The Dead Weight
Page 7
Neil cruised down the road and turned into the forest. He parked beside the cliff edge and checked the jagged rocks below. Luckily there were no swimmers or climbers, just waves crashing against the rocks. To be on the safe side, he waited for several minutes. It was the perfect time to catch some rays. He closed his eyes and let the sun's rays warm his skin.
The clearing was so calm, yet his heart was racing. The possibilities were now endless. With no one holding him back, he could do as he pleased. Travel the world? Party the night away? Rampant sex, a bit of drugs, and a bit of dabbling in rock'n'roll? Why not all three? He had enough money now she was gone.
Neil jumped up and retrieved the trunk from the car. He opened it and pulled out Jayne's rigid body. He wedged her toy rabbit into her jaws and brushed her hair with his fingers.
He carried the dog to a ditch and placed her inside. He tried to close her eyes but couldn't. They were the first part he buried.
Using his bare hands, he buried her. Soon tears of joy and sadness blurred his vision. He didn't wipe his eyes, preferring the blur to her bloody mouth.
It felt like forever. When she was gone, he stepped back and prayed over the pile of dirt. He thought of their ride back home, the TV show they'd watched together on the sofa, and the nap when she'd snored louder than him.
"Goodbye, Jayne."
It was time.
He pulled Bonnie into the driver's seat and wrapped her arms around the wheel. Her head flopped onto the horn, making him jump from fright. He crouched down and scanned the forest, but the only movement came from the wind. Behind him, the coastline was all ocean and sand. The early birds still hadn't arrived. When they finally did, Bonnie would be waiting for them.
He strapped her in and gave the car one last lookover. As far as he could see, there were no traces of Jayne, the trunk or him being there. The broken backseat would raise a few eyebrows. He wiped the butcher knife clean on Bonnie's jeans, put her hands on it, and then left it on her lap. By the time the police traced the knife, if ever, he'd have another new set.
"No matter. They were dull anyway."
After jogging on the spot to warm up, he pushed the car to the edge. He could have driven it, but it was too risky. He might've gone down with her. The car might fly too far, missing the rocks below. And a tiny part of him wondered if this time she was really dead.
He stopped and looked her deep in the eyes. There was a spark, but it was only the sun's reflection. He couldn't check her pulse without leaving fingerprints, so he pinched her nose and closed her gaping mouth.
Her hand twitched.
Neil fell backwards, trembling. He waited for her to jump out and cut him to pieces. The road was too far. He couldn't escape, could he?
He slammed the door with his foot. From behind the car, he pushed until it rolled over the edge. In a flash it was gone, his number plate the last thing he saw. He knew he'd see it again.
"I'll get a people carrier next time."
The crash of crunching metal and bones made his heart soar. All those sleepless nights were suddenly worth it. Now Bonnie was gone, his ex-girlfriend could be the one to suffer. Not him. From now on, he lived in a world without her.