by Marnie Perry
Adela instantly knew what he meant and paled. He said, ‘look, sit down, I’ll find something.’ He pushed Glissando roughly down into a chair and looked around, seeing nothing but the tablecloths he tore one from the table saying, ‘very nice, Glissando, expensive, maybe they’ll let you have them in your cell.’
Glissando ignored him and Hennessey chuckled. He found some scissors in a draw and gave them and the cloths to Adela saying, ‘cut these into strips.’
She looked up at him as she slowly took them from him, this time her look was not one of fear or suspicion or dislike but more curious than anything else. He gave her a soft smile of understanding then turned away.
Lando was now speaking on the phone to someone, ‘yes, we need the police and an ambulance at Dashiel Glissando’s residence, there’s been a shooting, several shootings actually.’ He listened then said, ‘yeah, I’d say someone has been hurt.’
Again he listened then, ‘look, never mind my name, just get here okay, and make it quick.’
He hung up and turned to Hennessey, ‘they’re on their way.’
Hennessey nodded, ‘y’all won’t mind if I make my exit afore they get here, I’m much too popular right now with the boys in blue.’
Lando said, ‘I can’t stop you, Hennessey, so if you’re going go now, I’ll handle this from here.’
Suddenly Glissando started laughing, they all looked at him and he looked around taking them all in his glance. ‘You think that’s it? You think it will all be over when the police get here? Oh no, it’ll be just the start. Hennessey here might have gone funny in the head to join with a cop and an ex- con but he’s smart enough to know how things work. The local cops know me; I’ve donated money to their widows and orphans fund.
I’ve helped them out with information about local drug dealers and other miscreants.
My money put the mayor and the chief of police where they are. The police will walk in here and arrest all of you, they’ll see that you broke in here killed my men and tried to kill me,’ he put a hand to his throat, ‘they’ll see a murdering ex- con, a woman wanted by the law and a dishonest cop who’s besotted with her, and me as the victim of all of you.’
Lando walked towards him and looked down on him, ‘yeah? And just how will you explain Leyton’s injuries? How will you explain the fact that your guy flogged the flesh from his bones?’
Glissando gave him a look he would give a half wit, ‘I’ll just say he attacked my man and he defended himself.’
‘You’re nuts if you think they’ll believe that.’
Glissando shrugged, ‘I didn’t say they would believe it, only that is what I will tell them.’
Lando stared at him for a moment, at his smug, self -satisfied, supercilious smirk and felt like throttling him again only this time letting no woman stop him.
Hennessey said, ‘told ya. He’ll walk no doubt of that. You should let me deal with him.’
Glissando looked at him as if realising for the first time that he had said too much. Hennessey seemed to read his mind because his expression was now smug and self- satisfied.
Lando stepped away and leaned against the desk. He knew what they had said was true. Never under normal circumstances would they believe Glissando’s story, but the cops were probably in his pay and maybe the D.A too. He was also right in that he was an ex con who should right now be giving his statement to the sheriff about why there were so many dead men in and around his cabin.
And the woman, she was being hunted by the very cop who now lay dead in the woods. And Leyton, what Hennessey said was true too, if he remained obstinate and stuck to the truth they would find a way of silencing him, they might set him up as an accessory to Sullivan’s murder, once in prison they would not even have to pay someone to kill a cop, they would do it gladly.
But even knowing all this he could not let Hennessey kill Glissando. Most of his life had been spent trying to protect people, trying to prevent murders. How could he now hand a man, even such a man as Glissando, over to be executed?
Yet by not doing so he would possibly be condemning not only himself but Leyton and the woman to God only knew what.
Hennessey shoved his gun into Glissando’s cheek, ‘there’s something I want you to do for me before I leave.’
‘Kill you?’
Hennessey chuckled, ‘in your dreams, asshole. No, but this might kill you. Get on your computer and transfer my remaining fee into my account. That’s four million dollars unless you’ve forgotten.’
Leyton was amazed but Lando and Adela knowing Hennessey as they did were not at all surprised that he should think about his fee at a time like this. As for Glissando his eyes became huge as he spluttered, ‘you are surely jesting.’
‘Oh I never “jest,” about money. Come on you’ve done it enough times, just press those same buttons, I’ll enter my account number and then you and I are done…permanently.’
‘I…I won’t, you can’t make me.’
It was odd but no one there thought it strange that Glissando seemed more concerned and scared about losing his money than his men.
Hennessey had a grin for almost every occasion and this time it was a grin of anticipation as well as confidence, ‘you think not?’
He lowered his weapon until it pointed at Glissando’s leg saying menacingly, ‘you know how many times I’ve blown a man’s kneecaps off, Glissando, probably not, even though I did it by your request on occasion. I believe it hurts real bad, or maybe those guys just screamed for the hell of it.’
Glissando looked at Lando as if asking for help but he just looked away. Glissando said to Leyton, ‘you’re a cop, stop him.’
‘Love too,’ Leyton replied, ‘but I’m feeling so bad right now I can hardly raise my hands let alone stop a guy with a Glock. Sorry.’
Glissando glanced from one man to the other until Hennessey began squeezing the trigger then he yelled, ‘all right, all right, I’ll do it.’ He turned the computer towards him and began tapping in keys then turned it around to face Hennessey just as he had numerous times before.
As Hennessey put in his own account number and transferred the four million dollars into his account Lando was thinking, is there no end to this man’s greed or coldness? Yet he hadn’t asked for any more than his fee. Strange.
Hennessey turned the computer back round to Glissando saying, ‘nice doing business with you again, Mr Glissando.’
Glissando stared at him with hate but Hennessey only chuckled.
Adela’s voice low and soft came from across the room and all heads swivelled towards her as she said, ‘“Love all, Trust few, Do harm to none.”’
There was a silence until Hennessey said, ‘you should know that one Glissando, being such a huge fan of Shakespeare.’
Lando was impressed as was Leyton. Glissando just looked surprised and furious.
Hennessey smiled at her as she added, ‘pity he only lived by one of those homilies.’
Suddenly there came the sound of sirens in the distance. Lando pushed away from the desk and Hennessey said, ‘well I believe that’s my cue to leave.’
He headed for the door but stopped in front of Lando, ‘hey, Lando, it’s been fun, must do it again sometime.’ He held out his hand, Lando looked at it then at Hennessey but did not take the proffered hand. Hennessey merely shrugged and grinned then dropped his hand. He turned to Adela and Leyton, ‘I don’t suppose there’s any point offering to shake your hands, so I won’t waste my time.’ He looked at Adela his face no longer smiling but soft as he said, ‘if I tell you it’s been an honour you wouldn’t believe me so I won’t, even though it’s true. Good luck, Miss. Faraday.’ He nodded to Leyton, ‘you too, detective.’ Then he turned back to Lando, ‘take care of her, Lando.’ Then he was gone.
There was silence in the room after Hennessey had gone until Glissando laughed derisively, ‘huh, typical, there’s a man can’t see anything through to the end.’
They all looked at him with such intense lo
athing that he looked away an expression of fear on his face.
Lando said, ‘it’d pay you to keep your mouth shut, Glissando. Now open the gates.’
Glissando didn’t respond so Lando smashed his rifle down onto the table making Glissando jump a foot in the air. Lando through clenched teeth said, ‘I won’t tell you again, asshole. Open. The. Gates.’
Glissando glared at him with hatred then reached under the table to press a button. Lando grabbed his hand, ‘and don’t try anything funny, if you do you’ll be the first to die, understood?’
Glissando nodded and pressed the button, a drawer to the right opened revealing a panel of buttons. Glissando watched very closely by Lando pressed the button marked “M.G.’
Lando guessed it meant Main Gates, it had better or Glissando was a dead man.
Lando pointed his rifle at him saying, ‘I hope for your sake only the cops come through that door, Glissando.’
Glissando turned away and Lando smirked. He looked over at Adela and Leyton. Leyton’s eyes were closed and his face was blanched he was obviously in great pain.
Adela sat next to him holding his hand but looking at Lando, her face was very pale and her eyes were red rimmed through exhaustion and the tears she had shed.
Lando hoped that she would not have to endure too much more stress and worry, she was very strong but there was only so much a person could take before they cracked. He knew that she was in for a rough ride with the police, maybe even the FBI, as he was, but he had been there before, on both sides of the interrogation table, she had been questioned by two cops one of which liked her, that was hardly the same as being interrogated thoroughly and ruthlessly by seasoned federal agents.
He knew that they had arrived only just in time, Leyton had already been in a bad way, and once he was dead they would have started on the woman. The thought of that silky smooth, flawless skin he had seen when she had lain on his bed flayed from her bones, maybe after Glissando had had his way with her, caused a raging fire in his belly. His heart went out to her sitting there so small and frail looking, and even though he knew she was anything but frail he worried for her mental as well as physical state. Fuck, but he was nervous himself.
Adela had been watching Lando closely; she admired…and envied…how calm he was, how sure of himself and his abilities. She wished she had a fraction of that confidence.
Again that now much too familiar feeling of guilt and remorse swept over her, but for her actions he would be back in his cabin with an unhurt Dante, going about his business of saving animals and living his life the way he wanted too. Or did he? There was something about him tonight, something she had seen before at his cabin, a barely suppressed excitement in his eyes, anticipation, almost eagerness in his movements.
Just then a sound came to them from outside the door. That was odd Lando thought, he had not heard the sirens outside, maybe they’d killed them as they had entered through the gates.
He lowered his rifle ready to relinquish it when ordered too and was about to tell the woman to do everything they said, and not to worry that she would be okay, when to his amazement it was not the cops who entered but Hennessey. Lando was stunned. Had he changed his mind? Had he decided to stay and tell the cops what he knew or had he come back for more sinister reasons?
Hennessey came running into the room ignoring the rifle Lando had pointed directly at his chest and said, ‘we got trouble, Lando.’ He locked the door behind him.
Lando tone was suspicious as he asked, ‘what kind of trouble?’
‘The cops are gone.’
‘What? Adela and Lando spoke together.
‘They’ve gone. They spoke to someone at the gate then left.’
They all looked at Glissando who was smiling complacently and Lando wanted to hit him in the face with his rifle. He said, ‘what did you do, Glissando?’
‘Who, me?’ Glissando’s tone was half feigned surprise and half feigned hurt. He added, "Troubles come not as single spies, but in battalions."
Lando walked towards him but Hennessey said, ‘it wasn’t him, Lando.’
Lando turned to him, ‘then who was it?’
‘I told you letting that guy in the kitchen live was more trouble then it was worth.’
Lando frowned not understanding and Hennessey clarified, ‘the guy you tied up must have gotten loose and raised the alarm, he’s on his way here with at least seven other guys. E.T.A, five minutes.’
Lando closed his eyes in disbelief and Hennessey said, ‘compassion more often than not conflicts with common sense, Mr. Lando.’ Lando looked up at him as he went on, ‘but there, you are as you are, just as I am as I am. But now we have trouble and no cops to rescue us.’
Lando moved to the phone saying, ‘maybe we do. Since we can’t rely on the local law, we’ll have to rely on someone we can trust.’
‘Oh yeah, and who might that be?’ Hennessey asked.
Lando didn’t answer but dialled a number and waited when his call was answered he said, ‘Sheriff Lomax?’
Hennessey rolled his eyes and shook his head but said nothing. Lando said, ‘sheriff, this is Jonas Lando, I need…
He was obviously cut off and he listened a moment than said, ‘yes, I know about Sullivan, sheriff and I know how it looks, but we had nothing to do with it. He was killed by Dashiel Glissando’s men,’ he paused again, then, ‘yes, that Dashiel Glissando. He’s behind everything that’s been happening, to the woman, to me. Leyton is here with us, he’s injured but okay for now. Look, I don’t have time to explain; right now I need your help.’ He closed his eyes for a moment then said, ‘look, sheriff, I need you to come here to Montgomery. We’re trapped at Glissando’s place and can’t rely on the local law; if you know anything about Glissando you’ll have a good idea why we can’t trust the locals.'
He listened again then said very quietly, ‘sheriff, remember what you said about having faith? Well I’m asking for some of that right now, have faith in me this one last time.’
The others watched Lando’s tense face, then they saw it and his shoulders relax as he said, ‘thank you, sheriff.’
He hung up and looked at Hennessey, ‘he’s on his way with as many deputies as he can gather.’
Glissando gave a derisory snort, ‘huh, a hick town sheriff and his part time deputies, they’ll be no match for my men.’
‘Two of us put down more than a dozen of your men, Glissando,’ Hennessey retorted, ‘we might not even need the hick town sheriff.’
Lando’s lips twitched at Glissando’s expression but the latter's pride and anger got the better of him, ‘you won’t get out of here alive. But my men won’t kill you, I’ll take great pleasure in doing that myself, especially you, Hennessey, you’re the worst traitor of all, worst than that ungrateful bitch, Viola.’
Hennessey walked over to Glissando and put his gun against his head, he cocked it and began squeezing the trigger saying, ‘sorry to disappoint you, Glissando, or should I say Othello, he was a cuckold too;' he turned to smile briefly at Adela as he said this, 'or imagined he was. But you can’t hurt anyone if you’re dead can you?’
Glissando said, ‘you can kill me if you like, but you’ll die too, there’s no way out for you now. When your sheriff friend gets here my men will just tell him you left, that it was all a huge mistake, a practical joke. And even if he doesn’t believe that your sheriff has no jurisdiction here in Montgomery. The local police will just shine him on.’
Hennessey pressed the barrel of the gun into his temple very hard, ‘thanks for the information and the permission.’ He squeezed the trigger some more until Lando said quietly, ‘Hennessey.’
Hennessey looked at him, ‘if I hadn’t listened to you we wouldn’t be in this mess now, he’d be dead and we’d be outta here. Quit with the conscience thing will ya and get real.’
Lando took a step toward him, ‘okay, we have seven more guys to contend with, but we also have him,’ he pointed at Glissando, ‘they ain’t gonna try anyt
hing while he’s here with us. So we just wait for Lomax to arrive and everything will be okay. Kill him and we lose our bargaining chip then we all die.’
Hennessey hesitated; he looked at Lando then at Leyton and Adela. The former looked back awake now, alert and interested; the latter looking very grave and very scared.
Hennessey looked back at Glissando and very slowly lowered his weapon.
They all breathed a sigh of relief, especially Glissando.
Hennessey said, ‘so what now, Detective Lando?’
‘Should we try to leave do you think?’ Adela said.
They all looked at her but it was Lando who answered, ‘no. Outside they could hide anywhere in the grounds and pick us off one by one, here they’ll be as confided as we are.’
She nodded and looked at Leyton with concern; he was getting weaker and kept losing consciousness.
Lando read her thoughts, ‘Leyton will be okay. It’ll take Lomax about thirty minutes to get here, we can hold them off that long, ‘he looked at Hennessey, ‘ain’t that right, Hennessey?’
Hennessey nodded, ‘thirty minutes? We can hold 'em off for thirty hours.’
He smiled at Adela who did not return it. But the odd thing was she believed him, maybe because she wanted to, needed to. She was very worried about Leyton; he had suffered terribly at the hands of that man with the whip, encouraged by Glissando.
Leyton had been very brave, he had stared at the man his head high and his expression inscrutable giving away nothing of the fear he must have felt. The first two blows he had gritted his teeth and bit down on his bottom lip to prevent himself crying out. After three and four he had moaned but had still not cried out, but after that he had screamed in agony.
She had closed her eyes and covered her ears and begged them to stop but Glissando had order her to be restrained in the chair so she could not shut out Leyton’s screams.
Still she had begged for mercy for him but of course Glissando had none.
Now she found her eyes drawn to Glissando and found him staring at her and the devil had a smug smile on his lips as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.
