SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 23

jerry was keeping the survey truck in sight. other traffic had disapeared. blocked up ahead and being held back behind. it wasnt long uuntil he saw the pick up trucks brake lights flicker. then a few moments later the tires on the truck locked and started skidding, smoke rolling from under them. the truck skidded side ways and stopped. jerry pulled to withing 50 feet and stopped. he sat still waitting to see what nafzigger ould do. the passenger door on the truck flew open and mike jumped from the cab and started sprinting into the desert. when he had jumped out nafziggers arm had reached for the kid but come up short. jerry steped from his car and stood behind the open door with the mic from his radio in his hand. over the loud speaker he called for nafzigger to throw down his arm and surrender. jerry wanted the big man alive. he could see two patrol cars the other side of the pickup truck. deputys standing behind them rifles resting on the hoods of the cars. finally nafzigger held his weapon up outside the cab and dropped it. then got out of the truck hands held high. jerry instructed him to lie face down on the ground. jerry put the mic back into the car and he staarted walking toward nafzigger. nafziggers pistol was right in front of his right hand. he reached for it, but two rifles behind him fired. blood spurted from two holes in his back. he wasnt dead. jerry got to the pistol and heaved it away and yelled for some one to call a ambulance.this big man had absorbed the lead like it was a thumb tack. a hour later a helicopter had nafzigger straped to a gurney and was lifting off. jerry had mike in the car and was headed back home. but for some reason jerry wasnt satisfyed. he couldnt tell you why he just wasnt. back at the home place mike fell into his mommas arms and snuggled there while she cried tears of relief and joy. del and jerry stood to one side smilling. del turned to jerry " well i guess thats the end of that dirt pirate" " not so fast. i never saw anyone take lead like that. he s not done. lets hope trial and jail keep him away a long time" jerry was over serious.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 22

nafzigger was scared. he had never been shot at, and del s bullit passed within inches of his ear. it scared him enough he wet his pants. that made the big man madder than before. as he roared down through the pasture leaveing del behind he was already formulating another plan of revenge. he had to get del out in the open where he could get a clean shot at him. then he would be on his way to south america. with the cash he carryed and the income from his other propertys he would live well. he could travel the world. he was headed to dels home, he would catch him when he came home. the big man was completly off the rails. as he blew down the asphalt toward dels home place he blew past a county sherrifs car parked on the side of the road. the deputy realised what he saw and called it into dispatch. they inturn sent it out in a general dispatch. the closest car to dels house was jerry. he spun his car and headed toward dels out fit. he knew sharon and mike would be there alone if del wasnt. when jerry rolled into the yard he passed the survey truck going back out. the only thing he noticed was mikes little round face in the window of the truck. when he reached the yard and went to turn around he saw sharon laying prone in the dust of the yard. he screetched to a stop and fell out of the patrol car and ran to her. lifting her head he saw a raw knot on her forhead. her eyes fluttered open " mike! wheres mike?" just then del rolled to astop next to the patrol car and came running up. jerry looked at him" take care of your sister, ime going after nafzigger, he has mike. " in his car jerry called in a all points to watch for nafzigger. explaining he had kidnapped the boy. then he spun his car and left in a rush throwing gravel and dust in rooster tails. del eased sharon to her feet and helped her to the house. the carpenter crew had been gone a while waitting on materiel. nafzigger was in a panic. when he got to dels house the only ones there was sharon and mike. mike was playing in the yard . sharon on seeing nafzigger rushed into the yard to grab mike. but hafzigger grabbed her by the arm " wheres your brother ?" he groweled. he knew where he was but wanted her to think he might not. sharon twisted free and grabbed mike and started to the house. nafzigger hit herwith his balled up fest. she dropped like a pole axed steer. he grabbed mike when he attacked nafziggers shins screaming and kicking. " you can be my bait you little scum " he threew mike in the cab of the truck then jumped in and roared back to the high way. just as he got there he passed a patrol car comming in. he didnt let up but stomped the gas pedal to the floor. mike was screaming and bounceing around the truck cab. nafzigger finaly back handed the child to make him quit. mike didnt cry but sat back on his seat. in just a few minutes jerry pulled with in sight of the truck but didnt get to close. he radioed ahead for a road block but advised everyone of the child in the truck. nafzigger didnt know it but he was running out of road fast.