handkerchief from her sleeve to dab at them. I knew then that I was in serious trouble.
"The service was beautiful, and there was a fine turnout...more than I had expected. Even Jeannie Todd turned up, and her and I have nae spoken for nearly ten years, not since she..."
"Ms. Malcolm," I said.
She looked at me as if I'd just slapped her.
"All right...I'm getting there. I've just buried my man, and here you are bullying me. You should be ashamed of yourself." Then the tears started to roll down her checks.
I bowed to the inevitable and got the whisky out of the drawer.
I'm sure I caught an extra glint in her eye as I poured, but she was too good to let it show. She sat back in her chair and sighed. I knew when I was defeated. I lit cigarettes for both of us and passed one to her.
"Doug," I said. "Ms. Malcolm and I have confidential matters to discuss. Make yourself scarce for an hour or so."
"I'll just go next door and watch telly for a bit," he said. I was about to say no when the old lady butted in.
"Just make sure you turn the volume up. I don't want you listening at the door."
A minute later we heard the television being switched on, and the sounds of a game show filtered through the door he'd closed behind him. Just after that Doug started shouting the right answers at the screen.
"That'll keep him happy for a while," I said.
The lady leaned forward, her voice serious.
"You need to keep an eye on your pal there," she said. "The flighty ones are always unpredictable."
Once more I marveled at her art of swallowing and holding smoke before she continued.
"I suppose you've only told him as much as he needs to know?"
I nodded.
"That's for the best," she said. "For I'm not sure he's ready to see what's happened to my boy."
The formalities were over...she was getting down to business.
"It happened when we were coming out of the cemetery. The night before, after you brought him home, I thought it was all going to be fine. He was quiet, but he always was, even as a lad. Last night we just talked, about his aunties, about his schooldays. And he stood beside me in the church and at the grave, which is all I wanted. But at the graveside he started to sweat and tremble. Jeannie Todd told me later she thought it was the D.T.'s, but I knew what it was. I held his hand tight, and he lasted as far as the cemetery gate. Then Jeannie's man put his hand on the boy's shoulder, and that was it...he was off like a frightened rabbit. It was nearly worth it to see Jeannie Todd's face."
She stopped just long enough to finish her whisky. She didn't ask for more, just cradled the glass in her lap.
"God forgive me. I should have let him stay on Skye. Those Masons might be bastards, but they know what they're doing."
"And what is that?" I asked, pouring her a large measure.
"He told you the story," she said, and it wasn't a question.
"Aye. But I've no idea where the Mason brothers fit in."
She downed the whisky in one. If I'd done it I'd have been coughing for a week.
"It's a long story. Maybe you'll get it from me, and maybe you'll get it from somewhere else, but it's a tale too long to tell here. It'll have to wait."
She climbed out of the armchair and got a check from her bag.
"Same as before. Half now, half when you get him back to Skye."
"Maybe he'll make his own way back," I said.
She shook her head.
"He's not going to be making many decisions for himself. "
"And Doug was right," I said, "It's too much money."
"I can afford it. And I've got a feeling you're going to be earning it."
She handed me the check.
"Just promise me you won't involve your pal next door," she said as she left. "Please? I've seen too many nervous boys get into trouble over my mistakes."
And then she surprised me. She pulled me into a tight hug and kissed me on the cheek. She still smelled of lavender and mothballs, but suddenly she reminded me of my grandmother.
"God bless, son. You're one of the good guys."
And, big sap that I am, I had
"The service was beautiful, and there was a fine turnout...more than I had expected. Even Jeannie Todd turned up, and her and I have nae spoken for nearly ten years, not since she..."
"Ms. Malcolm," I said.
She looked at me as if I'd just slapped her.
"All right...I'm getting there. I've just buried my man, and here you are bullying me. You should be ashamed of yourself." Then the tears started to roll down her checks.
I bowed to the inevitable and got the whisky out of the drawer.
I'm sure I caught an extra glint in her eye as I poured, but she was too good to let it show. She sat back in her chair and sighed. I knew when I was defeated. I lit cigarettes for both of us and passed one to her.
"Doug," I said. "Ms. Malcolm and I have confidential matters to discuss. Make yourself scarce for an hour or so."
"I'll just go next door and watch telly for a bit," he said. I was about to say no when the old lady butted in.
"Just make sure you turn the volume up. I don't want you listening at the door."
A minute later we heard the television being switched on, and the sounds of a game show filtered through the door he'd closed behind him. Just after that Doug started shouting the right answers at the screen.
"That'll keep him happy for a while," I said.
The lady leaned forward, her voice serious.
"You need to keep an eye on your pal there," she said. "The flighty ones are always unpredictable."
Once more I marveled at her art of swallowing and holding smoke before she continued.
"I suppose you've only told him as much as he needs to know?"
I nodded.
"That's for the best," she said. "For I'm not sure he's ready to see what's happened to my boy."
The formalities were over...she was getting down to business.
"It happened when we were coming out of the cemetery. The night before, after you brought him home, I thought it was all going to be fine. He was quiet, but he always was, even as a lad. Last night we just talked, about his aunties, about his schooldays. And he stood beside me in the church and at the grave, which is all I wanted. But at the graveside he started to sweat and tremble. Jeannie Todd told me later she thought it was the D.T.'s, but I knew what it was. I held his hand tight, and he lasted as far as the cemetery gate. Then Jeannie's man put his hand on the boy's shoulder, and that was it...he was off like a frightened rabbit. It was nearly worth it to see Jeannie Todd's face."
She stopped just long enough to finish her whisky. She didn't ask for more, just cradled the glass in her lap.
"God forgive me. I should have let him stay on Skye. Those Masons might be bastards, but they know what they're doing."
"And what is that?" I asked, pouring her a large measure.
"He told you the story," she said, and it wasn't a question.
"Aye. But I've no idea where the Mason brothers fit in."
She downed the whisky in one. If I'd done it I'd have been coughing for a week.
"It's a long story. Maybe you'll get it from me, and maybe you'll get it from somewhere else, but it's a tale too long to tell here. It'll have to wait."
She climbed out of the armchair and got a check from her bag.
"Same as before. Half now, half when you get him back to Skye."
"Maybe he'll make his own way back," I said.
She shook her head.
"He's not going to be making many decisions for himself. "
"And Doug was right," I said, "It's too much money."
"I can afford it. And I've got a feeling you're going to be earning it."
She handed me the check.
"Just promise me you won't involve your pal next door," she said as she left. "Please? I've seen too many nervous boys get into trouble over my mistakes."
And then she surprised me. She pulled me into a tight hug and kissed me on the cheek. She still smelled of lavender and mothballs, but suddenly she reminded me of my grandmother.
"God bless, son. You're one of the good guys."
And, big sap that I am, I had
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