Thirty-Six
Hollis had come prepared with two handkerchiefs. By midday, when the first cars started to arrive, one was already sodden from mopping his brow, and he’d laid it on a nearby hedge to dry in the sun; the second was well on its way to reaching its saturation point.
Another car tried to park on the verge and he moved it on.
Christ, it was hot, the windless heat roasting him in his uniform.
‘Ambulance! Ambulance!’
The urgent call came from behind him and he spun round.
Abel triggered the shutter of the Speed Graphic. ‘That’s great,’ he said, appearing from behind the camera. ‘I can just see it on the front page of the Star: Deputy Chief Hollis, Moments Before His Sad Demise.’
‘Very funny.’
‘Jesus, Tom, you look like you just went twelve rounds with Rita Hayworth.’
Easy for him to say in his sleeveless open-necked shirt and his cotton slacks.
‘So, how’s it going?’ asked Abel.
‘How’s what going?’
‘The fair, Tom, the ladies’ fair.’
‘Great. Attendance is up this year.’
Abel looked at him askance. ‘Tell me you’re kidding.’
‘I’m kidding.’
‘Christ, for a moment there I thought they had you in their clutches.’
‘No danger of that,’ said Hollis. ‘Where’s Lucy?’
‘Sulking. We had an argument. She thinks I’m seeing someone on the side.’
‘Are you?’
‘I sure as hell wouldn’t tell you if I was. But no, as it happens, I’m not.’ He lit a cigarette. ‘How’s the President?’
‘The President?’
‘Mrs Calder. You remember, the one who invited you to a party, the one you were spotted with in Springs the next day.’
‘We went walking,’ said Hollis. ‘She likes to walk.’
‘You’ve got to start somewhere, I guess.’
‘I guess.’
‘Why the hang-dog expression? No, don’t tell me—you f*cked it up.’
‘I might have.’
‘You idiot, Tom.’
‘Coming from you?’
‘Well, go and sort it out. Tell her she’s invited to dinner over at my place later. You can come too…assuming you survive.’
‘What about Lucy?’
‘Don’t worry about her,’ said Abel, ‘she’ll be okay by then.’
Hollis waited till three o’clock before making his move. The fair was in full swing, the village green thronging with people clustered around the booths, the gypsy caravans, the wishing well and the wheel of chance, or waiting in line for boat rides on Town Pond. Mary’s little entourage had thinned out, and she was sipping a drink in the shade of a tree, the glass beaded with sweat.
‘Hi.’
‘Here—’ said Mary, handing him the glass.
He took a gulp of the cold lemonade.
‘Finish it,’ she said.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Believe me, I’m sure.’
He drained the glass, dabbed at his face with his handkerchief and looked around. There were some children playing nearby, romping and running about.
‘Edward…?’
‘The big one with the stick chasing the small one without a stick.’
‘Seems like a nice kid.’
Mary laughed, and he felt his heart soar.
‘How have you been, Tom?’
‘Oh, you know…terrible.’
‘Really? Why?’
‘Take a guess.’
‘Don’t blame me,’ she said, hardening.
‘I’m not. I let you down, I know that. And I’m sorry.’
‘So am I.’
Her words sounded so final, but he wasn’t going to give up, not now. ‘There’s a lot I need to tell you.’
‘You mean your investigation.’
‘That came to nothing.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘Other things,’ he said.
‘I’m not sure this is the time.’
She didn’t want to hear it, thought Hollis, not now, not ever. She just couldn’t bring herself to tell him straight.
‘Maybe later,’ she said.
Two simple words kicking down the door.
‘How about this evening?’ he suggested. ‘You’re invited to dinner at Abel’s place.’
‘This evening’s difficult. There’s all the clearing up.’
‘Delegate it. You’re the President.’
‘And there’s Edward.’
‘Get someone to look after him. I think it’s going to be a special occasion.’
‘A special occasion?’
‘It’s just a feeling.’
She thought on it. ‘Okay, I’ll ask my sister if she can have him for the night.’ She paused. ‘Don’t read too much into that; it’s easier if he sleeps over.’
‘I wasn’t reading anything into it,’ he lied.
The sister said yes. He even met her briefly, with her brood and her lanky husband who made no bones about eyeing him mistrustfully.
He stayed for Mary’s speech and clapped politely with everyone else when some prizes were handed out. As he headed home he stopped by Daker’s Wine & Liquor Store and asked for two bottles of Champagne to be put on ice.