Evil's Root

Chapter 7

Ted had fled the office, practically ripping the envelope from Rosemary's hand as he blew past. He sweated bullets when he hit his office, and after slamming the door it only took two seconds to fill a tumbler with straight vodka and choke it down.

Barry frowned at his decision to let Ted go. Now what? He could still move his timetable up, he didn't have to be in Portsdown to access the money. He thought about the travel agent and then he thought about Gwen Hollinger.

Just as a matter of curiosity, he thought he'd give her a call, anonymously, and check out Ted's story. He didn't know why but there were strange vibes around that guy lately. He got up and closed the door then dialled Ted's home phone.

"Yes, who's calling please?"

"Mrs. Hollinger?" Barry used the tired trick of a hankie over the mouthpiece.

"Hello? I can barely hear you."

"Is this Gwen Hollinger?"

"Yes, who's this?"

"A friend." Barry winced. "Did you know your husband was having an affair?"

Gwen let her breath out slowly. "Why are you calling me?"

"To give you a heads-up. Did you know?"

"As a matter of fact I do and if it was anyone else's business we'd let them know. Is that all?" She slammed down the phone and then immediately picked it up and hit star. Nothing. The number had been blocked.

Barry hung up and nodded in surprise. Ted was telling the truth. He wondered now if Ted knew that his wife knew. What a world. He replayed the call in his head and thought about the first pause before she answered. Gwen Hollinger just might be more amenable than he thought.

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Sandra memorized the room number from Ted, reassured him for the tenth time, and passed it along to Ernie. He wrote everything he was to do on a list and, after memorizing the contents, stuffed it into his suitcase just in case. They made their arrangements for meeting after the job and how she would have a car ready to leave the moment he arrived back.

When he had shown up at the bar with a suitcase all packed, Sandra had nearly had a fit, sending him around to her apartment to stow it temporarily. Next she made him promise to do the job at five-o'clock and be back before ten, she didn't want to be driving all night but she wanted to be well out of town before they stopped. Ernie offered an ear as collateral. Sandra knew he would kill himself rather than be late. She hoped losing him would be so easy.

Gwen listened to the ring of the phone, tapping her foot anxiously for an answer.

"Hello?"

"It's me. Everything set?"

"Yep. The time works and I don't see any problems. We'll be at the boat long before he could get back."

"If Ted ever finds out-" Gwen sighed and took a breath. "Sorry. Stupid remark, of course he's going to find out. I can't believe he would try and set me up like that, I thought there was something left of our relationship."

"It's a lot of money, Gwen. Hey that's why we're doing this. We hit the guy that hits Ted and we leave. What could be simpler?"

"The fact that we'll be using the boat he got is bound to set him off like a rocket."

"By the time he figures it out we'll have dumped the boat and be on a plane out of the country. Quit worrying about the boat. Think about why we're doin' this. Don't go getting spongy on me now, this was just as much your idea, remember."