XCVI
Having signed the check for an amount that will sustain them for at least a couple of months, Marta leaves for the police station to drop the charges. Henry barely makes it down a couple of porch steps when Angela calls out to him.
"Mr. Creel."
He stops and quickly considers his options. Finally, he decides to act normal, so he turns to her, hands in the pockets of his trench coat.
Lest the temptation to break her limbs becomes too much.
"Yes, Miss Angela?"
The girl's smile displays perfect teeth.
I so desire to break them.
"I'm surprised by what you managed… You convinced my mother without any problem. Normally, she usually asks my father's opinion, but she didn't even do that this time…"
He manipulated them without any problem, the thought stands out in the teenager's head.
"Hm." Henry smiles back. "Of course: there is nothing that cannot be solved by talking."
"Or with the appropriate sum."
"That too." He nods. "But, if you have nothing else to say—"
"What was your relation with Jane?" she asks abruptly, frowning. "You're her uncle?"
"Her cousin," Henry answers. "And tutor."
Angela nods. Henry can read in her mind that she finds this information strange.
"How old are you?"
"That's a pretty personal question."
Henry knows he doesn't look his almost forty years.
He has made sure of it.
"Aren't you going to answer it?" she challenges him.
Oh, if you want to play, let's play.
"Twenty-seven," he lies.
"Hm… Tell me, Henry,"—he doesn't miss the sudden use of his name—"wouldn't you like to go out for a drink with me?"
This takes him by surprise.
"Not now, obviously." Angela laughs in a way that hurts his ears. "When I'm all healed." She points to her nose with her index finger to illustrate the point.
Henry remains silent.
"The thing is," the girl continues, "I'd like to know what Jane told you…"
"She didn't tell me anything," he replies. "Unfortunately, Jane doesn't often tell me about her life. I was greatly surprised to receive a visit from the police this morning."
It's a half-truth, at best. Angela considers his words.
So, he really doesn't know what happened… He can feel the relief in this thought.
Henry opens his mouth to say goodbye and end the conversation there, but Angela beats him to it: "Would you like to know more about Jane?"
What?
"Excuse me?"
"I could tell you about her," Angela explains with an angelic smile. "If you want, we can go out one day and I'll answer any questions you have…"
He thinks about refusing in a thousand ways, ranging from politely declining her invitation to giving her a stroke right there in front of her porch.
After a few seconds of consideration, he answers with a smile: "I'd love to."