Unleashed - The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club Part 2

by Duncan Whitehead

  “Honey, please, keep your voice down,” he pleaded, indicating the room next door and their sleeping daughter.

  “Honey? Don’t you ever call me ‘honey’.”

  “Veronica, I love you, I love Katie, and as soon as I met you I stopped. I retired. I thought I could start my life all over again. I gave it all up, the killing, the double life, the money, all for you.”

  Veronica looked at him incredulously, as if he was nothing but a piece of dirt on her shoe, a piece of dirt she wished she could scrape off.

  “But you didn’t tell me. You didn’t tell me, you didn’t love me enough to trust me. I fell in love with you, or whoever ‘you’ were back then. Our whole life is based on lies.” She was sobbing harder now, streams of tears rolled down her face, and she put her head in her hands. “Can’t you see? Can’t you see what you have done? Don’t you understand that everything we have done together; our life, Katie, everything, it is all a lie?”

  Doug lowered his head once more in shame. What had he done? She was right of course. His whole life was a lie, and he did not know what he regretted most, the murders and the killings, the lies he had told Veronica, or the fact he had confessed.

  “And for what, Doug? For what?” asked Veronica in between her tears of not only sadness but rage.

  “We have nothing, we are broke, you sit at home all day while I work. I drive a crappy car. I come home and look after Katie while you write your stupid book. I read a bit of it; it is crap by the way, no one will read it anyway. You have no idea what you have done. You have destroyed this family, destroyed me. You promised me so much, you always said you were looking for work, looking for a job here in Savannah. I believed you, Doug. I believed you. And now- and now you think you can just leave, walk away? Disappear from our lives? You tell me you are in danger, that if you don’t leave ‘something’ may happen? Just what, Doug? Just what? Are you going to be arrested, exposed for what you have done? Tell me, you son of a bitch, tell me!”

  Doug did not answer immediately. He took a deep breath and reached for his briefcase and opened it.

  Veronica sneered at him. “What, are you going to kill me now? Then Katie?”

  Doug stared at his wife, a long cold stare that Veronica had never seen before, a stare that though it frightened her, she found attractive. Doug was a handsome man, he was fit, she found him sexy, and despite the emotions of hate and disgust she was feeling she was still attracted to him, and, though she would probably never admit it, the fact that her husband was a cold blooded killer, irrelevant of her other feelings, she still loved him.

  Doug handed Veronica two pieces of paper.

  “We are not broke. This money is yours, yours and Katie’s. It is in an account in your name. Your name only.”

  Veronica took the documents. It was a bank statement in her name at a bank somewhere in the Cayman Islands, according to the letter headed pages.

  Veronica put her hand to her mouth. “Oh my God,” she said, “this is how much money you have?”

  “Had,” replied Doug “it is yours now, and Katie’s, not mine. All of it.”

  “I thought we were broke,” said Veronica. “You told me you had retired, that you had no money, where did this come from?” she said waiving the statement in the air. “This is more money than I could ever spend. I can live off the interest alone. Doug, please, you need to tell me the truth, where did this money come from?”

  For the second time that evening Doug took a deep breath.

  “I came out of retirement, for the last few months I have been working again. I—”

  Veronica raised her hand, indicating to Doug that she did not want to hear anymore.

  “So those trips you said were job interviews, all lies?”

  “Yes,” answered Doug.

  “So you are still killing people? You are not retired, everything you just said about retiring, about starting again, about feeling ashamed is not true? You are still killing people?”

  For the first time that evening Doug lied. “No.”

  Veronica sighed with relief.

  “The money is back pay, money I was owed; it is my severance package, so to speak,” he lied again.

  “It doesn’t change a thing, Doug, you know that don’t you?” said Veronica, as she clutched the bank statement. “You do know that things can never be the same; that it is over between us?”

  Doug shook his head. “It doesn’t have to be,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be over. Look, that money is yours, no one can take it from you, no one, it is enough for you to start a new life, enough so you never have to work again. I know I repulse you right now, but I swear, on Katie’s life, there is a way we can work this out.”

  Veronica shook her head. “How? How on earth can we work this out?”

  “I am still the man you married. What you have seen is the real me. Yes, I had a past, yes I did some bad things, but it doesn’t change the fact that I love you, that I love you with all my heart. That I love Katie. You have everything, all the money, everything, the house is even in your name. I want you to be happy, but I want you to consider something. I want you to consider that we start again. We move; we disappear and start again. I have people who will help us, help us with new identities, passports, new names. We can live anywhere. Katie will grow up happy, receive a good education and we can move on from this. I am asking for a second chance. I have been honest with you, albeit delayed, but I have told you everything.”

  Veronica Partridge stared at the figures on the paper in front of her. He was right. The money was enough to live on forever. Katie would be secure. But Doug? The trust was gone, he had destroyed everything. But he was still Katie’s father and despite everything he was a good father.

  “Then why are you leaving, Doug? Why are you in danger?” she asked.

  “The people I work for,” Doug corrected himself, “worked for, are finished, it is over; I don’t know the full details, but it seems some people may have been compromised, some other people, I mean colleagues I guess, whom I never met obviously, and they may be on the verge of arrest. I am not sure if my name is on that list or not.”

  “Your name?” asked Veronica “What name? Doug, Dave, John? I don’t even know your real name, do I, Doug? What list?”

  Doug ignored Veronica’s questions and continued to speak. “I need to leave, disappear, I have a place I can go. Until this thing settles down at least. I just need you to trust me on this. This thing is bigger than me, and I believe I am safe, but it is just too risky for me to stay here. I have to go. Your money is safe, Veronica, there is no link to me. All I am asking is that you give me a chance, help me get out of this.”

  “You swear to me that you are retired?” said Veronica.

  “I did already. But I will again, I swear.” Doug took his wife’s hand, and this time she did not push him away. “I need to leave, tonight, but I promise you I want this, us, to work. I want to watch Katie grow up, I want to be with you, and I love you. If I could, I would go back in time and change everything, but I can’t. Please, all I am asking for is time, and I know you need time. Just give me a second chance.”

  Veronica was silent. The money was in her name. The house was in her name. Doug was leaving anyway, that was obvious, his bag was packed and there was no turning back. She had options. She could simply call the police, have him arrested there and then, but if she did that… the money, would she lose it? What about Katie? Whatever decision she made, irrelevant of her feelings for Doug, had to be based on her child. The consequences of Doug being arrested could result in her losing everything; the house, the money, all of it, even if he did say it was safe. If Doug were to leave that night and not return, then she could start again on her own, just her and Katie, but Katie loved her father, and it would break her heart, but kids were resilient; she was only two, in a few years she wouldn’t even remember him.

  “Okay,” she said finally. “I need time, a lot of time. I need to think. I need to decide what is b
est not just for me, but for Katie.”

  “I understand that,” said Doug. “Look, I have it all worked out. All you need to do is tell everyone I left you, that you have no idea where I am. That I simply got up one morning and left. I have no friends here, no one even knows me, and those old biddies in the park are the only ones I ever see anyway. All you need to do is report me as a missing person. That’s it. You can access the money; it is totally untraceable, so think about it. You can have anything and everything you want, a new car, no need to work, spend every day with Katie. Just you and her. Give me six months, six months to let all this die down. It is all I am asking.”

  Veronica Partridge hated her job. She hated not being at home with Katie. She was also envious, envious of her friends who drove nice cars, spent their afternoons shopping and their mornings working out at the gym. She was envious of those women who could get their nails done and not feel guilty about spending money, envious of those housewives who spent the day gossiping, cooking and who spent every moment they could with their children. She was envious of the soccer moms who seemed to not have a care in the world, who never seemed to struggle. She wanted more out of life. To relax, not to work, she wanted to join the Junior League, she wanted to wear nice clothes, buy jewelry, and she wanted those friends who lived those perfect lives to be envious of her. She didn’t need Doug around for that, not now, she had the money.

  “Veronica? Veronica?” said Doug, to his wife, who seemed to be miles away in her thoughts. “I will do anything to protect this family, anything. You and Katie are fine. Even if they are looking for me, even if I am in danger, you are not. “

  “All I do is report you as missing?” asked Veronica.

  “Yes, I will leave tonight, and you won’t hear from me until I know it is safe. Then, if you want me back, we can start again. It is what I want. But, if you don’t want me back, if you want me out of your life forever, out of Katie’s life, then I will be. It is up to you.”

  “You know I am going to quit my job tomorrow, right?” she said. “And buy a new car?”

  “You can do what you want,” said Doug.

  “Doug, tell me something, is this true? That we could start again? That it is over, the killings and the murders? That if I do what you ask, report you as a missing person, that Katie and I will be safe?”

  Doug nodded. “Yes, I swear.”

  “There is no one else? This isn’t just an excuse so you can run away with another woman?”

  For the first time that evening Doug smiled. “No, honey, there is no ‘other’ woman. I have told you everything.”

  Veronica took a breath and sighed. She knew Doug wouldn’t cheat. At least that was something. “What if I meet someone,” she asked, “when you are gone? What if I fall in love and meet somebody else, then what?”

  “Then I would kill him,” said Doug, the cold icy stare returning to his face. “I am joking,” he said, smiling. “Look, this is my mess, this is my problem, and I just hope that you wait for me. I am not going to do anything. I have to say though, I am surprised you would even think that, you know, meeting another man and all.”

  Veronica shook her head “Doug, I am not thinking that, it was just a question. I have no intention of meeting anyone. Anyway, the only guy I would even consider ever cheating with in this town has already left his wife and found someone else anyway, apparently.”

  Before Doug could respond, his wife continued, “Now I am joking. I am talking about Tom Hudd. At least you aren’t leaving me for another woman like he probably did; at least you are giving me some notice.”

  Doug didn’t respond, he simply smiled, apparently at his wife’s joke.

  Ten minutes later Doug left. He kissed his daughter on the forehead as she slept, clutching her stuffed rabbit as she stirred before returning to a deep sleep. He took his briefcase and the small suitcase and walked to the front door. He stared into Veronica’s face.

  “I do love you,” he said, “and I am sorry.” Veronica did not respond immediately. Despite everything, despite the fact that she didn’t even know his real name, despite the fact he had lied, despite the fact she was angry, she still loved the man she had married. She still loved Doug Partridge. She still loved the Doug Partridge she had met three years ago.

  “Be safe,” she said as she kissed Doug on the cheek.

  “I will, I promise,” he replied.

  “What’s that?” asked Veronica, pointing to a piece of paper that she saw protruding from Doug’s jacket pocket.

  “Nothing, just a note from a friend.”

  Veronica watched as Doug disappeared into the night. She had no idea where he was heading, no idea how he would get there, or any idea when she would hear from him. She looked down at her fingers. Tomorrow she would get a manicure.

  CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

  The cab pulled into Gordonston and he handed over a fifty dollar bill and told the driver to keep the change. He slammed the door and began to run.

  * * * * *

  Stefan entered her yard and could see her clearly. He tugged at the rope; it would suffice.

  * * * * *

  Heidi Launer knew what she really needed to do. It was either this or giving the Jew the satisfaction of either disgracing her or worse, killing her. She raised the Luger and placed it on her forehead. Heidi could feel the cold steel of the pistol against her skin. She must be brave. This was the only way. She could not live with the shame of her friends and neighbors knowing that her whole life had been a lie. Not that she wasn’t proud of her history or her beliefs. She was. She was proud of her family, her uncle, the philosophy that he had preached. As far as she was concerned, it was nothing to be ashamed of. But others, others would not understand, they would banish her from the community, she would be shunned, no one would speak to her, these pathetic Americans with the false ideals and ridiculous notions. No, she would rather die a noble death than become an outcast. Let them find out the truth after her death. Let them say what they wanted. As long as she was not around to hear it, what did she care?

  Heidi drew in a deep breath and sat upright in her chair. She rose. With the Luger in her right hand, now firmly pressed against her forehead, she lifted her left hand skyward, and, just before she pressed the trigger, at the top of her voice, shouted, “Siege Heil!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  Carla returned to Cindy’s home and let herself in. Walter immediately rushed to play with his old friend Paddy. Cindy was still sleeping, and Carla also felt tired. She sat back on the chair by the kitchen table and sighed. Death. So unpredictable, like life really. How ironic; a nice boy like Billy being killed so young, while others went through life hurting, lying and cheating, and not a bad thing ever happened to them. But sometimes, sometimes people did get their comeuppance….

  * * * * *

  She had noticed him the moment he and Kelly had arrived in Gordonston. He was simply a beautiful looking man; rugged and handsome, fit, charming and he just oozed sex appeal. Carla, by her own admittance, had had many lovers. She knew that she looked half her age, she knew she was still an attractive woman, but even she could not surely compete with the looks of Kelly Hudd.

  Carla Zipp had, for the most part, always gotten what she wanted. As a dancer in Las Vegas she had many men at her fingertips who would fawn over her, wine and dine her, buy her expensive gifts, jewelry and clothes. She was never short of admirers. She had become used to the attention and half expected it. Gino, especially, had declared his undying love for her, and of course it had been he to whom she had turned whenever she needed anything. No matter where she went, she was always the woman other women envied and their husbands desired.

  The only thing Carla hadn’t got, something that she truly wanted, was a happy marriage. Her husband, Ian, had it all, a great job, money and a wife over whom his friends and colleagues lusted. But that hadn’t been enough for him. More than anything, Ian’s cheating with his younger secretary had hurt Carla’s pride. Mainly because Ca
rla considered herself more attractive than the floozy who was sleeping with her boss, Carla’s husband. It was, of course, her old flame Gino who had restored her pride. She had played the role of grieving and betrayed widow perfectly. For many of her husband’s former friends it was inconceivable he would even consider cheating on his wife. But he had and he had paid the price for it.

  Carla Zipp felt that she deserved a man who was compatible with her looks and sex appeal, and only one man she knew fit that bill — Tom Hudd. She had desired him from afar, just as others had desired her. She was jealous of Kelly — how lucky that girl was to have a husband like Tom. Carla felt that it was as if Kelly was a younger version of her, but living the perfect life that had eluded Carla. Whenever Kelly would appear at the park with Shmitty, she would force a smile and join in with compliments with Heidi and Cindy about how beautiful Kelly was, how she had the perfect life, how she should really be a model. But behind the false smile and behind the compliments Carla had a plan. She would get what she wanted one day. She would get Tom Hudd.

  * * * * *

  Carla opened her eyes, and reached for the glass of lemonade on Cindy’s table. She raised it to her lips, but before she could drink, Walter and Paddy came rushing into the kitchen. “Calm down you two,” she scolded, “you will wake poor Cindy.”

  She closed her eyes again and recalled the day she and Tom had met in the park, the day that she had once again gotten what she had wanted, the day that would eventually lead to the death of Tom.

  * * * * *

  The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club had adjourned their afternoon session in the park. Cocktails had been drunk, dogs had been exercised and gossip had been shared. Heidi and Cindy had retrieved Fuchsl and Paddy, but Walter was not cooperating. He was too interested in a squirrel he had been chasing that had climbed a tree. Walter was ignoring his mistress’ commands to heel. As far as he was concerned, this pesky squirrel was far more important than going home to be fed.