The Devil To Pay (Hennessey.)

by Marnie Perry

  Lando looked at him, ‘let’s try to leave at least one person alive today.’

  Hennessey laughed, ‘spoil sport.’ Then turned and walked out the door. Lando picked up the man’s weapon and shoved it in his pocket then followed Hennessey.

  They made their way to the study following the directions the man had given them. When they got there they found the door locked, but not for long. Not wanting to alert anyone who might be in there by shooting off the lock Hennessey opened it with his pick, quickly and silently. Then they did the same as last time, Hennessey going in first with his silenced Glock.

  There was no one in there but they stood transfixed. Never had Lando seen so many books outside a library, there must have been not dozens as the man had said, but hundred’s. He turned to Hennessey, ‘this is impossible.’

  Hennessey was studying the shelves of books, ‘maybe not.’ Lando looked at him disbelievingly, ‘it’s not a matter of knowing which book, Mr. Lando, but the man who owns them.’ He stopped in front of a section of books and said, ‘ah, here we are. Shakespeare,’ he turned to Lando, ‘he loves Shakespeare, he’s quite nuts about him, and I mean that literally as well as figuratively. Now it’s just a question of working out which book opens the door.’

  He moved along the walls saying, ‘he would have the secret door as close to his desk as possible in case of emergencies.’ He walked along until he reached the Shakespeare section when he stopped and reached up to touch a book saying, ‘ah, I think we have it.’

  He made to move the book but Lando grabbed his arm, ‘whoa there, Hennessey, you can’t possibly know this is the right book.’

  Hennessey turned to look at him, ‘I believe it is.’ Lando shook his head and Hennessey in a bantering tone said, ‘come on now, Lando, live dangerously, you know you want too.’

  Lando compressed his lips his expression doubting. ‘Why this one?’

  ‘As you like it.’ When Lando looked perplexed he went on, “All the world’s a stage: And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances: And one man in his time plays many parts:

  Lando’s expression showed surprise now at Hennessey’s knowledge not just of Shakespeare but of Glissando. But he was still very sceptical, ‘so?’

  In an imitation of Lando, Hennessey rolled his eyes at the other man’s ignorance. ‘Don’t you see? Glissando himself might have said that, he plays the many parts while everyone else are merely players in his little game. And they all enter and exit at his command.’ He grinned mischievously, ‘plus, this book has been used more often than the others in this section.’

  Lando now looking sceptical and exasperated said, ‘if you’re wrong and we’re trapped in here, we’ll be no good to the woman and Leyton.’

  ‘So what do you suggest, we just leave? Maybe you could call the cops; they might even get here in time to save them.’

  Lando looked at Hennessey then at the book then back at Hennessey, he kept his gaze for a full thirty seconds before nodding in agreement.

  Hennessey smiled and reached up once more. This time Lando did not stop him from pulling the book from the shelf.

  CHAPTER 44.

  Lando held his breath and closed his eyes waiting to here the sound of metal bars crashing to the ground sealing them in this room of books. But that didn’t happen and Hennessey, amusement in his voice said, ‘you can open your eyes now, Mr. Lando.’

  He did, just as a creaking noise came from his right; he stepped back and raised his rifle as a door of books began to open.

  The two men looked at each other and this time Lando did not begrudge Hennessey his grin of satisfaction.

  They both gripped their weapons tightly as they slowly and cautiously stepped through the door. Straight ahead was a set of stairs going down, they began to descend into semi -darkness. At the foot of the stairs they looked left then right then left again. There were several doors on either side and Lando gestured to Hennessey to go left and he would go right. They each checked the rooms which were all unlocked but there was no one in any of them. Hennessey got Lando’s attention and pointed his finger down another passageway. Lando joined him and they walked down the corridor, this one dirty and foul smelling. Hennessey said, ‘”Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”’

  Lando did not reply simply nodded.

  They stopped by a huge thick door and Hennessey whispered, ‘no doorknob.’

  There was a keypad situated on the wall but no way of knowing the code to open the door of course. Lando let out a heavy sigh of frustration, this was taking way too long and God alone knew what was happening to the woman and Leyton while they were trapped out here.

  As they stared at the door suddenly it began to open, they both stepped back and positioned themselves either side of the door. They heard a man’s voice say, ‘would you like something to eat too, Mr. Glissando, while you enjoy your pass time?’

  Laughter followed this question. Hennessey and Lando looked at each other at the mention of Glissando’s name.

  The answer came, ‘no, but I’m sure to have an appetite later.’

  More laughter accompanied Glissando’s answer and then the man stepped into the corridor. Lando grabbed his arm and swung him against the opposite wall and Hennessey put two bullets into him. The second one had been unnecessary as the first had penetrated his heart killing him instantly but Hennessey did not consider it wasted on this man.

  An instant after the man died Lando and Hennessey burst into the room. Lando pulled up sharply at the sight he beheld. Directly ahead was Leyton his hands above his head chained to the wall, his exposed chest and neck were covered with blood, his head was bowed to his chest. A man stood in front of him, a vicious bloodstained whip in his hand. As he turned to see who had come bursting into the room Lando shot him in the chest which exploded with the force of the rifles bullet and the man went down, definitely dead.

  Borachio was quicker than the other men had been because he had his gun out in an instant pointed at Hennessey. He fired, but although he was quick he was not accurate and his bullet went wide. Hennessey’s did not and Borachio was dead before he hit the ground.

  Then Hennessey turned his gun on Glissando a huge smile on his face.

  From where Lando stood he could only see the back of the woman’s head as she sat in a chair facing Leyton. He raced to her and squatted down in front of her. She was secured to the chair with the same kind of metal clamps that held Leyton to the wall, and although her face was white and tear stained she seemed okay, apart from fact that she was staring straight ahead, her eyes glazed and horror filled. He ran to Leyton and lifted his head, his face was bloody also, but not from whips marks. He was breathing but unconscious.

  He ran back to Adela and said softly, ‘it’s okay, you’re safe now.’

  He put his hand on hers but she recoiled and whimpered. He realised she had not even heard the gun fire or if she had was too engrossed in the horror before her eyes to connect it to a rescue. And also because he was wearing that God awful cologne she probably thought he was Glissando. He wondered if she had been raped but now was not the time to ask, he didn’t know what he might do to Glissando if he had touched her. He said more sternly now, ‘hey, lady, I said you’re okay, come on now, snap out of it.’ He shook her none too gently and her head snapped round to look at him.

  She stared at him in confusion, ‘M…Mr. Lando, what…’ her eyes caught sight of Hennessey holding a gun and her voice cracked, ‘oh no, no, please I don’t know, I don’t…

  Lando cut her off, ‘it’s okay, it’s all right, he’s with me.’

  She stared at him for a moment her eyes disbelieving, ‘but how…’

  Again he interrupted, ‘not now, later,’ he began to pull the metal screws from the clamps that held her wrists secure, ‘first I need your help with Leyton?’

  She looked up at Leyton and her eyes clouded with pain and sorrow and guilt. He had unfastened her ankles from the clamps and helped
her up, she staggered but stayed upright. He said, ‘all right?’

  She nodded and moved towards Leyton. Lando said, ‘I’ll hold him up you unfasten the clamps.’

  She nodded trying not to look at Leyton’s blooded chest and neck. Her fingers shook as she unfastened the clamps. It took a few minutes but eventually she had his hands free and he fell forward, both she and Lando caught him as he fell and lowered him gently to the ground. Adela stroked Leyton’s face and whispered, ‘Ellis, oh Ellis, I’m so sorry.’

  Lando watched her for a second a strange look on his face, whether because she had

  said she was sorry or because she had called him Ellis was unclear. He moved her roughly to one side rather and put his ear against Leyton’s chest and said, ‘his heart beat is weak and he’s lost a lot of blood, he needs to get to the hospital.’

  Adela looked at him so many questions on her lips, how had they found them? How had they got into the house? How had they got past Glissando’s men? But more importantly, why had they come? She looked over at Hennessey who stood looking at them but his weapon pointed at Glissando’s face which was white and his body rigid.

  He smiled at her, she ignored him and Lando said, ‘Hennessey, give me your phone.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Whydya think? To call the police and an ambulance.’

  Glissando said, ‘your cell phones won’t work in here.’

  They all looked at him, and Lando said, ‘okay, we need to get upstairs.’

  ‘You go, I’ll finish up here,’ said Hennessey.

  Lando shook his head, ‘oh no, Hennessey, I ain’t leaving you alone with him.’

  ‘Whadaya think I’m gonna do?’

  ‘I don’t think, I know what you’re gonna do. But he needs to stand trial for what he’s done.’

  As much as Lando wanted to kill this man, he knew a man like Glissando would suffer far more in prison than most men and that would be, if not sufficient, then at least adequate. Plus, the cop in him wouldn’t let Hennessey play judge and jury...and executioner.’

  Hennessey burst out laughing, ‘you’re as naïve as she is,’ he nodded towards Adela who was trying to wipe some of the blood from Leyton’s chest and neck with clothe she’d torn from his shirt, ‘no offence, Miss. Faraday, but if either of you think he’ll ever get to trial you’re fooling yourselves. You’ve said yourself he’s connected; he has cops, lawyers, judges, even governors in his pay, he’ll walk within days.’

  Glissando smiled smugly but Lando shook his head, ‘not this time, this time there are live witnesses who will testify. Leyton is a cop, he’ll do the right thing,’ he looked at Adela, ‘and so will she.’

  Adela nodded and Hennessey laughed derisively, ‘maybe they will, “Do the right thing,” but that won’t be enough. If Leyton lives they’ll get to him eventually. Even if they can’t coerce him or if he stands firm and remains honest they’ll just kill him…and her too, ‘he walked towards Lando, ‘my way he gets what’s coming to him, he can never hurt anyone ever again.’

  When Lando shook his head Hennessey went on impatiently, ‘remember your dog, your home? He glanced over at Adela, ‘remember what he put her through?

  Lando said, ‘and you, Hennessey, who will punish you for what you did? Who will punish you for what you will do?’

  Hennessey smiled, ‘maybe you will, Lando, maybe you’ll be my nemesis. But that’s for the future, for now let me deal with Glissando in my own way, ‘ He looked around, ‘maybe I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine, then leave him chained up to starve to death down here.’

  Glissando stepped forward and spoke to Lando, ‘take me with you, don’t leave me alone with this madman.’

  Lando walked towards him and stopped a foot from Glissando. He stared into the man’s eyes for a moment then suddenly pulled back his arm and punched Glissando in the face knocking him down. At any other time the expression of utter amazement on Glissando’s face would have been comical but no one was laughing except Hennessey whose laughter was more at Lando’s action than Glissando’s reaction.

  Lando picked up Glissando with one hand as though he weighed no more than a small child and pushed him against the wall.

  Glissando grunted in pain but through his bleeding mouth managed to get out, ‘I’ll pay you. I’ll give you what I promised Hennessey, five million dollars.’

  Lando glared at this man who had caused so much trouble, so much pain, so much misery. Not the woman, not the young girl, not even Hennessey, but this man; he was the catalyst that had put everything in motion.

  Glissando, confident that he could talk his way out of anything with promises of money was not deterred; after all it had never failed in the past. He said, ‘all right, I’ll double the offer, ten million.’

  Lando said, ‘you’re a murderer, Glissando, and I don’t take money from murderers, I’m no assassin.’

  Glissando smirked and the blow he had received from Lando must have affected his brain because he said, ‘you may not be an assassin, Lando but I believe killing your own wife could be called murder.’ Anyway, with that amount of money you can forget that traitorous bitch you married, you could buy a new wife…and a new dog.’

  Unfortunately he only realised his mistake the moment the last word was out of his mouth. Lando picked Glissando almost off his feet and threw him to the floor then knelt astride him his hands around his throat. As he pressed his fingers against Glissando’s windpipe he snarled, ‘you think you can make it right with money? You think you can bring people back from the dead? You think you can bring back Sullivan?

  Glissando’s eyes began to bulge out of their sockets as Lando continued his tirade, ‘you think you can heal Leyton’s wounds? You think you can make that woman forget what happened to her? You think you can stop her nightmares and those of that young girl you raped and tortured for years?’ He banged Glissando’s head on the concrete floor, ‘you think you can do all that with your money?’

  Glissando’s face went from red to blue as his air was cut off. Suddenly Lando felt a touch on his shoulder and through the red mist of his rage he heard a woman’s soft voice say, ‘Mr. Lando, Mr. Lando please stop, don’t do this. Don’t lower yourself to his level. You’re better than this, a better man than he could ever be. Please don’t become what you despise.’

  Lando’s fingers remained firmly fixed on Glissando’s throat, but as the hand squeezed his shoulder he slowly unfurled them and let go of Glissando who spluttered and gagged trying to get air into his screaming lungs.

  Lando knelt a moment looking down at him then his voice low but very forceful said, ‘Dashiel Glissando, you’re under arrest for murder and conspiracy to commit murder, for kidnapping and aggravated assault, for bribery and corruption and for being a grade A asshole.

  You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney during interrogation. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to you. Do you understand you rights, Mr. Glissando?’

  Glissando coughed and spluttered as he fought for air and Lando said, ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’

  Then Lando stood up and looked down at him for a moment before turning to Hennessey who held out both palms, ‘hey, I ain’t arguing with ya pal.’

  Lando turned to Adela; they stood looking at each other, the silence in the room broken only by the sound of Glissando’s gasping. There was a look in Lando’s eyes, a look she had never seen before; there was gratitude there, yes, but also something else, something right at this moment she could not define.

  ‘Glad to see you haven’t forgotten your duty Detective Lando, nor the Miranda either.’

  They all immediately looked towards Leyton. Adela ran over to him and knelt beside him saying, ‘Ellis, are you all right? How do you feel? Can you stand?’ Are you able to walk?’

  Leyton said, ‘no, lousy, yes and yes.’ Adela’s laugh was very shaky. ‘Can you help me up?’

  She
put her arm around his back and assisted him to his feet. Once up he looked around, first at Lando then at Glissando still lying on the floor, and finally Hennessey.

  ‘You must be the guy I came to Alabama to arrest.’

  ‘That’d be me I reckon,’ Hennessey glanced at Lando, ‘but you’ll have to join the queue I’m afraid.’

  Lando joined Adela and Leyton and the latter said, ‘I’d like to know how you found us, and what you’re doing with a hired killer but that can wait for now. All I want to say is, thanks.’ He took Hennessey into his glance as he said this.

  Lando nodded, ‘you’re welcome, Detective. But let’s get outta here and get to a phone.’

  He turned to Hennessey but pointed at Glissando and said, ‘watch him, and Hennessey, watch him not kill him.’

  Hennessey grinned, ‘you’re such an old do- gooder, Lando.’

  Adela looked at the two men; she wondered how they had come together again, who had found whom? Why had Hennessey come with Lando to rescue them? She hoped she would find out, but right now her mistrust of Hennessey was still very strong.

  Leyton, supported by Adela and Lando, and Hennessey his gun trained on Glissando walked out the door along the corridor and up the stairs.

  Lando said, ‘I’ll make the call from Glissando’s study.’

  Lando really wanted to get out of there as fast as possible but Leyton was in no fit state to climb through fences and thickets.

  Hennessey nodded and pushed Glissando up the stairs causing him to stumble but he wisely said nothing. Once back in the study Lando aimed for the phone while Adela settled Leyton into a chair and looked around for something to bind his wounds and maybe something for the pain. She turned to Glissando, ‘do you have a first aid kit in here?’

  He looked at her but didn’t answer so Hennessey prodded him painfully with his gun. Glissando gave him a look of hate and snapped, ‘no.’

  Adela said to Hennessey, ‘there’ll be one in the kitchen, do you have any idea where that is?’

  He said, ‘yeah, but don’t go in there, we need to stay together. Besides, there’s something in there you won’t like.’