The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (125 page)

Lando looked at him with suspicion and Hennessey said, ‘would you rather I’d let him kill you?’

‘Might have saved
you
the trouble.’

‘Oh it would have been no trouble, Mr. Lando. But don’t take it too personally; I’ve wanted to do that since I first laid eyes on those two motherfuckers.’

Lando eyed him with scorn, ‘don’t tell me Glissando paid you to do me as well as the woman.’

Hennessey gave a short laugh and picked up the key to the handcuffs which he handed to Lando who, after giving him a distrustful glance, unlocked the other cuff from his wrist. Hennessey said, ‘now that’s one of the things we gotta talk about, Mr. Lando.’

Lando frowned but before he could reply Adela came back into the room and ignoring Hennessey said to Lando, ‘Mr. Lando, Dante really needs a vet, his breathing is very shallow. I think his broken ribs are restricting his breathing.’

Hennessey didn’t attempt to stop Lando as he moved swiftly past him to the bedroom. Adela said to his back ‘I’ll get Dante some water.’

Hennessey told her, ‘get some for yourself too; you look as if you need it.’

Adela ignored him but did as he had said anyway. He nodded towards a bag he had thrown on the table, ‘there’s clothes and shoes in there for you.’ She looked towards the bag astonished that he had thought of that, but then he thought of everything didn’t he. She wanted to tell him to stick the clothes, but the temptation to change into something clean was too much. Still, she wouldn’t thank him, why should she? It was his fault she had no clothes in the first place. So she said nothing and he picked up the bag and waited for her while she drank some water then fill a bowl for Dante. He stepped aside to let her precede him into the bedroom.

Lando was kneeling by the bed checking Dante’s bandages but looked up briefly when Adela put the water on the bed next to Dante’s mouth saying, ‘come on boy, try to drink some of this, there’s a good dog.’ Dante raised his head and sniffed at the water but then lay back down again as though the effort was too much. Adela almost cried.

Lando said, ‘one of the broken ribs has punctured his lung.’

She had suspected this but still put her hand to her mouth to stifle a cry, ‘we have to get a vet, Mr. Lando.’

Before he could reply Hennessey said, ‘sorry, that won’t be possible.’

Adela turned on him, ‘for God’s sake, you have what you came for…me. Let’s just leave and let Mr. Lando fetch the vet to his dog.’

Hennessey regarded her a trifle sadly and shook his head, ‘it’s not that, Miss. Faraday, I’m not unsympathetic, it’s just not safe to leave here yet, not for you and not for Mr. Lando.’

She frowned in confusion but also with suspicion, ‘but those men are…are dead now.’

Lando sto
od up, ‘the guy who’s bringing the boat,’ he turned to Hennessey, ‘he’ll show up before long.’

Hennessey said, ‘guys actually, well they
were
guys, now they’re just alligator food.’

Lando arched his eyebrows and Adela shook her head at the casual way he talked about ending someone’s life.

He said, ‘you disapprove, Miss. Faraday, of me no doubt, but what about your friend here? He kills three men yet you don’t look at him with contempt and loathing.’

‘That was different; he was defending himself…and me. And anyway, I’m not going to justify Mr. Lando’s actions to
you
of all people.’

Hennessey chuckled, ‘you used to defend me like that too.’

She looked away obviously disgusted with him and Lando said, ‘if not the two men with the boat then who?’

He hesitated looking at Adela as though still remembering when she had defended
him
. Eventually he answered, ‘well for one, the feds, those in Glissando's pay, will see you and know something has gone wrong.  They’ll detain you for questioning then you’ll be no use to Miss. Faraday or your dog. Plus, when you don’t show up at the rendezvous point they’ll send more men, there are several here in town and some waiting a few miles into the woods. When they can’t get their friends on the phone they’ll come here in force.’

Lando said, ‘you’ve been in town?’

Hennessey nodded, ‘not as myself of course,’ he grinned, ‘small town folk are so easy to fool. From old inane sheriffs to overly friendly waitresses, they see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear.’

Adela couldn’t help it, she said, ‘I think most of us are guilty of that. But then you’re an expert in fooling people aren’t you, Mr. Hennessey.’

The smile slid from his face, ‘there are some people I get no pleasure out of fooling, Miss. Faraday.’

The seriousness of his tone surprised her but she eyed him with mistrust, ‘if you’re so good at disguising yourself perhaps you could back into town, maybe disguised as a halfway decent person, give yourself a real challenge.’

Hennessey looked taken aback at her sarcasm as did Lando; she was certainly hiding her fear of him very well. She knew of course why he was here, she must be recalling in vivid detail the ordeal she had suffered at his hands, yet she was standing up to him and treating him as though he was a naughty boy who had gotten up to mischief once too often. He would have laughed if he had not been so consumed with worry for Dante and he had to admit, her too.

Hennessey glanced at his watch, ‘I have a guy watching Glissando’s men, he’ll call me when they make a move.’

Lando said, ‘I thought hired killers worked alone, that they never trusted anyone else.’

‘I don’t usually, but it’s amazing how much cooperation an operative of Homeland Security can get.’ He grinned, ‘the guy believes he’s helping to bring terrorists to justice.’

Adela’s head shot up, ‘it’s Sammy isn’t it?’

Hennessey
arched his brows then smiled at her. ‘He’s just a boy,’ she said with contempt, ‘how could you get him involved in this?’

‘He thinks he’s doing some good, he was very happy camper when I left him spying on Glissando’s guys.’

‘He doesn’t know what kind of men they are, how dangerous, he could get hurt.’

‘He won’t, he’s not quite as simple as you might think.’

‘It’s not matter of simple; he could slip up and give himself away.’

Hennessey shrugged, ‘I did what I had to do, and also gave the kid something to tell his grandchildren.’

Adela shook her head and mumbled something that Hennessey couldn’t quite catch but was sure had the word unbelievable in there somewhere.

Lando
, impatient now asked, ‘so what now, Hennessey? What’s your plan?’

‘Plan? Well, first off I think Miss. Faraday should make us some coffee.’

At Adela’s indignant look he hurried on, ‘I’m not being sexist, Miss. Faraday, it’s not  because you’re a woman, but because as I recall you make very nice coffee, don’t you think so, Mr Lando?’

Lando didn’t answer and Hennessey said, ‘oh, she never made any for you, hey? Pity, it really is very good. But then there are a lot of things about Miss. Faraday that are very good, maybe you discovered those instead.’

Neither man saw Adela’s blush because they were looking at each other. Hennessey read the warning in Lando’s eyes correctly and said contritely, ‘sorry, I’m at my most flippant when the situation is most serious.’ He became grave now as he added, ‘and believe me when I tell you this situation is
very
serious. More of Glissando’s men are coming here for Miss. Faraday, and they won’t let you get in the way of their goal, Lando.’

'Or your plans for her?' Lando replied as he stood up.

Hennessey said nothing but glanced over at Adela his expression soft, but Adela was not fooled for a moment, she had seen that look before.

Lando stood up, ‘so the plan is to drink coffee and wait, is that it?’

‘Coffee is only the first part of the plan, Mr. Lando, as for the rest we’ll just to have to wait and see what happens.’

‘I never did like wait and see kinda plans.’
Lando replied tartly.

Hennessey walked over to Lando and gave an exaggerated sigh, ‘so, no coffee then. Suit yourself.’ He took a gun from behind his back.

Adela gasped and stepped back, but Lando kept Hennessey’s eye waiting for the thing he had been expecting ever since he had heard Hennessey’s voice. A bullet in the head, and with his own weapon too.

Adela stood clutching her hands to her chest ready to plead with Hennessey, to beg him on her knees if necessary not to kill Lando. To tell him that she was ready to go with him to Glissando. That she would do anything he asked if he just let Lando live. But before she could speak and to her, not to mention Lando’s utter amazement, Hennessey flipped the gun over so that the butt was now facing Lando and held it out to him.

Lando locked eyes with him looking for the trick, but could see nothing in the other man’s eyes. The woman was right, he was very good, his face gave nothing away of his feelings, at least nothing he didn’t want them to see.  Hennessey smiled, ‘it’s up to you of course, but I think you might need this before we’re through.’

Lando slowly raised his hand and took the Smith and Wesson from Hennessy’s fingers and immediately pointed it at hi
m. Hennessey only grinned, ‘you can pull the trigger if you like, Mr. Lando, but I think you’ll find you’re gonna need me before this day is over.’

‘Maybe I’ll take my chances.’

‘Oh I’ve no doubt you would, but what about her,’ he nodded in Adela’s direction, ‘the men that are coming aren’t fools like Tweedledum and Tweedledee back there. And they’re coming with a small arsenal and I’m not just talking guns but C.S. gas…which you’re already felt the effects of for yourself, and flash bangs. You’re gonna have to bring them down before they can lob one in here and that will prove very difficult on your own. What you gonna do, give
her
a weapon?’

Lando cast his eyes in Adela’s direction then very slowly lowered the weapon. Adela’s mind was a whirl of confusion, what was Hennessey doing? What game was he playing now? She didn’t know it but she was echoing Lando’s own thoughts.

Hennessey, after giving Lando one last amused look turned his back on him, supremely confident that Lando wouldn’t shoot him, and certainly not in the back. He said, ‘so how about that coffee?’

He had reached the door when Lando said, ‘Hennessey.’ Hennessey turned, ‘when this is over, when we’ve dealt with your boss’s goons, all bet’s are off, understood?’

Hennessey stared at him for a long moment and Adela was afraid that he would take offence at Lando’s comment about his “boss” and change his mind and there would be a shoot out between the two men. But he only grinned again, ‘I understand. I’d be disappointed with anything less from you, Mr. Lando. ‘He turned to leave the room but said over his shoulder, ‘hey, I’ll even let you pretend you’re a cop again, try to arrest me, it’ll be like old times for you.’

Lando gripped the gun tighter in his fingers but said nothing only watched him leave before sticking the gun in the waistband of his jeans and turning back to Dante. Adela watched for a moment then sat down abruptly on the bed before her legs gave way completely. Not daring to look at Lando she stroked Dante’s head and said, ‘Mr. Lando, this is all wrong.’

He looked at her, ‘what is?’

‘Hennessey giving you a weapon, offering to fight alongside you, it’s all wrong, he’s up to something.’

‘Ya think?’

She ignored his sarcasm, ‘I’m so sorry,’ she looked at Dante, ‘this is all my fault, if not for me you wouldn’t be in this mess and Dante wouldn’t be lying here hurt.’ She looked up at him and flinched again at the cut lip and huge bruises
on his cheek and jaw. ‘Mr. Lando, you have a weapon now, just go, go and get help for Dante. If you lose against Glissando’s men you’ll die, if you beat them Hennessey will take me with him and kill you. So either way you’re just throwing your life away by staying here.’

He stared into her eyes until she became uncomfortable then he said, ‘well it’s like you
said; I have this death wish thing going on. I have to keep punishing myself or I’m not happy.’

Her eyes opened wide as her face reddened, she looked away from his steely gaze. He stood a moment longer watching her face then walked to the door. But as he walked out he caught the whispered words, ‘I hoped I might have been wrong.’

In the kitchen Hennessey was standing watching the kettle boil. He turned as Lando came into the room, ‘I’m sorry about your dog.’

Lando didn’t reply he was thinking about what he’d just said to the woman. He shouldn’t have spoken to her like that, especially since she had said what she had out of concern for him. She seemed to be obsessed with trying to save people, even from themselves. He recalled how she had taken care of Dante, so expertly and so tenderly. 

Her last words came to him, that she hoped she was wrong about him not caring whether he lived or died. Why would it matter to her whether he lived with guilt or not? But he felt ashamed of himself and he didn’t like that feeling.

Hennessey’s voice broke into his musings. ‘She’s something ain’t she?’

Lando’s head snapped up to see Hennessey smiling that knowing smile which was really beginning to piss him off.