Wildlife - A Dark Thriller

by Menapace, Jeff

  Ron Daigle twitched.

  Jolene thrust her finger. “You stay put, Ron Daigle. God help you, if you don’t.”

  Adelyn cried for her son.

  Jolene thrust her finger on Adelyn now. “And you can shut that up right now, Adelyn! Your fault you done raised boys who don’t know right from wrong.” Her possessed gaze fell back on Travis. “Well, go on!”

  Noah Daigle’s shock from Jolene’s blow had diffused. He was back to frightened tears as Travis approached. He did not offer up any means of defense, just stood still, bracing himself. “You’re a damn liar, Travis Roy,” he said, full-on crying now. “You’re gonna burn come judgment.”

  Travis swung the weighted towel, the rock hitting Noah on the side of the head. The boy dropped instantly, unconscious. Adelyn screamed and instinctively rushed forward. Ron spun and stopped her charge, urging her back.

  “Hit him again!” Jolene yelled.

  Ron’s head whipped back towards Jolene, eyes wide and incredulous. “Again!? Jolene, that’s enough!”

  Jolene ignored him. “Travis Roy, you hit him again!” Her possessed gaze then snapped onto Ron with righteous intent. “Was only supposed to be one each, but since you say Ethan ain’t here to take his, I reckon Noah gets two!”

  Ron finally moved. He stepped in front of his unconscious son, splayed both hands and stuck out his chest. “Hit me then. You say we’re responsible for our boys, so go on and hit me then. I’m responsible. Go on, Travis, hit me.”

  Travis looked over at his mother, confused. Ron Daigle’s plea only seemed to incense Jolene further. “You get the hell out of the way, Ron Daigle. I’ve been letting you slide with too many warnings as it is.”

  Tears of helpless rage started in Ron’s eyes. He refused to blink them away, kept them wide and glassy and stuck on Jolene with unmovable conviction. “Your boy swings again and our Noah’s gonna end up funny. Please, Jolene…”

  “Boy’s already funny thinking he could do what he done and get away with it.” Back to her son: “Travis Roy, goddammit, I ain’t gonna tell you again.”

  Ron looked hard at Travis. “Travis, don’t do it. Whatever went down between you and Noah don’t justify this. You know that, son. You and Noah, you played together when you were little. Please, Travis, don’t do this…”

  Travis dropped his head, the towel and rock in his right hand dropping to his side where it hung in a limp dangle.

  Jolene snatched the weapon from her son. “You just wait until your daddy hears about this, Travis Roy. Lord have mercy, you just wait…”

  Jolene readied the towel and rock in her right fist, went to step around Ron Daigle to get to Noah’s unconscious body. Ron blocked her path. “I can’t let you do it, Jolene!”

  Jolene swung the rock and towel at Ron’s head. Ron blocked the swing with his forearm and grabbed Jolene’s shoulders. They grappled upright, twirling around in a fevered embrace, Jolene desperately trying to swing the rock and towel, Ron desperately trying to defend without harming the woman and her unborn child, constantly screaming “Jolene, stop! Jolene, stop! Jolene, stop!”

  Jolene took one last swing. Ron ducked under the blow and Jolene pitched herself over the side of the bridge’s rail, landing in a shallow pool of swamp water, her head cracking one of few sizeable rocks jutting out from beneath, body going rigid, seizing up before it went slack and lay face down in the shallow green water. No air bubbles surfaced around her head.

  “MAMA!” Travis cried, now leaning over the railing, gaping down at his mother’s body. “MAMA!” he cried again, throwing himself over the railing, landing and then stumbling face-first into the shallows. He surfaced with a panicked gasp and hurried towards his mother. Rolled her over. Jolene Roy’s forehead was concaved, the deepest part of the depression split and pumping a dark red into the surrounding green water, turning it brown. “MAMA!” He shook her repeatedly. Her eyes would not blink.

  “Travis!”

  Travis looked up and behind him. Ron Daigle hung over the bridge’s rail, his face lost; his cry of the boy’s name more reflex than the start of any definitive action.

  Travis spun and hurried towards his boat, leaving his mother’s body.

  “Travis!” Ron sprinted down the dock, hoping to meet the boy where land and bridge came together. Travis arrived first and jumped into the boat, readying the oars, pushing off. Ron arrived seconds after, wading into the river, reaching for the boat’s edge. “Travis, wait!” Travis swung one of the oars and caught Ron behind the ear, shaking his consciousness, causing him to stumble and fall back into the water.

  By the time Ron was able to stand and clear his head, Travis was squinting distance down the river, assuredly on his way home to tell his family what had happened.

  Ron turned and trudged through the shallows. Headed up the ramp and then across the bridge to see to his wife and son. Noah was coming to. Adelyn cradled him in both arms, but her eyes were on her approaching husband. She did not look sad or remorseful. She looked terrified. “Ron Daigle,” she said, “what have we done?”

  Chapter 4

  Southwest Florida International Airport

  Fort Myers, Florida

  Elizabeth Burk spotted her parents in the distance. “There they are,” she said, and began waving an arm.

  Dan Rolston, sizeable bag slung over one shoulder, stopped for a second and stood on his toes to try and get a good look at his girlfriend’s folks. Up until now, he’d only seen pictures.

  He saw a couple waving back with big smiles. They looked as they did in the photographs he’d seen. Tan, attractive, what appeared to be genuinely happy people. Photos could lie of course, but then Elizabeth had been a treasured find. The rare mix of beautiful and good. Not a bad bone in her body, unless they were in the bedroom that is, bless her heart. If the Burks were even half as decent as the job they’d done raising Elizabeth, they were just fine in Dan’s book.

  Elizabeth, pace quickening at the excitement of seeing her mom and dad for the first time in six months, gave Dan a quick glance over her shoulder. “Nervous?”

  They were getting closer. Twenty yards tops. “Do I go in for the hug?” Dan asked.

  “Do whatever feels natural.”

  “Fist bump then.”

  She laughed. “And for my mom?”

  “Open-mouth kiss.”

  “Eww.”

  Ten yards…

  Elizabeth started waving again, the smile on her face spreading into an eager grin. Dan waved and smiled too. It felt weird, like waving to an acquaintance who, upon deeper scrutiny, turned out to be a complete stranger.

  “Tell me again why they’ll love me,” he said out of the side of his mouth.

  “Because I love you,” she responded from the side of hers.

  “Not good enough.”

  Five yards…

  They carried on like amateur ventriloquists.

  “Honey, they’re gonna love you. My mom loves your books.”

  “But your dad hates them.”

  “He hates your genre. He’s a fraidy cat. At least he still read some.”

  Dan nodded. “True.”

  Touchdown.

  Elizabeth got a dual hug and kiss from mom and dad, and then came the moment of truth. All three turned and faced Dan.

  “Mom? Dad? This is Dan.”

  Dan started with Mrs. Burk. He chose to go in for the hug, and her extended hand caught him in the chest. Dan backed up, blushed, gave an awkward laugh, and extended his hand…which in turn caught her in the chest—right smack on a boob—as she went in to accommodate his wish for a hug.

  Dan was purple now. Out of his mouth like a hiccup, he said: “Ah shit.”

  A moment of silence. Dan contemplated charging airport security in hopes of getting shot. And then Russ and Vicky Burk burst out laughing, Vicky Burk grabbing hold of Dan’s face, planting one on his cheek, then turning to Elizabeth and saying, “Oh, I like him already. Will be nice to tell the girls at the club a young man
tried to cop a feel.”

  Dan, no less purple, chuckled along. He still wanted to crawl into a hole.

  “You only get one of those, you know,” Russ Burk said, waving a playful fist at Dan.

  Dan chuckled again, and reluctantly offered his hand once more lest he feel up Elizabeth’s dad too. Russ took it with a big smile, adding several friendly pats on Dan’s shoulder as he did so, each pat more cathartic than the last.

  Yup. Genuinely happy people. More importantly, genuinely cool people. Dan’s face was back to its original color in no time.

  Chapter 5

  Ron Daigle stood on his front porch, shotgun ready, his boys Noah and Ethan flanking him, both armed with a 30-30 Winchester rifle. Adelyn Daigle sat behind her husband and sons, rocking nervously in her chair, eyes stuck on the river ahead, and whatever that river might bring.

  Noah Daigle broke the long silence. “You believe us, don’t you, Daddy? Ethan not being involved and all? You believe Travis and me had a fair fight?”

  Ron Daigle kept his eyes on the river as he answered. “I believe you, son. But I don’t reckon it matters much now, do you?”

  Noah dropped his head and shook it.

  Ron and Ethan had lifted Jolene Roy’s corpse from the water and carried it into their home where it still lay with a green table cloth covering it. For the several hours it lay on the floor, not one family member could bring themselves to look at it.

  “I still reckon we call the sheriff,” Ethan said. “Connor James can vouch for my whereabouts when Noah and Travis had their fight. They can see the Roys were in the wrong. What happened after that was their own doing.”

  Ron gave his son a somber, sidelong glance. “You reckon the sheriff’s gonna get mixed up in some Roy business, do you, son?”

  Ethan spun and hollered into the riverbank’s dense forest beyond. “Bullshit is what it is!”

  “Ethan Daigle!” Adelyn scolded from her chair.

  Ethan turned back to his father, gripping the Winchester tight to his chest. “So what’re we supposed to do then? Stand her ’til Lord knows how long, waiting for a comeuppance we don’t deserve?”

  Ron looked back out onto the river, a deep sadness falling over his face. “I don’t know, son. I only know the sheriff won’t be getting involved. I know them Roys will be coming for us—” Ron spit into the river, his sadness changing to a helpless disgust. “And I know they’ll be fixin’ to get nasty when it comes to that comeuppance we don’t deserve.”

  Chapter 6

  Russ Burk drove his new Lexus south along Interstate 75 towards Bonita Springs. Vicky rode in the passenger seat, Elizabeth and Dan in back.

  “You haven’t been in the new car yet, have you, Liz?” Russ said over his shoulder.

  “No—first time. It’s nice, Dad.” She turned to Dan, smiled, and then squeezed his hand. He smiled back and squeezed longer than she had—a reassuring squeeze.

  Dan already knew Elizabeth’s parents were well off; she’d told him a few times, almost warning Dan as her love for him grew. Sad as it may seem, Elizabeth felt a family with money was something to be kept close to the chest for fear of the negative stereotypes often administered to the wealthy before hello one had even been uttered. Dan was different of course, but still, there would always be that concern. Especially when they would arrive at Bonita Springs and Dan would see the Burks’ place, and just how deep that vein of wealth ran.

  “This isn’t your first time to Florida, is it, Dan?” Vicky asked.

  Dan sat up in his seat. “Uh, no—I was in Clearwater a few years back.”

  “Love Clearwater,” Vicky said. “Beautiful.”

  “Yeah, it was.”

  “When are we taking him to Disney?” Russ asked his daughter, a sly smile on his profile while he kept his eyes on the road.

  “Oh geez—I don’t think he’s ready for that yet, Dad.” Elizabeth turned to Dan. “My family is obsessed with Disneyworld.”

  “You ever been, Dan?” Russ asked.

  Again the upright attention in his seat. “Uh, no, Russ. I guess I’m not really a Disney fan.”

  Vicky turned in her seat and slapped a hand to her chest, mouth falling open in mock shock. “Not a Disney fan? Oh, Elizabeth, how are we going to fix this?”

  Russ reached behind his seat, gesturing for Dan’s hand. “Finally! An ally.”

  Dan happily took Russ’ hand and shook it.

  “Oh, shut up, Dad; you love Disney.”

  “I love it because you guys love it.”

  “He’s trying to act macho for you, Dan,” Vicky said. “Don’t listen to him.”

  Russ smiled and shook his head in defeat.

  “No worries, Russ,” Dan said. “If we ever go, you and I can feign happiness together.”

  “It is the happiest place on Earth,” Vicky said.

  Dan groaned, and everyone laughed. Dan was getting a pleasant vibe, feeling more and more at ease.

  “So, Dan,” Russ began, “how are book sales going?”

  Ah yes, the can you provide for our daughter, should the time come? query. He’d expected it.

  “Good, not great,” Dan said. “I have a nice little following.”

  Elizabeth broke in. “He has a great following. He’s always getting emails from fans.”

  Dan didn’t interject. As an indie author who busted his ass with everything from the book content itself, to cover design, to freelance editors, and to the almighty dread that is self-marketing, he was happy to hear the praise, even if it was from his girlfriend.

  “Well, I love your stuff,” Vicky said.

  “You’ve read my work?” Dan asked, knowing she had.

  Elizabeth said, and none too softly, “I told you she has.”

  “Oh right.” His play at casual indifference was stuffed handily, Elizabeth lead tackle.

  “She really does though,” Elizabeth said. “You’ve read them all, right, Mom?”

  This, Dan did not know. To date, he’d released five novels, two of them good earners, the remaining three decent. Critical reception was similar: good to decent; ironically, the modest earners receiving the bulk of that good praise, while his top earner absorbed plenty of hefty thumps. It was a mystery he would never understand, nor want to drive himself nuts by trying. Still, he had not known Elizabeth’s mom had read all five.

  “You read all of my books?” he asked.

  “I did,” Vicky said.

  “Wow—I’m flattered. Thank you.”

  Vicky turned in her seat and made eye contact. “I really did like them a lot. And I’m not trying to win you over.”

  “Really?” Dan said. “Because I’m trying desperately.”

  Another group chuckle in the car.

  “Dare I ask you what you thought, Russ?” Dan asked.

  “I thought the writing was very good,” Russ said.

  “Buuut…?” Dan sang, studying Russ and Vicky’s profiles after his risky cast. They were both smiling accordingly, and he was again grateful for their reception to his chanced wit.

  “Buuut…my dad is a big sissy,” Elizabeth said.

  Profile still smiling, Russ could only nod. “It’s true—I admit it.”

  “Hey, at least you read them,” Dan said. “Elizabeth told me you’re a history buff. I’d need a gun to my head to read the stuff you do.”

  Vicky raised her hand. “Gun for me too.”

  Dan looked at Elizabeth, and, casting another risky line loud enough for all to hear, said: “I think I may know who my favorite is, honey.”

  Another group chuckle. He was being himself and they liked it. Awesome.

  “So, right now you’re working on a book that takes place in the Everglades?” Russ asked.

  “Yes,” Dan said. “It was going to take place in Louisiana with elements of voodoo and everything, but I didn’t want to get any facts wrong when it came to representing the religion. I’ll admit I’m a bit lazy when it comes to research.”

  “So how do you pla
n to research the Everglades while you’re here?” Vicky asked.

  “I was hoping Elizabeth and I could take a day trip and let some locals do all the work for me. They’ll talk; I’ll jot. Can’t get any lazier than that.”

  They all smiled, but there was something brimming behind those smiles. A palpable eagerness.

  “And that might be the perfect introduction…” Russ said.

  “Come again?” Dan said.

  Russ took his eyes off the road for a tick and glanced back at Elizabeth, his eager beaming ever present, urging her to take the floor.

  Elizabeth turned to Dan with an excited grin. “My dad is taking us on a swamp tour tomorrow morning.”

  “The best swamp tour,” Russ said, his own excitement demanding bells and whistles. “Vicky and I went last year. We’ve done a few, and this was absolutely the best. The tour guide takes you deep, deep into the Everglades and shows you the works.”

  “You’re kidding me?” Dan said.

  “Nope,” Vicky said. “It was fantastic. Gators and pythons and—”

  “Pythons?”

  “Yup. Our guide pointed one out to us. We never would have spotted it otherwise. It was all coiled up and hidden in the vegetation along an embankment we were passing.” Vicky made a frightened face and pretended to shiver. “It was huge.”

  “So that really is a thing, huh?” Dan asked. “The python problem down here I’ve been reading about? I read a few articles that said it was embellished and not the issue many claim it to be.”

  Dan was all too familiar with the current event of people purchasing baby Burmese pythons and then setting them free into the wild where they would mate like teens and reproduce like Irish Catholics. He had even planned on having a giant python attack and eat one of the protagonists in his story. Problem was, the more he dug, the more he found that the problem was overblown, a combination of fear-inducing media nonsense, and locals attracting crazy python-hunting tourists in a bid to make a few bucks.

  The other problem was that while pythons had been known to attack people here and there, the attacks were usually aborted attempts at a meal. Once they went for a nibble and realized just what they’d have to swallow to gain that meal, an Eff that was the snake’s typical response—adults, it would seem, were just too big to try and gulp.