Random Meeting

by Maggie Mundy

  “I already did, and even Keri accepts it. She said she feels safer when you’re around.”

  Here she goes again, surprising me.

  Beth stood up and went to the front door and locked it. She then headed down to her room. If Jeff wrote those words he wanted him here, Beth’s dead husband knew stuff about Greg’s past. Jeff said Beth was his woman now, and Greg liked the idea. Gulping down the rest of his whiskey, he wandered down the corridor. Beth was in the en suite brushing her teeth. When she came out, she smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed and took off his shoes. He couldn’t deny he wanted to spend another night here in her arms, or every night next to her body. He also knew this would end badly.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Will watched from his front window as Greg pulled away. His body shook with fury at the thought of that guy staying with Beth. He picked up one of his parents’ statues from the sideboard and threw it against the far wall. They were expensive statues, and he hated every one of them.

  He saw the pick-up there again there last night, and it crossed his mind to write more comments on it. It might cause Beth more stress, which wasn’t acceptable. He would make things better, not worse. He cringed at the thought of another man touching her. She was special, not meant for the likes of some thug.

  He rubbed his temples as the voice pushed into his thoughts. It wasn’t his brother’s voice. It was the high-pitched one again. Sometimes he didn’t want to listen, but another part of him didn’t want it to go away either.

  She’ll not care about you while he’s still around. You have to understand, he’s evil and will make people do anything. Trust me, I’ve seen how he made someone do things they would never do.

  Turning away from the window, Will crouched down on the floor, hugged his body and rocked. He needed to put his plan into action, and soon. He would go and see Beth. Being close to her would help. It always helped.

  Pressing her doorbell had always been easy in the past, but now his hand hesitated. The door opened and Beth smiled. She was unaware of what she did to people. She had a natural ability to make people happy. His need was greater though: he needed her for himself.

  “Hi, Will. What can I do for you?”

  “I noticed you hadn’t gone off to work this morning and wondered if you were free. Or if maybe you wanted to go for a coffee. We don’t seem to be able to catch up much at the moment.”

  “I’m about to change Josh, and have an appointment in an hour to go to the doctor’s. We can have a coffee here though, if you like.”

  “I’ll put the kettle on while you look after him.” Will walked in. There were two used mugs in the sink, and if he knew which one was Greg’s, he would have smashed it to pieces. As he made the coffee, Beth walked back in with Josh and placed him in the bouncer. The brat even looked like his father. It was another reason why he had to get her away from it. Otherwise she would be reminded of Greg every time she stared at it. He placed down the mug in front of her.

  “So, how’s everything going?” he asked.

  “It’s been good. I didn’t think the kids would take to Greg, but they have. I’d never have thought things would have turned out this way, but I think I’m getting there. How are you doing? I noticed you’ve been away for a couple of weekends. Next time Greg is here, I’ll introduce you. He’s keen to meet my friends.”

  She’d been watching and had missed him. He knew she could not have fallen for this Greg. He had somehow trapped her because of the child. She obviously felt she owed him something, but she would be free soon.

  “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come and see you. I wonder if you would collect my mail? I have to go and see my aunt in Gawler. She’s a bit frail and needs me to do odd jobs around the place.”

  Before Beth could answer, Will heard the key turn in the front door and then he heard Greg’s voice.

  “It’s just me, I forgot some of my tools I left on the deck and…”

  It had been so nice, this being just the two of them. Will didn’t count Josh, and now this lout had come back. Greg leaned back against the breakfast bar and folded his arms across his chest. Will stared back, refusing to be intimidated.

  “Greg. This is my neighbor, Will. He lives across the road. He was just having a coffee and asking a favor. He’s going away and wanted us to pick up his mail for the week.”

  Will took his gaze away from Greg, but the thumping and the high-pitched voice in his head started up again.

  There are knives in the drawers. Kill him, kill him now.

  “Are you all right, Will? You’ve gone a white as a sheet,” Beth asked.

  “I’ve been getting migraines recently. I think it’s coming back. Look, I should go,” Will replied.

  “I’ll show him out, Beth––you stay with Josh.”

  Will rubbed his temple as he walked to the door. He could feel Greg’s eyes boring into him. As soon as they were outside, Greg grabbed his arm.

  “I don’t know what game you think you’re playing, but I don’t want you coming around here. I know you were friends before I came, and I can also tell when a man is interested in a woman. She’s mine. Do we understand each other?”

  Will pried Greg’s hand from his arm.

  “Perfectly. It was so nice to meet you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go and lie down.”

  Will turned the key in his front door and then looked back across the street. Greg stood watching. How dare he think he could tell him what to do? Beth wouldn’t be happy when she knew what had transpired and he would make sure she was made aware of it. This was the impetus he needed.

  You should’ve killed him there in front of her and his bastard.

  “It takes time, and I’ll not be rushed. If I listened to you I would end up in jail. I want to help you, but I must have her. Trust me, I’ll get us both what we want.”

  The voice in his head grumbled, but said no more. Each day he found it harder to be the one in control, but he had to. The voice just wanted Greg dead, but that wasn’t enough for Will. He needed to have Beth all to himself. No kids. No distractions.

  ****

  Aunt Emily answered the door, and Will tried not to gag on the smell coming from the house and the woman: A mixture of mothballs, urine, and stale food. She hugged him and kissed his cheek with her moist lips. He cringed, wanting to wipe the saliva away. Dear God, but he hated old people. He found it sometimes hard to believe this woman had been his father’s sister.

  Dad had ruled the house with an iron fist. The family studied and prayed. Dad said everything would come to the righteous. He still hadn’t worked out how them getting killed on a rail crossing matched that scenario. Mum had sent him a text the day they died. She said dad had been behaving oddly. How could she tell? What was normal? He still wondered to this day if Dad had stopped there on purpose. It would do no good to ponder such things. He needed to get on with the job at hand.

  “Oh, my sweet boy. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Come in.”

  Will followed her into the old cottage as she waddled from side to side. She was so fat you could almost hear her hips complaining under the weight. He had to admit he had helped with that. His food parcels over the past year kept her going while she watched television. She had been engaged to a local farmer once. He had been killed in a tractor rollover. She never got over it. It was fine by him, as it allowed him to work on the water tank. She never ventured beyond the house, so she didn’t know what he did out there. He said it was a gallery where he would sculpt, paint, and make fantastic creations. She hadn’t really been listening as she watched her latest soap.

  “That’s nice, dear,” she had said.

  He could have said he was opening up a morgue for vivisection, and she probably wouldn’t have noticed. He would gut the place when she died.

  He put up with her because the property was perfect and beggars can’t be choosers. It was down a single track and no other houses nearby. He would be able to observe anyone trying t
o get close. Once he had Beth here, then no one would be aware of her presence. They would be a happy couple all on their own.

  Aunt Emily went and got a piece of cake from the kitchen. She offered some to Will but he refused. She sat in her front lounge opposite her television. The chair groaned under her mass.

  “I’ll put the kettle on and then get you the box of goodies I have in the car.”

  Aunt Emily just nodded, her mind already lost in another program, desperate to make sure she didn’t miss anything.

  ****

  Two hours later, and he’d managed to fit the new door into the side of the concrete water tank. He was exhausted, but it was just what he wanted. He leaned back against the concrete and closed his eyes as the evening sun caressed his body. The hard work kept the voice of the nag away as well. At last, things were going his way.

  The circular tank was about twenty-five feet across. It would be a perfect place to start their relationship. He would make sure it had all the amenities for her to be comfortable. Once Beth accepted the situation, he would move her to the house. He wasn’t a bad person, and appreciated she would need time to get used to being separated from her children. He would give her time, but for now he needed to keep working.

  “Why have you put a door in the water tank, William?”

  He gripped the hammer in his hand and thought about turning around and killing her where she stood. It would probably only take one blow and her fat-shrouded heart would give up. How dare she interfere with his plan! Hadn’t she heard anything? Instead, he turned and smiled.

  “It was to be a surprise, and now you have gone and spoilt it. Don’t you remember what I said? I am going to make sculptures and it will be my workshop. People will come from all over to buy them. Come back inside, and I’ll tell you what I’ve planned for my first one. I thought it could be of you. I’ve seen that picture on the dresser of you as a young girl.

  “Oh, don’t be silly, Will. You don’t want to waste your time on me. You are so sweet.”

  If she called him that once more, he would throttle her. He followed her back into the house. She sat down and sipped her tea.

  “I’ve been concerned about you over the last six months, and I find it difficult to come over all the time. I’d like to live with you permanently. That way, I could work out there in the day and be with you in the evenings. I should have asked you first, but I wanted to surprise you.” Her eyes watered and he knew he had won. After all, he couldn’t have her talking to anyone and saying he was doing unusual things.

  It was nearly eleven before she heaved her body from the chair. He had plied her with enough food to feed six people, but now she was gone he sat down and sipped on a brandy. He had brought his own glass and his own brandy. She didn’t drink, but more than made up with the food. The warmth of the drink flowed through his body and he wondered if she would struggle. He hoped she would. He plugged in his headphones and listened to Mozart. The music always calmed him and shut out the world. You could detach yourself and get a job done while you listened.

  Standing outside of her room, he could hear her snore. It was disgusting, like a pig snorting. He was doing her a favor by putting her out of this misery of a life. He opened the door and walked over beside the bed. She didn’t move as he tuned up the music. He held one of the tapestry cushions from the lounge in his hands as he stood over her. His heart beat fast and he found it hard to swallow. The music blared in his ears as the excitement built throughout his body. The pillow covered her face.

  Could it have been that easy? He felt cheated. Her hands started to flail about and grab at him as she came to the realization of what was happening to her. He laid his weight on top of her and pushed down with all his might until the thrashing stopped. Eventually, there was calm.

  Back in the lounge room, he poured himself another brandy as he listened to his music.

  She was easy. He’ll not be so easy to kill. You need to let me in. I know things about him. Things he doesn’t want anyone to know.

  Pain sliced through his temple as the voice spoke again. Damn, the old nag was back again. Had he got rid of a live one, to be pestered by one in his head? He didn’t need the voice. He could do this on his own. Hadn’t he proved it today?

  I’ll see him dead with or without your permission. You can’t keep me out.

  Will gulped down the brandy and poured another, and then another. He needed to drown the voice out.

  Chapter Fourteen

  These last two months living with Beth and the kids were the best of his life. In fact, he was sure it must have been someone else’s life. Des kept nagging him to tell Beth, but he wasn’t going to push his luck. It would all come to an end if he did, so he had to enjoy it now. At least Jeff hadn’t made another appearance, to scare the shit out of them.

  He grabbed his suitcase and headed out to the front door.

  “Come on, kids, the taxi bus will here in five minutes. If you don’t have your case here, then we go without it!” Beth yelled as she settled Josh on her hip. His son was changing so much. Holding his head up and smiling. Greg reckoned his little boy knew his voice, as he would look up when he came in from work. He couldn’t wait for the day when he said “Dada”. He just hoped he would still be around to see it. Maybe he would get a few years out of this before they found out.

  He smacked Beth on the butt as he went past her.

  “Love it when you’re bossy,” Greg said.

  David came out with his case, followed by Keri and Tyler. Greg still wasn’t sure how Keri had talked Beth into letting her boyfriend go with them go, but his parents were paying for his share. He didn’t seem too keen on sharing with David, but those were the breaks. If he did a midnight stroll to Keri’s room, Greg didn’t want to hear anything or know about it.

  There was a toot from out the front of the house and David hollered. “Yahoo! Queensland, here we come. I want to go on all the rides at least six times.”

  “You won’t be tall enough for some of them,” Keri said, rolling her eyes.

  “Yeah, I will … I’m tall for my age. Just you wait and see.”

  Beth and the others all got in the taxi-bus as Greg made sure the place was all locked up. Pete said he would come over during the week and keep an eye on things.

  Greg sat next to Beth with Josh in the safety seat next to her. She smiled as she grabbed his hand.

  “Thanks for this, Greg. I always wanted to take them away after everything happened with Jeff. I just couldn’t afford it.”

  “I’d rather spend some of my money on all of you than leave it in the bank. I never did stuff like this as a kid. My parents had the farm and never went interstate. I have to admit, I’m a bit uptight about the flight, but I’ll get there.”

  “I can’t believe at your age you haven’t been up in a plane. What have you been doing all these years? Long-distance lorry driving, eh.” She laughed, but her joke brought him up short. If he hadn’t been inside, he would have probably gone to Bali or Thailand like lots of other people did.

  He changed the subject.

  “A beer and fishing by the river is as good as flying off. Maybe we could hire a houseboat sometime.”

  “I like the sound of that. Sipping a glass of wine, watching the world go slowly by.”

  They managed to get to the airport without the kids fighting and were all checked in and having a coffee. The airport police walked by a few times and he thought they might come over.

  On the plane, Beth sorted out Josh on her lap with a special belt. She seemed nervous and grabbed Greg’s hand again.

  “I didn’t tell you, but I hate takeoffs. I’m all right once we are up.”

  “I can’t imagine you scared of anything, Beth. We’re all together and we’ll be fine. At least now the kids have stopped fighting over the window seat, we should be,” Greg answered.

  “I hope the shop will be okay. I’ve never been this long away from it.”

  “It will be fine. You can give Di
a call as soon as we get into the resort.”

  Four hours later, they were all unpacking their bags. The kids had already eyed the pool and wanted to get changed as soon as possible. Clothes were all over the floors and beds in their rooms, but he didn’t care. That was their problem and he would do what Beth said and just shut the doors.

  She fed Josh as he emptied their bags. The apartment had three bedrooms and a large kitchen lounge area. Tyler had already worked out how to work the TV. There was also a balcony overlooking the pool area. Greg took Beth out a coffee and put it down beside her as she changed Josh over to the other breast.

  “You want a hat? You’ll get sunburned.” She nodded, and he grabbed the hat and plopped it on her head. The kids waved up from the pool below. It was insane and brilliant, and he couldn’t keep the smile of his face. He looked across to Beth, who shook her head at him.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so relaxed. We should have done this sooner.”

  She was right. The place was beautiful and so was the weather. Everyone was happy. He didn’t want for anything more than this moment.

  “It’s bloody good, Beth. I won’t lie and say it’s taken some getting used to. I never thought I’d have a family.”

  “Well, you do. I’m going to put Josh down for a nap and phone the shop.”

  Greg smiled to himself as he put his feet up on the banister. He had every intention of making this the best week of their lives. It was like a gift he was sure Jeff would have wanted them to have. It felt good to be good.

  ****

  Three days and three theme parks later, and Greg was exhausted. How the hell did parents do this on a regular basis? He couldn’t believe how much junk food David could eat. How the kid had not put on weight was a miracle that companies would want to bottle and sell.

  He reckoned Tyler and Keri had gone on every ride at least four times––the Scooby-Doo ride, they just kept going back around and getting on again. They had t-shirts and cuddly toys and pens and key chains. If Greg ate another bucket of hot chips, he reckoned his arteries would clog up, and he would drop down dead.