In Which True Justice Involves The Pulling Of A Few Strings, But Is Infinitely Satisfying
It's a blustery day, the day McCracken is scheduled to die.
Macy fusses over Greta, who's insisting on coming despite the fact that she's still dependant on her crutches. The crowds by the scaffolding are going to be trouble. But they barely make it onto the grass before a tall, lanky man is loping over to them. "Miss Salpeter, Miss Misa, Lady Saporta has requested the pleasure of your company."
Lady Saporta is sitting on one of the few seats. Kevin nods at Joe, and the three of them split from the group to sit with Victoria as the rest of them plunge into the crowd and elbow their way to the front. The crowd's rowdier, angrier than usual, as if, despite the charges made by the papers, the people know why he's really going to hang; know what's been done to them.
Kevin leans into Mike, though he doesn't have to lean far. Mike is plastered into Kevin's wounded side, protecting it from misplaced elbows. "Do you think Victoria's still playing gossip?"
Mike surveys the crowd. "No," he says at last. "This is real."
Kevin considers and then discards the idea that any of their people leaked information they didn't want leaked; the middle-men they'd caught and killed were most likely not the only ones involved in the arson--word got around sometimes. Sometimes the crowd just knew; right now, the crowd was baying for blood as the paddywagon lurched across the ground, taking McCracken to the noose.
Someone in the crowd shouts, "Just get it over with!" and Mike was inclined to agree.
The priest drones, wind whipping at his cassock, and then the hood is being lowered.
Most times, when the trapdoor swings open, the death is quick and clean as the rope pulling taunt snaps the neck. McCracken doesn't receive that mercy. His feet twitch and kick as it is left to strangulation to finish the job. It's so rare that hangings get this messy these days, Mike has to wonder if someone didn't have a word with the executioner about tampering with the rope--a quick casting of his gaze around the perimeter, and Victoria's smug satisfation convinces him that it wasn't an accident.
But, in a strange way, the messy death appeases the crowd. There are fiercely satisfied mutterings as people move thoughtfully away from the hanging. Their thirst for blood had been, if not satiated, then at least blunted enough for life to continue.
When they regroup with Macy, Joe and Greta, Macy is looking thunderous and Joe utterly baffled. Kevin opens his mouth, then closes it again. They were with Lady Saporta. Some things, he just doesn't want to know.