The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (113 page)

But then he felt her body shaking beneath him, he released her hands and very slowly and warily turned her over, and realised that she was not shaking with fear or anger but with dry, racking sobs that threatened to rob her of breath. He drew back mortified.

There were no tears in her eyes and although her mouth was open no sound came from it. He had seen babies of his friends like this, when they were so upset that they couldn’t breathe and the parent had blown on their faces causing them to catch their breath and begin crying properly. He didn’t know if this worked with adults but he had to do something.

Just as he bent down to try it she let out a sudden sharp explosive breath and the sound that emanated from her was like the cry of a wild animal in pain, he should know, he had heard that sound countless times. The tears gushed from her eyes like waterfalls. He had seen women cry before, both in his home life and in his work as a cop but never had he witnessed anything like this and never had a woman’s tears affected him this way. He sat rigid and uncertain for a moment then raised her upper body and held her head against his chest as she wailed and sobbed as though her heart would break.

He held her close to him one hand across her back the other stroking her hair and all the time he spoke gently and soothingly to her, ‘that’s it, it’s all right, just cry it out, it’s okay, it’s all alright now.’

Her shuddered sobs of anguish racked her thin frame as though she was convulsing. He said, ‘that’s it, let it all out, everything is okay now. I’ll help you, I’ll keep you safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.’ Even as he said this he asked himself how he alone could protect her, from Hennessey, from Glissando, from the law, but he knew he would try with his last breath to keep his promise.

He continued to hold her tightly and stroke her hair and back murmuring words of reassurance and comfort as she sobbed out her torment and misery. He felt awkward and embarrassed but she probably couldn’t hear him anyway.

Eventually the shuddering sobs began to subside and became gulps until eventually they ceased too and there was silence except for the occasional spasmodic hiccup. Still he did not release her but kept his arms tight around her as though if he let go she might start crying again.

Dante who had run and hid at the first anguished cry from Adela had come out of hiding when she had begun crying and stood next to her as though he wanted to add his own brand of canine comfort to Lando’s. Now he took a step towards her then backed off as if still unsure of her or whether his proximity would be welcome. When she didn’t move to push him away he stepped forward again and licked her hand, she jumped startled and he ran a few steps back then stopped and looked at her.

She slowly raised her head from Lando’s chest and looking over his shoulder smiled at Dante who, taking this as encouragement, came running back to them and once more licked her hand before once again running away. Adela let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a chuckle. She pushed herself further away from Lando’s chest and looked him in the eyes her own still swimming with tears some of which fell down her cheeks.

He could feel her fingers digging into his back and her thighs rubbing against his crotch. By now he should have had the mother of all hard on’s. But although he felt a heat surge through him, a sweet, warm sensation, it was not below his waist that he felt it but somewhere in the region of his heart.

To cover this inexplicable, not to say unwelcome emotion, he said business like, ‘we really should think about moving, I don’t want to face whoever might show up in this vulnerable position.’

He immediately cursed himself for reminding her of their problems, but to his surprise she looked up at him and smiled which looked odd with the tears still staining her cheeks and her eyes all red and swollen.

She said huskily, ‘you’re being very sensible as usual, Mr. Lando.’ Her voice sounded weary beyond measure and her eyes were almost closed. He didn’t blame her, she must be exhausted. He should be too, but he was no longer tired only invigorated. He said, ‘do you think you can walk to the cabin?’

She knew what he meant; he needed to keep his hands free just in case he should need to defend them. She nodded, ‘yes.’

‘Sure.’

She looked at him and he saw determination behind those tired red eyes. She nodded again. He put his arm around her and without hesitation she let him help her to her feet. Once up she swayed slightly and his arm tightened around her waist. He picked up his rifle and they walked to the door. Once there he called Dante who came running and they all stepped out onto the night.

Adela felt the tension in the arm that hooked around her back and knew his eyes were moving quickly but thoroughly around. Dante got to the house first and waited for them. Lando unlocked the door and Dante went in without hesitation, proving that it was safe for them to follow. Lando closed and locked then bolted the door. He led her to the bedroom and said, ‘you really need to sleep, you’re beyond exhaustion.’

She looked at him thinking, and so are you. She said shyly, ‘I…I need the bathroom.’

He nodded and watched her walk unsteadily out of the room. He touched his arm where he could still feel her warmth then turned impatiently and went into the kitchen where he filled a glass of water for her.

A few minutes later he heard the toilet flush and then the water running, soon after he heard her exit the bathroom so took the water into the bedroom.

She was still standing by the bathroom door looking pale and half dead on her feet. He put the glass down on the bedside table and went over to her saying, ‘are you okay?’

She shook her head as she regarded him sombrely, ‘no, no I’m not.’ Her words sounded slurred as though she had been drinking.

He took her arm led her to the bed and sat her down; she closed her eyes as if with relief. He handed her the water and some painkillers saying, ‘you’ve had quite a few days of it, it’s no wonder you’re feeling the strain. I know some cops who wouldn’t have coped so well or lasted so long.’

Then she surprised him by shaking her head again and saying very quietly, ‘it’s not that. He frowned. ‘Mr. Lando, I’m so sorry, so very sorry for the things I said to you, I didn’t mean them, not a word. I know you’re not what I said you were, I know you would never sell me out. And I’m sorry for what I said about your needing money for this place, I had no right to say such a thing, but I was so afraid, I didn’t know what I was saying, I know that’s no excuse but…

He cut her off, ‘ma’am, I’ve had worse things said to me.’

She looked at him for the first time since the barn and noticed the scratches on his cheek; she closed her eyes, ‘that’s not the point is it. You’ve been very good to me and I hurt you.’

She looked up at him. Was that a smile on Jonas Lando’s face, not a smirk or a twitching of his lips but a real smile, no, surely not. Maybe because her eyes were so sore from crying and she wasn't seeing clearly she had imagined it. Yes, it was probably her eyes. As for Lando, again she had nonplussed him, she was so tired she could barely speak or keep her eyes open. She had a contract killer hunting her paid for by a sadistic, wealthy, well connected psychopath, and to top it all, the cops were after her. Yet her first thought had been how she might have hurt him by her words and actions. He cleared his throat as his hand went to his cheek, ‘well I
think
I still have some antiseptic left.’

She smiled albeit a little embarrassedly. He said, ‘look, lie down for God’s sake before you fall down.’

She nodded and bent to pull off the sneakers he had loaned her but he was there first and pulled them gently from her feet swiftly checking her bandages as he did so, he seemed satisfied that no blood had seeped through. He then took her feet and swung her legs onto the bed and her head fell back onto the pillows. Taking the blanket from the end of the bed and covered her with it then stood looking down on her. She looked up at him and their gazes locked and held until as said softly, ‘not that what you said in the barn bothered me, but if it makes you feel any better. I know you didn’t mean what you said; it was the fear and panic talking after those two cops showed up. That was the catalyst. You were just lashing out. I’ve been waiting it for it to happen; I’m just surprised it took so long. It’s called post traumatic stress, I’ve seen it before. So don’t worry about anything you might have said, I understand you didn’t mean it.’

She stared at him looking for the lie but all she saw was sincerity and concern. Her eyes began to close as she said sleepily, ‘if you were anyone else I would think you were just trying to be nice.’

His eyebrows shot up and his head jerked back but by now her eyes had closed completely so she didn’t see the grin that split his face. Then it faded to be replaced by a frown of impatience. He tried to quash the long dormant feelings of protectiveness she aroused in him as he looked down at her curled like a baby, so defenceless and vulnerable. He glanced down at Dante who was looking at him oddly, Lando said, ‘coming?’

For answer Dante sat down on the rug at the foot of the bed and Lando after giving him an exasperated look left the room mumbling, ‘traitor.’

In the kitchen he sipped his coffee trying not to think about what had just happened. Not her verbal attack nor her crying, but how strange it had been to hold another human being so close. To hear the thudding of a heart against his chest, to feel soft skin against his rough cheek and feel warm breath on his neck, to smell a woman’s natural scent.

He tried not to see a pair of green eyes swimming with tears, but bright and shining and full of gratitude and how all of that had made him feel inside. He tried very hard not to think about it, but the harder he tried the more he thought about it. He had been awkward and uncomfortable holding her like that, all wrong, why then had it felt so right. He touched his shirt front; he could still feel the damp patch where her tears had seeped through the cloth onto his skin and into his heart, which suddenly seemed to start beating again like a long dead flower miraculously brought back to life. God, where had that come from? When had he suddenly become the poet?

He cursed vehemently and thumped his fist onto the work counter then looked quickly towards the bedroom door but he heard nothing.

He could not believe that Dante, that nervous, timid, cowardly excuse for a dog should take such a fancy to the woman. Dante, who ran a mile at the sound of another human being in the distance had not only approached her but licked her hand, what the fuck was that about?

He must stop thinking like this, about her, he knew what was wrong with him, he was horny, he needed a woman, any woman. Seven, almost eight years, God, no wonder he was thinking like this, like a randy adolescent.

He threw his mug into the sink impatiently and walked into the living room area. He opened the cupboard that was built into a wall and reaching onto the top shelf pulled down a small white box. He sat down on the armchair and set the box on his lap and slowly lifted the lid. He hesitated for a few seconds before pulling the Smith and Wesson Chief’s Special from inside the box. This was not his service weapon but his own personal gun; they had of course taken his service weapon when he had been arrested along with his badge.

He held the gun gently as though it was a precious piece of china. He checked the barrel of the Smith and Wesson to make sure it was empty then put the box on the coffee table then reached in again and pulled out a small black bag, he opened it to reveal the gun’s cleaning equipment. He turned the weapon over in his hand thinking, seven years, seven years since he had cleaned this gun, seven years since he had touched it or even looked at it, since he had used it or needed to use it.

He felt a sudden and heart wrenching nostalgia for those times. Times when he and Dan Rivers had sat in their department issued vehicle chatting and laughing but ever watchful and wary. Times when they had watched each other's backs and covered for one another as partners should, as friends should, until he had let his partner and friend down with his recklessness and anger. He missed it, the excitement, the danger, the partnership, the friendship, the camaraderie, the company. He snatched up the bag impatiently and began to clean the weapon trying not to reflect on past times, trying not to dwell on present times, trying not to think about the woman lying in his bed.

He stripped the gun, brushed and oiled it then reassembled it. He then checked the ammo for rust, loaded it and put it in the drawer of the coffee table. He had also found more ammunition for his rifle and put it in his pockets. Now he was ready, ready for what or who and how many he wasn’t sure but he had done all he could for now.

His biggest worry of course was the animals, he hated the thought of them getting caught up in whatever might happen, but there was little he could do, they were too sick or too young to move. He thought once again about going into Alban and soliciting Sheriff Lomax’s help.

But then he would either have to leave her here something he did not want to do under any circumstances. One, because she might run again, and two, she would be vulnerable and unable to defend herself against whoever might come. Or he would have to take her with him and then they would both be vulnerable to whoever might be lying in wait for them in the cover of the woods.

No, they were on their own, or more accurately,
he
was on his own. Then he chastised himself for dismissing her out of hand like that, she had proved that she was more than a  rash, foolhardy woman who ventured far and wide in strange and dangerous places for fun. She had proved that she was innovative and self reliant and gutsy. Valiant, that was the word that came to him. Nevertheless she had never handled a gun, the first time she had seen him with his rifle she had paled, she had been more afraid of that than of him.