by Marnie Perry
Hennessey was smiling as usual and Lando prayed that one day he could wipe that irritating smile from his face, hopefully permanently.
Hennessey was the first to break the silence, ‘I hoped you might be happy to see me, Mr. Lando, I thought you might be worried about me, but your expression says otherwise.’
Lando stood up and nodded down at Manning saying, ‘you did this one, but not him,’ he pointed down at Sullivan.
Hennessey smiled, ‘well deduced, Mr. Lando, we’ll make a detective of you yet.’
Lando shook his head impatiently, ‘quit the crap, Hennessey and tell me what happened here and where the woman is.’
Hennessey quickly became serious, ‘okay, okay. But we’ll talk as we drive.’
Hennessey turned his back on Lando, again supremely confident that he would not shoot him in the back but would comply and follow him. Lando was sorely tempted, but he had to know what had happened here so he followed Hennessey through the woods to the town.
They walked in silence keeping to the outer edge of the town not wanting to run into anyone, although there were very few people about, most obviously busy at Lando's place. They reached the town and Hennessey’s car which was parked behind a deserted store out of sight of curious eyes. They pulled onto the main road and within ten minutes were on the highway heading west.
Once on the highway Lando said, ‘so come on, let’s hear it, where’s the woman, Hennessey?’
Hennessey took a deep breath, ‘after I dealt with the trespassers on your property and the fire had started, I knew I couldn’t get you out so I called your sheriff and told him, anonymously of course, that your cabin was ablaze and you were trapped inside and that they’d better get there ASAP.’ He turned to Lando and grinned, ‘although I never expected the whole town to turn out. I must say, Lando you have more friends than I realised, or even than you realised.’
Lando said nothing but his expression spoke volumes. Hennessey turned away and said, ‘okay, I get the message, quit the crap. Anyway, I saw the two Mississippi cops with Miss. Faraday walking through the woods towards town.’ He paused and when he continued his tone was no longer bantering, ‘she didn’t look too well, dreadful in fact, she could barely walk and she was coughing. The Leyton guy was almost carrying her and Sullivan looked impatient. They had gotten to the spot where you found the bodies when they were ambushed by three of Glissando’s men.
Sullivan went for his weapon but he was cut down before he could get it out of its holster. Leyton pushed Miss. Faraday and told her to run towards town but she was caught by another guy, she struggled quite valiantly but she was too weak and the guy too strong.’ He paused again recalling the scene in her cabin the night he had abducted her.
Lando was thinking the same thing. Hennessey went on, ‘Leyton drew his weapon and got off two shots but unfortunately only wounding one guy before they overpowered him. I shot one of the guys also only wounding him, after that I couldn’t get another good shot, they kept me pinned down and were too close to Leyton and Miss. Faraday for me to risk firing back, then they disappeared amongst the trees. I was about to follow when I heard you approaching.'
Lando was silent digesting this. Was there no end to the traumas that woman was having to endure.
He said quietly, ‘the woman, did they hurt her?’
Hennessey glanced at him, ‘no, but…’
Lando looked at him and snapped, ‘but what? Come on, Hennessey.’
‘It’s not what you think, Lando. It’s just that, well, she begged them not to hurt Leyton, said she would go quietly if they let him live.’ He shook his head as if perplexed, ‘I don’t know why I’m surprised, I should be used to the unexpected from that lady. But right then and there when she had seen a man murdered before her eyes, when she must have been terrified out of her wits she was pleading for the cop’s life. She’s an unusual woman.’ He looked at Lando, ‘as well you know, Lando.’
Lando’s eyes narrowed but there was no smug smile on Hennessey’s face, in fact it was grave and thoughtful.
Lando shook his head, ‘there she goes again, giving them something else to hold against her.’
Hennessey looked sideways at him, ‘maybe. But if she hadn’t they might have just killed Leyton there and then. While he’s alive we have a chance of saving him.’
When Lando said nothing Hennessey went on, 'they used Leyton’s own handcuffs to cuff his hands behind him and dragged him and Miss. Faraday to a boat they had waiting.’
A boat again, thought Lando. He said, ‘so why are we driving, why aren’t we in a boat following them?’
Hennessey turned his head and the mocking smile was back, ‘no need for a boat, no need to follow them.’
‘Why?’ Lando was getting really irate now, tired of Hennessey’s complacency and smugness.
Hennessey seemed to find Lando’s anger amusing because his smile turned into a grin.
‘Because, Mr. Lando, I know exactly where they’re going.’
Lando’s eyes widened and Hennessey looked pleased by his amazement.
He turned back to the road ahead still smiling. Lando snapped, ‘if you don’t stop this enigmatic crap, Hennessey I’m gonna shoot you between the eyes.’ He gripped the rifle tightly as if to reinforce his threat.
Hennessey chuckled unconcerned, ‘not while I’m driving you won’t, you’re far too sensible to do something so reckless. And anyway, you need me to help you find Miss. Faraday.’
Lando’s jaw was clenched tightly as he said, ‘yeah, you’re right, I do need you, but there’ll come a time when I don’t.’
Hennessey replied, ‘a lot can happen between now and then. You have to learn to pick your battles, Mr. Lando.’ At Lando’s exasperated look he smiled, ‘but okay, no more procrastination. They’re bringing her to Glissando in Montgomery.'
Lando closed his eyes and his grip on his rifle tightened even further. Out of the corner of his eyes Hennessey watched his reaction.
Lando said, ‘how do you know that’s where they’re taking her.’
‘I got it out of that guy back there, the one I shot. They left him thinking he was dead, or maybe they’d have left him anyway. But he was quite chatty, especially after his second leg became useless. Plus, he mistakenly thought that I’d let him live afterwards. In any case, he told me everything I needed to know before I put him out of his misery.’
Lando had realised of course that Hennessey had used a silencer; hence the bullet holes in the trees and the sound of only three shots.
He thought about what he had said about killing Manning and was torn between condemning him for his cold blooded indifference to taking another human life, for his total disinterest and unconcern that men died at his hands, and a grim satisfaction that he had rid the world of such men as Manning who would take a woman to certain death.
Hennessey, as if he could read his mind smiled.
There followed a silence. Lando thinking about the woman and how she must be feeling right now. Would she tremble and show her fear? Or would she raise herself to her full height, square her shoulders and face Glissando calmly and bravely? If he knew anything about her it would be the latter.
Hennessey was thinking along the same lines as Lando. But he feared for her, she could be reckless as he had told Lando and if she showed Glissando the same disdain and contempt she had shown him he might hurt her really badly. But then she might show restraint if she thought Leyton was in danger.
He said, ‘how’s your dog?’
Lando didn’t look at him as he answered simply, ‘okay.’
‘That’s good.’
Lando said nothing but not to be deterred Hennessey said, ‘I’m sorry about your cabin. I didn’t have time to stop them before they set it alight. But you might be pleased to know they didn’t get away with it.’
Lando remained silent, he didn’t want to be beholden to this killer; it was after all because of what he had done that all of this had happened. Hennessey went on, ‘at
least your animals are okay, that’s the important thing.’
This time Lando looked at him but still didn’t speak so Hennessey said, ‘don’t worry, she’ll be all right, we’ll get there in time.’
Hennessey suddenly gave a self -derogatory laugh, ‘did she tell you about the toothbrush?’
Lando grinned but more at the thought of Hennessey being fooled by a slip of a woman than anything else, ‘yeah, she’s smart that one.’
‘Tell me about it. I never saw that one coming.’
‘Obviously.’ He told Hennessey about the handcuff key. Hennessey laughed whilst shaking his head as though he couldn’t quite believe the ingenuity of the woman.
No longer smiling Lando said, ‘I hope she doesn’t get too smart with Glissando and put herself at risk.’
‘She won’t, she has Leyton to think about.’
‘He’ll use Leyton to get to her, just as they intended to use me. So she’ll have to decide who to give up, Leyton or the girl.’
Hennessey nodded and sighed heavily Lando demanded, ‘what, what is it now?’
‘The thing is, she doesn’t know anything so has nothing to bargain with. Even if Glissando lets Leyton live, which he won’t, whatever she says.’ Lando was silent taking this in. Hennessey added, ‘but we’ll get there…in time. As you say she’s smart, she’ll delay, she’ll prevaricate in the hope that we’ll get there before something bad happens.’
‘But she don’t know we’re coming, she thinks you’re either dead or have made your escape, and that I’m giving my statement to Lomax, she’ll believe she’s alone. Besides…’
Hennessey looked at him, ‘besides what?’
Lando looked out of the passenger window before replying, ‘she thinks I’m happy to be rid of her.’
Hennessey frowned, ‘why would she think that?’
‘’Cos that’s what I led her to believe. I told her she was responsible for everything that’s happened and I’d be glad to see the back of her.’
To Lando’s surprise Hennessey laughed and Lando’s anger began to grow, ‘what is it with you, Hennessey? You seem to find amusement in everything, people’s feelings, people’s fear, people being hurt, people being killed. You’re sick.’
Hennessey’s smile faded as he said brusquely, ‘I’m not laughing at her hurt feelings or your guilty conscience, Lando, I’m laughing at your stupidity. She knew what you were doing, and if she didn’t she’ll soon work it out. At least she’d give you the benefit of the doubt; as she does with everyone, well, most everyone.’
Lando was surprised by Hennessey’s perception. He said, ‘maybe. But I think she stopped seeing the good in you a while back, Hennessey. Or maybe she figures she saw something that wasn’t there to begin with.’
Hennessey took his eyes from the road ahead to look at Lando, ‘yeah, maybe.’
Lando said, ‘I find it hard to believe anything you say, Hennessey, and not just because you abducted the woman but because you set her up to make it look as though she was involved with your crimes, and now they’ll think she’s involved with what happened back there in the woods. You said Glissando won’t let Leyton live to tell what really happened. They’ll connect the bullets in that other guy to the bullets found in Blakemore and the other men you killed. They’ll think you killed them and rescued her and took Leyton as a hostage.'
Hennessey shook his head, ‘no. Because I’m going to tell you where to find the shack I took her to, they’ll find everything there to exonerate her. I’ll give you the toothbrush with her blood on it, and the tape I used to bind her, also with her blood on it. In the shack they’ll find the bag with the stun gun and they'll see the marks still on her neck. They’ll find her footprints where she went out the window. But more importantly they’ll have you, Lando. You can attest to what condition she was in when she arrived at your place.’
‘Even with all that they’ll still give her a hard time, Sullivan was convinced she’s involved so might others. And why would they believe me? An ex- con, a murderer.’
But even when they discover the truth she’ll have been through another trauma unnecessarily.'
‘Why do you do that?’
‘Do what?’
‘Call yourself a murderer? You know you’re not, I know you’re not; those people back in Alban know you’re not. So why do you do it? Guilt? Or just a desperate need to be punished over and over?’
Lando realised that Hennessey had quoted almost verbatim the woman’s words to him. But he was outraged that this man, this murderer should preach to him about shame and guilt. ‘Don’t profess to know anything about me, Hennessey,' he growled, ‘I don’t need to be psychoanalysed by a man who murders for a living.’
Unfazed Hennessey replied, ‘but that’s just it, Lando, I am a murderer, at least in the eyes of the law. I plan and execute my “crimes." Premeditated murder, that’s what they call it isn’t it. What you did was not planned or premeditated but an accident, a terrible accident I grant you, but an accident nonetheless.’
Lando’s anger grew with every word the other man uttered. His voice came from deep in his throat as though trying to quash the anger. ‘I swear to God, Hennessey if you say one more word I’ll kill you right now and fuck the consequences.’
Hennessey’s voice was the opposite of Lando’s in that it was very calm, ‘okay, kill me and be responsible for the death of another innocent woman. At least you tell yourself your wife was innocent, because that helps with the self inflicted guilt. Only she wasn’t innocent was she, Lando? And your only crime was to act first and think later. Maybe you wanted to prove to yourself and her that you did love her, then all that time you were married wouldn’t have been such a waste, such a sham.
Maybe you just wanted to protect her despite what she was. But deep down you knew that wasn’t it. Guilt was the driving force behind what you did, and it still is. Guilt that you didn’t love her, that you didn’t care enough to stop her from making a huge mistake. Guilt that you despised her and all she stood for. Guilt that she was so lonely that she was driven to find solace in the arms of another man who brought her nothing but trouble. You were glad she had found someone else to fill her time, to get excited about. Guilt drove you into that house that day, and it’s guilt that drives you now to do what you’re doing for Miss. Faraday. All you have left is guilt and shame. You’d be lost without it.’
Lando could not suppress his rage and before he could stop himself he struck Hennessey in the side of the head with the butt of his rifle. Luckily it was a just a glancing blow, nevertheless Hennessey’s head snapped sideways and he momentarily lost control of the car as it swerved precariously towards the grass verge at the side of the road. He just about brought it under control before it could plunge down an embankment.
He stopped the car and drew his weapon at the same time. Lando raised the rifle again but before he could connect with the other man’s face Hennessey blocked it and Lando found himself staring down the barrel of his Glock.
Lando froze as Hennessey cocked the weapon, his expression dark and deadly. Gone was the bantering, mocking, amused man and in his place was the icy, malevolent assassin. The stone cold killer.
Lando realised that this was his killing expression; this was what the men he had killed saw just before he ended their lives. His anger had made him reckless but not crazy so he remained perfectly still. Not that he cared for himself but he had the woman to think about. He was ashamed of himself now for reacting as he had. He had let Hennessey get to him, something he prided himself that no one would ever do again, but he had let a woman and a killer get to him. And if Hennessey was angry enough to kill him now the woman would once again be in his clutches, because for all his protestations of regret and sorrow about what he’d done to her he still didn’t trust him.
Hennessey said, ‘throw your rifle on the back seat.’
When Lando didn’t immediately comply Hennessey pushed his gun against Lando’s cheek. Lando got the message and tossed th
e rifle in the back of the car.
Hennessey put his fingers to his head then looked at them, they were bloody. He looked back at Lando and his tone dangerously low said, ‘do that again, Lando and I’ll be rescuing the woman alone. And I might even change my mind about telling the authorities where that shack is. I might even go and clean it up and poor Miss. Faraday will have a lot of really difficult questions to answer.’
Lando’s eyes filled with loathing never left Hennessey’s glacial ones. Then Hennessey suddenly smiled, ‘but then she might be so grateful to me for rescuing her from that evil sadistic brute Glissando that she might decide to come with me. I can show her a life she never even dreamed of or read about in those books she loves so much. Take up where we left off so to speak.’
Lando’s jaw clenched so tightly it hurt and his eyes blazed into Hennessey’s whose smile turned into a sneer. He said, ‘go on, Lando, go with your instincts, pick the wrong battle. Be reckless with your life…and hers.
Lando appeared for a moment as if he would do just that, but then he said very quietly, ‘did you rape her?’
Hennessey was so taken aback by the unexpectedness of the question that the hand holding the gun dropped a few inches but stayed pointed at Lando’s face.
They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like forever until Hennessey replied just as quietly, ‘no, Mr. Lando, I did not.’
Lando only just prevented the sigh of relief from escaping him, not wanting to give the other man something else to mock him with. He said, ‘so, you just deceived her into thinking that you cared about her to get her into bed, is that it?’
‘Why should you care what we did or didn’t do in bed, Mr. Lando? You don’t care about her do you? She’s just “The woman” to you. She accused me of being impersonal when I called her Miss. Faraday and never by her first name, but I at least used part of her name. You just think of her as that irritating, trouble bringing, crazy woman.’
