Full Blast. Don Pendleton

she returned to her place behind the counter, she topped up their mugs.

      “You fellers aren’t from hereabouts.”

      “Does it show?”

      “The suits give you away.”

      “See,” Schwarz said. “I said we should have bought those big hats and the fringed shirts.”

      “Fringed shirts?” The woman chuckled at the thought. “You boys must be from back east somewhere.”

      “That we are, ma’am. The big, bad city of Washington.”

      “Oh, my, I feel humbled in your presence,” she said, faint mockery in her tone.

      “Long time since I humbled anyone,” Schwarz said.

      “So what are you doing all the way out here?”

      Schwarz slid his ID wallet out of his shirt pocket. He laid it on the counter so the woman could see the Justice Department shield and the encapsulated card with his details.

      “Agent Tony Ryder,” she read, then studied Schwarz’s face. “The gun, I understand now. But you don’t fit your picture.”

      Schwarz reached up to touch his cheek. He was still showing bruising from his encounter with Khariza’s people at the wood-chip mill outside Bucklow.

      “Work gets a little rough at times,” he said by way of explanation.

      “I guess so.”

      “Actually he fell out of bed,” Grimaldi whispered.

      “Yeah? Well, I hope she was worth it.”

      Grimaldi laughed and even Schwarz cracked a grin.

      “Ma’am, I just hope your cooking is half as smart as your sense of humor,” Grimaldi said.

      “Why do you think I call it special?”

      The food, when it came, was good. The Stony Man pair ate without pause, realizing just how hungry they were after their three-hour drive. The woman, whose name was Louise, kept their coffee mugs filled. By the time Schwarz and Grimaldi had finished, the diner was almost empty. The only customer remaining was the driver of the semi-trailer.

      Louise collected empty plates and mugs, ferrying them into the kitchen. She wiped down the tables, then returned to her place and poured herself a mug of coffee.

      “You fellers have anything to do with Fort Leverton?” she asked out of the blue.

      “Should we?” Schwarz asked, easing his jacket off and draping it on the stool next to him.

      “Oh, come on, guys. I’m just curious. You realize how tiring it gets in here listening to talk about cattle and trucks and guns? Jesus, a girl could die of boredom. You fellers come in all suited up, flashing Justice Department badges and guns. What am I supposed to think? Or maybe you’ve come to check me out.”

      Grimaldi nearly made an inappropriate remark but checked himself.

      “Besides,” Louise said, “what else would bring people like you all the way out here?”

      “You have much contact with the base?”

      Louise shook her head. “I get some customers from time to time. Not much. They have everything they need out there. Anyhow, the big muckety-muck, General Gardener, who runs the place, is no public-relations winner. I heard he told his soldier boys to stay away from town. Doesn’t like them mixing with us ordinary folk.”

      “The base off-limits, then?”

      “You could say that.” Louise smiled. “Don’t always work, though. Couple of local girls kind of managed to get Gardener soldiers to date them. Well, you know what kids are like. I can remember when I used to do stuff like that.”

      “Couldn’t have been that long ago,” Grimaldi said.

      “They teach you that kind of bull at Justice Department training school?”

      “He was born under a maple tree,” Schwarz said. “He’s got syrup in his veins.”

      “G-men with humor? Never thought I’d see the day.”

      “Anything out of the ordinary been happening lately?”

      Louise glanced at him, her eyes showing interest.

      “Like what?”

      “You tell me.”

      “This is awkward, fellers. I promised someone I wouldn’t say anything in case it brought her trouble.”

      “If things have gotten to this stage I’d say trouble was already in the frame,” Schwarz said. “You mind if I have some more of that coffee?” He watched as Louise topped up his mug. Her hand was shaking slightly. Schwarz reached out and placed his hand over hers. “Take it easy. Okay?”

      Louise put down the pot. She glanced across the diner. The trucker was draining his own drink. He stood and crossed to the counter, pulling money out of the pocket of his baggy Levi’s jeans. He was a big man, barrel-chested, and could have moved his rig without the aid of the tractor. He glanced at Schwarz’s shoulder rig, then the bruises.

      “You boys cops?”

      “Justice Department,” Schwarz said. “Passing through. The bruises come with the job.”

      The trucker nodded, satisfied, then turned his attention to Louise. “Good as ever, Lou,” he said.

      “Where you heading this time, Charley?”

      “Over to Flagstaff. They got me another load waiting.” He counted out the cash and placed it on the counter. He squared his battered Stetson and nodded at Schwarz and Grimaldi. “Is she a good cook or what?”

      “You said it,” Grimaldi agreed. As Charley turned to go, he added, “Hey, you drive easy, fella. Have a good run now.”

      “Thanks.” He eyed Schwarz. “Next time, try ducking, buddy.”

      They all waited until he was outside, crossing the lot to his rig.

      “Louise?” Schwarz prompted.

      She fixed herself a coffee, walked out from behind the counter and crossed to one of the tables. The Stony Man pair joined her. Louise sat and watched the big semi swing around and pull out of the lot, leaving a thin haze of dust in its wake.

      “See the other side of the road? Just beyond that mess of brush?”

      Grimaldi was the first to spot the dusty shape of a car.

      “How long have they been there?”

      “On and off the last day or so.”

      “Obvious question is why?”

      Louise glanced across at Schwarz. “Cassie Stone,” she said. “She isn’t why you’re here?”

      “Never heard of Cassie Stone. Is she the one in trouble? Maybe you’d like to tell us about her.”

      “Remember I said about local girls meeting up with soldiers from the base? Cassie is one of them. She took up with this sergeant. Young feller. Real nice guy. Name of Luke Jacobi. This goes back two, three months. I guess they really took to each other. Whenever Luke got time, he’d come in here and see her. Cassie works part-time for me. They met in here first off. Anyhow, things were okay until a week ago. Cassie came to me and said she was scared for Luke. Seems he’d walked into some kind of problem at the base and didn’t know what to do. I never saw him again after that. He stayed away. Cassie told me he’d called her a few times. Last she heard, he told her he was really desperate. He was sure someone was out to get him, but he didn’t know who he could talk to about it.”

      “What about his base commander? General Gardener?”

      Louise smiled, her expression bleak.

      “It