Category Archives: Painted Lady

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I peeked around the corner of the stair well.  The prowler was standing in the middle of roof deck toward the front of the building talking on a cell phone.
Suddenly there was a whirring sound and a rush of wind.  I couldn’t believe my eyesa midget helicopter in the whisper mode rose up from the ocean side at the back of thebuilding and glided to the center of the deck thirty feet in the air above the prowler. Theprowler wave, said something, in a foreign language,.  A man in a helmet slid a bag on arope down to him.
Just then I heard the stair door quietly open and went around to it.  Steve,  thepolice detective was coming through and I motioned to him to be silent and ledhim to where we were behind the stair well at the wrought iron railing.He looked at the man and the hovering copter and whispered in my ear,“

What the hell is going on ?”
Phoebe and I shrugged and I whispered, “ We stumbled onto something big but I don’t know what, Lets watch.”
The cloth bag like a shopping bag was lowered, the prowler untied it and released the rope which was withdrawn.
“Let’s rush them,” Steve whispered excitedly
“ Stay cool, we’ll have plenty of time after the copter leaves.” I whispered andPhoebe nodded in agreement.
The prowler said something we didn’t understand and waved.  The copter rose quietly spun like a large dragonfly and flew low and out to sea.
Steve wouldn’t be contained any longer, he  rushed out  of our hiding place, gun drawn shouting, “ this is the police, your under arrest, don’t move or I’ll shoot.”
The man froze, dropped the bag and put his hands in the air.
We rushed after Steve and stood behind him as he addressed the prowler.
Steve kept his gun pointed at the man and said to me, Abby search him for any kindof weapon.  I was back on the force again, training kicked in, and frisked him thorouly
“      “He’s clean Steve,” and I moved behind Steve.  Phoebe picked up the bag   The moment Phoebe picked up the bag the man exploded into action.  He knocked the gun from Steve’s hand spun and gave him a karate kick that knocked Steve to the deckeight feet away.  The man snatched the bag from Phoebe giving her violent shove while I leaped and scooped up the gun.  I whipped around and faced the man

“ drop to your knees you bastard or I’ll blow you away.”My age must have made him reckless because he charged right at me.  He was quick but twenty five years on the police force and a rush of adrenaline were quicker  I pumped three rounds in a four inch pattern into his chest and he was dead before he hit the deck
Steve got up, came over and took the gun quietly, reloade it.  You never holster an unloaded gun, and asked,  “ Are you okay Abby ?
“ I haven’t had this much excitement in years, but I’m okay.”  I reached over and helped Phoebe off the deck.

“ Wow a girls real safe around you guys. “That relieved the tension and Steve and I laughed
“ Well I guess we all have a Dirty Harry in us when we need it.”  I answered . Just then the elevator door opened and Chuck and two policeman came out on de  Steve explained the situation to them
Steve got on his cell phone and reported the entire incident to the Chief of Police and asked for the investigative and forensic team as well as the coroner’s ambulance.
He asked Chuck and the officers to say nothing about the event the Chief would  have a press conference at the appropriate time.
I walked over and picked up the bag to examine its contents and was surprised at how heavy it was.  This unknown man had given his life to protcct  its contents.  I was curious to know what could be that valuable.  Maybe drugs or diamonds but no it wasjust a stone sculpture of a beautifully draped camel. It was draped in blue and goldbraided ropes and a leather saddle  and water ba

Phoebe thought it might be a very valuable antique.

I had seen this camel before but I didn’t let on.  I’d have to think about this one.