Getting Even

by Claude Bouchard

Montreal, Quebec, 5:58 p.m.

  “May my efforts result in the success I so justly deserve,” William muttered aloud as he placed the final container in the refrigerator.

  Excitement and anxiety continued their joust for domination, a distracting battle which had been going on continuously for almost twenty-four hours – excitement for the pending completion and success of his plan and anxiety for any number of variables which could go wrong. Though all had fallen into place better than he could have hoped, the accelerated timetable had been unexpected and served to add considerable pressure.

  Following their bout on the tennis court the previous day, Chris had invited William to join him and Dave for an evening of banter, beer and pizza. William had accepted and, to his surprise, they had found Frank Bakes chatting with Dave upon their arrival. Minutes later, Jonathan had called to invite himself over, looking for some company in his wife’s absence.

  The five men had spent a pleasant evening, eating, drinking, chatting, and poking fun at each other. Along the way, Chris had playfully goaded William about his promised dinner and the others had quickly joined in, demanding William deliver the proposed feast. When William had suggested he hoped to invite them over in a week or so, Chris had told him he was heading to Knowlton on the Friday where he would be staying until he and Sandy left for a month-long European vacation. Dave and Jonathan would also be in Knowlton for the weekend before heading to Ottawa for a week of meetings followed by Vancouver for a three day conference.

  Not wishing to delay his plan for a month or more but needing some time to finalize his preparations, William had suggested they, including Frank, of course, join him for dinner on the coming Thursday. All had agreed once he had assured them his invitation was sincere and not due to their playful bullying. He truly wished to thank them for their friendship and promised not to spend hours in the kitchen. It would be another boys’ night with great food, drink and fun.

  He had been up early, revising his menu to better suit it for the proposed, easy-going evening. Deciding on a Mexican theme, the meal would consist of tainted chicken quesadillas, undercooked red kidney bean chili and homemade empanadas. Unfortunately, he had no bad beef but all the dishes, including the salsa would be generously seasoned with lye and his special mix of ground poisonous plants. A lime based punch of antifreeze and rubbing alcohol should resemble Margaritas sufficiently to encourage his guests to imbibe.

  His day had mainly been spent in the kitchen of the downtown apartment, excluding the time needed for a bit of grocery shopping. He had also gone for his powerwalk, not so much for the exercise on this particular day but more so in hopes of seeing Roberta and April where they usually could be found panhandling in front of Christ Church Cathedral. He would need their help the following day and had promised them a worthy surprise to ensure their presence.

  He glanced at his watch and sighed with relief. He had well over an hour to shower and have a couple of drinks to help calm his jittery nerves before heading to the Bell Centre. The Montreal Canadiens were playing the Ottawa Senators and his good friend, Chris, had invited him to see the game.

  Chapter 21 – Wednesday, November 4, 2015

  Montreal, Quebec, 10:04 a.m.

  “Good morning, ladies,” said William as he strolled up to Roberta and April at their usual post in front of the church.

  “Holy shit, look at you,” Roberta exclaimed, eyeing him appreciatively as he approached. “You sure clean up nice.”

  William, clad in stylish outdoor wear, laughed and replied, “There was no need to wear my running pants today.”

  “You do look very nice,” April commented in her usual shy manner.

  “Thank you,” said William with a slight bow. “Now, are you ladies ready for your surprise?”

  “Yessir,” Roberta confirmed. “Let’s have it.”

  “Follow me,” said William before walking off with both ladies in tow.

  “Where we going?” asked Roberta.

  “You’ll see,” William replied over his shoulder with a smile. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”

  He led them half a block away to a red Cadillac Escalade he had rented for the occasion, intent on impressing them in order to gain their cooperation.

  “Wow, nice ride,” April murmured as William opened the doors on the passenger side.

  “You’re a richer bastard than I thought,” said Roberta, stepping closer to peer inside. “Are we going somewhere?”

  “Only if you like,” William replied. “I haven’t been as nice to you as I could have since we met –”

  “Yeah, you got a mean streak in you,” Roberta cut in. “Kinda insulting sometimes.”

  “I can’t disagree,” William admitted, “Even though I said things just for fun, I realize they can be hurtful and I’d like to make it up to you. I know you ladies have a difficult life and I thought I would offer you a special day, the kind of day you likely don’t get to experience very often.”

  Roberta gazed at him quizzically. “Before we get in that fancy car of yours and go who knows where, what kind of special day are you thinking of, Mister? We don’t even know your name.”

  “I should be ashamed,” William blurted, clearly embarrassed. “My name is Allan, Allan Ryerson. I can’t believe I never introduced myself. Please forgive me.”

  Roberta nodded once and said, “Don’t get all freaked out, Allan. It’s just your name. Now, where are you planning to take us and why?”

  “I wanted to treat you both to a nice day,” William replied, sounding dejected. “A friend of mine has a chalet on a lake up north and I thought it would be nice for you to come up there, get some fresh air and relax for a few hours. I even prepared food for the occasion because I thought you don’t often get a home cooked meal. I’m sorry. I wanted to do something nice for you and I certainly have no ill intentions but I guess it was a stupid idea.”

  “Aww, it’s not a stupid idea,” Roberta disagreed, her tone lightening. “I’m just making sure you’re not thinking nothing weird, but I don’t think you are.”

  “Of course not,” William promised, “But if you’d rather not go, I completely understand.”

  “What food did you make?” asked April, gazing at her feet.

  “A Mexican fiesta,” William replied. “Chili, chicken quesadillas and empanadas. I also brought corn chips and salsa.”

  “Mexican is real good,” Roberta approved then added with a smirk. “Got margaritas?”

  “A pitcher of lime punch which is close enough,” William confirmed with a smile. “As I said, it’s up to you but it’s a nice day, you’ll have a lovely time and I promise to be a gentleman. I won’t even insult you.”

  “Ha! Can’t wait to see that,” Roberta scoffed then looked at April. “What do you say, girl? Wanna go for a ride, spend the day by the lake and chow down on some home cooking?”

  April leaned into the rear open doorway and touched the soft leather seat then nodded.

  “Well then, let’s get going,” said Roberta as she climbed into the front seat. “Been a hell of a while since we got us a day off and we damned well deserve it.”

  * * * *

  AutoRoute 15 northbound near Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, 11:39 a.m.

  It had been Monday evening after leaving Chris’ home when William had found the solution to testing his poisonous wares. Who better than the two homeless ladies who had chosen to relentlessly harass him for cash quasi-daily during his powerwalks? Of course, he could have ignored them, refused to give them anything, even opted for another route to avoid running into them. Instead, he had given in to their begging as of their first encounter though not before engaging in the first of many verbal spars with Roberta. Perhaps he had subconsciously known they would prove useful in the end. Regardless, they would soon provide him with the opportunity to determine if his Mexican fiesta was sufficiently lethal.

  Having identified his test subjects, the next dilemma facing him had been where to conduct the testing. Simply
bringing them food out on the street was not an option. How would he know if they ate it, when or how much? He could not just stand there to observe them once they actually consumed the food nor could he follow them to whatever hole they crawled into when they left their daily hangout. In addition, if out on the street once they became ill, they would attract attention and might actually be taken in by the authorities for medical treatment.

  No, the testing had to take place in a more controlled environment. The easiest locale would have been his downtown apartment. In walking distance from where they spent most of their days, coaxing the ladies over for a home cooked meal would have been an easy task. However, with numerous neighbours around, the risk of someone becoming aware of something improper taking place was too great. From what he knew, his victims would suffer severe pain as the various poisons took effect which likely would result in potentially loud wailing. There was also the question of body disposal when all was said and done.

  He had been dozing off a couple of hours later when a sudden memory had flashed through his mind and jolted him awake, the perfect solution to his testing location problem. A dozen years earlier, Sean Wollam, his lawyer, had purchased almost two hundred acres of land bordering a small lake northwest of Mont-Tremblant for next to nothing. His plan was to eventually develop and sell off the property in parcels as other investors in the surrounding area had done, though he intended to wait in order to maximize the return on his investment. Since, he remained content with having a huge lot for the modest but comfortable chalet he’d had built which he used as an occasional getaway and made available to friends and clients.

  William, having been to the property a few times prior to his arrest and subsequent incarceration, knew it would be the ideal test site. With the closest neighbour over a mile away, his subjects could screech in agony to their hearts’ content. If death did not come as quickly as he hoped, or if their suffering proved too great, he could finish them off with a gun without fear of attracting attention. Lastly, there would be ample space to dispose of the bodies though, even if he had to leave them in the home for some reason, it would be a while before they were discovered.

  He’d texted the lawyer before going to sleep, asking if he still owned the property and, if yes, could he, William, go up there for a couple of days of hiking and relaxation. Wollam’s affirmative response had awaited him the following morning. The key, as always, was in a magnetic box affixed to a metal plate atop an overhead porch rafter.

  His final concern had been whether or not he would be successful in convincing Roberta and April to accompany him but all had worked in his favour and they would soon be reaching their destination. The drive to date had been pleasant and uneventful with a bit of initial chatting before Roberta had fallen silent and even dozed off and on. For her part, April had barely said a word, quiet and shy as usual and contenting herself with taking in the passing scenery.

  Roberta grunted and snorted as she woke once again. “How far are we from your damned place? I gotta pee.”

  “Less than twenty minutes,” William replied. “Can you hold on until then?”

  “Sure, I can handle that,” Roberta confirmed. “I’ve been through worse.”

  William’s estimate was accurate and they were rolling to a stop at the chalet near La Minerve sixteen minutes later.

  “This is so nice,” April murmured as she gazed about after climbing out of the SUV.

  “A slice of paradise,” Roberta agreed, taking in the lake to one side and the wooded hills on the other, “And so peaceful.”

  “We might hear an occasional car on the road across the lake,” said William, “But there’s very little traffic up here. Let’s get inside so you can use the bathroom.”

  They followed him onto the porch where William retrieved the key, unlocked the door and ushered them into the L-shaped, open-air interior with a kitchen to their right, a dining area to their left and a living area beyond. A hallway opened up into the living area, leading to the bathroom and bedroom behind the kitchen.

  William pointed and said, “The bathroom will be to your left into that hallway. Make yourselves at home while I go get the cooler.”

  He returned a moment later to find April alone by the large living room window, gazing out at the lake.

  “Lovely view, isn’t it?” he said, placing the cooler on the kitchen counter before turning up the thermostat to warm the house.

  “It’s beautiful,” April replied, glancing back at him briefly. “Thank you for taking us here.”

  “It really is my pleasure,” said William. “Would you like some of that punch I brought?”

  April continued to look outside as she shook her head. “Not yet. I need to use the bathroom first.”

  “Very well,” said William, masking his disappointment. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

  Minutes went by as they waited in silence for Roberta to return from the bathroom. They could hear the occasional running of water intermixed with the woman’s muffled humming and singing which confirmed she was alive, well and apparently busy at something. After almost fifteen minutes, she finally emerged, beaming proudly.

  “Got my laundry done,” she announced.

  “Your laundry?” William questioned, perplexed.

  “Yessir,” Roberta confirmed. “Ladies like me and April got our whole wardrobe in our pack sacks. Any chance we get, we wash up what’s dirty so I jumped at the chance here, specially since I could hang my stuff to dry.” She turned to April and added, “I left you some room, girl. You should get at it.”

  April smiled and nodded then picked up her soiled pack sack and disappeared into the bathroom as William looked on wordlessly, keeping his nudging frustration in check.

  “So, Roberta,” said William. “Are you ready to sample the margarita punch I made?”

  “Not right now,” Roberta replied. “I’ll wait until before we eat.”

  “If you prefer,” said William, glancing at his watch. “It’s just past noon. Perhaps I should start warming the food.”

  “You know what?” said Roberta. “Thanks to you and the twenty bucks you gave us yesterday, me and April had a great breakfast at Timmy’s this morning so I’d say we eat later.”

  “Well, uh, okay,” William conceded with reluctance. “I do want you both to eat so we should wait until you’re hungry.”

  “Yep,” Roberta agreed. “In the meantime, we should go for a hike.”

  “A hike?” William repeated. “Really?”

  “Didn’t you say we’d get some fresh air up here?” Roberta retorted. “Sure you did. No better way to get fresh air than to be outside, trekking around in nature.”

  “Well, uh, yes, of course,” William replied, “But, uh, are you and April, uh, up to hiking up here? It’s rather hilly and the woods are dense. There aren’t any walking paths.”

  Roberta chuckled. “Are you thinking we’re wusses, Allan? You think us little useless ladies can’t handle a stroll in the woods?”

  “Of course not,” William backpedalled. “I just thought you would have lunch first and, uh, but if you want to go for a walk, uh, that’s fine.”

  “Why don’t we see what April feels like doing?” Roberta suggested before turning toward the view of the lake, effectively dismissing William and ending the discussion.

  Five minutes later, when April left the bathroom and rejoined them, Roberta smiled at her and asked, “Are you up for some lunch?”

  April shook her head and said, “Still stuffed from Timmy’s.”

  “Wanna go for a hike and burn that off?” Roberta suggested.

  “Oh, yes,” April replied, her expression immediately brightening.

  Roberta turned to William and winked. “You coming along, Allan, or are you a wuss?”

  “Lead the way,” William replied with a tight smile. “Good thing I dressed for the occasion.”

  * * * *

  Near La Minerve, Quebec, 1:30 p.m.

  They returned to th
e chalet a bit over an hour after having left, the two women having taken William on a much more strenuous hike than he had ever imagined they were capable of. True, neither women looked in ill shape, certainly not overweight by any means, but William had attributed that to insufficient nutrition. However, he had not expected the stamina they had displayed throughout, nor the ease with which they, particularly April, had negotiated the rough terrain they had hiked through.

  In his defense, he had no idea of either woman’s background, where they had come from and what experience with life they had. It was not because they were homeless today that he should assume they had spent their entire lives on the streets begging for loose change. For all he knew, they might have served in the armed forces in the past or once lived in the Rockies. What he did know, and certainly was pleased of, was the attention he had paid to his own physical condition had allowed him to keep up with them every step of the way. What he now hoped was the demanding trek had served to stimulate their appetites.

  “Ladies, I congratulate you for your impressive performance out there,” he said once they were back inside. “You are in much finer shape than I expected.”

  “You did pretty good too, for an old guy,” Roberta teased. “I mean, you’re sweating but we are too.”

  “Yeah, I’m sweating,” April piped in and gave William a wistful look. “Could I take a shower?”

  “Oh, damn, a shower would be great,” Roberta agreed. “You don’t mind, right, Allan?”

  “What kind of host would I be if I said no?” William replied, feeling rather clammy himself. “Go ahead, April.”

  “Wash what you’re wearing and get something clean on,” Roberta suggested as April headed to the bathroom.

  William held back a smile, having accepted his plan would take longer than he’d hoped. There was no sense rushing things. Being pushy could only serve to arouse their suspicions which was the last thing he wanted to do. No, it was best to relax, let them clean up – they could use it – and then move forward. In fact, he had brought a change of clothes and would shower as well, after which they would surely agree to a drink and some food. They would stay the night if required but he would not leave until he had witnessed the effects of his poisonous wares on his test subjects.