by Taylor Storm
“Hey! Hey!” Nina’s dad yelled and hurried into the hallway to find Nina throwing all her weight against the bathroom door. “Don’t tear down the door! Let me get the key!”
He shuffled into the kitchen to find all of his extra internal door keys.
Nina pounded on the door with the flat of her hand. Suddenly remembering their giggling about sneaking out, she bolted out the front door and ran around the back of the house. Sure enough, there was the little wisp of a curtain finding its way outside. The window was open. Nina’s dad had the door open and poked his head out the open window. “Remember what I told you about when you were a kid?” He shook his head. Susan was gone.
Susan, on the other hand, was giggling with glee. She did exactly what Bob said she should do, and even though there was a small tear in her blouse from the window jamb, she had made it out without a scratch. She scurried down the alley and joined Bob who picked her up. They were on the road speeding toward Highway 29. He had successfully snuck out of the back of Susan’s car and made it back to where he left his pick-up. After pulling his pick-up just out of sight in the alley, he took up a place in the bushes where he could watch all the action on the front lawn and then later where he could try and listen in on their conversation. He took a small risk in giving his buddy the okay to make the call when he heard Nina give her dad the sandwich, but he was pretty sure Susan wasn’t going in the living room with Nina’s dad watching the game’s highlights. He chattered like a kid who pulled off the senior high school prank of his life. Susan’s eyes lit up as she listened to him.
“Yes, Susan, a buddy of mine made that call. He told me that he has seen Harris. Actually Harris didn’t know the fact that some of our friends could know each other. He kind of assumed that just because he was all ritzy with his business degree that none of his buddies would associate with a boat mechanic. My friend, Mike, and I had grown up together and played some little league. Turns out I’m one of the best boat mechanics in the area, so when Mike needed some work done, we connected again. Been drinking buddies ever since. He comes down to the tavern on Friday and tells me different things. I mostly just listen, but we’re great friends. He partied with Harris mostly around business deals, but with the wedding coming up, Mike ended up at his bachelor party. The party got a little out of control and Mike had had enough so he was about to leave. What he did remember, though, was that when he looked at his watch it was way past midnight and Harris was still going strong. In fact, Mike called to tell me that he was spouting all sorts of mean things, and even though it was his wedding day, at four o’clock in the morning he had hooked up with some high-end whores in the basement of one of their other work buddies.”
Susan was a little hurt, but at least it reassured her that she made the right choice by choosing Bob. She pestered him with some questions. “That is really freaky. What do you think they might have been up to? I mean Harris and his buddies? And where did Mike and Harris meet up in the first place, if they were so chummy?”
“Over the internet. I was really worried when Mike first started telling me some things about Harris. I mean I really cared about you. But Mike is a great salesman for his company and he can really hook you into a story for whatever he needs to do to make a sale. I kind of just tucked away the information in case it was just another one of Mike’s tales. I told a couple of guys down at the marina about Mike and just hinted around about some of the stories. Finally, Mike sent me a picture of Harris, Mike and a bunch of other corporate types at a retreat and award ceremony they had down in Minneapolis about a month ago. One of my other buddies who works on all sorts of boats down there, whistled and pointed to two or three bigwigs in the picture I didn’t recognize. I confirmed it with Mike and kind of pressed him to weed out all the filthy details. Mike, called and told me he has connections--big time. But then again, so does Harris. Mike told me. How do you think I get such big accounts? It doesn’t come easy, sport. Don’t sweat it. It doesn’t do my business any good to rat out a guy like Harris. I’m not going to lie. There’s quite a few people that don’t trust the SOB, but that’s because they mostly associate him with his dad, Bill, and some different sweet deals around Lake Carlos. I mean, all of us like a little competition when we’re making a buck. That just spices things up. But nobody likes it when a deal smells fishy. And in the land of ten thousand lakes one thing is for sure--we know what smells like fish and we know what just flat stinks. I’m telling you, Bob and Harris don’t have tons of friends out there in the business world. He said if I were you, I’d stay the hell away from Susan and that Harris character. I’m sure she’s sweet, but I just don’t know what’s in the wind for Harris. Mike’s spoiled, but he’s honest when it comes down to it.”
“So you think he is an enemy rather than a friend of my father or Harris’ father?”
“I don’t know, Susan. He didn’t threaten me or anything. I just couldn’t let anything happen to you. We’ll hide somewhere and let the dust settle. I don’t want this shit to get any worse. The people who are into it would probably try to ruin everything. I don’t know, I can’t predict.”
“But did you tell Mike about Harris missing since today?”
“Well that’s the weird thing. Mike and I talked on the phone two or three times as the day went by. Yes, I did tell him that Harris was missing. That’s when Mike spilled his guts about the bachelor party. There was another time he told me not to worry because he was going to touch base with all his big connections on how to help us get it all smoothed out without all the families getting embarrassed by Harris.”
“Well, where are we going now, to Little Falls?
Yeah, something like that, can’t tell. Now you just wait. Everything will be okay. Never wanted or expected such disaster, but now that it is happening, I am here with you and will sort this out once and for all.”
After a while, Bob took a road from the highway. It led up a long driveway along a white fence toward an older farmhouse. The gravel and snow crunched a little bit under the tires. Alexandria was having an early thaw that year around the lake, but some of the outlying areas were still filled in with snow. A cow mooed in the distance.
“This is where his cousins are. I met them once a while ago. We all used to come here during vacations.”
Bob parked the car and they both got out.
There were lights on and sounds coming from the house, and Susan could see that there were people inside. A man opened the door and they both went in. There were three people inside. One of them got up and approached Bob.
“Hi there, Bob. Mike told me what’s going on. Don’t worry, we’re going to get the bastard soon. It’s probably just a scare tactic. These guys here are my friends and bodyguards. Feel at home. You have my word that we’ll work on it. Goes deeper than the police can try and figure out.
Mike got up, came around the corner and slowly nodded. Susan greeted him with a small nod. Bob shook his hand.
They came out of the front entrance and walked back into the living room. One of the guys was sitting there watching TV and making sure to glance at the driveway once and a while. He had on a dark suit and didn’t look like he was there to play cards or be friendly. Mike escorted them to a back room where he told them they both could rest. The whole atmosphere was very reassuring. Susan noticed, though, that the music that was being played on the sound system was almost identical to that music the band had played that had been haunting her throughout the day. She ignored the sound and sat there beside Bob on the bed, hugging him.
They hugged each other for a long while. It seemed like forever, assuring each other in soft voices and whispers that everything would be all right, and at the end of the tunnel there is a bright light waiting for them. Then Bob pulled her a little away from him, looking into her deep lovely eyes. He slowly came closer to kiss Susan…
Suddenly the door smashed open and there, standing with all the others was Harris himself, looking at them both; smiling and holding a double-barrel shot
gun which was resting on his shoulder.
“Well, well, well, look who’s here, huh? Stir-Crazy-Susan.” Harris laughed aloud, wickedly.
Susan was shocked and frozen, speechless, numb, afraid, almost dead, her breath paused and her face spun around frantically to look at Bob. She unconsciously straightened up her ripped blouse and adjusted her hair again. There were still small streaks of mascara from the tears of the day.
Then the largest shock. Bob slowly stood up. Then, peeling her fingers out of his hand he adjusted his coat and walked away from Susan, joining Harris. They all smirked and Harris patted the shotgun on his chest.
Susan felt like she was having a heart attack, she could feel her pulse dropping. Her heart was pounding in her ears and her head throbbed in pain.
Behind the men at the door, she could see the musical band joining in to tease her even more.
“This is insane,” she whispered slowly.
“I am dead,” Harris smirked.
“What do you think, rich girl, huh?!” shouted Bob. His rosy cheeks suddenly turned dark red as his eyes blazed under his baseball cap.
“You just don’t get it, do you? It’s your dad that is the problem. All that time your mom told you that it was Bill with all the cash, she was lying. Your dad is the sleeze bag that has ripped off all these people of their hard-earned money. The Isaksen brothers were just the tip of the iceberg. You know why my dad drank himself to death and left us? It was simple. He had this one little gift and bait shop just on the edge of town. Wasn’t much. Wasn’t a whole hell of a lot to raise a family on, but he was proud of his work, and the little store was paid for so he made enough for us all to get by. Then your dad went behind everyone’s back and got a couple of his city council buddies together to sign away the rights to the land on some stupid toxic waste investigation. It was a bogus set up. By the time my dad could get back in his shop, all the customers had run down the road to that big conglomerate that your dad set up with Bill. My dad lost it all, and then I had to put up with my mother crying her eyes out while he went out fishing every day, and trying to pick up odd jobs at the marina.
The time I realized you were rich, in grade seven or something, I knew I had to play it. Remember that fellow who strangled you when you fell from the swing? Well, he is standing right behind me, and sweetheart, I was the one that dropped your hat in the sea. I was smart enough, I wore the lifejacket before I jumped in that sea to get that stupid hat for you. You rich, smart beauty. Crazy, rich, smart, beauty.”
“Crazy, rich smart beauty,” sang the band singing in chorus; who were playing their musical instruments live from behind Bob, Harris, and the rest of that gang.
“You thought I loved you? You bet you were wrong, and call it fate, stupid girl, as you always had told me, then I met Harris.”
“Harris,” sang in the live chorus.
“And Harris told me how his father hated your father. It wasn’t just my dad. Harris had a cousin in real estate that went bankrupt because of your stupid father. Your father was so high and mighty at picking up properties, but then when it came down to finishing the deal, he’d screw the agents by buying it for cash straight from the seller. Stupid out-of-state people from California would suck up his cash and screw Harris’ cousin. Your dad made all sorts of promises. He promised the moon with fancy cars from Bill’s and future accounts with prime land around Lake Carlos. No deal. He’d screw whoever was in the way of his cash. I had to play it slowly and carefully. Harris gave me a lot of money, while resting at this farm house, and he has promised me millions, once we are done with you and your family.”
They all laughed again in the ugliest way that Susan has ever seen or known in her life.
You know why I never kissed you, rich girl? Huh? Because Harris wants to do it. Wants to see if you’re as good as those whores he was doing this morning before he drove up here to get rid of you. We’ll kill you and bury you here at the farmhouse. Ha ha ha, scared, Stir-Crazy-Susan? Huh?”
“But the police said that they found Harris’ body tortured and deformed around his car.”
“Well that’s where it gets even better. You had your fit and wondered up to the Bistro this morning. We needed someone to take the blame for the crimes, so when that old couple borrowed your car to get some supplies, Harris had them snag the old couple. The autopsy will show that the old guy is the tortured body. Bill was in the Special Forces and a part of him rubbed off on Harris. The old woman is somewhere at the bottom of Lake Carlos by now, and it will put the police force in a tizzy for years to figure it out. Best of all, we left one of old guy’s fingers in the backseat of your dad’s car in one of your handbags that was in the trunk of your car. As far as everyone knows, Stir-Crazy-Susan went a little too far and committed two murders.” Bob laughed.
“No way,” Susan argued softly.
“Who’s going to believe what? You’ll be buried here under the farmhouse and all the police will have to go on is that a finger was found in your dad’s car. His whole empire will start to unravel when they start to find body parts at his different properties. They’re all going to think you were more than a little crazy. They’ll all think you planned the whole thing and then Mr. Christiansen will take the hit. It’s going to be great.”
“My dad’s too smart. The police won’t believe it. He won’t pay for your insanity. I’m just crazy. Not a murderer. Dad won’t pay.”
“Yes, he will,” Bob replied most cruelly.
Harris started walking toward her as the other men came forward behind Susan, grabbing both her arms.
Harris bent down toward Susan’s head and his lips neared Susan’s. She slapped him and he smirked.
Chapter Thirteen
“Well, open your eyes, Susan. What’s wrong?” Susan was thrashing in bed. The nightmares were still there even though they had most of the agitation under control.
Susan heard Bob’s voice coming from beyond. Her nightmare was fading. Suddenly Bob was in another room and then Harris and the band were running into the root cellar…”
“Susan! Open your eyes!”
“No, please don’t hurt me! Please. I trusted you…”
Susan slowly opened her eyes, trying to discern fact from fantasy. She looked around and realized she was not being murdered by a demented Harris and a tough guy Bob. There was no blood on her dress, but she was trembling and had the characteristic dry mouth. Why did fear make people’s bodies just freak out? Even now, wide awake and aware of her dreams, her body would not behave.
She was sweating like hell. Bob was hugging her and shaking her like mad. She bolted upright, drenched in sweat. She was breathing heavily and trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She hadn’t been feeling well all week and the migraine was starting to subside. The red lights of her alarm clock declared that it was seven thirty-seven a.m. The curtains were all drawn and she peeked out from under the eye mask she wore to sleep. Her head was throbbing, slightly from a headache. She hoped the migraine wouldn’t come back.
“Hey, hi, I was dreaming, Bob, one of the most horrible dreams that I have ever had ,” Susan said.
Bob let out a big sigh and replied: “Must have been the food…from last night’s dinner.” He comforted her, hugging her close, and wiping the sweat from her head. “You’ve been shouting in your dream. I came in from outside and woke you up, honey. Just blow it off. Here, drink some water. How many times have I told you not to have mushrooms? They don’t do you good, you faint, you get headaches. Please, once and for all, quit it. Mushrooms are bad for you.”
“You’re right, Bob. I just love that mushroom sauce they make for the roast beef. But I’ll stop, especially since what I had just dreamt. I am not going to even look at them anymore. Boy that was a horrible dream. It was hell.”
Susan was still recovering from her nightmare.
“Well, you know what, you should go freshen up, take a nice warm bath, because it’s our wedding day today, the day we have been waiting for so
long.” Bob smiled and hugged her once more. We’re all set for the big day!”
Susan regained herself coming back to the real world, breathing normally again. “Bob, could I ask you a question?”
“Sure honey, of course,” Bob replied in a gentle voice.
“How am I supposed to know if am dreaming or not?” she slowly asked Bob in a whisper.
“That’s a tough one sweetheart,” Bob slightly laughed at her question.
“I suppose I’ll think about it and answer you later. Wait until you see the live musical band that we have arranged for the wedding. Funny group. And guess where we are headed to after the church? To my oldest and best friend’s farmhouse. We got a great swimming pool and a view. He turned it into a bed and breakfast and we’re his first guests. On the house!”
***
Somehow, Susan woke up with Bob. Was it all just a bad dream? This is my story, but there is something missing. A small dark window into the recesses of my mind is somehow blocking me from understanding. What is that saying? “Without understanding there is no acceptance?” What is everyone else supposed to think? Susan just had a bad attack? As I reached for the cold bottle of water, the droplets of condensation reminded me of the drink on Dr. Freudette’s desk the last time we met. What had she said? Dr. Freudette told me to write my own ending. That it would feel better if I wrote about it, but I just can’t. Just because I wrote down that she woke up from a nightmare with Bob by her side, doesn’t change the fact that I’m not waking up from my nightmare and Bob isn’t by my side or is he? Sure we didn’t have the Harris and ritzy people conflict thing going, but Bob and I were going places, weren’t we? I mean we had our little lives together and we were happy. Anna told me over and over she wished she could be that happy. Nina reassured me constantly that Bob was my destiny.