The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (43 page)

Lando was silent thinking damn, he hadn’t wanted to lie at all to the sheriff but here he was lying through his teeth again and again. Sheriff Taylor said, ‘are you there, Detective Rivers?’

‘Oh yes, sorry, Sheriff.’ He gave an exaggerated sigh, ‘it’s just that, well, this is difficult but I’m going to have to be up front with you.’

Taylor sounded wary now, 'oh?’

‘Yeah. You see my superiors have told me to drop this one, they say there are more important cases to spend my time on than a two bit conman, but, well, I kinda took this one personally. This guy conned an elderly lady out of her life savings, money she was saving for her funeral and a bit left aside for her grandson’s college fund and I sorta promised her that even if she never got her money back I’d see the bastard brought to justice.’

Taylor said nothing for a long moment and Lando thought he’d blown it, maybe now Taylor would call the Alabama P.D and check him out then that asshole Lester would get to hear about it and have his ass back in the pen before he could say “impersonating a police officer.” But Taylor said, ‘well that’s the kinda police work that I thought long forgotten, Detective Rivers, you’d fit right into a small town like Eden.’

Lando felt lower than a snake’s belly but managed to laugh and say, ‘yeah, well, we all got grandmas don’t we, Sheriff.’

Sheriff Taylor said very seriously, ‘yes we do, detective. Anyways, don’t you worry none about it, since it’s awkward for you to get back to me why don’t you call me back everyday and I’ll keep you informed, how’s that sound?’

Lando’s relief increased his guilt as he said, ‘that would be just fine, Sheriff, thanks, and thanks for your cooperation.’

‘No problem, detective, bye now.’

‘Bye, Sheriff.’

It was with great relief that Lando gave the phone back to the youth who had been joined by his pals and was standing impatiently waiting. He said menacingly, ‘you was on longer than I thought pal, I reckon that adds up to another ten dollars.’

Lando stared into his eyes for a moment then leaned forward so that their faces were only inches apart, ‘I got a better idea, why don’t I ram that fucking piece a crap right where even your cocksucking homeboys won’t go.’

The young guy stepped back a look of shock and fear on his face. He held his hands up in a placating gesture as he stammered, ‘hey, just kidding, man, geez, can’t ya take a joke?’ He turned and still mumbling walked across the street leaving Lando feeling torn between satisfaction that he still had the power to put the frights into someone and shame at the pleasure it had given him.

He began to walk back down the street still feeling guilty about lying to a fellow cop and he still thought of cops as his fellows even after all this time. But at least now he had someone watching the English woman closely.

Maybe this guy Hennessey was who and what he said he was but his gut was troubling him and it had nothing to do with having not eaten all day. No, it was the same feeling he had had about the young girl who had been with the English woman and the guy he had met at her cabin. The same feeling he had had as a cop, and it meant trouble, big trouble. Well he had done all he could and then some, which was a hell of a lot more than anyone had done for him when he had been in trouble and needed help, when he had needed someone to watch his back, to take the time and trouble for him. But that was then and this was now, and now he asked for no man’s help, he needed no man’s help. He took off his hat, slapped it angrily against his thigh then shoved it back on his head, and cursing women, the English and himself he made his way back to his cabin.

                                                     ***********

The morning following the Karaoke Adela was up very early. It had taken an age to get to sleep because after Hennessey’s invitation she had felt wide awake. She didn’t know why a man like Sterling Hennessey should be interested in her. He was a very good looking man, as well as witty and funny and charming, and she would have to be blind not to notice the looks he had received from the women in the bar last evening, young and old, married and single.

Yet he had stayed with her and not gone to chat to the young women hanging around the bar or sitting by themselves at the tables. And he had been pleased when Dean Maxwell had left their table, indeed he had seemed
dis
pleased that he was sitting with them at all.

She had had so few men interested in her, except after she had won the money of course, and Sterling Hennessey would not know she was so wealthy would he? And he seemed genuinely interested in her, he laughed at her jokes and he had complimented her very nicely on her singing.

She still couldn’t believe she had done that, sung in public; her mother would be turning in her grave. She was doing things on this vacation that she would never have dreamed of, going for walks by herself. Singing in public and going out for the day with a very attractive man. And more importantly saving young girl from abductors and helping her to escape the clutches of an evil sex slave trader.

It seemed as though she was living all those wasted twenty eight years in a few weeks.

She thought about Olivia, if she was truthful she thought about her constantly, even tonight she had not been far from her thoughts. She wished that they had thought of a safe means of communication so that she would know for sure that Olivia was safe and well.

She eventually dropped off to sleep about two in the morning but had woken again at six and could not get off again, so had just lain there until seven when she got out of bed. She showered and changed into khaki coloured cropped trousers and a long yellow T-shirt around which she fastened a wide black belt. She opted for trainers rather than walking shoes. When she was dressed she ate breakfast and was on her second coffee when the knock came on the door, she looked at her watch, 8.51. He was early.

She unlocked and opened the door to find him standing there smiling and looking very handsome indeed in black jeans, black T-shirt and a navy blue jacket. He was carrying a back pack like hers, it looked quite heavy and she wondered what he had in it. She bid him enter saying, ‘you’re early.’

‘Yeah, sorry, I’m on the run.’

‘On the run?’

‘Yes I thought we could have a picnic of sorts in the woods and called in at the diner, but Annie Bloom was in there.’

‘And she ate the picnic then attempted to eat you?’

He gave her an exasperated look but she kept her face straight. ‘No, I just didn’t want to buy stuff for a picnic with her around. I knew as soon as I saw her last night that she was the town gossip. So I said I was in a hurry and got out of there pronto.’

‘I see. So you didn’t want to admit that you were meeting me for a walk in the woods. You’re ashamed to be seen with me.’

‘Well that was the first and most important reason.’

‘Thank you, honest Hennessey.’

He laughed, ‘no seriously, I didn’t want her to give you a hard time about “your young man,” again.’ Actually he had not wanted Annie Bloom to ask questions of him, such as where he was going, who he was sharing the picnic with? Etcetera. He wanted as few people to see her with him today as possible.

He had chosen 9.00clock and not earlier because he thought the Carters might be gone, he knew they had a habit of leaving early for their day trips. If they left at 9ish he would have waited then apologised for being late but as it turned out he was lucky, they had left at 8.40. He had seen the older couple she had spoken to on occasion in the town earlier, and hopefully no one else would see them together. Not that it mattered; he would quickly and easily get the information he required from her. Then he would go get Desi, and take her to Glissando. Then he would do what he had sworn to do.

And even if things went wrong and they came looking for him, he was a master of disguise, he’d had to be. He could change his hair, the colour of his eyes, the shape of his face in minutes; he’d had to on more than one occasion. So he was feeling very good about things this morning. Last night he had let her get to him with her easy personality, her humour and conviviality and of course that song. What he had felt had been an aberration one which he had very successfully managed to put out of his mind.

She was saying, ‘that was very considerate of you.’

‘Well unfortunately my consideration has led to us being picnicless.

She laughed, ‘don’t worry, maybe we’ll walk as far as the next town, get something to eat there. But it was a very nice thought though.’

He smiled and said, ‘well,
if you have everything you need, let’s hit the road pardner.’

She laughed again as they left the cabin and made their way through the woods.

As they strolled along she asked about the things they saw, what kind of trees were these and what were those flowers called? They saw a deer, she gripped his arm and brought him to a halt saying, ‘shush, don’t scare her off, she might have young near by.’

He said, ‘you mean you don’t want to chase it through the woods?’

She slanted her eyes towards him and stuck out her tongue. He laughed. She said, ‘I don’t think I’ll be as lucky the second time around, no Mr. Lando to rescue me.’

‘You don’t need Mr. Lando, you have me.’

‘Yes, but you don’t know these woods either do you? You could get lost with me.’

‘I think I’d be able to find our way out, I was brought up near woods, there’s a knack to finding your way.’

‘A compass?’

He grinned, ‘that would help, yes. But there are other ways too, such as noticing a certain tree or where certain plants grow, some kinds of plants won’t grow near a swamp for instance. Where the sun is, that kind of thing.’

‘I see. I wish I had known that back in Alban, I wouldn’t have needed Mr. Lando, and I wouldn’t have been caught spying on him and incurred his wrath.’

‘He must value his privacy very dear.’

‘Don’t we all?’

‘He more than most then. What did you learn about him while you were in Alban?’

She shrugged, ‘nothing much.’

‘Maybe he was an ex -con perhaps and therefore ostracised from the rest of the townsfolk.’

She looked at him in surprise, that was indeed what she had heard about him. She said, ‘if he had been in prison then he had obviously served his time, hence the “ex,” and should be treated the same as everyone else.’

‘You’re a very fair minded person.’

‘We all make mistakes don’t we? Don’t
you
think a person deserves a second chance?’

‘Of course, depending on what they’ve done of course. I mean, Lando might have been a rapist, or child abductor.’

‘I hardly think so; they would hardly have let him out again for something
that
serious would they?’

‘Probably not. But you never know do you, it’s always best to steer clear of people like that.’

Adela bristled and her voice was harsh as she said, “people like that?” You don’t even know him and yet you’re judging him. Before all you know he might have been in jail for non payment of speeding fines.’

‘Maybe. But you’re getting awful irate suddenly.’

‘I'm
always
irate when people judge others unfairly.’

He frowned, ‘it was just an observation that’s all. Besides, we don’t even know that Lando
has
been in jail do we?’

She stared at him in confusion for a moment then snapped, ‘Mr. Lando helped me that’s all I remember. I don’t really much care whether he’s been in prison or not.

Then she walked on, annoyed with herself for falling into the trap and giving away the fact that she knew Jonas Lando has been in prison, she felt like a traitor. Hennessey stayed where he was watching her retreating figure.

He smiled to himself then followed her. He caught her up and took her arm bringing her to an abrupt halt, ‘look, what I really meant to say was that you’re here alone in a foreign country, you go for long walks by yourself, you venture far and wide exploring. I was just trying to say that not everyone is as nice and friendly as these people in Eden, or those you met in Alban. There are many people with nefarious intentions only to willing to take advantage of a woman alone, of her friendliness. You were lucky with Jonas Lando, he bore no malevolence toward you but it could have worked out differently. I just want you to be careful that’s all. But I’m sorry if I made you angry.’

She had been staring at him frowning as he spoke. She had indeed been angry, she hated people who judged others, especially if they had never even met them just believed what others had told them, believed rumours. But she had to admit she was more disappointed than angry with Sterling Hennessey, she had thought he was better than that. But now he had explained she felt awful for judging
him
.

She said, ‘I’m sorry too. I’m just not comfortable talking about people behind their backs or making snap judgements about them; more often than not we’re wrong in our assumptions.’

‘I can see that you’d make a very good friend, and I hope I can still call
myself
that.’

She smiled, ‘of course. Look, let’s forget Jonas Lando and just enjoy our walk.’