The Midnight Club

by Love, Michelle

  ‘Sam?’ She called out. ‘Baby?’ Nothing. She stopped, debating whether to follow the tracks or to go inside, into the warm house and call Sam. She chewed on her lip. If she was in any danger…she looked around. Listened. Silence. She made a decision, ran inside the house and went to find the little .22 from her purse. It was gone. Her heart clattered against her ribs. What the hell was going on?

  She pulled the door open and went outside again, following the tracks around. There was a distinct set of footprints – by the size of them it must be men’s footprints – and next to it, it looked like something had been dragged. The delivery guy maybe, Isa thought, but her heart had started to thump uncomfortably. They led around the house and down to the shoreline. Isa’s breathing came in little gasps now as the fear inside her grew.

  Then she saw the blood. Not much, a few drops, at irregular intervals along the tracks. After a few more feet, Isa stopped and closed her eyes. In front of her, the boathouse, its door flung open, the footprints leading inside. Bile rose up in Isa’s throat. The silence in the air around her made her heart sound like a drum. She opened her eyes and gripping the gun in front of her, covered the last few feet and walked into the boathouse. Then she saw him, and every muscle in her body went limp, and she fell to her knees.

  Face down in the water, hands bound behind his back, a gaping wound on the back of his head.

  Sam.

  Coming around, Louisa crawled over to the phone, clutching her hands to the stab wounds Cal had inflicted upon her. God, the pain was excruciating but no matter now, she had to get to a phone. Whatever Cal had done to her, he would inflict a hundred times more on Isa. There was madness in his eyes, complete and utter obsession.

  Zoe answered on the first ring and Louisa gasped out what she could. A stricken Zoe was calm, even though her voice shook.

  ‘Hold on, sweetheart, help is on its way, just hold on. Hold on. I’ll be with you soon.’

  Isa scrambled over to Sam, her fingers hooking into his shirt, yanking him out of the water onto the frozen mud. He was blue, his eyes closed, unresponsive. Dead.

  ‘No, no, no, no…’

  She bent her head to his face but couldn’t hear anything. No breath, no life. As she turned Sam onto his side and banged on his back to clear his throat of water, she realized she was screaming. Panic, grief, rage. She pounded on Sam’s back again and gasped as he choked out a mouthful of water.

  ‘Oh, my God, oh God, Sam.’ She sobbed as she pulled him into her arms, desperate to warm him. The stricken man coughed violently before gasping out her name, then falling unconscious. She clutched him to her, hearing him breathing. ‘Please wake up, baby, please. Tell me who did this to you.’

  Then she heard the footsteps behind her, the quiet chuckle of malice. No…No, it couldn’t be

  ‘Hello, Isa.’

  She closed her eyes, then, kissing Sam gently, she laid him gently back down to the earth, well away from the water and turned to face her tormentor. She should have known; she should have guessed. Cal leveled her own pistol at her and smiled.

  ‘Time to die, beautiful.’

  Louisa could feel her life drifting away as the paramedics worked on her and she couldn’t speak, couldn’t scream, couldn’t tell them to go find Isa and Sam and protect them.

  As her vision started to blur, she suddenly heard a familiar voice, one stricken with horror, calling her name.

  Zoe.

  She reached out a hand towards the voice, felt Zoe’s warm hand take hers, and felt her tears drip down onto Louisa’s face. ‘Oh sweetheart, sweetheart.’

  Louisa summoned the last of her strength. ‘Zoe. It’s Cal… Cal is going to kill her, save them… save them…’

  The last thing Louisa heard before she gave into unconsciousness again was Zoe telling her she loved her and that she would save them if it killed her to do it.

  Cal lunged for her and dragged her away from Sam’s prone body. ‘No need for my darling brother to find out who killed his beautiful wife now is there?’

  He dragged her through the snow back to the house, her strength no match for his. She struggled against him, yelling the whole way until he finally lost patience and, with the butt of the gun, cold-cocked her viciously, knocking her out. Finally, he picked her up into his arms and carried her to his killing room. The basement. He’d cleared it out, put a chair with binding at the center of it. He lowered Isa into it now, cutting the bodice of her dress open from throat to groin and bound her. Leather ties crisscrossed her body, the dark red of them against her dusky skin made Cal smile. They cross under her breasts, over her belly, around her hips. The effect was strangely erotic, and Cal felt himself get hard. No, stick to the plan, he told himself. Today, when she woke up, was the day when Isabel Levy would die. Slowly, in searing agony. He pulled up another chair and waited, tracing a light pattern with the knife around her deep navel. He could picture his knife sinking into it, the flesh parting as the steel sliced into her. He wondered if she would scream, or gasp, or beg him to stop. He hoped she would beg for her life.

  He hoped that very much.

  Sam opened his eyes, his vision coming in and out of focus. Isa. Isa had saved him. The pain in his head was excruciating, but he searched his vision for any sign of her. He knew she had been there; he could smell her perfume. Whoever had hit him from behind had been strong, very strong to be able to drag his six-five body out here to the boathouse. Isa would stand no chance against whoever it was. Sam staggered to his feet and lurched toward the house.

  I’m coming, baby, I’m coming…

  Cal couldn’t take his eyes from her, and he thought now that he couldn’t blame Sam and Karl for being so enchanted with this woman. Dudek – ha, he’d enjoyed torturing that sap before he had killed him – even then Karl’s loyalty to Isa hadn’t faltered. He had taken him to a small trailer out on one of the highways, a place no-one ever went, but was still connected to a power supply. The big chest freezer he’d installed only last week. He knew he would keep Karl’s body until he needed it. But first, he wanted to have some fun.

  ‘Strip.’

  The gun was pressed to his forehead, but Karl Dudek didn’t move. Cal cocked his head to the side, amused. ‘You think you can disobey me, moron? Strip.’ Karl looked into the taller man’s eyes and saw the blankness there. No humanity. Trembling, he pulled his clothes off, let them drop to the floor.

  Cal smirked. ‘And your underwear.’ Karl dropped his shorts, cupping his genitals. Cal motioned to the chair and Karl sat.

  ‘You don’t scare me.’ Karl’s voice was scratchy. Cal laughed, and pulling out a handkerchief, started to open the drawers in the trailer’s kitchen. ‘I ain’t got nothing worth taking.’

  Cal turned back to him. ‘Now Karl, you do yourself a disservice.’ He pulled something out of a drawer and handed it to him. A knife. Karl frowned, fear starting to curl his stomach. ‘You have something I very much want to take.’

  Karl stared at him, not understanding. Cal sat down on the bunk next to his chair, fixed the gun at him. ‘Slice your finger. Do it.’

  Karl obeyed, slicing the tip of his index finger. Cal looked at the cupboards next to him. ‘Write…’I’m sorry.’

  Slowly, Karl realized what was going to happen. ‘No. You wanna kill me, you’re going to have to shoot me.’ His face set with determination. Cal smiled. It was strangely sensual.

  ‘Karl… I know you want Isa to be safe…don’t you, Karl?’ He leaned in so his face was an inch from Karl’s. Karl tried not to show how scared he was.

  ‘You leave her alone.’

  ‘Well now that’s very much in your hands, Karl. Because by the end of the night one of you will be dead. And either you do as I tell you - sacrifice yourself for her - or I’ll put a knife in her gut. I’ll kill her and it won’t be quick, Karl, I can promise you that.’ He smiled pleasantly.

  Karl was shaking uncontrollably. He smelled his own piss, warm, pungent, felt it pool on the seat, heard it drip o
n the floor. Cal looked at him, contempt. He gestured to the cabinets again.

  ‘Write.’

  Karl obeyed. His whole body felt cold, numb. Cal watched him, his eyes unblinking.

  ‘Now,’ and his smile terrified Karl,’ disembowel yourself.’

  Karl stared at him, uncomprehending. Cal sighed.

  ‘Cut yourself open. Can I make it simpler, moron? Either you stick that knife in your gut and slice it open… or she dies.’

  Cal waited. Karl closed his eyes, murmured a prayer and, taking a deep breath in, rammed the blade into his abdomen. Agony beyond belief. He screamed and Cal shoved an oily rag into his mouth to silence him. Karl choked and gagged, jerking the knife along his belly, begging for God to take him now, please God, now…

  As Karl Dudek cut himself open, Cal Petersen laughed, put his lips to the dying man’s ear and whispered. ‘You fool. You utter fool…you can’t save her, no one can. Hear this Karl, hear this. I’m going to kill her anyway….’

  She knew it was over when she opened her eyes and saw how she’d been bound. This is it, Isa thought calmly; this is the end. She looked up and held Cal’s gaze, saying nothing.

  He smiled at her. ‘Hey, gorgeous.’

  Isa stayed silent. She would not give him the satisfaction. She kept her face calm despite the lurching terror she felt and when Cal showed her the knife in his hand.

  ‘You look so beautiful tonight, Isabel. So, beautiful.’

  Silence. Cal smiled and ran the tip of the knife down her cheek. ‘No one is coming to save you now.’

  ‘Go fuck yourself.’ Quiet. Calm. Measured.

  Cal smirked – and she saw him grip the handle of the knife. She waited for the pain.

  ‘Isa!’

  A voice from far away. Sam’s voice. Both Cal and Isa looked towards it, then at each other.

  ‘Fuck.’ Cal stood, and suddenly Isa was scared he’d kill Sam. No. No-one else. But Cal turned back to her with a smile. ‘Shame. I was going to enjoy doing this slowly.’

  ‘Like I said,’ Isa said in a low tone. ‘Go fuck yourself.’ Then she drew in a long breath and screamed with all the strength she had left. ‘Sam!’

  Cal growled and drove the knife deep into her belly. She gasped; the pain was unimaginable, but Cal did not stop, stabbing her over and over, frenzied, merciless.

  Isa could taste blood – her blood – felt her entire body go cold as she bled out. Cal twisted the knife in her stomach, and she groaned as the steel sliced through her.

  Sam… Isabel Flynn’s last conscious thought was of her love, her beautiful, wonderful, love and how he would be destroyed by this.

  Sam…I’m sorry…I love you…I love you…I…

  He heard her scream and adrenaline coursed through Sam’s body as he turned towards the sound of it. Then he heard another choked-off cry, a cry of agony.

  No. No, this wasn’t happening.

  Karl Dudek was dead, confirmed dead. She should have been safe. Sam stumbled through the house, trying to hear her voice again but now all he heard was the blood rushing in his ears.

  Cal’s frenzy calmed, and he threw the knife to the ground, taking in what he had done. Isa was struggling to breathe, her lovely eyes agonized, confused, her beautiful body ruined by his knife. She choked, coughing up blood and Cal laughed.

  ‘Sam will be here any second. And he’ll know; he doesn’t win this time. He’s so goddamned crazy about you this will destroy him. Your death will kill everything he is; he’ll be broken.’

  He stroked her face then cut her bindings and laid her on the floor. Her eyes were closed, and her breath was coming in faint gasps now. He bent down and kissed her still warm lips. ‘Goodbye, beautiful Isabel. This really is the end.’

  He left her bleeding out and slipped into the shadows, wanting to hear the moment Sam found her.

  ‘Isa? Oh God, no, no, no, no, no, no… please… help me! Someone help me! Isa, please, no…’

  Cal heard the horror in his brother’s voice, the heartbreak, the terror and he smiled. In a few hours, he would be by his side, comforting him, acting the strong supportive brother, telling him over and over that they would never stop hunting for Isa’s killer. In seconds, he was out of the hospital and into the inky Washington night.

  Sam fell to his knees beside her. ‘No…. no…’ He couldn’t breathe. Isa. She was so still, so silent. God, what she must have gone through, the terror… the pain….

  He gathered her to him, and she moaned slightly. Alive. Oh thank God…

  ‘Baby? I’m here, I’m here, please stay with me…’

  Isa murmured something and Sam tried to make it out but then her head fell back, and she passed out. He scrambled for his cell phone, praying the attacker hadn’t cut them off. As he called the emergency services, he could not take his eyes from his love. Please, don’t let me be too late.

  Isa opened her eyes and gazed at him, mouthing something. I love you…

  ‘I love you too, baby, just please, please hold on for me.’

  She nodded and tried to speak again. He bent his ear to her mouth.

  She said one word.

  Cal.

  And with that word, Sam’s world came crashing down.

  Sam asked Cal to meet him at the apartment later that day. Sam waited for Cal to arrive, a feeling of calm in his body. He still couldn’t believe what Isa had told him. One word. Cal.

  Focus. Breathe. See this through. Halsey knew, he was on his way. Sam had spoken to him at the hospital and Halsey, although conflicted, had said to him, ‘Do what you have to do.’

  Sam was grateful to him. More than anything now, he needed to know. Why?

  He closed his eyes against the images of Isa’s bleeding and broken body lying so still in his arms.

  ‘Bro? Where you at?’ Cal. So calm. So nonchalant. Sam looked up as Cal walked into the room.

  ‘What’s up? You look terrible.’ So much fake concern.

  Sam fixed his brother with a stare.

  ‘Isa’s dead.’

  Cal was staring at him in horror. ‘What?’

  Sam gazed back at his brother. ‘She’s been murdered. I found her. God, so much blood.’

  Cal shook his head. ‘No, no. God, Sam, I’m so… how?’

  ‘God, my god, my god, Isa…’ Even though he was giving a performance, the horror of what had happened hit him, Sam’s legs gave way, and he sank to the ground, sobbing. Cal rushed to him, holding his older brother as he cried out like a wounded animal. ‘Cal, how can she be gone? Why would anyone do that to her? My girl…. my girl…’

  ‘Christ, Sam, I’m so sorry.’

  ‘I call the paramedics straight away, but they couldn’t save her.’

  ‘Oh, my god.’

  The two brothers were silent as Sam gathered himself. ‘Before she died, she told me something, Cal.’

  Cal shook his head, smiling. ‘What was that?’

  ‘She told me who stabbed her.’

  ‘Did she?’ Cal was grinning now, knowing exactly what he was going to say.

  Sam was very still. Taking in his half-brother’s smug, all-knowing, murderous smirk. How was this possible?

  ‘I can’t believe this is happening.’ Sam got up and threw up into a trash can. No, this couldn’t be happening. It was all true. Cal had stabbed Isa, had stalked her, terrorized her and then finally he had kept his promise and brutalized her. He couldn’t help but picture Cal stabbing his love, driving his knife into her again and again, wanting to see the light go from her eyes. Beyond doubt now, angry sobs coming from him, he turned – and Cal was pointing a gun at him.

  ‘You killed her.’

  Cal smiled. ‘Of course I did. Do you want to know what it felt like to stick that knife in her? Heaven. After all this time. She was brave, very calm. And I told her why: that you have everything and I had nothing our whole lives. That she was the final straw.’

  Sam shook his head. ‘How did you have nothing? You had everything I did: money, opportun
ity. Everything.’

  ‘Except our father’s love.’

  Sam laughed humorlessly. ‘You’re kidding, right? You killed my beautiful girl because Daddy didn’t love you? You sick fuck. He never loved anyone after my mother was murdered. He took your mom in after she got pregnant with you and gave her a good life. Gave you everything I ever had. Yeah, he had trouble expressing love. Poor, poor, fucking psycho Cal. Did you do Paul and Seb too?’

  Cal smirked nastily. ‘Yep. But Isa was the prize. God, you have any idea of how long I planned to kill her?’

  He moved closer to Sam, who stayed silent, the rage in him building. Cal leaned in. ‘Since that first time you fucked her. I saw you, I followed you out to that island, to the gallery. When I saw her… god, I wanted her? Who wouldn’t? But of course, you got there first. How long was it before she let you fuck her? An hour? Two? Whore. When you two were asleep, I got into the apartment and just watched you. I wondered about putting a knife in her then, have you wake up to her dead beside you. But then, I thought: No. Let him fall in love with her, let him know he could never live without her and then take her away in the worst, most brutal way. Which what I did.’ He smiled. ‘You were too late by seconds, Sam. Seconds.’

  Sam roared then and charged him. Cal fired at him, and Sam felt the red-hot iron of the bullet in his shoulder, but he didn’t care. He plowed into Cal and knocked him back, onto the floor, his hands around his half-brother’s throat. Cal was laughing.

  ‘Do you think I care if you kill me now, Sammy? Do you honestly think I care anymore? I did what I meant to do.’