“Trooper Truth doesn’t exist, ” Hammer said.
“All right, let me ask you this, ” Andy said, trying to regain his composure. “If you never thought of me as Trooper Truth, then who was Trooper Truth to you? Did you have some fantasy about him, huh?”
“We need to disengage ourselves from this pointless, inane conversation right this minute, ” Hammer said.
“We’ve got a major operation about to happen and need to focus on that, for God’s sake. ”
“You’re absolutely right, ” he said in a steadier tone. “It truly doesn’t matter to me that you are or aren’t a fan of Trooper Truth or anyone, including me. I’m not a fan of anybody, either. Never have been, ” he added as the telephone rang.
“Wooo! We got us a real problem, Brazil, ” an excited Macovich said over the line. “The guv don’t want to take the helicopter to the race!”
“You’re kidding, ” Andy said. “Why the hell not? You’ll just have to talk him into it. Tell him for security reasons he must fly in… ”
“It won’t work. Seems like he’s all of a sudden got it in his head he’s gotta have a big litter box for this little horse he just got. I think that damn ugly pool-shark daughter had something to do with it. I ain’t never heard something so stupid in my life, but there’s nothing we can do. He’s got troopers to fill the back of his limo with woodchips and we can’t talk him out of it. So he and the First Family are going by limo and that’s final. I got to drive him. I’m real sorry, I don’t know what else to tell you. ”
“But what about Smoke and the road dogs?” Andy protested. “What are they going to do when the helicopter doesn’t show up to take them to the race? And they’ve got Popeye!”
“All I know is they’re supposed to meet me at the MCV helipad, and I ain’t gonna be there. ”
“Shit!” Andy exclaimed as he slammed down the phone.
He explained what was going on, and it pained him to see the anguish flicker across Hammer’s face as she realized that Popeye might not be saved and their entire plan had just crashed and burned. Smoke and the road dogs were still at large unless she could think of a way to lure them into a trap. Now it was unlikely they’d show up at the race.
“If they wait for the helicopter and it doesn’t come, they’re going to figure out that something’s up, ” Hammer said, dejected. “They’ll figure out that Cat has probably been grabbed by us and we’ve got half the state police force waiting for them at the racetrack. All because of a goddamn minihorse!”
Andy was silent. Both of them knew that it was Andy who had planted the minihorse in the governor’s mind by suggesting it on the Trooper Truth website.
“I don’t know what to say, I’m… ” Andy started to say.
“It’s too late for apologies, ” a crestfallen Hammer replied. “And you don’t need to apologize anyway, Andy. It’s not your fault. I was the one who went along with this Trooper Truth charade, never realizing the repercussions it might have. I just hope Popeye… Well, ” she said, her voice breaking. “I just hope she doesn’t suffer … ” she blurted out in grief as tears welled in her eyes. “Damn it all!”
“Wait a minute, ” Andy said as an incredible but simple idea occurred to him. “Donny Brett flies a four-thirty!”
“Who?” Hammer asked as she dug in her Harley bag for a tissue and handcuffs clanked against a pistol.
“You know, number eleven! He’s got six wins so far this year, including Martinsville and Bristol, and the reason I know about his bird is Bell has used it in a lot of ads. It’s painted with Brett’s colors and he always arrives at the races in it, so it’s probably sitting at the racetrack helipad even as we speak. Yes!” Andy’s thoughts flew so fast he was scarcely making sense. “Family of one of the drivers. That’s it! And we’ll just show up at MCV in Brett’s helicopter and fly that son of a bitch Smoke and his road dogs ourselves!”