Top of the Edge - Road Block

"Well, I don't know what they did, and to be quite honest with you, I don't want to know. It must be something pretty bad though for the Feds to be after them." Simmons said as he studied the card.

Just as Simmons was replacing the gas cap on Tuttle's car, Johnny pulled the tow truck around front with the Suburban in tow. He rolled the driver's side window down so he could talk to Simmons. "Robert Walden called earlier this afternoon. He wants me to drop his Suburban off, said he needs it to haul chicken feed and straw first thing Monday morning."

"He knows you fixed it already. Why didn't he just get someone to drive him over here and pick it up earlier today?"

"He was going to get his neighbor John Russell to bring him over, but the missus has been sick. He thinks it might be the flu, and as of this afternoon she has apparently taken a turn for the worst, said she has a temperature of a hundred and three. So instead of getting John to bring him over here to pick up the suburban, he's getting him to take him and Mrs. Walden to the hospital in Charleston."

"So, there's a pretty good chance that he won't even be home when you get there." Simmons said with a grimace. "If he doesn't need it till Monday morning why not just drop it off some time tomorrow? Heck, it'll be dark by the time you get over to his place. Have you ever been to Walden's Farm?"

"No, but I know the general area and I'm quite familiar with Parker's Ferry Road."

"His place is easy to miss. You can't see it from the road and his drive is long, rough, and curvy. You should wait till tomorrow morning."

"You know I don't like to work on Sundays. When I talked to Robert this afternoon, we had planned for me to drop it off early Monday morning, but then James just reminded me that both you and he will be coming in late Monday. So as far as I'm concerned, dropping it off now is the only good option I have."

"So, what are you going to do with the key since he's not home?"

"I'll put it on top of the left rear wheel and call him tomorrow to let him know. James has the keys to the shop. Help him get everything locked up and secure and I'll see y'all Monday."

"Well at least wait till we're done closing up so I can ride out there with you. You know I used to live out that way. I can take you right to Walden's Farm."

"Why the sudden concern about my well-being on a simple tow job? I've got this. Besides, the later it is when I leave here, the later it will be when I return and there's no sense in you having to work late too."

Frustrated, Ronald shook his head and replied, "You're the boss. I'll see you Monday."

Just as Johnny was about to roll up the window. Tuttle stopped him, "Hey, is that a Chevy Suburban you have in tow there?"

"Yes, it is." Johnny answered looking at Tuttle quizzically. Taking note of Johnny's puzzlement, Ronald interjected. "I'm sorry boss. I should have introduced Mr. Tuttle to you. He's working with Charleston County Police and the Feds to locate some folks... apparently on the run."

"Apparently on the run huh?"

"Most definitely on the run." Tuttle replied. "There's three of them, two men and a woman. One of the men is injured, burned by a flare. They were last seen driving a black sedan".

"I haven't seen anyone around here today matching that description. But then again, I've had my head under the hood of one vehicle after another all day."

"Well, if you do see some folks meeting that description, immediately contact the Charleston County Police. I gave Mr. Simmons the contact info regarding the Federal agent on the case. Oh, and one more thing, do you mind if I take a minute to get a closer look at the Suburban back here?" Tuttle pointed toward the rear of the wrecker.

"Do you think it has anything to do with all of this? Because I can assure you, it's either been in my shop or parked right here on this lot for the last three days."

"Oh no, nothing like that. I just have an affinity for Chevy Suburbans." Tuttle wasn't totally honest. He did like the Suburban model, but there was something about this Suburban that seemed to be beckoning him to give it the once over.

"Mister I would let you drive it around the block if I had time, but I really need to be getting on down the road."

"A thousand pardons Johnny. I didn't mean to hold you up."

As Johnny pulled away, Tuttle couldn't help but notice that the upper back hatch door wasn't fully closed. "I wonder if he's aware of that. Could they have... ? Na, I'm just being overly vigilant and suspicious."

Since officers Mueller and Williams were closest to the intersection at Inland Road and Rockville Road (Hwy 700), Sheriff Poulnot assigned them to block off, watch, and surveil the area around that intersection. There were a couple of short side roads close to it that could be used to easily skirt around undetected. Consequently, the two officers alternated manning the barricade at the intersection and driving the squad car around the relevant propinquity.

At four o'clock Saturday afternoon, officers Jackson Stoddert and Rhandal Grisby joined officers Mueller and Williams. They were there to relieve them at five o'clock. During the one-hour overlap Mueller and Williams briefed their replacements. Since being posted there, they had only seen a total of five vehicles come through the intersection. Williams shared his notes about each of the vehicles and their occupants from his logbook - year, make, model, color, and the occupant's names and addresses with a general description.

At 4:50 PM, Officer Stoddert assured Williams and Mueller that he and Grisby were ready to assume responsibility for the intersection. "To say the two of you look like last week's leftovers would be an extreme understatement. Go home, get some rest. We'll take it from here."

"Last week's leftovers huh?" Obviously, Mueller had intended to say more, but instead he just shook his head despondently. Both Grisby and Stoddert started laughing and Stoddert said, while continuing to laugh, "That's it? That's all you got? You're so out of it you can't even produce a decent comeback. Get the heck out of here. We got this."

"Gladly!" Williams exclaimed as he patted Mueller on the shoulder. "Let's vacate this place partner."

"With pleasure. We're out of here gentlemen."

The sun was already beginning to descend below the below the tree line at 5:45 Saturday evening when Johnny reached the roadblock at Rockville and Inland Roads. Both Officers Rhandal Stoddert and Tim Grisby, being well acquainted with Johnny greeted him warmly as he halted his tow truck. "Hey Johnny, where are you headed?" Stoddert asked. Before Johnny had a chance to respond, Grisby commented, "Wow, usually you're towing cars toward your shop. I don't think I've ever seen you towing one in the opposite direction."

"It happens on occasion. Sometimes after a vehicle has been repaired, for one reason or another the owner has a hard time getting back in to pick it up. On such occasions, this is one of the ways I return it to them."

Stoddert walked around behind the tow truck to get a closer look at the vehicle in tow. After a brief examination, he came back around to the front where Grisby was still conversing with Johnny through the tow truck's driver's side window and interrupted, "That's Robby Walden's Suburban isn't it?"

"Yep, sure is."

"It was running pretty rough the last time I saw him driving it. Either it wasn't firing on all its cylinders, or the timing was way off. So, which was it and how did you fix it?"

"Geeze Tim, if this is Walden's vehicle, he doesn't have time to sit around here shooting the breeze with us about auto repairs. He still has a ways to go."

"I would love to hang out and talk another time Tim, but Rhandal is right. I need to get going so I can get back home before my supper gets cold."

Tim suddenly realized how inconsiderate he had been and immediately made an opening in the barricade. He said with a wave and a smile as Johnny drove through, "Another time my friend." To which Johnny replied in like manner, "Yes, another time Tim."

Just as Tim was closing the barricade back up, Tuttle arrived at the roadblock. He was acquainted with both Stoddert and Grisby but didn't know either of them well. The situation was likewise for the two Charleston County Officers. Tuttle rolled his window down and asked for an update, to which they both only shook their heads no, and Stoddert answered, "Nothing new."