View
237
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
1/25
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
2/25
Born in Liverpool Ron Kenyon took up writing after a
25 year career as a firefighter. The Root of all Evil is
his first novel.
Ron currently lives in on the Wirral with his wife and
two dogs.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
3/25
T H E R O O T O F A L L
E V I L
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
4/25
To Val for her love and hard work.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
5/25
R o n a l d K e n y o n
T H E R O O T O F A L L
E V I L
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
6/25
!opyright Ronald Kenyon
The right of Ronald Kenyon to "e identified as author of this work
has "een asserted "y hi# in accordance with section $$ and $% of
the !opyright &esigns and 'atents (ct )*%%.
(ll rights reserved. +o part of this pu"lication #ay "e
reproduced stored in a retrieval syste# or trans#itted in any
for# or "y any #eans electronic #echanical photocopying
recording or otherwise without the prior per#ission of the
pu"lishers.
(ny person who co##its any unauthori,ed act in relation to thispu"lication #ay "e lia"le to cri#inal prosecution and civil clai#s
for da#ages.
( !-' catalogue record for this title is availa"le fro# the British
Li"rary.
-B+ *$% )%/*01 502 2
www.austin#acauley.co#
irst 'u"lished 324)/
(ustin 6acauley 'u"lishers Ltd.
25 !anada 7uare
!anary WharfLondon
8)/ 5LB
'rinted and "ound in 9reat Britain
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
7/25
The love of #oney is the root of all evil.
'R:V8RB
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
8/25
Prologue
Judaea, 33 AD
+ight; and the lone traveller ca#e out of the wilderness fro#
the east.
-t had "een a long hard
lying hills soaked in #oonlight and stained with shadows.
The traveller looked up and down the road weighing his
options. inally his decision #ade he stepped onto the road
and #oved off again at the sa#e steady pace.
The walking was easier on the track and he #ade good
ti#e the effort #aking the sweat run again. The silence of the
desert was total and terri"le like a singing in his ears the only
sound the shuffling of his sandals across the stones his water
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
9/25
pouch slap slapping against his hip and the rhyth#ic tapping of
his walking staff on the flinty ground.
-t was as he passed the grove of olive trees as he #oved
"eneath their shadow that he heard the noise. =e stopped and
listened. =eard it again. Rhyth#ic fa#iliar. =e looked into the
trees looked hard trying to separate shadow fro# reality. The
noise ca#e again. &rawing his eyes toward the sound; and he
saw it.
The rope had "een stretched taut "y the weight of its
"urden and it creaked and sawed into the heavy "ranch to
which it had "een tied.
The traveller paused at the edge of the trees as he saw the#oonlit shadow cast "y the hanged #an lengthen and shorten
as the "ody swayed gently "ack and forth.
9ripping his staff he approached slowly circling the "ody
with a caution "orne out of fear his eyes scouring the
shadows 7uartering the ground seeing everything and #issing
nothing. (lthough death was no stranger to hi# it was the
#anner of death that unnerved hi#. -t was not the sight of the
dead #an "ut how s#all he see#ed. #all and "roken; andstrangely fa#iliar. &eath had not "een swift. The dead #an?s
sandals had "een kicked off in his death throes and this was no
cri#inal hanged "y Ro#an law as an e@a#ple to others not in
such an isolated place as this.
=e prodded the "ody hard with his walking staff causing it
to swing fro# shadow to #oonlight fro# #oonlight to
shadow. Who was this #anA Why would such a #an choose totake his own lifeA
(s the "ody twisted into the #oonlight and the sightless
eyes turned upon hi# the traveller knew. =e recognised this
#an. =e had seen hi# #any ti#es in the streets and #arket
places of the towns along the shores of 9alilee. =e knew who
this #an was.
The trees a"out hi# whispered in the darkness as a wind
rustled their leaves. The traveller tightened his grip on his staffand "acked slowly away fro# the "ody. =e shivered as the
wind "illowed his ro"e cooling the sweat on his "ody as if
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
10/25
warning anything with the war#th of life in it to "e gone fro#
this place.
=is curiosity dis#issed the traveller stu#"led fro# the
trees and onto the track.
Without a "ackward glance he hurried away his staff
clacking loudly in the stillness of the night.
Behind hi# the "ody of udas -scariot swung "ack into the
shadows.
ro# so#ewhere in the stand of trees a "ird cried. -ts
screeches echoing into the vast e#pty silence of the desert;
the "ird was a crow.
Jerusalem, Ne England, !"#"A" $ De%em&er $'()
)2.)5 a.#. The s#all church was silent and dark and apart
fro# the lone elderly #an sitting on a front pew e#pty.
Willia# 6ornay sat in silent conte#plation staring at the
crucifi@ a"ove the altar his walking cane on the seat "eside
hi# his hands clasped in his lap. (round the walls candlesstood dead "ehind the s#oke>"lackened glass of lanterns.
While to his left on the west wall a stained glass window cast
coloured patterns of #oonlight across the floor. The only
sound in the stillness the 7uiet rasp of his "reathing.
The priest had respected his wish to "e left alone. +ow
#ore than an hour later the priest?s curiosity at the re7uest was
now one of concern. =is soft leather shoes #ade no sound onthe stone floor as he walked along the aisle and stopped "ehind
the pew.
C6ister 6ornayAD The priest?s voice was edged with
concern.
Willia# 6ornay?s voice showed no surprise at the
presence of the priest. -t was 7uiet al#ost a whisper. C- won?t
detain you #uch longer ather.D
C-t?s no trou"le; can - "e of any assistanceADWillia# 6ornay shook his head slowly.
C6ister 6ornay are you alrightA -?# sure you can?t "e
very co#forta"le sitting here like this. !an -;AD
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
11/25
Willia# 6ornay interrupted the priest with a surprising
7uestion. C&o you "elieve in a 9od of forgiveness atherAD
The priest?s "row furrowed. CEes of course.D
The thin lips spread in a weak s#ile of acceptance. CThen
pray for #y soul.D
Willia# 6ornay took a s#all pistol fro# his coat placed
the #u,,le in his #outh and s7uee,ed the trigger the force of
the shot snapping his head "ackwards spraying the priest in a
fine #ist of "lood. The gunshot echoed around the church the
walls "atting it to and fro "etween the# until it was swallowed
in the silence.
Willia# 6ornay collapsed into the aisle a dark halo of"lood pooling around his head.
+u#" with shock the priest "acked away stu#"ling into a
pew scattering prayer "ooks to the floor his hands wiping
frantically at the "lood on his face and cassock spreading it in
a cri#son s#ear. cra#"ling to his feet he ran fro# the
church the screa# rising in his throat.
( "ird flapped down into the open doorway and stared
with soulless "lack eyes at the "ody of Willia# 6ornay.ootsteps and voices were approaching the church.
The "ird flapped into the air its screeching cries echoing
fainter and fainter; the "ird was a crow.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
12/25
*+a-er One
.os-on, !"#"A", Presen- Day
ran Richardson "lew a wisp of hair out of her eyes and ran a
hand over her aching "ack. -roning was a chore she hated and
she had "een at it now for over an hour.
he placed the stea# iron "ack on its stand and #oved to
her kitchen window when she heard the car door sla# andlooked out to see her friend &ella Reynolds lock her car and
walk toward her kitchen door. ran s#iled at the surprise. =er
friend?s visit was une@pected "ut welco#e.
(s stylish as ever &ella had a figure ran would kill for.
he and &ella had "een "est friends since their teens. even
years of #arriage and three kids later ran was still #ore than
happy with her lot. There were a few things fro# the old daysshe still #issedF her figure was one of the#. The two wo#en
were the sa#e age thirty>so#ething ad#itting to twenty>nine
"ut ran knew in her heart of hearts standing side "y side
no"ody would "elieve there was only three #onths? difference
in their ages.
The two wo#en #ade eye contact through the window and
waved. ran switched off the iron as &ella stuck her head
around the door. C=i it?s #e.D &ella pushed the door opens#elling coffee. C(# - distur"ing so#ethingAD
CEeah thank 9od.D
reshly laundered clothes were heaped in "askets and an
assort#ent of kids? toys lay a"andoned across the floor. &ella
loved co#ing hereF it wasn?t
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
13/25
C-t?s not
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
14/25
CBackpackingH Where the hell toAD
&ella shrugged.
C&id you try to stop herAD
CWhat was the pointA -?# her sister not her #o#. he?s an
adult with a #ind of her own.D
C=as she gone aloneAD
C+o with a "oy fro# college Billy 6c9uire.D
ran tried to put a na#e to the face. CBilly 6c9uire he?s
the one with the tattoo rightAD
CThat?s =al Billy?s the one with the nose stud.D
CEeah right. Well how a"out his folks have they heard
anythingADC+ot the last ti#e - called. They?re as worried as - a#.D
ran was trying to co#e to ter#s with what she was
hearing. The very word; #issing; always sounded o#inous
"ut when it was associated with so#eone you knew it didn?t
"ear thinking a"out. CLook this #ay sound stupid "ut have
you tried calling herAD
C:f course - have.D &ella took a cell phone fro# her purse
pressed a call "utton and listened. he shook her head at ran.GIna"le to connect.D
ran took the phone looked at the screen then scrolled
through so#e te@ts. +othing. he handed it "ack. CThe "attery
could "e flat. he could even have lost her phone.D
&ella shook her head. C+o no way. he could have called
fro# a pay phone. !hrist it costs nothing to call collect. he
knows -?d pay for the call.DCThey could "e shacked up so#eplace and want to "e
alone. =ave you thought of thatAD
C- don?t "uy that either.D &ella felt tears "urning in her
eyes and hoped ran wouldn?t show sy#pathy. +ot now. +ot
here. -t was taking all her willpower to keep the tears in check.
The slightest show of e#otion fro# ran would "urst the da#.
ran read the signs only another wo#an could see and kept
her voice low and neutral. C&o you know where they weregoingA (ny idea at allAD
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
15/25
&ella sniffed and reached in her pocket for a tissue. CThey
stayed at a guest house upstate for a while. That?s where her
last call was #ade.D
C=ave you got a nu#"erAD
CEes. - called and spoke to a 6rs =alloran. They left
owing two nights for the roo#. That was three weeks ago.
o#ething?s gone wrong ran. - know it has.D
CEou don?t know that. There could "e any nu#"er of
reasons why she hasn?t called.D
CThen why hasn?t she writtenA Why hasn?t Billy called or
written to his folks
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
16/25
intersection and &ella was stuck in the tail"ack reflecting on
her afternoon with ran.
They had found where o Beth had "een staying on a Rand
6c+ally road #ap. ( guesthouse in a s#all town called
erusale# up in the hills near the state line. (t ran?s
insistence &ella had called 6rs =alloran and "ooked a roo#.
he hadn?t said o Beth was her sister
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
17/25
CThat?s :K To#.D
The door#an lifted the holdall into the trunk of the car and
sla##ed the lid shut.
CTo# will you keep an eye on things for #e for a few
daysAD
Cure will 6iss Reynolds. Eou off so#ewhere niceAD
Cust fa#ily. ( friend of #ine will "e co#ing over fro#
ti#e to ti#e. Will you let her inAD
C9lad to. Will you "e away longAD
C+ot long.D
CWell have a nice trip.D
C- will thanksD &ella tipped hi# a five dollar "ill.CThank you #a?a#.D =e opened the car door for &ella
and closed it after her.
&ella lowered her window. C(nd To#; can anything "e
done a"out those "irds. They spook the hell outta #e.D
=e nodded and s#iled. C-?ll see what can "e done
#a?a#.D
-n &ella?s e#pty apart#ent the telephone rang.6ister Ti""s &ella?s cat raised his head and looked
toward the telephone his a#"er eyes narrowing.
(fter five rings the phone stopped.
&ella?s voice had cut in on her answer #achine asking the
caller to leave na#e and nu#"er and she would call "ack.
The caller was ohn &ella?s fiancJ. C&ella it?s ohn; the
#eetings are going to take longer than - thought. - can?t see #egetting "ack "efore 6onday at the earliest. -?ll call you later.
Love you. Bye.D
6ister Ti""s stretched languidly on the hearthrug laid his
head on its paws and went "ack to sleep.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
18/25
*+a-er To
+ineteen>year>old Billy 6c9uire was stoned out of his #ind.
urrounded "y paints "rushes and aerosols. =e sat alone
in the dark cellar of the old house surveying the re#nant of
wall he had "rushed free of dirt and co"we"s. 8ven in his
present state of #ind he knew what he had to do and how little
ti#e he had left in which to do it.
The old house was a ruin standing alone in the woods#iles fro# the nearest town. Why it stood in such isolation
Billy could only guess. But for the past three weeks he and his
girlfriend o Beth had "een using it as a s7uat.
They were "ackpacking. leeping rough s7uatting in the
cellar "ecause it was the only part of the house that still had
so#e se#"lance of walls and a roof. -t wasn?t ideal "ut
"eggars can?t "e choosers and at least it was dry with plenty ofwood lying around to "uild a fire.
The place had "een derelict for years and had a story that
so#ething of value was "uried deep within its walls. -t was a
story that attracted drifters and the treasure seekers and
"rought the tourist dollars into the near"y town. But treasure or
not Billy hated the place. =e had only agreed to stay here at o
Beth?s insistence. he liked the a#"ience whatever the hell
that #eant.Both he and o Beth had a drug ha"it and spent every cent
they could on feeding it. he was in town now trying to raise
#oney. Well he wanted out. =e was going. =e had tried to
reason with her. Tried to get her to #ove on to go with hi#
"ut she wouldn?t listen. They had heard a"out this place fro#
the s#all>ti#e dealer they scored off. -t had "een used in the
past "y people like the#selves. 'eople without #oney and
#ost without hope.They had #oved in after they had left the "oarding house
after their #oney had run out and they could no longer pay for
their roo#. -t had "een :K at first on the war# su##er
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
19/25
nights "ut now the fall was approaching things were different.
The at#osphere was different. -t was as if they were no longer
welco#e.
The light in the cellar was poor s7uee,ed reluctantly fro#
the dust speckled shafts of sunlight filtering down through
gaps in the ceiling. The light wasn?t really sufficient for what
he intended to do "ut he had neither ti#e nor the inclination to
light candles. Besides he knew any #ore light would only
attract the "irds. The place was full of the#. !rows. Black>
eyed "astards that skulked high up in the dark places.
o#ething in the way they see#ed to watch his every
#ove spooked hi#. But fear was at this #o#ent
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
20/25
What light there was was fading. Billy didn?t own a watch it
had "een sold weeks ago along with anything else of value that
they had "ut he guessed it #ust now "e late afternoon.
=e increased his effort using the aerosols to cover the
larger areas. (n hour later with the light al#ost gone he prised
the lid off the last can of paint. 'ure white. 'icking up a clean
"rush he painted the words of the #essage in large "old letters
across the "ase of the wall. =e dropped the "rush and stepped
"ack his eyes scouring the finished work his panting "reath
loud in the silence
=e #oved "ack to the sleeping area gra""ed his "ackpack
and stuffed his possessions into it. The euphoria the high hehad "een on was wearing off and even in his still #uddled
state of #ind he knew the gri# hollowness of reality would
follow. When the euphoria was gone when the high faded so
would his willpower.
=e ,ipped up his pack and stood up turning once #ore to
look at the wall. -n the di# light it looked surreal the colours
garish even in the gloo#y confines of the cellar. -t was no
work of art "ut the #essage was clear and si#ple. o Bethwould see it. he couldn?t help "ut see it and when she did he
hoped she would understand and finally "elieve.
=e "acked away slowly scanning the wall pleased with
the result. =e stopped as he "acked into the wall surrounding
an old well. -t was then he heard it; a sound co#ing fro# the
top of the steps.
( sound that tightened his sto#ach into a knot. =e turnedreluctantly toward it knowing full well what he would see.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
21/25
*+a-er T+ree
ChitHD
&ella swore with feeling as she saw the lights of the police
cruiser in her rear view #irror and heard the "rief whelp of a
siren. he screwed the road #ap she had spread over the
steering wheel into a "all and dropped it over her shoulder onto
the "ack seat easing her foot off the gas pedal as she looked
for a place to pull over. The cruiser closed in "ehind her.'acing her. Keeping its distance. &ella pulled her car off the
road. The police cruiser swung in "ehind her crunching to a
halt twenty feet away its radio antenna swaying.
&ella closed her eyes and rested her head on the "ack of
the seat. he didn?t need this not now please. he heard the
door of the cruiser sla# shut. :pening her eyes and fi@ing a
s#ile on her face she looked in the door #irror.The figure fra#ed in the glass was wearing the unifor# of
the !ounty heriff?s &epart#ent a heavy "adge glistening on
the "reast of a crisply starched shirt.
&ella watched the figure loo#ing larger in the #irror
#oving easily right hand close to the heavy Beretta pistol
hanging unsnapped in its holster. The left hand carrying a
citation "ook looking like every sheriff in every road #ovie
she had ever seen. he was wondering if he wore cow"oy"oots when a hard lean face "eneath a s#oky "ear hat and
sunglasses filled the side window.
&ella hoped her s#ile looked like "e#used fe#ale
innocence as she pressed the "utton and the window hu##ed
down. he got a whiff of aftershave a "rand she couldn?t
place as the eyes "ehind the sunglasses glanced 7uickly
around the interior of the car and settled on her.
&ella kept her hands high on the wheel in full view hertwin reflections s#iling "ack fro# the #irrored lenses of the
sunglasses.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
22/25
The officer nodded and returned the s#ile. CRoy =ollis
#a?a# !ounty heriff.D
C-s there a pro"le# officerAD
C!an - see your paperworkAD
&ella could feel her s#ile slipping as she took out her
driver?s licence and car docu#ents and passed the# through
the window.
=ollis took the docu#ents straightening up to study the#.
C&ella ReynoldsAD
CThat?s #e.D +e@t she thought she would "e asked to step
out of the car. he sat in apprehensive silence waiting for the
order; it never ca#e.=ollis #oved away to check the licence plate. Returned
still looking at the papers.
CThis your car #a?a#AD
CEesD
CLong way fro# ho#e going farAD
Cerusale#. The #ap says it?s around here so#eplace.D
=ollis glanced at the road #ap "alled up on the "ack seat
and nodded. CEou know you were nudging seventy "ackthereAD -t was a state#ent not a 7uestion.
&ella recognised the tone. CWas -A -?# sorry - didn?t
realise.D The s#ile that flickered "riefly on her lips to support
the lie died as the al#ost i#percepti"le shake of the head told
&ella he had heard the e@cuse "efore.
=ollis took off his sunglassesF his grey eyes pale against
the tan looked long and hard at &ella. CBeen on the roadlongAD
Cince eight this #orning.D
Then - suggest you find so#ewhere and rest up. (ccidents
happen when you?re tired.D =e glanced again at the #ap.
C8specially when you?re not concentrating.D
C- realise that. -?# sorry.D This was the lecture. +e@t
would "e the ticket. Traffic cops see#ed totally i##une to
char# or e@cuses and this one wasn?t any different. hewondered if there was so#e kind of co#pulsory course they
had to attend.
C(# - far fro# erusale#AD
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
23/25
=ollis opened the citation "ook and reached for his pen.
C&epends how fast you?re driving; a"out five #iles.D
( crackle of radio static ca#e fro# the cruiser followed "y
a fe#ale voice.
=ollis glanced toward the cruiser as his call sign was
repeated.
&ella watched in her #irror as =ollis walked away. =e
reached through the cruiser?s window and picked up a radio
handset listened then spoke "riefly. =e dropped the handset
"ack into the cruiser and returned to &ella clipping the pen
"ack into his shirt pocket.
&ella greeted his return with another s#ile. C(re yougiving #e a ticketAD
C-t?s your lucky day lady. -?# giving you a warning.
Wouldn?t want you thinking we ain?t friendly out here.D
&ella softened her face into a suita"le e@pression of
gratitude.
=ollis leaned "ack into the window. CWe gotta sign up
ahead. - suggest you read it; and watch the speed; :KAD
C- will. Thank you.D=ollis folded the docu#ents and handed the# "ack. C=ave
a nice day.D =e touched his hat in salute.
&ella suppressed the urge to salute "ack and raised her
hand in a wave. he drove off slowly careful not to spin
gravel.
=ands on hips =ollis watched her drive away.
&ella kept to a sedate speed as the cruiser lights flashingca#e up "ehind and overtook her. he turned her head ready
with a s#ile as the cruiser flashed past =ollis speaking into
the radio handset. he waited until the cruiser?s lights were a
safe distance ahead "efore settling #ore co#forta"ly into her
seat. The highway stretched ahead cutting through the trees
toward the top of a distant ridge where it see#ed to disappear
into the sky.
ive #iles the #an said. ive #ore #iles to a hot showerand so#ething to eat. he kept a wary eye on the rear view
#irror as she picked up speed.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
24/25
Blooded "eaks were "uried in the road kill. !rows. (
do,en or #ore tearing and pecking at the pulverised flesh. The
largest of the# raised its head and looked off. ( car was
approaching rising and dipping in the contours of the road.
eeling the vi"rations through its feet the crow screeched a
warning and flapped to a near"y fence. The others followed
watching as &ella?s car sped past flattening their #eal "eneath
its tyres. The large crow watched with eyes as "lack as a
witch?s soul as the car disappeared fro# view down a dip in
the road.
Three #iles on and &ella saw the sign Gerusale#
welco#es careful drivers.? he slowed her speed to si@ty asshe passed it.
&ella was thirty>four and the fact that people often #istook
her for at least five years younger was "oth a source of pride
and annoyance. 'ride "ecause the deception appealed to her
fe#ale vanity the regi#e of diet and e@ercise was paying
dividends and annoyance "ecause in her field of e@pertise her
colleagues and peers often took a patronising if not downrightcondescending attitude toward her.
he had a good figure #ore athletic than voluptuous with
a wide sensuous #outh "eneath a s#all high "ridged nose and
the kind of dark li7uid eyes that spoke volu#es "y the#selves.
!apped with a tu#"ling #ane of natural chestnut hair the
overall effect if not classically "eautiful added a certain head>
turning interest to an already re#arka"ly attractive wo#an.But despite her fe#ininity or "ecause of it there was an
underlying streak of co#petitiveness in &ella of which her
#ore conventional friends did not approve.
&ella was a syste#s analyst working for a fir# of
invest#ent "rokers. The work although e@acting and
de#anding appealed to her. he had a keen analytical #ind
and a good degree that pro#ised to take her far in her chosen
career. he had no delusions. he was a wo#an who had toco#pete in a #an?s world where the rules were written "y
#en. =er friends called her co#petitiveness and aggressive
a#"ition unladylike. &ella called it survival.
7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon
25/25
he wanted a hus"and kids a nice ho#e. But #arriage
was not an o"session with her. (#ong her fe#ale friends she
had seen too #any pro#ising careers a"andoned too #any
highly trained #inds now content with cleaning house and
pushing a super#arket trolley.
&ella was willing to accept these changes into her own
life "ut they would have to "e as well as not instead of. he
knew her "iological clock was ticking and soon so#e kind of
co##it#ent would have to "e #ade. -t would #ean giving up
one way of life and e#"racing another. (ccepting
responsi"ility for so#eone else other than herself. The thought
did not distur" her "ut she did not want a life that was arepetition of her parents. he was en