The Whiskey Tide (46 page)

     
"A dog! He'd raise Cain when Uncle Finney's bootlegging pals tried to land."

     
"Wouldn't that be a shame." Joe stifled a yawn. "I've got to catch fish in the morning. Let me walk you and Aggie down to find Pierce. He's probably half crazy wondering what's happening."

     
Kate was too weary to argue. When they reached the end of the hall and she spoke Aggie's name, Aggie turned. Her green eyes were almost indistinguishable behind a curtain of tears. She looked younger, somehow, and more despairing than Kate had ever seen her.

     
"Oh, Kate," she whispered. "If he dies — it will be because of me!"

***

     
The dog was enormous. Ugly. Evil looking.

     
"We couldn't possibly afford to feed him!" Kate's mother protested staying well away from the lean black creature with his long muzzle and pointed ears.

     
"He'll get by fine on scraps. Stale bread and gravy. Meat trimmings. He can catch a bird on the beach if he gets hungry."

     
She had known this wouldn't be easy. Her mother didn't like dogs, or cats either for that matter. It was why they'd never had pets. Compounding her task was the fact that Theo had lain in a coma for more than three days. Each time the phone rang they all tensed, expecting news of his death.

     
"When you open your shop there are going to be times when no one's at home. He'll alleviate Uncle Finney's worries about us, too." Her mother's sniff suggested that carried less weight than it would have a few weeks ago.

     
Mama and Rosalie had no idea of the link between Aggie and Felix and what had happened to Theo. They'd believed Aggie's tale that a girl at a speakeasy had fallen against her and knocked her into a table. While Theo slept a sleep from which he might never awaken, Kate could scarcely close her eyes for worrying what else Felix might do to force Aggie back to him. Yesterday she had finally gone to see the legendary Mr. Vogel.

     
"He might bite Woody," Mama said nervously.

     
The nameless dog, which had been sitting quietly, thumped his tail and looked at the boy.

     
"He knows my name!" Woody breathed, enthralled.

     
Kate shifted the rope which served as a leash and stroked the dog's head cautiously. His tail thumped. A rattle and clatter behind them announced an automobile. Without warning the dog was in front of her, facing the drive. Teeth like knives shone from his curled lips and his low growl made the hair rise on Kate's neck.

     
"It's all right," she pleaded. "That's Aggie. She lives here."

     
Blind to the animal, Aggie hurled herself from the car. "Theo's awake!" she called running toward them. "He woke up and he asked for water and he knew his name when they asked. They think he's going to be all right!"

     
She was laughing and crying together. The dog sat down on his haunches. Aggie whirled like a dervish hugging them all. So long as Theo had lain unconscious she'd kept vigil at his bedside, creeping home only to sleep.

     
"Look, Aggie! I'm going to call him King Tut," Woody said petting the dog's dark head. "Aaron only has a canary. Of course it's a nice canary."

     
Their mother let out a long breath of resignation.

     
"I thought we needed a watchdog," Kate said quietly.

     
Aggie's eyes met Kate's, understanding. Each saw the other's unspoken question: Would this be enough? Would Felix let them alone?

***

     
It took Joe four days to find Felix Garvey. One to learn the places he frequented and what kind of car he drove. Two of searching for it unsuccessfully. And tonight when he'd spotted it and knocked at the door of the speakeasy up the street and sent Felix a note. Nothing fancy. Just a couple of unsigned sentences saying he'd been in the woods and witnessed Felix's meeting with the fellow with the cane, and how much was it worth to Felix for him not to mention it to anyone else?

     
Half an hour before the time Joe had set for a meeting, a man in a white suit emerged from the speakeasy, looked about him with cool control and got into his flashy Stutz. He was taking Joe's bait. He was going alone, too. Joe waited five minutes, but no other cars pulled out to follow. He started the truck.

     
The place he'd chosen was the same deserted stretch of road where they'd found Theo. Joe pulled off the road well in advance of the lay-by so no motor noise would announce his arrival. Maybe he would surprise Felix, maybe not. The guy might be as smart as he was vicious. Joe began a slow circuit through the woods that would bring him around behind the clearing. Letting one tree trunk and then another hide him. Easing his foot down with each step so twigs didn't snap. Just like in France, except here there was only one man he needed to worry about in the dark.

     
It took him fifteen minutes to reach the back of the clearing. Felix was watching the road. The tip of his cigarette glowed and a waning moon made it easy to see him. He looked completely relaxed. Joe waited until he got a good view of the other man’s hands. They were empty. No gun. Good bet that he had one, though.

     
Joe stepped into the clearing, keeping a solitary oak between him and Felix, making for the spot he'd selected earlier.

     
"Garvey," he said. "Over here. By the tree."

     
Felix turned. He flicked his cigarette into the grass and ground it out. With languid steps he strolled toward the tree. The bastard could have had ice water in his veins. He was that unafraid.

     
"I don't like blackmail," he said.

     
"Never tried it yourself?" Joe stepped into view. "Too risky, Felix? Is that why you stick to beating up cripples and women?"

     
The sleeve of the white jacket moved and there was a gun in Felix's hand. "Here's how I pay blackmailers," he said as the gun swung toward Joe.

     
Joe had picked up a wrist-sized stick. He swung it the same way the army had taught him to swing a rifle. It struck his enemy's arm aside as the gun discharged and fell in the darkness. In one continuous move Joe rammed the end of the stick into Felix's belly and lifted, half wishing the stick was fitted with a bayonet.

     
Felix fell to the earth with a grunt.

     
"Get up," Joe said tersely tossing the stick aside.

     
Felix rolled and lunged before the words were out of his mouth, surprising Joe with his speed and ferocity. His head butted Joe's midsection, knocking Joe's breath out. Joe pivoted with the attack, catching Felix by the collar and driving a fist up into his jaw. Not as hard as he'd meant to. He was out of practice. But his next punch landed better, and with the third he felt the satisfying snap of Felix's nose.

     
Felix got in a blow of his own that made Joe's ears ring, and taking advantage of it, aimed a kick at Joe's groin. Sidestepping it, Joe knocked him to the ground and brought the toe of his boot full force into Felix's side.

     
That's for the poor fellow in the hospital who tried to take you on when he didn't stand one chance in hell.

     
"Get up," Joe said. "You're going to find out what it's like to fight a man with two good legs."

     
Felix, gasping for breath, didn't move. Joe drew back his foot. With a snarling sound Felix rolled onto his knees.

     
"I'll kill you," he said.

     
"Not tonight you won't."

     
Felix lunged, his face twisted with hate. He landed several punches which drew blood. He was quick with his fists. Joe hit harder, swinging methodically, picturing Theo's face and repaying blow for blow until Felix's knees gave way and he sagged to the ground, lying motionless.

     
"Get up." Joe nudged him with his toe and got no response. After watching for several minutes he went back to the oak tree where he'd left his old army canteen filled with water. He rinsed his mouth out carefully, then took a drink. The rest of the water he poured onto Felix's face, reviving him.

     
"Garvey? You hear me? Answer me if you do?"

     
There was no response. Joe caught the front of the other man's shirt as if to lift him and hit him again.

     
"Yeah. I hear you."

     
"Fine." They were the length of Joe's arm apart. "Then listen good. I know you've got hired goons you could send after me. They might get me. Or you might yourself. But then one of my friends would get you in a dark alley.

     
"That's my prologue. The real message here is that you stay away from the Hinshaws. If one of them gets so much as a cut finger you'll have a cop and a Coast Guardsman both on you so fast you won't have a chance to spit. The Hinshaws know nothing about tonight. This is between you and me. Understand?" He brought his open hand smartly against Felix's cheek. "Understand?"

     
"Yeah. I understand."

     
The slit that marked the less swollen of Felix's eyes fluttered closed. Joe let him sag back. The front of his white suit was covered with blood. His face was unrecognizable. Still, he was in better condition than he'd left Theo. For a long moment Joe felt the urge to kick him once in the side of the head. Finally he turned away.

     
That was the difference between him and Felix Garvey.

***

     
Joe arrived at the hospital late in the afternoon in good trousers and his tweed jacket. He would go from there directly to Mass.

     
"Mr. Fletcher isn't allowed any visitors except immediate family," a nurse on the ward informed him sternly.

     
"I'm an army pal of his," Joe coaxed. "It'll do him good to see me. I'll just stay a minute."

     
The army pal story was calculated to be a charm. It seemed to work.

     
"I'll see if he's awake," the nurse relented.

     
She whisked down the hall in her starched uniform. Joe tried to envision Aunt Norah defending the gates like that when she was young. A few moments later the nurse returned with a stern nod. "Five minutes."

     
The head of the man in the bed was wound with bandages. A faint hope lighted the pale eyes ringed with red and purple flesh. It disappeared at sight of Joe.

     
"I wondered who she meant by an army friend," Theo said listlessly. "All my friends died."

     
"Some of mine did too."

     
The man in the bed was silent, propped up on pillows and colorless as the sheets pulled up to his chest. Joe wasn't sure what to say.

     
"You don't know who I am—"

     
"You're the fellow who works on Kate's boat." Theo's gaze moved assessingly over him. "She says you're quite trustworthy."

     
This was starting to feel more like some inspection than a straightforward chat. "Your cousin's got no business making those trips, but she's stubborn as a mule. If I didn't go she'd find someone else. So I look out for her. The whole crew does."