The decoy

Chapt 16

A number of workers had noticed the men fighting. Now they scrambled out of trucks and cars and began to hurry towards them.

Starr began to slowly get to his feet.

"I heard you bought this car a month before Ms. Vail gave you the promotion," Sebastian said, "where did the money come from Starr? If you took money from Rappelo then you are a dead man. Rappelo has already sent some men to Winona. It is a matter of time. Rappelo wants his money.

Did you kill him Cam? Did you kill your friend Paul?"

Starr had never met a man who wasn't intimidated by his size. He had begun bullying when he was an overgrown kid and it was his natural reaction to people he didn't like. He expected to frighten Sebastian and if that didn't work he was going to hurt him. He was becoming conscious that a crowd of his own men were gathering and expecting to see their boss beat this smaller man.

Back on his feet he stood with his fists by his hands and stared at Sebastian and once again he stepped forward and threw an awkward punch at Sebastian. This time Sebastian was ready and he slipped to his left and threw a punch into the big man's kidney.

This time Starr dropped to his knees gasping for air. He had lost his bluster. His kidney was swelling and he was stunned. He bent at the waist, choking and trying to avoid vomiting.

"Where did you get the money for that car?" Sebastian asked again.

Starr was silent.

Sebastian wasn't going to hurt him badly. He had said some things which Starr would have to think about. It was best to leave the big man to nurse his injuries and his ego and to think about what had been said.

Sebastian got back into his truck and drove to his motel to freshen up and then off to meet Grace.

Starr staggered into his office. Sebastian had said some things that could cause a lot of trouble. If Sebastian wasn't willing to leave then Starr would need to straighten the little bastard out. Next time it would be different. He didn't like what Sebastian had said and more than that Sebastian had embarrassed him in front of his men.

Next time he would be prepared.

Starr's back ached where Sebastian had hit him in the kidneys.

Grace Young lived on the second floor of a two storey walk up. There were sixteen units in the complex and they all looked exactly the same. They were white stucco with red tile roofs. The first floor had a small patio out front and the second floor had a balcony that was just big enough for two chairs and a table. Inside was a living room/dining room combination and a galley kitchen. There were two bedrooms and one washroom.

Grace was in the kitchen draining pasta. Sebastian had just checked on her son Sam, who was sleeping now, after playing with Sebastian, on the floor of the living room for nearly an hour.

Sebastian enjoyed playing with the youngster but the experience was strange to him. He felt alien here.

He had been caged in a pen for the latter years of his childhood. Now he somehow found this apartment confining. He had spent very little time in people's homes and this night he was alone with a woman and her son. It felt like an intrusion into a world he had no place in.

She was making a meal while the child slept and he wasn't sure what he should do.

Playing with the boy dissipated some of the unnaturalness of being there but sometimes Sebastian felt as if he had been abducted by aliens and he no longer fit in the normal world and this was one of those times

When he was sitting on the floor playing with Sam, Sebastian realized that he had been only about nine years older than this boy when he had been abducted.

He watched the child playing and he could see that Sam was the product of a loving home, just innocence and exuberance. Sebastian didn't remember much of his early childhood and he wondered if he had ever been that childlike. Deacon Hill had stolen so much from him.

It worried him when he looked at Sam. Innocence and vulnerability are related.  He wanted to protect Sam and of course, Grace as well.

Grace was very sweet, for a woman who made her living doing what she did. She was normal and pretty and she liked Sebastian. He wanted this to work and so he wondered how much of his life story he could share before she would become repulsed.

She would ask tonight. She would want more and he was preparing himself to tell her everything. He would tell her about the other girl. He trusted her and he knew that if she was to trust him she needed the truth.

"Dinner's ready."

Grace put the pasta on the table and returned to the kitchen.

"Can you open the wine?"

            Sebastian entered the kitchen, opened the bottle and then placed it on the table. Then he stood behind her and kissed her on the back of her neck. He slipped his hands under her top and up to her breasts, gently caressing them while he kissed her ears.

Grace was pushed up against the sink. She remained motionless allowing him to touch her. One hand slid down and raised her ankle length skirt until he could reach her thighs. Then he slid his hand around between her legs while the other arm was wrapped around her waist. He held her helpless against the sink.

"Not yet," She said. "Sam might wake up. Let's eat first."

She pushed back against him and he followed her to the table. Where they shared a meal and his past.