Why Not Murder

35. Escape

35. Escape

Tuesday morning when Maya went to the protesters' starting point, she couldn't find Spark. There were many more police than on previous days so Maya didn't join the group and stayed back to watch. The police were preventing the marchers from gathering and organizing. The policeman in charge stood on a platform speaking into a megaphone and was blasting out that no gathering of any kind was permitted by law further to emergency measures enacted last night. If even two people were deemed to be together they were being arrested. When Maya heard this she immediately left and began heading over to Tara's where she would hide and watch. The usual vehicle was outside. When Tara left her home, the vehicle followed and Maya followed the vehicle. Tara walked to the jail and the vehicle and driver waited outside. 'Must be there to see Dog,' Maya thought and she waited too. There were many people waiting outside and many more crowded in line to be let in. Maya thought it would likely be a long time before Tara came back out. All the visitors would have to be processed and nothing would happen in a hurry. The person who had followed Tara got out of his car and went to a coffee stand, presumably he also thought there would be plenty of time before Tara came out.

But unexpectantly, Tara came out within minutes, squeezing her way through all the people trying to get inside. She ducked around the side of the building and came down a side set of stairs to avoid the mass of people on the main stairs. Maya could also see that the person who had been tailing her was still waiting for his coffee and from his non-reaction Maya knew that he hadn't seen Tara exit. Tara went into many shops and then entered a large indoor shopping mall and into a department store to the lady's clothing section. She picked out some clothes and then went into the change rooms. Maya took some clothes and followed her when Tara was no longer in sight. Quite a few of the stalls were full. Maya recognized the one Tara was in because of the shoes left conveniently near enough to the stall door that Maya could see them below the curtain which did not extend all the way to the floor. She ducked in.

"The cop didn't see you leave the jail," Maya said.

"My early exit was not planned. I saw you though, so this system of meeting may continue to work," Tara said, "Angry Dog is not allowed to see anyone anymore, not even his lawyer! Further emergency precautions because of the continued terrorism. No police disclosure will be made. No one will tell me anything. The jail is swamped with people in temporary custody. The administration is in a complete muddle. Angry Dog is going to be transferred to a maximum security prison. I don't know when or even for sure, but I am fairly certain. The public wants him hung. The jail is not equipped to cope with riots breaking out."

"I have joined Justice Will Come, but I haven't learned any more yet about who is behind the executions," Maya said, "I will get in touch with you when I can. In the meantime, I have leads." They left the change room separately. Maya purchased the coat she had tried on.

Then it was back to Sheila's bed & breakfast to let Sheila know that she wouldn't be needing the room that night. Maya went back to the street where the jail was and she saw the cop in his vehicle still waiting for Tara to come out. She sat in a parkette across from the jail's rear entrance and witnessed many prison vehicles drive in and unload the protesters freshly taken into custody. The only solution that presented itself to her for a resolution of Dog's situation was that he would have to be rescued. She needed a plan and fast. She didn't know when Dog would be transferred but she knew that he would be leaving the jail in a vehicle so she was watching for that. The only maximum security prison in the northern region of the province she was in, had to be reached by train, specifically on the same train line she took running from the city, through the town and then further north. Besides the town of Maple, there were several other villages further on that the train customarily stopped at. The sky was darkening early. The temperature was around freezing. Maya was wearing her new coat overtop of her old one and pulled up the lined hood over her toque and her scarf almost up to her nose. It was getting colder and she would be spending the night out in case Dog would be moved. She wouldn't sleep and a plan was vaguely shaping in her mind.