argument. An argument takes two and the businessman hadn’t even bothered to raise his voice. Willard might as well have been throwing sand against granite for all the difference he’d made.
So the scene ended as it had begun, with a choice. Willard could bail himself out and give up his future throne. Or he could take the smaller cheque, extricate himself from his mess with Powell, and take his proper place beside his father, the heir anointed.
‘Listen, Ted, my father has offered to clear my debt, but I’d sooner, if I can, clear the debt myself.’
Powell stopped puffing, stopped smiling. His face was suddenly very cool, very still.
‘You wish to clear the debt yourself?’
‘Yes. Yes, Ted, I do.’
‘I see. And how do you propose to do that, may I ask?’
11
Abe said no.
What else could he have said? A foxy old storekeeper wanted Abe to save the town from a bunch of gangsters down the hill. From all Hennessey had said, it was clear that the gangsters were well-established, well-organised and well-financed. Even supposing that Abe felt like playing the hero – and he didn’t; he truly didn’t – what could one man do in such a situation? The cops, the county, the state had all proved useless or worse. How could one man, working alone, do anything to help?
So he said no. Positively, certainly and finally no.
Hennessey had accepted his answer, or pretended to. But the next day, Hennessey returned to Abe’s slatted barn-cum-workshop, warm and cordial as ever. The storekeeper’s ostensible mission was a concern about getting Main Street ready for Abe’s impending take-off.
‘The street’ll be fine. I just need everyone well clear,’ said Abe.
‘There are some potholes. I’m getting ’em filled. Should be done by the end of today.’
‘Thanks.’
‘And them trees at the end of the road. They ain’t gonna be in the way?’
‘I’ll wait for the right wind. If I get the conditions right, I’ll either clear the trees or have room enough to slip left of them.’
Hennessey shook his head. ‘That ain’t right. We owe you a proper send-off. I’ll have ’em felled. The worst ones, anyhow.’
Abe felt caught between two feelings. On the one hand, he was pleased to get Main Street properly cleared for a take-off. On the other hand, friendly as Hennessey was, Abe suspected him of ulterior motives.
‘Didn’t you hear me last night, Hen? I said no.’
‘Sure I heard.’
‘Listen, I know how to fly a plane. I can fix an engine if it breaks. And if my plane happens to have a gun on it, I’m a pretty good guy for shooting at other airplanes. That’s it. That’s me. That’s all.’
‘Sure, I understand. Probably I was dumb for asking.’
‘You knew that before. But you still went ahead and asked.’
‘It wasn’t because you can fly a plane, Captain. It’s because you’ve got it here.’ The storekeeper struck his heart. ‘And here.’ He tapped his forehead.
‘I reckon you’ve got plenty in both those places yourself.’
‘Hah!’ Hennessey made a hacking noise in his throat. ‘My wife’s got a sister over in Atlanta. If things get bad enough here, we got another place to go. Things being how they are, I don’t see I’d get a lot for the store, but –’ he shrugged ‘– there are others who lost a whole lot more.’
‘I’m sorry, Hen. I’d have helped if I could.’
‘I expect you’re right. Probably nothing you could do for us anyway.’
‘I don’t think there is.’
‘OK, then. You can’t blame me for asking.’
‘No blame.’
The storekeeper shook his head, dismissing the subject. ‘Say, though, before you leave, why not take supper with Sal Lundmark tomorrow? She’d love to have you round. Brad wanted to ask you, but was kind of shy. You’ve got yourself one heck of an admirer there.’
Abe looked sharply at the storekeeper, whose face was a picture of innocent friendliness. Abe suspected him of being up to something, but didn’t know what.
So the scene ended as it had begun, with a choice. Willard could bail himself out and give up his future throne. Or he could take the smaller cheque, extricate himself from his mess with Powell, and take his proper place beside his father, the heir anointed.
‘Listen, Ted, my father has offered to clear my debt, but I’d sooner, if I can, clear the debt myself.’
Powell stopped puffing, stopped smiling. His face was suddenly very cool, very still.
‘You wish to clear the debt yourself?’
‘Yes. Yes, Ted, I do.’
‘I see. And how do you propose to do that, may I ask?’
11
Abe said no.
What else could he have said? A foxy old storekeeper wanted Abe to save the town from a bunch of gangsters down the hill. From all Hennessey had said, it was clear that the gangsters were well-established, well-organised and well-financed. Even supposing that Abe felt like playing the hero – and he didn’t; he truly didn’t – what could one man do in such a situation? The cops, the county, the state had all proved useless or worse. How could one man, working alone, do anything to help?
So he said no. Positively, certainly and finally no.
Hennessey had accepted his answer, or pretended to. But the next day, Hennessey returned to Abe’s slatted barn-cum-workshop, warm and cordial as ever. The storekeeper’s ostensible mission was a concern about getting Main Street ready for Abe’s impending take-off.
‘The street’ll be fine. I just need everyone well clear,’ said Abe.
‘There are some potholes. I’m getting ’em filled. Should be done by the end of today.’
‘Thanks.’
‘And them trees at the end of the road. They ain’t gonna be in the way?’
‘I’ll wait for the right wind. If I get the conditions right, I’ll either clear the trees or have room enough to slip left of them.’
Hennessey shook his head. ‘That ain’t right. We owe you a proper send-off. I’ll have ’em felled. The worst ones, anyhow.’
Abe felt caught between two feelings. On the one hand, he was pleased to get Main Street properly cleared for a take-off. On the other hand, friendly as Hennessey was, Abe suspected him of ulterior motives.
‘Didn’t you hear me last night, Hen? I said no.’
‘Sure I heard.’
‘Listen, I know how to fly a plane. I can fix an engine if it breaks. And if my plane happens to have a gun on it, I’m a pretty good guy for shooting at other airplanes. That’s it. That’s me. That’s all.’
‘Sure, I understand. Probably I was dumb for asking.’
‘You knew that before. But you still went ahead and asked.’
‘It wasn’t because you can fly a plane, Captain. It’s because you’ve got it here.’ The storekeeper struck his heart. ‘And here.’ He tapped his forehead.
‘I reckon you’ve got plenty in both those places yourself.’
‘Hah!’ Hennessey made a hacking noise in his throat. ‘My wife’s got a sister over in Atlanta. If things get bad enough here, we got another place to go. Things being how they are, I don’t see I’d get a lot for the store, but –’ he shrugged ‘– there are others who lost a whole lot more.’
‘I’m sorry, Hen. I’d have helped if I could.’
‘I expect you’re right. Probably nothing you could do for us anyway.’
‘I don’t think there is.’
‘OK, then. You can’t blame me for asking.’
‘No blame.’
The storekeeper shook his head, dismissing the subject. ‘Say, though, before you leave, why not take supper with Sal Lundmark tomorrow? She’d love to have you round. Brad wanted to ask you, but was kind of shy. You’ve got yourself one heck of an admirer there.’
Abe looked sharply at the storekeeper, whose face was a picture of innocent friendliness. Abe suspected him of being up to something, but didn’t know what.
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