The plan was that the best way to get Jacob Barba his escape from prison was through his weakness of chocolate. Poisoning him like this on something that he liked, assuaged my ambivalence. It had to be a chocolate, inside a box of chocolates. One of the ideas which passed through my mind on how to do this was through a syringe, but the contents of the solution would have to be so runny, it would soak the box.
Oh, if only I had John's input, he would have been able to sort this puzzle out. Never had I given John any credit for his attachment to his board games, they were far more complicated than I had time for. As far as I was concerned, they were a waste of time. It never got him anywhere for he never acted upon them. Now, if he had applied his mind to making a fortune in life, but I forgot he had, he had used his mastermind to get himself out and away from me.
I like to think it was my idea about how the problem was solved. But it was Hattie's. Handmade chocolates were his great idea. He had a friend who had his own small business making handcrafted chocolates. I was surprised by this connection, but I suppose if you are inclined to be gay, one will encounter a great deal of unusual and different people. But what we were about to do was not only illegal, it was dangerous and if there was going to be any trace, it would be through the chocolates and back to his friend.
‘Not necessarily,’ said Hattie, with that strange gleam in his eyes which suggested he had been smoking a joint. ‘And besides, I have something he wants.’
‘Then what,’ I wasn’t being awkward because if we were going to do it, we had better do it properly with no way to trace its way back to ourselves and in particular, to me.
At first, I didn't understand what it was that Hattie was doing, he didn't say anything. He stood there smiling at me, smiling and running his tongue around his lips.
‘Do you mean we should start eating chocolates?’ I was annoyed for if there is anything I will not put into my mouth, it's chocolate.
He quickly shook his head and in exaggeration, licked his tongue slowly all around his open mouth.
‘Oh,’ I threw a hand to my mouth for I was shocked which of course, made Hattie laugh. The next thing I was going to say was do you really think he would swallow that, but naturally, I didn't.
Apparently, his friend had a machine which if wanted would seal the box of chocolates with cellophane. It seemed like we now had a viable plan.
As it bothered me a little, I told Hattie about my recent conversation with Angel hoping he could enlighten me as to Angel's true reason for her change. Shrugging, he looked just as mystified to the reason as I was.
‘Perhaps she's bored,’ he offered. And then, after a few deeper interruptions into his fogged-out brain, ‘But I know something has changed and upset her. I've known Angel for a long time, and I think she is preparing to alter things in her life. But she never involves me in her plans.’
It was also on my mind to ask him, how these two had become friends but sometimes, some things are not always worth knowing.
And as to my next visit to Jacob Barba, I left it up to Hattie to try and explain my absence again. It would be a bad idea to let Hattie know about my softness towards Jacob. As far as he was concerned, I was the one who was doing him a favor. Again, Hattie's explanation to Angel for my next visit was for her birthday present. It was going to be Angel's birthday the day after I was to visit the prison. Hattie would provide the present.
It struck me as being sad that Hattie was doing everything for someone who did not care one bit for him, and then it also struck me also how tragic my situation was. John had left me wretched by leaving nothing and everything to Angel. But I suppose, that's the way of the world.
The only possible present to get for Angel which she would appreciate for her birthday, and which would make sense to her life would have to be in the shape of jewelry. And Angel always liked the best, something like that would also be an investment in her future.
But one thing I did know for sure was that everything had to be done on the same day to get Jacob Barba out. I had to buy Angel a present, to collect the chocolates and then go to prison. Would we be able to pull this off? It was a question that haunted me. The only answer to this question was, we had no choice, we had to do it. There would be no mask crusaders flying through the air to aid us in our rescue or, the best magical dragons in the mythical world to carry us to wherever we wanted. We were to rely on ourselves. Hattie was to take Jacob some clothes and stash them in a lockup at the hospital.
It occurred to me as I was making my way back to J. J’s room the true facts of our endeavor. Was I mad? How on earth had I got into this? But Jacob Barba wanted to see Angel or, Janice as he knew her. When he met her perhaps it would shed some light on this enigma. At least it should be exciting because Angel had not bothered to visit him in the last five years. She would need to give him a good reason as to why she had not.
14
On the journey to the train station, it seemed to be a good idea to talk to Pesker for I am sure the staff talks amongst themselves. Sometimes, misinformed people have the power to destroy one's plans; a little straightening out would not come amiss, and perhaps, a reinterpretation of the actual events and situation from my end would give my image in the house a different slant.
Leaning forward, I slid opened the glass panel between us.
‘Pesker,’ I spoke in a way that was interesting without being patronizing. I saw his eyes looking at me through his mirror. ‘As you know it's Angel's birthday tomorrow. I want to get her something special for her birthday.’
‘Do you?’ he replied as if he was more than a little surprise.
‘Well, yes, she's been through a great deal this last year in particular.’ I thought I should defend my decision.
‘Has she?’ again, he used that same tone of voice.
‘Well, hasn't she?’ now, I was baffled for somehow, I had the impression that because Angel paid their wages there would be a degree of loyalty, but now from Pesker's tone of voice, I realize this is not necessarily so.
‘You never met Mr. Boreman, did you?’
What could I say that, yes, I had been married to him for over twenty years? If I wanted to destroy everything I had achieved and worked for up until now, this was the way to do it. And so, I gave the only sensible answer I could, which was no.
‘I came to work for Mr. Boreman just over two years ago.’
Nodding I accepted this piece of knowledge. I was figuring out this was quite a little while before John and I split up.
‘The house had recently been restored and decorated. From what I understood; this house was bought at a bargain price. I was talking to Mr. Boreman once and because I was interested, he showed me the old plans. He said this was the house he had always dreamed of, but getting what you’ve always wanted isn’t always as simple as that. He said that with every dream in life, there’s always conditions and clauses.’
‘Clauses,’ I repeated, now puzzled.
‘Yes, clauses.’
‘What do you think he meant by that?’
‘I don't know because he was a man who had everything and yet, I had this feeling that he was not happy. From what I saw of him and everything he possessed, he should have been, but I felt he wasn't.’
Now I was really intrigued, and perhaps also feeling a sense of satisfaction that for him, walking out of my life and into something better did not turn out as it should have done. Yet, I also felt sad. What is it the French say, triste, a wistful sadness? For the first time in a long time, I thought, poor John.
I wanted to ask if John had been happy with Angel but I daren't, I might be revealing too much about myself. ‘Her son is adorable,’ this was a safer note.
‘Yeah, poor kid. I mean, I shouldn't say it, but you can see she doesn't love the child. She doesn't even like him by the looks of things. Ignores him most of the time. I know this may sound hard, but she had him as her insurance.’
‘Yes,’ I smiled. ‘I understand children are often part of the
bargaining power.’
‘Anyhow, it's none of my business but since you've been here, he's been happy. We don't hear him screaming, he only does it when he knows you've gone away. He's certainly a happier kid, you're more his mother than she is.’
Biting into the bottom of my lip, guilt sprung to mind because once I got my share of the money, I would be out and leading my life on my own.
‘Have you never had any kids?’ Pesker asked, looking into the mirror above his head.
‘No.’
‘Well, that's a great shame because you would have made a wonderful mother. I don't know if I could do what you do, look after everyone else's kids and then leave them and have nothing else to do with them.’
‘Yes,’ I felt uncomfortable and now wanted to terminate the conversation. No one knew who I really was and if I carried on exchanging my thoughts, I would be forced into taking sides, which could mean commitments.
When we arrived at the town, Pesker looked at me as he opened the door. I felt strange as I got out of the car to go to the chocolatier with four of Hattie's tablets crushed up in a small jar. ‘Take care of yourself,’ he said with a serious expression.
Pesker’s kindness to me unnerved me like it was a presentiment of something which was about to come. But as I said before, I am not superstitious and yet, I felt there was someone watching me.
The little shop was just off the main high street, but its position didn't interfere with trade, there were already a couple of people inside the shop choosing their favorites when I entered to the ringing of a little silver bell. A quick glance at me from a bald head suggested I had been acknowledged. I waited for my turn. These two people having paid went out and now it was time for me. The little silver bell went again and in walked three more customers.
This world of espionage was not my thing, I felt extremely uncomfortable in this territory and I could pay no homage to the chocolates either.
‘Can I help, madam?’ asked the man with a balding head, possibly noticing I wasn’t attending to his confectionary.
‘My name,’ I began, lowering my head, believing that people could hear me less, ‘Is Miss Grey.’ This was the name I was using under Angel's roof.’
‘Ah,’ the bald shopkeeper said as if this rang a bell, ‘The woman with the scars.’
‘Yes,’ I smiled for the irony in my life was still written on my face.
‘Yes, I've been expecting you.’ His smile was like smooth milk chocolate, with his almond-shaped eyes and his plumped-up cherry lips, he would have made a delicate treat for any chocolate enthusiast. ‘Do you have what our friend wants?’
Realizing what he meant, I quickly took out the jar from my handbag and suggested tilting my head that this should be handled to the side without anyone viewing. But instead, he held out his hand across the counter.
‘I shall add this to four chocolates,’ the temperature of his face did not melt his cool exterior. ‘I won't be a long,’ and then he quickly moved to the back.
Looking at these three potential shoppers, I should not have worried because their eyes, minds, and thoughts were engrossed in the selection and future of the confectionery. Within five minutes, he returned with the sealed box of chocolates and told me to give Hattie his love.
I was glad to be out and walking briskly away. He had put the chocolate in a brown paper carrier bag with the shop's name on it. And now to the train station.
Again, the same routine but this time after I had been searched, the guard who had been on duty two weeks ago pulled me aside.
‘I hope your visit isn’t going to be a repeat of the last one Miss Grey,’ he was looking down at the list of names for today’s visitors.
‘No, and I'm sorry about that.’
‘You should be. Coming in here and causing trouble and then leaving it to us who has to sort it out is out of order.’
‘Yes, I know, and I'm very sorry about that.’
My apologies for some reason seemed to incite his annoyance even more. His critical eyes examined my person looking me over as if to find something wrong, something which could prevent me from seeing Jacob Barba, he grinned.
‘What's this, then,’ he asked catching hold of the brown carrier bag.’
‘It's been cleared and approved.’
‘I didn't ask that, I asked what's inside.’ He then put his hand in and took out the box of chocolates. ‘So, you've bought him some chocolates?’ he was looking at the box and running his eyes over trying to find some fault with it.
‘He likes chocolates, I found that out last week.’
‘And why are you visiting him,’ he was now staring into my face. ‘Why now? He's been locked up for years.’
‘I've been out of the country for the last few years. This will probably be the last visit I will make.’
‘Oh, and why's that?’
This was getting a bit too much, the other visitors were now moving through into the other part of the visiting area. ‘Look, if you think I'm going to be too much of a problem, I'll leave. I said I was sorry for what happened last time. Jacob was asking me questions that I didn't know the answer to. Do you want me to go?’ I took back the box of chocolates from his hand.
‘Did he do that to you?’
‘What?’
‘The scars?’
‘No, I did them to myself.’ Instantly, my face flushed for I was wearing the tattoo of my stupidity. ‘I was looking at something else and not paying attention to the road. And can I now go in and see him or shall I go home?’
‘You can go in, but I’ll be keeping an eye on you.’
Jacob Barba was already sitting waiting at the table when I walked through the door. He smirked when I sat down.
‘Do you want some coffee?’ I asked noting that his eyes looked raw with strain.
‘What's in the bag?’ he motioned with his head.
‘Chocolates, but you're not to eat them now,’ I quickly added feeling the guard's eyes tracking everything going on between Jacob and myself.
‘We've got to eat everything here, we're not allowed to take anything back with us to our cells.’
‘Oh, are you sure?’ if this were true, then it may ruin the plan.
‘What do you think?’ he asked with slow sarcasm.
‘Then that changes things. This is part of the plan which Hattie staged to get you out.’
‘Hattie has organized a plan to get me out?’ he sneered.
‘Well, if you don't want to get out, it's entirely up to you. He's done more than Janice has for you.’
‘You leave my woman out of it,’ he raised his voice.
‘Look, if you get angry, I will have to go, the guard said I was not to upset you. But this is your only chance so, I'm going to smile at you, and you must smile back and try and relax, then I will tell you the plan.’
First, though, he asked for a cup of coffee. I bought us one each and took my seat once more back at the table. Stirring the spoon around in the cup, Jacob Barba listened to the plan. Inside four of the eight chocolates was medication to slow down his heart. The effects of these drugs would look similar to having a cardiac arrest. I made a point of looking at him to see how he felt, he was accepting this information without any fear.
It should, I told him, work very quickly and with any luck, they should take him to the local hospital where Hattie would be waiting. He'll be there with some clothes for you, and once you go to the emergency room, it should be easy to get you away. ‘And then you should be a free man.’
‘There’s a hell of a lot of shoulds,’ he was frowning and now and forgetting to smile.
‘Well, it's the best we can do.’ I sighed. ‘We've done our part of it, and now it's up to you to make it work.’ I suddenly felt very tired, I was also aware that I was helping a murderer escape; he was the one who had shot the bank clerk. ‘The four chocolates with the medication are the ones in the middle.’
I felt a hand on my shoulder I nearly screamed from tension.
&n
bsp; ‘Is everything going on all right here Barba?’ the guard was staring at Jacob.
Flicking his eyes back to me, Jacob Barba nodded. I felt that at any moment, I would be wrenched away by this enterprising guard.
‘I see she's bought you some chocolate, some handmade chocolates by the look of it; not the sort you're used to.’
Quickly grabbing the small brown carrier bag, Jacob Barba took the chocolates.
‘I'll eat them, don't you worry.’
‘But if you have some problems with them, I'm sure some of us can give you a hand.’
‘She brought them for me, not you and I will eat them.’ Jacob held on to the chocolates until the guard took his hand off my right shoulder and walked away to patrol the area.
We both waited until the guard was well clear of our table. His hands were behind his back exposing the baton belted to his waist.
‘Is there anything else I ought to know?’ he asked. At certain angles, he could have been John, but he was not.
‘Not really, I think I've covered everything except to wish you luck.’
Regarding the chocolates suspiciously, I watched as he took up the box, and wondered how he might feel knowing that when he consumed them, they were going to make him ill. I didn't know if I could eat them myself with the understanding that if I did, I would be exposing myself to danger and probably conditions that would make me seriously ill. My need would have to be great to make me do something like that.
Taking off the cellophane wrapper, Jacob opened the lid and looked inside. Raising my eyes, I too wanted to see what poison looked like under the cover of pleasure. The chocolates looked just like chocolates should, but their bite was dangerous. I shuddered. My eyes on his face, was he summoning up the courage?
‘What do you intend doing once you've escaped?’ I asked. I didn’t want him to try the poison yet knowing he had already spent too much of his time locked up, I wanted some of his time for myself. And locked up was the only way I was going to get it.
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