Connor pulled the cord tighter to reinforce the message making the old man choke even more. The words “OK I will tell you” could just about be heard so he loosened the cord to allow the guy to catch his breath and try and suck in some air.
“I don’t want to hurt you old man but you must understand my situation. You are jeopardising me and everything I stand for so if you tell me what all this is about and why you are interfering then perhaps we can sort something out”
The old man nodded and rubbed his neck where Connor had slightly loosened the cord but not removed it.
“Are you friends with Newton or Stewart or do you work for them?”
The guy shook his head and managed a strained “NO!”
Once again Connor tightened his grip on the cord and it was then the old guy realised Connor would not be taken for a fool. Before it got too tight he managed to gasp out a few words making Connor release his grip slightly and had him studying the old man.
“I was best friends with your father”
Chapter 14
Connor placed the cord back into his pocket and took his seat next to the old man.
“You were best friends with my father?” asked Connor with a sort of mocking tone to his voice.
“Yes I was”
“Then explain to me why you want to stop me avenging him and my family”
The old man leant forward with his elbows on his knees and stroked the red mark and graze on his neck that was now turning red and bruised.
“He would not have wanted this Connor. Your father would not approve with what you are doing”
Connor continued to study the old man’s face trying to figure out who he might be and wondering why he was sticking to his story. There was something familiar about him but Connor remained confident he had never met him before.
“So tell me then what is your name? Who are you and how do you know me?”
The old man sat back on the bench and looked at Connor with a knowing look on his face.
“I was one of your dad’s best friends Connor. Edward and I grew up together and stayed friends until I eventually moved abroad. My name is Ron Wilde and I recognised you straight away”
Again Connor studied the old man he now knew as Ron Wilde. They both looked at each other and it wasn’t until the old man smiled did Connor’s heart miss a beat as Ron became recognisable to him. Connor stared at the ground in front of him as images flashed into his mind of someone who might have been Ron Wilde eating and drinking at the dining table in their house at Much Marcle. The person was laughing and joking with his mother and father whilst sipping from a wine glass.
“You used to have blonde hair and a moustache?” said Connor, the image of his parents laughing and smiling bringing strong emotions to the surface.
“You were sat at the table eating and drinking with my parents. You chased me around the kitchen because I would not go to bed”
The old man smiled and reached into his jacket pocket and Connor watched as his hand appeared holding a photograph.
“You can have this Connor, it’s a picture of your father and me a year before he died”
Connor held the picture and stared at his father dressed in a blue polo shirt and jeans. He looked exactly the same as he had that night except in the picture he was smiling. For a moment his emotions took over and he forgot about why he was there in the park. The pace of his heart quickened as he held the photo and studied it intently. As his heart steadied a quiet calm descended on him. A smile forced its way to the surface as he stared into his father’s eyes once again and
remembered the love and affection he received from him. It wasn’t long though before the calm became a storm and Connor could feel his temple begin to throb. His gaze moved across the picture to Ron Wilde and brought Connor back from the past to the present.
“Please tell me why are trying to stop what is happening?” as he passed the picture back to the old man.
“Connor I said you could keep it”
“I know that you were friends with my father because I can remember you but I do not know what part you played in his and my families demise”
“What do you mean?” asked Wilde shaking his head.
“What I mean there were a lot of people out there who claim to have been his friend and yet they did nothing to help him when it mattered. Now I must ask you to prove you were a true friend by asking you to go back home and leave me to get on with what has to be done. Unless of course you can justify your reason for you wanting me to stop”
“Connor whatever it is you have planned for the bastards who ruined your father, it must not happen. I know in my heart it is not what he would have wanted”
Connor slowly paced up and down in front of Wilde whilst running his thoughts through his head. As Connor cast the occasional glance at Wilde he could see Wilde studying him.
“What do you do now Mr Wilde?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you retired? Do you still have a job?”
Wilde seemed bemused at Connor’s question.
“I’m retired”
“Is it a good pension I mean are you comfortable?”
“Well yes I don’t have to work if that’s what you mean”
Connor stood still and nodded his head as though agreeing with his inner thoughts.
“You see Mr Wilde I do remember you being friends with my mother and father but to be fair I don’t know much else about you.......that was until last week”
Wilde’s eyes glanced up at Connor while his head remained still.
“You see I am a very thorough person Mr Wilde and I like to make sure I leave no stone unturned”
All of Wilde’s focus was now on Connor as he stood over him commanding his attention.
“You knew it was me making the phone calls?” asked Wilde.
“No! No! I had no idea it was you although you were on my list of four people who it could have been”
Wilde was now starting to fidget nervously and it had been noticed by Connor.
“My only question to you is why a man who is apparently comfortable in retirement and needs little money would want to bribe someone”
“What are you saying?”
“What am I saying?........What am I saying?” sighed Connor.
“Connor I am trying to help you think of your father he..........”
“Please do not keep using my father as an emotional tool” said Connor as he knelt down in front of Wilde.
“Please Connor you have to listen to me......”
“No Wilde you listen to me. I want to know who you were going to give this to?”
Wilde’s face filled with horror as Connor pulled out a Dictaphone sending him pale and grabbing for his jacket pocket.
“Shit where did you get that from?”
“Don’t fuck with me Wilde it’s pretty obvious you have come here to find out what I am up to so you can go back to the vultures and feed them what is on here for something in return”
“No Connor it is not what you think”
“Do you know the part I don’t understand? You were friends with my father and yet you are trying to benefit from what happened all those years ago. Do you really think you could come here and get money from me?”
Wilde did not answer but just sat there trying to wipe the sweat from the palms of his hands onto his trousers.
“So you would have offered my voice for a price but who would you have gone to first?”
Connor could see that even though Wilde was in his sixties he was no old fool. It was obvious he had a plan and whatever it was it was giving Connor unwanted grief. Connor pressed the play button on the Dictaphone he had pulled from Wilde’s pocket whilst he had been strangling him with the cord. Wilde held his head in his hands as a recording of the conversation played back to them both. Connor could have smiled smugly but he didn’t. Instead he looked at Wilde with nothing but contempt.
“Come on old man I think it’s time we
went for a walk”
Connor grabbed him by the arm and guided him through the gate to the play area and across the open parkland towards the river Wye.
“What are you doing and where are you taking me?”
Wilde kept up awkwardly until they both reached the river bank then headed for what looked like a dead end in the field. They both climbed the fence and fought their way through the undergrowth.
“Connor please listen to me you have not given me a chance to explain”
“Oh don’t worry Ron. You don’t need to explain anything. This will all be sorted out very soon”
Wilde remained silent as they both made their way out of the thick brambles and trees and into a clearing. Connor gripped Wilde’s arm tighter knowing when he saw what was waiting for him he might try and make a run for it. It wasn’t until Connor walked him up to a fallen tree stump next to a large tree in a slight clearing that Wilde realised what was happening.
“Connor what the fuck are you doing, are you out of your fucking mind?”
There hanging from the tree was a rope with a noose in it. Connor anticipated the struggle and pulled Wilde’s arm up behind his back whilst bending his index finger past breaking point, the sickening snap forcing Wilde to cry out loudly in pain and anguish. He fell to his knees but it was not long before the pain and submission turned to anger.
“You have no fucking idea, you are out of you fucking mind just like your father. You won’t get away with this you prick. I won’t tell you anything”
Connor smiled as he pulled Wilde onto the log that was placed on the fallen tree stump. Grabbing the noose Connor tried to put Wilde’s head into it but he resisted nearly forcing both of them to lose their balance. Wilde started to crack when he realised Connor was not bluffing, his attitude changing suddenly at the realisation of how determined Connor was.
“Let me go you bastard, I have grandchildren, I will tell you what you want to know”
Not wanting to struggle again Connor punched Wilde square on in the face. This was not necessarily to hurt him just to shock him into submission. It worked and Connor pushed Wilde’s head into the noose and watched as he clawed at the rope in desperation but to no avail. Connor kicked the log away from under Wilde’s feet and jumped down. He stared as Wilde struggled and kicked, his body thrashing around tightening the noose and forcing his eyes to bulge nearly out of their sockets.
“Someone will find you but your wife and family might want to know why you committed suicide” said Connor as the thrashing around slowed down and the gurgling noises got louder.
He checked his watch and counted down the seconds.
Calmly Connor placed the log back onto the tree stump, stepped up and placed Wilde’s feet back onto it. He took the noose from around his neck and helped him down onto the ground. Connor watched without showing any emotion as the old man broke down still trying to cough for air holding his neck in pain, his index finger twisted and bent and totally useless. The wet patch on the
front of Wilde’s trousers and the stench of shit told Connor he had pissed and soiled himself and now looked a pathetic mess.
Connor sat next to him and spoke calmly.
“A terrible thing could have happened here today but it didn’t. The reason it didn’t is because you are too late. This thing is too far gone for anyone to stop it now so I will leave it up to you whether you go ahead with your plan but if I were you I would go home and try and enjoy your retirement with your wife and two lovely grandchildren”
At that Connor threw the Dictaphone into the river and left his father’s old friend turned foe to grovel in the undergrowth, sobbing uncontrollably out loud. Connor left the park without even a glance back and made his way home to prepare for the party on Saturday. This would be the day things would change forever and not even a parasite like Ron Wilde could stop it now.
Chapter 15
17th June 2011.
“Come on Keith you should be ready by now”
“What time is it then?”
“It’s half past three”
“And what time have we got to be there?”
“Anytime between five and six”
“Right well I’ll watch the match then get ready. Bloody hell we’ve got three hours before we have to be there” moaned Keith, checking his watch but barely able to lose eye contact with the TV.
Rachel knew better than to try and pull Keith away from the television when there was a football match on even if it wasn’t his team playing.
This was a big event for her just like every party they went to. It was a chance to keep up with the Jones’s and brag about what they would be doing in a few weeks, especially to people she perhaps had not met before. Closing the bedroom door behind her, she undressed to her underwear and turned on the sun bed that was crammed into the corner of the spare bedroom. It was her last chance to look nice and brown and impress everyone at the party especially when a whole tube of rub on tan was added, that she would apply after having a shower. As soon as the timer was set for twenty minutes Rachel undone her bra, kicked off her knickers into the corner of the room and cooked for the required time. She had enjoyed the previous week at work gloating about having to go to a rich friend’s party because their rich friends demanded it. Outfit after outfit was bought until she felt she had the right one because there was no way she could turn up wearing something she had worn before.
Rachel had not been on the sun bed for more than ten minutes when her phone rang. It meant she would have to interrupt her tanning session but she was pretty sure who it was ringing her, so before it got louder she jumped out and grabbed it. Before answering it she opened the bedroom door and checked Keith was still downstairs. Crossing the landing she entered the bedroom naked and sat down on the bed and answered the call.
“Hi what are you doing ringing me now? she said to the male voice on the other end.
.......Well I’m getting ready for the party tonight and you have interrupted my sunbed session.................
Yes I am naked.......I’m sat on my bed............why where are you?........
.........no I can’t what if he walks in on me...........are you really doing that.....
....stop it you’re turning me on.............yes my fingers are there........”
At that Rachel lay back on the bed with the phone in one hand and her other hand between her legs. For a split second her inhibitions were lost as the voice on the other end seemed to have total control over her. Her breathing was getting quicker as she caressed her breasts then placed her hand back between her legs. She could see herself in the mirror which was turning her on even more. Rachel had not heard the toilet flush which meant Keith was now upstairs and could walk in on her at any moment.
“What the fuck? Said a voice forcing Rachel to jump up and throw the phone down onto the floor.
“Oh shit” she said totally breathless.
“Baby what the fuck have I done with my clean jeans I can’t find them anywhere?”
Just at that moment the bedroom door opened and Keith came in scratching his head.
“I can’t find my jeans anywhere. Have you seen them?”
“No!.......no! I haven’t seen them........has the match finished?” said Rachel as she hurried back into the spare bedroom, her face blushing and riddled with guilt.
“No it’s half time” replied Keith totally oblivious to the events that had just taken place.
Without finding his jeans Keith headed back down stairs to re-join the action leaving Rachel to breathe a sigh of relief. She turned the sunbed off and turned the shower on to finish what she had started this time making sure the door was locked. Not that Keith would have noticed, he was too busy shouting at the television.
“Hugh could you get the beers out of the fridge in the garage and put them in the ice bin outside”
Hugh heard what Sarah had asked of him but was too engrossed on the phone to give a response. The preparations for the party had been interru
pted by Hugh’s father Philip Newton who was now ranting at Hugh so loud that anyone passing Hugh would easily hear the abuse he was receiving. They would also see that Hugh was now as white as a ghost as his father ended the call and Hugh put down the phone and stared out of the patio window into the garden.
“Fuck it!!” sighed Hugh through gritted teeth as he scratched his chin nervously.
“Did you hear me Hugh?” shouted Sarah once again.
Without giving a response Hugh picked up the phone and disappeared into the garage where he could not be interrupted.
LUCIFER'S ANGEL Page 12