Chapter Six
David It was nearly midnight when we reached Anya's house. I had to lean on Anya, since I was dizzy from my loss of blood. The halls, elevator, and everything else within them spun around me, and I could not sanely do anything at the time to stop the carousel that was slowly making me dizzy to a sickening state.
"Hold onto my shoulder, David.while I open the door." She insisted, shifting herself so she could retrieve a key from one deep pocket.
I shifted weight until I was almost standing on my own, and then held her elbow to steady myself. The wound in my shoulder still stung like white fire, but I had no option other than to ignore it. Still a stream of blood ran down my arm; my sleeve had been dyed red from all the blood, and it clung to my arm.
Anya, after unlocking the door and shoving it wide open, helped me into the living room, where I fell onto her old, worn sofa, weak both from sleep deprivation and pain. I wished I could just fall asleep, to wake up and find that I'd only been dreaming. Of course, that wasn't an option for me then.
"David? Where are you? I heard about the police looking for you and everything. What's going on David? Are you in trouble, or that all a mistake? We need to talk." Nicole. That was her voice; I'd recognize it anywhere. Where was she?
"David, it's me, Nicole. Please talk to me if you're there now! .You aren't. You have to call me. I must know what's going on."
"I miss you. I've called twice already, I know.but I'm worried. Get back to me.I'm so sorry.I never meant for any of this to happen.I love you."
I raised my head, yet saw only Anya.standing next to her answering machine. It had been Nicole I'd heard, but only a recording.
Anya walked over to me and sat at the foot of the couch. "You had the nerve to actually give that lady my number?" All I could do was nod. "David, why? Were you protecting yourself, is that it? Well that's just great.Now the police can trace her calls to me!" "Yes." I agreed. ".but not you to me." I sat up slowly, facing her. "They won't touch you." I reassured. "Sure, they might trace the calls. They might come here. But they won't find you here." "Why's that?" She sounded depressed. I knew she wouldn't be very keen on the matter, but hadn't expected her to act like that. I had a thought then.It could work, even if it would be slightly dangerous. "Because you'll be on the train to California with me." "Excuse me?" "Anya.There's something I need to tell you." I started. She took a few steps away after getting back to her feet and turned on a table lamp that radiated a dim light. Then she looked down at me, unblinking and completely still. "Yes?" I found myself unable to speak. How was I supposed to tell her about Steven talking about killing his wife and asking me to do it? "Well." I couldn't do it. "Nothing. Never mind." "David. Nothing in your vocabulary is something; I know you. Now what is it?" "Well." "Is it just me, or have we been through this already? Now tell me what's wrong!" And I did.
* * *
Anya looked dumbstruck. "Oh." "Oh, what 'oh'?! The man asked me to kill his wife, Anya! He offered to pay me to kill his wife! I mean.in case you haven't noticed, that's not exactly normal.for most people-for decent people." "I noticed, I noticed, all right!" She paused. "Are you gonna do it?" "What do you mean, 'are you gonna do it?' No! Of course not!" Our eyes met. She pulled the truth from my lips. "Well.maybe." She smiled. "What do you mean, maybe?" "What do I mean maybe? I mean.er.What do I mean? I mean.I'm considering it. Yes, yes, that's it. I am; I'm taking it into consideration." "You are going to kill Nicole?" I looked into her deep eyes, trying not to stare, but finding it impossible not to. "I didn't say that." "What?" "I said I was gonna kill her. Who mentioned that I myself would do it?" Anya frowned. "I know someone. He owes me, and happens to be a killer." "David, no! Something could go wrong; we have no way of knowing what might occur if you have this guy kill her." "He has no connections. His recorded name is an alias he made years ago. If he kills her, great! If he doesn't, then I'll have to figure something else out." "And if Nicole kills him?" I gave her a shocked look. "I highly doubt that Nicole is capable of killing someone. She won't even swat a fly if it's buzzin' around her head. Besides.this guy is good. She won't have a chance to do anything." In her tone was doubt.doubt in me and my word. "Are you sure?" "No.But either he does it.or I do. Whose life would you rather jeopardize?" Her eyes closed for a moment and she lifted her left hand to her forehead, as if she has a sudden headache. When her lids lifted slowly, she looked at the floor a few moments before she faced me again. It was apparent that she had no approval to offer. "I wasn't going to do it, but with the money you and I could get outta here. You'd be safe.and maybe I could get a better studio." "You said Alex offered to pay you. How much?" "Twenty grand. I told him ten more, or no deal" I explained, with emphasis on the 'twenty'. Anya's eyes widened considerably. "I'm listening." With a small grin, I described my newly fledged plan. We'd kill Nicole together, meet on the train-after instructing Adam to deliver the money to us there at a given time-and make our way to California, or wherever in the world we wanted.
* * *
Calico I rose from my spot on the couch, reacting immediately to the slightest sound. I backed into the shadows, so if there was an intruder, I'd have the element of surprise on my own side. They enveloped me like enclosing arms and presently, I found my back against a wall opposite my apartment's main entrance. With a swift movement, I'd loaded and raised a rifle.just to be precautious. The doorknob rattled as someone attempted to enter. Then the wooden door swung on its rusty hinges until my current employer was revealed completely. Cali pranced into the room from the kitchen and sat directly before the new- comer. She began purring and swishing her tail back and forth, back and forth, until the figure in the doorway gave her their complete attention. They nearly froze though, when nudged in the stomach by the barrel of my rifle. I had made my way closer when my loyal cat played distraction. "You have my money?" I inquired, smugly. "No." The voice was deep and showed confidence.something I didn't like. "You didn't finish the job. I hired you to kill my wife, not wound her.You shot her, so what? She lived. The sum of it all is you.in a whole mess of shit." Angered, I jerked the butt of my rifle up to slam into the forehead of her deceiver. "One who deceives gets deceived." I muttered, fiercely. "Bastard." I added, after a moment's thought. Then I looked down on Alex's unconscious form on the floor.
* * *
David Nicole checked out of the hospital. She still was sore, but would live, for the time being. Her calls to me had not been answered, so she knew something had to be really wrong. 'Gee, ya think? I mean, I only got shot and asked to kill her. Other than that I was just fine, thanks for asking.' On her way home, Nicole listened to radio. There was a report about the night before, when I'd been pursued. The police had received a call about a man called David Marrow, who was wanted in South America for theft. That woke Nicole up. She turned up the volume, and within seconds she knew everything I'd kept secret, or nearly everything. She knew my name was Jordan, that I'd had three affairs, and swindled all three of the women out of their money, and that-not including that-I had a record a mile long (mild exaggeration). "It can't be him." Nicole tried to convince herself. Then the police were so kind as to broadcast my description, down to the last detail. How considerate of them, the jerks. Realizing the truth about me, Nicole was not so prone for her calls to be returned. "Dammit!" She cried, literally, wiping away a beaded tear from one eye.
* * *
I was sitting alone in Anya's apartment. Anya had gone to buy some more bandages. With both an injured leg and shoulder, I didn't know if she'd be able to get-or even find-enough. Ignoring the ringing phone, I made my way to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I found a bottle of Coke, and was just lifting it to my lips to drink when I heard the message Nicole left. "You lying, deceiving, stealing bastard! I trusted you! How could you do this David? .Oh, your name's not even David is it? Is it Jordan?" She sighed and I began to drink. The message meant nothing to me. Sure, she might give out my address, but I knew some people I could stay with for a while. Besides, she'd be dead soon, and Anya would be with me on the train to.to.somewhere. Then again, Anya hadn't given me a definite answer, but in a few days I was sure she would. "By the way," Nicole continued. "did you find my wedding ring? I think I left it at your place last time we had dinner." I choked and, not having any other choice, spat a mouthful of Coke on the ground. If she gave my address in an anonymous phone call, and her ring was discovered in my apartment, I'd have three charges: theft, the injuring of two police officers, and adultery. Those charges could lock me up for the rest of my life, or sentence me to death. Either way was one I decided not to turn and experience. I had to find that ring and hide it somewhere. somewhere no one would be able to find it.ever.
* * *
Anya woke me in the morning. She gave me a half-hearted smile. "I'll do it." "Do what?" "Go with you when you leave. Not because of the money, but because I want to." 'Okay.' "It'd be nice to get out of this dump for a change." I looked around. I'd gotten used to the place after a while, but I internally agreed with my friend. "I go on one condition. We go to the place of my choosing." Looking at her, her eyes pleading to be contented, I could hardly say 'no' to her. "All right.Where're we going?" She gave me a full smile then.something I hadn't seen in a while. For some reason, Anya rarely smiled. She was usually serious and quiet, and always kept to herself. In my time of knowing her-seven and a half years-I'd learned that. Also in that time, I'd seen her smile a real smile only twice. "Orlando." Okay, that was a little ways away. "Works for me, but why Orlando?" "I like the warm weather, and it's not very populated in the summer. And we'd be sure no one knew us." I like the way she thinks. She's intelligent, and is normally the first of the two of us to point out the small things. Shrugging mildly, I responded. "Orlando it is." Almost nervously, Anya inquired on how, exactly, we were supposed to kill Adam's wife, without indicating that it might have been us. "I'll have to ask Alex." "You pushed him down two flights of stairs a day ago, and now you're thinking about visiting him? Isn't that a little, oh.I dunno.idiotic?" With a deep breath, I decided we had no other choice. Anya looked into my eyes. "Do you really trust him, David?" "Not entirely, no." "Then how can we do this?" "First we try, then we trust." "Okay. What's the move?" "I need to make a phone call." And so I lifted up the phone and carefully dialed the Velmen's number, and waited for the answer on the other line.
David It was nearly midnight when we reached Anya's house. I had to lean on Anya, since I was dizzy from my loss of blood. The halls, elevator, and everything else within them spun around me, and I could not sanely do anything at the time to stop the carousel that was slowly making me dizzy to a sickening state.
"Hold onto my shoulder, David.while I open the door." She insisted, shifting herself so she could retrieve a key from one deep pocket.
I shifted weight until I was almost standing on my own, and then held her elbow to steady myself. The wound in my shoulder still stung like white fire, but I had no option other than to ignore it. Still a stream of blood ran down my arm; my sleeve had been dyed red from all the blood, and it clung to my arm.
Anya, after unlocking the door and shoving it wide open, helped me into the living room, where I fell onto her old, worn sofa, weak both from sleep deprivation and pain. I wished I could just fall asleep, to wake up and find that I'd only been dreaming. Of course, that wasn't an option for me then.
"David? Where are you? I heard about the police looking for you and everything. What's going on David? Are you in trouble, or that all a mistake? We need to talk." Nicole. That was her voice; I'd recognize it anywhere. Where was she?
"David, it's me, Nicole. Please talk to me if you're there now! .You aren't. You have to call me. I must know what's going on."
"I miss you. I've called twice already, I know.but I'm worried. Get back to me.I'm so sorry.I never meant for any of this to happen.I love you."
I raised my head, yet saw only Anya.standing next to her answering machine. It had been Nicole I'd heard, but only a recording.
Anya walked over to me and sat at the foot of the couch. "You had the nerve to actually give that lady my number?" All I could do was nod. "David, why? Were you protecting yourself, is that it? Well that's just great.Now the police can trace her calls to me!" "Yes." I agreed. ".but not you to me." I sat up slowly, facing her. "They won't touch you." I reassured. "Sure, they might trace the calls. They might come here. But they won't find you here." "Why's that?" She sounded depressed. I knew she wouldn't be very keen on the matter, but hadn't expected her to act like that. I had a thought then.It could work, even if it would be slightly dangerous. "Because you'll be on the train to California with me." "Excuse me?" "Anya.There's something I need to tell you." I started. She took a few steps away after getting back to her feet and turned on a table lamp that radiated a dim light. Then she looked down at me, unblinking and completely still. "Yes?" I found myself unable to speak. How was I supposed to tell her about Steven talking about killing his wife and asking me to do it? "Well." I couldn't do it. "Nothing. Never mind." "David. Nothing in your vocabulary is something; I know you. Now what is it?" "Well." "Is it just me, or have we been through this already? Now tell me what's wrong!" And I did.
* * *
Anya looked dumbstruck. "Oh." "Oh, what 'oh'?! The man asked me to kill his wife, Anya! He offered to pay me to kill his wife! I mean.in case you haven't noticed, that's not exactly normal.for most people-for decent people." "I noticed, I noticed, all right!" She paused. "Are you gonna do it?" "What do you mean, 'are you gonna do it?' No! Of course not!" Our eyes met. She pulled the truth from my lips. "Well.maybe." She smiled. "What do you mean, maybe?" "What do I mean maybe? I mean.er.What do I mean? I mean.I'm considering it. Yes, yes, that's it. I am; I'm taking it into consideration." "You are going to kill Nicole?" I looked into her deep eyes, trying not to stare, but finding it impossible not to. "I didn't say that." "What?" "I said I was gonna kill her. Who mentioned that I myself would do it?" Anya frowned. "I know someone. He owes me, and happens to be a killer." "David, no! Something could go wrong; we have no way of knowing what might occur if you have this guy kill her." "He has no connections. His recorded name is an alias he made years ago. If he kills her, great! If he doesn't, then I'll have to figure something else out." "And if Nicole kills him?" I gave her a shocked look. "I highly doubt that Nicole is capable of killing someone. She won't even swat a fly if it's buzzin' around her head. Besides.this guy is good. She won't have a chance to do anything." In her tone was doubt.doubt in me and my word. "Are you sure?" "No.But either he does it.or I do. Whose life would you rather jeopardize?" Her eyes closed for a moment and she lifted her left hand to her forehead, as if she has a sudden headache. When her lids lifted slowly, she looked at the floor a few moments before she faced me again. It was apparent that she had no approval to offer. "I wasn't going to do it, but with the money you and I could get outta here. You'd be safe.and maybe I could get a better studio." "You said Alex offered to pay you. How much?" "Twenty grand. I told him ten more, or no deal" I explained, with emphasis on the 'twenty'. Anya's eyes widened considerably. "I'm listening." With a small grin, I described my newly fledged plan. We'd kill Nicole together, meet on the train-after instructing Adam to deliver the money to us there at a given time-and make our way to California, or wherever in the world we wanted.
* * *
Calico I rose from my spot on the couch, reacting immediately to the slightest sound. I backed into the shadows, so if there was an intruder, I'd have the element of surprise on my own side. They enveloped me like enclosing arms and presently, I found my back against a wall opposite my apartment's main entrance. With a swift movement, I'd loaded and raised a rifle.just to be precautious. The doorknob rattled as someone attempted to enter. Then the wooden door swung on its rusty hinges until my current employer was revealed completely. Cali pranced into the room from the kitchen and sat directly before the new- comer. She began purring and swishing her tail back and forth, back and forth, until the figure in the doorway gave her their complete attention. They nearly froze though, when nudged in the stomach by the barrel of my rifle. I had made my way closer when my loyal cat played distraction. "You have my money?" I inquired, smugly. "No." The voice was deep and showed confidence.something I didn't like. "You didn't finish the job. I hired you to kill my wife, not wound her.You shot her, so what? She lived. The sum of it all is you.in a whole mess of shit." Angered, I jerked the butt of my rifle up to slam into the forehead of her deceiver. "One who deceives gets deceived." I muttered, fiercely. "Bastard." I added, after a moment's thought. Then I looked down on Alex's unconscious form on the floor.
* * *
David Nicole checked out of the hospital. She still was sore, but would live, for the time being. Her calls to me had not been answered, so she knew something had to be really wrong. 'Gee, ya think? I mean, I only got shot and asked to kill her. Other than that I was just fine, thanks for asking.' On her way home, Nicole listened to radio. There was a report about the night before, when I'd been pursued. The police had received a call about a man called David Marrow, who was wanted in South America for theft. That woke Nicole up. She turned up the volume, and within seconds she knew everything I'd kept secret, or nearly everything. She knew my name was Jordan, that I'd had three affairs, and swindled all three of the women out of their money, and that-not including that-I had a record a mile long (mild exaggeration). "It can't be him." Nicole tried to convince herself. Then the police were so kind as to broadcast my description, down to the last detail. How considerate of them, the jerks. Realizing the truth about me, Nicole was not so prone for her calls to be returned. "Dammit!" She cried, literally, wiping away a beaded tear from one eye.
* * *
I was sitting alone in Anya's apartment. Anya had gone to buy some more bandages. With both an injured leg and shoulder, I didn't know if she'd be able to get-or even find-enough. Ignoring the ringing phone, I made my way to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I found a bottle of Coke, and was just lifting it to my lips to drink when I heard the message Nicole left. "You lying, deceiving, stealing bastard! I trusted you! How could you do this David? .Oh, your name's not even David is it? Is it Jordan?" She sighed and I began to drink. The message meant nothing to me. Sure, she might give out my address, but I knew some people I could stay with for a while. Besides, she'd be dead soon, and Anya would be with me on the train to.to.somewhere. Then again, Anya hadn't given me a definite answer, but in a few days I was sure she would. "By the way," Nicole continued. "did you find my wedding ring? I think I left it at your place last time we had dinner." I choked and, not having any other choice, spat a mouthful of Coke on the ground. If she gave my address in an anonymous phone call, and her ring was discovered in my apartment, I'd have three charges: theft, the injuring of two police officers, and adultery. Those charges could lock me up for the rest of my life, or sentence me to death. Either way was one I decided not to turn and experience. I had to find that ring and hide it somewhere. somewhere no one would be able to find it.ever.
* * *
Anya woke me in the morning. She gave me a half-hearted smile. "I'll do it." "Do what?" "Go with you when you leave. Not because of the money, but because I want to." 'Okay.' "It'd be nice to get out of this dump for a change." I looked around. I'd gotten used to the place after a while, but I internally agreed with my friend. "I go on one condition. We go to the place of my choosing." Looking at her, her eyes pleading to be contented, I could hardly say 'no' to her. "All right.Where're we going?" She gave me a full smile then.something I hadn't seen in a while. For some reason, Anya rarely smiled. She was usually serious and quiet, and always kept to herself. In my time of knowing her-seven and a half years-I'd learned that. Also in that time, I'd seen her smile a real smile only twice. "Orlando." Okay, that was a little ways away. "Works for me, but why Orlando?" "I like the warm weather, and it's not very populated in the summer. And we'd be sure no one knew us." I like the way she thinks. She's intelligent, and is normally the first of the two of us to point out the small things. Shrugging mildly, I responded. "Orlando it is." Almost nervously, Anya inquired on how, exactly, we were supposed to kill Adam's wife, without indicating that it might have been us. "I'll have to ask Alex." "You pushed him down two flights of stairs a day ago, and now you're thinking about visiting him? Isn't that a little, oh.I dunno.idiotic?" With a deep breath, I decided we had no other choice. Anya looked into my eyes. "Do you really trust him, David?" "Not entirely, no." "Then how can we do this?" "First we try, then we trust." "Okay. What's the move?" "I need to make a phone call." And so I lifted up the phone and carefully dialed the Velmen's number, and waited for the answer on the other line.
