sentence reversed. I can’t make any promises. Until then, stay out of
the States until I contact you.”
“Reward me? For what?”
“My daughter visited me today. She told me how you saved her
life, about the wonderful things you’ve tried to do for so many
people.” He placed his hands on Roy’s shoulder like a father sizing up
a prodigal son.
“I guess. Sort of,” Roy replied. He cast his memory back,
rummaged through the dumpster out in the backalley of his mind.
Well, he did try.
“You gave her a chance to redeem herself. I cannot allow my
daughter’s mentor to be prosecuted for some arcane drug offense.
For now, please do me a favor and enjoy this lesser form of liberty.”
“What about your son?” Roy said.
Bunting could not conceal a fresh wave of grief. “He’s come out
of his catatonia. He’ll be released from the hospital. He’ll be okay. As
far as mending things, it will take time. That’s all we have. I’m glad I
can give you some of the same.”
Time. Roy looked around. The beginning of a new history. It was
nothing to get giddy over. Flat broke in Tijuana. He was wondering if
he would have been better off in jail.
“Oh, and to ease the transition,” he said, placing an envelope in
Roy’s hands, “here’s some pocket change. Maybe you could open a
little coffee shop in Mexico while you’re waiting for your deliverance.
There’s some lovely spots in the south that grow some good joe.”
Roy nodded and tried to imagine Southern Mexico in his mind’s
eye, the dusky, dried-up wildness, the pounding surf.
“How is Sprout?”
“She seems fine,” he said. “Fine. She’s taking a long road trip
with a new friend. They’re going to drive across the United States, try
to find some wild place to settle. She promised she’d stay in touch.”
His smile brought a dense web of riverine wrinkles to his face. “In
touch,” he repeated. “I missed her so much.”
“Of course you did.” Roy said. “Tell her hello for me. And thank
you. Thank you both.”
They shook hands and Bunting stepped back into the limousine.
The driver pulled the long car away and as it sped down the Tijuana
Boulevard everyone turned to look. There weren’t too many vehicles
like that around those parts.
Roy tore open the envelope. Inside was a fake passport and a
ABYSSINIA
376
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