The 'Cousins'

Part Ninety Three (Alpha) : Largesse and Lies

   Armstrong, meanwhile, is further worried by a call from the sheriff telling him he went too far with the restrictions he put on Jess following that rumour and by doing so has violated Greg’s civil rights; and that Greg is in a financial position to employ Hollywood fee lawyers to sue. Armstrong panicked and sent a message on to Jess by Leon- one of Gleitner’s boys- who reported first to Gleitner and was told not to pass the message on to Jess. Armstrong is now waiting for a call from the sheriff after he’s spoken to Gleitner about a further rumour of the man running a vice ring with high school kids.

   Wes Chandler had called the sheriff’s office with the story of what he said he saw Greg and Jess were up to and spoke with clerk Tod Mecklen, who was in the pay of Gleitner to whom he passed on the story. Mecklen did not tell the sheriff. When Sheriff Donovan found out he set up an elaborate trap for Mecklen with a phone tap warrant issued by Judge Denman and a rogue FBI agent- proving Mecklen’s infidelity. The man bolted to Canada.

   The judge has since had second thoughts about giving Sheriff Donovan a free hand in this investigation. Should the rumour get out that a vice ring is operating out of the Community College, all hell and Oprah Winfrey will be let loose on Bamptonville. He is also waiting for a call from the sheriff following the questioning of Gleitner.

   But Gleitner was in Lincoln until late. Donovan was called away to a domestic dispute at the Drubacher’s farm and by ten pm had not yet tracked down Gleitner to question the man.

   Greg started the day with Ali and Tomas at the stable and had to leave for Lincoln at noon to pick up the bike Jess had bought on Ebay for trade and collect Wayne Fisher, who has come to help them set up the waste oil plant. 

   All does not go well between Wayne and Greg, their friendship is on hold for now and they are working with each other on a purely business basis. After considerable discussions and with calls to Greg’s lawyer Halburton in Boston they are together, at last, but with reservations in Wayne’s major project. Greg suspects Wayne has his own agenda that he’s keeping to himself. They are about to go down to Harry’s for a late dinner. The party is high in Harry’s on Fawley’s booze,

   Principal Armstrong and Judge Denman are nibbling their fingernails waiting for a call from the sheriff, who is still searching for Gleitner before he calls them. Mayor Denton is also worried about Fawley running for mayor against him with the support of the fringe voting elements. Jess is in bed in the schoolhouse after involuntarily dropping Tom Silvers with a head butt. Gleitner had posted Silvers as Jess’s close chaperone until after the shoot on Sunday. Jess wants to bug off home and forget all about Bamptonville.

   Now read on:

                                                           *  *  *

                                   CHAPTER NINETY-THREE

                                                     (Alpha)

                                             Largesse and Lies!

  The weather had closed in and the first heavy drops of rain fell on Wes Chandler as he locked the motel office from the sidewalk on Main. He didn’t notice the rain as he turned to hurry along the walkway, doubled forwards, moaning with self-pitying angst and smarting from the effects of Greg’s insinuations; further aggravated by the contempt with which he had uttered them.

   Goddamn cock suckin’ Limey, who the hell does he think he is? Still!  Wouldn’t expect a man with his habits to have decent manners. Must be from all that tea they drink over there.

  Involuntarily he pulled the collar of his coat closer around his neck as he crossed Greener in haste to get to Harry’s Place. He’d heard on the motel grapevine that Mitt Fawley was holding a party tonight and the drinks were all on him. Wes Chandler, shuffling along at a half-jog, intended having some of that largesse before it ran dry.

  The noise of the crowd singing, shouting and catcalling rose above the nasal twang of Mark Chesnutt crooning from the jukebox. A capacity crowd filled the bar, spilling over into the foyer and beyond. It was standing room only tonight. The increasing problem for new arrivals was finding somewhere to stand. 

  Lines of drinks were passed overhead to serve merry makers at the back of the saloon; freeloaders who had no chance of reaching the bar through the crowd. Empty glasses travelled in the return direction, like glinting vehicles on an overhead dual carriageway.

  Wes elbowed his way a yard into the foyer and quickly took stock of what was going on. The air was thick with the reek of stale booze, unwashed bodies and prohibited nicotine. In a lull in the noise he heard Fawley calling from the bar counter for more cocktails. He decided to make his way over there to be near the big man. 

  Unable to ease his way through the throng in an upright position, he got down on the floor to make his way by crawling forwards on his hands and knees around the feet of the intervening drinkers. More than one person kicked him as he pushed past, but he was able to move slowly towards the bar and the air was fresher at floor level, affording some compensation for his discomfort. 

  In the gloomy blackness of the floor area Wes could see only the feet around him. He had a vague idea of the direction in which to crawl from the passionate dialogues of those at the bar. Fortunately for Wes, the almost constant sound of Fawley’s voice mouthing exaggerated and contrived faults with Mayor Denton guided him unerringly towards his goal. 

  A mild cheer from the throng around him greeted each one of Fawley’s utterances; louder cheers were raised when he ordered yet another round of drinks. Fawley had just been handed a fresh whisky sour and was about to make another pronouncement when Wes popped up at his elbow; surprising the party giver and throwing him off track. The crowd jeered and catcalled the interloper, taking their attention away from Fawley – which he resented.