Dust was hanging heavily in the air, uncut by any breeze, and Johnny sat back on his heels for a moment. Wiping a flannel-clad arm across his forehead resulted in little more than smearing the dust into thin streaks of damp mud and further dirtying his shirt. The small farm?s pump mechanism rested in scattered pieces around him, and he frowned deeply at the gear in his hand.
A look over his shoulder and then he blinked slowly. Silver film slid down to hide the surface of his eyes, giving him access to his enhanced modes of vision. Even after so many years of practice, the initial change still had him disoriented for a moment before the grains of metal snapped into focus. The fracture and misalignment was easy enough to see then, and he sighed. About to activate the delicate web of nanites that let him manipulate the metal so easily, he froze in place at the sound of a voice from behind his back.
?Ya know, I remember ya, Johnny Smith. Quite a pal ta that Whittaker troublemaker, weren?t ya? Or were ya more interested in that Sarah even then? She?s quite the looker after all, and mighty generous I hear tell.? Johnny?s jaw clamped and his teeth gritted harshly at the sound of the smooth, insinuating voice. Pal Jenks had finally come to visit.
After a moment Johnny realized he had clenched his hand into a fist without thinking about it, deforming the broken gear beyond recognition. He breathed in through his nose and then slowly out through his mouth. Blinking once more retracted the silver film over his eyes, and then he finally stood and turned around, casually dropping the lump of metal into his pocket. ?Ya know, I remember ya too, Pal Jenks. Seem t? recall tha? las? time we me? I said somethin? ta ya abou? never speakin? ta or abou? Sarah again. An? I?m thinkin? tha? unless ya go? a goo? reason ta be on this property tha? ya bes? be on yer way.?
Pal rocked back on his heeled boots with his hands in his pockets, and the grin that spread over the man?s face didn?t set Johnny?s mind at ease. After a moment and obviously relishing his words, lingering over them in a poor imitation of Johnny?s drawl, Pal spoke again. ?An? I?m thinkin? that unless ya have a good reason ta keep out an officially appointed Allied inspector, ya might want ta reconsider that tone of voice with me an? show me around a bit. Let me give my condolences ta the widow, like. I?m sure she?s in need of some private consolation.?
At the words ?Allied inspector? Johnny?s emerald eyes had widened fractionally. When Pal Jenks continued, and especially at the last sentence, they narrowed again. This was why Evan had been so insistent on the marriage ruse ? he had suspected that Pal would take after Sarah again once Evan was gone. Johnny?s baritone came out harshly. ?I?ll le? ya see anythin? ya like abou? this farm ? ain? go? nothin? ta hide. Bu? if ya wan? ta offer yer sorrow fer Evan?s death ta my wife, ya?ll do it in my presence. ? He leaned on the words ?my wife?, and a flash of Sianna?s face rose in his mind. He flinched internally at the implied betrayal but somehow kept his expression still.
Pal?s wide grin under his narrow mustache turned to a scowl. ?Yer wife, huh? Guess ya weren?t such a good friend ta Evan Whittaker after all. Did ya get him buried before ya were away with Sarah or just have yer fun with the wife of a dying man that trusted ya while he was stuck rotting away?? The words were barbed, venomous, and the muscles in Johnny?s jaw jumped while he struggled to keep from slamming Pal Jenks in his leering face.
?Why Mr. Jenks. What a surprise ta see ya here, all things considered. I was just bringing Johnny some lemonade ? what a shame I don?t have enough fer ya too. Maybe next time.? Sarah?s voice slid into the conversation as easily as Sarah herself stepped between Johnny and Pal. She handed Johnny the glass in her hand, a motion that coincidentally put most of her back to Pal. She widened her hazel eyes at Johnny and then flicked them in the direction of the barn. The barest shake of her head turned into a flip of russet hair over her shoulder, and then she was leaning up against Johnny?s side.
The moment of distraction had been enough for Johnny to regain a grip on his temper, and he very casually transferred the glass to his left hand and wrapped his right arm around Sarah?s shoulders. His next words didn?t carry the gritted edge of the last, but if anything they were more firm. ?I?m thinkin? tha? ya should come back t?morrow, Pal. Sarah?ll make up a fresh batch?a lemonade an? we?ll le? ya inspect wha?ever ya wan? ta see. ? It was no suggestion, and despite his seemingly casual pose, Johnny showed no signs of letting Pal further onto the property that day.
It was Pal?s turn to grit his teeth, but after a moment he freed his hands from his pockets and tipped his hat in Sarah?s direction. ?Ma?am. Perhaps I?ll get ta experience yer generosity tomorrow.? The leering, insinuating tone was back in his voice, but before Johnny had time to react Pal turned on his heel and stalked back to the silent ground car which had brought him.
Johnny waited for the ground car to completely vanish from their sight before he set down the glass of lemonade on the ground and turned to Sarah. ?Now ? wha?s in th? barn??
A look over his shoulder and then he blinked slowly. Silver film slid down to hide the surface of his eyes, giving him access to his enhanced modes of vision. Even after so many years of practice, the initial change still had him disoriented for a moment before the grains of metal snapped into focus. The fracture and misalignment was easy enough to see then, and he sighed. About to activate the delicate web of nanites that let him manipulate the metal so easily, he froze in place at the sound of a voice from behind his back.
?Ya know, I remember ya, Johnny Smith. Quite a pal ta that Whittaker troublemaker, weren?t ya? Or were ya more interested in that Sarah even then? She?s quite the looker after all, and mighty generous I hear tell.? Johnny?s jaw clamped and his teeth gritted harshly at the sound of the smooth, insinuating voice. Pal Jenks had finally come to visit.
After a moment Johnny realized he had clenched his hand into a fist without thinking about it, deforming the broken gear beyond recognition. He breathed in through his nose and then slowly out through his mouth. Blinking once more retracted the silver film over his eyes, and then he finally stood and turned around, casually dropping the lump of metal into his pocket. ?Ya know, I remember ya too, Pal Jenks. Seem t? recall tha? las? time we me? I said somethin? ta ya abou? never speakin? ta or abou? Sarah again. An? I?m thinkin? tha? unless ya go? a goo? reason ta be on this property tha? ya bes? be on yer way.?
Pal rocked back on his heeled boots with his hands in his pockets, and the grin that spread over the man?s face didn?t set Johnny?s mind at ease. After a moment and obviously relishing his words, lingering over them in a poor imitation of Johnny?s drawl, Pal spoke again. ?An? I?m thinkin? that unless ya have a good reason ta keep out an officially appointed Allied inspector, ya might want ta reconsider that tone of voice with me an? show me around a bit. Let me give my condolences ta the widow, like. I?m sure she?s in need of some private consolation.?
At the words ?Allied inspector? Johnny?s emerald eyes had widened fractionally. When Pal Jenks continued, and especially at the last sentence, they narrowed again. This was why Evan had been so insistent on the marriage ruse ? he had suspected that Pal would take after Sarah again once Evan was gone. Johnny?s baritone came out harshly. ?I?ll le? ya see anythin? ya like abou? this farm ? ain? go? nothin? ta hide. Bu? if ya wan? ta offer yer sorrow fer Evan?s death ta my wife, ya?ll do it in my presence. ? He leaned on the words ?my wife?, and a flash of Sianna?s face rose in his mind. He flinched internally at the implied betrayal but somehow kept his expression still.
Pal?s wide grin under his narrow mustache turned to a scowl. ?Yer wife, huh? Guess ya weren?t such a good friend ta Evan Whittaker after all. Did ya get him buried before ya were away with Sarah or just have yer fun with the wife of a dying man that trusted ya while he was stuck rotting away?? The words were barbed, venomous, and the muscles in Johnny?s jaw jumped while he struggled to keep from slamming Pal Jenks in his leering face.
?Why Mr. Jenks. What a surprise ta see ya here, all things considered. I was just bringing Johnny some lemonade ? what a shame I don?t have enough fer ya too. Maybe next time.? Sarah?s voice slid into the conversation as easily as Sarah herself stepped between Johnny and Pal. She handed Johnny the glass in her hand, a motion that coincidentally put most of her back to Pal. She widened her hazel eyes at Johnny and then flicked them in the direction of the barn. The barest shake of her head turned into a flip of russet hair over her shoulder, and then she was leaning up against Johnny?s side.
The moment of distraction had been enough for Johnny to regain a grip on his temper, and he very casually transferred the glass to his left hand and wrapped his right arm around Sarah?s shoulders. His next words didn?t carry the gritted edge of the last, but if anything they were more firm. ?I?m thinkin? tha? ya should come back t?morrow, Pal. Sarah?ll make up a fresh batch?a lemonade an? we?ll le? ya inspect wha?ever ya wan? ta see. ? It was no suggestion, and despite his seemingly casual pose, Johnny showed no signs of letting Pal further onto the property that day.
It was Pal?s turn to grit his teeth, but after a moment he freed his hands from his pockets and tipped his hat in Sarah?s direction. ?Ma?am. Perhaps I?ll get ta experience yer generosity tomorrow.? The leering, insinuating tone was back in his voice, but before Johnny had time to react Pal turned on his heel and stalked back to the silent ground car which had brought him.
Johnny waited for the ground car to completely vanish from their sight before he set down the glass of lemonade on the ground and turned to Sarah. ?Now ? wha?s in th? barn??