Kill Her Twice

by G A Pickstock

  “Roger! Come here, boy!” Roy called. “Come on, Roger, here, boy.” He whistled for the dog to come. “Damn him, I guess he’s in the bush somewhere.” Starting down the steps, he flicked on the flashlight. The ringing of the phone stopped him in mid-stride. Handing the light to Alan, he pointed beyond the pool and past the shed. “I’ll be right back, He could be anywhere, but there’s a path over yonder behind the shed. Start there. I’ll be with you in a second.” He rushed inside to answer the phone.

  * * *

  The hospital hummed with activity. The decades-old hospital had emerged from a significant refurbishment. To the average citizen, a cursory glance would leave one asking what had they done with all the money. Access to medical attention still took hours in the Emergency Room. The only way to expedite matters was to arrive by ambulance.

  Gord Seavers lay on the gurney in the ER treatment room. It was one of the new rooms built during the renovation. More extensive than the rest of the ER rooms, it housed an assortment of equipment designed to deal with almost any emergency. A glass wall enclosed the room on two sides with a sliding glass door offering access. A computer terminal stood on a stand outside the entrance to the room with a keyboard on a swivel shelf designed to allow easy use from either Gord’s or the room next door.

  An oxygen mask covered Gord’s face and ECG sensors taped all over his torso, connected him to a heart monitor that beeped a rhythmic cadence. An IV dripped some mystery fluid into his veins. A sensor, clipped to his middle finger, sent a signal to the rest of the electronics monitoring every twitch.

  Emily stood beside Audri as she sat holding Gord’s hand. Thankful that they were able to skirt the crowded waiting area, they waited for Mary to finish talking to Gord’s doctor. Judging by the doctor’s reaction, Mary wasn’t experiencing the warmest of receptions.

  “Succinylcholine?” The ER doctor looked up from the keyboard at Mary. “What makes you think he’s been hit with a dose of Sux?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but when we found him, he had all the signs of someone under the anesthesia, and he had a syringe stuck in his belly.”

  “Where is that needle now? We need to know what was in it.” The doctor flashed an angry look at Mary.

  “The police have it as evidence. I don’t know where it is right now, but if I’m right, you should test his urine before it’s too late.”

  Surprised at Mary’s suggestion that she knew what had happened to his patient, he knew that if she was correct, then she was also right that he needed to act quickly. His patient was responding to treatment quite nicely, and if Sux were the cause of his paralysis, then it would soon dissipate from his system. Turning to his nurse, he commanded, “I want a full workup on this man. Stat! Urine — the works! Got it?”

  Mary dragged a stool across the room and sat beside Audri at the foot of Gord’s bed. Reaching out, she patted Audri’s knee.

  “He’ll be fine, Aud, believe me, the worst is over. If the doctor confirms what I think happened, Gord, you will be going home tonight. I’m sure of it.”

  Gord’s eyes bulged. He grabbed Audri’s arm and shook his head. Moaning through his mask, he whimpered, “No…” The last place he wanted to be was at home.

  “Gord, tell us what happened to you. You were attacked, weren’t you?” Emily moved to the far side of his bed to get closer to him.

  Gord turned his face toward her, the fear still more than apparent in his countenance. He nodded. The mask over his face made it difficult to talk. He lifted it. The rushing air hissed as he spoke.

  “Kallita, she’s alive!” His voice rasped out through the rushing oxygen. “She tried to kill me!”

  “We know.” Emily rested her hand on Gord’s chest. “Just try to relax. You’re safe now.”

  “I — I’m not going home. No way! Not till you tell me that bitch is dead. No, no! Not home!” He shook his head, and his heart rate increased, sending the monitor into hysterics. A nurse came rushing into the room. The monitor settled down as Gord relaxed a little.

  “I think there’s too many of you in here; at least one of you should leave. The nurse was adamant, “Besides, Mr. Seavers, I need you to fill this for me.” She handed him a plastic container with an orange lid and a metal container, much resembling a stainless steel milk jug. “I mean it! Everyone out for a moment and then only two of you at the most. Now out!” She pulled a curtain around Gord’s bed and ushered the women out of the room.

  Emily needed Gord to explain about the purse. Turning to the others, she said, “This could take a while. Why don’t we go down to the cafeteria and grab a coffee? I could use something to eat, as well. What do you think?”

  Mary nodded, “Good idea, I could use a coffee, and I need to pee. This could take a few minutes. Let’s go.” She turned and stepped toward the exit to the hospital waiting room. Audri shook her head.

  “No, thanks anyway, but I don’t want to leave him. You saw what he looked like in there he’s frightened. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this scared. You two go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

  Emily caught up to Mary and waited for the elevator to arrive. The doors opened with a loud ding and Mary stepped through the opening into the lift.

  “Oh, shit! I forgot my purse. I’ll see you down there,” said Emily. The doors closed before Mary could respond. Emily dashed back to the ER as quickly as possible. Audri was already inside. Slipping through the doorway, she announced her presence,

  “Is everybody decent?” Emily tugged at the curtain. Gord had shed the oxygen mask and was sitting upright. The monitors still recorded his heart rate, but the IV had been removed, and he was looking much better.

  “I thought you were getting a coffee.” Audri pulled back at the curtain.

  “Forgot my purse.” Emily hefted her bag for them to see. ‘I’ll be back shortly.” She turned as if to leave. “Oh, one thing, though, while I have the chance. Gord, before all this happened, we were coming to ask you a question. Now, I know you’ve been through a very harrowing experience, but the question remains. How did you come into possession of Kallita’s handbag, and what did you do with it?”

  “I don’t have to talk to you. You’re not a cop.”

  “No. But I am.” The sound of Colm’s voice reverberated through the treatment room. Emily spun around to see Colm standing in the entryway, bracketed on each side by Mark Taylor and Jim Roberts. “So, if you don’t mind, Mr. Seavers, would you be answering Emily’s question now? Where did you find the handbag, and why did you bury it in Emily’s back garden?”

  Gord’s face paled at the confrontation. “I’m not well. Can’t you see? I’m in the hospital someone tried to kill me. I’m not in any condition to answer questions.”

  “Aye, Mr. Seavers, I know what happened to you. I’ve just spoken to your doctor. You know, you’re a very lucky man, so you are. Another couple of minutes and we’d have been too late. And just so you know old son, it was me that kept your heart going until the medics arrived, and Mary here—” he looked around— “where’s Mary?”

  “Right here.” Mary appeared from nowhere.

  “Mary gave you breath. So you’ve a debt to pay, Mr. Seavers, and pay you’re going to. Now you can answer me here, or it’s to the station we’re going. What’ll it be?”

  Chapter 27

  Finding Roy was easy. An Internet search turned up an R. Prewitt with a rural route address and a county road number. She set her GPS for the address, and soon found herself on a lonely country road bordered on both sides by tall pine trees. The setting sun had dropped behind the trees, throwing the road into darkness. Kallita hesitated to turn on her headlights, opting instead to run on the dimmer, daytime running lights of the older Buick. The gloomy roadway stretched ahead as Kallita searched for the entrance to Roy’s property. She almost missed the tall iron gates closing the driveway to uninvited visitors. Kallita drove past, hanged a U-turn, and parked a few metres away from the gated entry.

  Surprise was her only all
y in this quest. By now, people were looking for her. She’d hoped the attack on Gord would throw them off her scent. She’d intended to kill Gord and that useless wife of his, but now they would have to wait. She had other more important targets, and her desire for payback overcame any trepidation she might have about her inevitable discovery. What was done was done. She could not change that. There were debts to pay, and before this night was over, three more would reap their reward for making her life a living hell.

  The house must be through those trees. Looks like I’m walking.

  Kallita strapped her leather fanny pack around her waist, dashed across the road and climbed over the gate. Clinging to the tree line, she followed the driveway as it snaked through the bush. It was a tough hike, but Kallita was in shape, and a few minutes later, she found herself at the edge of a clearing. The lights from the house enshrouded the two pickup trucks parked near the front steps. She made her way to the base of the porch. Staying tight against the structure, Kallita followed the porch to the rear of the house, careful not to rattle or bump against the lattice skirting. Light from the kitchen shone through the open patio doors. She heard voices.

  Peeking over the edge of the porch, Kallita spotted the figure of her once-devoted husband as he placed three beer bottles on the table. I wonder if we’re still married. Shaking the thought from her mind, Kallita attempted to see who else was in the kitchen. Judging by the number of bottles, there were at least two others. This could be harder than I thought. She pondered her options as she sat crouched down beside the porch. She needed a better vantage point. She spotted a shed beside the pool. Careful to stay in the shadows, she crept her way to the side of the shed. That’s better, now let’s see what I’m up against.

  The light in the kitchen revealed the presence of three men. Roy sat to the right of two of the men. One had his back to the door, and she could almost see the face of the third man. A dog was sniffing at the screen door, scratching to get out. From where she sat, Kallita couldn’t hear the conversation of the three men, but it was plain to her that Roy wasn’t pleased. She shuddered when he got up to let the dog out. Damn! That dog will give the whole deal away if he comes over here. Reaching into her leather pouch, she fingered the remaining syringes, counting her inventory. Six left, shit, dog, stay away. I don’t want to waste one of these on you.

  It was not to be. The dog ran straight toward her, his nose sniffing the air as he made his way across the yard. Closer now, Kallita pulled one of her lethal darts from the pouch and flicked off the protective cap. Upon discovering Kallita hiding beside the shed, the intrusive K-9 began howling and barking. She tried to shut him up, but the intensity of his howls increased as the dog became more agitated. She had no choice, she had to shut him up. Reaching forward, she grabbed the dog by the collar and yanked him in close to her. Roger struggled to free himself, twisting his head around to bite at the hand that held him so firmly. Kallita pushed the needle into the dog’s neck. He let out a piercing yelp and fell silent as she slid the plunger down, injecting the clear, devastating fluid into the animal. She pulled the dead animal’s carcass into the shadows beside her and waited.

  As she expected, the commotion attracted the attention of the men inside. Roy was standing at the door, searching for his dog. A moment later, the three men emerged from the house and the beam from a flashlight swept the area. Needing to secret herself out of range of the light, she slipped behind the shed, leaving the body of Roy’s faithful friend lying where she had dragged it. She could make out part of the steps and could not risk peeking around the corner any further for fear of discovery. A phone rang and Kallita heard Roy tell the others where to look. Stealth was her friend. She still had the element of surprise on her side. Pulling back further behind the shed, she reached into her pouch and withdrew another syringe.

  * * *

  “Yes, Detective, what can I do for you?” Roy watched his brothers descend to the back yard. The light from the high-powered flashlight swept back and forth.

  “You need to know. Your wife, Kallita, is still alive, and she is here in the area.”

  “Say what! Kallita! Alive! You’re kidding, right. Here in Clarksville? I don’t believe it.”

  “Believe it, Roy. You and anyone associated with her are in danger. We believe she has killed two individuals so far, and we know she tried to kill another. If I’m right she has revenge on her mind, and no one close to her is safe. Please, be very cautious. A word to the wise, keep your eyes and ears open. I’m on my way to see you. Unless I miss my guess, you could be her next victim. Don’t do anything until I get there.”

  * * *

  Alan panned the flashlight around the yard as he stepped further toward the tree line. He didn’t like the bush. Give him the water anytime. The only danger in the water was under it, and since he rarely ventured under, there was no need to fear it. The bush held many spectres, and the dark made it worse. Large animals could be dangerous, but more than that, he hated rodents, skunks, badgers; even squirrels could be nasty if cornered, and here he was in the dark looking for a dog who in all probability got attacked by a rabid porcupine. His mind rebelled against his being here. He focused his attention on the unknown instead of what lay in front of him.

  Mike was on his left and had ventured away from him to cover more ground. He was almost out of sight. All Alan could see was the faint outline of his brother as the light from the kitchen spilled across the landscape. He panned the light over in Mike’s direction, shining it into his eyes. Mike held his hand as a shield.

  “You crazy bastard, you’re wrecking my night vision. Piss off with that light.”

  Alan chuckled at his brother’s complaining. Turning the light back to the task, he swept the beam around the base of the pool and then the shed, tracing around the sides. He froze as the light scanned over Roger’s unmoving shape.

  “Over here!” He dashed to the spot where the dog lay. “Oh, God, something’s wrong, get over here now!” Dropping the light on the ground, he pulled at the still-warm corpse of Roy’s pet, hoping that he might find some sign of life.

  Kallita couldn’t believe her luck. The sight of Alan Prewitt, not five feet away, slumped over the dog, trying to save its life, was too much to resist. She sprang from her hiding place with her syringe poised in her right hand. In an instant, she was on top of the burly man with her left arm wrapped around his neck. Needle in hand, she stabbed him in the chest, plunging the death-delivering dose of sedative deep into his pectorals. He felt the sting of the needle as he flung his assailant off him. Struggling to his feet, he recognized his attacker.

  “Ka—” The words stuck in his throat. His diaphragm could not expel the air required to finish what he had started, and he fell in a heap where he stood. Alan willed his legs to move but they would not respond. His arms wouldn’t work. His breathing became shallower and shallower. He watched as Kallita picked herself up and knelt down beside him, revelling in her conquest. The evil in her smile as she withdrew another syringe from her pouch told him she wasn’t finished. Slipping deeper into the terror-filled paralysis that enveloped him, the silence of his scream flashed from his eyes.

  “One down. Two to go.” She flicked the purple plastic cap into his face.

  The last thing he saw was the flash of his brother tackling Kallita to the ground.

  Chapter 28

  There was no way out, and Gord knew it. Years of trying to forget, of pushing the recurring images into the back of his mind, washed over him. He wanted to hide, to close his eyes and vanish from the face of the earth. His guilt had followed him every moment since that day. Simple things would bring them all back. He couldn’t go near the park or the boardwalk. The mere mention of the bridge or the river—the thought of it, would drive him deeper inside himself. Audri never knew. He couldn’t tell her. For years he sat, immersing himself in the TV and focusing on mind-numbing games; first on Play Station, then X-box, and then online games, anything that might distract him from realit
y.

  He’d succeeded. The past had slipped away, buried deep in his memory. Then that meddlesome girl from 29 had to go and find that purse. He knew then that it was over. He’d hoped she would toss it out, but when Audri told him she was asking around, he knew. He wanted to do something about her. But what? He was in no shape to do anything, and besides, the one man who might cause him any grief was in charge, and he did nothing with it back then. Would it be different now? After all, nobody liked Kallita, and everybody was happy she was gone. But here he was facing another, more ambitious, cop, and now the secret was out. Or was it? He stared at the crowd in front of him. It might not do to upset things too much. But that purse had appeared from nowhere, and he knew there was foul play afoot. Taking his wife’s hand, he gave it a squeeze. It was time to come clean.

  “I didn’t lie to you when I said I handed that purse in. You have to believe that.” Audri squeezed back, holding his hand even tighter. “I gave that purse to Constable Clifford” — he turned his head to look Mary in the eye — “I told you I found it, but I didn’t tell you where or how. I couldn’t say anything to anyone, and I didn’t want to. She was gone, and I was happy about that. What she did to us”— he looked up at his wife —“she almost killed us.” Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. Audri leaned in to hug her husband.

  “I was there that night. I watched it all from across the river. You know, Audri. Sometimes when I’m down, I just need to get away and think. It was one of those times, and being near the water always calms me. I doubt anyone could have seen me. I sat alone in the dark for over an hour. I had parked close to the bridge next to the boat ramp. I kept the car running to keep warm, and sat there, staring at the river, thinking about things. You know, about our troubles, and how or if we’d ever see an end to them. I was about to leave when I saw a truck pull into the parking lot in the park. So I decided to watch and see what was going on. At first, I thought it was kids, you know, parking in the dark. You know what I mean. But then, they got out of the truck. One of them walked over to the bridge. The other hung back and eventually moved off into the dark beside the washrooms. I waited for a few minutes, but nothing happened. I figured whoever went under the bridge walked on down to the falls”— he looked up at his friends searching for some sign of understanding — “you know, people are always walking up there. Again, I was getting ready to leave when another car pulled in beside the truck, so I watched a little longer. The driver got out and looked around the pickup, then started walking over to the bridge. There wasn’t a lot of light, but I could tell it was a woman. She was wearing high heels, you know those high-heeled leather boots women like. Anyway, she was having a tough time walking over the ice and such, but she made it to the boardwalk and went under the bridge. All I saw then was the glow from her cigarette. She must have put it out because it wasn’t long before everything went dark. I rolled my window down, but I couldn't hear much. The noise from the road was too loud. I thought I heard voices coming from across the river, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying, and I couldn’t see anything because the pillars were in the way. It was so dark under the bridge I doubt if I could have anyway. The voices stopped, and I heard a splash, then someone, not the woman, the first person, had to be a guy, ran out from under the bridge and made for the truck. His partner ran over to the pickup, ran back to the washrooms, and returned a minute later. Anyway, they tore off out of there, and that was that. I couldn’t resist, I had to see what was going on, so I drove around, and checked under the bridge, nothing just some broken ice in the water. So I walked over to the washrooms and checked the doors. You know, that time of year, they’re usually locked up, but the ladies was open. I went inside, and there, on the back of the sink, was the purse. It was sitting there. I looked inside it, and when I saw who it belonged to, I almost shit myself. I still don’t know why I took it. I grabbed it and got the hell out of there. I thought about returning it, give it to Roy and Kallita, but then the shit hit the fan over her being missing. It was then that I realized something terrible had happened, and now I had her purse. I didn’t know what to do.