[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.And he'dfailed to realize that mercenaries lacked the brains and discipline for amission like this.If that strike force in Indiana had been driving withineight miles per hour of the speed limit, they wouldn't have been stopped.Andif they'd been paying attention, they'd have seen the backup cruiser, forcrissake, and taken it out when they took out the first one.He'd have to rely on his own wits, and improvise.It was what he did best.Probably, he told himself, that's why Forsberg had sought him out.That andhis perseverence.* * *On the twelfth evening, the tour bus pulled up to a small motel on I-40, atthe east edge of Memphis.Lor Lu had reserved it for Millennium and its mediaPage 176ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlentourage.National guardsmen had kept the parking lot clear, and people well away.Theirpitch was, "Stay back, folks.Even messiahs have to get their rest." It seemedto work.Lee had showered and was getting ready for bed when someone knocked."Who isit?" she asked."Security, Miz Shoreff."Security?It wasn't a voice she knew.Motel security, she decided."Just a minute," she said."I just got out of the shower." After wrappingherself in her bathrobe, she set the safety chain on the door, and opened it afew inches.Through the gap she saw a uniformed man with a star on his shirt."You Miz Shoreff?" heasked."Yes, I am."He handed her a folded paper."Sorry, ma'am," he said, and waited while sheunfolded it, scanned it, then braced herself on the doorpost.The ShelbyCounty Sheriff's sergeant repeated himself."I really am sorry, ma'am," hesaid quietly, then turned and left.The words she'd read, the operative words, filled her mind, blocking outeverything else.Monroe County District Court appear on July 16 in threedays! to give reason why your daughters, Rebecca and Raquel Kramer, should notbe remanded to the court for disposition to their father.After closing the door, she sat down heavily on a chair, and for a momentstared at nothing.Then she straightened."You have resources, Lee," shemuttered."Use them." She'd gotten up and started for the phone, when it rang.She answered."Lee, this is Art.Something urgent has come up.Everyone needs to be on thebus, with their bags, by eleven.Not a minute later, because that's when weleave."She hung up frowning, then moving quickly, began to dress and pack.She'd talktoLor Lu on the bus.Back Next|Contents66Prime TimeOutside the bus, people were stowing luggage.Bar Stool sat in the driver'sseat with the motor idling.Across from him, Lor Lu was in his usual seat, hisoffice.He'd lowered the hinged worktable in front of him, and his laptop satopen on it, with a map on its screen.At the moment, though, his attention waselsewhere.Taking the summons from her purse, Lee held it out to him."Excuseme, Lor Lu."For a long moment he seemed unaware of either the summons or of her, which wasvery unlike him; she half withdrew it.Then, glancing sideways, he took it,read itwith raised eyebrows, and smiled wryly up at her."It seems," he said, "theartillery Icalled in was not adequate.I will notify the strategic air command." Hissudden laugh startled her.Getting up, he left the bus.To make a call in private? she wondered.He'd just returned when Art Knowles came aboard.It was Knowles who explainedthe situation to the tour crew.The plan had been to enter Arkansas tomorrowafter breakfast, but Arkansas's Governor Cook had just declared martial law,to take effect at midnight.And word had leaked that he'd deny them entry.LorPage 177ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlLu had notifiedMike Shuster, at Legal, who had called Conroy, Morgenstern, and Blasingame.The firm had personnel on night standby to cover emergencies."They should get us at least an abeyance based on the First Amendment,"Knowles finished."Meanwhile, Dove's stealing a march on the governor.We'llcross the river before midnight."* * *Duke Cochran frowned.This was Dove's decision?He'd have expected patience.Why would Dove antagonize the governor? MariusCook was well known to journalists as a far-right Christian activist, full ofbona fide zeal, not simply a politician posturing for support from theReligious Right.Cook had been part of the conservative backlash that led to the GOP split, andthe formation of the America Party.But at crunch time he hadn't joined theAmericists;his conservatism had too strong a populist streak, which had helped him unseatTedJamison as governor.By and large, the media liked Marius Cook he was neitherpompous nor abrasive but when it came to religion, he had a short fuse, soCochran felt uneasy.Bar Stool pulled out of the motel lot and turned onto the interstate approach.They were on their way, but the TV trucks were not.Obviously Lor Lu hadn'tnotified them, and it was no oversight, Cochran felt sure.Moments later theyturned south on the Memphis beltway, and Duke, who'd called up a map on hislaptop, wondered ifBar Stool had made a mistake.It seemed to him they'd have taken SummerAvenue, or perhaps I-40.But a quarter hour later, when they hit the westwardjog of I-55, it struck him: they were going to cross the state line on theI-55 bridge.Perhaps Cook had the Arkansas Highway Patrol watching the I-40bridge but not the I-55, and LorLu or Knowles had learned of it.A few minutes later they crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas, withoutincident or a cavalcade of followers.Within minutes, I-55 joined I-40.Nearthe junction was avisitors' center, but the bus tooled on past it.No pursuit developed, andCochran relaxed.The roadblock was either at the foot of the bridge or not yetin place.Or maybe the report had been a false alarm.Cochran closed his laptop.It was 130 miles to Little Rock.They could bethere in a couple of hours; time enough for needed sleep.Though if thegovernor didn't want them there, it seemed likely the highway patrol wouldintercept them somewhere along the way.* * *"All right, folks, let's get it loaded! We got a hundred forty miles to LittleRock, and the sooner we get there, the sooner y'all can shower down and get tobed!"The midsummer tour of Donnie Jamison's Christian Singers had drawn poorly,very poorly.Because whether or not Ngunda Aran was for real something Donnierejected as a matter of Christian principle the "Dove Tour" had totallyattached the public's attention.So money was tight, morale was low, andDonnie Jamison was worried about meeting his expenses.Usually he did a prettygood job of trusting inGod, but his credit was tighter'n a mosquito's ass stretched over a rainbarrel.He'd arranged in advance to park in the YMCA lot, and the nightwatchman was to let them in to use the gymnasium shower rooms.They'd have tosleep on the bus though, with seats that tipped back only eight or ten inches.A few might spring for a room out of their own pockets he wouldn't blamethem but he'd sleep in the bus with the others.Page 178ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlAfter tomorrow night's performance, they'd leave Little Rock and drive home toKnoxville, some 600 miles.They'd have to overnight somewhere along the way,at some motel for the driver, but he couldn't afford to put his own folks up.Celebrity Tours! The outfit that hauled Rhonda McCrory and groups like hers,but not in a bus like this one.Only the logo was the same.With the instruments, equipment and bags stowed, Jamison and the others who'dhelped with the stowing, boarded the bus and settled into their seats.Aminute later it pulled out of Memphis State University's auditorium parkinglot, found its way ontoPoplar Avenue, and headed west [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]