This Guy Kills Me

by Anlyn Hansell

  “I married Harry in 1958, he was a Detroit cop. He wanted kids and we had two, Karen and Mark. I tried to quit my job, but they wouldn’t let me. They said I was too valuable, too capable. You know, it was weird for a woman to have a job back then – a married woman with kids, that is. It bothered Harry, but he liked the extra income and he really liked the Cadillac. He didn’t want anyone to know how much money I made, I made more than him. He was a patrolman and that was Ok with him. He never moved up, not like Mar…” she seemed to catch herself before continuing, “Oh, anyway, Delphine watched the kids for me when they were little and then they pretty much were at her house before and after school when they were old enough. I missed so much of their lives. I tried to do it all, but I feel like I failed all of them. No wonder he slept with her. I was always so tired -”

  “What he did was wrong. Don’t blame yourself,” Jane stated gently as her hand clasped Betty’s on top of the table. Betty gave a small sniff and continued.

  “He died ten years ago, I had no idea any of this was going on. I couldn’t even bring myself to go through his stuff until last year. I loved him so much, Jane. I did. I just…kept his personal stuff in boxes; I thought it would be too painful to look at. When I moved to the home I’m in now, I opened one of the boxes and I found it. It was a note to someone named DeeDee, it wasn’t finished yet, he didn’t sign it but it implied that he had written others. He told her that he loved her and always would and the time he spent with her was the best time of his life. I thought it was to Doris Dunkirk – I mean, DeeDee? Right? It made sense to me. She lived down the block, she was so beautiful, he always commented on how nice she looked, or how funny she was. I was jealous of her, I can admit that, now. I was never a beautiful woman. Harry said I was accomplished. He said what drew him to me was my personality. Not my looks, just my competence. He liked that I didn’t take shit from anyone -”

  “Well, that’s certainly true,” Jane commented wryly.

  “Yeah, well…I guess I owe Doris an apology.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “That’s gonna suck.”

  “Yes, it will,” Jane nodded.

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She stated before taking a healthy drink from her beer bottle.

  “No problem. Can I ask you a question?” Jane began cautiously.

  “Sure.”

  “The pictures on the wall at Karen’s house; someone is cut out of them. Who is it?”

  Betty sat silently for a moment, clearly contemplating her answer. “Someone we don’t talk about,” she finally admitted.

  “Ah…Ok?”

  “You’ll have to ask Joe about that. I…it’s not really my place to…” She trailed off as she shook her head from side to side. Apparently this was a touchy subject.

  “All right,” Jane responded gently. “What about Joe? I didn’t see him in any of the pictures, just the Army discharge certificate.”

  “He’s in the pictures.”

  “Really? I didn’t -”

  “He’s changed. A lot. That poor kid…” Betty stated with a faraway look in her eyes. “He had a horrible childhood. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this…” She started, her discomfort was palpable.

  “He’s very…secretive. I can’t read him. I just want to know him better and maybe I’m being intrusive. I don’t mean to be, he’s just such a mystery to me.”

  “Do you care about him?”

  Do I? Yes, I think I do…I don’t know why I do…

  “Yes.”

  Betty took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on Jane’s.

  “The taller kid? The one in the pictures? That’s Joe,” she admitted quietly. “He had terrible acne. The kids in his school – Oh, they were such assholes to him. He couldn’t help it. Back then, there wasn’t all this fancy crap you could put on your face. He was so self-conscious about it and those punk shits at school made it even worse. I felt so bad for him,” she stated. “He joined the Army right after High School, did a couple of tours in the Middle East and came back a changed man. He’s very handsome now, huh?”

  Jane gave a noncommittal shrug; then nodded her head under Betty’s knowing gaze.

  “He is. He’s very handsome. I don’t think he thinks so, but he is. You should see women look at him, and it’s like he has no idea.”

  “He’s a good man. He’s a little messed up in the head, I think, but aren’t we all?”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Jane raised her beer and took a sip.

  “So what’s your story?” Betty asked.

  “My story? Well, you already know it, I think,” Jane supplied nervously.

  “Nah, the rest of it. How did you meet Joe? Do you really work for him?”

  How to answer that one…

  “Umm -”

  “He’s stringing John along. If he has other investments, he needs to cut John loose. You tell him that. He doesn’t listen to me,” Betty shared before taking another sip of her beer.

  “Who’s John?”

  “Mark’s son. My grandson, Joe’s cousin. How can you work for him and not know who John is? See? That’s fishy.” Betty raised one of her eyebrows further wrinkling her forehead.

  “I told you he’s secretive. What does Joe have to do with John?” Jane muttered.

  “Joe lent John money when he started his insurance business. Now John’s a huge success and he wants to buy Joe out, but he doesn’t return calls, doesn’t come to family functions, is he really holding out for a half million? He better not. 250 Grand is more than generous. This is family for cryin’ out loud.”

  Holy ton of money.

  “250 Grand?” She stammered.

  “Sure. More than generous, if you ask me. Joe has more money than he’ll ever spend. I mean, he puts me up in that swanky home; he pays all of Karen’s medical bills and a 24-hour nurse. He tried to move her to an assisted living place, but Karen’s stubborn. She’s like me. Her liver is failing, by the way. You were staring at her – Hey, is that why you said she wasn’t taking her meds? Were you reading her? I thought you were a weirdo at the time, but now it makes sense -”

  “Yeah, I have this thing. I see it and I have to say it. It’s really bizarre. I can’t control it.”

  “Have you ever tried?”

  “Tried what?”

  “Controlling it? I mean, I just blurt stuff out, but I get away with it, because I’m old. You on the other hand, you could get yourself into trouble.”

  “I’m really good at fighting. I have to be; otherwise I’d get the crap kicked out of me on a daily basis,” Jane admitted.

  “Hmmm,” she seemed to contemplate that. “I really like you Jane,” she stated after a moment’s hesitation.

  “You do?”

  “Sure. I’m sorry I was such a bee-yotch to you earlier.”

  The term caused a small giggle to escape Jane. Maybe it was the beer. It was so strange coming from an old lady.

  “Bee-yotch?”

  “Yeah, you should hear kids talk these days. I just say that stuff to annoy Joe and make people laugh. I know it’s kind of funny.”

  “It is. I like you too, Betty.” Jane smiled warmly at the woman seated opposite of her.

  “Yeah, enough with the mushy stuff, I’m going to smoke.” She pushed out of the booth and made her way to the side door. She noticed Jack hop off his stool to follow her, causing a smile to form on her face. Her smile quickly turned to a frown when she noticed Ted hop off his stool. He was rounding the bar, his intended destination clear, his…wait?

  A pair of pants stepped into her line of vision blocking Ted.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  She didn’t even have to look up to know who was speaking.

  Chapter 8

  “Where’s Betty?” was the next question and she heard an audible gulp that undoubtedly came from her own throat.

  “Jaaaane?” he drawled it out in that annoying way of his.

  “She’s um, in the
bathroom?” She was taking a guess he wouldn’t be so thrilled about the smoking…

  Her eyes traveled slowly from his jeans to his shirt to his face, cast in shadow. He seemed very ominous standing and looking down on her. It was completely unnerving.

  Finally, he moved to the side and slipped into the bench opposite her revealing Ted looking quite forlorn as he stood next to the bar. Joe’s arrival obviously put a hitch in his plans.

  “I’ll ask again. What are you doing here?”

  “Ah…Bingo was…sort of boring? And -”

  “So you took my Grandma to a bar? A dive bar? What is wrong with you?”

  “She wanted to go.”

  “She’s eighty years old!” he grated out in a low voice.

  “She’s an adult. If she wants to go the bar, she can go to the bar.” Jane shrugged, further pissing him off, or at least she was gathering that from his expression.

  A deep breath and a release was his only answer.

  “How did you find us?”

  “Ankle bracelet. Thank god, otherwise…apparently I still can’t trust you.”

  “Sooo…how was work?” she threw out, hoping to distract him.

  “Don’t change the subject. How many did you have to drink?”

  “Ah…this would be number three.”

  “As soon as she gets out from the bathroom, we’re leaving. I’m driving. Three beers and how many shots?” He lifted the empty shot glass in front of him.

  “Three.”

  “And you were going to drive home?” His expression was positively murderous.

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. We‘ve been…talking.”

  “About what?” His expression changed in an instant. Now he looked concerned.

  A cackle and a snort, accompanied by male laughter filled the small bar as Betty made her way back into the bar followed by Jack.

  She immediately walked up to the booth and took no notice of Jane’s widened eyes sending out a subliminal message of doom to her.

  “That Jack, he’s so…oh shit.”

  “Oh shit is right. We’re leaving.” Joe turned his frown toward Betty.

  “Hi Scooter. How did you find us?” She sat down and began to slide toward him. He immediately began to sniff then grimace as he looked from Betty to Jane.

  “You let her smoke?”

  “I -” Jane started.

  “Dammit Jane!”

  “She doesn’t want anyone wiping her ass,” Jane supplied feebly.

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  A snort from Betty accompanied a nervous shrug from Jane as he continued to look from one to the other.

  “You’re both drunk. This is fantastic, Jane. Perfect. Let’s go.”

  “Jane’s psychic,” Betty blurted.

  “No, she’s not. She’s a charlatan, you’re drunk and I’m taking you home.”

  “She is! She outed Delphine tonight. DeeDee wasn’t Doris Dunkirk, it was Delphine Masterson. It was amazing. Apparently your Grandfather liked to park it in the rear,” she stated as Jane’s eyes grew to the size of saucers and her head shook from side to side.

  “What are you…never mind. This is insane.”

  “Do it, Jane. Prove it to him. Give him the old stare down.”

  “He doesn’t believe me. I told you he’s closed off.”

  “Betty, scooch your ass out of this booth now.”

  “Just look at her. For a second. This is crazy -”

  “She’s crazy. I should have known better. What the hell was I thinking?” he was having a conversation with himself, apparently.

  “Come on, look at her…”

  He let his breath out with an agitated whoosh. “Fine. Then we’re leaving.” He turned his face to Jane’s and furrowed his brow.

  “Go for it, girlie. Do your thing,” Betty commanded.

  Nothing. Other than intense displeasure. She didn’t need to be a psychic to pick up on that.

  “I can’t…like I said, he’s closed off.”

  “See?” One of his dark brows shot up and the slightest of smirks crossed his face.

  “I ran into Assface 2 yesterday. You know, it’s your 15-year reunion tomorrow night,” Betty remarked with a sly grin on her face.

  “Who is ‘Assface 2’ and who gives a crap about my reunion?” He was still looking at Jane. The small light above the table illuminated her face, casting an almost ethereal glow to her perfect skin…

  “Joanne Silvano? Ring a Bell? She drives around town in her Hummer, her matching Hummer ’cause apparently just one Hummer wasn’t enough of a statement. So Tony has a license plate that says ASFC1 and she has one that says ASFC 2. It’s supposed to stand for ‘Anthony Silvano Financial Consultant’. Did you know that? He ran his Dad’s company in the ground, took the money that was left and opened up a consulting company. Who the hell wants to hire that loser?”

  Jane’s vision began to tunnel. Joe’s dark eyes were becoming smaller, further away until they disappeared altogether and were replaced by…water?

  “Who cares?”

  “I care. You need to go that reunion. You missed your five-year and ten-year. You need to show them the man you’ve become. Karen feels the same way.”

  “I -”

  Jane began holding her breath as the water splashed in her face. A firm hand was holding the back of her head as she struggled to straighten out her neck. Oh well…better if you don’t struggle. Just hold your breath…

  “Jane? Jane are you OK? What’s wrong with her?” she could hear somewhere in the distance. She couldn’t open her mouth. For some reason, that would be a bad thing.

  “Mmmmm. MMMMMMM!!!” she moaned as frustrated tears sprung in her eyes.

  The pressure loosened and she immediately removed her face from the water, her breath came out as gasps and a few coughs. She was kneeling. In front of a toilet? Definitely a toilet. Male voices were laughing hysterically as the sound of gasping and wheezing ricocheted off the bathroom stall walls.

  “Jane?” Fingers snapping in front of her face. She was holding her chest, breathing heavily, gasping for air.

  Her eyes focused on Joe as she struggled to regulate her breathing.

  “You can hold your breath for a really long time,” Jane stated finally.

  A look of total shock crossed his face as if she had slapped him in front of a crowd of people.

  Looking from Jane to Joe, Betty slowly slid out of the booth and took a step back. Apparently Jane must have touched on something.

  In a split second, Joe’s body mobilized as he slid out of the booth and marched through the bar, opening the front door and disappearing without a word or a backward glance.

  “What just happened?” Betty asked quietly. Jane was still staring at the spot he vacated.

  “I…I guess I hit a nerve.” Wonderful. Stupid mouth.

  *****

  He was waiting for them as they exited the bar. Jane’s feet carried her to him although her mind wanted nothing more than to run in the other direction based on his facial expression. Probably not the best idea to piss off someone who killed people for a living…

  “Hey, listen, I -”

  “Get in the car.”

  “But -”

  “Backseat. Get in the back, keep your mouth shut,” he stated sternly before he sidestepped her and walked around the car, opening the passenger side for Betty.

  A moment’s hesitation, but she finally complied, opening the door and seating herself directly behind the driver’s side. A look passed between Betty and Jane as the passenger door slammed and the driver’s side opened a moment later.

  Silence reigned in the rather well appointed luxury vehicle as Jane fidgeted nervously in the back seat. The leather upholstery gleamed from the light emanating from the high tech computerized dashboard display. It was a Cadillac and it was loaded. And apparently so was Joe.

  “I want Jane to see my place,” Betty announced finally as Joe executed a series of turns.

>   “No.”

  “Yes. I want her to see where I live,” Betty stated as the car came to a rolling stop at a red light.

  “No. It’s late, we’ll drop you off. You should be in bed,” he murmured quietly before accelerating once again.

  “What am I, a toddler?” Betty huffed.

  “Sometimes? I wonder -”

  “Hey!”

  “Don’t argue. It’s late, I’m pissed. You two drive me nuts and I want nothing more than to be rid of both of you.”

  “So you’re pissed at Jane. Don’t take it out on me. It’s only ten o’clock. We’ll go in, I’ll show her around and you can be on your way. No big deal,” Betty rattled off as she turned her head and caught Jane’s eye.

  A slow head shake was Jane’s only response. Of course, it would prolong the amount of time before she would be forced to withstand any alone time with Joe. Who knew what he was going to say. Whatever it was, it probably wouldn’t be pleasant. Maybe she should go in…

  Her decision was pretty much made for her as they turned into a rather well-lit driveway with huge stone pillars framing the entry way. Stonecrest Manor was written in script and attached to a curved stone wall. It seemed like the entrance to some swanky country club, not a retirement home. They traveled down a tree lined road illuminated by gas lights situated every forty feet or so along the rather long driveway. He turned a curve in the road and a huge structure rose up beyond the trees. It looked like a mansion, an extremely huge mansion all lit up with spotlights shining from below. Jane gasped at the opulent structure before her. The light gray stone seemed almost iridescent from the lights very carefully hidden in the landscaping around the huge structure.

  Joe swung the vehicle toward the circular driveway in front of the building. A massive fountain spewed water from the top of the ornately carved structure and cascaded down to a huge stone pool below it. Jane’s hand automatically reached for and grabbed the door handle as the car came to a stop.

  Squeezing the handle, she was almost surprised when it gave and the door swung open.