Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[MaineWriter]

More from Chapter 6...

He thought he heard Ennis cursing in the bedroom, and by the time he served Dupree and Reynolds their glasses of lemonade and offered them some of the brownies Edna had baked and put in a tin for them, Ennis was walking stiffly out of the bedroom, wearing nothing but his own cutoff jeans, his torso half obscured by the ace bandage, which was tucked snugly under his chest, pushing up his pectorals slightly and making him look both thinner and more muscular than normal.

“Hey Dupree, yer in my seat,” Ennis grumbled, and Dupree hopped up, reseating himself next to Reynolds on the sofa.

“You got some pictures a the guy who was here?”

“Someone who was here, we’re hopin you can make em.”

“Make em what, Dupree?” Ennis said, brows furrowing. Ellery chuckled.

“Make em. Make an identification it means,” Dupree explained, blushing slightly. “You look like you got raked over the coals there, Ennis.”

“Well, jumpin out of a truck does that to a guy. Let’s see the pictures.”

[MaineWriter]

Don't we love it when Ellery does his job and acts like a cop? From Chapter 7:

Ellery dressed once again, loaded his gun, donned his body armor, and once again headed into town. He pulled up in the alley behind the Red Stallion, and, using his key, walked up the back stairs to the apartment. As he expected, Rudy was back in bed with his companion, judging from the creaking of the bed. Well, he deserves at least a warnin, he thought.

“Hey, Rudy, tell yer buddy ta pull out an pull up his pants, I’m here on official business.”

“Goddammit!” came the choked reply, indicating they hadn’t finished yet. “No, no....!” a growled objection and then a loud “Get the hell off me, that’s my boss out there!”

Ellery smirked, leaning against the doorjamb of the kitchen as the bed creaked a final time, bodies rising off them, and the rustle of hastily donned clothes. But Rudy did not appear. Instead, swaggering out of the bedroom, belt still open, zipping up his pants over an obviously still rigid erection, was a smirking, ruddy-faced Gabe Blackwell.

“Well well, Ellie Mae... come to get in on the action?”

“I suggest you find yer drawers an yer shirt, Gabe, Rudy is under arrest.”

Gabe guffawed. “He ain’t made me come yet! You can’t arrest em.”

“Sure I can, now I said git, or I can arrest you fer trespassin.”

“You can’t do that,” he challenged.

“I can go get my second pair a handcuffs if ya like Gabe. I’d like nothin better than to put the two a you in the same cage.”

Rudy pushed passed him, wearing only his drawers and a t-shirt. “What the fuck is this about Ellery? You got some weird jealous streak in you, you abusin yer authority?”

“Er, no.” He gave Gabe a baleful look, and the gun dealer finally retreated to find the rest of his clothes. “There’s the little matter a harborin a fugitive here, Rudy, an you are bein held on suspicion of same.”

“Harborin a what?”

“One Chuck Marlborough by name. Or whatever his real name is.”

Rudy blinked several times. “Oh my fuckin god.”

“Come on Rudy. You got the right ta remain silent. You got the right ta...”

“See you round, Rudy. You call me when you get outta stir, okay? I had a real nice time.” Gabe pushed his hat on his head, shot his sleeves, buttoning them, and made his way down the stairs, while Ellery continued droning the Miranda act at Rudy, who was not listening, his face slack with shock.

“Do you understand yer rights as I have read em to ya, Rudy?” Ellery said, sliding his handcuffs off his belt and pulling Rudy’s wrists behind his back.

“Uh. Yeah. Whatever. I can’t believe Chuck...”

“One more thing before we get in my car, Rudy,” Ellery said.

“Huh?”

“Yer fired. Now where did you leave yer pants?”

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 8:

“Get in the car, Rudy,” Ellery said, mouth tight, his temper flaring.

“No, I ain’t gonna have you haul me down ta jail, Ellery, now let me go!”

“I said GET in the FUCKIN CAR!” Ellery shrieked, his voice doing what his fist wanted to do. I promised Wes no punchin.

Rudy cringed, sinking down and climbing into the passenger's seat of the El Camino.

“Now don’t do any stupid shit, I got an electric lock on those doors,” Ellery said. “So we got six blocks ta go an yer just gonna sit there not resistin arrest or fleein arrest, cause ya don’t want ta get convicted a that too.”

Rudy shook his head, eyes wide, expression dazed. “I can’t believe yer doin this. I can’t believe you are such a jealous sumbitch that you would use yer powers like this... I have lost all my respect fer you.”

“You are really hurtin my feelins Rudy, ya know that?” Ellery replied unpleasantly as he started the car. “I thought yer sneakin off work ta go fuck my former boyfriend showed me how stellar yer respect level was, an now you have gone an dashed all hopes of redeemin myself in yer eyes.”

“Oh fuck off, Ellery, you are so fuckin smug.”

Ellery smiled, stomped on the accelerator, and sent Rudy back onto his cuffed hands, eliciting a groan from him as his wrists were twisted.

[belbbmfan]

from chapter 9:

Ellery exited to the front offices without another look back at Rudy, who had gone back to staring at his shoes.

“Ah there you are. You punch em?”

“No, but I raised my voice,” Ellery said, raising his chin slightly as Wes addressed him from the doorway.

“Yer warrant. Suspicion only. You got ta call someone named Peale at Carson City police on the warrant on this ... Jenkins. Reynolds left the notes on yer desk.”

“Can’t Reynolds do the followup?”

Wes snorted. “Whether its in our jurisdiction or not armed robbers are major cases Ellery and no a detective third grade don’t handle those. You make the call.”

“Taylor said Ennis an Dupree found somethin.”

“Which reinforces my point about detectives third grade. Weren’t you scarin up evidence at your house along with em?”

“Yeah. I found hairs.”

“No fingerprints?”

“I didn’t see no fingerprints. Reynolds had already dusted the patio door.”

“They found these on the wall in the dinin room.”

“On the other side a the gouge, then. I didn’t notice any prints.”

“Ellery, considerin how little we got ta go on somebody should a dusted the whole wall.”

“Point taken. I was a little upset.”

“Well you go back down there an you lift the prints. AFTER you call Carson City.”



and

[Dupree tugged on his collar a little. “Maybe I’ll get promoted.”

“Maybe you’ll get a thwap on the ass, now get out a my way,” Ellery grumbled, and squatted down in front of the smeared prints, opening up the small cannister of black powder and brushing it over them. He smiled slowly as the prints came up. “Full. He made some nice impressions here, boys.” Ellery got out the Polaroid and knelt back down, Dupree hanging over him as he snapped several photos of the now-black prints visible on the wall. “You said you had a partial hand too.... there....” he brushed over that with the black powder, clucking his tongue.

“Speakin a the victim, I’m gonna go lie down again,” Ennis said, making his way out of the room.

“You okay, Ennis?” Ellery called after Ennis as he went down the hall.

“Yeah, just restin.”

“Well?” asked Dupree. "They any good?”

“Might as well try anyway, we got nothin else. The fingers though...if he’s got a record we’re gonna find em from those.” He snapped three pictures of the partial hand print, and got to his feet.

“You want ta go run back ta the office with these be my guest.”

“I only got one problem, Chief,” Dupree said.”

“What’s that?”

“Reynolds took the cruiser.”

“Damn. Take the El Camino then, pick me up in the mornin when ya leave for work.”

“Yer sure?”

Ellery tossed him the keys. “Sure I’m sure.”

Dupree scooped up the Polaroids, examining them carefully before he slipped them in his pocket. “Just might do, Chief, just might do.”

“I hope so.”

Ellery saw Dupree out and went back to the bedroom, opening the door. Ennis was sound asleep. He went back to the living room and poured himself another shot of scotch, then walked back in the kitchen, sipping, staring at the grubby black spots on his dining room wall. “You better be him, you sumbitch.”


Poor Ellery, can this day get anyworse?

SPOILER 


Yes, it can! 

[mariez]

Don't we love it when Ellery does his job and acts like a cop? From Chapter 7:

Yes, we do!  Even when, as in this case, he was going off half-cocked, so to speak:

From Chapter 10:

“Good, that is a relief. I don’t need any more fuckin ex boyfriends...”

“Any more? You got more of em?”

“Rudy was entertainin that gun dealer I knew last year when I went over to pick him up.”

“The one you made a call on a few weeks back? I thought he was from North Dakota or someplace...”

“Montana, Wes.” Ennis was awake now, sitting up and rubbing his good eye, blinking rapidly as he looked at Ellery.

“Ellery... did you call for a warrant on Rudy because a the likelihood of him harboring this Jenkins or did ya call because he was gettin busy with one a your formers?”

“Two of em.”

“Ellery that looks real ugly. If Carson City don’t want em I am expirin that warrant.”

“Dammit Wes.”



And Ennis knows his Ellery as well:


“What the hell was that all about?” Ennis said, voice blurry.

“Wes thinks I arrested Rudy because he was fuckin my old boyfriend.”

Ennis smiled tightly. “Didn’t ya? You don’t remember a few days back you wanted ta kick him an Beagle out on the street bareass? You were crazy nuts that night.”

“Not you too, Ennis.”

“Why the hell not? Chuck’s moved out weeks ago. You weren’t lookin fer Chuck up there.”

“He was hidin em.”

“You don’t know that, Ellery, come on. What if I pulled off a robbery on a gas station over the Colorado line, then I come here an there’s a warrant out for me, an you just didn’t know about it. We get together an move in an then Wes finds out I’m wanted. He gonna arrest you for that? You don’t know dick about it.”

“Ennis ya don’t understand my point here. They came from Carson City... together.”

“So? Rudy lived there.”

“So why’d he leave an come ta Wyomin then? Way too convenient circumstances, I say.”

“So what else was all that about? Dupree an all.”

“I got a shit load a stuff ta do an Dupree is sittin by the fax machine waitin for a match on those prints.”

“You think the guy is a criminal?”

“He acted like one.”

“A dumbass one.”

“Yeah, so... yeah.”

“We gonna have dinner or somethin?”

"Edna made a bunch a sandwiches that are still in there, want ta do that?”

“Sure, don’t let em go ta waste. I am mean hungry now.”

“An you got ta take yer pill again.”

“Those whatever they are... those knocked me out like a light.”

“Darvocet. You ain’t used to em. Different kind a stuff from Percodan.”

“Makes me real woozy.”

“Maybe he should a given ya Percodan. I got plenty a those.”

Ennis stood up, swaying slightly. “Don’t like those either.”

“Well you won’t rest or stay still if ya don’t take some pain medicine Ennis.”

“Can’t I just clear my head a bit? Jesus Ellery, get off me.”

“I’m worried about ya,” Ellery said, slipping off the bed and going up to him, sliding his hands gently around Ennis’s middle, tracing the edge of the ace bandage beneath his nipples with his long fingers.

“An I’m worried about you. You went off half cocked on that Rudy thing. Walked in on em fuckin with Gabe...”

“Stayed in the kitchen.”

“Ya wanted ta walk in on em.”

Ellery resisted the urge to pull his hands back, feeling defensive and indignant, but Ennis had captured his hands. “Don’t get gettin all pissed on me, Deputy Darlin,” he grumbled good-naturedly. “You know ya did, I know you.”

“Fuck off,” Ellery said softly.

Ennis laughed. “Come on, I got ta eat.”


"You know ya did, I know you."  Great stuff!  Thanks for the quotes.

Marie

[MaineWriter]

Hello re-readers,

I am a little late today. Sorry! Our assignment...chapters 11-15:

http://louisev.livejournal.com/78329.html

Ennis broke the kiss suddenly by throwing his head back, panting, and a low growl rose from his open mouth, and he arched his back, thrusting up and through Ellery’s pumping hand, a jet of come erupting between the long fingers. He sank back onto the mattress, shuddering.

“Hmmm... you liked that, boy,” Ellery said, gathering up the warm come in his hand and raising it to his mouth. Keeping his eyes on Ennis’s face, he licked his hand methodically.

“Oh.. yeah.”

Ellery let his tongue flicker over his fingers, lapping up his lover’s sticky fluid. “Ya taste good, even all banged up.”

Ennis shuddered again, his eyes riveted to Ellery’s licking tongue. “Ya drive me crazy when ya do that.”

[MaineWriter]

Chapter 12:

“You okay, boy?” Wes asked Dupree.

Dupree smiled and nodded. “Aside from getting kicked in the chest. But damn I think that thing held at two yards or somethin, Sheriff.”

“It should, I paid enough for it.” Wes fixed his eye on Ellery who had exchanged the forceps for an evidence bag and bagged the bullet. “You wearin yer armor, Ellery?”

“You bet, Sheriff.”

“You take it off today?”

“Only when I was sleepin an makin love, Sheriff,” he smiled, not looking at Ennis. Ennis stepped back, blushing dark red, and looked around quickly, but all eyes were on Dupree and Ellery.

“Good. Now let’s get Ennis inside an get a vest on em. I take it you boys got it figured that the shooter mistook Dupree for Ellery.”

“Pretty much,” Ellery said.

“He couldn’t a got a good look at me.”

“Yer pretty well built though Dupree, whowever it is must not know Ellery very well if they mistake some big muscled guy for a skinny one. Come on Ennis. Ellery you come too, let the doctors do their job. Taylor, you go with Dupree, make sure he gets home safe.”

“Sure Wes,” Ellery replied. “Don’t have ta pick me up tomorrow Dupree.” Taylor climbed in after the stretcher in the back of the ambulance. “Hey, Chief, take my report here.”

Ellery took his notebook. “Thanks a lot Taylor,” flipped it closed and pocketed it. “Don’t molest any nurses, Dupree,” and he followed Ennis and Wes inside.

[MaineWriter]

A brief aside...

As we can all see, Wes takes the issue of body armor very seriously. To get the men at the station to wear their body armor, Wes taped this picture up in the locker room:




He had a special picture for Ellery:



L

[MaineWriter]

Interesting development in chapter 13:

Ellery blinked slowly. “Please don’t tell me there was another shootin.”

“There was another shootin. An squeezed into my already impossible schedule today is a 10 a.m. meetin with the press an the mayor an I need you ta give a status report on the recent shootins.”

“We ain’t got a status on Allen. We got no leads.”

“Well we ain’t gonna say that are we? We are gonna say we have a witness, a description, an artist’s sketch, an are interviewin more witnesses in the next twenty four ta forty eight hours.”

“That sounds better. You mean Allen’s wife? And we don’t know these are connected. Where was the latest shootin?”

“Outside yer bar.”

“The bar was closed, Wes.”

“It was outside yer bar. I guess ya had a customer thought it was open an somebody shot em.”

“Fatality?”

“Peculiarly, no. Maybe somethin spoiled his aim, but it caught em in the shoulder an the victim managed ta flee an call 911.”

“Okay so he’s at Ivinson. I get this one too I imagine.”

“Yup. An you better keep the bar closed.” Wes slid the incident report across his desk, frowning. Ellery stared at it, dropping the report. It drifted with a current of air and landed squarely back in front of Wes.

“Wes... that’s Wayne Bryce.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“I got ta go see em.”

[MaineWriter]

For Marie who loves minutia, find out how much Ellery actually weighs...chapter 13

“Good mornin everyone,” Jeremy Dupree walked in, arm in a sling, bandaged to his uniform shirt. Trailing him was a considerably cleaner and happier-looking Brad Sevigny.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Ellery said. “We was just sharin Joe’s bakery bounty, today’s special is corn muffins.”

“Love one,” Sevigny said, diving for the box. “Got coffee ta go with this?”

Jones came over to the bakery box, looked in. “I’ll try but... why not him?”

Ellery looked where Jones pointed. “Hm, six feet tall, dark hair.... Sevigny’s too skinny. They throw out cases if the lineup has the suspect bein two hundred twenty pounds and all the ringers are ninety pound weaklings, Jones.”

“Hey. I’m a hundred an eighty five,” Sevigny objected, biting into a muffin.

“You got buckshot in your pockets or somethin? You are not,” Ellery said.

Sevigny chuckled. “Well lemme see, yer what, six three? You got ta be... one sixty five.”

“With buckshot in my pockets. I never tipped the scales at one fifty, boy.”

“Damn,” Sevigny looked chagrined by his error.