by Chris Taylor
“So, what did you get up to today?” he asked, striving for normal.
She shrugged and looked around the room. “This and that. I cleaned up your mess and changed your sheets. I disinfected your bathroom, so it’s all good for your next little romp.”
Her eyes narrowed on his. Her expression was filled with such malice, it stole his breath. When had she become so angry, so spiteful about his pastime? It wasn’t like she hadn’t lived with it for many years.
“What’s the matter, Helen?” he asked in a mollifying tone.
She rounded on him, her eyes blazing. “Why do you think I’m the one with the problem, Alexei? You’re the one who likes to sleep with men. You’re disgusting! You sicken me! You shouldn’t be allowed to walk on God’s green earth. It isn’t right. It never was. I should have told you from the start. Well, it’s not too late to make amends. Don’t you worry about that.”
A trickle of fear flowed through him, raising the hair on his arms. He stared at her and tried hard not to let it show. “W-what do you mean? What are you going to do?”
She laughed, but it was more of a cackling sound. “It’s not what I’m going to do, Alexei. It’s what I’ve already done. Three down and many more to go. I won’t stop until I’ve eradicated each and every one of you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“This, Alexei!”
With a flourish, she drew something from behind her back. He hadn’t noticed it in her hands until then. He peered at the jersey. Dark purple and gold… Sydney Kings…a number inscribed on the front. Darker stains marked the fabric. Was that blood? His heart kicked into overdrive.
“W-what is it, Helen?” His voice sounded tremulous.
She laughed again. “It’s a Sydney Kings jersey, Alexei. It belonged to my second victim. Simon McLean was his name. I didn’t know that at the time, of course. I thought you would have guessed by now, seeing as I left two gifts for you. Don’t you watch the news?”
Alexei’s feet were cemented to the floor. He stared at his wife in shock and horror, hardly comprehending what she said. “You? You’re the one responsible for those horrible killings up on the hill?”
“Yes, and I’m pretty proud of myself, too. Everyone knows it’s where men like you go to hook up. It was the perfect place to lie in wait. I snuck up on them when they were totally unaware and clobbered them fair and mighty over the head. Of course, I had to make sure they were dead. A few more blows, a little more suffering… It’s no more than what they deserved.”
Alexei shook his head, shock still ricocheting through his veins. His wife had just confessed to killing three men. It wasn’t Rodriguez at all. What the hell was going on?
His brain felt like it was filled with thick fog. His feet refused to move. He had to get out of there, call the police. He had to pretend her words hadn’t affected him, keep her talking, sharing the gruesome details. It would disarm her, put her off the scent. If he didn’t want to end up her fourth victim, he needed to make sure she believed wholeheartedly he understood where she was coming from.
“You left me the ring and cap as keepsakes,” he said in the mildest tone he could manage.
She smiled and moved closer. He did his best not to flinch. With the bloodied jersey mere inches away from his face, she patted his cheek.
“Yes, I wanted to send you a warning. I was through with all of this. For too long, I’ve allowed this filth to happen, right under my very own roof. Well, no longer, Alexei. Your despicable escapades are coming to an end.” Her eyes narrowed menacingly. “I meant what I said, dear husband. I’m going to rid this earth of that scum, one man at a time. All I can say is, watch your back.”
Fear erupted in his gut and poured through his veins like acid. “You wouldn’t!” he sputtered, aghast at how wrong he’d been.
She smiled coldly and the sight of it iced his blood. “Just try me.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Dear Diary,
Well, that was fun. I’ve waited a long time to see that expression on Alexei’s face. All the time, he’s been under the impression that he was the one with the power. Well, we’ll see about that.
He nearly wet his pants when he realized what I’d done. To be honest, I thought he would have worked it out weeks ago. It’s not like he didn’t know the way I felt about him and his den. Did he think I’d sit back quietly and endure such humiliation forever? Not on your life.
* * *
Samuel let himself into his condo and tossed the keys onto the counter. Tugging open the fridge, he pulled out a beer and popped the top. Taking a couple of grateful swallows, he sighed heavily.
He’d left Paul in the company of his parents. They were glad to see him and had welcomed him in, despite the wariness in his father’s eyes. Samuel understood his reaction. They’d all been there before. This wasn’t the first time Paul had come home, crying for help. But turning their backs on him wasn’t a solution. He was their brother and son. And maybe, just maybe he’d make it through this time and come out the other side. They all lived in hope.
He looked around him and for the first time noticed the place was quiet. He wondered where Shelby was. There were no leftovers on the table, no dishes in the sink. It was late. She must have eaten. He should have called her and told her what had happened, but she thought he was meeting a college friend. He’d have to explain why he’d lied to her and he hadn’t felt up to it at the time. He wandered down the hallway in search of her.
“Shelby? Are you here?”
A muffled sound behind the bedroom door caught his attention. Leaning against the panel, he turned the doorknob and switched on the light. Shelby lay face down on the bed among the pillows. She was crying. In concern, he hurried to her side.
“Shelby? Honey, what’s the matter?” She tensed and then slowly turned to face him. Her face was blotched red with tears.
Another surge of concern rushed through him. “Talk to me, honey. What happened?”
She stared up at him in silence, as if debating what to say. He urged her again. “You’re upset about something. I’d like to know. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”
Fresh tears welled in her eyes. She opened her mouth and then closed it and then opened it up again.
“I… I wasn’t going to say anything. But I waited and waited for you to return. I cooked dinner, but it went cold on the stove. Eventually, I tossed it out and then went off to bed. I saw you, Samuel. I saw you.”
He frowned down at her. She wasn’t making sense. “What do you mean?”
“I saw you down at the Surf Club. I saw you…with that man. You’ve been with him, haven’t you? It’s ten o’clock at night. You’ve been with him all this time.”
Her words shocked him, but no more so than her accusatory tone. He’d been with his brother. Did she really think…? And then he remembered she didn’t know it was Paul and her attitude made more sense. Still, his anger boiled just beneath the surface.
“Tell me what you think you saw, Shelby,” he said, forcing himself to keep his voice calm.
She pushed herself up and stared him down. “I saw you hugging and kissing him. It was obvious that you cared. You’re gay, aren’t you? Just like my father.”
Despite his best efforts, his anger found its head. “You have no idea what you saw and I’m nothing like your father,” he replied coldly. She flinched, but he wasn’t finished.
“You think I’ve been having an illicit encounter with a former lover. Is that it?”
She held his gaze. Defiance shone in her eyes.
“Answer me!” he shouted. He needed to hear her say it, confirm that she thought the very worst of him.
“Yes.”
He shook his head in bewilderment. “Do you even know me at all?” He turned away, shaking his head, upset and mad all at once. How could she think that of him? After all they’d shared. It was beyond him.
When he spoke again, his voice was quieter, although his anger and hurt still raged inside. “I think y
ou should go. I’ll call a cab. Leave your key.”
Shelby stared at him in shock. “Samuel, I think we should talk about this. At the very least, you could explain.”
“Explain?” he shot back. “What’s there to say? You’ve already made up your mind. Now, please, just go. I’d like to be alone.”
“But—”
“Go!” he yelled and saw her jump. Her fear tore him apart. Unable to stay in the room a moment longer, he ripped the door open and left.
* * *
Shelby paid the cab driver and wearily climbed out of the taxi. It was going on for eleven-thirty and the late hour, coupled with her crying jag, had left her exhausted. Dragging her feet, she made her way up the front path to the house she shared with her siblings.
The place was in darkness, like she expected at that time of night. Opening the door, she let herself in, trying to be as quiet as possible. Tiptoeing down the hallway, she was guided only by memory and moonlight.
“Is that you, Shelby?”
She squeaked and peered around the corner. Dimitri lay on the couch in the living room in a half-sitting position, like he was on the verge of getting up.
“Dimitri, you frightened me half to death! What are you doing out here?”
He reached over and switched on a lamp that stood on a low table beside the couch. “I couldn’t sleep. What are you doing? I thought you were staying with Samuel.”
She grimaced and all of a sudden, emotion tightened her throat. “I was,” she choked.
In the dimness, she saw Dimitri frown in concern. “Shelby, what is it? Did you two have a fight?”
She nodded. Tears welled up in her eyes. She thought she’d done with crying. Obviously, she was wrong.
Dimitri patted the couch beside him. “Here, come and sit down and tell poor old Dimitri all about it.”
She offered him a wobbly smile. “You’re neither poor nor old.”
He shrugged unrepentantly. “I’m older than you. It automatically makes me wiser, right? Now, quit your complaining and come over here. I want to know what happened to make you cry.”
With another sigh, Shelby made her way over to her brother and threw herself down on the couch. Dimitri put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Start at the beginning.”
“Well, there once was this boy called Samuel.”
Dimitri rolled his eyes and Shelby giggled. It felt good to laugh. Snuggling in against her brother’s side, she recounted what had happened.
“Who do you think he was meeting?” Dimitri asked when she’d finished.
“He told me it was a college friend. I have no reason to think he’d lie. Then again, he might have been lying through our entire relationship, just like Daddy.”
Dimitri frowned the same moment Shelby realized what she’d said.
“What do you mean, ‘just like Daddy’?” he asked.
She thought fast. “I…I just meant… You know, Daddy’s always talking things up, pretending he’s a hotshot lawyer. I mean, he can’t possibly have won all those cases. Surely, he doesn’t think we believe him.”
Dimitri stared at her. “Dad is a hotshot lawyer and yes, his success rate is the best in the firm.” He twisted until he was facing her, his expression stern. “Now, why the hell don’t you tell me what you really meant?”
Shelby fidgeted and refused to meet his gaze. She’d promised her parents their secret would stay with her.
“Shelby…”
Dimitri’s voice held a note of warning. A moment later, he was tickling her mercilessly. She squealed and squirmed and tried to get away, but his superior strength won out. Gasping for breath, she finally surrendered.
“Okay, okay! Would you quit it! We’re going to wake everyone up.”
He shrugged unapologetically and waited with an expectant gaze. Biting her lip, Shelby played for more time, but Dimitri was having none of it.
“Tell me, Shelby, or I’ll tickle you again.” The set of his jaw told her it wasn’t an idle threat.
“I can’t,” she said. “I promised.”
“Promised who?”
“Daddy and Momma.”
“Oh, so Mom knows, too.”
“Yes.”
“You know you’re going to have to tell me. I’m the oldest kid in this family. I deserve to know.”
“You deserve nothing.”
“Brat.”
They fell silent. A moment later, Dimitri tried again. “It’s obviously important, Shelby. Does it concern me?”
She looked at him and shook her head. “No, not really.”
He pounced. “Oh, so it does concern me. In that case, you’re not leaving this couch until you tell me.”
Shelby thought about it. Would it be so terrible if he knew? He was carrying a secret of his own. Perhaps knowing their father was also gay might help him come out, at least to his family? She glanced at him. He stared at her with a mutinous expression. She knew he’d carry out his threat. With another sigh, she told him.
Dimitri leaped off the couch, his face pale with shock. “What? Dad’s gay? You have to be kidding!”
Shelby shook her head. She understood his reaction. She’d felt the same way. “No, I’m not.”
“And Mom’s known all these years?”
“Yes.”
Dimitri wandered dazedly back and forth in front of her, obviously trying to process what she’d said. She remained silent for a while, giving him time to come to terms with her revelations.
“It’s the reason I urged you to talk to them. Daddy or Momma, or both,” she finally said. “After what they’ve been through, I think they’d understand and accept that you’re gay. You could live your life openly, the way you want to, and Daddy would stop throwing you at girls.”
A tiny smile lifted the corners of Dimitri’s lips. “There is that.” He moved to lean up against the TV cabinet that was filled with books, DVDs and photo frames. “I still can’t believe it. How didn’t we know? We lived there for years. It was happening in front of our noses.”
“I don’t know, Dimi. I’ve asked myself the same questions. It’s seems impossible that we didn’t have some inkling, but I guess we weren’t looking for it, either. On the surface, Momma and Daddy seem happily married—well, as happy as most couples, I guess. There certainly didn’t seem to be any underlying tension or arguments that never got resolved. If someone asked me, I’d tell them we grew up in a happy home. Now I think about what was going on and I just shake my head in disbelief.”
Once again, Dimitri prowled around the room, picking up random objects and setting them down again without looking at them. “No wonder you wanted me to come out to them,” he murmured. “Their secret is way bigger than mine.”
“You’re right. Having a gay son is nothing compared to the façade they’ve been living all their lives. You should tell them. You could tell them both together.”
“No, I’d rather tell Mom first. She’s had a long time to get used to Dad. She’ll probably take it better. Then I’ll tell Dad.”
“All right, suit yourself. I’m just glad you’re going to come clean. You can stop losing sleep over it, go back to work and enjoy your life again.”
“I might even bring home a boyfriend.” He winked.
Shelby picked up a cushion off the couch and threw it at him. He laughed and caught it easily before coming back to sit beside her.
“We still haven’t sorted out what you’re going to do about Samuel. You love him, right?”
“Yes, with all my heart,” she admitted quietly.
“And he loves you,” Dimitri added.
“Yes. At least, he used to.”
“Good. Well, here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to go over there tomorrow and apologize for jumping to wild conclusions and ask him to talk about it. Just because you saw him getting up close and personal with a guy, doesn’t mean he’s gay. And if he is, well, I guess you’re better off finding out now, correct?”
She
nodded and swallowed a sigh. Dimitri was right. She owed Samuel a chance to explain when both of them were in a mood to listen and if he was gay, she’d best find out soon, before any more hearts got broken.
“What if he doesn’t want to talk?” she asked, suddenly paralyzed at the thought.
“Then there’s not much you can do about it, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that. After all, who can resist Shelby Gianopoulos?”
He leaned over and pulled her into his arms for a hug. She relaxed against him, enjoying the feeling of security she always felt whenever she was with him. He was her big brother. He looked out for her, just like she looked out for him. They were family and family was important.
Samuel was also her family—or very near to it. She’d offer an apology and discuss what had happened. She only hoped he’d be willing to explain.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Alexei pushed the papers around his desk aimlessly and wondered what to do. It was eleven the next morning and he still hadn’t called the police. He’d come in to work early, intent on doing the right thing, but hours later, he was still undecided and it was eating away at him.
His wife had admitted to multiple murders and he was vacillating over calling the police. She was a cold-blooded killer who was determined to kill again and she’d as much as said he would be targeted. It was ludicrous to even contemplate keeping quiet and yet, so far, that’s exactly what he’d done. He hadn’t even called his children.
At the thought of his offspring, he thought of Shelby. She knew more about this than most. Out of all of his children, she’d be the least one shocked. No, that wasn’t fair. Shelby would be as stunned as he’d been to discover Helen was a murderer.
He stirred uncomfortably in his seat and his hand hovered over the phone. He should just dial the police; tell them the story; get it over with. They’d no doubt come and interview him and then attend his home. Helen would be arrested, dragged off in handcuffs. The neighbors would be aghast, gossiping behind their hands. It would be splashed all over the news and social media. Both his career and Dimitri’s would be over. It wouldn’t matter that he was a senior partner and Dimitri well on the way to being one. They would never again hold their head up in Sydney society. They’d be lucky if they ever practiced law again. Who wanted a criminal lawyer to defend them when the man’s own wife was rotting in jail?