Divine Justice

another gravel road that headed back out another way. As his eye followed its path he reckoned it would go back out to the main road at some point, on the other side from where he'd come to the farm.

A few minutes later Stone followed a dirt path that was worn black and finally led to an old barn that looked close to falling down. Inside was an old gray pickup truck, bales of rotted hay, and rusted tractors and other farm equipment.

He perched on the bumper of the pickup and counted his meager cash. An act of kindness on his part to help Danny had really cost him. The train ticket hadn't been cheap and the bus ride just to the vicinity of Divine had cost him still more precious dollars. Danny had offered to pay but Stone had refused. And he still had to rent a room in town. He prayed that rich Abby would be generous with her payment for the day's work so he could move on.

Yet should he even still be thinking of escape? Maybe when he'd jumped off the damn cliff, he should have just sucked in a chest of water and ended it. What did he have to live for anyway?

What do I have to live for?

He heard a vehicle skid to a stop outside. He hopped off the bumper and walked outside in time to see Abby step from the truck cab.

'Taking a stroll around the place?' she said, not smiling.

'I finished up at the stables. Beautiful property you have here.'

'Okay,' she said, her features unreadable.

'Doesn't look like this place gets much use anymore,' he said, looking toward the barn.

'This was my momma and daddy's place for fifty years. They ran it as a farm, but we haven't done any farming here for thirty years. Their house was just down there,' she said, pointing to the left. 'Burned down a long time ago. Only thing left is the chimneystack. I oughta just knock it down, but I can't do it. I mean, it's really the only thing I have left of them.'

'I can understand that.'

'You can, huh?'

'The past is hard to let go of, particularly when the future is a little uncertain.'

'You're wasting your talents mucking stalls, Ben. You ought to be a philosophy teacher.'

'I was just heading back to town.'

'I need to pay you. Why don't you ride with me back to the house? You can get some supper and your money.'

'You don't have to do that.'

'I know I don't.' Her tone did not seem to invite dissent.

A few minutes later they pulled into the driveway.

'Beautiful house.'

'Came at a damn steep price.'

'Danny told me a little about that.'

'Expect you want to take a shower and change your clothes. Mucking stalls isn't the cleanest job in the world.'

'Thanks. I'm sorry about your husband.'

'Uh-huh,' she said.

She slammed the truck door behind her and headed up the steps.

Stone slowly got out and trudged after her.

He could have landed in any town in the country. And it had to be Divine, Virginia.

Damn, I can really pick 'em.

CHAPTER 19

KNOX COLLARED Annabelle Conroy as she was leaving her hotel. He flashed his creds and asked her to go with him.

'I don't think so,' she said.

'Excuse me?'

'Those creds could be faked and you could be a rapist. Go call a cop and I'll go with both of you if he's satisfied you are who you say you are. But until then, get the hell away from me.'

'How about a cup of coffee in the restaurant over there? If I put my hand up your skirt, you can start screaming and kick me in the balls.'

'Just so you know, I kick really hard.'

'I have no doubt.'

'Will this take long? I'm sort of busy.'

'As long or as short as you want to make it.'

Over two cups of strong coffee Knox explained what he wanted.

'I don't know where Oliver is,' she said truthfully. 'We became friends, and I stayed at his cottage, but now he's gone and he didn't tell anybody where he was going.'

'How did you become friends and why were you staying at his cottage?'

'Simple enough. He helped me with a problem I had and after he left I wanted to keep his home going for him in case he came back.'

'So your problem was with Jerry Bagger, now deceased?'

'I see you do your homework.'

'Wasn't that hard actually. What exactly was your beef with Bagger, Ms. Hunter?' Knox didn't believe for a moment that that was her name but he was willing to play along, for now.

'What's it to you?'

'Humor me.'

'Why the hell should I?'

He pointed to the cup she was holding. 'How about I take the prints off that and run them through a database. Would I pull up the name Susan Hunter?'

'There's no law against changing your name.'

'Right, but the reason for changing your name, now that might be illegal.'

'Bagger hurt someone I cared about and I wanted to nail him for it and I did.'

'With Alex Ford and Oliver Stone's help?'

'Yeah. Bagger was a crook and a sociopath. The FBI and Justice Department had been after him for a long time. He got what he deserved. So what's wrong with that?'

'I don't really give a crap about Jerry Bagger. I want Oliver Stone. Or John Carr. I don't know which name you refer to him as.'

'I only know him as Oliver Stone. I have no idea who John Carr is.'

'When was the last time you saw him?'

'About six months ago.'

'You heard about Carter Gray's and Senator Simpson's murders?'

'I watch the news.'

'Stone had a relationship with Gray.'

'Didn't know that.'

'Alex Ford never bothered to tell you? Because he knew all about it.'

'We're just friends, and friends don't share everything.'

'Why'd you leave the cottage?'

'Got tired of living with dead people.'

'You wouldn't have happened to have heard from Stone? Maybe he told you to take it underground?'

'Why would he do that?'

'You tell me.'

'How can I tell you about something that didn't happen?'

'I think your buddy's on the run.'