But she wasn’t done, “If you want her to be safe from me, leave her. If you don’t, I’ll find her. You’ll never know when or where. The only way you can keep her safe from me is if you hide. But how’re you going to do that and play the game you’re so fond of? Hmm? So it’s up to you. It’s either her or the game. If I can’t have you, she can’t.”
Her smile grew wider, and I saw it in her eyes; she thought she had me. She thought I would barter with her for my Lisa’s life. For someone who was so obsessed with me, she doesn’t know the object of her obsession very well. Everything I’d learned, everything I’ve ever wanted, warred inside my gut as my mind tried to remain calm while my heart said fuck it; end her. “Okay then.”
The look in her eyes changed when she saw the look in mine. I waited for the smile to slip completely off her face, still not saying a word as I reached into the pocket of my sweats for the plastic bag I’d put there.
Fear set in when I shook it out before pulling it over her head. I tied the ends of the gag together around her neck as she struggled to breathe while I held her in place as she slowly started to suffocate. “That was your last warning.”
She clawed at my hands and fought for her next breath while she slowly suffocated with the bag over her face. I guess I’d slipped off my human mask because I felt nothing as I leaned in to add insult to injury. “I don’t like you. I don’t want you. We would never be together, even if she wasn’t in the picture. You’re just not my type.”
I sensed more than saw someone behind me as she tried to scream and choke at the same time. But when I turned my head, all I saw was a shadow just standing in the far corner watching, not interfering. The fuck! “Who are you?”
“No one. Now leave this place; you were never here.”
I’m not sure why, but I didn’t feel any fear, and it didn’t even occur to me to disobey that order. I dropped my hands, and Susie dropped to the floor, gasping for air as I turned and headed for the door. Somehow, I knew I wasn’t supposed to see whoever the hell that was in there.
As I jogged back the way I came, my thoughts were unusually clear for someone who’d just come close to committing murder. This time though, I was more aware; even so, it took me a minute to realize I was being followed. Again, I didn’t feel fear; the car wasn’t trying to catch up to me but was tailing me from the other side of the field as I crossed.
I waved at the doorman as I jogged by his post, but he stopped me. I was almost certain it was a different guy from the one who’d been there when I left. “Nice night for a jog, isn’t it?” His smile was friendly, warm, and before I could answer him, a couple jogged by us and headed for the elevators across the vestibule.
“It sure was, but he did more laps than us. It’s obvious he’s an athlete.” They smiled at me before getting into the elevator. It’s only as it started going up that I realized I didn’t see their faces. I looked back at the doorman as a strange feeling crept up my spine.
“Have a good night, Mr. Baxter.”
What the hell?
Somewhere Near Woodley Park, in one of the grandest homes in the country, an old nineteenth-century telephone rang once before being answered by the one who’d been waiting for the call.
“It’s done!” Mrs. Kitty Davenport hung up the phone without uttering a sound before turning and heading back to the others who were waiting for her to play her hand.
“Well?” Othelia Astor looked up at her old friend as she took her place at the table again.
“It’s done! My turn, isn’t it?” She reorganized the cards in her hand. The men shook their heads and puffed on their cigars as they studied their cards. “If that young lady had only done her time, then she would’ve been shipped off somewhere. She’d be constrained, yes, but at least she’d be alive.”
“That vile one brought it upon herself with her actions. No need to mention her again.” Miss. Kitty laid down her winning hand with a smile. “My pot!” She raked the chips from the center of the game table to add to the pile in front of her while Othelia nodded her head in agreement.
“The boy won’t ask any questions. I’m sure he’ll put it together in time.”
“There’ll be time enough to let him in on how this family works once the two of them are married and he officially becomes one of us. For now, let him stay guessing.” Grandpa Davenport chewed on his Cuban as he shuffled the deck for the next hand.