The Mermaid & The Crocodile (The Kill List Series Book One)

by Edee M. Fallon

  “I’m glad you approve,” is what I said, even though his approval was the last thing I wanted or needed.

  “How’d you learn to cook like this?” Tony asked me as he noticed Luis having trouble keeping his head up. “You okay there?” he asked Luis who was struggling to hold his fork with a shaking hand.

  Willy seemed to have lost all motor control and everyone turned to him as he dropped his fork at this feet. He tried to get up to retrieve it, but fell out of his chair in the process. Everyone tried to stand up, but no one was able to find the strength or the coordination to move.

  “What’s going on here?” Eddie asked with a strained voice. “What have you done?” he asked as he watched me with eyes that had glazed over.

  “It’s time for retribution,” were the last words any of them would ever hear.

  On wobbly legs, I walked to the front door to make sure it was locked and dead bolted. I did the same to the back. Tony's goons outside would be the only ones who might survive tonight. One by one, I injected them with the poison to take them out for good. I secured Eddie and Tony to their chairs so they would have no chance of escape once they awoke. All that was left to do was wait until they woke up to complete the mission that my father started so many years ago.

  I looked around the room at the scene I’d created. The sight of Eddie helpless and knocked out made my knees weak and I sank to the floor as I started to shake. The plan had been to wait until Eddie and Tony woke up and to force Tony to watch as I killed the only family he had left in the world. As I stared at Eddie’s almost lifeless body, I knew that I couldn’t go through with it. I stood up and made my way to Tony as I pulled another syringe out of my pocket. I wanted to make him suffer the way I had, but I couldn’t do that to Eddie. After uncapping the needle, I stuck it in the soft flesh at his neck and pushed the plunger down, releasing the toxin into his system. He stopped breathing a few minutes later. I began to relax a little once I knew he was dead, but that relief was short lived because Eddie began to wake up from his sedation. He tried to lift his head several times, but he just wasn’t strong enough yet.

  “What …” he whispered hoarsely, “what’s going on?” he asked once he noticed me standing across the room. His eyes tried to focus and his mind tried to process the room around him. He shook his head to try and dispel the grogginess that he was undoubtedly feeling as he continued to talk. “Roberta, what happened?” His chair squeaked as he tried to stand up.

  “I’m so sorry, Eddie. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Once he really noticed the scene around him for the first time he said, “Oh my God, what did you do? Papa? Papa? Talk to me!”

  “It’s time for retribution. An eye for an eye,” I said as I made my way closer to him while fingering the last syringe in my pocket.

  “Roberta, what the fuck? Untie me now you stupid bitch. You’re going to pay for this. Why are you doing this?”

  “They killed my parents. You were going to kill Jenks. I can’t let you do that,” I said as I fought back my tears. I didn’t want to kill Eddie, but now I really didn’t have any other choice.

  He chuckled as he tried to shake loose of his bonds. “I don't know what you’re talking about. I've never killed anyone. You don't know who you're dealing with. Just untie me. Let us go. I promise I'll let you leave with your life.”

  It was now my turn to release a bitter laugh. “Maybe so. But for how long? It's got to end now,” I said as I walked towards him. Eddie began to scream, but I was too focused on the moment and I couldn't decipher his words.

  “How does it feel?” I asked him as I took another shaky step in his direction.

  “Papa! No, papa, no!” His screams soon became sobs when he realized that Tony would never be waking up again. “I will fucking kill you, you fucking bitch! I will hunt you down until I find you. I will rip your heart out with my bare hands. Why? Why are you doing this?”

  “You killed my parents. All of you. Now you know what it feels like to be alone in the world, too. At least you don’t have to live that way for long.”

  “Roberta, I swear to God I don’t know who your parents are. I’ve never killed anyone. Tell me, por favor. Tell me and I'll kill them myself. Just don’t do this!”

  “Robert England was my father. You might not have pulled the trigger, but it’s your fault just the same. Catherine England was my mother. You were only just born then, but it doesn’t matter. You, all of you, are responsible. And today … you were talking about killing Jenks. I wasn’t going to, but then … it’s just too late Eddie. I don’t have a choice anymore. It’s time for you to die,” I said as I stalked towards him on weak legs.

  “It wasn’t us, you stupid cunt! It wasn’t us! It was his partner. Papa told me.”

  I stopped dead in my tracks. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Your father’s partner. He killed them. I swear to God.”

  I began to tremble at these words. Could this be the truth? No. No. No. “You lie! Tom died the same night as my father! You can’t talk your way out of this you piece of shit.”

  “He’s still alive. Roberta let me go. If you let me go, I swear I’ll tell you where he is. We’ve been looking for him too. That rat bastard deserves to die. Don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me. I’ll tell you everything you want,” he pleaded.

  In that moment, I faltered as the front door began to rattle. I could hear someone screaming from outside. I had no choice but to escape, plan unfulfilled. I rushed out the back door into the night, Eddie’s screams following me into the darkness.

  “You’re dead! You can’t escape me! I will find you!”

  A gunshot cut through his screams. I fell to the ground, sure that it had missed me. I felt no pain as I stood up and continued to run further and harder towards my car. Another shot and another whizzed by me. I had to get out of there. My feet carried me forward while my thoughts were stuck in that room with Eddie.

  I kept running until I reached my new car a few blocks away. I fumbled with the keys as I checked the street to see if I’d been followed. It was then that the pain registered. I’d been hit. I touched my side and lifted my now blood covered hand into the light. Fuck. This wasn’t good. I’d never last with this kind of injury without a little bit of help. I couldn’t call Jenks. I would rather have died on the street than call that liar for help. Plus, I’d only end up behind bars if he became a part of what I’d just done. I called the only person left in the world that I trusted instead.

  “Hugo,” I said in a weak voice. I was fading fast.

  “Oh my god, Berty! What’s wrong?”

  “Hugo, I need your help.”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m bleeding … I’m hit,” I told him as I finally unlocked the door and fell into the driver’s seat.

  “Roberta! Roberta! Stay with me!” he screamed into the phone as I drifted out of consciousness.

  The last thoughts I had were of Eddie’s words. How could Tom be? But Jenks said? That meant Jenks knew. But why would he lie? This couldn’t be happening. How could he let me believe otherwise? After all this time? He knew. He fucking knew and never told me. I might not be able to kill Jenks, but Tom Lewis was going to die. Holy fuck. What have I done?

  Then everything faded to black.

  In the darkness, I met my father. I watched as an observer once again as another unwelcome memory resurfaced from the depths of my subconscious.

  A knock at my door pulled me away from the book I was reading. My father opened the door and stepped in, my mother’s beloved book in his hands. Not knowing what to say, I waited for him to speak. He sat at the foot of my bed, opened the book and began to read.

  What is that sound, the crocodile wondered to himself? Leaving the protection of the water weeds, he slowly crept from his hiding place to investigate.

  The most beautiful creature he had ever seen was sitting on a rock, crying. Crying, he wondered again
. What a thought! His tears were for show, of course. Everyone knew that, he suspected.

  A familiar man appeared before her. The crocodile was well aware who the male was. A large merman wielding a mighty triton bellowed loud and deep, “For what purpose are you here, daughter mine? Return home at once where you are expected!”

  Through her weeping she replied, “No, father, I cannot. I do not choose this life. Please let me be. I shall move on and you will never see me again.”

  “Daughter, you know I cannot allow that. For the sake of your family and your kingdom, I beg you return at once!”

  “It is not my kingdom, but yours! Why should I pay for the crimes you have committed?”

  At this, he struck her hard across the cheek.

  “I am your father! I am your king! You will obey me or I will kill the other your heart so foolishly seeks.”

  Her quiet weeping turned into deep sobs as the crocodile watched the scene unfurl before him, staying silent and unnoticed.

  My time has come, he thought to himself, for the king had so ruthlessly killed his brother for no other purpose than cruelty and jest. I shall kill the king and she will be so thankful and love me in return!

  The king left shortly after, but not before an accord was struck between master and minion.

  “Why art thou crying, fair princess?” asked the ill-intentioned crocodile.

  “Who are you? What is it that you want?” she spoke to him through her tears.

  “I only wish to help you. I can’t bear to see you suffer so. What would save you from the trouble that has found you? Perhaps I can be of service to your highness.”

  “How I wish there was a way,” she replied.

  “Pray tell, fair one. If I understood your plight, perhaps I could offer a solution.”

  “I shouldn’t,” she said, suddenly appearing wary of the beast before her.

  After a few moments of silence, the mermaid began her story. For she was betrothed to a prince that she did not love, and her father owed a great debt to that kingdom. For in his wicked ways he had severely offended its king. With no other recourse available, he offered the hand of his only daughter to the prince of those seas, knowing that her heart belonged to someone else. Tomorrow was her wedding day and she could not bear to be near the castle or its guests.

  “Come back tomorrow morn,” said the crocodile. “I shall have a plan upon your return.”

  The mermaid swam away with a smile on her face, as she was very aware of the plot she had set in motion. The crocodile had been waiting for his chance to strike back against her father. She had heard the story retold several times as her father recounted to his friends the hunt and killing of the crocodile’s brother. She could not miss the chance to exact the revenge she sought against her father, her king. For his command would undo all that her heart desired within its beating chambers. Once he met his demise, she would rule the kingdom and choose for herself who she would marry.

  “Princess? Oh, Princess, are you here?” a young merman said upon surfacing near the rock she had abandoned only minutes before.

  The crocodile knew this must be the other the king referred to. If he wanted her all to himself, he would need to eliminate this competitor and perhaps blame his undoing on the king. Yes, yes, he thought to himself. For he believed the princess would believe her father capable of such an act and would turn to him to eliminate the murderer, the king, her father, for the heartache he had caused her. It was the only solution.

  With stealth and purpose the crocodile crept behind the young merman and with its jaw now gaping, swallowed the unsuspecting lad whole!

  The next morning, the princess did arrive back at the rock in hopes that the beast had fulfilled his promise. She tried to hide her fear of the beast as it approached.

  “Oh, kind one, have you anything to share with me today? You are looking quite full and pleased, or perhaps you have only grown since yesterday,” she said to the crocodile.

  “Yes, beautiful, I have indeed realized a solution for all your troubles. Stay awhile and hope that your father returns for you. When he does you must leave. Do not bear witness to what I must do. It is too much for fair eyes to behold.”

  “Oh, crocodile, how shall I ever repay such kindness? For I have nothing to offer you,” she said through her own crocodile tears.

  “There might be something I could ask for in return.”

  “Pray tell. What may that be?”

  “In time, in time. All in good time, my lovely. Hush now, here he comes,” the crocodile said as he slipped below the surface of the shallows.

  “Daughter mine, what has brought you here again this day? I forbade your absence at the castle. Why have you defied me again?”

  “Father mine, you know why! I cannot marry that prince. I shall leave and never return!” she bellowed as she leapt from the rock and disappeared under the surface of the water.

  “Why, my daughter? Why?” the king asked himself out loud and to no one in particular. His quiet sobs filled the air as the crocodile stealthily swam towards him, opening his jaw to swallow the king whole!

  Minutes passed and still no sign of the mermaid’s return. The crocodile lazily swam back to the comfort of the water weeds to digest his prey in peace.

  “Crocodile, where have you gone?”

  “Here, Princess. Come here,” he replied groggily. His belly was too full and his movements too sluggish.

  “It is done? Were you successful?” she asked a little too brightly.

  “Yes, my beautiful one. Your father is no longer to be worried about.”

  “Oh, thank you! Thank you!” she said with a smile. “However shall I repay you?”

  “Well, there is one thing I might ask of you.”

  “What is it?”

  “Princess, I would ask for your love in return for my service to you.”

  “What? Surely you can’t be serious?”

  “Oh, I am quite serious, Princess. There is but nothing else that I could ask for.”

  “But the kingdom is now mine! I can give you riches beyond belief! Anything else. I cannot give you what you ask, you foolish beast!”

  “Foolish beast? For you are the most foolish of them all!” he screamed as he opened his maw and swallowed her whole!

  The crocodile was in agony, his stomach fit to burst. For the first time in all eternity, true tears trailed down the scaled skinned snout of a crocodile.

  “Princess? Your Majesty? Are you here?” the prince called out when he had surfaced near the rock.

  The crocodile stayed silent and unmoving. He was in no condition to fight or flee. He began to submerge as a means of escape when the prince called out to him.

  “You! Yes, you there! Have you seen the king or the princess of these seas?”

  “No, sir, I have not.”

  “Are you sure beastly one? Your stomach seems rather bloated. I followed them to this spot and have yet to see them leave. What are you hiding within your bowels? Answer or I shall find out on my own,” he accused acerbically.

  The crocodile tried to escape, but his gluttony made him slow and weak. The triton punctured his overstuffed gut, spilling its contents into the shallows. Releasing a gasp, the prince dove beneath the water, never to return.

  Seek not the demise of others, for you will surely find your own.

  My father closed the book and stared at me as he waited for me to say something.

  “I love the story,” I said, hoping it was the correct response, “but I don’t understand it. They’re all wrong.”

  “Are they?” my father asked as he placed the book aside.

  “The mermaid was selfish and the crocodile only wanted revenge.”

  “True,” he said and tilted his head in contemplation.

  “So what is it? What am I missing?” I asked as I turned and placed my feet on the floor.

  “The story is about love, honor and duty.”

  “No way,” I said, adamantly shaking my head. “I d
on’t get that at all.”

  “Sometimes, Roberta, you have to look deeper than what’s on the surface. Should the mermaid have to pay for her father’s mistakes? Forced into marriage when she loved someone else? Would you not revenge your family if given the chance like the crocodile did? Would you not help someone you were in love with? So many variables. So many pieces to the puzzle.”

  “But any of them could have chosen differently. They all didn’t have to die.”

  “Now you got it.”

  “Do I?” I asked, still unsure of his explanation.

  “If but one of them would have sought forgiveness or at least tried to understand the other’s intention, maybe they would have survived. Instead, they chose destruction and ended up destroying themselves in the process.”

  “It’s just a stupid story,” I said, irritated with myself that I didn’t agree with what he was saying and not brave enough to contradict him further.

  “You’ll understand one day, Roberta. Probably more than I ever could and hopefully sooner rather than later.”

  “Why was this mom’s favorite story?”

  He looked at me long and hard before he answered. “Because it was mine.”

  How I had managed to forget the memory was beyond me, as if my mind was waiting for the exact moment I was in need of understanding to relinquish it from the depths of my subconscious.

  My most treasured possession belonged to my father, not my mother. It had been her way of reminding him of the right path. And he was right. I did get it now, even if my understanding came later rather than sooner, even if I already destroyed my only chance at redemption.

  When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a familiar room, but unable to place exactly how I knew it. I felt safe, even though I was in terrible pain. The nightmares I dreamt came to the surface of my mind, but as dreams often are, it was a convoluted replay of the events from that awful night mixed with memories I had long ago forgotten. As my groggy mind attempted to become fully conscious, I recalled a piece of the puzzle I never knew had been missing, but was now painfully clear to me. Eddie’s revelation gave me the insight that I needed to finally understand why my family had died, at least partially so.