As the Liquor Flows

by Angela Christina Archer

  “You did? Why?”

  “He’s an asset in my case, just as you are.”

  “Why didn’t either of you tell me?”

  “Because we couldn’t. He wasn’t safe and I had a case to protect.”

  “Of course you did.” I turned away from the men and ambled around the room with my forehead cradled in my hand.

  Lost in thought, Henry paced the room with me. Every few steps, he halted, whispered to himself, and then continued until he finally stopped and faced Sergeant Johnson.

  “Can these two stay here for the night? I need to speak with Vinny to gauge his suspicions.”

  “You can’t go see him.” I interrupted him.

  “Why?”

  “He ordered a hit out on you.”

  Henry blinked a few times as though doing so helped him comprehend my words better. “He did what?”

  “I caught him giving the order to a man named Sal.”

  “Gentlemen, can you give Evelyn and me another moment alone, please?”

  As per Henry’s request, the Sergeant and Arthur left the room, closing the door behind them once more with a soft click.

  Henry approached me slowly with his hands tucked in his pockets. His eyes locked onto mine with a mellifluous concern as if to question without words how close I’d allow him to get near me.

  Heat prickled through my skin. My lungs only able short breaths the closer he sauntered.

  “Does Vinny know that you overhead him?”

  “Yes.” My voice trembled.

  “And that’s why you left and drove here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I thought, perhaps . . . perhaps, the police could do something.” My eyes darted to the floor. “I didn’t want him to find you.”

  With the last couple of steps, he now stood within inches of me. The scent of his cologne weakened my knees just as it had dozens of times before.

  I retreated from him and moved around the chair, gripping the back with my hands as I placed it in between us. Feelings of love, lust, and yet, anger and confusion collided and raged a war deep inside.

  From the moment he walked into my life, my desire for him grabbed hold. However, I ignored the lustful fire that burned because my circumstances warranted such from me. To fall in love while in that state of affairs would have been stupid, and the deeper my messy world caved in upon me, I had no other choice but to continue, even if I didn’t wish to.

  I suppose the best laid plans always seem to hit a snag at some point, however, and meeting Max or Henry, whatever his name was, proved no different.

  Lies I told myself plagued me daily as my lust grew into a longing that traveled beyond the realm of simple thirst and into love. A security born of necessary transformed into a lifelong wish as the thoughts of him vanishing from my life suffocated me.

  I didn’t just need him as a victim needed a protector. I ached for him, a complete and utter disaster that only added to my chaotic situation that was my life.

  “I know in coming here, I’ve ruined your case,” I whispered. “And, for that, I’m sorry.”

  Henry grabbed the chair, shoving it to the side. It bounced a couple of times, crashing with a loud crack as it hit the floor. His hands slid up my neck, cradling my face as his lips found mine with a passion I never thought possible.

  Unlike any other kiss we shared, his arms wrapped around me, engulfing me in his broad shoulders as his body pressed against mine. Every muscle relaxed. I wanted him to hold on forever and never let go.

  He gently and slowly hesitated after pulling away. “You haven’t ruined it.”

  “Oh my,” I gasped.

  “It’s good to know I have that effect on you,” he laughed.

  “No . . . no.” I wiggled from his embrace and dashed toward the table.

  “No, I don’t have that effect on you?” His tone mocked more than carried any true soreness and he smiled.

  “No, not that. I mean, no, I haven’t ruined your case.” I scooped up the ledger books and faced him, holding them in my outstretched arms. “I’ve just made convicting him a lot easier.”

  “How did you get those?”

  “I stole them from his office.”

  “But how did you get inside?”

  “Through the door.” One of my eyebrows rose as I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m surprised you never thought to snatch them for evidence.”

  “He’s never left the office door unlocked before. Never. I’ve seen them, even entered a few transactions myself, but he’s never allowed anyone alone with them.” His fingers wrapped around the bindings of the leather books as he captured them from my grasp then tucked them under his arm. “Follow me.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I have to call my superior.”

  Sergeant Johnson greeted us in the hallway, along with Arthur who sat slumped in a chair against the wall, calmly sipping on a mug of hot coffee. A forlorn anguish burdened him.

  He still felt utterly guilty.

  “I need a telephone,” Henry said.

  Sergeant Johnson nodded. “Right this way.”

  As the two men trotted into an empty office across the hallway, I slid into the chair next to Arthur. Our eyes danced around the plain hallway of nothing but white walls and a white tiled floor.

  “Thank you for helping me,” I finally said, breaking our silence.

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m sorry for dragging you into such a mess.”

  “You don’t have to apologize. You didn’t drag me into anything that I wasn’t already a part of.”

  “Do you work for the bureau, too?”

  “Nah, I’m just a butler. However, I’ve known Henry for many years and was eager to help him. He’s a good man.” With a slight chuckle under his breath, Arthur bumped his shoulders into mine. “And he cares an awful lot about you.”

  My cheeks flushed hot, surely a bright shade of red.

  “However,” Arthur continued, giving me a wink. “I suppose having those feelings for such a wonderful woman is easy.”

  “Thank you.”

  Arthur nodded and sipped at his coffee. The cup slightly trembled in his hands.

  “No, I understand,” Henry’s voice muttered through the open door of the office. “Yes, sir, yes, I’m familiar with the place.” He paused. “No, I’ll take her there tonight and wait for further orders.”

  “Sounds like you are headed somewhere.” Arthur laughed.

  Before I could even think of a response, Henry slammed the headset down onto the cradle. “Evelyn? Arthur?”

  We both rose to our feet and I followed the plump man into the office. Henry looked up from the desk as we entered. His face twisted with a scowl while he scribbled something on a notepad near the telephone.

  “We have to leave town for a while,” he said.

  “For how long?”

  “I don’t really know how long.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “Why can’t you just arrest Vincent? You’ve been working on a case, haven’t you? And you have the ledgers as well as Frank and me as witnesses. Just arrest him.”

  “It’s not that simple.” He gave the sergeant a sideways glance as he ran one of his hands through his hair. “Please, just trust me.”

  “What about Arthur?”

  “I set up a safe place for him months ago. Another agent is arriving to escort him there.”

  Henry strode around the desk and drew my body into his. His arms wrapped strong around my waist and my cheek brushed against his chest. His heartbeat thumped in my ear, the pulse rhythmic.

  “I’m sorry I can’t give you any information, but I have to keep you safe.”

  I nodded and gently withdrew from his embrace as our fingers laced together and Henry faced the sergeant.

  “We need to leave without being seen or followed.” Fiercely commanding, the deep demeanor in his voice narrowed thro
ugh his eyes.

  “I can send out officers to drive off anyone parked within a block radius.”

  “Do you have any extra clothes she can wear, like a man’s long jacket and a hat?”

  “She can have mine.”

  “Two agents will be here within the hour. One will pick up Mr. Phelps and the other will pick up the evidence. I don’t think I need to convey to you how much I expect the same protection for him and them while they are here or when they leave.”

  “I’ll personally see to their safety.”

  The Sergeant reached for the leather-bound books, but Henry yanked them away from his grasp and shook his head as he handed them to Arthur.

  “Actually, Mr. Phelps will hang on to them and hand them over.”

  With the books secure in Arthur’s hands, Henry tugged his wallet from the inside pocket of his blazer, and withdrew several one hundred dollar bills.

  “Take this, Arthur.”

  “No, no, I don’t need your money.”

  “Just take it. You might not ever need it, but at least you’ll have it anyway. Consider it severance pay since you just lost your job.” Henry chuckled.

  Arthur glanced at the money, hesitating a few moments before finally giving in. With a slight nod, he grasped the bills, folded them, and tucked them in his pocket.

  “Thank you, Henry.”

  “Do you remember the telephone numbers I gave you?”

  “I memorized those a long time ago.”

  “I’m going to get Evelyn settled and then I will telephone you. Stay with Agent Fletcher at all times, do you understand me, at all times.”

  “I will.”

  The two men patted each other on their shoulders. Appreciation glimmered in both of their eyes, and yet, neither said a word.

  A silent farewell that they shared until Sergeant Johnson handed Henry his coat and hat and escorted Arthur off to another office where he could comfortably wait.

  Before the beloved butler left the room, he glanced over his shoulder one last time, his smile beamed under his broom mustache.

  My fingertips brushed against my lips and I waved, blowing him a kiss goodbye. The thought that I’d probably never see him again twisted in my stomach.

  A trusted soul, he’d helped me so much in making me feel comfortable, and I’d be forever grateful.

  Henry held out the coat for me to slip my arms in. Oversized, the wool smelled of cigarette smoke and men’s cologne. He fastened the buttons in the front, flipped the collar up around my neck, and placed the hat on my head, tucking my curls behind my ears.

  “My automobile is parked across the street. Any questions before we walk out those doors?”

  “No.”

  “Well, then, let’s get you out of here.”

  EIGHTEEN

  “EVELYN, WAKE UP, we’re here.” Henry’s voice whispered in my ear. My vision blurred through a moment of confusion as I glanced out the opened passenger car door.

  Nearly dusk, soft shades of pink and purple with a hint of blue lit the sky, and the last rays of sunlight peeked through the windshield.

  “Where are we?” My voice rasped.

  “In a small town far outside of the city.” He offered his hand to help me out. “I parked in the barn for security. Follow me, I’ll show you around.”

  Dusty, the empty barn smelled of animals that had once dwelled in the stalls of the old wooden building long ago. My shoes scuffed along the uneven dirt ground along the breezeway and through the giant open doors. Birds chirped excitedly in the evening hours trying to soak in the last of the light before tucking away into a night of slumber.

  I spun around in a few circles, breathing in the scent of the trees and grass that overwhelmed the crisp country air, the smell so different from the stench of the city.

  “How far are we away from the town?” I asked.

  “A few miles. We do have neighbors down the road a bit. They are an older couple who’ve lived here for about twenty or thirty years. Other than that, we are all alone. We should get inside the house, though. Don’t want to linger too long out here.”

  His hand brushed against the small of my back as he led me toward the back door of a modest cottage-like house. The brick facade, in several different shades of weather-worn red, peeked through the trees sporadically planted throughout the fenced yard.

  We ambled past an overgrown garden, through a tiny gate, and down the stone pathway that cut through the grass toward a covered porch with two rocking chairs and a table.

  “Does anyone live here when it’s not used by your department?”

  “This house isn’t owned by the bureau. This is an old family home of another agent who lets us use it when we need it. No one lives here permanently, but they pay to have it maintained.”

  “Oh.”

  He bent over a hefty shrub planter and dug deep into the dirt. With a few soft tugs, he yanked a silver case free. It glimmered in the last of the sunlight as he opened it to retrieve the key tucked inside and unlocked the back door.

  Simple and cozy, the black and white checkerboard floors in the kitchen played off the mint green hutch and yellow flowered wallpaper. In the far corner, near the archway into the next room, a tiny round table sat with two chairs. The tablecloth mimicked the pattern on the floor.

  “It’s not much, but everything works,” Henry laughed.

  As I continued into the living room, I stepped upon a large patchwork wool rug lying across the dark cherry wood floors.

  Rested along the wall an olive colored couch and two tan chairs with maroon throw pillows greeted me, along with a coffee table, a couple of end tables and two lamps in badly need of a dusting.

  In the corner, a pile of firewood was stacked neatly next to the fireplace, while a few charred log carcasses burned nearly to ashes rested in the grate.

  “Have you ever been here before?”

  “Once, a long time ago before I weaseled my way into Vinny’s family.”

  “You mean in a calculated way, right?”

  “Of course.” He snorted a laugh and winked. “The powder room and the two bedrooms are just down the hallway. You can choose either bedroom, I don’t mind either.”

  He switched on each of the lamps in the room. The bulbs flickered for a moment before burning a bright color.

  I sauntered past him and made my way down the hallway, glancing through the first of the three doorframes at a modest restroom that matched the color pattern of the kitchen.

  Past the lavatory, the other two doors opened up to the two bedrooms, similar in size with flower wallpapered walls, plain white bedspreads, and white fluffy pillows. In one corner of each room, a tiny dresser rested with two drawers, the dark oak color matched the bed frames.

  Gazing upon the cabinet, my rump bounced on one of the mattresses. My blood ran cold.

  “I don’t have any clothes.”

  “Pardon me?” Henry called from around the corner. Within seconds, he poked his head through the door.

  “I don’t have any clothes.” I smacked my hand against my forehead. “I don’t have anything.”

  “Well, neither of us does, actually. I planned to drive into town for groceries and things we might need later. We’ll just see if we can find you some clothes, too.”

  Before I could agree, a knock rapped against the front door.

  I froze.

  Henry pressed his index finger to his lips and motioned me to follow him. With his hand hovering over his gun strapped in his holster, he tiptoed down the hall and toward the window. His hand whispered against the curtains as he gently inched the material open to peek onto the front porch.

  Another knock rapped then a woman’s voice called out. “Hello? Is anyone home? It’s Mr. and Mrs. Walker, your neighbors from down the road. We just wanted to drop off supper to welcome you to town.”

  Henry glanced at me. “I’m going to answer the door. Stay behind me.”

  I nodded.

  “Hello?” The woman calle
d again.

  “Just one moment please.” Henry’s booming voice silenced the woman as he stirred toward the door and opened it. “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs.?”

  “Walker.” Mr. Walker stuck out his hand to give Henry a firm shake. His tall, thin frame towered over his wife, and puffs of smoke from his pipe billowed above their heads. “And good evening to you, too.”

  “My apologies for keeping you two waiting. I was unpacking in the back room.” He gestured over his shoulder with a nod while motioning me forward with the hand he hid behind his back. “And my . . . my wife was in the kitchen.”

  “Oh, you’re married?” A sense of relief glimmered Mrs. Walker’s eyes as I stepped forward and Henry wrapped his arm around my waist.

  “Hello. I’m Mrs.—”

  “Hayes,” Henry finished. “Jackson and Sarah Hayes.”

  “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you two. I’m Joanne, and this is my husband John. We were outside when you drove by. Since, normally no one drives down this road, your car caught our attention.”

  “Ah, yes. I can see how that would cause you guys to take a second look.” Henry laughed.

  “Forgive us for being nosy. We just don’t get anyone new around these parts.”

  “No need to apologize.”

  “Then we saw the lights on and thought we’d bring you supper to welcome you to town.” She handed Henry a casserole. The top clinked against the dish as he grasped it. “It’s nothing special, just some roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. It’s frozen now, but if you just pop it in the oven in about forty minutes you’ll have a piping hot meal.”

  “Thank you.” Henry handed the casserole to me, giving me a sideways glance and nod as he backed away from the door a few steps. “Please, come in, come in. We haven’t really had a chance to get too settled, but please have a seat, make yourselves comfortable.”

  “Your home sure is quaint.” Joanne sat in the chair nearest to the door and folded her hands in her lap, while John stood behind her. Their eyes danced around the tidy, mismatched room as mine had when I first walked inside.