by Maggie Mundy
“Will she call back?” Greg asked.
“I’ve turned it off.”
“You’re a braver man than I.” Greg laughed, but it was silenced as Will walked back to the house. “We’ve waited long enough. I’m going over there. Call the police, and tell them you drove past and heard screams, a gunshot, or whatever. Just get them here.”
Greg got out of the car and breathed in the evening air. For all he knew, it could be for the last time.
He’s not what you think you’re dealing with. I’ve been in your mind and know the pain and anger. His feelings are confused. It’s no longer clear where he starts and the other person ends, but they both hate you and want to see you dead.
Greg coped well with people hating him. This was something he had lots of experience with. He walked toward the front door and suddenly wished he had something better than “hallo, give me Beth, or I’m going to beat the shit out of you” to say. Beth said this guy had a black belt in karate—so this likely wasn’t going to end well.
He killed his brother. I don’t think he’ll hold back from killing you.
“Thanks for the help, Jeff, but if you can’t come up with something useful then be quiet.” There he was talking to himself again. Greg knocked on the door. Maybe going in with fists flying was a good idea after all. The door opened and Will stood there holding a towel to his head. There was blood on his t-shirt, and it looked like fresh blood. She was still alive. Good girl for fighting the bastard. Greg saw fear for a split second in Will’s eyes, but it was soon replaced with anger as he sneered. He knew that look. He had used it himself a few times when people thought they would get the better of him.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Greg brushed past. The house was old-fashioned, decorated in a spinsterish way with knitted cushion covers and ornaments. He saw Will peer across at the car. Greg had told Pete to lie down, so he hoped it looked empty. He didn’t want to have to explain to Sara how her husband had been hurt.
“I think you’ve guessed I’m not the sort to call the cops to deal with things, after all, they talked to you and did nothing. Mind if I sit down?” Greg sat in the only chair up against a wall that gave a view of the room. Will removed the towel from his head. There was a decent gash above his left eye, but the oozing seemed to have stopped. He kept making a strange noise as if sucking on the back of his teeth. Greg couldn’t place it, but he knew the sound. It was an old memory, but then he had blocked most of them out a long time ago.
“I thought the police were dealing with you. I hear some poor jogger got run down.” Will laughed in a high-pitched voice.
“Next time, tear the cloth instead of cutting it. And, anyway, I had an alibi. Beth’s kids and my friends stood up for me. You wouldn’t know about friends, though, would you?”
Will paced back and forth. “I won’t deny you found me sooner than I thought you would. It’s a pity. I wanted to get more time with Beth alone, but your old friend keeps interfering and talking to me. You’re what she wants.” Will walked over to a cupboard in the corner and took out two brandy glasses and poured drinks.
Greg accepted the glass but didn’t drink.
“It’s not drugged. I want to kill you slowly and not with poison.” Will took a gulp and sat down and crossed his legs and leaned back as he peered over the rim of the glass at Greg.
The person in his head is taking over, Greg. Be careful.
Jeff’s comment explained why Will kept talking about himself as if he wasn’t there.
“Why are you pouring me a drink, when we both know she’s out there? I won’t leave without her, even if I have to kill you.” Greg put his glass down and sighed.
“You must listen to me, Greg. Not him. I don’t care about her. I don’t even know her. It’s you I want dead. You took everything, when you took him from me.”
Greg didn’t get this conversation. Who was Will talking about? “I didn’t take him! I didn’t know your brother, and from what I read at your place, he wanted to be free of you, and you killed him.”
Will stood up and poured himself another drink, and kept shaking his head as if he had a nervous twitch.
“That’s not true. After Mother and Father died, I was everything to him. They never showed us love. I was going to make that different. He needed nothing. I was his parent, his friend.”
Okay, so Will was talking again. Greg was trying to understand.
“Bullshit, he was leaving you for a girl and a new life. He didn’t overdose, did he? You did it. Kudos, man, I only killed my uncle. Topping your own brother, wow. He must have been a bastard … only, I read stuff in his room. He was the good guy.” Greg picked back up his brandy and sipped.
“You’re wrong! He understood when I spoke to him later. He knew it was for the best. Beth was just like him; she didn’t understand when something bad was coming into her life.” Will ran his finger around the top of his glass as he looked back up and smiled. “We had to find a way to get you here. I’ve already dug your grave, you know.”
Find out who is inside his mind. Draw them out.
“I know you’re not alone. It’s a bit weird, the way they talk to you, isn’t it? Jeff is inside my head. Who’s inside yours, though? It’s not your brother. I read his letters. Funny, how your parents didn’t want you, and neither did he.” Greg sipped at the brandy, watching as Will’s left eye started to twitch. Good, he was getting to him.
He started sucking on his teeth again. Greg’s hand gripped hard around the brandy glass. It all came back as he remembered the sound. His aunt—she’d made that sound, and she liked to watch.
The smile Will gave him confirmed what he thought. Will was no longer here.
“I can tell from your face you know it’s me, Greg. He gave you so much. When you were a toddler, I used to watch him adore you. As you grew, he loved you. It wasn’t fair. He touched you in a way he never touched me, and then he left you everything. I had nothing and would have been out on the streets. What choice did I have but to die when you took him away from me?” Will sighed and stood up. “I suppose you’ll want to fight me to get Beth back?”
Greg assumed Will was back in control, but somehow Greg’s aunt was inside his head … how the hell did this happen?
Christine. She was the only answer.
“I’m confused,” Greg said, leaning forward and trying to appear unfazed.
“Of course, you are, so let me make the issue clear for you. Look at these.” Will did a smile with his teeth together with the sucking sound as he threw some pictures across the room.
The anger was back as Greg saw the naked pictures of Beth. Not only naked, but beaten and bruised. He dived across the room toward Will, but was blocked by him. Will kicked him in the loin and propelled him into the couch. Greg was no black belt, but he knew enough to watch his back. Turning, he saw Will’s foot aimed at him, and grabbing it, he twisted Will’s leg so he fell to the floor.
“Judo was more my thing, plus inside, you learn to defend yourself.” Greg tried as hard as he could to hide the pain from his voice. Too late—he saw Will’s fist come around and hit him on the temple. He wasn’t out, but his head was ringing. Will’s foot was repeatedly hitting his back. Greg grabbed Will’s leg and pulled him down. Greg’s anger was building, like it had so many years ago. Nothing had changed. He still wanted to kill someone for taking something from him.
Greg knelt next to Will on the floor. His fists were connecting with Will’s face and blood was splattered up Greg’s arms and on his cheeks. Will wasn’t fighting him. Greg’s hands felt like ice, but he kept pounding away.
She wants you to kill him. She wants you to rot in hell.
“I’m already there.” Greg moved away from the bleeding mess that was Will. He appeared dead, so maybe Greg’s aunt had gotten her wish, but then Will sat up and smiled. Turning, he crawled back to the brandy cupboard, slowly pulling himself up. When he turned around, he had a handgun pointed at Greg.
“It’s too slo
w to watch you die in jail,” Will said as he sucked on his teeth, tutting. He pulled the trigger.
Greg was propelled back into the chair as the bullet hit his right shoulder. Pain radiated from his lower abdomen and his leg as more shots went off. He tried to fight as Will grabbed him and placed his arm around his shoulder. Greg glanced down and could see blood staining his t-shirt and his jeans. He was being dragged from the house and could guess where he was being taken. Will dumped him on the ground outside of the water tower. Greg tried to stand, but Will kicked him in the gut for his effort, and Greg blacked out.
Water was thrown at his face. Greg opened his eyes to see Beth standing next to Will. Her face was swollen, and she looked as if Will let her go she would fall to the floor. She was crying as she looked at him. It was at that moment he knew it didn’t matter if he died, as long as she lived. She would be there for Josh and the older kids.
“How sweet, the way you look at each other. Neither of you knows what it is to love, the sacrifices you make to be with someone. I think it’s important you see him die, Beth. You can help me bury him later, when you feel stronger. His grave is next to Aunt Emily’s. Don’t you think that’s sweet?”
“Please, Will. Don’t do this. I’ll stay with you,” Beth pleaded.
“It’s too late for that, my dear. Will is not here anymore—and I want you both dead. You must die, Beth, because you make him happy, and Greg, because you took my love away from me.” Will held the gun to Greg’s head as he made the sucking noise again with his teeth.
“That wasn’t love you had with him. It was a twisted, ugly hate,” Greg said.
Greg knew moving would most likely kill him, but found the anger from somewhere inside to react and grabbed the gun with one hand and pushed forward with all his weight against Will. Will was too fast, and moved sideways—and now the gun was pointed at Beth, right between the eyes.
Then everything happened so fast as the door crashed in and the police arrived. Star Force. Known killers like Greg tended to draw out the best. Pete must have called them. The cops stopped as Will pointed the gun at them.
“Put down the weapon,” the policeman urged.
Will laughed as he flung Beth aside. Her head connected with the end of the bed, and she lay there, unmoving.
Will laughed. “I can’t do that, you see, I need to be rid of her. She won’t get out of my head. This way I can be with my brother. He’s waiting for me.” Will shoved the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger before the cop could get to him.
As things started to go hazy, Greg could see the spray of blood on the wall behind Will. He tried to crawl toward Beth, but couldn’t make it. It would be okay now the cops were with her. They would save her. The room, and life, became distant.
He turned his head sideways as the paramedics wheeled him out. The police were all around the water tank. He might not make it, but he hoped she would. Pete grabbed his hand.
“Hang in there, Greg. He’s gone. You’re safe now.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Beth opened her eyes, but couldn’t move. The wall above her had red splattered all over it. Was it her blood? She would not survive another attack, she knew that much. Had she imagined it, or had Greg been here? Someone leaned over her. He had dark hair, and she didn’t know him. She tried to push him away, but had nothing left to fight with.
Noise. People were touching her and shining lights in her eyes—she had to fight them. Thank God, it was the police.
There were flashing lights and then the back of the ambulance opened and she was wheeled in. Someone was already in the ambulance and the other paramedics were yelling.
“The air ambulance is on its way for him. Does she need to go too?”
“Blood pressure’s going down, internal bleeding. Hope they get here soon, or we’ll lose them both.”
Beth turned her head, which took all the energy she had left. Greg was on a stretcher. He was really there, but he looked so pale. Will had been going to kill him and she had wanted to do something. Greg attacked Will and then she blacked out. She would have put up with whatever Will had wanted from her to avoid this. The paramedic put a tube into Greg’s mouth. He kept pumping on the bag that made Greg’s chest go up and down. There was so much blood.
She didn’t want to lose him. “Greg. I love you.” Beth saw the paramedic look at her and Greg, and smile. “Keep him alive for me.”
Beth didn’t want to leave Greg, but oblivion beckoned. As consciousness faded, she could hear a machine beeping. It was too fast, then it stopped. She knew at that moment it wasn’t Greg’s heartbeat, it was hers and it had stopped.
“We’re losing her.” Were those the last words she heard?
She watched from above the ambulance like she was floating in the sky. The helicopter arrived and the doctors jumped out and rushed toward the ambulance. They moved Greg out. Looking back at her body, she could see them trying to start her heart. It didn’t work. She glanced down at her own hands. It made no sense, as she couldn’t feel any pain. Someone touched her arm. She glanced to her side to see Jeff. He was floating beside her.
“Jeff?”
She wanted to say more, but the tears flowed out, making speech impossible. He felt so real, moving back she could see the stains her tears had made on his top. This was real, but how could it be? He held her close, but that wasn’t enough: she kissed him. Lips only press that hard when they want to believe.
“Am I dead?”
No, Beth, but you’re losing the battle. You have to fight.
He wasn’t speaking, but she could hear his words in her mind.
“I’m scared, but if I had to be dead forever with you, would it be so bad?”
You’d be dead. I want you, but there are so many others that need you, including our kids. Hold on to me, Beth, I’ll guide you back.
The pain came back, and every part of her body hurt. She was going to black out. Those machines were beeping again.
“We got her back! Now, move her out to the helicopter,” some doctor said.
I love you, Beth, and I’ve always loved you. Greg needs you now––go back for him. Keri and David are my kids too, and I can’t be there for them. I want to be angry at what happened to me. I want to be angry at him, because he sleeps with you and feels your body next to him, but I can’t. He loves you and I loved you. We’re both lucky men.
****
The pain was still there, but the room seemed real. Doctors and nurses drifted by so she had to be in a hospital. Dreams had blended with nightmares for a while. This floaty world seemed all right as long as she didn’t move.
Someone bent over her and pressed parts of her abdomen. It went black again.
Pain. She was tired of pain. Opening her eyes, Mum was there. She looked worried.
“It, it hurts.” She struggled to talk. Her head was so heavy she couldn’t move it. Mum, Dad, Keri, Josh, and David were all there at some time, she was sure. Drifting in and out of her room. Long plastic tubes were working their way into her. She remembered grabbing them and trying to pull them out, but Dad kept saying they would help. She believed him. It helped her sleep. Someone was missing, but she was too tired to remember who they were.
This time the pain was less. There were still tubes in her, but she didn’t want to fight. Someone grasped her hand as her eyes opened. It was Keri, and someone was looking over her shoulder. Tyler, who smiled.
“Hallo, Mrs. Miller.”
Beth opened her mouth but no words came out. She just smiled, knowing she was back with the living.
A nurse came, and then the doctor. Keri said she would go and call Nan and Pops.
Someone was there with surgical scrubs on. It was dark outside. How long had she been here? Beth took a deep breath and asked.
“What happened to me?”
“You were kidnapped, and the man hurt you. You lost a kidney, and a lot of blood. You also had a heart attack, plus the general bruising and concussion from your assaults. You
r other kidney was bruised as well, but we’re hoping it will recover. It’s good to have you back with us, Beth.”
She fell asleep again. It was morning. The doctor was back again, and she needed to concentrate.
“If you continue to get better, after a couple of weeks or so in hospital you should be able to go home. I recommend you see the psychiatrist we have here, to help you with what has happened. The police will also want to see you.”
This was all too much, but she needed to know something or her mind would run wild. “How long have I been here?”
“Five days.”
She wanted to ask about Greg, but was too scared the answer would be, he was dead. She remembered the ambulance and the blood stains on his clothes. He had looked so pale. Could anyone survive what he had? The doctor and nurse left and Keri came back.
“Nana’s on the way. She screamed when I told her you were awake and talking. All you’ve done is mumble these last few days.”
She knew it would be hard on Keri to give the news, but she had to know one way or another. “Keri, is Greg alive?”
“Ah, Mum, hasn’t anyone told you? He’s in Intensive Care or whatever they call it. You were there for three days. They wouldn’t tell us what’s wrong with him, but his sister Trudy turned up and chatted. She said they’d removed a bit of his lung where Will shot him, and he lost a load of blood where the other shot hit his tummy and his leg or something. She said they reckon he’ll pull through. I like her, Mum. She’s been so nice to us, and … I have cousins.”
Beth struggled to keep her eyes open. He was alive, and she could sleep again.
****
Trying to get air into his lungs hurt so intensely, Greg thought he would black out. He wanted to go back to not knowing anything. Each breath became easier as the minutes passed. The anxious face beside him seemed to relax, so he must have been doing something right.
“You’re doing well, Greg. I’ll be back later.”
Whoever gave the nurse instructions wandered away, out of his sight. Lying flat on his back, Greg couldn’t see much apart from the ceiling above. Lifting his head wasn’t such a good idea.