“Here’s another,” Curt said. He handed over an additional communicator. “Now here’s what I want to do. I want two guys up at the next corner of Hancock and Willow with a radio. I want two guys back behind us at the corner of Hancock and Banks with another radio. Nat, I want you to position yourself so that you can pick up either group if the need arises.”

“What are we supposed to do?” Kevin questioned. “Just stand out there in the dark?”

“You’re going to be point men, you big lunkhead,” Curt snapped. “Lookouts.”

“What are we to look for?” Kevin questioned. “This town’s deader than a doornail.”

“The local fuzz,” Curt said. “Last time Steve and I were out here, they cruised around a lot. Let’s hope they don’t show up, but if they do, you’re to create some kind of diversion: whatever it takes to keep the cops busy while we get the truck out of the enclosure, and on its way.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Kevin persisted.

“Just make a fuss,” Curt said with exasperation. “Argue or yell at each other. Once the cops get a load of your appearance, it’ll be like flies to flypaper. If they want to take you to the stationhouse, let them. As usual, tell them nothing. The worst-case scenario is that they might keep you overnight, but that would be it. Trust me.”

“I got it,” Nat called from the driver’s seat.

Kevin started to argue that he had no intention of being in jail overnight, but Nat cuffed him on top of the head and told him to shut up.

“Nat, you give me a call when everybody is in position,” Curt said.

“No problem,” Nat said, and he drove forward.

Nat had advanced no more than fifty feet when a police cruiser rounded the corner ahead and started toward the two trucks.

“Shit!” Curt cried. “Everybody down!”

Curt and the others hunkered down in their seats as the police cruiser’s headlights penetrated the cab.

“This is just what I was afraid of,” Curt whispered. The sudden appearance of the police reminded him of the experience they’d had when they’d stolen the fermenters from the microbrewery in New Jersey. They’d been startled by a security guard who’d walked into their midst while the crew was busy unhooking the plumbing. Curt had not thought about positioning lookouts, so they’d been caught completely unawares.