The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (151 page)

She looked at him and frowned perplexed but didn’t pursue it. Jackson was all seriousness now, ‘Miss. Faraday, you asked me what happened, well, you fell on a knife, it punctured your spleen. I’m sorry, we had to perform a splenectomy.’

She hardly seem to hear him so he went on, ‘but don’t worry, it’s not a vital organ,

you can live quite easily without it. But you’ll have to take antibiotics from now on; you can’t afford to catch any kind of infection.’

She closed her eyes tightly and he said, ‘you also have a dislocated shoulder as I’ve said and some minor cuts and abrasions which should heal in time. You should be in hospital at least a week, perhaps longer, but after that you’ll be as good as new. All right.’

She nodded and winced again. He smiled, ‘I told you, try not to move too much, okay?’

‘Then stop asking me questions that require a nod or shake of the head.’

He laughed out loud, ‘well if you carry on like that you’ll be outta here by the day after tomorrow. Anyway, there’s someone outside who would like to see you.’

Her stomach clenched and her heart began to thump uncomfortably. She stammered, ‘the…the police?’

He frowned, ‘take it easy now, no, not the police. Although they were here, some sheriff from a place called Alba
ny I think. And even a couple FBI agents, but they left, oh, hours ago.’

She closed her eyes thinking, they’ll be back. She said, ‘what time is it?’

‘10.33.’

‘In the morning?’

‘No, at night.’

She frowned, ‘how long have I been here?’

‘Thirty hours give or take.’

She closed her eyes again, thirty hours, thirty hours for Lando to be questioned and taken off to prison. Thirty hours for Hennessey to do what he had threatened and find Olivia. She felt ill and disoriented although she tried not to show the doctor her distress.

But he saw her agitation and said, ‘you’re worrying about things and you shouldn’t be, everything is okay, really.’

That’s al
l you know, she thought. Jackson said, ‘maybe I should tell your visitor to come back another time, when you’re more rested.’

A horrible thought came to her and her head whipped round but this time she didn’t notice the pain. She was about to say she didn’t want to see whoever it was when Jackson added, ‘he was here all during your surgery then he left for a while, now he’s back and been waiting for hours for you to wake. Name of Landry I think.’

Her relief was so great it almost overshadowed her surprise. Almost.

She said, ‘it’s Lando, and please, let him in.’

He hesitated then said, ‘all right, but just for a few minutes then rest, ma’am or else I’ll have to sedate you.’ But he smiled to take the threat out of his words.

She said, ‘thank you, Doctor Jackson, for everything.’

He smiled, ‘you’re very welcome, Miss. Faraday. Now don’t talk too long, okay?’

She nodded then
groaned and he laughed, ‘you’ll learn…eventually.’ Then he went out of the room.

She hadn’t returned his smile, she wondered if she would ever smile again. She lay back on the pillow taking deep breaths her eyes on the door. She desperately wanted to know what had happened whilst she’d been unconscious. But more importantly she needed to know how Lando was and what had happened to him. She found her heart was beating very fast, just as it had when she had thought the police were waiting out there for her, or worse still, Hennessey.

When Lando came into the room the first thing she noticed was that he had shaved and he was wearing an obviously new pale grey shirt. He looked clean and tidy. She wished she did.

He approached the bed but stopped six feet away from it, he looked as uncomfortable as she felt. After a silence that seemed to stretch into infinity. He asked finally, ‘how you feeling?’

She answered truthfully, ‘really, really awful.’

His eyebrows rose, he had expected her to say, okay, fine, all right. But he liked her honesty. He said inanely, ‘well, yeah.’

She asked, ‘how are
you
?’

‘Okay.’

‘I’m surprised to see you here.’

He looked even more uncomfortable and she rushed on, ‘I mean, I thought you would be with the police, answering questions, that kind of thing.’

‘I done that.’

‘Oh.’

She waited for him to elaborate when he didn’t she had to ask, ‘what happened?’

He shrugged, ‘I told 'em what happened and they let me go.’

She was aghast, ‘just like that?’

‘Yeah, just like that.’

‘I just thought well, after everything, they might put you in jail.’ Her lips turned up just the slightest, ‘unless you’ve escaped of course.’

‘I didn’t escape.’

‘Then…

‘What is this? You’re worse than the feds. Don’t you believe me? Do you think they’re waiting outside to take me to jail?’

She was taken aback by his sudden anger but said quietly, ‘of course I believe you, I’m just surprised that’s all. I mean after everything, well, you know, I just thought…’

She left the sentence unfinished and with a deep sigh turned her face away from him. He felt ashamed of his brusqueness. He said more mildly, ‘look, there’s a lot to tell, but now isn’t the time, you’re still very weak. You need time to recover. All you need to know is that you’re in the clear, the cops won’t be bothering you.’

She turned to look at him again her eyes wide in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak but he forestalled her by holding up his hand. ‘I said later.’

She looked at him frustrated but saw he was immovable…as usual. So she nodded then inevitably winced. He said, ‘are you okay, shall I get the doctor?’

‘Oh no, it’s just hurts when I move, or speak,’ her lips moved upwards again in that not quite a smile way as she finished, ‘or breath.’

‘Well there ain’t nothing you can do about the last one, but the first two are easily remedied.’

She studied his face but he didn’t seem to be joking. Her own expression very serious now as she said, ‘just one question then I’m done with that subject…for now anyway.’

He looked uncertain then nodded and she said one word. ‘Hennessey?’

He hesitated then said very quietly, ‘he’s gone.’ He did not add that he had been here in this hospital checking up on her, he didn’t think she would want to hear that when she was in this vulnerable position, it would only freak her out. He added, ‘he won’t be back.’

She stared at him not really believing him he knew. But changing the subject she said,

‘I thought you would want to go home, see to your animals and...everything.'

‘They’re being well taken care of, according to Sheriff Lomax.’

‘Oh that’s good. Sheriff Lomax seems like an awfully nice man. A good friend.’

Lando
gave her a sharp look, ‘you’re tired and need to rest, so I’ll leave you to…do that.’

She said nothing so he turned to leave but at the door stopped a
nd turned as she said, ‘Mr. Lando. Will…are you leaving for Alban right now?’

His
eyes met hers and held them; in hers he saw the emotions chase one another. There was uncertainty there and trepidation as well as expectation. She was trying to sound nonchalant but failing. He told himself that she was only concerned that he come back and tell her everything that had happened. He said brusquely, ‘I’ll be back.’ He added ‘then I’ll tell you everything you need to know.’

There was a mixture of relief and hurt in her eyes that confused him.
He felt those eyes on him as he left the room.

When he’d gone Adela let out a long sigh then closed her eyes. Lando would have been satisfied to know that just for once she obeyed him and fell into a deep sleep.

Lando found his way to Leyton’s room and found the man sitting up in bed looking much better than he had any right to and laughing with a cute, curly haired nurse. She was saying, ‘oh you policemen,
so
naughty.’

Leyton’s laughter ceased abruptly as he spied Lando but his smile remained. He called, ‘come in, Detective Lando.’

Lando frowned in consternation at the title but Leyton slanted his eyes towards the nurse and said mock sternly, ‘the only visitors I seem to be allowed these days are cops.’

Lando understood
, ‘just a few questions, Detective Leyton.’

As the nurse passed Lando she looked him up and down then gave him a huge smile which he returned with a scowl that only seemed to amuse her more. She left giggling and Leyton said, ‘she loves cops.’

‘Ya don’t say.’

Leyton laughed again
, ‘sit down, detective. I’d shake your hand but I’m afraid my arm might drop off.’

Lando sat next to the bed and noticed that Leyton’s eyes were glazed and his voice was slightly slurred,
caused by the pain meds no doubt. He said, ‘you can drop the detective now, Detective Leyton, your admirer has gone.’

‘And you can drop the Detective Leyton, it’s Ellis.’

Lando looked surprised then uncomfortable but said nothing. All humour gone now Leyton asked, ‘how is Adela? Is she okay?’

Lando’s jaw clenched at the easy and familiar way he said her name. He said, ‘I think her exact words were, “really, really awful,” so that should tell you she’s her normal, frank self.’

Leyton chuckled, ‘I’m trying to persuade one of the nurses to let me go see her.’

‘From what I’ve seen that shouldn’t be too hard.’

Leyton grinned, ‘jealous, Detective?’

Lando’s eyebrows shot up sure that Leyton’s question had a double meaning but the man’s face was pure innocence.

Leyton shook his head, ‘I can’t believe all that happened actually happened, that we brought down one of the most powerful men in Alabama, probably in the entire south. I can’t believe that Adela got caught up in all this and that she should be hurt like that. It ain’t right, Mr. Lando.’

Lando looked away and said quietly, ‘no, it ain’t.’

A small smile played around Leyton’s lips and his voice was soft as he said, ‘I remember the day I went to her cabin, everything was so neat and tidy like she was expecting the Queen to call.’

Lando recalled how she had tidied up after herself in the bedroom and bathroom, everything neat and in its place; even in the state she was in she had cleaned the shower after using it. He said, ‘yeah, she’s a neat freak all right.’

Leyton said, ‘she made tea in a teapot with milk in a jug and sugar in a bowl like she was the lady of the manor.’ He laughed, ‘I felt like the gardener invited to tea with the duchess.’

Lando gave a small smile only because he thought he should, but secretly his stomach clenched at the vision of Leyton and the woman sitting sipping tea in the privacy of her cabin. He knew this was stupid on so many levels, mainly because at that time she would hardly be thinking about starting a romance with a cop while she was suspected of being a conspirator in a savage attack. Before he could stop himself he blurted out, ‘like Lady Chatterley’s lover do ya mean?’

He regretted it as soon as he’d said it, he sounded like a jealous high school kid, besides he didn’t want to give Leyton any ideas.

Leyton seemed taken aback but
then smiled, ‘something like that, yeah.’ He sighed and his face took on a grave expression, ‘in that chamber, she was magnificent you know, stood up to Glissando, told him what she thought of him. She’s a brave lady, not to mention good and kind and decent. She’ll make someone a wonderful wife one day.’

Lando said nothing but stared at the other man who stared back with something in his eyes Lando didn’t like. Leyton said, ‘so have they told you what they’re gonna do with me?’

Lando was glad of the change of subject, ‘yeah. How do you feel about that, keeping quiet about what went on?’

Leyton shrugged then winced, ‘okay I suppose,’ he grinned, ‘although I have to admit that it would have improved my standing with the ladies to be a hero. But I can see where they’re coming from. Anyway they offered me either retirement or promotion.’

‘You decided which?’

Leyton looked away as if thinking
before saying quietly, ‘I love this job, and despite everything,’ he looked down at his bandaged chest, ‘still do, so yeah, I think I’ll take that promotion. Be the youngest captain in the department.’

Lando smiled then became serious as Leyton his voice low and sorrowful said, ‘I wish Pat could have been here to see it, he’d have had an embolism. He was a prick, but he was a loyal, honest prick.’

Lando had to agree. He nodded. ‘I never had chance to thank you for saving our lives.’

Leyton’s looked askance at him, ‘don’t thank me for
that,
Mr. Lando,
you
saved
us
. I was never so relived to see anyone in my life. I’m grateful to you, and despite what he is, to Hennessey too.’

‘Don’t get too carried away, it was because of him that
you got involved, he owed you. Besides, that guy enjoys the danger; he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’