to the police station so they could file a report. Tony said he was in a hurry, but since it was somewhat important, he would be there in a minute.
When he arrived, the chief of police was waiting in a T-shirt and blue jeans. His eyes were swollen and red, and his hair was not in place. He led Tony into his office and thanked him for coming by. He took notes as Tony explained how he was pumping gas in front of the 7-Eleven and a green Ford pickup with a U-Haul trailer behind it pulled up next to the store and a woman got out and used the phone. Tony was in the process, he explained, of driving from Mobile to Miami and had driven through the manhunt up around Panama City. He had seen the newspapers and had been listening to his radio and knew all about the three McDeeres. Anyway, he went in and paid for the gas and thought that he had seen the woman somewhere before. Then he remembered the papers. He walked over to a magazine rack in the front window and got a good look at the men. No doubt in his mind. She hung up, got back in the truck between the men, and they left. Green Ford with Tennessee plates.
The chief thanked him and called the Marion County Sheriff's Department. Tony said goodbye and returned to his car, where Aaron Rimmer was asleep in the back seat.
They headed north, in the direction of Panama City Beach.
Chapter 39
Saturday, 7 a.m. Andy Patrick looked east and west along the Strip, then walked quickly across the parking lot to Room 39. He knocked gently.
After a delay, she asked, "Who is it?"
"The manager," he answered. The door opened, and the man who resembled the composite of Mitchell Y. McDeere slid out. His hair was now very short and gold-colored. Andy stared at his hair.
"Good morning, Andy," he said politely while glancing around the parking lot.
"Good morning. I was kinda wondering if you folks were still here."
Mr. McDeere nodded and continued to look around the parking lot.
"I mean, according to the television this morning, you folks traveled halfway across Florida last night."
"Yeah, we're watching it. They're playing games, aren't they, Andy?"
Andy kicked at a rock on the sidewalk. "Television said there were three positive identifications last night. At three different places. Kinda strange, I thought. I was here all night, working and being on the lookout and all, and I didn't see you leave. Before sunrise I sneaked across the highway to a coffee shop, just over there, and as usual, there were cops in there. I sat close to them. According to them, the search has been called off around here. They said the FBI moved out right after the last sighting came in, around four this morning. Most of the other cops left too. They're gonna keep the Strip blocked until noon and call it off. Rumor has it you've got help from the outside, and you're trying to get to the Bahamas."
Mr. McDeere listened closely as he watched the parking lot. "What else did they say?"
"They kept talking about a U-Haul truck full of stolen goods, and how they found the truck, and it was empty, and how nobody can figure out how you loaded the stolen goods into a trailer and sneaked outta town right under their noses. They're very impressed, all right. Of course, I didn't say nothing, but I figured it was the same U-Haul you drove in here Thursday night."
Mr. McDeere was deep in thought and did not say anything. He didn't appear to be nervous. Andy studied his face carefully.
"You don't seem too pleased," Andy said. "I mean, the cops are leaving and calling off the search. That's good, ain't it?"
"Andy, can I tell you something?"
"Sure."
"It's more dangerous now than before."
Andy thought about this for a long minute, then said, "How's that?"
"The cops just wanted to arrest me, Andy. But there are some people who want to kill me. Professional killers, Andy. Many of them. And they're still here."
Andy narrowed his good eye and stared at Mr. McDeere. Professional killers! Around here? On the Strip? Andy took a step backward. He wanted to ask exactly who they were and why they were chasing him, but he knew he wouldn't get much of an answer. He saw an opportunity. "Why don't you escape?"
"Escape? How could we escape?"
Andy kicked another rock and nodded in the direction of a 1971