Act of Deceit

Chapter 62

J ust after 6:50 A.M., Donnally alerted to thudding footsteps. The sound was deadened by the book-lined shelves of Sherwyn’s office and the heavy closet door behind which he was hiding.

Then two male voices. Sherwyn and a Mexican.

The shadows of moving bodies skimmed the gap between the door and the floor.

“ Sientate. ” Sit. An order. Jago.

Lighter footfalls followed by scraping, maybe chair legs rubbing against the hardwood floor.

Janie?

Then a nervous drumming of fingers. Donnally guessed that Sherwyn was sitting or standing behind his desk a few feet away.

Jago spoke. “It’s almost time.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Sherwyn said. “I’ll call him.”

Donnally felt his cell phone vibrate. He let it go to voice mail, where Sherwyn would hear his recorded message:

Bring Janie to the front gate at 7 A.M.. I’ll hand you a CD containing the recantations as she steps out.

“You need to hear this,” Sherwyn said, presumably to Jago.

Donnally’s phone vibrated again, and again he let it go to voice mail.

Thirty seconds later, Jago said, “Your boyfriend is not answering his phone.” Then to Sherwyn, “Puzzling. Why didn’t he try to force us to do it in a public place, a shopping center or at the beach? Doesn’t he realize that my men will grab him before he even walks up to the gate?” Jago chuckled. “He must love you too much. It has scrambled his brain.”

A crackle of Jago’s police radio broke the silence, followed by his voice.

“ Esta todo en posicion? ” Is everyone in position?

Donnally guessed that Jago had sent his team out of the hacienda to set up along the streets bordering the property.

“ Si. ”

Donnally lit up his cell phone screen: 6:55.

“ Andale. ” Jago again. Let’s go.

“Aren’t you coming with?” It was Janie’s voice. “Or are you too much of a coward?”

“There’s a better view from up here,” Sherwyn said. “Anyway, I’ll see him soon enough. Or should I say, he’ll see me soon enough.”

Janie and Jago’s footsteps faded as they walked from the office and down the hallway toward the stairs.

Donnally heard Sherwyn take a couple of steps toward the bar next to the closet door. A quavering of glass on glass followed. Donnally imagined Sherwyn’s hands shaking as he poured.

Sherwyn walked toward the window.

Donnally checked the time again: 6:58. Corazon should be parked down the block.

Sherwyn began pacing. A gulp. Then back to the bar. Another drink.