The garden of dead thoughts

by Natasha A. Salnikova

  “I didn’t understand your answer,” she said.

  “I’ve never said I’d pay for the house or anything,” Frank said. He was playing with fire.

  Margo looked at him furiously blinking, trying to find the words, but she was too shocked.

  “I’ll order pizza,” Frank said and left the kitchen. His brain worked at its fullest.

  “What’s wrong with you? You are crazy!” Margo shouted after him. “Our conversation isn’t over!”

  Frank went out onto the terrace hoping to take a breath of fresh air, but instead received a heat wave across his face and immediately returned to the house. Florida had become a huge sauna.

  He stopped at the door, looking at the pool and thinking he should make a fast decision. He quickly ordered pizza since the number was saved in his address book, but didn’t move from the door.

  If she was going to continue in the same spirit, and it didn’t look like she was about to quit, he was in danger of losing his cool. If he continued in this spirit, she could decide to make changes. Both options were fuel for destruction.

  “Michael!” Margo shouted again. “If that is the direction you’re taking, we’ll have to talk about… making changes. You might not like them.”

  She discerned his thoughts quickly, as if she had read them.

  Frank continued to look at the street. She threatened him. She probably thought she could scare a shitload of money from him and he would bring it to her on a silver tray. She thought too highly of herself. He was going to do what had to be done as soon as possible. Now he thought it was actually for the best that he couldn’t get the insurance. If he had, he would have problems. The investigation would center on him. He could sail to the Bahamas but what could he do from there? What he really wanted was to see her eyes as the last drops of life flowed out of her. He could get out with money or without, but he would always find a way to make money, he wouldn’t be poor ever. His mother should kick off soon and leave him something in her will. He was sure it was going to be a delicious amount. Everything was going to be alright. He would kill Margo and set up her lover. He just needed to think through all the details and build an alibi.

  He took out the phone and put it to his ear. The silence echoed with the sound of sea waves.

  “Hello,” he said, moving closer to the kitchen. “Yes, it’s me ... Hello, Peter! ... It’s fine! ... Of course, of course! ... Tomorrow? Sure! ... Good luck!”

  He heard movements and smiled. Margo was eavesdropping.

  “Yes, yes,” he said.

  Frank stopped in the middle of the room, waiting for Margo. She should come out to hear him. He put a happy smile on his face.

  Margo, as he suspected, entered the living room looking at her phone, as if she hadn’t heard what he was saying and didn’t notice he was in the room at all. She looked up at him when it was impossible to pretend he was invisible and frowned, looking at him.

  “Has something happened?” she asked.

  “I have great news!” Frank said, barely restraining his joy. “One of my clients just called and said he wants to do business!”

  “That’s great,” Margo said, but without the expected enthusiasm.

  “I’m sorry I acted a little weird. I’ve just had a bad day. One of my clients died.”

  “Oh.”

  “He was a very good client, but he was old and sick. Tomorrow I’m going to meet this new client. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. It’s going to be awesome!”

  “Yes, it is,” Margo assured him. “I’m happy for you.”

  “Yes, I’m happy for us! I was so nervous today!” Frank walked over to Margo and kissed her hard and loud on the lips. She apparently didn’t expect such a stormy passion and pushed him away.

  “I’m glad it changed,” she said, looking at him suspiciously, or maybe questionably, or maybe even scornfully. He could read her any way he wanted, but he didn’t always read what she really expressed, otherwise he would have understood her intentions from the beginning.

  “The meeting is in Orlando. I might have to stay there for the night, depends on how it goes. Are you happy?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  The doorbell rang, interrupting the romantic exchange of false promises.

  “There’s your pizza,” Margo said, returning to the kitchen.

  “Pizza!” Frank was thrilled. “Let’s celebrate a future deal! Do we have wine, dear? If you want, we can go to a restaurant!”

  “I’m too lazy to change,” came from the kitchen.

  Frank paid the delivery guy for the pizza and gave him a ten dollar tip instead of the usual five. Frank almost jumped up and down while exchanging money for the box.

  “My wife’s in a good mood today. You know what I mean,” Frank said and winked to the guy.

  “Yeah,” the young guy said. He didn’t hide his indifference. He almost rolled his eyes, showing how much he didn’t care. “Good luck.”

  Frank entered the kitchen and saw Margo at the bar, lazily examining the label on the bottle of wine.

  “Daisy bought some shit,” she said. “Not what I wanted.”

  “You’ll buy exactly what you want now,” Frank said cheerfully, tossing the box of pizza on the table. He didn’t look at Margo and didn’t see her reaction to his words, while opening the box and grabbing a slice of pizza, as if he hadn’t eaten in a week or two, or even a month. He was shaking with excitement and anger. He knew that tomorrow, when he went to the so-called meeting, a young stud would come to his house to fuck his wife. This house was going to be his. The game had begun and he made the first move.

  The next day Frank went to the boat and spent almost the whole day there, creating a perfect plan. He left for a couple of hours to buy himself a sandwich and a new phone. He planned to send messages from Daisy to her lover from that phone, when the moment came. The moment wasn’t far away.

  He received a message from Margo toward the evening.

  How are you, sweetheart? What’s going on? I miss you.

  “Sure you do, bitch,” Frank said angrily.

  I think only about you. Let’s celebrate when I come back tonight, he pushed buttons fiercely. He texted the truth. He did think only about her.

  I don’t feel well. I think I’m getting sick! Not a good time.

  I’m sorry, dear. What a pity. Well, maybe tomorrow you’ll feel better. He sent back.

  She didn’t answer. Frank waited for her answer and had put the phone down already when the next message came.

  I’m waiting 4 u, my dear.

  Frank didn’t reply to this one, wondering why she paused, but then he continued working on the plan. Everything turned out seamlessly. Her lover would end behind bars for the murder of Frank’s wife and helping his girlfriend Daisy to disappear.

  He changed his clothes in the evening and then remembered he was at a meeting and changed back, although his clothes were soaked with sweat from sitting on the deck.

  CHAPTER 18

  When his story came to the point of the last business trip, as Frank called it, Margo stopped him. She had a glass of wine in her hand, which she brought after drinking a cup of coffee. There was an empty bottle of water near him and he was still thirsty.

  “I thought you were a total loser,” Margo said.

  Frank shrugged. “You should have thought that.”

  “Fucking manipulator.”

  “Like you are different,” Frank opposed.

  “Are you actually talking back to me? I’ll cut your balls off before you know it.”

  “Maybe my balls are not as great as your stud’s, but they are not bad and I value them.”

  It looked like Margo was holding back her laughter, but her escaped smile disappeared abruptly.

  “What did you do to Daisy?” she asked.

  “Do you need all the details? Why? Are you enjoying it?”

  “No,” Margo said. “I just want to know how sick you are.”

  “Tell me what you did t
o your husband, I’ll tell you about Daisy.”

  Margo couldn’t stand it anymore and laughed.

  “Don’t you think you are not in a position of bargaining and making terms?”

  “You want to know.” Frank shrugged. He had to put his arms down. At least she didn’t raise them high. What an idiot he was to believe her.

  “Charles fell from a cliff into the abyss.”

  “That’s it?”

  “What else do you want to know? Tell me about Daisy.”

  “She fell from the boat into the ocean.”

  “Did you tie a weight to her feet? Did you strangle her before pushing her into the water?”

  “She hit her head a little. On the fire extinguisher.”

  Margo winced.

  “How unaesthetic,” she said.

  “Are you a master of aesthetics?”

  “Your house didn’t burn and you didn’t have a crazy ex?”

  “You figured out everything correctly. What more do you want? Untie my hands, they are falling off, and I want to piss.”

  “Anything else?”

  “What are you going to do with me?” Frank demanded.

  Margo looked at him.

  “What do you think?” she asked.

  “Are you going to kill me? Do you think it will solve all your problems? People will start asking questions.”

  “What people?” Margo grinned.

  “What people? Plenty! Plenty of people know me!”

  Margo shook her head.

  “I’m sure you have a lot of friends,” she said. “Okay, don’t shit in your pants. I won’t kill you. Why should I take risks, especially when I know you don’t have anything? I’ll turn you over to the police and that’s it. Let them punish your ass for bamboozling me. You’ll answer for drowning Daisy. For taking out life insurance with my name on it, and forging my signature. For all those women you killed.”

  “Did you marry me only because of money?” he asked.

  Margo laughed.

  “Why do you care?”

  Frank was finished. He knew that. How could he twist her around his finger when she twisted him? They were so alike. Why did they run into each other? What was it? The irony of fate? Karma? Two people who wanted to rip off each other when they should have ripped off suckers. There were tons of suckers in the world who seemed to be waiting for them! Why did their paths intersect?

  The idea came instantly, as always.

  “You and I are so alike,” Frank said.

  “Unfortunately. That’s why I’m running out of money and you are not going to be the one who gives me more.”

  Frank didn’t tell Margo everything from his story. For example, he said he rented the boat and didn’t admit that it was his own property. The plan in Frank’s head began to unwind at a frantic pace. He took a position that was as comfortable as possible.

  “Listen, Margo. If you decide ... I don’t know ... to kill me or hand me over to the police, no one will benefit from this. Neither you nor I. I will be ... dead ... or in prison, and you will be left without money. Are you going to start looking for a husband again? Is that what you are going to do?”

  “I’m already doing that, don’t worry.” Margo smiled and Frank froze. She was really working on it and she wasn’t going to have any problems.

  “Is it Mason?”

  Margo snickered. He was right, the bitch decided to take millions from the old man. He didn’t know what to do with his money, so she would be there to lend a helpful hand.

  “Do you really think he’ll marry you? Before he kicks off? Do you think you’ll get his legacy?”

  “He has no one.”

  “That’s true. So he would marry you even though you probably are not the first one who has tried this during all these years. He seems like a friendly fellow. I’m sure he’s met a lot of gals.”

  “He’s never met anyone like me.” Margo just shrugged. She didn’t doubt her exclusivity and perfection for a second. Frank couldn’t help it and admitted that she was right, but he also was no common trash.

  “You are so sure of yourself. You were sure with me.”

  Margo pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes, and pointed the gun at Frank.

  “Okay, okay.” He changed his position again. It was hard to think when his thoughts constantly returned to his bladder.

  “That old man only talks about his wife. He lives by his memories of her.”

  “I think he wants to change that,” Margo objected.

  “By the way, don’t forget that you still need to divorce me.”

  “That will not be a problem. As soon as you are arrested, the divorce will be automatic and the old man will want to mend the unfortunate, young woman who married a serial killer.”

  “First of all, I’m not a serial killer,” Frank said. “Second, we are really alike.”

  “Yeah, like brother and sister.”

  “We belong to each other.”

  “You’re crazy, hubby. I’m going to call the police. Wow, I’ve married for the second time and, again, it ended so fast.”

  “We can be useful to each other!” Frank shouted. He went into a rage and even forgot about his physiological problems.

  Margo winced, but remained in the chair, twisting the gun in her hand.

  “Imagine what we can do! Just imagine if we unite our talents! We don’t have to be married anymore, we don’t have to depend on anyone, rely on anyone. We don’t have to worry whether it will work out or not. Just imagine.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re hinting at.”

  “We can work together! What don’t you understand?”

  “I understand that you’re crazy. Probably you have urine in your head.”

  “Just think! We can become Bonnie and Clyde. Only better, smarter, deeper!”

  “God, what are you talking about? I hope you don’t think I’ll believe you,” Margo said.

  “I never wished you any harm.”

  Margo just waved her hand and rolled her eyes, like she didn’t believe a word.

  “Seriously,” Frank nodded. “You think I want to fuck those old women and beg for their money? Or marry someone and then hope for her to die soon? Each time it’s getting more dangerous. Husband and wife—what a wonderful cover.”

  Margo shook her head and rolled her eyes, but he saw that she was thinking. He assumed that she was thinking. Before that, he saw that she loved him. He probably had delusions.

  “We’ll think of something to feel confident. For example, we can register our marriage again, officially and here, invite people, become friends with our neighbors. This will create a protection for both of us. We can’t just disappear. We both have a history. I mean we both have spouses who died in a strange way. I also used a fake name here as I said.”

  Margo exhaled and shook her head again. She didn’t like what he said, or did she?

  “You don’t have to marry Mason to get his money,” Frank said and fell silent.

  Margo stopped making gestures expressing irritation and looked attentively at Frank. He nodded.

  “He lives alone,” Frank continued. “He has no one besides a housekeeper in the house. He can disappear and no one will find him for a very long time.”

  Margo shrugged.

  “What can we get in his house? Wine?”

  “I don’t know, but we can figure it out. He has paintings, art, probably his wife’s jewelry. We can sell it.”

  “I'm not a thief. That’s too low.”

  “Well, I take what I think will be better in my possession. See, we complement each other.”

  “Did you take something from me?” Margo’s eyes narrowed.

  “I didn’t take anything from you. Let’s get back to our chickens. I heard your conversation with Tristan.”

  “You never cease to amaze me. Bravo! Should I give you a medal?”

  “He was saying something about his grandmother, who just sits on her money and he wants to take care of her.”
>
  “Yes,” Margo said thoughtfully. “We had that conversation. He promised me he would take care of her just like you said. Good ears.”

  “There you go. Why don’t you tell him the two of you can be together if he has money? Remind him about his grandmother.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do,” Margo said. Of course, how could he question her manipulating abilities?

  “I’m sure you know better than I.”

  Margo stood from her chair and went to the door of the bedroom.

  “I’ll be back,” she said.

  “I have to piss!” Frank shouted.

  “You’ll have to wait,” she said from the other room. “And don’t you dare do it on my bed!”

  She returned with a glass of water and her telephone, sat down in the chair again, and dialed the number.

  “Tristan ... Yes, I’m glad ... No, I didn’t hear anything.” Margo rolled her eyes while listening to the answer. “Listen, I had a fight with my husband ... Yes, but you have to understand.”

  When Margo finished the conversation and dropped the phone, she picked up the gun.

  “We haven’t agreed yet,” she said.

  “I understand,” Frank answered.

  “I’ll always be informed.”

  “No problem.”

  “I’ve got to go now. I’ll make two copies of what I found in your car and the insurance. One copy will go to my lawyer, the other to the bank, and the key to the safety deposit box will go to another lawyer. If anything happens to me, you’re done.”

  “What if something happens to you without my participation?” Frank was indignant.

  “Then you have to make sure I’m safe. You can’t track and kill two lawyers. I’ll take care of that.”

  She wasn’t stupid.

  “You’re going to live on your boat or wherever you want to live and come here sometimes, so our neighbors with whom we need to make friends will see you. I’ll change the locks and install a new alarm system.”

  “Great.” Frank rolled his eyes. “Can I piss now?”