The Road To Deliverance

by James, Harper

  It might have all kicked off then and there if Guillory hadn’t defused the situation, at least from Evan’s point of view. She looped her arm through his.

  ‘I’ll see you there.’ This to Ryder.

  Evan smiled properly then, smiled so hard it made his face ache.

  You can shove your cocktail sausages.

  ‘Good to see you, Detective. Don’t eat too much. I wouldn’t want to have to attend another funeral so soon.’

  Ryder looked as if he’d gotten one of those sausages—and the stick—caught sideways in his throat. He nodded stiffly to Guillory, walked back to where the others were waiting for him.

  ‘Don’t,’ she said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘You were going to wave at them.’

  ‘No I wasn’t.’

  ‘Anyway, sorry about that.’

  ‘It’s not your fault. Even so, you better go soon before he eats everything.’

  She shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip.

  ‘I retract the apology. And I don’t want to go.’

  Her body swelled next to him as she drew in a massive breath. Then she squeezed her hand into his pocket and found his.

  ‘So you’re not okay,’ Mr Perceptive said.

  ‘Not really. They treat me like I’ve got some disease.’

  After the attack on the pedophile suspect that resulted in her suspension, she’d seen him driving one time. She’d given chase, believing that he had a child in the car with him. He didn’t. It had all been in her imagination, the situation exacerbated by events in her personal life. As a result, one of the conditions of her return to work was that she undergo a course of sessions with the police psychiatrist.

  ‘I was a hero for knocking Garfield’s teeth down his throat. Now everything I say or do is processed through the filter of someone who’s a potential basket case.’

  ‘What do you want to do?’

  She looked past him to the other side of the cemetery. Instinctively he knew the answer. Just because it looked as if she was staring off into space, he knew better.

  ‘Let’s walk a while.’

  They set off but not before he’d bent to pick up one of the spent shell casings for himself.

  ‘What do you want that for?’

  ‘What? You’ve got the monopoly on morbid?’

  ‘Tell me.’

  ‘I’m pretending it’s for Ryder. Satisfied?’

  She rolled her eyes in despair. Idiot.

  On the far side of the cemetery they stopped in front of a newish grave marker. He’d never been there before. Despite that, he knew what name would be on it: Teardrop.

  ‘You never told me his proper name,’ he said, reading the name underneath.

  She shook her head absently.

  ‘No. Everybody called him Teardrop.’

  They stood arm in arm, looking down at the grave marker. Was this what started her collecting the spent brass? Because the grave belonged to her younger brother, also an undercover cop, also killed in the line of duty. Except his death had been a lot more difficult than the two bullets in the back that had ended the life of his fellow officer they had buried today.

  For a time, she’d called Evan Teardrop. According to her, they shared the same pig-headed stubbornness that had gotten him killed. It was only a matter of time before it did the same for him.

  Hey, who wants happy thoughts in a cemetery anyway?

  She suddenly disentangled herself from him. ‘Wait there.’

  He watched her as she ran back down the hill to the fresh grave, crouched down to pull a couple of lily stems from one of the floral tributes. Then she was running back up the hill again twice as fast, cheeks flushed, working hard, the catharsis of physical exercise.

  ‘He won’t mind,’ she said as she laid the stems on her brother’s grave.

  Evan couldn’t help but notice they were the only ones.

  They stood there for a long while, neither of them saying anything. Finally, she turned away, finding his hand as she did so. They walked in silence for a while until it became obvious that she wasn’t going to say anything more.

  ‘It’s lucky we’re holding hands,’ he said in an attempt to lighten her mood.

  ‘Why’s that?’

  ‘People might think you were arresting me otherwise, you in your uniform. Did I mention you look good in it?’

  ‘Mr Silver Tongue himself. You also nearly said it suits me. Like I’m more patrol officer material than a detective.’

  Not for the first time it struck him that maybe he shouldn’t open his mouth at all. Ever. She stopped walking abruptly. For a split second he thought she’d read his guilty thoughts. But it wasn’t that at all.

  She looked over his shoulder. ‘I get the feeling I’m being steered.’

  ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘Really? So if we carry on walking in this direction, out of the gate over there and then make a right, we won’t end up at the Jerusalem Tavern?’

  ‘Will we?’

  ‘Idiot.’

  They set off walking again. He’d have sworn her pace quickened now that she’d figured out where they were headed. He always knew best.

  ‘Any news about Garfield or the pedophile gang?’ he said. ‘Where they might have held you?’

  ‘Nope.’

  It came out a little too quickly. It was possible she just didn’t want to talk about it, especially on a day like today which was somber enough to start with. Somehow he didn’t think so.

  ‘What about you? Seeing as Jackson didn’t show. You going down to Laredo, despite the threats?’

  If he didn’t know her better, he’d have thought the detour to her brother’s grave had been for the specific purpose of reminding him what happened to people who closed their minds to the consequences of their foolhardy actions.

  ‘I thought you didn’t believe all that.’

  She shrugged noncommittally.

  ‘Maybe I didn’t at first.’

  ‘What changed your mind?’

  ‘Well, the guy following us for one.’

  Chapter 5

  GUILLORY PULLED EVAN into her body to stop him from looking around, her hair in his face. She smelled nice.

  ‘You sure?’ he said.

  ‘Uh-huh. You weren’t the only uninvited guest at the funeral. I noticed him immediately, didn’t think anything about it. Then I saw him standing by another grave while we were at Teardrop’s. And now he fancies a walk in the same direction as us. At exactly the same pace. That’s why I stopped a minute ago. I knew we’d end up at the Jerusalem, that wasn’t why I stopped. I wanted to see what he did. He stopped too.’

  ‘He’s not very good at it, is he?’

  She shook her head, you’ve got it wrong.

  ‘They want you to know they’re watching you. Someone must have told them what you’re like. That maybe tasering you and cancelling your credit cards and threatening your family isn’t enough. And no, it wasn’t me.’

  She was smiling as she said it. Except there was no more genuine humor in her words than there had been in the solemn words spoken at the funeral service.

  They turned the corner as she’d predicted. The Jerusalem Tavern was halfway down the block. As soon as they were around the corner, he set off running like a horse that’s seen the stable door, dragging her along with him.

  ‘Jesus, Evan, they’re not about to run out of beer in the next five minutes.’

  ‘Can’t take any chances.’

  It wasn’t that at all.

  Twenty yards short of the bar he dived into an alley, practically pulled her off her feet. They made their way towards the back, hid behind a smelly dumpster.

  ‘So romantic,’ she whispered as they pressed themselves into the wall. She snuggled up against him. ‘It’s like being sixteen again.’

  He ignored her as she rubbed up against him, ignored her breath warm on his neck, marveled at her sudden change of mood. There’s nothing like the touch
of death to make a body feel the need to reaffirm life. He watched the street through the gap between the dumpster and the wall. The guy was instantly recognizable when he hurried past the end of the alley, a clone of the men who’d abducted him a couple of days previously. The noisy sounds of the bar spilled out into the street as he opened the door before it banged shut again.

  ‘What now?’ she said.

  ‘Let’s go have a beer with him. See what he wants.’

  Her face told him that whether it had been her intention or not, it was now clear to her that the visit to her brother’s grave hadn’t done a thing to curb his relentless pursuit of self-destruction.

  ‘It’s your—’ she started, then pushed him towards the mouth of the alley rather than finish.

  They saw him as soon as they walked in, sitting up at the bar, his back to them. A number of heads turned at the sight of Guillory in her uniform, turned back again as most people recognized her. The guy at the bar had his phone in his hand, texting.

  They took a seat at the bar either side of him. Evan knocked the phone out of his hand, sent it bouncing away behind the bar.

  ‘Sorry.’

  The bartender went to retrieve it. Evan told him to leave it where it was. The guy stared at him a long while. Then turned to Guillory, gave her a quick up and down look, a supercilious leer on his lips. Evan almost felt sorry for him. He’d seen what could happen when someone gave her a look like that.

  ‘Why were you at the funeral?’ she said.

  ‘What funeral?’

  ‘What funeral? You didn’t see all those people in uniform standing around an open grave? Didn’t hear the three-volley salute? Or maybe you thought it was a car backfiring?’

  He shook his head, news to me.

  ‘I’ve been visiting a grave, that’s all.’

  Evan wanted to stop her there, tell her to drop it. Because he had a bad feeling about what was coming next. He’d have had more chance ripping the wooden bar out of the floor and carrying it outside on his shoulder than getting her to stop now.

  ‘Really? And whose grave was that?’

  The guy stared at her a long moment, his eyes hard, a hint of smug pleasure lighting them. The conversation was going the way he wanted it to.

  ‘My little brother’s.’

  Evan hadn’t asked for more proof that these people, whoever they were, had dug deeply into every aspect of his life. He’d gotten it all the same. It didn’t faze Guillory. The guy might as well have said it was his Auntie Mabel and wiped away a tear in his eye.

  ‘Why did you follow us here?’

  ‘Did I? I thought I came in for a beer.’

  She made a show of looking at the bar counter in front of him.

  ‘I can’t see it.’

  ‘Yeah. The service in here sucks. I think I’ll get one someplace else.’ He slid off the stool, called over to the bartender. ‘I’ll take my phone now.’

  Neither Evan nor Guillory said anything as he waited for it. Then the guy leaned in towards Evan, whispered loudly in his ear.

  ‘She looks good in a uniform, doesn’t she? Especially those tight pants.’

  Then he made a very silly mistake.

  He patted her ass where it hung off the edge of the stool. Evan could’ve told him that no day was a good day to try that kind of shit, however inviting it looked. And today of all days was a particularly poor choice. The guy might even have been about to give it another pat for good measure. Except he wasn’t fast enough. Not nearly fast enough. She whipped around, backhanded him across the mouth, knuckles splitting his lip. Every head in the bar turned at the sound. He staggered backwards into a group of people standing behind him, blood running down his chin from his mouth.

  Evan was off his stool in a split second before she got a second blow in, standing in front of her with his hands clamped around her upper arms. It was like leaning into an elevator shaft, his hands gripping the steel cables, stopping the car from moving.

  ‘Let go of me.’

  He ignored her, told the guy behind him to piss off out of here if he knew what was good for him. The guy had the sense to do as he was told. He pushed his way angrily through the people behind him and then he was gone, the door slamming noisily after him.

  ‘That went well,’ Evan said, manhandling her rigid body back onto her seat. He waved for the bartender to bring them a couple of beers.

  ‘Prick.’

  He hoped she meant the guy she hit, decided not to ask. If she meant him, it would only make it worse. He ran the back of his hand across his brow, let out a long, exaggerated sigh.

  ‘I feel like I’ve had a close shave.’

  ‘You’ve had a close shave?’ Her voice was more like a squeak.

  ‘Uh-huh. I nearly did that myself when you were rubbing yourself up against my leg in the alley.’

  For a moment she was at a loss for words. Then their beers arrived. He’d have sworn he heard the word idiot washed down her throat with the first mouthful. She nearly choked on it trying not to laugh at the same time. Then her face changed back again and he knew the crosshairs of her temper had settled firmly on him.

  ‘What was that about looking good in a uniform? That’s exactly what you said.’

  If he’d thought it would help, he’d have gone to the men’s room then. Maybe soaped himself up, squeezed through the window. He wouldn’t get halfway there today.

  ‘I forgot to mention . . .’

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  She flexed her hand as she nodded along, rubbed a spot of blood off the knuckles.

  ‘When they were threatening me the other night . . .’

  ‘Carry on.’

  ‘They didn’t only threaten me and my sister . . .’

  ‘Keep going.’

  ‘They threatened to bust you back down into the ranks as well. That’s why I was trying to be so nice to Ryder earlier. Pretend we’re friends. So they’d do him instead. Even if it sounds like a promotion to me.’

  He was talking too much, took a swig of beer to stop himself.

  ‘When were you planning on telling me this?’

  ‘Soon.’

  She kept on nodding. Like it sounded reasonable. At least to anyone who’d never met him.

  He decided to dig the hole a little deeper.

  ‘I didn’t want you worrying about that as well as all the other shit you’ve got going on at the moment.’

  He didn’t get the reaction he’d been expecting, an indignant outburst, I can look after myself, thank you. Instead, she threw her arm around his neck, nearly broke it as she hugged him.

  ‘That’s very considerate. Trouble is, they’ll do it whether you’ve told me or not if you keep sticking your nose into their business.’

  ‘True.’

  ‘So, what are you going to do?’

  He finished his beer to give himself a moment, heard a finger tapping on the bar beside him.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘I think we should go down there.’

  He didn’t miss how she said we and not you.

  ‘Is this because of that guy?’

  ‘Not just that. It’s because I think it’s your best bet. I know I didn’t believe all that crap Adamson was feeding you, thought he was stringing you along. But when you take into account what happened to you and then being followed today . . . somebody is pretty determined to keep us away.’

  ‘And you don’t like anyone telling you what you can and can’t do.’ Once again, he ignored her reference to us.

  ‘I don’t like?’ she spluttered.

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  That got him a weary head shake.

  ‘Ryder must be right. I spend too much time with you.’

  ‘Gotta be a first for everything.’

  The bartender put another couple of beers in front of them. That effectively marked the end of serious business for the day. One or both of them would be going to Laredo and damn the consequences, that much was settled.

  ‘So
,’ she said with a mischievous curl of her lips, ‘all that stuff about you look good in a uniform was pure BS, was it? It was actually just a reference to the threats made.’

  ‘Let’s find out.’

  She immediately knew she’d made a mistake.

  ‘Why don’t you stand on your stool, or the bar if you prefer, and we’ll take a poll. I know there are plenty of people in here have got an opinion. Hey everybody—’

  Her hand was clamped over his mouth faster than when she’d backhanded the guy who patted her ass. It was nearly as hard too, only he didn’t get the knuckles.

  ‘You dare.’

  He held up his hands in surrender. Cautiously she pulled her hand away from his mouth.

  ‘Seriously though, I meant it. You do look good in a uniform. Like the guy said, especially those tight pants.’

  He leaned backwards to glance down at her butt.

  ‘Fancy trying your luck?’ she said, flexing her fingers again.

  ‘We’ll see. Maybe later.’

  Chapter 6

  NEXT DAY, immediately before lunch, Evan was sitting in Detective Ryder’s chair with his feet up on his desk, hands clasped behind his head.

  ‘I bet if I put a couple of pillows up my shirt you wouldn’t be able to tell us apart.’

  Opposite him at her own desk, Kate Guillory sighed wearily.

  ‘You have no idea how right you are.’

  That wiped the smile off his face. He swung his feet off the desk, dropped them noisily to the floor.

  ‘He does that too. I bet you start picking your nose next.’

  He wished he hadn’t started it. Before he could come up with a suitable reply, Ryder walked into the room. Evan jumped up.

  ‘Just keeping it warm for you.’

  He patted the seat, an invitation for Ryder to sit in the warm spot. Ryder looked as if he’d rather sit on a hot metal spike. He ignored Evan, looked at Guillory.

  ‘What’s he doing here?’

  ‘Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s get some lunch. On me.’

  ‘I’ll hold the fort,’ Evan said.

  Ryder shook his head.

  ‘We’re not leaving him here on his own. He’ll probably burn the place down.’

  Evan raised his eyes to the ceiling, thanked someone upstairs for an easy shot.