And smoke she did. One right after the other. She had gone through two packs. Henry watched her. She threw out a cigarette butt, and she quickly pulled another full-length cigarette from the pack. The pack was getting low. Ava lit it, and she puffed away. Henry also noticed that she sweated a little, even though it was somewhat breezy on this March night. Recently, she had also begun to look at her watch quite a bit. In fact, she did it that very instant. She pushed the button that lit up the crystal, and she stared at it for a couple of seconds. She then released the button, and she took another long blow on her cigarette.
“Mom?” Jimmy said from the backseat. “I’m gettin’ sick of all this smoke. You gonna give me cancer.”
“Jimmy, you just be quiet,” she responded.
Henry noticed that there was a certain edge to her voice. It was the way she sounded when she was trying to hold her temper. If she didn’t get what she wanted, the holding wouldn’t last long.
“A little smoke is not going to kill you,” Ava continued.
“You all right, Sweetie?” Henry asked.
“What makes you ask that?” Ava said quickly.
“Nothing. It’s just that, I don’t usually see you smoke so many cigarettes at a time.”
“Not you too. You getting on me about the smoke too, like bratty back there?”
“No. I was just a little concerned. You’re really packing them away tonight.”
“Is there a law against smoking, Henry?” There was more irritation in her voice. “I mean, am I going to get burned alive or something?”
“Come on, don’t get mad. I’m just being concerned.”
“Well don’t be. I’ll smoke all I want. If you two don’t like it – tough.”
Henry looked at her, surprised. Why was she getting upset?
“In fact,” Ava said, “I’m going to buy some more right now. How do you like those apples?”
Still puffing on her current cigarette, Ava got out of the car to go buy some more. She didn’t slam the door, but she closed it harder than she should have. She walked quickly away from the car, headed for the concession stand.
Henry looked back at Jimmy, a bit confused. All Jimmy did was hunch his shoulders indifferently. Henry turned back around and decided that he would definitely leave the subject alone. He didn’t want to do anything to make Ava mad, especially with the way that she now treated Susy. He wanted nothing but peace.
He looked at his own watch, which was automatically lit. Susy should be home by now, he figured. Safe and secure. She was probably in bed, looking forward to a new day, in which Ava would bestow more of her good treatments upon her. Henry slouched down in his seat and relaxed. Things were going so good right now. He knew they would continue. Life was good.
Chapter Fifteen
Joe was in a panic. Still wearing his fake beard and hair, he sped down the highway in Henry’s old Ford truck. There were only a few other cars on the highway at this time of night, but as far as Joe was concerned, he was the only driver on the road. He just couldn’t believe it. How could a ten-year-old kid put up such a fight? The child had fought like a wild animal. He guessed he knew now, that anybody would fight like a cornered animal if their life was on the line – even a child.
She had swung her arms, and kicked out her legs. She had tried to run. She had bitten him. She had punched him. She had scratched him. That little bitch, Joe thought. Damn but she had fought like crazy. She had even caused him to stab himself just above his left knee. Quite a bit of blood ran from it and down to the floor of the truck. He also knew that he had left blood behind at the house. Joe was well aware, that he was in big trouble. It was never a good idea to leave your blood, AKA – DNA, behind at a murder scene. He really didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how serious his wound was, though it stung a good deal, but he was afraid to go to a hospital. He obviously didn’t want to risk the police being called there to inquire about his stab wound. At the same time, if the wound needed attention, he could be dying and not even know it.
Joe sweated like crazy. Susy had absolutely exhausted him. He had managed to slam her head against the wall, making her somewhat dizzy. He had then stabbed her, but only twice, and that had been to slit her wrists. Susy had still managed to knock the knife out of his hands afterwards. Joe had then given up trying to stab her. He had suffocated her instead with that large hand. When her body had fallen limply to the floor, he had known she was dead. He hadn’t worried about slitting her throat afterwards. Besides, he had been so terrified at how messy things had turned out, that he hadn’t much cared about her after she had fallen. All he had cared about at that point was himself. That’s all he cared about now.
But what could he do? He could be bleeding to death. Joe swiped his arm across his sweaty face. Should he still go to the cemetery and burn everything, or should he just keep driving on out of town? No, the state troopers would be looking for the truck once it was reported stolen. For all he knew, Susy’s body could have been found by now, and the police could be in the process of putting out an All Points Bulletin for the truck. Yet, if he went to the cemetery, due to the blood, he would now have to burn the truck as well. And that might would draw more attention to him as he walked from the area. Plus, even in his new clothes, how could he get on a city bus with his leg bleeding, and a scratch on his face and neck? That certainly would look suspicious. Boy, but he was in a bad spot.
The sweat dripped from his chin and onto his pants. A spasm shot through his leg; he grimaced in pain. Joe began to mumble to himself. He even cursed Ava for getting him into this mess. He wanted to slit her throat at that moment. Joe became so caught up in his own panicky little world, that he wasn’t paying much attention to what he was doing. He began to leave what few other cars there were on the road in his wake. He zoomed past one and cut in front of another, causing the driver to blow long and hard at him. Joe didn’t even hear it. He exited off the interstate, for now, planning to still head for the cemetery. He swerved around the circular road, and he came to the end of the exit, which was an intersection. The light was red at the intersection. Joe was supposed to stop. Joe didn’t even see the light. He drove right through the light, causing another pickup truck to swerve and just miss him. The screeching of the brakes, along with the bright lights of the truck, finally got Joe’s attention. He swerved a little himself.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” Joe yelled at the other driver, although he was clearly the one at fault.
However, the other driver suddenly became the least of Joe’s worries. His worst nightmare now came upon him. It was the last thing in the world he needed. He saw blue lights start flashing through his rearview mirror. A second later, the sirens started.
“Shit!”
More sweat instantly ran down Joe’s face. It seemed as though the blood from his leg poured more freely. Joe made a sharp left turn onto Victor Street, which sent him in a different direction from the cemetery. He really didn’t know where he was headed now. The truck swerved a little too much, though, and he thought for a second that he might lose control. The truck went right, then left, then right again, Joe screaming at each change of direction. He managed to straighten up just in time to miss a car that came straight at him. The car blew its horn. Joe blew his horn back, though he didn’t know why. He didn’t know why he was doing much of anything right now. All he knew was that he didn’t want the police to catch him. The police car was hot on his tracks, however, as he still saw through his rearview mirror. The siren seemed louder than ever. Joe’s panic was heavier than ever.
This area was mostly a woody type area, with a few houses scattered here and there. Joe hadn’t been in this part of town much, but he knew it well enough to know that it was not far from Vlasic Park. He was headed for one of the richest sections of town. The thought instantly crossed his mind that somehow, perhaps he could get into one of those rich people’s houses and take a hostage. Maybe that was his only hope. He had to have something to believe in.
Joe sped down Victor Street, his speed nearing ninety miles per hour. Damn, but that police siren sounded so loud to him. If only he could lose it. He had to lose it. He didn’t want to go back to prison, especially not for murder. Plus, he had killed a child. Even prisoners had a code of honor, and murdering a child was at the bottom of that code. He wouldn’t last very long in prison with a crime like that hanging over his head.
Joe neared one of the lone houses on this stretch of road. It had a driveway, and a car was in the process of coming out. In fact, it did so, just as Joe arrived at it. More screeching brakes, more horn blowing. Joe swerved and missed the car, clearly seeing the woman’s terrified face. He called her a bitch. But it was nothing personal. He called Ava a bitch. He called the entire world a bitch.
He cut his truck across the front yard of another home. He took out the pole light, causing sparks of electricity to shoot from it and across the windshield of his truck. Joe screamed and threw his arms across his face. The truck kept speeding despite his no longer steering it. The truck flew across a ditch and landed on a field in Vlasic Park. The truck bounced up and down several times, banging Joe’s head against the roof as it did so. When it stopped, Joe managed to grab hold of the steering wheel again. He pressed on the brakes, as he saw that the truck was headed straight for the playground area – swings, sliding board, monkey bars, etc. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight if he crashed into that playground. He floored the brakes and the truck seemed to plow into the ground. He saw dirt shooting up in front of the truck, as the truck screeched and squealed. Joe’s nose detected the odor of burning brakes. The truck spun around once, and then, it stopped.
Joe was then painfully forced into realizing, that everything had gone so horribly wrong. And it had gone that way from the moment he had attacked little Susy Edwards. Nothing had worked right for him. Nothing had been consistent. Nothing, except for one thing – that damn police car. It had refused to go away, and there it was again. It stopped right in front of the truck, lights still flashing away. The two police officers hopped out of the car. They both got down on one knee; their guns were drawn. Joe thought he heard one of them say something.
“Get out. Get your hands up.” Whatever.
Joe really didn’t care. All he could think of right now was his daddy’s words, whenever he had gotten into a lot of trouble as a little boy.
“ . . . Son, you in hot crap now . . . “
Grievously, Joe crossed his arms on the steering wheel. He felt like he wanted to cry. Dreadfully, he buried his face on top of his arms.
Cigarette after cigarette. She had puffed and puffed. Ava had been a veritable factory of smoke the entire night. She puffed harder than ever on a cigarette currently, as Henry moved closer and closer to the house. A cold sweat had broken out even more on Ava’s face.
“You alright, honey?” Henry asked, looking concerned.
“Huh?” Ava jumped a little. “What’d you say?”
“You’re not coming down with something, are you?”
“No. No. I’m fine, Henry.”
She heard Jimmy chomping on popcorn in the backseat. She turned.
“Do you have to crunch that stuff so loud?” she grouched.
Jimmy just looked at her, bewildered. He didn’t know of any other way to eat popcorn, except for the way he did it now.
“You’re so greedy, Jimmy. Good Lord.”
Ava turned back around. When she did so, Henry was practically at the driveway. She felt her heart start to beat at a much faster pace. The light was on in the den. All of a sudden, she began to wonder if she could face what was lying there dead in the den, or maybe the kitchen – or anyway – what was dead in that house. She couldn’t fall apart now. It was too late, even if she wanted to fall apart.
Henry pulled into the driveway. He parked in front of the glass double doors. Ava felt her stomach turn over several times in succession.
“Well, home again, Folks,” said Henry. “I trust we all enjoyed ourselves.”
“It was okay,” said Jimmy.
“Yeah, Dear,” Ava responded nervously. “It was great. It really was.”
Ava noticed that Henry had an awkward expression on his face. He looked a little worried about her.
“Well, I guess we’d better get on inside,” Henry said. “Susy must still be up. The den light’s on.”
Ava didn’t answer. She just got on out of the SUV. She took a long drag on the cigarette. Jimmy got out behind her. Ava let Jimmy go on past her, as she threw her purse over her shoulder. Slowly, she walked around the front of the car, and she followed her son and husband down the walkway. About half-way down it, she stopped. Henry and Jimmy both went on up the steps and onto the porch.
“I’ll be in, in a second,” Ava said. “I think I left something in the car.”
“Okay, Dear,” Henry said. He unlocked the front door, the key being attached to his car keys.
Ava started like she was going to head back to the car, but she stopped, after she saw Henry and Jimmy go inside the house. She stood where she was, and she continued to puff on her cigarette. She just needed to build up some nerve. In that house, what lay waiting for her, was the greatest acting job of her life.
And it wouldn’t take long for the job to have to start.
Screams. And they were horrific. They were blood-curdling. They were nerve-shattering. It was Henry’s voice. He screamed. And he screamed. And he screamed again. Ava puffed. And she puffed again. And again. She blew out loads of smoke. It was almost enough to suffocate her. She swiped away the smoke. But Henry’s screams; God, but they sent chills through her body. The man sounded himself as if he were being attacked.
Well, the time had come, she thought. Keep yourself together, Ava. You’ve got to do a good job. She then dropped the cigarette on the pavement, and she rubbed it out with her foot. She squared her shoulders, and she walked to the steps. She went up them.
She saw Jimmy standing just inside the doorway. He didn’t make a sound. He looked stunned. His box of popcorn was beside him on the floor, all spilled out. Ava took a deep breath, closed her eyes briefly, and then she opened them again. Into the house she went.
Once inside, she saw a sight that let her know immediately – as if she’d been hit by a ton of cinder blocks – just how disgusting of a person she really was. But there was no turning back now. She had to go through with it, and she had to do excellent work.
She saw lying by the stairway – Susy. The child’s eyes were closed. She lay on her side, her left arm stretched out, her head rested upon it. Her right arm lay limply at her right side, the hand was flat on the floor. There was a puddle of blood surrounding that hand. Her mouth was partially open. Ava thought she saw the child briefly twitch, but she was sure that couldn’t have been the case. The child looked dead as a doornail.
Henry was knelt at his daughter’s side. He looked as though he wanted to take her into his arms, but he couldn’t do it. He looked lost, as if he didn’t know how to react. He no longer screamed. He just watched Ava, his face filled with tears, and his expression wrought with shock. Ava knew that she would remember the look he carried on his face for the remainder of her life. It was simply blood-chilling.
Ava went to work. She dropped her purse. She threw both her hands to her cheeks. She brought the force of it up from her stomach and all the way into her throat. The scream. She screamed, and screamed, and screamed.
“Oh my God! Oh my God! Susy! Susy!”
She screamed some more.
“Oh no. Susy! . . . Oh my God! Noooo!!”
So far, she was off to a great start.
Robbie was on top of the world. He was right where he wanted to be, cuddled up beside the love of his life. He was nude and under the covers, turned on his side, his head rested on the propped-up pillow. He looked dreamily at Matt.
Matt sat up in the bed. He too was nude, with the sheets covering his bottom half. He was a muscular, powerfully-built guy, with long blonde hair. His skin wa
s well-tanned; his eyes were green. He stared out into space, an indifferent expression on his face.
Robbie thought of the many women who passed Matt on the street and looked at him with such adoration. He knew they wished they could own this tall, handsome hunk. Well, eat your hearts out, witches. He’s mine. All mine. He doesn’t even like you whores. He belongs to me, and he always will.
Or at least that’s what Robbie hoped. They had been on-again, off-again for months. However, after the way they had made passionate love the past two hours, Robbie believed that something special had clicked between them. Robbie knew that nobody gave it up like him. Matt had thoroughly enjoyed himself, and so had he.
“You look troubled,” Robbie said tenderly. “Don’t be troubled.”
“Ah, I’m alright,” Matt answered in a raspy voice.
“You should be alright. After the time we had, you should be feelin’ great.”
“I’m fine . . . No, I take that back. I’m not fine.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Robbie, I’m not so sure this wasn’t a mistake.”
Robbie was thrown for a loop. He didn’t know what to say for a few seconds.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come here,” Matt continued.
“No. Don’t say that.”
Concerned, he raised up in the bed. He gently placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder.
“Have I done somethin’? I’m sorry if I did.”
“It’s not you. It’s me. I can’t make up my mind what I want.”
“You want me, right? I love you, Matt. Don’t you love me?”
“I think I do. I thought I did . . . I don’t know.”
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