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Winston Cooper stared at the wall clock. He’d typed up the reports, not that there’d been much to type, marked in the central log each time one of the patrolmen checked in, and soon after ten he could advance to his room and go to sleep.
“Mister Cooper, Sir,” Sergeant de la Vega said, “Goodheart called in. He says there’s something strange in the sky south of town. Bright blue flames.”
“That’s different,” Winston answered. “South is the heath. I’d better check. Sergeant, Mister Morton, Gramps always wants two men here, so no matter what don’t leave until I get back. I’ll take the car, should be back in ten minutes or less. Sergeant, you have the desk until I get back.” He shook his head. “Blue flames in the sky? What next?”
A short drive through quiet streets later, Winston reached the end of Coatney Lane. There were streets closer to the Sheriff’s Office, but here he had a good view to the south. There were the flames, as promised, bright blue, shifting like an aurora but the wrong color. And they appeared to be striking the ground, off toward the heath’s center. He listened carefully, There was a distant growl, like a mountain lion but higher in pitch. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could spot people standing at the edge of town and pointing.
Where was it coming from? He glanced skyward. The flames formed a cone, a cone whose skyward vertex very much appeared to be the mysterious airship. Okay, he thought, this appeared to be another piece in the puzzle, but what does it mean? Going out there to look at the flames close up, where they hit the ground, sounded unsafe. Besides, that area was surely outside his jurisdiction, so it was someone else’s problem. He returned to the Sheriff’s Office and began composing a report.
He’d have to ask Miss Hayes if she had made some sketches. Even if she hadn’t, that would be a good excuse to say hello and tip his hat to her. Of course, thanks to his deal with Gramps, he was approximately flat broke, but he could still stay in practice for the future.
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