The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (21 page)

‘H
er name is Adela Anne Faraday, single, never travelled overseas before. She booked a tour of the southern states spending a week in each location, starting her and moving eastwards, next stop Mississippi as we said. Her passport photo matches the description we have ourselves. But apart from that there’s nothing, she doesn’t have a criminal record of any kind so doesn’t show up on any database. It’s hard to get information on a foreign tourist, sir, but Dougie did his best.’

‘At least we now have a name and a description, well done, Guildenstern.’

Guildenstern preened and Rosencrantz felt the urge to shoot him dead right then and there.

Glissando leaned back in his chair and did the finger steepling thing again. He stayed like
this for a few minutes before saying, ‘this German woman, what did she look like?’

There was a glitter in Glissando’s eyes that Rosencrantz had seen only a few times since he’d been in his employ it meant trouble with a capital T. He said, ‘it was hard to say, she was wearing a big ugly hat and sunglasses.’

‘How tall was she? Was she thin, fat, white, black, Asian, what?’

‘S
he was white and thin,’ Rozencrantz replied, ‘too thin really, and not too tall say about yay high.’ He put his hand about five feet or so from the ground.

Glissando looked at Rosencrantz’s hand as if it was an offensive thing that he wanted to cut off and ram down it’s owner’s throat. His lips hardly moved as he said, ‘so, about the same colouring height and weight as the English woman?’

Rosencrantz looked at Guildenstern as if begging him to take responsibility for everything, or at least to intervene. He mumbled, ‘well, er, yes, I suppose you could say…

Glissando again interrupted, ‘no, Rosencrantz, I don’t say anything, I’m waiting for
you
to say.’ He looked at Guildenstern, ‘what do
you
say, Guildenstern? Did the German woman’s description fit that of the English woman?’

Guildenstern looked at his friend no longer feeling complacent but afraid for him and for himself. He hesitated a lot longer than was safe when asked a question by Glissando. He bowed his head and said very quietly, ‘yes, yes sir
, it did.’

There was such a silence that the two men could almost hear each others heartbeats. Glissando stared at them and neither men had ever known such fear.

But as usual Glissando surprised them both by not reacting the way they thought he would, or should, and there relief was intense as he said quite calmly, ‘so now at least we know that this Faraday woman lied to us, and there is always a reason why one lies, that being to deceive and to lead astray.
That
was what she was doing, leading us astray, deceiving us, and that in turn tells us that she has reason to deceive and lead astray and that reason is…?’

He looked at Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as though they were students in the classroom and he the teacher, he almost expected them to raise their hands with the answer. Rosencrantz said, ‘because she knows where Desi is.’

‘Or,’ said Guildenstern, ‘Desi is still with her and she is helping her to get away from you, I mean from…

He was cut off, ‘exactly, Guildenstern. Desi may even have been in that cabin when you were there, and now that you have shown up asking questions they might well panic and they will flee.’

‘Would you like us to go back to Alban and confront this Faraday woman?’ Guildenstern asked.

Glissando shook his head, ‘no, I don’t, they won’t linger there, not after you turned up. But I will have it checked out. I think this woman will help Desi to leave the country but I believe Miss. Faraday will stay and continue her vacation, she thinks she’s outwitted you…and me. She thinks once she has helped Desi get away that it will be over.

If they
have
gone it seems obvious to me that the place to look for Miss. Faraday is the next state on her agenda, Mississippi.’

Should we track her down to where she’s staying in Mississippi and get her to gi
ve Desi up?’

Glissando shook his head, ‘no, Desi won’t remain with the woman; she’ll want to get as far from the south as possible.’ He didn’t add and as far from me as possible he didn’t have to. And her saviour is leaving in a few weeks. No, we will continue to let Miss. Faraday think that she has got away with it, that’s she’s outwitted us, then she will stay put and continue with her vacation safe in the knowledge that she has won the battle and the war. She will be congratulating herself on her deviousness, she will become complacent, and complacency is the most deadly of mistakes.’

Guildenstern smiled but Rosencrantz was still wary. Just because Glissando seemed fairly affable now did not mean that he had forgiven him for his mistakes so he refrained from joining in his colleague’s amusement. He said, ‘then would you like us to follow her to Mississippi, keep an eye on her?’

‘No, I have someone else in mind for that. I’ll get this someone to check out this Alban place first just in case. But this woman is not going to give Desi up easily. Desi has obviously told her about her hard life here, how badly she’s been treated. Of course she won’t tell her why she was punished,’ he clenched his hands so tightly they were white, ‘she obviously won’t tell her that she was punished because she was disobedient and wilful and needed to be controlled, oh no, she won’t…’

He stopped at the look of surprise and embarrassment on the two men’s faces and realised he had just this once let his intense frustration and fury get the better of him in front of others. He sat back and glowered at them as though it was their fault he had been so indiscreet. He pulled himself together and said, ‘she won’t believe anything you tell her, we need to be discreet and you two are about as discreet as a steam roller. No, we have to use caution, lure her into a false sense of security, be smart.’

He looked at them meaningfully so that there was no doubt he thought them incapable of being smart.

He said, ‘I have someone else in mind for this particular job, and this person will also deal with her after he has the required information.’ He almost smiled, ‘find out where she will be staying in Mississippi and call me. Meantime I have a phone call to make so you can go now.’

They both turned with immense relief but Glissando said, ‘oh, and Rosencrantz?’

Rosencrantz did not want to turn and meet those cold callous eyes but was compelled too. ‘Yes sir?’

‘I’m overlooking the mistakes you have made this time, but this is your last chance I will not tolerate stupidity, it is an unforgivable sin. Do not let me regret giving you another chance.’

‘No, Mr. Glissando, you won’t, regret it I mean, and thank you.’

Glissando turned his attention to Guildenstern, ‘and you, you have hardly equated yourself with distinction either. I expect you both to redeem yourselves, is that clear?’

‘Yes, Mr. Glissando, thank you, Mr. Glissando,’ they said in unison.

He waved them away and they both left feeling very fortunate.

When they had gone Glissando picked up the phone and dialled a number he knew off by heart, it was after all a number he had called at least a dozen times. As usual he had to wait for it to be answered which angered him because he knew that the man was perfectly aware who was calling. Eventually it was picked up and the voice said, ‘yes?’

‘Mr. Hennessey, good of you to answer.’ Glissando felt braver when he was not face to face with Hennessey so could afford to be sarcastic.

Hennessey said, ‘you’re welcome.’

Glissando
bit back a nasty retort, ‘I have a job for you, it’s a little…different than the usual jobs, so I’ll like to speak to you in person about it.’

‘I’m a little busy. Planning my vacation actually.’

‘I’ll make it worth your while, more than worth your while, you’ll be able to afford a trip to the moon with what I have in mind as payment for this particular task.’

Hennessey’s interest was peeked although he would never let on to Glissando, besides he liked w
inding the bastard up. ‘I’ve been working non stop for months, I really need this vacation.’

Glissando bit his lip till it bled, ‘well, if you accept the job you can always take your vacation later and with more money to spend. If you don’t want the job you can turn it down, what would it hurt to hear me out?’ Glissando hated the imploring note in his tone and promised himself that when this was over he would deal with Hennessey once and for all. When Hennessey said nothing he forced himself to say, ‘at least come to the house and hear my proposal.’

Hennessey sighed dramatically, ‘I suppose I could put off my vacation for another day, when do you want me to come?’

‘As soon as possible, today preferably.’

Another pause whilst Hennessey was tempted to say tomorrow, but he wanted to get this over so said, ‘okay, I’ll be there this evening.’

‘I appreciate it. And I’m sure that when you hear what I have to say you’ll be more than interested.’

‘I’m intrigued,’ said Hennessey sounding anything but.

Glissando’s phone almost broke in two so hard did he grip it but he said amicably, ‘thank you, Mr. Hennessey.’

Hennessey did not reply but hung up. He stood looking at his phone for a moment. The fact was he
was
intrigued. He wondered if Glissando’s “proposal” had anything to do with the girl's disappearance. But why would that involve him, Hennessey, what did he expect him to do to her? Kill her for him? No, if Glissando wanted her dead he would do that himself and take great delight in it too. He looked longingly at the holiday brochures. Well, he would hear Glissando out and if he didn’t like what he had to say he would book that vacation to Poland, taking in Hungary and Czechoslovakia too. After he had done what he had to do, what he had sworn to do.

He made himself something to eat and then sat back and listened to The Carpenters album whilst sipping a very expensive red wine and thinking about Glissando and the girl. Desi. His instinct’s told him that whatever Glissando wanted was something to do with her but he was at a loss as to what. But it might just be to his advantage, in a way Glissando had not envisaged.

Finally he finished his wine, showered and changed and left the house. He walked to where he left his car, he never left it in the garage or outside of any place he was staying in case anyone got a make on the vehicle and traced it to him, it was unlikely, but he was a very cautious man. He arrived at Glissando’s house at 9.45, hardly evening but what the hell, he was doing Glissando the favour after all, he may as well let him know that.

The door was opened as usual by the straight faced butler with the contrived English accent about as authentic as his name…Balthazar.

Balthazar said, ‘this way if you please.’

Hennessey almost laughed out loud but managed to control it. He was shown, not into Glissando’s office as was usual, but into his study, that was significant in itself. Balthazar opened the door and announced imperiously, ‘Mr. Hennessey to see you, Mr. Glissando.’ He pronounced the last syllable as “
Arndo.”

Glissando was sitting in a wing backed leather chair and did not rise as Hennessey entered but said, ‘Mr. Hennessey, thank you for coming,’ he looked at his watch, ‘so promptly.

Hennessey gave a small smile, ‘well, your request sounded rather urgent, I thought it best not to delay.’ Hennessey could do sarcasm too.

Glissando’s eyes narrowed but he said nothing to that but asked, ‘would you care for a drink? It’s an excellent brandy.’ He held up his own glass as if that proved his words.

Hennessey walked over to the drinks cabinet and picked up the brandy bottle then turned to Balthazar who stood waiting to either pour him a drink or to be dismissed. Hennessey said, ‘I’ll have a scotch…neat.’

Glissando knew that his refusal of the brandy was a deliberate insult and his hatred of Hennessey reached boiling point. He took a sip from his glass as thought swallowing his rage with the excellent brandy. He nodded to Balthazar who looked daggers at Hennessey before pouring the scotch. As he handed it to him Hennessey half expected to get the contents thrown in his face, but just like his master Balthazar controlled himself. Hennessey looked around the room; it was certainly impressive with a vaulted ceiling, herringbone walnut floor and limestone fireplace.

Bookshelves filled with leather bound books lined the walls from one end of the room to the other. Hennessey was not at all surprised to see one wall totally dedicated to Shakespeare. Glissando watched him his lips turned up slightly at the corners. ‘Are you fond of reading, Mr. Hennessey?’ He asked.

‘I read from time to time, when the mood takes me.’ He was in fact very fond of reading, Shakespeare included. In fact he had a degree in English literature but Glissando did not need to know that, or anything else about him.

Glissando waved a hand towards a chair, ‘please, sit down, Mr. Hennessey.’

Hennessey sat facing him in a chair which was a twin of the one Glissando sat in; he had to admit that it was very comfortable indeed. Glissando said, ‘you’ve never been in here before have you?’ Hennessey shook his head and Glissando smiled, ‘this is my own private sanctuary, this is where I do my thinking and…dreaming. It’s been designed especially for maximum comfort and tranquillity.’