he aimed his weapon instead of blindly spraying lead. Caught in a hail of bullets, Colismides went sprawling from the porch and crashed down dead. A grunt of satisfaction left Houghton-Rand’s lips. After so long the murders of two British soldiers’ wives and a baby had been avenged.
Human flesh could only take so much punishment and the fumes of the tear gas brought a rapid breaking point for the gang. Coughing, half-blinded by tears, trying to hold their breath, all who could rushed for the doors and discarded weapons as they went. Leaving the cabin, man after man sank to his knees or threw up his hands while gasping out pleas for mercy and begging not to be shot.
‘Securing party forward!’ Jack Tragg ordered.
Clad in Doron body-armor and steel helmets, but unarmed, a trio of men converged on the whining remains of the murderous gang and started to pair them up with handcuffs. Another three, just as protected against bullets, but wearing gas-masks and carrying handguns, rushed across to enter the cabin. Flames licked up from where projectiles had set fire to the floorboards. Scooping up a man overcome by the gas and deserted by his companions, the party withdrew.
‘All secured, Sheriff!’ yelled Deputy Rafferty, clamping home the final pair of handcuffs.
‘Get in and fight the fire!’ Jack told his men.
Having foreseen the danger, his raid plan covered fighting any fire started by the gas-guns’ projectiles. Although the cabin suffered some damage, the fire-fighting party prevented its complete destruction and stopped the blaze spreading to the surrounding trees.
‘May I congratulate you, Sheriff?’ Houghton-Rand said, coming to Jack’s side. ‘This was the finest, best organized piece of work I have ever seen.’
‘Thanks,’ Jack replied and turned his attention to Rafferty. ‘What’s up, Pat?’
‘One of the darlin’s sort of whispered in me dainty ear as how he’d like a few words in private with yez, Sheriff.’
‘Bring him over,’ Jack ordered. ‘He may want to lighten his load.’
Feeling himself less deeply involved than his companions, the man talked eagerly. In doing so, he cleared up a number of puzzling points.
At the time of his arrest, Colismides alone knew where the gang’s loot had been hidden, which explained why the gang had rescued him. Finding the United States too hot to hold them, Colismides decided that the gang should cross into Mexico as the first stage of their return to their homeland. Once in Cyprus, they would be safe from extradition.
Probably Colismides had planned his return even before being arrested, but this the man did not know for sure. What he did know was that the Syndicate had thrown open its resources to help their escape. Gratitude for services rendered did not prompt the gesture. In some way Colismides had obtained microfilm of the organization’s books, with sufficient evidence to send all of its top members to jail or the electric chair. Unable to recover the film, and under threat of having it handed over to the law in the event of Colismides’ capture or death, the Syndicate had no alternative but to use all its influence in arranging his escape from the country.
As Jack guessed, Rockabye County had been selected due to its proximity to the border and because it offered a safe hideout unconnected with the usual criminals’ and stool-pigeons’ haunts. The gang member claimed there had been objections to coming to an area famed for the efficiency of its Operation Close-Off, but no other location offered its advantages. The fortunate combination of finding a supporter of e no sis, who was an amateur radio operator and dumb enough to fall for the persecuted freedom-fighter line, provided a big inducement for coming. Kartides had given the gang the means to keep in contact, through Papas, with the Syndicate while they remained clear of Gusher City.
Most of the gang, the man insisted, had not been supporters of the terrorist tactics and wanted no part in the attempted killing of Mrs. Grantley; but Colismides convinced them it would help their escape and personally gave the order for it.
Although Jack instituted a search of the cabin and surrounding area, unearthing some of the gang’s accumulated loot, he could not find the microfilm. Whether Colismides had hidden it somewhere else, or whether it perished in the flames, nobody could say.
The news of the raid burst like a bomb and messages of congratulation poured in from law enforcement bodies all over the country. Jack Tragg made a speech in which he thanked the press, radio and television networks for their cooperation, doing it in such a manner that it appeared all three sources knew of his plans from the start. Such was the state of public sympathy and support in Rockabye County that not even the Mirror dared complain about the lack of information.
Alice Fayde and Brad Counter came in for their full share of the credit, which did not save them from having to complete the case’s paperwork. Not until past midnight did they leave and Alice offer to cook them a meal at her apartment.
Twenty-Five
Her shoes and his were in a pile on the floor. Near them, her stockings and his socks lay in a tangle. Two pairs of khaki slacks hung over a chair’s back, while an official khaki shirt and blouse were draped over its seat.
It all presented a rather cozy and domestic scene. Of course a jarring note could be said to be caused by his official gunbelt, with the Colt Government Model automatic pistol laying on the side-piece, but the effect appeared to be softened by the barrel of her Colt Cobra, its holster strapped to her belt, nestling against the big gun’s bulk.
On the table, the remains of a meal and unwashed dishes gave the living room a homely look that spoke of retirement after a hard, long day.
‘Brad,’ said Alice’s voice from the darkness of the bedroom. ‘Not now,’ groaned Brad from close by. ‘I’m bushed.’
‘And I’m senior to you. I’ve just given you an order.’
Time passed in silence then Brad spoke again:
‘You’d’ve made a sensation taking me before the County Commissioner’s Disciplinary Board for disobeying that order, boss lady.’
ROCKABYE COUNTY 5
THE ¼-SECOND DRAW
By J. T. Edson
First Published by Transworld Publishers in 1969
Copyright © 1969, 2017 by J. T. Edso
n
First Smashwords Edition: October 2017
Names, characters and incidents in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information or storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law.
This is a Piccadilly Publishing Book
Cover image © 2017 by Tony Masero
Check out Tony’s work here
Series Editor: Ben Bridges
Text © Piccadilly Publishing
Published by Arrangement with the Author’s Agent.
About the Author
John Thomas Edson
(17 February 1928 — 17 July 2014)
J.T. Edson was a former British Army dog-handler who wrote more than 130 Western novels, accounting for some 27 million sales in paperback. Edson’s works - produced on a word processor in an Edwardian semi at Melton Mowbray - contain clear, crisp action in the traditions of B-movies and Western television series. What they lack in psychological depth is made up for by at least twelve good fights per volume. Each portrays a vivid, idealized “West That Never Was”, at a pace that rarely slackens.
More on J. T. EDSON
If you enjoyed the westerns of J. T. EDSON, you may also enjoy the westerns of
BEN BRIDGES and MIKE STOTTER:
BEN BRIDGES:
APACHERIA SERIES:
Apacheria
Lockwood’s Law
ASH COLTER SERIES:
Gunsmoke Legend
Ride the High Lines
Storm in the Saddle
COMPANY C SERIES:
Hit ’em Hard!
To the Death!
HELLER SERIES
Heller
Heller in the Rockies
JIM ALLISON SERIES:
Rattler Creek
Blood Canyon
Thunder Gorge
JUDGE AND DURY SERIES:
Hang ‘em All
Riding for Justice
Law of the Gun
Trial by Fire
Barbed Wire Noose
Judgment Day
MOVIE TIE-INS:
Day of the Gun
Bill Tilghman and the Outlaws
O’BRIEN SERIES:
The Silver Trail
Hard as Nails
Mexico Breakout
Hangman’s Noose
The Deadly Dollars
Squaw Man
North of the Border
Shoot to Kill
Hell for Leather
Marked for Death
Gunsmoke is Gray
Cold Steel
Mean as Hell
Draw Down the Lightning
Flame and Thunder
THREE GUNS WEST (Writing with Steve Hayes):
Three Rode Together
Three Ride Again
Hang Shadow Horse!
WESTERN LEGENDS (Writing with Steve Hayes):
The Oklahombres
The Plainsman
THE WILDE BOYS SERIES:
The Wilde Boys
Wilde Fire
Wilde’s Law
Aces Wilde
STAND-ALONE WESTERNS:
Ride for the Rio!
Back With a Vengeance
Blaze of Glory
Tanner’s Guns
Coffin Creek
The Spurlock Gun
All Guns Blazing
Cannon for Hire
Montana Gunsmoke
Starpacker
Cougar Valley
SHORT STORIES:
Five Shots Left
MIKE STOTTER
McKINNEY WESTERNS:
McKinney’s Revenge
McKinney’s Law
BRANDON AND SLATE SERIES:
Tombstone Showdown
Tucson Justice
STAND ALONE WESTERNS:
Death in the Canyon
(as Jim A.Nelson)
SHORT STORIES:
Six Trails West
MOVIE TIE-IN
Vermijo
(as Nelson Hunter)
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i As told in The Professional Killers
ii Member of car crew not driving.
iii Article J25B; Selling, Possessing, Trafficking in Narcotics.
iv Texas Penal Code Article 1160: Assault With Intent To Murder.
v Told in The Sheriff of Rockabye County.
vi Goree Unit: Women’s Prison, Huntsville.
vii Texas Penal Code Article 1437: Theft From The Person.
viii Big D: Dallas, Texas.
ix Mark Counter’s life-story can be read in the author’s Floating Outfit stories.
x Told in The Professional Killers.
xi Penal Code Article 666-4: Unlawful manufacture, possession and sale of liquor.
xii To be told in Point of Contact.