The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.) (154 page)

But it was the inside that betrayed the most change, before it had been a pale grey colour, he thought it reflected him and his life, but he found himself painting it a warm cream colour, well, he told himself, at least it wasn’t pink. The bedroom he had done a pale blue and the bathroom a kind of gold colour. He had bought some vases and small ornaments to match the colour scheme. When he stood back and surveyed his handy work, instead of being pleased with what he saw he frowned and calling to Dante to stay in his basket he left the cabin and went for a walk in the woods.

As he walked he thought about Lomax who had called on the morning of his first day back full of what Jason Berringer had told him. He said that Berringer had been very impressed with everything that had happened and with Lando, as well as being highly amused. He said he would be telling that story for years to come.

He had handed him his Smith and Wesson Chief’s Special which had been found in the cabin. Lando had taken it very slowly from Lomax’s hands and gripped it tightly. Now this was the only thing he had of his time in the force and he was grateful to Lomax.

The latter had asked about Adela and Leyton and was relieved that they were going to be okay. But he had said he felt sorry in his heart for them both, but particularly the woman who had asked for none of this, but had only tried to do the right and decent thing. Lando had thought that was the second time in two days someone had called her decent. He could not argue with that assessment.

Lomax had stood looking at the cabin and shaking his head, then asked if Lando needed any help with the repairs. Lando had said rather abruptly that he could manage, then had regretted his abruptness and thanked Lomax and asked him to thank the townsfolk for everything they had done, and also for the food etcetera. Lomax did not tell him that he had informed the town’s people that someone had tried to kidnap the woman and Lando had protected her, almost losing his home and his life into the bargain. This caused a new found respect for Lando from the townsfolk of Alban.

Then Lomax had asked if he had seen his friend Mr. Brutus. Lando had stiffened but then noticed the glint in the other man’s eyes. He said that no, he hadn’t, and he probably wouldn’t be seeing him again either. Lomax had said that was just as well and Lando had agreed.

Two days later Lando had gone into town, he had not wanted to and had dreaded it, but not having a vehicle he could not go into the next biggest town for the timber and paint he needed. And since he had only two hundred dollars in his rainy day money, which thankfully he had kept hidden in the barn; he could not afford a cab there and back.

So into town he went. He had to be very frugal with his money but at the same time not skimp on the building equipment he needed, he didn’t want the cabin blowing away in the next strong gust of wind.

He had first called into Rose Hosewater's hardware store for his paint and nails and so on and was struck dumb when that lady greeted him like a long lost friend. “Mr. Lando,” she enthused,
“
how are you? Oh your poor face, that must hurt. Are you taking anything for the pain, have you something to put on it? I have some excellent ointment, take care of that right off.”

He had to wait quite a while before he could assure her that he was all right and that no it didn’t hurt, and no he didn’t need anything to put on it. Nevertheless she had insisted on throwing some of the miracle ointment into his packages. He had given her the extra money but she had refused to take it, saying it was the least she could do for his poor face.

He had been astonished by her generosity, astonished and dismayed. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t accept charity but did not want to cause a scene in front of the other customers, all of which had greeted him cordially. Plus, he recalled what she and the other townspeople had done for him, and so had thanked her and got the hell outta there.

On his way down to Jemmy Butlers timber yard he saw a young girl coming the other way. He averted his eyes but she stopped and said pleasantly and rather loudly, ‘Mr. Lando, hey, how are ya? How’re those cute li’l animals 'o yours doin?

It took a moment for him to recall her from the day of the fire; she was the one whose friend was afraid of Raccoons. As in Rose Hosewater’s place he felt very uncomfortable, he especially did not want to be seen talking to a young woman. He expected one of the several people who passed by to call out any moment for her to get away from the woman killer, but they just nodded and smiled at him. He told the girl that the animals were fine, then as an afterthought he thanked her for what she had done.

She had waved a hand at him and told him that it was nothing, that she had enjoyed it.

That she had especially liked looking after that there cute li’l foal, that they had become good friends in the last few days.

He leaned back stunned. She went on to say that she and one or two others had been calling before and after school to take care of the foal and the other animals. She had smiled wistfully and said she would miss them. This was of course his cue to ask her to call any time, but of course he didn’t, just stood there as though in a trance.

She seemed not to notice his discomfort but said she had better be going or she would be late for class. He watched her walk away, completely dumbfounded.

He got the same reception at Jemmy Butler’s place; he was greeted affably and was asked if he needed any help with the building which he answered in the negative. Jemmy had looked disappointed but had said that if he changed his mind he knew where to find him, then had wished him a good day and told him that his order would be delivered to him within the day. Lando had walked back to the cabin in a daze. It was only much later that he realised that the bills for his wood and other things from the store had been considerably less than he had thought.

Back at the cabin Lando had tried to concentrate on his work but the events of the previous morning kept intruding on his thoughts. He hated to admit it, but those people had saved his cabin and some of his most valuable possessions, including the most valuable ones, his animals.

Those people who he had shunned and ridiculed had come together to save his home. They had rallied round in his hour of need. He had to ask himself why that thought scared him so much. He hated to be beholden to them…to anyone. He just hoped that they would not use this new found friendliness toward him to think they could just call any time they wished. He didn’t want company, he didn’t need company, or at least that’s what he told himself, and he tried very hard to make himself believe it.

It turned out that Lando need not have worried, because after four weeks the townspeople had respected his privacy and kept their distance. Except for the first few mornings when Lomax had called by with casseroles and fruit. Lando had thanked him and told him to thank his wife Zelda, but Lomax had said they weren’t all from her but from several others, including Mrs. Hosewater who had thrown in another tube of ointment for his face. Lando wanted to ask how much ointment she thought he could use on one face but thought that would sound ungrateful so kept silent and Lomax had smiled a crafty smile.

Every day for three days he had asked Lando to dinner at his place and each time Lando had refused and eventually Lomax had taken the hint and stopped asking.

On this particular morning, four weeks and three days after the events at Glissando’s residence, Lando was just returning from his usual Foray in the woods when Dante, who had by now completely recovered from his injuries, stood still, pricked up his ears and let out a low growl then barked, and before Lando could stop him, took off through the woods towards the cabin. Lando called out to him to stop but he ignored him, Lando let out an oath and ran after him.

It was odd really, but after the incident with Guildenstern Lando thought that Dante would have been even more nervous and cautious than ever, on the contrary, he had become more outgoing, even going so far as to wander off by himself. Admittedly, only as far as the periphery of the woods or to the barn, but it was further than he had ever been alone before. Although he was still wary of people and hid when Lomax came, but once he knew it was him he came out of hiding and made a fuss of him. Lando wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or worried about his dog’s new found courage.

As he approached the cabin he slowed and raised his rifle, although he half expected to see Lomax sitting on the recently finished front porch.

But as he tuned the corner he drew to an abrupt halt and stood amazed at the sight before him. The woman had been squatting down petting Dante, but at the sight of him she rose awkwardly to her feet and smiled. It was a clumsy kind of smile as though she had forgotten how to do i
t. She raised her hands, ‘please don’t shoot me, Mr. Lando; I’ve
really
had enough of hospitals for the time being.’

The hand that held the rifle lowered of its own accord as if suddenly to heavy for it.

A range of emotions surged through him, shock, delight, anger, fear and joy. He seemed to have been standing there for an age before he managed to say, ‘what the hell you doing here?’

As the forced smile slid from her lips he thought, well done, Jonas, the first words she hears from you in four weeks are brusque and accusatory, but his shock had caused the bluntness.

She said, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call uninvited…again. But since I was here I wanted to see how you were, you and Dante and the others.’

He looked down at Dante who still stood by her side like the Judas he was. He had the feeling that if he called Dante to him the dog would not respond, and he didn’t want to test it so didn’t. She was wearing a cream coloured skirt which came to just above her knee and a very pretty peach coloured blouse with ruffles down the front. And despite her pale complexion she looked nice, very nice. He inwardly cursed himself for noticing how pretty she looked.

When he said nothing, she said, ‘I didn’t mean to intrude, and I won’t stay, but I had to know that you were all right.’

His reply was again abrupt, ‘we’re fine.’

She nodded, ‘good, that’s good.’

As if only asking because it was expected of him he
said, ‘how’re
you
?’

‘Oh fine too. Fully recovered now, thank you.’

Her gaunt features and even thinner physique gave the lie to that answer and her expression told him that she knew he didn’t believe her.

He knew that she would have to take antibiotics for the rest of her life to stave off any infections she could not now fight as easily after the splenectomy.

She looked at the cabin and said, ‘the window and door are in different places, ‘when he remained silent she went on, ‘you’ve done wonders in such a short time all by yourself. You must have worked really hard.’

He shrugged as though hard work was nothing, which it wasn’t, he preferred to keep busy, it prevented him from thinking things he did not want to think, or at least that was the idea. He wondered how she knew he had done it all by himself, but then she had probably learned enough about him to know he would shun outside help.

‘And how are Josie and Maynard?’ She asked.

He was surprised she had remembered the mare and foal’s names but said, ‘fine.’

‘That’s good.’ He said nothing and was taken aback when she asked, ‘can I see them?’

His surprise made him hesitate and she looked uncomfortable for a moment then said, ‘if it’s not too much trouble, I know you’re busy.’

‘I am.’ He said bluntly

Adela
looked momentarily crestfallen then nodded and turned as if to leave but his saying, ‘but I was just about to take a break anyway,’ caused her to turn back.

She looked quickly at him then gave that half smile before following him into the barn.

When Adela saw the foal she gasped and went running over to it. She stroked his back and enthused, ‘my, but he’s grown so much in such a short time.’

‘He
’s the right size for his age.’ Lando replied.

She glanced at him thinking he was making a joke but he wasn’t smiling so she must have been wrong. She patted the mare and said, ‘you’re doing a good job with your son mum, he’s a bonny boy, you must be very proud.’ The mare whinnied as though saying, "thanks," but Adela did not laugh as she had before, only smiled that smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

Lando watched her closely out of the corner of his eye as she petted the mare and foal but not forgetting to give Dante the odd pat on the head too.

She looked different somehow, well she would wouldn’t she after everything she had been through. But there was something else about her, a kind of quiet calm that had not been there before. Of course he had not known her before she had been caught up in the middle of something horrible, something violent and evil. But there was a definite change in her, she seemed very composed and in control, almost tranquil. He wondered if she had read the dossier on Hennessey and that had reassured her somewhat. Or maybe her brush with death had put things into perspective, well, whatever it was, she appeared different. He noticed that she when she rose to her feet she held onto something to assist her. His stomach knotted with concern for her.

She brought him out of his reverie by asking, ‘can I see the other animals please?’

He hesitated as he had before then nodded and led the way into the little animal hospital where again she petted and fussed over the creatures. She asked about the condition of this fox and that rabbit.