The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (33 page)

The man said mock seriously, ‘well that’s why I intervened; I saw the way it was going and didn’t want my lunch spoiled by a lot of blood being spilt.’

Adela looked at him for a moment in surprise then laughed, ‘thank you anyway.’

‘You’re welcome, Ma’am.’

Adela with great difficulty turned from those dark blue eyes and took the mop Zoe had propped onto the table and began to mop around the other tables where the coffee had splashed. The other patrons near by moved their feet for her and grinned, they had enjoyed this little diversion very much.’

Zoe said, ‘you don’t have to do that, Miss.’

‘I know, but it’s a habit, once a cleaner always a cleaner.’

The girl gave her a curious glance then smiled, ‘thank you, ma’am.’

Adela returned her smile, ‘you’re welcome.’

The man took the dustpan from Zoë then bent down and held it for her as she brushed shards of glass into it. She gave him a shy look as she thanked him.

Together they soon got everything in order and Zoe, her dustpan full of glass said to Adela, ‘I’ll get your coffee now and warm up your lunch.’

Adela looked at her watch and said, ‘oh don’t worry, really, I have to catch a bus to at 4.30 and it’s almost that now.’

‘I’m so sorry; it’s my fault you haven’t eaten.’

‘Well I’m sure I won’t starve to death between now and the time I reach home.’

Zoe laughed then turned to the man, ‘you haven’t eaten either.’

He smiled and said, ‘I only wanted coffee, but I think I’ll pass. I’ve seen enough coffee to last me for a while.’

Zoe blushed and he said quickly, ‘though it’s a pity you didn’t pour it over the guy's head, give him something to really complain about.'

Zoe said, ‘maybe next time.'

They all laughed and the guy said, ‘I’ll hold you to that, Zoë.’ The man once more yelled from the kitchen door, ‘hey you; haven’t you done with cleaning up that mess yet? Get in here.’

Zoe said, ‘I’d better go, and thank you both again.’

Simultaneously they said ‘you’re welcome.' Zoe turned to walk away but Adela took her arm, ‘listen, Zoe, it’s early days you’ll get better at it, but don’t let people like that rude customer put you off, not everyone is as bad mannered as he is, most people are really rather nice.’

Zoe smiled, ‘I know,’ she turned to include the man in her glance, ‘I met two of them today.’

Adela’s face turned pink, ‘goodbye then.’

Zoe said, ‘bye, and thanks again. Then ran back into the kitchen.

Adela turned to the man and said, ‘once more, thank you for your help. Goodbye.’

The man nodded but said nothing so she turned and went back to her table to collect her things and leave a twenty dollar tip for
Zoë. When she turned around the tall man was still standing where she had left him, looking at her. She smiled at him as she went to walk past him to the door but he kept in step with her. He said, ‘I thought I’d walk out with you, make sure that silly, rude guy isn’t waiting outside.

She frowned knowing he was making fun of her. She said, ‘I’m sure he isn’t,’ and made to open the door but he reached around her and opened it for her and they stepped out into the street.

He looked up and down the street, seemingly satisfied that the guy wasn’t hanging around he turned to her, ‘I wasn’t making fun just then, you were right he
was
rude and he
was
silly.’ He put his head on one side in a very endearing way before continuing, ‘I just wanted to make sure you were all right, that’s all.’

‘It has been proved to me over and over since I’ve been here that southern manners is no myth.’

He grinned, ‘we have to look after our tourists. If everyone was like that guy in there no one would ever come here and the economy would be in serious trouble.’

She laughed and said, ‘well, whatever the reason, thank you again.’ She looked down the street then at her watch before saying, ‘I really must go now, I have a bus to catch.

He said, ‘which way are you headed?’

‘Towards Gulfport, I’m staying near there.’

‘I’m headed that way myself, I could give you a ride.’

She didn’t want to appear rude or ungrateful to this man, this man with the oh so handsome face and the blue, blue eyes, but she didn’t know him, he could be lying about heading her way. He seemed nice and genuine and had helped her out today, but she knew she had to be so careful, and accepting lifts from a strange man was not being careful.

She said, ‘oh no, really, the bus will be along shortly.’

He put his head on one side again, ‘I know what you’re thinking, but I swear I have no ulterior motive except to see you safely home. Look, I’m staying in a place called Eden so…

‘Eden?’ She interrupted in amazement.

‘Yes, why?’

‘I’m staying there too.’

His surprise matched hers, ‘at the Horse and Hind?’

‘No, in a cabin nearby.’

‘Oh yes, I’ve seen those, they look very nice, you’re very lucky to be staying there.’

‘Yes, they are nice. But I’m sure the Horse and Hind is a very nice hotel too.’

‘Yes, it’s very comfortable, and Izzy Roebuck is a very charming hostess.’ He nodded to her bag, ‘I noticed your maps spread out on the table in the diner. Did you get them from the little book store next to the barbers shop?’

‘No, from the travel agent, but I…’ she stopped talking realising what he’d done. She smiled, ‘okay, okay, you’re staying in Eden.’

He grinned knowing he’d won,’ He put his hand on the small of her back and gestured with his arm saying, ‘my car is this way.’

She smiled at him, ‘my name is Adela Faraday and I thank you, Mr…?’

‘Hennessey, Sterling Hennessey, and it’s no trouble, Miss. Faraday, no trouble at all.’

CHAPTER 13.

           
Hennessey wondered for the tenth time if it had been a good idea to use his real name on this particular assignment, he never had before, but had had an overwhelming urge to use it one last time. Only his real first name granted, but Hennessey was a family name too... his mother's maiden name in fact...which he used most of the time, at least that was the name his clients, such as Glissando, knew him as. Maybe it had not been wise, but a little devil had gotten hold of him and he had thought, why not, this would be the last time he would ever use it. When this “assignment” was over he would never use it again. It would be kinda book- ending his career.

Besides, once he had done what he intended to do he would be long gone, never to come back to this country and it felt good to use his real name for once, it had been a long time.

He had watched through binoculars from his hotel window as she walked around Eden before she caught the bus. She was wearing white shorts and a T-shirt almost the exact same colour as the hat she had purchased the day before, and the T-shirt emphasised her ample breasts over which hung a necklace of big beads in blue and white and a pair of binoculars.

She had great boobs, quite big for a such a small woman, high and well rounded and he had to admit that she had a fine pair of legs on her, slim yet muscular and just the right shade of brown. The plait she had pulled her hair into swung back and forth against her ass as she walked. He noticed the distinctive watch she was wearing; it had a big square face and a wide red strap. Again he could not see her face properly for the hat but he could see her smiling and chatting to people as they passed. She was certainly a very friendly woman, and he would use that friendliness to his advantage, it would no doubt help him to catch her alone. A chance always came along you just had to be prepared when it did, and this trip to Biloxi might just be that chance.

He had intended to wait for The Target to leave and then search her cabin; he might be lucky and find something that would help him in his search for Desi. Although he didn’t think she would leave any incriminating evidence like a diary lying around, she was too smart for that, but you never knew.

He had also wanted to check out the best place to conceal himself in the cabin so as to take her by surprise. If there was no safe hiding place his next step would be to check out the woods, he knew she would get to exploring them eventually. Jonas Lando had not actually said she explored by herself, but if he had seen her it was only one small step to the conclusion that she had met him in the woods, he could not envision Lando making house calls.

But his plans had changed when he had seen her flag down the bus heading to Biloxi. He had left his hotel, got into his car and followed the bus all the way there.

And it was boding well, she had almost literally fallen into his lap and he had to be blind not to see the way she had looked at him. But he also knew he had to go carefully and not frighten her into refusing his offer of a ride back to Eden. She was cautious, not the kind of woman to accept a ride from a guy because she found him attractive or because he had helped her out.

He had to admit he had been very impressed at her daring and the way she had stood up to the rude guy, that and the way she had leapt to the young waitress’s defence. She was quite something this English woman. She was amusing too, quick witted and funny and when she spoke her voice was low and soft but each word was clear and distinct. Then of course there was that damn sexy accent.

Up close she was, as the goons had said, not particularly attractive in the conventional sense, but she had something deeper than beauty, an inner goodness and kindness that radiated in her face.

She was not wearing make up, no blusher or eye shadow or even mascara and her skin was clear with hardly a blemish to mar it, only a few freckles on and around her nose and a small white scar on her right temple, when her face was paler it would be barely discernible but the tan caused it to appear more distinct. She had high cheekbones and nice white even teeth and full lips, and when she smiled one side of her mouth went up further than the other which was cute.

But in regards to her face it was her eyes he had noticed first, they were almond shaped and bright green, clear and shining with good health and her eyelashes were dark and thick.  She was prettier than first appeared and prettier than she thought she was. Bonny, that was a good word to describe her, yes, bonny. Under normal circumstances if he had met her just by accident, as he had made it seem today, he might have been interested in seeing her again, if for no other reason than that she made him laugh. But of course these weren’t normal circumstances were they.

They arrived at his car and she nodded at the Jaguar, ‘is this yours?’ He nodded, ‘it’s very nice.’

He smiled and opened the passenger door for her; she thanked him as she got in. He got a whiff of the same scent he had noticed in her cabin and on her sofa cushions, fresh and feminine. He walked around to the driver's side got in and started the engine but before driving off he turned to her and said, ‘last chance to change your mind.’ Her brow furrowed, ‘you know, if you’re still unsure about accepting a ride from a strange man.’

‘Well, if you do have nefarious intentions the police will question Zoë and the manager of the diner, and probably the rude man and his friend, plus the rest of the diners there today, I don’t think you’d get very far.’

He laughed, ‘I never thought of that. But I doubt whether the rude guy would willingly help the police.’

She smiled, ‘probably not. But I’m here now and if we don’t leave soon the bus will get there before we do and my getting a lift from you will become redundant.’

He laughed out loud, ‘hint taken.’ And with that he took off the hand break and moved away.

She turned to him, ‘can I ask what you said to that man in the diner? It must have been something truly terrible to have made him pale as he did.’

‘Did he?’

‘Yes.’

‘I just told him that he was not being very nice. And did his mother never teach him any manners, and if she did she would be ashamed of him about now.’

She gave him a disbelieving look, ‘and that’s it?’

‘Yes.’

‘I wish I’d known it was that easy to intimidate people, I would have tried it myself.’

He shrugged, ‘maybe he just loves his mama.’

It was her turn to laugh out loud. He turned his head to look at her face, he liked the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled or laughed, she looked very pretty when she smiled but really quite attractive when she laughed, it was as good to look at as it was to hear.

She stopped laughing and looked uncomfortable suddenly and he realised he had been staring. He said, ‘sorry, I’m staring, it’s just that you have a nice laugh. Do all English ladies have such a pretty laugh?’

It had been a long time since he had seen a woman blush and it was as unexpected as the woman herself. He shook his head as if to clear it, he must stop this, seeing her as a woman; he knew when he came here what his intentions were. She was a job, a Target with a capital T, worth five million U.S. dollars to him...amongst other things.

She said, ‘don’t be silly.’

Despite what he’d just told himself he couldn’t help it, he laughed. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you.’