The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon

7/27/2019 The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon

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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.


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T H E R O O T O F A L L

E V I L


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To Val for her love and hard work.


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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


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!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

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8)/ 5LB

'rinted and "ound in 9reat Britain


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The love of #oney is the root of all evil.

'R:V8RB


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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


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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


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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


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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.


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*+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


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C-t?s not


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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


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


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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


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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.


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


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


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.


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.


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


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.


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.


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

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The Root of All Evil by Ronald Kenyon

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