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Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll
mariez:
I couldn't skip this part from Chapter 16:
“But I think ya really ought ta go in Interview 1, there’s a cowboy in there wonderin if yer gettin shot up in the streets a Laramie.”
“Oh shit... Ennis!”
“Yep... that’s the one.”
Ellery raced down the hall and opened the door. Edna was sipping a cup of tea, sorting through clippings that looked like recipes. Ennis was dozing in his chair. When the door opened, his eyes opened and he was suddenly on his feet.
“Oh darlin...” Ennis choked out, and heedless of his wounds and Edna’s presence, wrapped Ellery in his arms in a tight embrace, and did not let him go.
“I’m all right Ennis, I’m all right.”
I've noticed that Ennis doesn't usually pace when he's worried - he sits quietly or dozes - which suits his character perfectly!
Marie
mariez:
From Chapter 17, Ellery and Wes review the tape from the security camera:
Ellery held his breath, and moments later, the picture scintillated with an explosion of glass next to Dupree, and he wheeled, pulling his gun to face the direction of the rifle, and the shadow stepped into view.
“That looks more like six yards ta me,” Wes said. “I got ta thank that salesman fer talkin me into the Level III armor, or that boy’d be dead.” As he said the word “dead” a tunnel of light emerged from the rifle and Dupree slammed back against the car, slumping down. And the shadow fled.
“Goddamn,” Ellery said. “What do you think, Wes?”
“I think we might be able to enhance that face, that’s what I think.”
“There was one of em,” Murdoch said.
“There was one of em visible,” Ellery pointed out.
“What did you mean, you don’t like Sevigny’s story?” Wes asked, looking at him.
“He changed some things, subtly, I don’t know what it is. If a man is threatenin ta do ya in, you don’t reword the threat the next day. Do ya?” Ellery plucked at his lip.
“Hard to say,” Wes said.
“An there ain’t one word a what he said we can corroborate. Not a lick of it. He could a blown Wilkes away himself with his own rifle when Wilkes turned em down, unrequited love.”
“You think he’s queer?”
“He pays way too much attention to the part of me that ain’t talkin. Yeah I do,” Ellery said. “But I don’t trust em an I wish I could corroborate his story.”
The mystery deepens. And Ellery sure does have a way with words, doesn't he? LOL!
Marie
mariez:
Ellery visits Wayne in the hospital in Chapter18:
“Uh huh. Okay, so, tell me what happened now.”
“Well I come up to the bar, you know, it was about oh, I dunno, midnight or one. An I didn’t even notice there weren’t any cars around, it isnt busy there on a Tuesday night anyhow so I wasn’t payin attention, an I try the door an it’s locked. So then I go over to the phone booth ta call Lauren an find out why the bar was closed, an this man is standin there. I didn’t see the rifle.”
“Just one guy.”
He nodded. Just the one. Yeah, he had brown eyes, I remember thinkin, gee, he’s got eyes like Ennis.”
“You could see em in the dark.”
“Blake Street has got streetlights right in front a the bar, Ellery, or hadn’t you noticed?” he said, pouting.
“Not there a lot at night, Wayne.”
“Well I am. Well, was. So anyway, yeah, brown eyes.”
“About six foot.”
“Well, taller’n me, shortn you. Maybe Ennis’s height.”
“He is six one. So then what? He say anythin?”
“He said ‘hey queer boy,’ an I thought, oh, someone knows me from the bar. An I said ‘The name is Wayne.’ An he said ‘Oh, Wayne is it. You like to suck cock, Wayne?’ What was I gonna say, NO?”
“A course you would never deny somethin like that,” Ellery said, hiding a smirk.
“Course not. So I said ‘Sometimes, why?’ An he said ‘Cause we don’t like boys like you hangin around suckin cock, that’s why.’ An that is when he went over an picked up this big ass rifle...”
Poor Wayne. Getting shot by an evil psycho - traumatic stuff. Of course, Louise gives us something to laugh about, though - "What was I gonna say, NO?" :laugh:
One thing to be said for Wayne . . he's always Wayne!
Marie
mariez:
Now we see Dupree in his official capacity - and we see why Wes promoted him!
From Chapter 19:
“So could you tell me er, Mrs. ... er, when was the last time ya spoke to em? By phone or... yeah.”
“Couple weeks ago it must a been. He said he expected ta get paid for some special info he dug up in his investigation.”
“Did he say what it was?”
She nodded. “Pictures a somebody important that was gonna cause some sort a political scandal.”
Dupree gulped. “Uh... did he happen ta mention what kind a somebody important, or his name or anythin?”
“I’m sorry... I figured ya would want ta know, cause all I could think was if he got some information on somebody important an they caught wind of it... ya know, maybe that was how come he got killed.”
Dupree thought for a long moment. “Did you get any mail for em after you last heard from em? Maybe somethin from Laramie?”
She nodded. “Some stuff, haven’t opened it... you know, the shock an all. Havin ta come up here an ... identify em.”
He nodded sadly. “I did the same thing.”
She looked at him curiously. “You... identified Jim?”
“Yes. He had a part time job at a bar where I work nights. During the day I was assigned to this case and I recognized him when I went with my boss to start the investigation. That was quite an ordeal.”
She smiled again, dabbing at her nose delicately. “Yes it was.” She let out a sigh, her breath hitching.
“Now about this mail. Do you suppose you could take a look through it and see if there was anything from him, or anything sent from his employers, or anything from Laramie? There might be a clue in there as to what might have happened to him, or what he was working on.”
“I am gonna be seein his lawyer, who has some a his personal papers too, maybe he sent somethin to his lawyer.”
“Yes, if you could do that.” He set down Ellery’s card on the table. “If you find anything you think might have any information that could help us, or if you think of anything more, please give Chief Deputy Cantrell a call. He is handling this case personally.”
She nodded, giving him another, brighter smile. “Is that it? I thought I was gonna get the third degree!”
He smiled and laughed softly. “No ma’am. We are fishin for any information we can get, an that means treatin our witnesses with all due cordiality.”
“That is very nice, thank you.... Mr. “
“Sergeant. Dupree. Jeremy Dupree.”
She held out her hand to him and rose delicately from the chair. She never touched her glass of water. “Very nice ta meet you Jeremy. I’ll be sure ta get in touch with this Chief... Deputy Cantrell. I hope he is as charmin as you are.”
“Oh believe me, he is,” Dupree smiled widely, a twinkle in his eye.
Ah, those poor females - they take to Ellery and Jeremy like bees to honey!
Marie
mariez:
Some favorite parts from Chapter 20:
“Right. This day ain’t never gonna end.” Ellery looked at his watch. “Ain’t had lunch.”
“Neither have I,” Joe said. “I could stop by the High Plains and get a couple a sandwiches ta go if ya like.”
“Thinkin on yer stomach, Joe, I like that,” Ellery grinned. “Sure.” He got out his wallet and handed two dollars to him. “And chips. And a large Coca Cola.”
Well, those were the days, huh? A couple of sandwiches, chips, and a large Coke for two bucks? LOL!!!
.....
Can't pass up a classic Wes/Ellery moment:
“Interview One,” Wes said. “Tell ya what, since you haven’t hardly slept, you can go home after this an start in fresh on the Allen murder tomorrow mornin.”
Ellery beamed. “If you were queer I’d kiss you for that Wes.”
“Which means you ain’t gonna kiss me,” Wes said, and retreated to his office.
.....
Johnson choked on a mouthful of coffee. “This interview is over. We ain’t got a reason ta bring em back with us, Cantrell.” he stood up. “If I cared more than a flyin fuck, I would tell yer Sheriff you made a bad collar.”
“An since I do care more than a flyin fuck,” Ellery said smoothly, “I’ll be sure ta mention to yer Sheriff that yer impugnin a peace officer’s reputation in front of a suspect in contravention of our mutual respect an cooperation regulations.”
Johnson’s mouth snapped shut. “We know the way out. Come on Jesse.” The beefy officer stood up and tagged along after Johnson as he left the room.
Ellery watched Jones as they left, then fixed an eye on Rudy. “Ain’t a bad set a hams on that Jones,” he said, voice pitched low.
Rudy shook his head. “Fuck you, Ellery. You lettin me go now?”
Gotta hand it to Ellery - he knows he was wrong - but he's not about to let anyone (except Wes and Ennis) give him crap about it! LOL!!
Marie
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