"I don't think it matters much any more at my age," he smiled. "Stay
out of trouble."
"I'll try," I said, and waved good-by. That was what I meant to do,
stay out of trouble.
Back in the house, I wrote a note of explanation for Mr. Kutsov and
thanked him for all he had done. Then I dug my two small packs out of
hiding and I was ready.
I set out just after dark. It was sprinkling lightly, but I didn't mind
it. It surprised me, but I enjoyed the feel of the spray on my face. In
one pocket I had pencil and paper for protective coverage. In another
pocket I had a single sock and a roll of tape.
Just before I got to the jail, I filled the sock with wet sand.
Inside there were lights on in only two first floor offices. Sgt.
Robards was in one of them.
"Hello, Sgt. Robards," I said, going in. "How be you tonight?"
"Well enough," he said. "It be pretty slow down here tonight. They be
busy up on the Third Floor tonight, though."
"Oh?"
"They be picking up those Anti-Redemptionists tonight. How did your
paper go?"
"I handed it in," I said. "I should get a good grade with your help."
"Oh, you found out everything you needed to know."
"Oh, yes. I just came by to visit tonight. I wondered if you'd show me
the target range again. That was keen."
"Sure," he said. "Would you like to see me pop some targets? I be the
local champion, you know."
"Gee, would you?"
We went downstairs, Sgt. Robards leading the way. This was the place
I'd picked to drop him. He was about to slip the key in the door to the
range when I slugged him across the back of the neck with my sock full
of sand. I grabbed him and eased him down.
* * * * *
I tried the keys on either side of the target door key and opened the
arsenal on the second try. I dragged him in there and got out my roll
of tape I took three quick turns about his ankles, then did the same
with his wrists. I finished by putting a bar and two crosspieces over
the mouth.
I picked out two weapons then. They had no sonics, of course, so I
picked out two of the smallest and lightest pistols in the room.
I figured out what cartridges fit them, and then dropped guns and
cartridge clips into my pocket.
I swung the door shut and locked it again, leaving Sgt. Robards inside.
I stood for a moment in the corridor with the keys in my hand. There
were only ten keys, not enough to cover each individual cell. Yet Sgt.
Robards had clinked these keys and said that he could unlock the cells.
Maybe I would have done better to stick up the Territorial Governor.
Well, here goes.
I eased up to the first floor. Nobody came out of the second office to
check on the noise made by my pounding heart, which surprised me. Then
up to the second floor. It was dark here, but light from the first and
third floors leaking up and down the stairs made things bright enough
for me to see what I was doing. There were voices on the third floor
and somebody laughed up there. I held my breath and moved quietly to
Jimmy's cell.