Cherry Orphan

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Surprisingly an entire week slipped by before anything started to happen. Even Calley began to wonder if this time she'd been wrong about Robert's vindictive streak.

It began when Tony Scott paid an impromptu visit to Villa Suerte and went looking for James. With the onset of another weekend Robert somehow made good on his promise not to work full time. He and the girls were gone for the day, leaving James to his own devices. Tony found the boy alone out back in his swimsuit and a T-shirt, trying to take a photo of a wild doe that had ventured onto the property.

"I think she likes you, James." The sudden voice startled the shy animal and she high-tailed it into the forest. "Oops, me and my big mouth."

"Hello, Tony." James brightened at the, unexpected company. "I never saw anything like that in England. Everything here is so beautiful."

Tony eased himself into a soft lawn chair and laced his fingers. "Want to talk with me for a while? I see the young ladies are not around."

"No. Uncle Bob took them with him today. Shopping for clothes I think." James sat opposite Tony, still holding the Polaroid. "I was swimming, then I saw the deer."

"They leave you alone a lot, don't they? You know I could take you around sometimes. Show you stuff you'd be interested in. I understand what it must be like having no friends your own age."

James could tell there had to be more to this than meets the eye. Tony Scott in the role of baby-sitter did not exactly fit. "I know what you like, Tony. I saw the way you looked at the girls during dinner."

Clearly the driver didn't appreciate James's directness. "I see. Is that the thanks I get for trying to be friendly? You set me up that day at the track—I haven't forgotten. Sure, I like the way your cousins look—who wouldn't? But I'm not trying to get into their pants. Bob would go ballistic if I tried something that stupid. You've got me all wrong. Like you, I'm just a naturally curious guy who appreciates beauty."

"Curious?"

"What's been going on, James? Bob's acting real strange—talking to people he wouldn't normally give the time of day. All this has something to do with his daughters. I've been seeing him a lot lately. Aren't you curious what he's been up to?"

James put the camera down on a wrought-iron table and eyed the race driver with suspicion. "Okay, so tell me."

"Uh-uh. It's quid-pro-quo. That means-"

"Something for something."

He smiled, more to himself than James. "You act quiet and shy, but you're not, are you. Not much gets by James. Here's a freebie. See what you make of this: couple of days ago I'm testing out at the track. Bob rolls up in his Jag. Three guys get out and I recognize one as an ex cop from LA called Bosky... or Bosley. Something like that. Nasty piece of work by all accounts. He was in the news recently because he damn-near kicked a suspect to death and got slung off the force for excessive violence."

"What force?" James cut in.

"L.A.P.D. Drug Squad. Him and two of his pals are going around talking to anyone Bob's daughters may have come in contact with. Ho-Jo told me. He's a harmless Chinese guy who runs a concession out there. Said they got real heavy when he couldn't cough-up anything useful. Bob just hung back and watched while these three goons sweated the hell out of the little fellah. I know more, but now it's your turn."

James tried to maintain eye contact, but found it difficult. "Calley was always afraid of this," James said with a little quiver in his voice.