"I'll shoot some bank robbers if they don't hand over that money," Grande said. He had his gun out and looked almost purposeful. Negus and Stacy made no attempt to go for their guns, Stacy seemed nervous but Negus went on counting the money without looking up. "Is it your money, Vince?" Jerry Lynch asked. "You know damn well whose money it is. Now let's have it." "I'm afraid I couldn't do that," the lawyer said. "In the first place I wouldn't want to, thirty-three and a third per cent of it being mine, and in the second place you have no authority." "I'm the chief of police," Grande said doggedly. "I don't want to spill any blood--" "Don't flash your badge at me, Vince," Lynch said. Negus had finished counting the money and the lawyer took one of the piles and put it in various pockets. "I said you had no authority. Bank robbery is a federal offense. Not that I admit there's been a robbery. But if you suspect a crime it's your duty to go to the proper authorities. The FBI would be indicated, if you know where they can be reached." "Yeah," Joe Negus said. "Go take a flying jump for yourself, Chief." "Listen, you cheap crook--" "Hardly cheap, Vince," Lynch said. "And not even a crook, in my professional opinion. Mr. Negus pleads extra-territoriality." * * * * * That was the start of Superior's crime wave. Somebody broke the plate-glass window of George Tocher's dry-goods store and got away with blankets, half a dozen overcoats and several sets of woolen underwear. A fuel-oil truck disappeared from the street outside of Dabney Brothers' and was found abandoned in the morning. About nine hundred gallons had been drained out--as if someone had filled his cellar tank and a couple of his neighbors'. The back door of the supermarket was forced and somebody made off with a variety of groceries. The missing goods would have just about filled one car. Each of these crimes was understandable--Superior's growing food and fuel shortage and icy temperatures had led a few people to desperation. But there were other incidents. Somebody smashed the window at Kimbrough's Jewelry Store and snatched a display of medium-priced watches. Half a dozen young vandals sneaked into the Catholic Church and began toppling statues of the saints. When they were surprised by Father Brian they fled, bombarding him with prayer books. One of the books shattered a stained-glass window depicting Christ dispensing loaves and fishes. Somebody started a fire in the movie-house balcony and nearly caused a panic. Vincent Grande rushed from place to place, investigating, but rarely learned enough to make an arrest. The situation was becoming unpleasant. Superior had always been a friendly place to live, where everyone knew everyone else, at least to say hello to, but now there was suspicion and fear, not to mention increasing cold and threatened famine.