TRUSTED LIKE THE FOX

chapter 14

Adrian shambled into the garage shed.

With my heart thumping, I went across to the shed fast.

I found Adrian wandering aimlessly around, looking at the tools. His dog kept close to his heels, and as I came in, the dog cringed, moving even closer to its master and looking at me mournfully with its bloodshot eyes.

"What do you want?" I said, making my voice hard and tough.

Adrian paused and squinted at me, shoving the dog away with his leg.

"You heard from my nephew?"

"No."

'Is she around?"

"If you mean Mrs. Cooper . . . she's in town this morning. What do you want?"

I saw the dog suddenly turn its head and stare at the work bench that stood over Perry's grave. It moved forward to the bench and began sniffing at the ground.

I felt sudden chills start up my spine.

"I'm still without my pension," Adrian said. "I'm running out of money."

"I can't help that."

Tentatively, the dog began to scratch at the ground, then finding the ground loose, it began to dig in earnest.

Adrian turned and stared at the dog.

"Well, I'll be darned! I've never seen Chester do a thing like that before." He moved forward and gave the dog a solid kick on its rump, sending it squealing to the door of the shed. "I'm down to my last buck," he went on to me. "How about lending me something? As soon as I've got my pension, I'll pay it back."

As he talked, the dog crept back again, looking furtively at its master, then it began to dig again.

"Watch your damned dog!" I shouted, and picking up a block of wood, I threw it at the dog, sending it yelping once more to the door.

Adrian glared at me.

"That's no way to treat a poor dumb animal! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Get out of here! You and your damned dog!" I snarled.

Adrian was now staring at the hole the dog had dug, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Have you been burying something there?"

I felt cold sweat break out on my face.

"No . . . come on! Beat it!"

Instead, he shambled over to the hole and knelt down, staring at it.

"Well, someone's been digging here." He pushed his dirty, claw-like hand into the loose earth. As if it recognised co-operation, the dog came up, wagging its tail and whining, then it began to dig again.

Impatiently, Adrian shoved it away.

"Maybe Perry has buried his money here," he muttered. "He would be fool enough to do just that. How about taking a look? Got a spade?"

I was now in a hell of a panic. I moved forward, and there must have been an expression in my eyes that told Adrian I meant trouble. He straightened up hastily and backed away

"Okay, okay, fella, no need to get mad," he whined, still backing away, his dog following him. "Just a thought that dropped into my mind. Think nothing of it."

"Get out and stay away from here!" I shouted at him, "Go on! Get out!"

"How about lending me five bucks?" he whined, still backing away. He was now out in the hot sunshine.

"You're getting nothing out of me," I said, moving after him. "Beat it!"

By now, he was close to his battered car. He paused, his hand on the car door, and he squinted at me.

"Okay, if that's the way you want it, fella," he said, a sudden rasp in his voice. "I'm going to talk to the cops! I'm going to tell them to look for Perry! You and that whore, cuddling and kissing . . ."

I jumped him. My fist slammed against his jaw, sending him flat on his back.

I was so mad I didn't notice a car had just pulled up by the gas pumps. It was only when he yelled at me I got control of myself. I was about ready to give that skinny vulture the hiding of his life.

As soon as the dog saw its master sprawl in the dust, it fled, shivering into the car.

The driver got out of his car and hurried over, his expression aggressive.

"Hey! If you want to hit a guy, pick one your own age and size!" he bawled at me.

I felt tempted to take him, but I choked down my rage and stepped back as Adrian crawled unsteadily to his feet.

"Okay, okay," I said to the driver. "You're right. I guess I blew my top and I'm sorry, but this punk comes scrounging here week after week and he drives me nuts."

The man lost his aggressive look.

"Well, yeah . . . but to hit an old guy . . ." He stared at Adrian, then grimaced.

"A scrounger, huh?"

"You said it. He never stops putting the bite on me."

He relaxed, nodding.

"Sorry I pushed my oar in. My father-in-law is the same. I'm looking for Perry."

I told him the same phony story and he bought it.

He went back to his car. Adrian got slowly and painfully into his car. He was holding his jaw and mumbling to himself.

I took from my wallet a ten dollar bill and shoved it at him.

"Here . . . take this and beat it," I said.

He had started the car engine. With a shaking hand, he took the bill, then crumpling it, he threw it in my face.

"I'll fix you for this!" he snarled, his face vicious with rage. "I'm going to talk to the police."

He stamped down on the gas pedal and the car shot crazily away.

Then I knew I had made a dangerous mistake hitting him. I had imagined he was so spineless and such a scrounger I could pay for that punch with a ten dollar bill.

I picked up the bill and put it back in my wallet. There was chill of fear around my heart.

The man whose name was Jack looked curiously at me. He had seen Adrian throw the money at me, but he didn't say anything.

When he had gone, I went into the repair shed and dragged the workbench away from Perry's grave. Working fast, I filled in the hole dug by Adrian's dog and levelled the ground. Then drawing from a pile of rusty scrap that stood against the far wall, I made a great heap of it on the grave.

The job took me half an hour, but when I was through, there was no chance of the dog pulling the same trick on me again.

While I worked, I wondered about Adrian. Would he go to the police? In the vicious mood he was in, he probably would, but would they pay any attention to him? If they came out here investigated, I was sunk. Should I pack up and get out while the going was good?

Still trying to make up my mind, I left the repair shed and over to the lunch room.

I saw a dusty Lincoln beside the gas pumps. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts I hadn't seen it arrive.

There was a man sitting at the wheel, and there was something familiar about him.

He got out of the car and came towards me. He was wearing a shabby, wrinkled suit. A slouch hat that had seen some years' hard wear rested at the back of his head.

I recognised him, and my heart skipped a beat and then began to race.

The man walking towards me was Caleb. My best friend, the one I committed the robbery with. What in the bloody hell was he doing here. I felt my heart turn a somersault.