by Marnie Perry
She felt her anger growing in her and wanted nothing more at that moment than to run over there and slap that smirk from his face. But that’s what he wanted, he wanted to see her angry and in pain knowing he was getting to her.
Hennessey who was watching her followed her gaze and saw the self- satisfied smirk on Glissando’s face. He put out a foot and kicked the chair Glissando was sitting on causing it to skid backwards across the beautifully polished floor and hit the wall with a thud, as did Glissando’s head.’ He cried out, ‘what the hell, what was that for? Jesus.’
Hennessey said, ‘next time you look at her you prick I’ll put your eyes out. You ever see anyone’s eyes being squeezed out of their sockets, Glissando? I have, it ain’t pretty.’
Glissando’s eyes, as though they had seen it too, opened wide and were filled with terror then they closed tight shut just in case. It was Hennessey’s turn to smirk.
He looked at Adela and winked and despite everything he had done, and everything that was happening right now she could not for the life of her prevent the corners of her mouth from turning up. She shouldn’t have been, but she was amused at what he had done and said, but also because with every passing minute Glissando was losing that affected way of speaking, must be the fear. But she felt an inexplicable gratitude towards Hennessey for his actions. She turned to Glissando, ‘and please don’t blaspheme.’
It was difficult to say who was the more surprised, Lando, Hennessey or Glissando, probably Glissando. Hennessey laughed out loud and Lando of course recalled when she had upbraided him for his “blasphemy,” as she called it.
Glissando gave her a look that had probably terrified even the toughest of men, but Adela just stared back unmoved before she looked at Hennessey who was still laughing.
Lando stood watching them both his expression indifferent but his feelings anything but.
Just then the sound of knocking came to them then dogs barking. They all looked at each other and Hennessey said, ‘looks like the dogs are obeying my command to guard.’
Lando recalled the scene that had met him as he had entered the front door earlier and felt sick but at the same time he was glad to have that extra help.
Hennessey said, ‘don’t worry, they won’t attack, just guard. Just call them “back up.”
Just like Adela, Lando could not prevent his lips from twitching.
Glissando said, ‘how did you get my dogs to obey you?’
Hennessey looked at him and in a perfect imitation of Glissando’s voice said, ‘"How did you get my dogs to obey you?" He grinned, ‘surprisingly easily.’
Adela and Glissando stared at him and Adela thought, if he only he had used his many talents for any other career but killing, he could do and be anything he wished.
More knocking could be heard this time much louder. Lando said, ‘that’s it, Hennessey.’
‘What’s it?’
‘I knew you’d come in useful for something besides shooting everything that moves.
You talk to those guys outside and get them to back off.'
Glissando snorted, ‘they’ll never buy that; they’ll know it’s not me.’
Leyton his voice sounding very weak said, ‘why don’t you just get Glissando to do it? Tell them that there’s been some trouble but that Borachio and he are taking care of things.’
They all looked at him but Glissando his voice strident now and considering his predicament really quite firm, ‘I won’t, I’d die first.’
Hennessey said, ‘you bet you will.’
‘If I’m going to die, so are you.’
They all knew he meant it, he was afraid but proud and he would never let them go if he could help it, even if it meant dying himself.
Lando said, ‘he’ll give them some kind of clue, say the wrong name or something, no, we can’t risk it.’ To Hennessey, ‘get them to back off, tell them that Borachio?’ He looked at Leyton who nodded, ‘that Borachio and the others have things under control and to leave.’
Hennessey said, ‘I’ll have talk to them through the intercom next to the door since we don’t have their cell numbers, and asshole here is hardly likely to give them to us.’
He went to leave the room but Lando called, ‘wait.’ He turned back and Lando opened the drawer Glissando had opened earlier. He saw an array of buttons and ran his finger down them until he came to one marked M.D. Lando figured it stood for Main Door. Under it was a smaller button also marked M.D. He put his finger on it and Hennessey said, ‘hey, wait a minute, what ya doing, Lando?’
Lando looked up at him, ‘trust me.’
Hennessey held up his hands and moved back to the door to keep watch. Lando took a breath and pressed the button. They all heard a crackling noise then men’s voices.
Lando let go of the button and looked at Hennessey who grinned and whispered, ‘well observed, detective.’
He came back to the desk as Lando tipped Glissando’s head back and put a hand over his mouth effectively pinning him to the chair by his head. Hennessey in Glissando’s voice said into the intercom, ‘what is it, boys, why do you interrupt me at this late hour?’ He had heard Glissando use the word “boys” when talking about or too his men.’
The man said, ‘I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Glissando but the cops were here, we sent them on their way knowing you wouldn’t want them involved in whatever was happening.’
Hennessey said, ‘very good, you did the right thing. Everything is under control here, there’s been some trouble but Borachio and the others are taking care of everything.'
They all heard voices but couldn’t tell what the men were saying until the same man said, ‘but, Mr Glissando, Conrade says two guys came into the house and killed two of his team.’
He gave an evil sounding chuckle, ‘yes, and we now have two extra people to, er, entertain. As for my two loyal servants, “Heavily, heavily: Graves, yawn, and yield your dead, Till death be uttered, Heavily, heavily.”
There followed a silence until Hennessey said, 'go back to your posts now.’ He wanted to tell them to go home but that would arouse suspicion.
There was another silence in which they could hear the men mumbling then the same man called again, ‘do you want us to come in and move the bodies from the kitchen, Mr. Glissando?’
Glissando struggled fruitlessly against Lando’s hold, he scratched at his hand but Lando hit his kneecap with his rifle and he moaned and stopped struggling.
Hennessey said, ‘no, leave them for Borachio to deal with.’
‘Are you sure, Mr. Glissando, I mean…?
He was cut off by Hennessey sounding like an impatient Glissando, ‘I said leave them and go. I’m busy in my fun chamber.’
There followed another silence in which all in the room held their breath, but the men were obviously accustomed to their boss’s strange ways because the man called back, ‘as you wish, Mr. Glissando, good night.’
Hennessey did not answer but removed his finger from the button and closed the drawer. Glissando struggled and tried once more to free himself before his men left and it was too late. But Lando held onto him long enough for the men to leave then as Hennessey had done he pushed the chair with his foot sending it crashing against the wall.
Glissando sent him a look of such intense hatred that Adela shivered.
Lando said, ‘very good, Hennessey, if you ever decide to give up killing people for a living you’d have a great career as an actor.’
Hennessey laughed, ‘I have other plans for when that day comes.’
Lando looked at Adela, ‘we’ll be all right now, Lomax will be here very shortly.’
Adela nodded and tried to smile although it was a vain effort. She looked at Leyton with concern who said to Lando, ‘give me a gun would ya, I feel naked without one.’
Hennessey grinned and Lando walked over to him, ‘you sure?’
‘I ain’t dead yet, Lando.’
Lando gave what just passed for a smile then took the gun he had taken f
rom the man in the kitchen and handed it to him. Leyton took it, checked it, made sure the safety was on then said, ‘that’s better, thanks.’
Adela could never understand this fascination with these deadly weapons; she never had and now more than ever, never would.
Suddenly Glissando pushed his chair forward toward his desk. Before Hennessey who was closest could stop him he had opened the drawer and pressed a button. An ear piercing sound rent the air and made them all screw up their faces and Adela to put her hands over her ears. Glissando took advantage of their momentary distraction and headed for the door, he'd almost made it when Hennessey opened fire fortunately for Glissando the bullet only nicked his shoulder. He cried out but kept on running hitting a button on the wall as he did so. The remaining occupants looked around as a crunching, grinding sound came to them.
Hennessey yelled, ‘out, get out.’
They all reacted instantaneously to Hennessey’s command even Leyton who must have been in great pain. They ran for the door just as bars began to come down on all sides of the room.
Lando pushed Adela and Leyton through the door and followed calling, ‘Hennessey, come on.’
The bars were now only two feet from the ground and Lando yelled again, 'Hennessey.'
Hennessey dropped to the ground and aided by Lando only just made it out.
The noise of the alarm was deafening as they headed down the corridor, Lando calling, ‘to the right, left, straight on.’ Intending to make for the kitchen, bodies or not it was a place to hold up. But just then the walls around them were bombarded with bullets from a sub- machine gun, they all ducked and Adela screamed. Lando realised that Glissando must have let in his men. Suddenly there was a loud crash then a hissing noise. Hennessey yelled, ‘tear gas.’
Lando knew they had to get out of there pronto. He yelled, ‘go right. Now.’
Coughing and spluttering they ran down the long corridor. Adela in front suddenly
stopped dead and let out a shriek at the sight of the four ferocious, growling, dogs
coming towards them.
Hennessey pulled her roughly aside and in Glissando’s voice said, ‘stay, good dogs.’
The dogs immediately stopped but continued to growl, they looked behind them then back at Hennessey obviously confused by two opposing sets of orders from the same voice.
As they approached the dogs Adela stayed close to Hennessey as he seemed to be the one in control of them. He then called to the dogs, ‘go, kill.’ And pointed the way they had come. The dogs immediately obeyed and a few seconds later they heard the dogs snarling and growling then men yelling and screaming. Then they heard more gun shots only this time not directed at them this was followed by the sound of yelping dogs.
They headed for the door, Adela trying very hard not to let her eyes alight on the dead men with their horrible wounds.
Hennessey took her arm in a protective gesture, she did not pull away.
Just as they got to the door a hail of bullets hit the wall next to it. Lando and Leyton fired back to keep Glissando and his men pinned down as Hennessey peered around the door.
He said, ‘let’s go.'’ He turned to Adela whose face was ashen and her eyes wide and horrified. He took her arm and pulled her to him, this action brought her somewhat back to earth, ‘when we get outside stay between me, Leyton and Lando okay?’
She nodded and he gave her a smile.
The door began to open and Hennessey pulled Adela behind him and peeked out, no one fired at him so he turned to Leyton and Lando, ‘I think it’s all clear, guy’s, let’s go.’
Hennessey went out first followed by Adela then Leyton and Lando.
The fresh air would have seemed cooling and invigorating after the gas but they had no time to appreciate it. Hennessey leading the way made for the trees.
They were about half way across the lawn when the sound of gun fire once more made them duck and run even faster. The bullets ricocheted off the trees, one whizzed so close to Adela’s ear that she cried out and gripped the side of her head. Lando pulled her towards and in front of him; all three men were now surrounding her trying to protect her from the bullets. The distance between the house and the trees was approximately seventy yards but to Adela and probably the others too it seemed like seventy miles.
They ducked and dodged and the men kept firing back over their shoulders at the pursuing gunmen.
Eventually they made it to the relative safety of the small wood but did not stop running.
Adela was very concerned about Leyton, how he was keeping up with them she didn’t know, he must be in great pain and still losing blood from his wounds.
They were by now in the thick of the trees which afforded them some protection but they were by now means safe yet.
Lando in the front stopped, bringing everyone else to a halt. He had found a small opening between some big rocks and led them in. Adela and Leyton were breathless but Lando and Hennessey did not even seem out of breath.
Hennessey kept watch and Lando put branches and trees in front of the entrance. When he’d finished he said, ‘we have to get to the gate and open it for Lomax and his men.’
Hennessey nodded but Adela now standing next to Leyton who was doubled over said, ‘Ellis needs to rest, he’s bleeding again.’
Leyton his voice pain filled argued, ‘no, I’m all right.’
Adela irritated said, ‘please, Ellis, we have enough macho stuff going on tonight without you adding to it.’
‘Are you saying I’m not macho by any chance, Miss. Faraday?’
Despite the seriousness of the situation she gave a small smile, ‘you’re the most macho of the lot, Detective Leyton, but there’s a time to be macho and a time to be sensible, and this is one of those times.’
He smiled too as he slid to the ground. He looked at Lando and Hennessey who were watching this scene, each with their own thoughts. He said, ‘look, you three go get the gate, I’ll stay here and keep Glissando’s men at bay.’
Before either man could speak Adela in an urgent whisper said, ‘no, no, Ellis, we have to stay together.’
He smiled again, ‘you said yourself I have to rest and I can do that while I wait for them,’ his smiled turned into a grin, ‘I’m just being sensible.’
She looked at him tears in her eyes at his courage and his ability to smile at a time like this.
Suddenly they all froze as the sound of footsteps came to them. They stayed perfectly still like statues as their pursuers crept through the trees and bushes. The men came very close to their hiding place and Adela closed her eyes and gripped Leyton’s hand, he squeezed her fingers gently but firmly. Then a voice whispered, ‘this way.’ They heard footsteps moving away from them.
They all let out a breath of relief and Lando whispered, ‘I’ll go open the gate. Hennessey, you stay with them.’
‘No, I’ll go let the good sheriff in.’
Lando shook his head, ‘I’m used to the woods, I know how to stay quiet and unseen, it makes more sense that I go.’
Hennessey opened his mouth to argue but Lando held up his hand, ‘don’t argue.’
He closed his mouth again and smiled, ‘you’re the boss.’
Lando scowled at him then turned to Adela and Leyton, ‘stay down and stay quiet, I won’t be long.’ To Hennessey he said, ‘watch her.’
Hennessey nodded and Lando turned to go but Adela called quietly, ‘Mr. Lando,’ he turned back, she got to her feet and said very softly, ‘Mr. Lando, please take the greatest care.’
He stared into her eyes and saw the fear there, the despair, but also concern, and somehow he knew the latter was all for him now. He wanted to say something, to console her, to comfort her. He wanted to take her hand in his and tell her that he would take care of everything, take care of her. He wanted to hold her to him but he didn’t have time and he wasn’t sure that even if he had all the time in the world he would do any of those things. It was too late, too late for any of that, too late for
him.
So he merely nodded, turned and left.
In silence they all watched him leave, Adela standing perfectly still her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She jumped when Hennessey touched her arm. She turned to him and he said, ‘you heard the man, stay down.’ She continued to look into his eyes for a few more seconds then turned to go and sit with Leyton, but still holding onto her arm he said gently, ‘he’ll be all right you know, if anyone can take care of themselves it’s Lando, he’s been doing it long enough.’ She didn’t know what to say to that so said nothing. He added softly but meaningfully, ‘maybe too long.’
She frowned and then pulled her arm from his hand and went and sat down next to Leyton and began to check the bandages around his stomach and chest.
Hennessey stood by the entrance to the makeshift hideout and waited occasionally casting glances over his shoulder at them. He was concerned about Leyton too, he looked like death, and he should know. If they didn’t get out of here very soon, Leyton was a dead man. He watched Adela as he had before, tending to Leyton’s wounds and once again his admiration for her knew no bounds. Most other women would have been hysterical by now, but although she was obviously scared half out of her mind her greatest concern was the injured man. Maybe seeing to someone else was keeping her mind from what was happening preventing her from going completely to pieces. But whatever it was she was dealing with it.
He thought about how she had spoken to Lando just before he had left, so gently and earnestly. He wondered about that, did she have a thing for him? He cast his mind back to when he had originally thought so when she had defended Lando to him.
And what about Lando? What did he feel? If anything. But if he knew anything about men and he did, he would have said Lando did have feelings for her, but were they just the normal feelings a man would have for a woman in trouble, a woman needing his help?
He knew from personal experience that there was little a man liked more than to be needed, to be seen as a strong, powerful, protective presence in a woman’s life. And he had seen Lando’s expression and seen his fist clench when she and Leyton had been talking and smiling at each other, there was no doubt that Lando was jealous.
