Show about to be solved Mac Yes sir I’ll be saying good-bright soon now With that he fell full length to the ground stretching his body as far as the steel connection would permit MacDonald saw that he had hooked one foot across the corpse and was straining to pull it toward him The body moved slowly and aided by gravity on the down slope turned clumsily the right arm flopping over to strike the ground With the same instinct that caused him to wreck the car MacDonald suddenly knew what Burgess was doing and with a desperate pull of his arm he tried to drag the killer toward him away from Winslow’s body But the dead man was close enough and Burgess pulled himself around and once more took a sitting position on the grass Almost leisurely he reached out with his free hand- - and grabbing the clothing drew the body even nearer MacDonald copld see the short fragile length of keychain attached to a beltloop on Charlie’s trousers Burgess took hold of the chain and with one y blood-staine- d jerk snapped it Several keys fell to the ground A rabbit’s foot its ineffectiveness recently proved followed them Remaining in Burgess’ hand was a tiny chromed claspknife a thing for peeling an apple or paring a fingernail "Are you with me Mac?” he grinned "It ain’t big but I think it’ll do for what I’ve got in mind” MacDonald had to agree An appleskin or a man’s throat the little knife would not distinguish A wrist or a hangnail the only practical difference would be the time required to cut through "You can still hand over the key Mac It’s up to you All I want is out” Dying in line of duty was one thing but dying senselessly was something else entirely The little key seemed to be burning inside his tightly clenched fist It would set a killer free It could also be the key to his own life "The key” he heard Burgess saying "The key or you better start saying your prayers” Even with I tried he told himself I tried the pain life was good The green of the grass the smell of the smell of gasoline! "It’s in my pocket” he said quickly "I’ve to got get it” MacDonald w'ormed his hand into the pocket again and brought it out When he did he looked up at the killer an expression of determination on his face "I’ve got something else in my hand Burgess My cigarette lighter If I die today you die with me Move that knife an inch and I’ll click this lighter” The sudden quiet was oppressive as both men became acutely aware of the heavy gasoline fumes Burgess’ eyes glazed over He licked his lips "You you’d be killing youryou wouldn’t do that self” But the confidence and conviction were gone from his voice as he stared at MacDonald "You can find out if I’ll do it Burgess All you have to do is make the first move” It was just at dusk that the searchers found the tracks where the car had gone over the embankuniformed ment and moments later men were sliding and scrambling down the scarred slope toward the automobile Within ten minutes Mac had been pried loose His leg was badly cut and swollen where it had been pinned in the wreckage but no bones were broken With the aid of the captain he hobbled away and sat down on the grassy slope Burgess again handcuffed sat sullenly ten yards away a guard on either side "I’m damned glad he didn't know you had a key to the cuffs” the captain said "I’d hate to think of that one running free again!” "He knew it” MacDonald said He pulled himself painfully to his feet "We’ve both been through the mill cap’n” He nodded toward the prisoner "Give him a smoke He could use it” They moved toward the prisoner The captain took out his cigarettes shook one out and offered it to Burgess As he accepted the light the killer gazed up at MacDonald his jaw knotting tightly "I still wonder if you’d have had the guts to do it cop” MacDonald shrugged and turned away As they headed up the slope toward the police cars the captain said "What’d he mean? If you’d have done what?” "Can I fill you in later? Right now I’d like to cleaned get up and let the wife know I’m okay” "Sure” said the captain He held the cigarettes "Here You need one as bad as chit to MacDonald Burgess does” MacDonald glanced over his shoulder where in the dusk Burgess was just getting to his feet between "No thanks” he said He the two troopers lifted his left hand The fist was still tightly clenched He opened it and looked at the key lying on the sweaty palm "I don’t know why I guess I just never got around to smoking Maybe I will thi ind someday” UICHAKD BURDISS lashed out with his foot “ I get that key” he snarled "or so help me — ’’ H AID WICK uho lives in Atlanta Go is the creator of one of Alfred Hitchcock's favorite detectives Sheriff Dan Peaty He reckons by the dozens his stories in mystery and general magazines and is the author bii of seven books NtXT WttKi A new detective is bom in Patricia McCerr's exciting suspense story: " The Washington Murder Case" |