Too Long on Simmer
Chapter 4
Two days of waiting, two long quiet, boring days. Casino tried to talk, Chief did not. Late one night a drunken soldier was brought in but he was gone in the morning.
The third morning the door to the front area opened. Breakfast was about to arrive. Along with it they heard voices.
"Yeah, that's what it says, New York."
"Wish I were going," said the bearer of the two trays
"Just not to Leavenworth like these two schmucks" That was followed by laughter.
Breakfast was even less palatable than usual but they ate. Who knew when they would eat next. It was a good thing because half an hour later two guards arrived with shackles. Once in place, linked together, the two men shuffled out to a waiting truck. The flap was lifted, the tailgate lowered and in they climbed. When they were seated a guard climbed in and sat with his weapon at the ready.
"So where you taking us," asked Casino.
"You're going back to the States."
"So why aren't we flying out of here? You got planes." The sound of aircraft taking off was plain to hear.
"Because all these planes are heading east. Yours is going west."
With the tailgate up and the flap closed it was difficult to tell what direction they were travelling and Casino was sure the guard was not about to tell them. Most of the roads were paved at first then rougher but then airbases were often outside of the urban areas. After about half an hour the engine quit and they coasted to a stop. Nothing happened for a time but the truck did not start so their guard, careful to keep his weapon trained on the prisoners, flipped up the tarp, dropped the tailgate and jumped down. Without shifting his weapon he stepped back and to the side so he could see where the driver might be. .When he called out the answer was far from polite. He had gone around to the engine but could not release the latch that held the hood down. Another bout of colourful words was followed by the sound of a boot meeting metal with considerable force.
"Don't move. I have orders to shoot to kill." With that he locked the tailgate into the upright position and dropped the flap. He was going to see if he could help.
"This is our chance, let's go," said Casino in an urgent whisper. "Come on."
Chief just shook his head.
"What? You want to go back to prison? I don't know where you were but Leavenworth ain't no picnic. Let's go." He stood and moved pulling the chain tight. "Tell you what, we go, soon as we get these off you can turn yourself in, say I made you go."
Chief turned, bleak eyes meeting eager one, and he stood. Working together they shuffled to the back then stepped over the tailgate, dropped and did the three legged run. It took several near falls for them to co-ordinate their strides, Chief's being longer. Making sure they stayed in line with the back of the truck and hoping the guards were too occupied to look, they ran on. Because of the awkward gate they had to slow down to a walk for a bit before carrying on. No one noticed the beautiful scenery. The English countryside in early spring saw the rolling landscape covered with green. The trees and bushes at the side of the road and between fields were in full leaf. They had other things on their minds
"You're pretty good at this. You done it before? Running in shackles?" All he got was a nod.
"How about some water?"
By this time they were well out of sight of the truck so Chief stood and surveyed the horizon.
"We also got to find a country village." He saw Chief eying him suspiciously. "That's where we're going to find a blacksmith, get rid of these," he explained as he lifted his arm. "Should of over powered the guards and took the keys."
"So why didn't you?"
"Oh, now you decide to talk. Didn't see you suggest it."
"Ain't my prison break."
"Yeah, but you're part of it."
"Only 'til these come off." Chief also indicated the chains.
Casino turned to look at his companion with widened eyes. "You're going to turn yourself in? What, are you nuts? You've got your freedom. Back there, you're going to prison, babe. You're not going back to the team and the Warden; you're going to a stinkin' prison cell. Maybe you've forgotten what that's like but I haven't."
Walking parallel to the road it was hard going but they did not have to worry about hiding as the occasional vehicle drove down the road. Dusk was approaching when they saw a road up ahead. Farther down the road was a collection of houses. They had their village but did it have a blacksmith?
Their luck held and exceeded when they found the smithy just outside of the village and the building was not locked. Casino looked around to see what he could use and then set to releasing the chains. As he pulled the chain across the anvil Chief grabbed his arm and hissed quietly. They froze but all they heard was a dog barking in the village. Suggesting that someone was coming was enough for both men to lift the chains and shuffle to the window. The light of the half moon was enough to show the yard was empty and so was the road so they returned to their previous positions where Casino cut the first link. The second cut freed Chief's hand. Eventually they were completely free so they returned the tool to its place and left. Around the back of the smithy was a storage shed. It was out of the wind and the weather so they decided to stay there. It was now too dark to look for firewood and all the smithy had was coal so they would not have a fire or food. It had been a long time since they ate last but they were free.
"So why'd you poison me?" There was no anger or accusation, just an inquiry.
"I didn't." Just a statement of fact.
"But why'd you make me think you did?"
"Like I tol' you, I was tired of you needling me."
"So you really didn't do anything." There was a long pause before Casino asked with just a little interest, "You know how? To poison someone?"
"Yeah."
"You ever done it?"
"Nope." He waited before he spoke again and even then it was said quietly as if he was afraid to provoke the wrong answer. "So why you been in such a bad mood lately?"
Casino considered the question before coming up blank. "I don't know."
No one spoke even when Chief roused his companion before dawn and led them out of sight of the village. They did not want to be seen.
After crossing a field they came to a style. Casino waited until Chief started the climb before asking, "So, where you going? You can still come with me. I thought I'd head for London. We can get cash there."
At the top Chief paused and, shading his eyes, surveyed the horizon. Satisfied he climbed down the other side. Casino mounted the steps and asked, "Where you figure we are? And how far to London?"
"Bad idea," said Chief as Casino arrived on his side of the fence.
"What? Going to London? That's where the money is. We need money."
It's where the MP's are too."
"Yeah, but they can't look everywhere. There's a few places Goniff showed me down by the docks."
"First place they'll look."
Casino lost his temper. For every suggestion the Indian had a reason not to. "You think you got all the answer; where do you suggest?" he demanded but Chief was already moving off.
Over his shoulder he tossed, "Smaller places."
"And where are these smaller places?" asked Casino hurrying to catch up.
ggggg
"You 'eard what 'appened to'em?" asked Goniff as he pulled the sheet straight on his cot. Back at their base the remaining cons were sitting in their room.
"I assume you are referring to Casino and Chief." Over the top of his book Actor saw the pickpocket nod so he answered. "I do not know."
"Can't you ask?"
"As easily as you can."
"I tried. Sarn-Major said 'e was busy." There was a minute of quiet as the Englishman finished making his bed. "You tried too, didn't you?" The conman did not look up from his book so he continued. "An' got the same answer too."
He flopped down on his freshly made bed. "Bloody Hell," he muttered. "'E can't do this to us; keeping us in suspense like this. 'Ow we supposed to work when we're all worried about the others."
Putting down his book with a sigh Actor said, "It is possible he sent the two to the stockade in hopes they can work out their differences before they kill each other."
"Differences? All that's the matter with Casino is 'e's pissed off 'e couldn't open that safe. He just…"
"What safe?
"The one where we set the fire in the loo but it got out of 'and and 'e couldn't open the safe.
Actor just stared. That was too simple. Surely he had missed opening a safe somewhere in his long career. It had to be something else. He went back to his book.
ggggg
The two cons, who had not eaten in over twelve hours, saw the small town and headed there. The first possibility for food was a small inn but without money they either had to work for it or steal it. Garrison had told them about stealing from the English so work it was.
"I'm sorry to bother you but we're broke and we haven't eaten since yesterday. Can you spare us anything?"
"Yanks," he answered none too kindly.
There was no sense it denying it. "Yes sir."
You're not deserters, are you?" His voice became nasty. "I'll not be helping deserters."
"No sir," said Casino as he tried to stand just a little straighter without it showing. "We were on furlough. That's why no uniforms. Me and my friend here got robbed." He lowered his eyes and looked ashamed. "We got taken in a poker game and now we have to get back to our base. We won't ask for money or a ride, we know about rationing but if you could spare some food…"
"You ever work in a pub before?" He was not quite as suspicious now, just wary.
"I washed dished before," offered the taller man.
"And I've worked the bar."
The innkeeper opened the door wider and the two men walked in where they were led to the kitchen, He threw an apron at Chief and said, "Sink's over there." He tossed Casino another and said, "You clean the tables." With that he headed back out front.
"Clearing tables. Look what's become of me. From top expert in the field to cleaning tables." Then he brightened. "Wanna trade?"
"Uh uh," as he began to fill the sink..
Casino picked up the tray and wet cloth before heading out front. He would work for food as long as neither of the others saw him. He would never hear the end of it.
The lunch crowd arrived building slowly and then tapering off. Still the innkeeper remained out front tending bar and talking to the few locals who remained. Even when Casino stood with his empty tray surveying all the clean table he could not get the man's attention. In the kitchen Chief had washed and dried all the dishes under the watchful eye of the innkeeper's wife who was the cook. Still nothing but then she was busy preparing the next meal. As hungry as the smell of the last meal made them, this was making it worse. Reminding themselves of the promise of food Chief carried on washing and drying the preparation pots and utensils.
The dinner crowd arrived and they were busy again. Finally last call rang out and then finally closing time but there was still work to do until the last dish and pot was cleaned dried and put away and the last table was washed and dried.
From somewhere in the back where the cook must have put them came two large bowls of thick meat stew. Two chunks of bread appeared and were slathered with fresh butter. Two ales accompanied the meal and the men dug in. When they finished Chief took the bowl and mugs to the sink but the cook said to leave them. She would take care of it. Chief gave her a smile to show his appreciation.
"You one of those gypsies," she asked.
"No, ma'am."
She then offered the men a place on the pantry floor which they gratefully accepted. The floor would be hard but they were out of the cold and the rain.
Early morning after a breakfast of ham, eggs, toast and decent cup of coffee, they were on their way again.
After slogging across another field they came to a hedge and a stone wall. They paralleled it until they came to a place they could get through the bush.
"It's a road," said Casino. "Let's take it for a while. My shoes are soaked." They had been walking for some time and the grasses were finally dry but earlier the dew had been very heavy. Both were glad they had not had to sleep out in it.
"You can. I'm going this way." Chief climbed the wall after looking both ways, crossed the road and hopped the wall on the other side.
"Come on, Chief. Can't you take the easy way for once?" The safecracker stood by the wall and watched as his companion, his team mate strode off across the field.
"Damned you," was followed by "Wait up!"
Another long day of walking but at least the sun almost came out and the temperature was mild enough that both men took off their jackets. Midafternoon brought them close to a farm house. Casino expected a detour but instead the Indian told him to wait while he approached the hen house. When he returned he brought an egg which he offered to Casino.
"One lousy egg? A guy could starve out here. Why didn't you take the whole chicken?"
"You want it or not?"
Casino took it, grimaced as he ate it and hoped it would stay down. It was better than nothing. Or maybe it wasn't. Now he was really hungry. Chief headed out again.
They walked until the sun was almost at the horizon. Chief had stopped at the edge of a few trees that stood beside a country lane. Beyond there was a field and then a stand of trees.
"We'll camp there tonight."
"Can we have a fire and maybe you can scare us up something to eat?" He tried to say it in his usual gruff manner but it came off almost desperate. They were both hungry. Eating once a day could be done but it was too much like solitary.
After finding an open spot Chief told Casino to wait there and he kept walking. Finding it cooler in the shade the safecracker put his jacket back on. Hoping this was where they were staying he began gathering fallen branches. Then he cleared a space where the fire would go. Shit, he thought. He hasn't got his knife or even a match. How was he going to start a fire? Fuck, he swore as he sat down. All this wood and nothing to start a fire. Hey, Indians of old didn't have matches. Maybe he knew how. He had hope.
Chief was a long time coming back and when he did he returned it was from a different direction. He must have circled around. Casino waited and watched as the Indian surveyed what he had done. Then he began collecting some of the dryer leaf litter and dead mosses. From his pockets he took several stones which he began striking together. It took several tries before he found the right combination to produce a spark then many more before he could get the tinder to light. Casino admired his patience and wanted to ask what he had to cook but thought better of it.
There was nothing to eat but the warmth was welcomed. Without an axe or a knife their ability to build a shelter was limited but by breaking off some of the lower branches they were able to construct a crude lean-to. Casino took the first shift tending the fire and then they switched. By morning they were hungry but rested.
Hours later Casino called out, "Hey, I've seen that before." He stared and pointed at the lightning blasted tree that stood along the road they had been paralleling, eyes wide. "This is back…" Now he was angry. "You brought me back to our base! You damned traitor You want…"
Chief grabbed him by his coat. "I told you I was going this way. Nobody made you come this way. Nobody made you come with me."
Casino was shocked by Chief's reaction, the anger in his voice, the cold look in his eyes. "Okay, okay, you didn't. I just thought you were with me about not going to prison. You know that's where he was sending us?"
"Don't care." He released Casino with a shove and started walking along the road.
Casino stood undecided. He wanted to go to London. He wanted to disappear. He wanted to make his way back to The States and home. Chief was fifty yards away and walking fast.
What he had here, if the Warden would let them come back, wasn't that bad. It was better than prison that was for sure. The guys were all right, even Mr. Beautiful was handy to have around as long as he wasn't looking down his nose at them. The Warden… He was authority but he was fair. He had had a boss like that when he was starting out in the business. The guy, Mr. Shank, didn't take no bullshit but as long as you did as you were told, then he was good to you. Too bad the cops shot him. He was an all right guy, something like the Warden, except for this last time. That was…
Casino remembered the last talk he had with the guy. He was right, he had been out of sorts lately. He had asked him what was wrong but he couldn't figure it out. He guessed he had taken it out on the others but they should understand how it was in families. Sometimes you got mad at your brother and bloodied his nose but you were still family. Maybe Chief, who never mentioned family, wouldn't understand. He pictured Goniff giving his Mum a bloody nose and then laughed. No. The only family he mentioned was his Mum. He probably wouldn't understand either. Actor? He wouldn't resort to fists; he would use words. Maybe that was the problem. They didn't understand how families worked. Without thought Casino climbed the wall and began hurrying along the road, slowly closing the gap between himself and his teammate.