Extreme Malice
Page 41
Chapter 35
April, 17th 7:27 pm
The wind continued to swirl, and the rain continued to spit down on Jack along the river path as he remembered those last moments of Donna's life. It was done. Nearly seven months had passed, and he was ready to let the memories go. He received the insurance payout. It was time to try to forget the past and bury it forever.
The night was cool. Jack stopped running and took a breath of the fresh spring air. He smiled again, realizing he had gotten away with the impossible. He looked up into the dark sky and felt the wet drops of the coming rain fall sensuously onto his cheeks.
Lightning flashed above, and he stared up into the darkened clouds and waited for the low rumble to follow. It came, but it was soft and far away. He continued on slowly down the path towards home. The sun would be setting soon, and a shadowy darkness had already begun to descend into the bushes and under the trees that lined the sides of the path along the river.
Jack was almost home when he spotted a familiar face staring out at him from the rocks along the river. David Chow. David bounced quickly across the rocks towards Jack. He had not seen David since the trial ended and was surprised to see him out here in the rain and descending darkness.
Jack stopped and waited as David Chow hurried to meet him.
"David," Jack said. He smiled and held out his hand to David.
David looked down at Jack's hand but did not take it. "Hello Mr. Gardner," he said with a serious tone.
Jack pulled his hand back, and an ugly awkwardness suddenly enveloped the two of them.
“What brings you out here?" Jack asked.
David looked upriver and grinned. "I take pictures, Mr. Gardner."
"It's raining, David," Jack replied and gestured up to the clouds.
David nodded. "I like take pictures in rain. Sometimes get good photos with lightning too."
Jack looked at David and felt more and more uncomfortable.
"Pictures in the rain?" Jack asked.
David nodded. "I take lot of pictures, Mr. Gardner. I take pictures in rain all the time."
Jack's discomfort changed to a deep, sinking feeling.
"Not all flashes in the dark from lightning, Mr. Gardner," David said and smiled again. Jack felt nauseous. He knew what David was about to say.
"I take a lot of pictures Mr. Gardner. Want to see next picture?"
THE END
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