Free 1981 - Hand Me a Fig Leaf by James Hadley Chase Page B

Jackson?"
    "Yes. Did you ever meet him?"
    "Of course. He was a nice kid: smart. When I say smart, I mean he was good at school, and he was a hell of a worker. Make no mistake about that. Kids, these days, don't know the meaning of work: it's pop and fooling, but Johnny used to ride his cycle five miles to school, work, then cycle back, do Fred's laundry, cook his supper, help with the frogs and keep the place clean. He loved Fred. From what I know, I'll say he even worshipped Fred."
    "Then why did he take off?"
    Wally stroked his beard and shook his head.
    "That's what I keep asking myself. Why did Johnny suddenly vanish?"
    "Mr. Watkins, do you imagine something happened to him? I mean he got ill and died or had an accident and died and old Jackson didn't report it?"
    Wally slopped a little of his drink, muttered to himself, then, taking out a handkerchief, he mopped up the slight spill on his trousers.
    "Died? Oh, no. Fred would have reported it. Nothing like that. No, something happened up at that cabin that made Johnny run away. That's what I think."
    "What could have happened that bad?"
    He rocked in his chair.
    "That's what I keep asking myself."
    "Suppose, as Johnny grew up, he got tired of living rough. Suppose he decided to quit."
    "I told you. He worshipped Fred. He wouldn't have left him.”
    "But he did."
    "That's right."
    "You knew Fred pretty well?"
    "More than well. At one time we were close friends. When the a'gator got his legs, I used to drive up there with groceries. Mitch was there then. He was a good son to Fred, but g real young hellion to everyone else. When he got drafted, he came to see me. He told me to look after his father—as if I wouldn't have! So I continued to drive up there with groceries, but it wasn't the same. Fred turned nasty. He hated anyone seeing him stumping around on his thighs. I guess that's natural, but it grieved me. Then Johnny arrived. Johnny used to come to my store after school and buy stuff. He said Fred didn't welcome visitors, so I kept away. Both Kitty and I felt the kid would look after Fred, so we left him to it."
    "Was Fred married?"
    "I think so, I'm talking now of some thirty-five or so years ago. That was when I was just starting my grocery store and Fred was working for a frog-farmer . . . before he bought land and started up for himself. Anyway, he quit Searle and was away a couple of years. When he returned, he had made a bit of money and brought Mitch back with him. Mitch was around two years old. Fred told me in confidence the mother had died, giving birth to Mitch. Fred liked boys. He was very proud of Mitch. Although both Kitty and I told him he would have a tough time rearing the baby, he just laughed and said Mitch would have to take his chances, and he certainly did. I remember Fred telling me that if it had been a baby girl he would have got it adopted, but having a son meant a lot to him."
    "Did Fred save his money?"
    Wally looked surprised.
    "I don't know, but I've wondered about that. He was getting well paid for his frogs. I guess he must have saved."
    "That's why I want to find Johnny. He seems to be Fred's only heir. There's talk about buying the farm."
    Wally nodded.
    "Weatherspoon?"
    "Yes."
    "You've met him?"
    "I've met him."
    "He came to this town around ten years ago and has been buying property ever since. He bought the frog-factory. He bought my grocery-store. As soon as poor Bob Wyatt passes on, and it won't be long, the story goes, Weatherspoon will buy the hotel."
    "The money comes from the frog-factory?"
    "I wouldn't know. The factory does well, but it doesn't make that kind of money."
    "There's talk, Mr. Watkins, that a young girl worked for Fred after Johnny disappeared."
    He nodded.
    "That'll be old Abe Levi. He claims to have seen her, but Abe drinks too much. There are too many stories floating around in Searle. I don't go along with that one."
    "Abe thinks Johnny was still there and the girl was shacking up with him."
    "That the sort