Read Online Critical Judgment (1996) by Michael Palmer - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Palmer
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approaching the hut. “Ives, it’s Dr. Dolan from the hospital. Hello … Ives?”
For several seconds there was only silence. Then, from somewhere up and to their left, came the snap of a bowstring. Almost simultaneously, with a crack like a bullwhip, an arrow slammed into the dummy chest high. Reflexively, they stumbled back behind a tree.
“Be right down, Doc,” Ives hollered, his voice sounding fairly distant.
Josh walked cautiously to the dummy and inspected the arrows.
“Just one of these could bring down a jet,” he said.
Ives emerged from the woods carrying a long, richly polished bow. The tissue around his eyes was badly swollen, and, in fact, his entire face was puffed and bruised. He had changed his bloody clothes for worn chinos and a frayed work shirt with the name Normstitched above the breast pocket. There were still some flecks of dried blood in his beard, but Abby felt certain he had tended to that as well. She also noted that her suture lines were holding nicely.
“Sorry I took off on you last night,” he said. “I have this thing about hospitals and doctors.”
Abby said she understood and introduced him to Josh.
“Nice shot,” Josh said, gesturing to the dummy. “Especially with your eyes nearly swelled shut.”
“Only fifty yards or so. I could do that blindfolded.”
“You hunt deer?”
“Don’t hunt anything. Don’t eat meat. There’re a few dummies like that one I’ve got scattered around in various places. I shoot at
them
. A long time ago I spent some time in Japan and ended up studying archery. I still like shooting—especially since I finished making this new bow.”
Abby could tell that Josh was intrigued.
“Ives, I want to help you with your leg,” she said, “but I’d also like your promise that if I get in over my head, you’ll see a specialist and at least consider doing whatever he recommends.”
Ives didn’t respond. He was studying Josh’s face.
“Olive-drab Jeep Wrangler, California license eight-two-eight, C-J-W,” he said.
They stared at him, puzzled. There was no way he could have been at the bottom of the trail to see them arrive, and then deep in the woods with a bow and arrow when they reached his camp. His expression suggested he was enjoying the game.
“Okay, Ives,” Abby said. “We give up.”
Ives entered the hut and emerged with a weighty burlap gunnysack. Without a word he led them onto an ill-defined trail beyond the hanging tree. After a hundred yards or so the woods gave way to a rocky plateau, about thirty feet wide. Beyond the plateau was a sharp drop-off revealing a magnificent vista of the valley andthe mountains. To the west was the town, perfect in miniature, stretching along the floor of the two-mile-wide valley as far as they could see. And almost directly behind them, slightly to the east, was Colstar, looking from above like an airfield with smokestacks set on a broad mesa. Ives gingerly lowered himself onto his belly and motioned for Josh and Abby to do the same. Then he reached into his sack and withdrew an impressive pair of field glasses.
“One of my hobbies,” he said, adjusting the focus, then passing the binoculars over to Abby. “For night viewing I fixed up an old pair of infrareds that work pretty well, too.”
“Josh, these are incredible,” Abby said. “See that car coming up the drive?”
“Barely. Black, Matchbox sedan.”
“Volvo. And it’s dark blue, not black.”
She passed the glasses over. Josh scanned his workplace and whistled softly.
“Amazing. Big brother Ives is watching you,” he said.
“I recognized your face because that Jeep is sort of distinctive and you have the top down a lot. By the way, you drive too fast.”
“Do the people at Colstar know you do this?” Josh asked.
“Nope. And I hope you won’t tell them. It’s just a harmless hobby. Something to pass the time when there’s no wildlife around to watch.”
“I won’t say anything,” Josh said. “I
For several seconds there was only silence. Then, from somewhere up and to their left, came the snap of a bowstring. Almost simultaneously, with a crack like a bullwhip, an arrow slammed into the dummy chest high. Reflexively, they stumbled back behind a tree.
“Be right down, Doc,” Ives hollered, his voice sounding fairly distant.
Josh walked cautiously to the dummy and inspected the arrows.
“Just one of these could bring down a jet,” he said.
Ives emerged from the woods carrying a long, richly polished bow. The tissue around his eyes was badly swollen, and, in fact, his entire face was puffed and bruised. He had changed his bloody clothes for worn chinos and a frayed work shirt with the name Normstitched above the breast pocket. There were still some flecks of dried blood in his beard, but Abby felt certain he had tended to that as well. She also noted that her suture lines were holding nicely.
“Sorry I took off on you last night,” he said. “I have this thing about hospitals and doctors.”
Abby said she understood and introduced him to Josh.
“Nice shot,” Josh said, gesturing to the dummy. “Especially with your eyes nearly swelled shut.”
“Only fifty yards or so. I could do that blindfolded.”
“You hunt deer?”
“Don’t hunt anything. Don’t eat meat. There’re a few dummies like that one I’ve got scattered around in various places. I shoot at
them
. A long time ago I spent some time in Japan and ended up studying archery. I still like shooting—especially since I finished making this new bow.”
Abby could tell that Josh was intrigued.
“Ives, I want to help you with your leg,” she said, “but I’d also like your promise that if I get in over my head, you’ll see a specialist and at least consider doing whatever he recommends.”
Ives didn’t respond. He was studying Josh’s face.
“Olive-drab Jeep Wrangler, California license eight-two-eight, C-J-W,” he said.
They stared at him, puzzled. There was no way he could have been at the bottom of the trail to see them arrive, and then deep in the woods with a bow and arrow when they reached his camp. His expression suggested he was enjoying the game.
“Okay, Ives,” Abby said. “We give up.”
Ives entered the hut and emerged with a weighty burlap gunnysack. Without a word he led them onto an ill-defined trail beyond the hanging tree. After a hundred yards or so the woods gave way to a rocky plateau, about thirty feet wide. Beyond the plateau was a sharp drop-off revealing a magnificent vista of the valley andthe mountains. To the west was the town, perfect in miniature, stretching along the floor of the two-mile-wide valley as far as they could see. And almost directly behind them, slightly to the east, was Colstar, looking from above like an airfield with smokestacks set on a broad mesa. Ives gingerly lowered himself onto his belly and motioned for Josh and Abby to do the same. Then he reached into his sack and withdrew an impressive pair of field glasses.
“One of my hobbies,” he said, adjusting the focus, then passing the binoculars over to Abby. “For night viewing I fixed up an old pair of infrareds that work pretty well, too.”
“Josh, these are incredible,” Abby said. “See that car coming up the drive?”
“Barely. Black, Matchbox sedan.”
“Volvo. And it’s dark blue, not black.”
She passed the glasses over. Josh scanned his workplace and whistled softly.
“Amazing. Big brother Ives is watching you,” he said.
“I recognized your face because that Jeep is sort of distinctive and you have the top down a lot. By the way, you drive too fast.”
“Do the people at Colstar know you do this?” Josh asked.
“Nope. And I hope you won’t tell them. It’s just a harmless hobby. Something to pass the time when there’s no wildlife around to watch.”
“I won’t say anything,” Josh said. “I
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