The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (40 page)

Maxwell laughed then proceeded to ask further questions about her day in Pascagoula. Adela thought that Maxwell was monopolising the conversation so looked at Hennessey as well as Maxwell as she answered the questions, obviously wanting to include him in their conversation too. Maxwell was not happy and kept leaning over the table in an attempt to distract her, but Adela would have none of it.

She asked Hennessey what he had done with his day and if he’d been anywhere interesting. He told her he had just kicked back and relaxed, read and listened to the radio in his room but he had taken a walk through the woods earlier. Hennessey thought he had better throw in this snippet of information just in case anyone had seen him go into or come out of the woods and told her. He asked if she had been for a walk through the woods yet. She said she hadn’t but probably would tomorrow and leave exploring further afield until the next day. Today she had done so much and walked so far that she felt she had earned one relaxing day at least and Hennessey agreed.

Maxwell thought he had been kept out of the conversation long enough and was about to say something to Adela when Bob’s voice came to them very loud over the microphone which made a horrible whining sound in protest. The man who had set up the karaoke said that Bob didn’t need to shout to be heard as that was what the microphone was for, he should know that by now and everyone laughed. Still Bob raised his voice as he spoke saying, ‘well, folks, we’re here again, ready to start another fun night of singing, I hope you’ve all chosen your songs and are ready to party, As usual we’re gonna start with Don singing the…and his…all time favourite, “A boy named Sue.”’

Everyone clapped and laughed as Bob left the stage and a huge man with a bald head and large beer gut stepped onto the stage. Adela commented that she had never seen anyone less like a boy whose name would be Sue in her life and both Hennessey and Maxwell laughed heartily.

The man began to sing and he had probably the worst voice Adela had ever heard. She screwed up her face then thought that might appear rude so controlled her features into a big smile. She applauded as loudly as anyone when Don had finished his song, but more with relief than in appreciation of his singing.

Hennessey finished his beer and asked if Adela would like another drink, she said she would and he began to rise from his seat when Maxwell said, ‘oh no, Mr. Hennessey, it’s my turn.’ Hennessey sat back down.

Maxwell asked what Adela would like, she said she would have another orange juice and he asked if she was sure she didn’t want something stronger, she assured him she did not and he said to Hennessey, ‘same again for you, Mr. Hennessey.’

The latter replied, ‘yeah, thanks.’ And Maxwell headed for the bar.

Adela asked Hennessey if he had ventured far into the woods this morning he said no, he hadn’t. Just as far as your cabin he thought.

Adela contemplated telling him about her funny feeling of someone having been in her cabin, but thought it might sound as thought she was the nervous, neurotic type, so refrained.

Just then someone started singing a country and western song and they had to cease talking as the music was too loud to hear each other.

Hennessey looked over at the bar and noticed the huge throng that had gathered there. He grinned as he saw Maxwell still standing there waiting.

Three more singers had performed before Maxwell came back to the table. Adela thanked him and said, ‘I’m so sorry that you had such a long wait, Dean. I’ll go to the bar next time.’

He looked incredulous, ‘you?’

‘Yes. Why, is it not allowed for a woman to go the bar?’

‘Oh yes, but, well, the bar, especially a bar that’s crowded with men, is not the place for a lady, Adela.’

She laughed, ‘you’re an old fashioned gentleman, Dean, in the nicest sense of course.’

He said, ‘I don’t know about old fashioned, but I certainly hope I’m a
gentleman
.’ He looked pointedly at Hennessey as he said this, that man just looked back unwavering, but something in his eyes made Maxwell drop his gaze, although not before Hennessey had seen a look of apprehension in the other man’s eyes. He just about controlled the smirk he felt coming on.

Adela had not missed the pointed remark and said, ‘I was just about to say that every single man since I’ve been in Mississippi, apart from the mean trucker of course, has been nothing but gentlemanly.’

Maxwell said quickly, ‘well why wouldn’t they be gentlemanly to a lady such as yourself, Adela?’

Hennessey almost groaned. Maxwell was certainly laying it on thick, but he could see that Adela realised it was all on the surface. Maxwell had a look about him that Hennessey had seen in other men when they were trying to bed a woman, they played the solicitous gentleman, the concerned suitor, then when they got what they wanted moved on. He knew because he had seen it in his own eyes numerous times, all the time if he was being truthful.

But he liked that about her, she was naïve but also perceptive. He just hoped she could not read him as well as she did Maxwell.

Just then Bob’s voice came back over the microphone to say that Iris would be coming round with raffle tickets and to buy generously as the proceeds were going to the local school which needed computers. Adela reached around for her bag which was hanging over the back of her chair and took out her purse just as Iris approached their table. Maxwell reached into his pocket for his wallet and took out five dollars and Iris gave him five raffle tickets. Adela handed fifty dollars to Iris who hesitated before taking it, she said, ‘I don’t think I have change for a fifty as yet.’

‘Oh no, I want fifty tickets please.’ Said Adela.

Iris’s eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline as she said, ‘you want
fifty
tickets.’

Adela was beginning to get embarrassed wondering if she had made a
fax paus'
for the second time in this place. She said a little uncertainly, ‘well, it’s for a good cause, the school and everything.’

Iris’s smile was bright, ‘that’s mighty generous of you, Miss. Faraday.’

Adela was not surprised that Iris knew her name, everyone in the bar probably did by now. She took her tickets saying with some relief, ‘not at all, I like children.’

Iris laughed and Hennessey reached into his wallet and taking out a fifty dollar bill said, ‘I like kids too.’

Adela gave him an appreciative look and Maxwell looked as if he might risk it and hit this smarmy guy.

Adela looked at Dean, at his hard set face and suddenly felt awful. She hadn’t stopped to consider that Dean might feel uncomfortable that he had only bought five dollars worth of tickets, having as much money as she did now she sometimes forgot that being generous could sometimes look like one-upmanship. And although she had appreciated Sterling Hennessey giving so much to a good cause, she now wished he had just bought five dollars worth the same as Dean. She knew he had done it to get one over on Dean.

She smiled at Dean and said, ‘for all that, we probably won’t win a thing.’

Dean tried a smile but it was so obviously forced that Adela turned away and said no more. Dean looked around and said, ‘oh, there’s Mickey,’ he looked at Adela, ‘a friend of mine, he owns the barber shop; I’ll just go and have a word with him. If you’ll excuse me.’

Adela said, ‘yes, of course.’ She felt worse for feeling relieved that he was going.

He said ‘I’ll catch you later.’ He nodded to Hennessey and walked over to the table his friend shared with several other people and amid handshakes he sat down.

Adela put her face in her hands; Hennessey said ‘are you okay?’

She removed her hands and shook her head saying, ‘Oh gosh, I shouldn’t have done that, I wasn’t thinking how it might look to Dean.’

Hennessey shrugged, ‘you mean
I
shouldn’t have done that?’

Her gaze was steady as she looked into his eyes, ‘no, you shouldn’t have done it either. It was unthinking of me and petty of you.’

He arched his eyebrows, ‘petty?’

‘Yes, it’s pretty obvious you took an instant dislike to him and it was your way of getting one over on him.’

A flicker of anger appeared in his eyes just for a moment then was gone. He said, ‘okay, maybe you’re right, but I can live with it. I’m not going to beat myself up about it and I don’t understand why you are.’

‘Beating myself up or beating
you
up?’             

‘Both.’

She shook her head again and sighed heavily, ‘I’m sorry, I’m just feeling awful about what happened. I must start thinking before I act or one day I’ll do something really stupid.’

Hennessey thought, you already have sweetheart, your generosity has been your undoing.

He also realised the irony of this, in effect she had paid for the raffle tickets twice since his money came from the down payment on the hit put out on her.

He said, ‘I’m not sorry to have hurt poor old Dean’s feelings, he’s an asshole,’ she looked at him in surprise, he went on, ‘but I am sorry that I made you mad at me.’

‘I’m not mad at you, of course not. Look, this is silly; we’re arguing over a hundred dollars worth of raffle tickets which after all is going to a good cause.’

‘A hundred and
five
dollars actually.’

She slapped his hand, 'oh stop.’

He chuckled, ‘oh come on, be honest, you wanted him gone too, he was a fifth wheel, a cuckoo in the nest, a spectre at the feast.’

She opened her eyes wide at his abruptness. ‘Are you trying to say he was unwanted by any chance?’

‘Yup.’

‘You’re incorrigible.’

He grinned, ‘I know, it’s part of my charm.’

She couldn’t help it, she laughed. They chatted about this and that then Hennessey asked if she would like another drink and she said she would go to the bar.

He said, ‘now how do you think that would look to your friend Maxwell if I let you go to the bar after everything he said.’

‘Is that the only reason you won’t let me go, you might look bad to a man you don’t even like?’ She asked irritably.

‘No, there is another reason.’

‘What, that you’re a southern gent?’

‘No, you’re too short; you’ll never reach the counter.’

She leaned back infuriated until she saw the cheeky grin spread across his face. She narrowed her eyes and pouted her lips giving him an impatient look. He laughed and she joined in then he stood up and went to the bar. He was pleased they’d gotten rid of Maxwell who didn’t know it, but had come very close to having his nose broken.

Despite the throng at the bar he got served much quicker than Maxwell had done which gave him an almost childish pleasure.

As he returned to the table he glanced over to where Maxwell had gone to sit with his friends. They were all looking over in his direction, he stared back until they all as one looked away.

He put Adela’s drink in front of her and said, ‘I thought it was about time you tried another snowball, orange juice can get pretty boring and you are supposed to be having fun you know.’

She smiled pleased, 'I would have asked for one but forgot with all the gentlemanly conduct going on. So thank you.’

He laughed, ‘you’re welcome.’ He watched as she took her first sip of the snowball hoping she would do what she had last night. She did, and again he felt a hardness in his crotch as she once again closed her eyes then ran her tongue over her lips, it was as sexy as all get out. Mostly because she did not even know she was doing it and there was nothing sexier than a woman who was sexy but didn’t know it.

She opened her eyes suddenly and caught him watching her, she must have read something in his eyes because a pink tinge suffused her face and she looked away. What with the embarrassed blush, the shy averting of the eyes and the lip licking it was no surprise that the hardness between his legs grew, he just hoped she didn’t ask him to go to the bar for another drink.

Just then Bob’s voice once again came over the microphone, he said, ‘I hope y’all are having a good time.’ There were cheers and whoops in response to this. When the noise had died down Bob said, ‘well now it’s time to draw the raffle. But first I want to say that we have raised more money on this raffle than ever before.’ He looked down at Adela and Hennessey’s table and everyone looked their way. Adela lowered her eyes and blushed bright red which caused the people around her to grin.

Bob said, ‘the prizes are a free meal at Dolby’s in Gulfport, which is a very nice restaurant. A bottle of whisky. A pair of cinema tickets. A fifty dollar voucher for Annie Bloom’s haberdashers, thanks Annie for that,’ everyone applauded and Annie who Adela had not seen until then smiled and waved. Bob went on, ‘and a giant teddy bear.’ He pointed to said bear and everyone ahhhed. ‘Sheriff Taylor, as the voice of integrity in town would you please come up and pick six tickets from the hat?’

The sheriff, who Adela had also not seen until now although Hennessey had spied him entering the bar ten minutes before, came forward amid cheers from the patrons.

He put his hand in the hat and after shuffling them around, drew out six tickets. Adela had numbers twenty one to seventy but didn’t even look down at them. She prayed she would not win; one, because she had spent so much on them and it might look as if she had been desperate to win, and two, because she really did not want to get up and fetch a prize, whatever it might be.