by Tim Kizer
In the movies, blackmailers were often murdered. From the practical point of view, it was the best solution because blackmailers always came back for more. Yes, if he were a movie character, he would probably kill Kathy.
How many women had he already killed?
Let's count... Who was the first one? And when had it happened?
You know, it had happened a long time ago. He had to strain his memory to recall an approximate date.
"I've been wondering where you were," Kathy said. "Have you been out of town?"
Should he tell her that he had reported Mary missing? No, it was too early.
Maybe I shouldn’t tell her about Mary at all, Richard thought.
"I've been busy with work. Did you miss me?" He cracked a smile.
"I thought you’ve stopped going to restaurants."
After the waiter brought Kathy her potato salad, she went on, "Has your wife come back yet?”
“Come back?” Richard gave Kathy a puzzled look.
“You said she was visiting her sister.”
Richard shook his head. “No, she’s not back yet.”
“Has she ever been to this restaurant?”
"She doesn't like going to restaurants."
Why the hell was this woman so curious about Mary? It was beginning to border on obsession.
"Really? My mom doesn’t like to eat out, either. She says it’s a waste of money." A slight smile appeared on Kathy’s face. “She’s thrifty, my mom. I can’t remember the last time she bought food at a movie theater.”
They were silent for a while. Richard was finishing his shrimp pasta and Kathy her salad.
"Do you like to read?" Kathy asked.
Richard shook his head.
"I love books. And my mom loves to read, too. If you want, I can lend you James Patterson’s new book. I just finished it."
"I don't have time for books right now. But thanks for the offer."
Kathy raised her fork in the air, and said, "Oh, before I forget, I’d like to invite you to my place if you’re free."
"What’s the occasion?" He lifted his eyes to Kathy.
Did she finally resolve to blackmail him? Was she going to start dropping hints when they got to her place? ‘You see, Richard, life’s so hard in this economy. Books are very expensive. Could you please lend me a thousand bucks?’
He understood that life was hard, but he did not sympathize. He was not paying her a damn thing.
"Today is my dog's birthday. My mom and I decided to throw a little party for her. We believe our dog is part of the family." She laughed quietly.
"Oh, I see." Even though Richard had told himself to be emotionless when dealing with Kathy, he felt great relief.
Then a thought flashed in his mind: the birthday party could be just an excuse. A rather inventive excuse.
"How old is your dog?"
"She’s turning seven. She’s getting old."
"That’s about fifty in dog years. Who else is going to be there?"
"We didn’t invite anyone else. If you can’t come, it’s okay. I won't be upset."
"I can come. I like parties. And I like dogs." Richard rose from the chair.
Perhaps everything would be cleared up tonight and he would find out if Kathy was after his money.
"I'm so glad you’re coming, Richard. It’s not going to take very long, I promise. You don’t even have to eat my cooking."
Then Richard told her about Mary’s disappearance. Why did he do it? He hoped it would make Kathy show her real face sooner.
"Richard, I'm so sorry," Kathy said.
"Why are you sorry?"
"I've said so many stupid things to you. I kept bugging you about your wife. I’m such an idiot.”
"It's not your fault. And I still want to go to your party."
2.
Kathy's house was two miles from the restaurant; they covered this distance in six minutes. When they entered the living room, Kathy's mother was watching television. On the screen were gorgeous tropical islands located probably somewhere in the Caribbean. Judging by the way the show was narrated, it was some sort of documentary. The sight of palms and emerald waves washing the shores made Richard recall one of his early killings.
It was the second homicide he had committed, but it was the first one that he had really wanted to commit, had to commit because his life depended on it. As for his very first killing, he must admit that he hadn't had to waste that guy. He’d had a choice then, and he could have avoided staining his hands with blood. At any rate, the point was moot since Richard could not go back in time and do things differently.
That killing took place in August, eight years ago. Richard was on vacation in Miami at the time. He remembered Billy Oberly, a guy from Pittsburgh whose room was next to his. And he certainly remembered Julia and Meg. He remembered a lot of things from that vacation.
On the second day of his stay in Miami, Richard went to the beach in front of the hotel with Billy Oberly. The beach was teeming with people, and they spent a few minutes finding a spot close to the ocean.
They swam and sunbathed for a while, then Billy pointed toward volleyball courts and asked, "Do you want to play ball? I met a lot of hot chicks there last week."
Richard said that he was too tired to play.
"We could rent a boat or a motorboat tomorrow," Billy said. "I used to row. It’s fun. It’s also a good exercise."
“Let me think about it.”
Richard liked the idea of renting a motorboat but decided to say that to Billy after dinner. He was too lazy to row.
Half an hour later, he heard a woman's voice behind his back, "Hi, Billy, how are you doing?"
Two college-age girls wearing skimpy bikinis walked up to them.
"Julia, Meg, how are you doing?" Billy kissed the girls.
Julia and Meg looked at Richard with interest, and then one of the women asked Billy, "Is that your new friend? What’s his name?"
“His name’s Richard,” Billy replied, stroking the girls' backs. “This is Julia,” he pointed at the woman on his right, “and this is Meg," he pointed at the woman on his left.
In order to remember the girls’ names, Richard made a mental note that Julia’s hair was short and Meg’s long.
"Nice to meet you," Richard said. The girls were cute, but not hot.
"How did you get to the hotel last night?" Meg asked Billy, her look fixed on Richard.
"I took a cab," Billy answered. "And what were you two doing there till six in the morning?"
"It’s a secret," Julia said, laughing.
“Why are you so curious, Billy?” Meg asked.
"What about today?" Billy asked. "Do you have any plans?"
"The plan is to have fun,” Julia said. “We’ll probably go to a club. Do you want to come with us, Billy?”
“Or maybe you have better ideas,” Meg said.
"Richard, do you want to come with us?” Julia asked.
"Let me think about it," Richard replied.
"Yes, Richard and I will think about it,” Billy said. “We'll be in touch with you, girls. Are you going to swim?"
"Yes." Julia nodded.
Two hours later, as they walked to the hotel, Julia told Richard about the nightclub she and Meg were planning to visit tonight. The club was located in downtown Miami and played techno and house music on Thursdays and Saturdays. Julia said that she had seen Richard listen to a track by Armin Van Buuren on his mp3 player earlier, and then asked if he liked house music.
“I listen to it from time to time,” Richard replied
Then Meg told them about her boss, who wore a toupee to hide his baldness.
"I found out about it just a month ago, by accident,” she said. “I saw him adjusting this thing in front of the mirror in his office. It was hilarious. This whole time I’d thought he had hair plugs."
At half past nine in the evening Julia, Meg, Richard, and Billy left the hotel for the nightclub.
His next killing had been only a few
days away.
3.
The decisive day had come. Today Don was going to fall into his trap. While taking a shower, Richard went over the plan. After breakfast, he would go to the car rental office to pick up the car he had reserved last night. When he returned home, he would put on a disguise and rehearse what he would say to Don. He was planning to leave for Olive Garden at half past nine.
As he drove home from the car rental office, he kept visualizing his upcoming meeting with Mary’s lover. He was psyched up like a boxer right before a fight. At nine o’clock, he was finished with his disguise, which consisted of a moustache, a beard, a wavy wig, and glasses. If he had to pick two words to describe his new look, they would be ‘intelligent’ and ‘trustworthy.’ For his plan to work, Don must trust him.
4.
The morning was in full swing, the air was getting hotter and shadows shorter. Richard switched off the radio and then turned the ignition key to the ‘lock’ position. He looked at his reflection in the rear-view mirror to check on his disguise. His disguise was fine. He thought to himself that even his own mother wouldn't have recognized him right now. It was a quarter past ten. Richard’s car was parked fifteen yards from the entrance to the restaurant.
He pulled the hood latch. It was time to set up the stage.
He took a bottle of chloroform and a rag from the small duffel bag sitting on the front passenger seat. Whistling ‘Jingle Bells,’ Richard poured some chloroform on the rag and then placed the rag in a plastic zipper bag. Now everything was ready for the show.
He put the zipper bag in his hoodie pocket. It would take him mere seconds to get the rag out when he needed it. He glanced at his watch. Seven minutes later he opened the hood and then climbed back behind the wheel.
Don showed up at five minutes to eleven. Somehow Richard had not seen him approach the restaurant.
“Sneaky motherfucker,” he whispered. He looked at Don’s photo to make sure he had the right man, and then got out of the car.
Mary's lover was standing by the entrance to the restaurant, casually scanning the vicinity. He was dressed in blue cargo shorts and a black Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt.
When Don glanced at him, Richard gritted his teeth with anger. Blood was beating in his temples. He was surprised to find that his legs were trembling. He drew a deep breath and walked unhurriedly up to Don. His legs were not shaking anymore. It was great to feel the handkerchief in his pocket.
"Excuse me," he said, looking at Don affably. He spoke in a voice a half octave higher than normal. "I hate to ask you, but, you see, I'm having trouble starting my car. Could you please give me a hand? It will only take two minutes."
"Sure. What do you want me to do?" Don replied.
What a moron this guy was! A murderer pretending to be a good Samaritan.
Collecting karma points whenever he can, Richard thought.
“I want you to switch on the ignition and press on the gas pedal while I fiddle with the engine. I’ll tell you when. It's very simple." Richard cracked a smile.
Don drew his eyebrows together.
Well, it looked like Don was going to change his mind.
Had Don somehow recognized his voice? Richard doubted that. In fact, he didn’t think Don had ever heard his voice.
"It will only take two minutes,” Richard said. “Please."
Don scratched his nose, nodded, and said, "Okay." He followed after Richard.
Richard walked confidently, with the air of a man who had nothing to hide, who was not up to something. He had no fear and wasn’t nervous at all.
They walked up to the car, and Richard said, opening the driver’s door, "Here you go. By the way, what’s your name?"
“Don.”
“I’m Jack. Thanks for your help, Don.”
Richard bent over the engine, pretending to examine it.
“How old is your car?” Don asked.
"Yeah, it’s not that new.” Richard peeked out from behind the hood. “Okay, turn the key now."
The engine started. Richard stepped to the driver's door and said, “Now please press on the gas pedal.”
"Okay." Don carried out his command. “So is it working now?”
"I’m not sure."
Don opened the door, perhaps intent on getting out of the car.
It was time to wrap this thing up, Richard decided as he stuck his hand into his pocket. He was about to take out the rag when he heard a woman's voice behind his back: "Excuse me, can you please tell me where Cedar Avenue is?"
Richard froze. The voice seemed very familiar. A moment later he recognized it. He turned around. Susie was standing in front of him.
He was taken aback for a moment. When he regained the ability to think, he quickly realized that Susie did not know it was him and Don. At least, she couldn’t know that for sure since his disguise was pretty solid. Either she was genuinely interested to know where Cedar Avenue was, or she was groping around, trying to stumble upon Don. One thing was clear: this bitch came here to catch him in the act. Stupid woman. Curiosity had gotten the better of her.
"I don't know, ma'am," Richard said calmly.
A look of surprise appeared on Susie's face. Richard wondered if she had recognized his voice. Perhaps he should work on his voice-changing skills.
Susie gazed at them for about ten seconds and then said, "Okay, I'll ask someone else."
Richard exchanged glances with Don, who kept silent. Susie turned around and walked away at a fast pace. Assuming she had recognized him, she must be asking herself why he had put on a wig, a fake moustache, and a fake beard.
"Can you step aside?" Don said.
"What?" Richard pulled his hand out of his pocket, without the chloroform soaked rag. "What did you say?"
Don growled irritatedly and said, “You’re in my way. I’m trying to get out of the car."
"Oh, sure." Richard stepped back. Then he wiped his forehead with his palm.
5.
When Richard came back home, he found the landline telephone ringing. It was Bob Logan.
"Hello, Richard. I'm glad I caught you home," Bob said.
Richard made a grimace. Now he would have to explain why he hadn’t answered his cellphone.
“Hello, Bob.”
“I tried your cell a few times, but you must have turned it off.”
“Yeah, I did turn it off.”
"Have you talked to the police?"
"No. I'm waiting for their call."
"I was there this morning and found out who is in charge of this case."
"I see." Richard breathed a weary sigh. He was tired of this fidgety jerk.
"His name is Norris. Steven Norris. I was told he’s a smart guy."
"That’s great."
Richard lowered himself on the couch and stretched out his legs.
"I talked to him. He said he would do his best to find Mary. He asked me to meet him the day after tomorrow."
"Good. What else did he tell you?" Richard shut his eyes.
"He said that we shouldn’t lose hope."
"It’s easy for him to say."
"I believe in him. I think he can find Mary. We must keep hoping."
"Yes, you’re right. Thank you for your support, Bob. You have no idea how terrible I feel. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. I think about Mary every second. The house feels so empty without her.”
"Hang in there, Richard. Everything will be all right.”
Richard was willing to bet that sooner or later Bob would suggest he smoke some weed to relieve the stress.
They were both silent for a while. Then Richard said, "I'm going to take your advice, Bob. I’ll try to be more optimistic."
"Do you want me to come over and keep you company?"
"You don’t need to do that. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay.”
“If you need my help, just let me know.”
“I wonder why she hasn’t called since Monday.”
“I wish I knew.” Bob cleared his thr
oat. “But I have a feeling that we’ll hear from her soon.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I don’t allow myself to think that she might be dead."
“I wish I could do that, too.”
After Bob hung up, Richard told himself that he had done a good job of playing a grieving husband. He was a natural born actor. Well, he had always known that.
6.
Why hadn't he taken care of Don? Why was he letting him go unpunished? This asshole was going to murder him.
Maybe he had gotten soft? Or lazy?
Or maybe he had lost his nerve?
Anyway, he needed to come up with a plan to find out where Don lived. He had concluded that setting up meetings with Don was not a good tactic.
At half past seven in the afternoon, Richard began to get ready for the visit to Susie. He had spent the previous hour devising his disguise, and in the end decided to wear sideburns, a thick moustache, and a dark brown medium-length wig.
Why was he going to see Susie? To punish her for coming to the restaurant?
No. He would just ask her a few questions. He would ask her if she had received any strange propositions in the last four days, and if she had met a man named Richard in the last four days. If she answered no to both questions, he would consider the matter closed. She had promised to forget him, and he was simply checking to see if she kept her promise. If she was a woman of her word, she would give the right answer.
Why in the world had she come to the restaurant? Richard could not think of a sensible explanation. Maybe she was curious. She must have expected that he and Don would have a fight or some sort of altercation.
Richard decided to go to Susie's place by taxi. Before leaving, he made sure that every window in his house was latched. Although he wasn’t certain that she was real, the woman in blue jeans still worried him.
7.
What was Susie doing right now? Taking a nap? Waiting for a client? Or maybe she was riding a client’s dick at a hotel? If Susie was not home, he would have to wait for her outside.
The cab stopped about fifty yards from the apartment house Susie lived in, Richard paid the driver and got out of the car. He tilted his head to the left and then to the right, stretching his neck muscles, and started toward the apartment building. By the time he reached the entrance, Richard had decided that he would not ask Susie to buzz him in.
