Rangers Apprentice AU-Police Force

Episode Five pt3 A Turning of the Page

With a gleam in his eye, Rodney made as if to move toward the sound of the bull's bellow but Halt raised a hand. "Wait."

The newspaperman frowned. "Come on, Halt. That's hardly fair!"

The officer still shook his head adamantly. "No, Rodney. Let us investigate it first; if there's a story here, you'll get it, don't worry," he added dryly. Then he looked across to Will. "Coming?"

 With a beating heart, Will followed Halt down the alley and toward a warehouse where the noise seemed to have come from; they moved carefully to keep from making their precense known. Just as they reached the side nearest the doorway, another bellow exploded. So close did it seem, that Will flinched, nearly knocking into a pile of empty crates and cans. Embarrassed, he met Halt's gaze with a reddened face. His partner raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?"

 For a moment, Will hesitated. Then grinned. "Yeah. A little; I've never been around farm animals."

Halt nodded, approval in his face. "There's nothing wrong in admitting it; and a little fear is a good thing, if utilized correctly." Reaching across, Halt bumped his shoulder lightly. "Let's go in, partner."

Suddenly, Will felt very much that he was ready. But instead of Halt leading the way in, he dropped to a crouch, shuffled forward and then stopped in the same crouch. When Will stared blankly, he sighed. "Get on my back and look in the window. No sense in walking in blindly."

 Scrambling onto the officer's back, Will balanced himself against the rough wall and gazed carefully through a dirty and cracked pane of glass. It was difficult to make much out but by concentrating carefully, he could finally make out the large pen inside, that must house the bull. The farmer was nowhere to be seen, but a couple of men leaned against the makeshift corral and talked. Like the outside, the inside of the warehouse was also dilapidated and abandoned machinery and crates lined the wall where they had been discarded on their last day. He relayed the information back to Halt after scrambling back down to earth. As Halt brushed his uniform off he listened intently, his keen mind already taking the verbal picture and creating the scene. 

 "Good. We'll go in then, but stay alert for any tricks. I have a feeling there is more to this than it seems. A farmer doesn't hide his prize livestock in the back alley of a fair for a good reason."

  And so they did. Both unfastened the flaps of their holsters, but kept their hands well away from their weapons and a casual smile on their face as they walked through the doorway.

 Inside the dimness, Will blinked to adjust to the sudden change of lighting. The two men he had seen, were definitely surprised to see two officers stride suddenly in, blocking the doorway. Straightening up they hesitated, glancing at each other. One was a burly man, dressed in a tweed suit with a glaring plaid pattern. His square jaw and natty tie seemed to contrast oddly with each other. The other man, while on the smaller side, carried himself with more assurance and seemed to regain his composure faster than the other. He wore slacks and a sweater, his tan cap pushed up on his head and revealing a face that calculated. "Hello, boys," he called out. "What can we do for you?"

 Halt and Will could hear the animal inside the pen huffing, and occasionally the boards at the men's backs shuddered as something large blundered against it.  That was not a happy animal, Will thought briefly. Then he concentrated on Halt, and the men, biding his time and moving off to the side as the officer drew the attention to himself by conversing. 

 "We're just on our beat; heard the bull and thought we'd take a look." Casually, Halt strode closer, hands resting on his belt and his hat at an angle that was definitely cocky.

 "Is he going to the show?"

The larger man glanced at his friend, who replied quickly "Oh, sure. We're just keeping him for the final judging. The ride into town worked him up a bit. Can't have that in a crowd of people now, " he laughed.

  Halt's voice was now at Will's back as he edged into the shadows. The men had forgotten the smaller figure, and Halt had reached the corral so that their nervous gazes automatically swiveled that direction. There didn't seem to be much out of place, as far as Will could tell. Some of the crates had been covered with canvass and made eerie outlines. bending down, he put his eye to a knothole and took a look. Almost just as suddenly, he jerked back. A massive cow's head, just at eye level, had been next to his face and only separated by thin wood. Carefully, he looked again and found himself marveling at the size of the bull. Unlike any cow he had ever seen in a book, this one was a cream color with thick hindquarters and a strange lump on its shoulders that gave it a funny appearance. As he watched, it tossed its head and Will noticed the curved horns and wild eyes. Nervously he backed away from the corral wall. Why would a farmer bring such a dangerous animal to a fair where it could hurt someone, if it got away?

 Circling the corral, he scanned the warehouse for anything that looked out of place. Anything that would give a clue. Then he saw it. A stack of crates with a clean, bright tarp. And as Will pulled the tarp back, to reveal the cages inside, he knew this was the answer.

********

Back at the entrance, Halt kept the men hopping with questions and conversation, dotted at random and with a pattern that kept the men alternately on their toes, and trying to act nonchalant. He had already noted the heavy gloves the second man wore, noted the table with a ledger in one corner. So, when Will ghosted up behind the men and nodded, he smiled grimly to himself. "Well, boys," he said, "It has been a pleasure talking with you." The two relaxed so much, it was almost comical. Nodding to Will, who stepped forward now and startled them both, he raised an eyebrow. "What did you find?"

 Will's eyes locked onto Halt's a brief moment before he turned to face the men. "Fighting dogs."

 The reaction of anger and fear was what Halt had been keeping an eye out for. As they started to loudly protest, he pulled his pistol and covered both. "That's enough," he barked. "I'm sure you two are very aware of the laws against bull-baiting. We won't waste time debating who's dog is who's and who owns the bull. "

  The first man still seemed in shock. "But, I don't own either!" he blurted. "This man owns the dogs, and Wainright owns the bull!"

 "Shut up, stupid!" his friend snarled.

Halt smiled. "But I bet you are really good at figures-if I miss my guess, you take the gentlemen's bets, don't you?"

Unexpectedly, the farmer Will had trailed, came around the corner. "What are you two yammering about now? " He growled. Noticing the officers for the first time, he stopped dead, his jaw hanging open a fraction of an inch. It was the cherry on top, Halt thought with satisfaction. 

 "Mr. Wainwright, you're under arrest for illegal activities with a bull and dogs on public property. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used again you in the court of law."

 "Now, see here!" Face flushing, the man opened his mouth but was drowned out by another angry bellow and a crash from the bull inside. Simultaneously there was a flash of light and both officers flinched.

 "Perfect shot! This will look good on the paper." Exultantly, Rodney stood next to Horace, who had his camera covering the situation and was now working to remove the bulb from his lense.

 It was all the distraction the men needed. Splitting, they fled different directions as Halt yelled, "I thought I told you to stay outside!"

 Will was closer to where Wainwright had fled, and he followed in close pursuit. Almost walking straight into a crate lobbed at him out of the darkness. Dropping to one knee he heard it smack the corral, and heard the bull bellow. He wasn't getting any happier, was his fleeting thought before collaring the man in a tackle. They went down, but the man was surprisingly strong and soon had his feet again. In an effort to stop him, Will grabbed the man's ankle. He fell, and hit the door of the pen, rolling to the ground. Inside the bull had had enough. There was a split moment where Will was scrambling up to give chase to Wainwright, who had also regained his feet-and then the bull crashed though the door, swinging his head and rolling his eyes as he looked for the cause of his miseries. His eyes locked on Will.