Unable to deny the evidence, she gripped his cummerbund buckle and whispered in horror, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What was the point?You had a thing for John.What he did to my back was between him and me.”
“But you came to my place.KnowingI had a thing for John, you came to my place.If it wasn’t for vengeance, what was it for?”
“I needed a place to stay,” Cutter said simply.“I wanted money and I wanted power.New York had more of both than any other city, and you were the only person I knew in New York.So I went to your place.I figured we had a hometown in common.It never occurred to me to take vengeance on John through you.”
But he had in a way, just then, by giving her proof of John’s cruelty.She felt sick inside.
A week later she met with Arlan at the United Nations Plaza.She had hoped to be uplifted by the bright June sun and the delegates in their native garb, but there were few in sight.
Arlan, who had been drinking Coke from a super-size take-out cup, released the straw.“You’re doing good, Hillie.You were right.You’ve got a story.”
She said nothing.
He nudged her.“Aren’t you pleased?”
“Very.”
He stopped walking.“You don’t sound it.”
She ambled on another few steps before stopping at a large geometric sculpture with a concrete base.She lowered herself to the base.“I thought I had a story without all this.”
“This makes it stronger.”He propped a foot on the concrete.“How well did you know Cutter in Timiny Cove?”
“Not well.He was three years behind me in school—when he was there.”
“Do you remember him as a troublemaker?”
“I remember that the town thought of him that way.I always felt bad for him.He was different.Like me.”
“And John.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So out of the blue one day Cutter just showed up at your door.What excuse did he give for leaving Timiny Cove?”
“He said that he was tired of being a nobody, that he wanted to make it big, and that he wouldn’t be able to do either in Timiny Cove.I could identify with that.”
“Did you know he wanted to get back at John?”
“Not at first.He talked about wanting to make something of himself so that he could have Pam.He wanted somehow to get into the upper echelons of St.George Mining, but I didn’t realize he wanted it for revenge until we’d talked more.After a while, his anger came out.No wonder.There was so much of it.”
Arlan had the straw in his mouth again.Without quite taking it out, he said, “I’m surprised he didn’t go to the cops.”
“Where?”She slanted him a droll look.“Timiny Cove?You think Verne would have done anything?”
“He could have gone to Portland.What John did was assault and battery.”
“Of which Cutter had no proof.”
“His back.His back.”
“No proof that John did it.Besides, he wanted to put space between himself and Timiny Cove.He believed John’s threats.He was sure that if he caused trouble, the men at the mine would suffer.”
“Then he was being altruistic?”
“He was being selfish.He didn’t want the responsibility.”