CHAPTER 2
Copper Ryder bit eagerly into her cheeseburger. A little ketchup and a bit of lettuce dribbled onto her chin. After putting the sandwich down, she wiped them off with her finger.
“Jeb makes the greatest burgers in the world!” the girl exclaimed picking up a French fry. “Don’t you think so, Uncle Sky?”
Sky Ryder sipped his coffee. He could not help but smile at Copper’s enthusiasm.
“Well, the best in this part of the State, anyway,” he replied. Turning toward the tall man at the counter he called:
“Copper sends her compliments to the chef, Jeb!”
Jeb waved.
“Just like they make ‘em in Paris,” he called back.
Copper grinned at her uncle.
“Do you think Jeb’s ever been to Paris?”
“Except for the time he spent with the Marines during the war, I don’t think Jeb’s ever been fifty miles from Kermit. But it doesn’t keep him from being a good cook.”
Copper took her burger in both hands and raised it for another bite. Sky was lifting his coffee cup again when the door opened and a familiar figure entered. It was John Wilberforce. The tall, beefy, and balding banker nodded to Jeb, who seemed surprised to see him. He sat at the counter and ordered coffee.
Copper noticed that Sky was watching something intently. She put down the burger and swallowed most of what she was chewing on to ask:
“What is it, Uncle Sky?”
“John Wilberforce just came in.”
The girl raised an eyebrow.
“What’s so strange about that? It’s lunchtime, and Jeb’s has good food.”
Sky sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
“A prosperous banker like Wilberforce usually doesn’t have lunch in a place like Jeb’s. Breakfast, maybe, but not lunch. He’s more the type to go to a place like Anthony’s or the country club. It might not mean anything, but let’s see what happens.”
Despite her interest, Copper continued to munch on her burger and fries as they watched. Wilberforce looked at his watch several times as he sat, asking Jeb to refill his cup. Every time the door opened, the banker could be seen watching to see who entered, though he tried to be inconspicuous. After a few minutes an attractive blonde came in. Wilberforce slid off his stool and greeted her. In a voice loud enough to carry he told her how lucky it was that he had run into her, and that there were a few things they needed to go over for the afternoon. The executive picked up his coffee cup and accompanied her to a booth.
“Isn’t that Mr. Wilberforce’s new secretary, Sky?” asked Copper.
“It sure is. She worked at the bank as a teller until all the trouble started. When Sherry was arrested, this girl took over her job. Marie Sanders is her name. Do you know her?”
Copper looked at the blonde whose low-cut blouse and crossed legs in her tight skirt were giving Jeb and several of the male patrons a good show.
“No,” said the girl knowingly, turning back. “But the type is familiar.”
Sky chuckled. Copper turned again to watch them.
“And they certainly seem to be having a very private talk,” she added.
“It could be business,” Sky said with mock innocence.
Copper looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
“You’re late,” said Wilberforce tightly, trying to keep his expression from betraying anything but a concern for bank business.
“And you’re married, if we’re going to start counting faults,” she replied insolently. “Why didn’t you bring her along?”
He ignored the crack.
“Is everything all right?”
She nodded.
“With the Fosters coming back to town, I moved the money to another box, just to be safe.”
“Who this time?”
“An eighty year old guy who’s now in the Veteran’s Hospital in Tuscon. I don’t think he’ll be too likely to come and want to have a look at his medals from San Juan Hill.”
She looked at him craftily.
“I gotta hand it to you, Johnny. This is one great idea!”
He smiled broadly.
“The last place anybody’d look for missing bank money is in the bank.”
“All except the few bucks we planted on your little secretary.”
His smile faded. He mopped his brow with a handkerchief.
“I’m not proud of that,” he mumbled. “She was a good secretary, and the poor kid’s had a lot of bad luck.”
“But in the end she wouldn’t take your…. dictation, shall we say,” the blonde drawled. “In fact she was offended that you’d want to do dictation with anyone but your dear wife.”
He regarded her with something like disgust.
“But you don’t mind it, do you?”
She smiled with mock sweetness.
“I’m on your side, remember darling? You want to be free of Dora and I’m helping make it possible. Just be patient and very soon you’ll be free of her, the bank, and this whole crummy town. Then you’ll have me.”
He looked at her narrowly.
“Just be sure I do have you, Marie. Be very sure.”
In the County Nurse’s Office, Nurse Ruth Leeson was struggling mightily, but uselessly. Her wrists were taped behind the back of the chair to which she was bound with several yards of cloth bandages. She could not rise from it and, with her ankles tightly bound together with more tape, she was unable to scoot the chair any closer to the door to kick against it. The tape covering her eyes kept her from trying to get the help of any objects in the room, and the tight gag of cloth bandage wadding sealed in her mouth with tape prevented any attempted screaming from being heard any distance away. Clad in her panties and bra only, at least she was cool, but her struggling had caused he right breast to slide almost out of the cup.
Nevertheless, her predicament was easier than that of Deputy Amy Cole. Also stripped to her underwear, Amy was face down, hogtied on the nurse’s examining table. She could only tug at the strip of cloth bandage that kept her bound ankles drawn close to her handcuffed wrists, and had to exercise caution in that for fear of falling off the table. Because of the tape blindfold, she knew where the edges of the table were only by feel. Even if she could free the hogtie line it would be difficult for her to get off the table.
The only strategy that had much promise was for both prisoners to listen closely for someone to come close enough to hear their gagged cries for help. They had tried several times, but every time the would-be rescuer did not get near enough to hear them. They waited again, the silence broken only by an occasional grunt from one of the women as she tugged at her bonds.
Then it came! The unmistakable sound of a man’s shoes on the hall tiles. When the sounds came near, both women began mewing and groaning into their gags. The steps stopped. Then a man’s voice called out:
“Who’s there? Is something wrong?”
There was a crescendo in the gagged duet. The doorknob turned.
“Oh, my God!”
Sky and Copper continued to watch John Wilberforce and Marie Sanders in their booth at the café, but the work was not revealing. Copper was especially impatient with this low-key style of work.
“What do you expect to learn, Uncle Sky?” Copper asked softly.
“I don’t really know, Copper. But if Sherry was framed, and that’s what it looks like, John Wilberforce would certainly be the man most able to do the framing.”
The idea filled Copper with excitement.
“You mean he did it so he could run off with that blonde, Marie? You know, she shares an apartment with a cocktail waitress and a dancer at that new club out on the highway.”
“And anybody who rooms with a couple of girls who work at night must be a shady character, eh? Sometimes people steal just for the money.”
Copper glanced around, wary of eavesdroppers.
“I don’t know if you know this, but Sherry told me a few months ago that Mr. Wilberforce had been making romantic advances to her. It wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, but she said he made hints about leaving his wife for her.”
Sky nodded thoughtfully.
“And that was just before the money disappeared from the bank.”
Wilberforce rose from his seat and headed for the register, Marie staying behind. After paying the check, Wilberforce opened the door. He paused to let two more customers enter, then stepped aside again when Sheriff Winchell appeared. With a polite nod, Winchell entered while the banker left.
“Are you going to follow him, Sky?” Copper asked excitedly. “He might lead us to the money!”
Sky smiled.
“It would be nice if it were that simple.”
Winchell, compact and wiry, strode across the room toward them.
“Hello, Sky, Copper,” he greeted them. “I got a message that you wanted to talk to me. I haven’t had lunch yet, so I thought I’d come on over.”
“Thanks for coming, Winch. I wanted to talk to you about Sherry Johnson.”
“I thought you might, seeing how she’s such a friend of Copper’s, and that the case has all the marks of a frame.”
A waitress appeared to take Winchell’s order, and then Sky and the sheriff began discussing strategies for further investigations. Copper lost interest in the slow-paced discussion of the two. Instead, she concentrated her attention on Marie across the room. The blonde was calmly smoking a cigarette. Copper watched her as though she might spring to her feet at any moment and confess her part in the embezzlement. Finally she rose to go. The waitress had reappeared with Winchell’s order. With the two men were still engrossed in their discussion and the waitress blocking the view of the booths, Sky did not notice Marie’s departure. Certain that she could get quicker results than her uncle, Copper decided to act on her own.
“Would you excuse me for a moment?” she asked.
Near the ladies’ room was another exit door. Copper slipped out and tried to spot Marie. She saw the blonde get into a sporty car parked on the street nearby. Though she knew that the Flying Coronet’s station wagon would be no match for the speedy little car in a chase, Copper trotted over to it and climbed in. She had just turned the key to start it when a figure appeared next to her window. Copper turned to see a womanly figure in a pair of khaki uniform slacks. The girl groaned.
“I never even noticed I was overparked, deputy,” Copper protested.
“Hello, Coppelia,” said a female voice.
Copper started. Deputy Cole had never used her real name. She looked up quickly. The uniformed woman lowered her sunglasses.
“Sherry!” cried Copper. “What are you doing out here in that uniform?”
Sherry reached down and put her hand over Copper’s lips.
“I’m escaping.”
“Well, get in quick. We’ve got to follow that blonde!”
Sherry ran behind the car to the passenger door. She got in, dropping a white bundle on the seat between them. Copper glanced at it questioningly.
“My alternate ID. I hope we’re following the blonde I’m looking for.”
Rita Everett reached a well-manicured hand to the folding table beside her reclining patio chair and flicked the switch on the radio. A hot big band was in full swing, and for a moment the redhead let the music blare. But after deciding that the neighbors would complain again, she turned the volume down. There was a glass of iced tea next to the radio and she now took it down to get a sip. She had to sit up to drink and she used the opportunity slide the sunglasses onto her head to check her suntan.
All the skin not covered by her brief polka dot bikini was doing well. She had already had a good swim in the apartment pool and a long session of exercises today. This was the last item on the agenda for keeping fit to dance at the club. Being tanned was a rather new trend, but the men at the club seemed to like her that way and tipped accordingly. Even though her bikini was very brief, she tried to tug the top of the bra lower to keep from having a strip of fair skin that would show over her costume. The fullness of her breasts in the tiny cups made it a hard tug. She’d have liked to take the bra off completely. Undoubtedly, old Mr. Higgins across the court would have liked that too. She raised a well-sculpted leg and ran her hands along it to see if there was any need to shave it. There wasn’t.
A noise in the apartment drew her attention. It was her roommate, Liz Martin. Barely awake, the brown-haired waitress was padding about the apartment in her baby–doll nightie. After tripping over some furniture, she ambled into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
“Any coffee?” she called to Rita.
“In the pot, but it’s almost two hours old now.”
There was no answer, but within a minute Liz appeared at the patio door with a glass of juice in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. Her ripe figure was barely concealed by the sheer nightie.
“I’m the one in show business, dear,” said Rita, putting her sunglasses back on and settling herself on the lounge chair.
“I just wanted to say hi to Mr. Higgins,” said Liz, taking a sip of juice.
“Get inside before the neighborhood wives have us arrested.”
“I’m hungry,” Liz pronounced. “I wonder if we have any Oreos.”
She disappeared into the apartment leaving the sun to Rita.
Copper and Sherry tried to keep Marie’s car in sight as Sherry quickly related the details of her escape to her friend.
“And you left them bound and gagged in the nurse’s office?” asked Copper.
“I had to do something to get a head start. They should be all right. They’ve probably been found by now.”
“But, Sherry, this is crazy! Running away makes you look guilty. Why not give yourself up? Sky and the Sheriff and I will help you. Sky seems to think that Mr. Wilberforce and his new secretary might be involved.”
Sherry nodded.
“You know, I keep coming back to him, too. But I had no proof of it, so I never even mentioned it to my lawyer.”
“Why don’t you give up and let us handle it?” persisted Copper.
Sherry shook her head.
“Even though I know it’s crazy, I’ve started it and I’m going to finish. But I don’t want to get you in hot water.”
Copper considered this.
“Well, for now let’s just say I’ve been taken hostage by an escaped prisoner. Oh, darn. We’re going to lose her!”
Two pick-up trucks pulling horse trailers turned in front of them, getting between the station wagon and Marie’s car and traveling in the same direction. The girls were not only slowed to a crawl, but were also unable to see ahead. The sports car might turn anywhere without them seeing it. Sure enough, when the trailers changed lanes to turn left a couple blocks later, their quarry was nowhere to be seen.
“Now what?” asked Copper.
“Turn right here. If she’s going to the bank there’s no way we can stay close to her for the rest of the afternoon. But if she’s going home we can surprise her there.”
“What’re you going to do?” asked Copper as she turned the car.
Sherry looked determined.
“Make her talk.”
Sky Ryder had begun to wonder where Copper was. He had even asked one of the waitresses to look in the rest room, fearing his niece might have become ill. She was now returning.
“She’s not in the ladies’ room, Sky,” said the waitress.
“Thanks anyway, Joanne,” said Sky. He muttered: “Now where can she have gotten to?”
“She can’t be too far away,” said Winchell.
Sky was about to reply when he looked up and saw an elderly couple in the booth where Marie Sanders had been sitting.
“Oh, that girl!” He turned to Winchell. “I think she could be headed for real trouble. Can you help me, Winch?”
“Sure, Sky, be glad to if—“
He was interrupted by the door being flung open. Tall, lanky Deputy Charlie Barnes, who rarely moved fast, almost sprinted across the café.
“Sheriff! Sheriff, come quick!” he shouted. “The Johnson girl’s escaped.”
Winchell turned to Sky.
“Looks like I need your help now, Sky.”
“Right behind you, Winch,” he replied, picking up his hat.
The three men hurried from the diner.
Sherry and Copper looked across the apartment parking lot at Rita sunning herself on the patio of the ground floor apartment.
“That’s her place,” said Sherry.
“Who’s that in the bikini?” Copper asked.
“One of her roommates; the dancer I think.”
Sherry reached for the door handle.
“You stay here. I’m going to pay them a visit.”
“But what’ll you do? I don’t see Marie’s car. She’s probably not home.”
Sherry smiled dangerously.
“Then I’ll make her very nervous.”
She crossed the lot and went up to the reclining figure on the lounge chair. Copper could not hear them talk, but presently they went into the apartment.
“Like I say,” Rita was protesting, “I’ve told Liz about going outside in that nightie. But you’ve got to understand that she had just gotten up. She wasn’t thinking too clearly.”
Liz, still in her nightgown, looked up from her seat at the kitchen counter. A half-eaten Oreo was in one hand.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“You two are roommates of Miss Marie Sanders?” the ‘officer’ asked.
They both nodded.
“Is she home now?”
“Well, no. She’s probably at the bank, working,” said Rita. “What’s this all about?”
“I’m sorry, but I have to serve you two with this,” Sherry said, reaching for her pocket.
Instead, she drew the pistol from its holster and pointed it at them.
“Not a sound from either of you. You with the cookie: put it down and find me some rope.”
Twenty minutes later both Rita and Liz sat on Liz’s bed. Their hands were tied behind their backs and their arms were secured to their bodies with several loops. Rita’s legs were already tied just above her knees and at the ankles. Sherry was finishing the binding of Liz’s ankles.
“I’d understand this better if a man was doing this,” said Rita.
“You don’t have to understand,” Sherry said. “This is in the way of a message to your roommate.”
“You want to tie up Marie?” asked Liz.
Sherry chuckled.
“After what she’s put me through that’d be a small price to pay,” Sherry said grimly. “No, it’ll be a lot worse than this if she doesn’t come through with the truth about that bank business.”
Rita gasped in recognition.
“You’re the one on trial, aren’t you? How’d you get out?”
“The important thing is that I am out. And I think she either has the missing money or knows who does. And if she doesn’t talk on her own, I’ll make her talk.”
She went to the dresser. The women tested their bonds.
“This is crazy,” protested Rita. “We didn’t do anything to you and we don’t know anything about any money. Why tie us up?”
Sherry returned with a couple pairs of panties and some scarves. She balled up one of the sets of panties and held it up to Rita’s face.
“When you’re crazy, you sometimes do crazy things. I’m doing them to you and I’ll do worse to her. Now open up.”
Reluctantly, Rita opened her mouth. Sherry jammed the panties in, then secured them with a scarf around the woman’s head and between her teeth. Liz began to whimper when Sherry wadded up the other panties.
“No,” she begged. “Please don’t---“
Sherry grabbed a handful of Liz’s hair and forced her head back. She forced the panties into the woman’s mouth and secured the wadding as she had Rita’s. The gagged roommates looked helplessly at one another. With two more scarves, Sherry blindfolded both women.
“Now let’s get comfortable,” she said.
Sherry lifted the legs of both captives onto the bed. She rolled Rita onto her belly and folded her legs back so that her ankles came close to her bound wrists. As her prisoner protested into the gag, Sherry took a short rope and secured her into a hogtie. The same fate befell Liz. After rolling both women onto their sides she looked at them with satisfaction for a minute.
“Now for the crazy part.”
She reached down to Liz and ripped the baby doll nightie wide open, exposing the woman’s breasts. With Rita, she had to reach back and unhook the bikini bra and slide it out of the wraps about her torso.
“When Marie finds you two like this, I want her to think about what I’ll do to her if she doesn’t tell the truth.”
Sherry gave both women a pat on their barely covered behinds before leaving the room. She went into Marie’s room and searched, pulling out drawers, tearing off the bedclothes, and throwing things out of the closet.
She heard a noise behind her. Someone was in the apartment. Drawing the pistol, Sherry flattened herself against the wall near the door.
Copper Ryder was cautiously walking down the hall. Putting away the pistol, Sherry stepped out behind the girl.
“What’re y—“ Copper began only to have Sherry clap a hand over her mouth.
She pointed to the bedroom where Rita and Liz lay. Keeping her hand over Copper’s mouth, Sherry led her friend to the doorway. When she saw the two helpless women, Copper exclaimed into Sherry’s hand, only to have her friend tighten her grip. Wide-eyed, Copper pointed to them. Sherry nodded and indicated with a wag of her head that they should go. Copper nodded. They backed out of the room. On the trip back down the hall Copper saw Marie’s ransacked room. In the living room, Sherry finally released her friend’s mouth after cautioning her to keep silent. The two left by the patio doors and returned to the station wagon.
“What did you do to those two?” cried Copper when they were back in the car.
“I didn’t do anything except tie them up. No torture or third degree. They don’t know anything about the money.”
“And it wasn’t in Marie’s room?”
“I didn’t expect to find it there. She’s too smart for that.”
Copper was puzzled.
“But why do anything at all to them? They’re innocent.”
“For one thing, we needed a head start again and couldn’t leave them running around loose.”
She paused for a moment, then turned to Copper with that dangerous little smile.
“And for another, I hope it’ll make Marie very afraid. Let’s go.”
Copper started the car. She drove out of the lot and onto the highway.