Running on Empty (13 page)

Ridiculous, he knew. He’d only known her for less than a day. It must be the Nightingale syndrome, he thought. He was the wounded and helpless soldier, responding to kindness and caring, as he was being nursed back to health. Yes, that must be it. And yet, how many of those wounded soldiers had seen their caring nurse standing before them naked, and how many had become overwhelmed with desire and longing and fascination?

He returned to the camp more confused than when he left.

Wilson was there. Sally sat a bit away, reading a book.

‘Hey Tom’ she said, ‘there’s a guy in this book I’m reading that could’ve been you. They talk about him being dropped down naked from a spaceship, and being able to survive. You were almost naked when you arrived. Maybe you come from a spaceship, eh Tom?’

‘Tom? You ok?

He slowly looked up, trying to focus his eyes on the book in Sally’s hands.

Crazy Horse & Custer by Stephen E Ambrose!

‘Where did you get that?’ he finally blurted out.

‘Oh, I go by the dumpster at the back of the library sometimes’ she said. They throw out books that have been damaged, torn covers or whatever. You can pick up some really good stuff some days. Like I said, people throw out the strangest things’.

Wilson strolled over, sat down beside Tom, and began rolling up a cigarette. He offered the pouch to Tom, who took it thankfully, and rolled one himself.

‘She’s a good one, our Sally’ said Wilson, puffing on his roll-up, ‘a bit too good to be stuck in this hell-hole. She deserves better.’

I know’ answered Tom, ‘I know’ he repeated.

They had some more food later in the day, tinned ham, raw carrots and beans, washed down with, Tom noticed, out of date bottled water. They sat around a small fire, made from discarded pieces of timber, until darkness fell, and it became bitterly cold.

‘Well, I’m hitting the hay’ said Sally, standing.

Tom stayed outside for a while, mulling things over, pacing up and down as he always did when he was deep in thought. When even the ski jacket wasn’t offering him full protection from the elements, and he began to feel the icy cold, he decided to retire himself.

****

Joey sat at the family table, eating a roast chicken dinner.

‘Hey Mom’ he asked, ‘have you heard from Tom lately?’

‘I talked to him yesterday, said he might get over tonight, although he was to phone, I think. He seemed a bit distant, a bit removed’ she answered.

‘I was wondering how he was getting on, what with the funeral, and everything. Hope he isn’t taking it harder than he’s letting on. I tried him at work, but they just said he wasn’t in. Tried his cell phone too, but no answer, which is strange. You know how he treats that phone of his, never goes anywhere without it. Might drop over to the apartment tonight, just to check up, make sure everything’s ok.

Joey strolled the last block to the apartment. He was unaware of the dark saloon about a hundred yards back, keeping pace with his every step. In his pocket he had the swipe card/ key combination needed to gain access. After trying the buzzer a couple of times, he swiped the card, made his way to the apartment, and turned the key. The sight that greeted him took a couple of moments to register. There was something not quite right. Things had been moved, then reinstated, but not in the same places. He noticed there was a space on the old desk by the window, where Tom’s laptop usually resided. He made his way to the bedroom. Most of Tom’s clothes had been removed from the press, and lay piled up on the bed.

What the hell was going on?

Back in the main room, he spotted something he hadn’t noticed first time. The timber flooring had been cleaned, but a large slightly darker patch in front of the couch was still evident. I’ve been in this apartment lots of times, he thought to himself, and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t there before.

He made his way to the door, resigned to contacting the police.

As he exited onto the landing, two hands grabbed each of his wrists, jerking them behind his back. A large cable tie was applied, holding them in position. At the same instant, a black bag was dropped over his head, and a drawstring pulled tight. Joey could hardly breathe as he was bundled down the stairs, and into the back of a waiting van.

When the bag was removed, Joey found himself seated across a desk from a man he’d never seen before.

‘Joseph, firstly I’d like to apologize for the rather rough-shod way you’ve been treated. I can assure you it was not a method I’d have approved, believe me. Unfortunately, some of our operatives are a little over-zealous at the moment due to the delicate nature of the situation. My name is Mark Fielding, by the way, I’m your brother’s boss’.

‘Fuck you. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, or who the fuck you think you are, but I’m going to sue you’re fucking asses, both you and your bastard operatives’.

‘Joseph, I can fully understand your anger, and if I were in your position, I would undoubtedly feel the same. However, of more concern at this moment, is the safety of your brother’.

‘What do you know about my brother, where is he?’

‘I wish I knew, Joseph, believe me’

‘I’m not sure if you’re fully aware of what Tom does for a living, are you?’, Fielding continued.

‘He works for the Government, collecting data’ said Joey.

‘Yes, that’s true. However, sometimes the gathering of data requires the operative to venture away from his desk, and out into the real world. Tom’s first job in the field occurred on Monday. But something went wrong. For whatever reason, it appears that Tom …mis-calculated his role in the process. Joseph, it appears that Tom killed the person he was supposed to meet’.

‘What a load of crap. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Tom never hurt anyone in his life’.

‘I can understand your dis-belief, but it happened, believe me. We suspect that your brother snapped when out in the field. Perhaps, in hindsight, it was unwise to send him out on his first mission, so soon after your father’s death. He seemed fine, but sometimes people hide their true emotions. The main thing now, is we have to get him back where we can look after him properly, before he does more damage, either to himself, or to others. If at all possible, we try and look after our own’.

‘I don’t believe any of this’ said Joey, flatly.

‘You’ve been to the apartment’ countered Fielding, did you notice the dark area on the wooden floor by chance?’

‘Well, yes’ answered Joey.

‘That was a bloodstain’ said Fielding. ‘That was the blood of Christine Lowry. That’s where he murdered his girlfriend’.

****

In the gloom of the interior, illuminated only by the faint glimmer of far off streetlights, Tom removed his outer clothing and slid under the duvet. He froze. Sally was naked! A thousand thoughts entered his head, all at the same time. His brain went into overload, and shut down temporarily. So, he just lay there, not moving, not thinking even. Sally spoke first.

‘I don’t know why, but it just feels right, somehow. I’m not the type of girl who does this, normally. I’m not the type of girl who jumps into bed with a guy she’s just met, believe me’

Tom believed her. He moved over, and kissed her gently. Then, his head moved down, and slowly kissed each breast. He could taste the salt of the bay on her nipples. He moved on top of her, then stopped suddenly.

‘I don’t have any protection’ he exclaimed.

‘It’s ok, that’s not a problem’ said Sally, ‘I go down the health centre every couple of months. What with me being homeless, they give a free check-up, and being a ‘street girl’, that includes the pill. They’re probably a bit concerned of a girl living alone on the streets, and the possibility of being raped, I guess’ she continued in an off-hand way.

Tom remained motionless. The word rape had made him feel uneasy. He didn’t know what to do next. Luckily, Sally took over.

‘Don’t worry, it’s fine’ she said, ‘you wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want you to be. I want to feel you inside me, Tom.’

She then shifted Tom into position on top of her, and they made gentle love. They remained unmoving in the same position when they had finished, holding each other, their bodies entwined. Finally, Tom rolled onto his back, but still held onto her. He felt something he’d never felt before, not with Christine, not with any other girl he’d ever been with.

He felt like he’d been struck by a lightning bolt!

They remained quiet for some time. Tom had been vaguely aware of some form of light chain around Sally’s neck during their lovemaking.

‘What’s this?’ he asked, feeling the chain in the half light.

‘That’s a gold chain and crucifix my mother gave me for my twelfth birthday’ she answered. ‘I haven’t taken it off since. It’s the only tangible link I have to my past’.

‘Tom’ she said, quietly, ‘do you want to hear my story?’

‘Only if you want to tell it, Sal.’

‘Al used to call me that’ she said, sadly.

‘Who?’

‘Al, Allison, my sister’ she answered, ‘my kid sister. Sal and Al we used to call ourselves. I was a year older. We did most everything together. Usual girl things, swapped clothes, shoes, talked about boys, swam together. Anyway, we lived in a nice house in Melrose, upstate. I was a pretty good swimmer, you’ve seen that. Al was good too, though not quite at my level. I got picked for the school team, to swim in the state finals, but Al didn’t make it. Money was tight. Ok, but tight enough. Dad used to be always looking for ways to save. ‘No point in calling a plumber’ he’d say, ‘I’ll fix that’. Before I headed off to the State finals, the electrics were giving trouble at home. Dad had a go at fixing it, and all seemed fine. While I was away, a call came through for me to get home. There was a problem, they said. When I got back, the police were there. Not much left of the house, though. An electrical fire, they said. A fault at the fuse board, a loose connection I think. Everyone died peacefully in their sleep, they said. I sure hope so. Moved in with an Aunt of mine, my mother’s sister, and her husband. She was ok, nice enough to me. They had no kids of their own. She worked nights at the hospital. One night, while she was at work, her husband came into the bedroom. He was lonely, he said. His wife didn’t understand him, he said. He put his hand under the covers, and tried touching me. I jumped up. Fuck off, fuck off I screamed at him. He left the room, and next morning, I left the house, headed to the city. Arrived in Boston with eight dollars in my pocket. The rest, as they say, is history.

I miss them all, but especially Allison, y’know? I miss Al. I know it’s crazy, but sometimes I like to think that she’s watching out for me, somewhere. I talk to her sometimes, when I’m feeling down.

Silly, isn’t it?’

Tom said nothing for a while, then leant over, and softly kissed her cheek.

He could taste salt again, but it wasn’t the bay this time. It was the taste of tears.

‘I’m sorry Sal, I’m really sorry’ he whispered.

She gathered her thoughts.

‘That’s my story’ she said quietly.

‘Anyway, better get some sleep, big boy’ she continued, ‘tomorrow I’m going to show you how to survive on the mean streets of Boston’.

He awoke to the sound of Sally’s voice outside.

‘Tom, get your lazy ass out here, we have to hit the road.

‘Are you crazy, it’s still dark outside’

‘You want to eat, you’ve got to move’ she answered.

After a quick breakfast, they were on their way to town, with two canvas shopping bags each, rolled up in their pockets. As they walked, Sally turned to Tom.

‘You know’ she said, ‘If you wore a nice well cut suit, what you have there would be classed as designer stubble. But, seeing as you’re wearing Wilson’s cast-offs, I think we’re talking more the beginnings of a scruffy beard. What you need is a shave’.

‘Is it not a bit early in the relationship to be playing nagging housewives?’ he answered sarcastically, feeling his chin. She was probably right though, he thought.

‘Yes, that’s true’ she retorted. ‘Although, if someone’s on the run, it might help if they don’t look like a reject from the Taliban’.

Point made, they continued on their travels.

They arrived in an alley, at the rear of a Stop ‘n’ Shop supermarket. There, they found a dumpster, half full with out of date groceries, and other odds and ends. Already there, picking through the items with great concentration, was an elderly man, dressed in a long dark overcoat and woolen hat. He looked up sourly as they approached, as if to say ‘this is my patch, find your own dumpster’, but said nothing.