Two hours and forty minutes later, they hit the Johnson County Jail.
Jack's Plan was based on Felix's flares. Or rather, what they had done to that woman wearing the ZZ Top sweatshirt.
"Of course it didn't kill her," he explained patiently to a doubtful Cat. "But it sure as hell got her attention. And remember, while she was frantically brushing those sparks off, she wasn't attacking anyone."
Carl had frowned. "So?"
Jack smiled slyly. "So what else - for just a few seconds, mind you - takes their minds off feeding?"
Of course, no one knew. Not for sure. But everyone - even Felix - had an idea or three. But it was Carl Joplin who really brought it home.
"I read somewhere," he offered calmly, "that a pig's blood is a lot like a man's."
Thirty minutes later, they had a serious list of goodies.
But Jack wanted something else; he wanted some form of official sanction. He was willing to go without it - the job had to be done and done right now - but he wanted the effort made.
He and the deputy went to the telephone and started tracing down the sheriff. It took several minutes, several calls, and some patching through by radio before the deputy put his hand over the mouthpiece to whisper, "I've got him."
Jack reached for the phone. Deputy Thompson pulled it out of his reach.
"Mr. Crow, I don't wanna insult you. But I think you'd better let me handle this."
Jack thought a moment, nodded. "I'll be right outside when he wants to talk to me."
The deputy barely smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."
Fifteen anxious minutes later the deputy came out of the room smiling. He'd gotten everything the Team needed for the job - except the sheriff.
"Sorry, Mr. Crow," offered Deputy Thompson. "But there's just no way he can get there before four P.M."
Crow lit a cigarette. "It'll have to do." He turned to the rest of the Team, gathered in chairs around the crowded sitting room. "Okay, sports fans, we're on. Rock and roll."
"Rock and roll!" echoed back at him.
And then everybody went shopping.
Cat, ever bold, directed the driver of the limo to downtown Cleburne, only four blocks off the main square, to Prather's Feed & Seed. He escorted Annabelle and Davette inside and commenced to buy poison for rats, mice, fleas, ticks, fire ants, and coyotes - all together some five pounds of the stuff. Then he chose, from an impressive display of pet supplies, a thirty-gallon aquarium. He declined the offers of gravel, plants, starter guppies, and angelfish. He did buy, for reasons only another Cat would understand, an aerator in the form of a happy-faced salvage diver with bright red boots.
"I always wanted one," was his only response to the women's puzzled looks.
Kirk drove Jack and Felix to Wal-mart. There they bought two five-gallon gasoline cans and two funnels, three of the largest fire extinguishers available, and two packets of balloons in various colors.
They filled up both gas cans at the next-door Exxon station.
Carl and Adam drove the Blazer to a local slaughterhouse that specialized in preparing game meats but agreed to the killing and draining of the six pigs in the back pen. When the owner found out they weren't interested in the carcasses - just the blood - he assumed they were Satan worshippers. A devout Baptist, he then doubled the price as a matter of principle. The technician and the Catholic priest exchanged tired looks between them. Then they paid up without a word and drove away with the blood.
The three groups met, an hour and a half later, in the empty driveway of the sheriff's empty home, where Jack lost no time cutting the women loose.
"Get out of here, Annie," Jack told her firmly. "Get out of this county. You still have your gun?"
Annabelle nodded nervously and clutched her purse more tightly.
"Okay," said Crow. He looked over at the uniformed limo driver, looking out-of-place and worried.
"Fire that guy," Jack ordered her. "Have him take you to a car-rental place... Or better, have him take you to the airport. Then take a taxi to the car-rental place. Make him think you're leaving town."
Annabelle frowned. "I don't think he knows anything that's going on. Or cares, for that matter."
Jack smiled grimly. "I don't either. But do it, anyway. Right?"
She nodded. "Right."
"Okay. Move."
She started to go, stopped. She put a hand to his cheek.
"Be careful, dear," she said softly.
Jack stared a second. Annabelle had never done that