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.His great size still caused Al to look twice.The big deputy WHEELS OF FIRE 321toted a coffee cup, tiny in his hand, and yet another map, partially unrolled."Didn't know you were coming or I would have been here sooner.What's up?""I saw James, my ex," Cindy blurted."In Cleveland this afternoon."Frank scooped up the maps and diagrams lying on his desk.The only purpose Al saw in this was to conceal the documents from them, confirming his suspicions that the law enforcement agencies involved in this would act secretly and tell them about the results later.The question is, when are they going in?"Is that so?" Frank said, but he didn't really sound surprised."We had already concluded that he was with them, but I'm glad we have a sighting.Cleveland, you say?""In front of the supermarket.Discount H or some-thing, wasn't it?" she asked, turning to Al."That's where we were," Al said, nodding.She turned away and stared at Frank Casey with accusation in her eyes."So when are you going to get a search warrant and go in and get him?" Cindy asked."Don't you have enough evidence now?"^ "You saw him in Cleveland, Miss Chase," Frank said, e soothingly."That's a long way from the Sacred Heart,^ property.I doubt I could convince a judge to issue a', warrant on the basis of that sighting.Especially this| judge.I told you I thought something odd was going i on there.To be blunt, the judge doesn't want to help."^' "Why not?" Cindy cried, losing her hold on her; temper and her emotions.She was shaking in her chair now, wiping away tears.Bob touched her arm; Cindy> recoiled from him."Am I to understand that you're not making any plans to raid that place?" Al asked, unsure if it was a good idea to show this particular card just yet."I had the impression, from odds and ends lying around in this office, that you have precisely that in mind."322 Mervedes Lackey WMark ShepherdFrank looked directly atAl, apparendy trying to look unruffled and doing a reasonably good job."Don't know where you got that idea," Frank said."Such an operation would require information and evidence that Pawnee County doesn't have."Bob's chin firmed, and it was his turn to turn accusing eyes on the deputy."But what if the State of Oklahoma has evidence? Or the, FBI?""Nobody said they were involved," Frank said coolly."Perhaps you should examine your source of information a bit closer."Al raised an equally cool eyebrow."I didn't want to seem nosy, looking closer at what was on your desk.It was difficult not to notice the maps."Frank sighed.He didn't seem the least bit angry, just dred.Tired and resdess, as if something big was going down, and he was running low on the energy needed to bring it off."Look," the big man said, leaning forward over his desk."I'm in a very delicate situation here.Other people have been contacted regarding this cult, individuals we are going to be needing to testify.You are one of these people, Miss Chase.This is a police matter and will be handled by police only.I don't want civilians fooling around with this cult.They are lunatics with a cause, and they are all well armed.All.I'm not saying that we'regoing in to get your son, but I am saying diat I might not be at liberty to discuss it if we were."Cindy sniffled and looked at the floor.This was, obviously, not what she wanted to hear."Do you understand what I'm saying?" Frank said softly."I'm trying to juggle ten different things at once here.Please don't make this any harder for me.""Okay," Cindy said, however reluctantly."You win.You said other people.What other people? Who are they? Are they parents looking for their children, too?Can I talk to them?"WHEELS OF FIRE 323Frank threw up his arms, his palms outward."I can't discuss it.Sorry, Miss Chase.Please be more patient.For a litde while longer, anyway." Frank got to his feet, a signal which they all followed."For a few days longer, at least."A few days, Al thought, alarmed.Whatever's going to happen will happen in a few days.I need more time?From the grim determination he saw on the deputy's face, he saw diat he wasn't about to get it.For the second time that week, Frank Casey watched the sad trio leave his office empty-handed.He wished that he could tell them everything, including the plan to bring in the FBI SWAT teams, and get it over with
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