TRUSTED LIKE THE FOX

chapter 19

That was the end of my intimacy with Delphina. Funnily enough, now that Caleb was there, I didn't mind. For weeks now this business of going to the house with her after we had locked up each night had given me a squeasy feeling.

Every time I went into the big bedroom I thought of Perry. I forgot about him as soon as I had Delphina in my arms, but there was always this moment when I entered the room when I did think of him.

Caleb helped me move the single bed into the cottage.

"So you're in the dog house," he said, grinning. "Women! They hold their sex over you like a club. I've had all I want of it. I'm beginning to see why Perry walked out."

All day Delphina had sulked, not speaking to me. Around ten o'clock she had got in the car and had driven off into town. It was when she had gone that I moved my things out of the main house.

"She'll get over it," I said. "Anyway, it'll be a change to have some male company."

While Caleb was cleaning the pool, I packed my things in a suitcase. I had put the gun in the top drawer of the chest which I shared with Delphina. When I went to look for it, it had gone.

This really rattled me. Only Delphina could have taken it. I searched the drawers in the chest, but I didn't expect to find it and I didn't. I searched the whole room and the other rooms in the house, but I didn't find it.

Why had she taken it?

The rest of the evening was spoilt for me. I kept worrying and thinking about the gun. I remembered that hard look of hatred that had come into her eyes.

I kept asking myself if our association together during the past weeks had been an act on her side.

I stayed up with Caleb during the night, and we both turned in around one o'clock. I heard her come in around three o'clock. I was in bed by the window and I looked out, seeing her park the car, and in the moonlight I watched her enter the house. I was tempted to get out of bed and go over there and ask her about the gun, but I decided to wait until the morning. I didn't sleepmuch that night.

She didn't come into the lunch room until after eleven. Caleb was peeling potatoes and I was washing the dishes from last night.

She had a sulky expression on her face, but she greeted Caleb well enough: me, she ignored.

Caleb winked at me and jerked his head at the door. Then switching off the potato peeling machine, he went out, leaving us alone together.

"Where's the gun?" I said.

She stared at me.

"I got rid of it."

"How?"

"I buried it on the road, somewhere far. Does that satisfy you?"

I didn't know if she was lying or not.

"What's the idea then?"

"They could prove the gun shot him, couldn't they? It's safer to get rid of it."

That made sense, but I still wasn't sure if she had really got rid of it.

"And Jonh, I've been thinking ..."

"Well, go on. What have you been thinking?''

"Now you have your boy friend with you, you can run this place on your own. I'm leaving."

"Do you think that is a good idea?"

"Of course. I've always wanted to leave. I've told you that over and over again. Now with Caleb here it is possible."