by Don Potter
“Can’t blame him. No man in his right mind would want to lose you.”
“You don’t even know me. I might be a shrew.”
“I doubt that, but go on.”
“He’s acting weird lately. Questioning me about where I’ve been, who I was with and what I did. That kind of stuff.”
“Probably overreacting to the fear of losing you.”
“Lately he has become more aggressive.”
“How?”
“Like following me. Calling me at home and hanging up. Questioning my friends about my activities. Things like that.”
“Has he hit you?”
“Not yet, but I’m afraid he will. I’m scared. Really scared.”
She placed her hand on his. It was warm and inviting. George was willing to do whatever she asked to help her successfully end the relationship, believing the reward for being the lady’s knight in shining armor would result in her being beholden to him.
“So how can I help?”
“Oh, you don’t want to get involved. Things could get ugly.”
“No one’s going to push you around.”
“My hero,” she said and kissed him on the cheek. Her ample lips were wet and sent a spark of electricity shooting though him, leaving his face red as it did so.
George felt it was time for them to leave. He asked for the check and excused himself so he could use the men’s room. As he returned, George saw a man dragging Pattie by the arm toward the front door. He pursued them to the parking lot only to see a car speed away before he could stop the man from virtually kidnapping her from the crowded restaurant.
Not knowing what else to do, George drove home. It was strange to be the only one living in this massive building. But he knew neighbors would be moving in soon and they will surely recognize him as important for being the first one to take residence in this luxury high-rise.
George opened one of the massive doors of the apartment. The lights were on and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain was playing a little too loud to be considered background music. It was unsettling. Then Lew walked from behind the bar, martini in hand, to greet him.
“Intriguing tune, wouldn’t you say, George?”
“I find it troubling.”
“To the contrary, it’s inspirational. Did you have a nice dinner with that woman?”
“How did you know?”
“I make it my business to know. So did you?”
“And how did you get in here?”
“I neglected to leave the other key to the apartment. I came over to give it to you. But by the time I got here you were already left for dinner. So I put on some of my favorite music and fixed myself a drink. You don’t mind do you?”
“What if Pattie had come back with me?”
“You’re alone aren’t you?”
“Why do you usually answer a question with another question?”
“Do I?”
“Look, there’s no way I can beat you in a debate.”
“Then why bother trying? Let’s go back to my first question. Did you have a nice time with that woman?”
“Yes, up until the very end.”
“How did it end?”
“Her boyfriend, who she’s trying to breakup with, came and took her out of the restaurant.”
“What did you do?”
“I had been to the bathroom and came back to see him dragging her out the door. They got in a car and took off.”
“So that’s it? No more Pattie?”
“I don’t know. She really turns me on.”
“This man could be trouble. Is she worth it?”
“It’s worth a shot. What do you say?”
“That decision is totally up to you. Don’t you think?”
Before the conversation could move on, the phone rang.
“George it’s me, Pattie.” She was out-of-breath and sounded as if she was crying too.
“Are you all right?”
“No. He tried to kill me. But I got away. Can you meet me?”
“Sure. Where are you?”
“I’ll be at the diner at Fourth and Market. Please hurry.”
“He hit you.” George exclaimed as he burst through the door of the nearly empty diner and slid into the booth across from Pattie. She was wearing sunglasses, jeans, a sweat shirt, and a baseball cap. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, which was pulled through the opening between the adjustable band and the back of the cap. She was drinking coffee, but her hands were shaking making it difficult to get the cup to her lips without spilling the contents.
“Yes, he hit me pretty bad.” She lifted her glasses to show George the black-eye that was forming. He noted the other red marks on her face. An examination of her arms and body would undoubtedly show more. Pattie cupped her hands, dropped her head, and cried.
“Did you call the police?”
“No way. That would only get him madder.”
“You can’t let him walk around free to attack you any time he feels like it.”
“It not that simple. You see, I haven’t been totally truthful with you.”
“Really? What’s he your husband or something?”
“He was my husband. Actually, he still is legally. We separated almost a year ago. He’s been trying to keep me from filing the papers, which are signed and sitting in my attorney’s office.”
“Why didn’t you do it? Do you still love him? Has he beaten you before? I mean, this is insane. Why did you lie to me? And why am I part of this thing now?”
“I realize you’re upset. You have every reason to be. Let me try to answer your questions. Then you can do whatever you want.”
“I’m listening.”
“My ex is an angry guy. He’s worse now that he’s out of the house. First he pleads for me to go on a date with him or let him come to the house. I tried that a couple of times and the results were pretty bad. All he did was beg me to take him back. Then, when I said ‘no’ he would fly off the handle. And once he started down that path he ended up in a fit of rage. After that it was back to the pleading and begging. What a vicious cycle.”
“Why do you put up with it?”
“I hate to admit it, but he controls the purse strings. He owns the house I live in, has a stock interest in the company I work for, and even gives me an allowance. Until I can figure out how to live on my own, I’m afraid to a...”
“Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?”
“You make it sound sordid.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
“Not like you think. I got married young and didn’t have much education. He was my father, my husband and my boss. Over the years I embarked on a self-education program. I got a college degree, and I’m proud of it. But I have not been able to get out from under his thumb.”
“Because of not having money?”
“Financial insecurity has been an issue for me as far back as I can remember. I am honestly scared to death to let go of the money source, because I’m not sure if I can make it on my own.”
“I’ll help you.” George spoke without thinking.
“That’s sweet of you, but I’ve got to think this through myself.”
“Two minds are better than one. Let’s talk this out together.”
“There’s no reason for you to get involved. No telling what my ex might do if you become part of the equation.”
“We could sit here all night and drink coffee or we could go to my place and relax while we talk.”
“Oh, all right. I guess it couldn’t hurt.”
A few minutes later they were in front of George’s building. And Pattie had another change of heart.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“That could be dangerous,” George said as he laughed.
“Seriously, there’s no alternative but to face him head-on. Maybe my being on offense is the way to change the dynamics of the situation. I must confront Vance, that’s his name, face-to-face.”
“That really could be
dangerous.”
“Do you have a better idea?” Pattie asked.
“No, but I’m coming with you.”
“If nothing else, you could provide moral support. First I need to go home and get a jacket or a sweater. The night air has gotten very cold.”
“Why bother, I have a bunch of new clothes upstairs. I’m sure something will work for you. Want to come up and see?”
“No. Just get a couple of things and bring them down for me to try on. I’ll stay here and organize my thoughts so I don’t blow this opportunity. There may not be another chance.”
“Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes, but keep the doors locked while I’m gone.”
“You here again,” George said as he opened the door and saw Lew leaning against the bar.
“Thought you might need me. Am I right?”
“As a matter of fact, you are. I think I need a gun.”
“What for?”
“Pattie, the woman I met in the bar, has been beaten up by her ex and wants to confront him face-to-face.”
“With a gun?”
“No I want the gun just in case.”
“So you’re going to shoot him if he doesn’t agree to do what she wants?”
“I just wish I had a gun to protect her.”
“That’s your wish?”
“Yes.”
“Have you looked around the apartment? Checked the drawers? The closets?”
“No.”
“Don’t you think you ought to do that?”
“Probably won’t do any good, but it’s worth a try.” George tore around the place opening and closing things. No weapon was found. He finally opened the nightstand drawer and discovered a Smith & Wesson forty caliber automatic with a full ammunition clip.
“Don’t you think you could get in trouble with that?”
“I know how to use a handgun.”
“But I thought you said you weren’t going to use it?”
“I’m just saying that a person shouldn’t carry a weapon if they don’t know how to use it. I don’t intend to use it.”
“You got your wish. What you do with it is up to you. Of course, it could be the other guy who has something to say about that?”
“It’ll all work out, Lew. Stop worrying. Now I’ve got to find something for her to wear. Then I’m off to protect this damsel in distress.” George chuckled. Lew did not.
Armed with the gun, a cardigan sweater and two light-weight jackets, the men left the building. George hurried to the car and motioned to Pattie to open the door. He handed her the clothes and stuffed the gun in his pants.
“You remember Lew, here?”
“Lew where?”
“The guy that was in the bar with me when we met.” George turned to see Lew was not in sight. “Guess he slipped away. He’s a strange duck.”
“I wouldn’t recognize this guy Lew you’re talking about. There was no one with you at the bar. You must be confusing me with another girl you met.”
“He was there all right. Something fishy is going on, and I don’t like it one bit. I’ll get to the bottom of it as soon as we get this situation straightened out. Right now we have Vance to deal with.” George took the gun from his waistband and placed it on the front seat.
“What are you doing with that? Is it loaded? Do you intend to use it?”
“It’s just to let him know we mean business. Yes, it’s loaded, but the safety is on. And I don’t intend to use the gun unless I have to.” George did not know why he added the last phrase to the sentence.
“If I thought we could get away with it, I’d tell you that my wish is for you to do it.”
“Kill him?”
“That would put an end to the problem. I thought about the endgame while you were upstairs. He will never let me go. I fear for my life based on the way he beat me tonight. The only way to ensure the future is to get rid of the past.”
“I don’t know if I can do it. You’re talking about murder.”
“If I knew how to handle a gun, I’d do it myself.”
“Let’s not go there. The first thing you need to do is tell him what you want. Not shoot the guy.”
“We’ll see. We’ll see.”
“As long as I’m holding the gun, nobody will get hurt.”
“Turn on this street. His place is at the end of the block. There he is, getting out of his car. Pull up beside him.”
“Bring your new boyfriend with you this time. I’ll kick his butt worse than I kicked yours.”
“Stop it,” Pattie said as she pushed the button to roll down the window on her side. “I just want to talk with you. Things have gone too far.”
Without saying a word, Vance reached in the car, grabbed her by the neck, and tried to pull her through the opening. George opened his door and jumped out of the car, gun in hand.
“Let her go or...”
“Or what?” He released Pattie and walked around the front of the car.
“Hold it or I’ll shoot.”
“All you can do is shoot your mouth off. She fed you a line of bull and you ate it up. Ask her about the money she stole. The lovers she had. The lies she tells. What a sap you are. She frightened the others away, but you’re ready to die for this no good...”
“Enough.”
“It won’t be enough until I teach you a real lesson.”
The enraged man continued to come toward George. The words scared him at first, but with each step closer Vance turned up the heat that fueled George’s wrath. They were less than four feet apart when George fired three shots in rapid order. Vance fell to the ground.
“What did you do?” Pattie cried.
“Shut up and get in the car.” Before any lights went on around the neighborhood, George pressed the accelerator to the floor and kept it down until he was several blocks away. Then he got onto the main street and headed home at a speed well within the limit. He parked the car and they took the elevator to the penthouse. Once inside, she perused the surroundings and would have been impressed if the recent events had not overshadowed this moment of discovery.
“Now what are you going to do?” Pattie asked, showing new-found sarcasm.
“You mean ‘we’ don’t you?”
“I didn’t shoot anyone.”
“Like it or not, we’re in this together. Your ex would be alive if you hadn’t decided that it was time to deal with him on your terms.”
“I wanted to talk. That’s all.”
“You said you wanted him dead and you would do it yourself if you were familiar with guns.”
“That was just talk. I was trying to work myself into a state of courage, not one of murder. But your happy trigger finger changed all of that.”
“Maybe we need to have a drink to settle our nerves.”
“I’ll have a double,” she said.
They sat, drank and dozed. Barely a word was spoken. When the sun came up, the view from the penthouse was spectacular. Neither of them noticed. They were too busy switching television channels to learn what the early morning newscasts had to say about the death of Pattie’s ex. Strangely, there were no reports about a murder, a shooting or anything of that nature from the night before.
“I can’t believe there’s no coverage. We didn’t imagine the whole thing. It happened. You and I were there.”
“And so was Vance. I saw you put three bullets in him and he fell to the ground. There must be an explanation,” Pattie said.
“While we’re trying to figure out what’s going on, we need to put together some kind of a game plan. Got to be prepared,” George warned.
“Where do we start?”
“First, I’m going down to the car to see if I brought back any evidence with me.”
“Like what?”
“Maybe some blood splattered on the tires or wheel wells when I pulled out of there? Did he leave prints or a patch of fabric on the car when he tried to yank you through the window? I don’t know, but a thorough going-over might turn
up something.”
“Aren’t you quite the detective,” she stated.
“Why don’t you take a shower while I run down to the car and check it out. I’ll grab a shower later.”
He found a flashlight and took it with him. A careful examination of the car revealed nothing. George turned to go upstairs.
“Satisfied?” Lew appeared as if from out of nowhere.
“You won’t believe what happened,” George said. “There was a terrible accident last night.”
“That’s what you call an accident?”
“I had no intention of using the gun.”
“You don’t carry a gun unless you’re thinking of using it. Did the gun go off by itself?”
“No, but how did you know about the shooting? There’s nothing about it on the news.”
“What do you plan to do next?” Lew ignored George’s question in favor of one of his own.
“I think Pattie and I ought to stay here until we know what the police know. Besides probably no one knows I’m here and for sure no one is aware she’s with me.”
“Is she?”
“Is she what?”
“Is she with you? Not in the literal sense but figuratively speaking. She could be calling the police right now.”
“I saved her life.”
“That’s what you say. Could she say you kidnapped her and killed her husband? That way she gets his money and you get a death sentence.”
“She wouldn’t do that.”
“Oh no? Think you better go find out?”
George raced to the elevators then ran down the hall to the apartment. He opened the door and found Pattie on the couch talking on her cell phone. She flipped it closed the moment she saw him.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Nobody.”
“Why were you on the phone with nobody?” He grabbed the phone from her hand and checked for recent calls. George hit redial. A man answered. George hung up.
“How dare you,” she cried.
“It’s time you start telling me the truth.”
“There’s nothing to tell. You know everything.”
“I doubt it. I recognized the voice. It was your supposed ex-husband. You know Vance, the dead one. He didn’t sound very dead to me.”