up and watched it disappear down the street。
Moments later he noticed two figures jogging from the direction of the square。 He unbuttoned his holster and removed his service revolver。 The first figure was much larger than the second； and seemed to run with more ease and grace。 It was Ozzie。 The other was Nesbit。 Pirtle met the two in the driveway and they retreated into the darkness of the front porch。 They whispered and watched the street。
〃What exactly did he say？〃 asked Ozzie。
〃Said someone's gonna blow up Jake's house between now and three A。M。 Said it was no joke。〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃Yep。 He wasn't real friendly。〃
〃How long you been here？〃
〃Twenty minutes。〃
Ozzie turned to Nesbit。 〃Give me your radio and go hide in the backyard。 Stay quiet and keep your eyes open。〃
Nesbit scurried to the rear of the house and found a small opening between the shrubs along the back fence。 Crawling on all fours； he disappeared into the shrubs。 From his nest he could see the entire rear of the house。
〃You gonna tell Jake？〃 asked Pirtle。
〃Not yet。 We might in a minute。 If we knock on the door； they'll be turnin' on lights and we don't need that right now。〃
〃Yeah； but what if Jake hears us and es through the door firin' away。 He might think we're just a couple of niggers tryin' to break in。〃
Ozzie watched the street and said nothing。
〃Look； Ozzie； put yourself in his place。 The cops have
your house surrounded at one o'clock in the mornin' waitin' for somebody to throw a bomb。 Now； would you wanna stay in bed asleep or would you wanna know about it？〃
Ozzie studied the houses in the distance。
〃Listen； Sheriff； we better wake them up。 What if we don't stop whoever's plannin' this； and somebody inside the house gets hurt？ We get blamed； right？〃
Ozzie stood and punched the doorbell。 〃Unscrew that light bulb；〃 he ordered； pointing at the porch ceiling。
〃I already did。〃
Ozzie punched the doorbell again。 The wooden door swung open； and Jake walked to the storm door and stared at the sheriff。 He was wearing a wrinkled nightshirt that fell just below his knees； and he held a loaded 。38 in his right hand。 He slowly opened the storm door。
〃What is it； Ozzie？〃 he asked。
〃Can I e in？〃
〃Yeah。 What's going on？〃
〃Stay here on the porch；〃 Ozzie told Pirtle。 〃I'll be just a minute。〃
Ozzie closed the front door behind them and turned off the light in the foyer。 They sat in the dark living room overlooking the porch and the front yard。
〃Start talking；〃 Jake said。
〃 'Bout a half hour ago we took an anonymous call from someone who said that someone planned to blow up your house between now and three A。M。 We're takin' it serious。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃I've got Pirtle on the front porch and Nesbit in the backyard。 'Bout ten minutes ago Pirtle saw a pickup drive by real interested like； but that's all we've seen。〃
〃Have you searched around the house？〃
〃Yeah； nothin'。 They ain't been here yet。 But somethin' tells me this is the real thing。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Just a hunch。〃
Jake laid the 。38 beside him on the couch and rubbed his temples。 〃What's your suggestion？〃
〃Sit and wait。 That's all we can do。 You got a rifle？〃
〃I've got enough guns to invade Cuba。〃
〃Why don't you get it and get dressed。 Take a position
in one of those cute little windows upstairs。 We'll niae oui…side and wait；〃
〃Have you got enough men？〃
〃Yeah； I figure there'll only be one or two of them。〃
〃Who's them？〃
〃Don't know。 Could be the Klan； could be some freelancers。 Who knows？〃
Both men sat in deep thought and stared at the dark street。 They could see the top of Pirtle's head as he slumped in the wicker chair just outside the window。
〃Jake； you remember those three civil rights workers killed by the Klan back in '64？ Found them buried in a levee down around Philadelphia。〃
〃Sure。 I was a kid； but I remember。〃
〃Those boys woulcPve never been found if someone hadn't told where they was。 That someone was in the Klan。 An informant。 Seems like that always happened to the Klan。 Somebody on the inside was always squealin'。〃
〃You think it's the Klan？〃
〃Sure looks like it。 If it was just one or two freelancers； then who else would know about it？ The bigger the group； the better the chance of someone tippin' us off。〃
〃That makes sense； but for some reason I'm not forted by it。〃
〃Of course； it could be a joke。〃
〃Nobody's laughing。〃
〃You gonna tell your wife？〃
〃Yeah。 I'd better go do that。〃
〃I would too。 But don't be turnin' on lights。 You might scare them off。〃
〃But I would like to scare them off。〃
〃And I'd like to catch them。 If we don't catch them now； they'll try again； and next time they might forget to call us ahead of time。〃
Carla dressed hurriedly in the dark。 She was terrified。 Jake laid Hanna on the couch in the den； where she mumbled something and went back to sleep。 Carla held her head and watched Jake load a rifle。
〃I'll be upstairs in the guest room。 Don't turn on any lights。 The cops have the place surrounded； so don't worry。〃
〃Don't worry！ Are you crazy？〃
〃Try to go back to sleep。〃
〃Sleep！ Jake； you've lost your mind。〃
They didn't wait long。 From his vantage point somewhere deep in the shrubs in front of the house； Ozzie saw him first： a lone figure walking casually down the street from the direction opposite the square。 He had in his hand a small box or case of some sort。 When he was two houses away； he left the street and cut through the front lawns of the neighbors。 Ozzie pulled his revolver and nightstick and watched the man walk directly toward him。 Jake had him in the scope of his deer rifle。 Pirtle crawled like a snake across the porch and into the shrubs； ready to strike。
Suddenly； the figure darted across the front lawn next door and to the side of Jake's house。 He carefully laid the small suitcase under Jake's bedroom window。 As he turned to run； a huge black nightstick crashed across the side of his head； ripping his right ear in two places； each barely hanging to his head。 He screamed and fell to the ground。
〃I got him！〃 Ozzie yelled。 Pirtle and Nesbit sprinted to the side of the house。 Jake calmly walked down the stairs。
〃I'll be back in a minute；〃 he told Carla。
Ozzie grabbed the suspect by the neck and sat him next to the house。 He was conscious but dazed。 The suitcase was inches away。
〃What's your name？〃 Ozzie demanded。
He moaned and clutched his head and said nothing。
〃I asked you a question；〃 Ozzie said as he hovered over his suspect。 Pirtle and Nesbit stood nearby； guns drawn； too frightened to speak or move。 Jake stared at the suitcase。
〃I ain't sayin'；〃 came the reply。
Ozzie raised the nightstick high over his head and drove it solidly against the man's right ankle。 The crack of the bone was sickening。
He howled and grabbed his leg。 Ozzie kicked him in the face。 He fell backward and his head smashed into the side of the house。 He rolled to his side and groaned in pain。
Jake knelt above the suitcase and put his ear next to it。 He jumped and retreated。 〃It's ticking；〃 he said weakly。
Ozzie bent over the suspect and laid the nightstick softly against his nose。 〃I've got one more question before I break ever bone in your body。 What's in the box？〃
No answer。
Ozzie recoiled the nightstick and broke the other ankle。 〃What's in the box！〃 he shouted。
〃Dynamite！〃 came the anguished reply。
Pirtle dropped his gun。 Nesbit's blood pressure shot through his cap and he leaned on the house。 Jake turned white and his knees vibrated。 He ran through the front door yelling at Carla。 〃Get the car keys！ Get the car keys！〃
〃What for？〃 she asked nervously。
〃Just do as I say。 Get the car keys and get in the car。〃
He lifted Hanna and carried her through the kitchen； into the carport； and laid her in the back seat of Carla's Cutlass。 He took Carla by the arm and helped her into the car。 〃Leave； and don't e back for thirty minutes。〃
〃Jake； what's going on？〃 she demanded。
〃I'll tell you later。 There's no time now。 Just leave。 Go drive around for thirty minutes。 Stay away from this street。〃
〃But why； Jake？ What have you found？〃
〃Dynamite。〃
She backed out of the driveway and disappear