by Matt Hilton
Pinky settled into Po’s recliner, stretching out his legs and steepling his fingers on his belly. His feet stuck up like a couple of tombstones. Pinky always made himself at home when visiting, and usually disproved the adage that three’s a crowd. For the first time, Tess wondered if the maxim was true. But no, it wasn’t the case. She and Po had gotten little opportunity to talk things through yet, but it didn’t escape her that there were probably things that Po might never be able to comfortably share with her, but he might with his best pal. It was right that Pinky was here to support Po through what must be a confusing and worrying time for her man. Pinky could probably offer a logical and wise response to his concerns, whereas Tess’s would more likely be based on emotion. She’d told Po earlier she wasn’t angry, and it was true, but if it also proved true that he was Jacob’s dad, then it would impact their lives together whichever way she looked at it. At that time, it was difficult imagining her future with a stepson in it.
Admittedly the boy did resemble Po. He had the same intense coloration of his eyes and raven hair, but more so, a similar shape to his beetling brow and strong nose, and several times Tess had caught him frowning and he was how she imagined Po must have looked as a brooding adolescent. After Po’s mother deserted him, and his father was murdered, Po’s next stint at life was as an inmate at Angola, otherwise known as the Louisiana State Penitentiary. His family home had been sold off, and with it any belongings left behind; as a result, all records of his childhood had been disposed of or lost, so there wasn’t a photograph available that Tess could compare Jacob to. Then again, he had fuller lips and a more rounded chin, and they didn’t appear to have been passed down through his mother’s genes, and could probably be from Caleb Moorcock.
Tess said, ‘He’s a handsome boy.’
Immediately Po’s glance flicked from her to Elspeth, studying the woman’s response.
‘Yeah, he takes after me,’ Elspeth replied, which as an answer was no help whatsoever.
‘Does he have anything of his father in him?’ Tess asked.
Po scowled so hard he was in danger of forever altering the contours of his features.
Elspeth looked down at her son. The muscles of his face were lax, softened in sleep. ‘For his sake, I sure hope not.’
Her answer turned Po away, and he went through into the kitchen. The sound of gushing water followed, and he must have gulped down a glassful. He returned, dashing his lips dry with the back of a wrist. He exchanged a look with Tess, and she answered his unspoken question with a barely perceptible shrug: in her opinion, Elspeth had been referring to Caleb, but that didn’t confirm who the boy’s biological father was. Her gentle probing for an answer was getting them nowhere.
However, Pinky put things more bluntly. ‘Y’know, Nicolas, that boy has a look of you. If I didn’t know otherwise I’d say—’
Tess’s glare stalled him.
‘Uh, what did I say, me?’ he asked innocently.
But it was too late to backtrack, and besides, Elspeth had stiffened at his proclamation. Her shoulders rounded as she wrapped her son in both arms and pulled him into a tighter embrace. Jacob stirred and peered up at her but she was unaware. Her eyes darted between Tess and Po, her head shaking as if she was feverish. ‘What’s this about?’ she demanded at a croak.
‘I think you know what must be going through all our minds,’ said Tess, ‘but if it’s something you’d rather discuss without Jacob here you could put him to bed in our room.’
‘I’m not letting my son out of my sight,’ Elspeth said, and the croak had become a bitter hiss.
Tess looked to Po for support and he stepped up to the mark. He had obviously concluded that tiptoeing around the subject would get them nowhere. ‘Well, Elspeth, you left me what, near to eleven years ago … were you pregnant with Jacob at the time?’
‘What?’ Elspeth struggled to stand, but had to juggle Jacob around first. The boy blinked in confusion, and not a little fear at the sudden change of tone. ‘Are you kidding me?’ Elspeth demanded as she shot to her feet. She darted looks at all three of her accusers, the darkest of all at Tess. ‘Is this coming from you? What’s wrong, Tess, does our being here threaten your relationship with Nicolas?’
Initially Tess was too stunned to reply.
Po said, ‘It’s a valid question.’
He was not referring to Elspeth’s but his own.
‘I took one look at him and thought—’
‘Thought what?’
‘You heard what Pinky said a moment ago,’ Po said.
‘Jacob.’ Elspeth bent and shook some life into him. The boy was still curled on the couch, blinking, mouth open at the rapid-fire questions, slowly understanding that he was the subject of discussion.
‘Mom, what’s going on? What are they saying?’
‘Never mind them. C’mon, get up. We are leaving.’
‘Wait,’ said Tess, moving in to try to calm Elspeth.
Elspeth swiped an arm at her. ‘Get away. We’re leaving. I knew expecting to get help from you was too good to be true!’
‘Elspeth, wait, calm down. Let’s talk things through—’ Tess again had to dodge a swipe of Elspeth’s hand.
‘No, we’re leaving. You can’t make us stay!’ Elspeth dragged Jacob into her embrace, while seeking where she’d left her tote bag.
Po stepped in close and took her elbow in his hand.
Elspeth went from naught to sixty in an instant. She screeched as she tried to wrench free. Po hopped back, both hands held up in surrender. Perhaps taking hold of a woman who’d been subjected to years of misogynistic abuse was not his finest idea. Tess got between Po and Elspeth, holding out her palms, trying to calm the woman. However, Elspeth was in panic mode. She dodged around Tess, drawing Jacob along with her, and then raced to where she’d put down her bag on arrival.
Tess followed, trying to get Elspeth to listen, but she was having none of it. Elspeth grabbed her bag and steamed for the exit door.
‘Hold up,’ Po said, ‘it’s miles back to town. Stay here and—’
Jacob broke free of his mother and flung himself bodily at Po.
‘Leave my mom alone!’ he shrieked as he thrust his hands at Po’s chest. Po turned aside, and the boy went after him.
Po caught him by his shoulders and spun him around. ‘Don’t be stupid, boy. Best you just go with your mother.’
‘Jacob! Come on.’ Elspeth already had the door open.
Tears streamed from the boy’s eyes. He chewed his lips in frustration. He ran to Elspeth, but aimed another command at everyone to leave her alone.
They fled the house, running down the steps into the yard.
Tess and Po both followed to the threshold, but halted there.
Pinky sat where he was, goggle-eyed at the dramatics.
‘Geez, that wasn’t how I hoped things would go,’ said Po.
Elspeth and Jacob were halfway across the yard, heading for the gate.
Tess and Po stepped out onto the porch.
Spotting them Elspeth urged more speed from her son, as if they would pursue them and drag them back inside. Tess got the feeling that Po was entertaining doing just that. She fed her hand into his and held onto him, and felt him rocking back and forth on his heels.
‘You’ll only make matters worse if you chase them,’ she cautioned. ‘It’s better if we let them calm down and think before we try talking to them again.’
Mother and son had disappeared beyond the ranch’s boundary, hidden now by the darkness as they fled down the adjoining road.
‘It’s one hell of a walk back to their hotel,’ Po said, and moved as if he was going to get in the Mustang and give chase. Tess held onto his hand, anchoring him. He looked down at her, at a loss at how to proceed.
‘Elspeth has a cell phone, she’ll probably phone a cab once she calms down a bit.’
‘Man, I feel like a complete heel now, me!’ Pinky had joined them on the porch. His usually jovial features were cl
ouded by his perceived wrongdoing. ‘Why’d I have to go and open my big yap like that?’
‘You only said what was preying on your mind,’ Po told him, ‘and exactly what was on mine too.’
‘I guess you guys hoped to handle the subject more diplomatically though, eh?’
‘Whichever way we approached the subject, I don’t think Elspeth would’ve reacted any differently,’ said Tess.
‘She’s frightened,’ Po said, in defense of the woman’s histrionics.
Tess nodded in agreement, and then added a summation of her own. ‘I’d say she’s terrified.’
‘We can’t just let her disappear like this, not before we get an honest answer,’ said Po.
‘You want me to go after her?’ Pinky offered. ‘I could take her back to the hotel, give you guys some private time to talk things through.’
Tess said, ‘The way she’s acting, she’ll probably scream blue murder if you go after her, Pinky. Somebody might get the wrong idea, and we don’t want you getting in trouble with the cops.’
‘Tess’s right,’ said Po. ‘We need to let her cool down first. Let’s just let them go for now, and we can go to their hotel first thing. Hopefully by then she’ll be calmer and more amenable to our questions.’
‘What if that Decker guy’s still hanging around?’ Pinky asked.
‘I’m not convinced he was who she thought he was,’ said Po. ‘You saw how she reacted just now … I think Elspeth’s grown so paranoid she’s gotten unhinged.’
‘She did act a bit irrational,’ Tess agreed, ‘but it’s hardly surprising under the circumstances. Maybe she just felt trapped by us just now and her response was to run rather than face up to the truth.’
‘That’s the problem, we’re no closer to the truth than we were before,’ said Po. He stared. As if Elspeth might have second thoughts and lead her boy back to the ranch. ‘And whether I’m unconvinced about this Decker guy isn’t important. Elspeth believed it was him and it might force her into runnin’ before we can get to her in the morning. Tess. What do you say we go after her, we pick her up and take her back to her hotel?’
‘Isn’t that what I just offered to do, Nicolas?’ asked Pinky.
‘Yeah. My thoughts are bouncin’, right now. Gotta admit, I don’t know what the right thing to do is.’
‘Then let me decide for myself. If she kicks and screams I won’t force the issue, me. I’ll back off to a safe distance and keep an eye on them till they’re safely in their hotel. If somebody calls the cops about me, you might have to pull a few strings with your bro, Tess.’
He was talking about pulling a favor from Alex Grey. Her older brother had recently been promoted to patrol sergeant with the Portland PD, and was also in a romantic relationship with Tess’s employer Emma Clancy. Occasionally Tess used the familial strands they’d knit through their work to assist her. She didn’t believe Pinky would need Alex’s intervention if he was given a chance to explain why a black guy was trying to coax a frightened white woman and child into his car this late in the evening; however, it was a sad fact that even two decades into the twenty-first century there were still some cops with eighteenth-century mentalities when it came to skin color. If he met the wrong officer Pinky would probably find himself face down on the sidewalk with a service pistol aimed at his head.
‘I think I should be the one to go after her,’ Tess said. ‘There’s less risk, and besides, she might say more to me, woman to woman.’
‘She could turn on you too. She already accused you of jealousy,’ Po reminded her.
‘From what I’ve seen of Elspeth, I’ve nothing to be envious about.’
Po’s mouth formed a thin slit as he appraised her.
Pinky dangled the keys to his GMC. ‘Take my ride, pretty Tess. If she spots Nicolas’s Mustang coming she’ll probably hide in a bush, her.’
TWELVE
Falling leaves pattered on the windshield and hood of Caleb’s pickup. The breeze had gotten stiffer than before, and the stirred boughs overhead sifted debris down on his sparkling paintwork. He had parked the big truck out of sight at the edge of a small copse of red spruce, maple and white pine. Being a woodsman he could identify the trees, not that they’d crossed his mind since his return to the cab.
Once he was inside, the first thing he did was call Decker on his cell phone.
‘Were you asleep?’ he asked gruffly.
‘Nah, Caleb,’ Decker obviously lied. ‘I just had my feet up for a few minutes, that’s all. You want me?’
‘Are you back at the hotel?’
It was a pointless question: where else would Decker have chosen to rest?
‘Uh, yeah, you said I should—’
‘Listen up. You must have gotten a cab back there, right?’
‘Well, yeah, you said—’
‘I don’t need reminding, Jer. You’ve still got the number for that cab, you hang up and punch it in now. I want you here with me.’
‘Uh, yeah, sure.’ Decker’s fumbling with the cell phone, not to mention his words, was getting on Caleb’s nerves.
‘Actually,’ he growled, ‘do remind me why I chose you to come with me to Portland? Stop fucking around, Jer! I need you on your goddamn A-game.’
‘Yeah, sorry, man. Where is it you need me?’
Caleb had memorized a nearby street name, and he repeated it to Decker. ‘Don’t keep me waiting,’ he warned and hung up.
That was about twenty minutes ago, so Decker shouldn’t be too far away now.
Caleb was still undecided on what his next move should entail. He was leaning more towards a home invasion, but he’d prefer to have the numbers to ensure that everyone inside could be contained, and permanently shut up, so he wanted every man available on the job. Darrell and his reinforcements were still about an hour from arriving in Portland, and it would take another hour to formulate and execute a plan of attack. It was fortunate that Villere’s nearest neighbors were a fair distance away, so they should be able to invade the ranch, grab Elspeth and Jacob and put the others down without attracting attention. Darrell and the guys were coming heavily armed, but their weapons should be used only to threaten and coerce Villere and his friends; once subdued they could be killed silently with a sharp knife or blunt instrument. His wife and kid could go in the van for the swift return to the commune. It could be days before the corpses were found, and by then he and his people would be back several states away, safely within the compound. He trusted that nobody had raised the issue of his presence in town except between themselves, so there was no way that Caleb could be tied to the home invasion. The booking made at his hotel was under false details; yes, both his and Decker’s images would undoubtedly have been captured on CCTV, but unless the cops knew who to look for there was no reason to interrogate a random hotel security system for random guests. The same could be said for Elspeth and Jacob; his runaway wife would have used false details when booking their room downtown, and paid in cash. He supposed she must have gotten her hands on a cell phone since running away, but she wasn’t the holder of any type of credit or bankcards: he’d ensured that she was totally reliant on his generosity in order to eat and clothe her and the boy, so there would be no digital trail of their presence here. Her escape attempt had been solely financed up until now by the cash the ungrateful bitch had stolen from him.
Caleb and his brothers had become experts at control and manipulation of those under their thrall at the commune, but he’d be the first to admit that assaulting the occupants of a house, and staging a kidnapping, was beyond his usual remit. But never mind that. There was a first time for everything, and you couldn’t gain expertise without hands-on experience. On his return to the pickup he’d seethed with rage at what he had overheard from Villere and Pinky, but the more he thought about it, the more excited he grew at the possibility of putting them in their place. Caleb had killed before. In fact, he had several murders under his belt. He didn’t balk at the murderous plan hatching in his mind, if an
ything he was eager to get things moving.
Supposedly patience was a virtue; well it wasn’t a commodity he held in abundance, but then he had never considered himself virtuous. He knew what he wanted and was not the type to wait. What wasn’t given he took and lord help the man or woman that tried to deny him.
His cell phone rang.
‘It’s me. Jer.’
‘Where the hell are you?’ Caleb checked all around for any sign of the man.
‘I got a cab like you told me to, but I got to thinking. If we’re going to snatch your kin like you want, it was unwise of me – a stranger – getting dropped too near where you are. If things come to light with the cops, I didn’t want a suspicious cabbie recalling where he’d dropped me off when it would lead them back to the hotel he’d picked me up from. If they checked who I was and found I was booked in under false details, it’d give them reason to dig deeper. I didn’t want this coming back on you or your pa.’
Decker was not the fool Caleb often took him for. But he hadn’t been asked to think. He was supposed to get here as quickly as possible.
‘Where the hell are you?’ Caleb demanded again.
‘Not far.’ He read off a road sign that meant nothing to Caleb. Decker had gotten dropped off on one of the other dead-end streets hemmed in by the river. ‘I mapped it before I set off, so’s I could tell the cabbie my destination. I’m only a couple minutes from where you’re at.’
‘Good. Wait there. I’ll come fetch you.’
‘You heard from Darrell yet?’
‘No, but he can’t be too far off now. Sit tight, Jer, don’t make me waste time looking for you.’
Caleb started the truck and backed out from under the trees onto a single-track lane. He had parked with convenience in mind, so was pointed in the right direction. He found an intersecting road and took it, heading for Decker’s location. He stopped the truck. Stared through the windshield at the figures that had emerged from another intersection to hurry down the road a hundred yards ahead.
