Love Lies Dying (61 page)

“Apart from my testimony…and Sherrie’s.”

Zoe smiled, “Good boy, you’re thinking finally!”

She looked pleased with him.

“But the trouble is,” she continued, “you and Sherrie have been having an affair. A
loooong
hot steamy affair. Your very own secret little fuck-fest. Helen was in the way. Suddenly she goes missing from work. Then, so do you. And then, so does Sherrie. All
very
murky, don’t you think? Gossip will already be rife at American Eagle Electronics. The cards you leave for Sherrie are still at her home. She kept them all in a little vase on the top of the dresser in her bedroom. She’d look at them every night when she was alone, you know that? Reading the little love notes you’d write on the back for her. Knowing that one day she’d be yours. Now, you’re both together but your wife is missing… You go home and call the police and say I killed her? Come on, they’re not going to believe all that.”

“We’ve got enough proof.”

“You might
think
you have,” she continued as lightning flashed across her face. “But when the cops find her body, they’ll find
your
cum inside her mouth and pussy. They’ll find
your
pubic hair deep inside her, and they’ll find a glass covered with
your
fingerprints by the body. I made sure there was no trace of me anywhere.”

John’s breathing became shallow. His mind was spinning once more. “What?” He couldn’t think straight. There was too much information and not enough time to process it. “
How
? Why would you
do
this?”

“Why? Because I love you and want you, Johnny! And always have. The how was easy. I didn’t just shave you and give you head for the fun of it! I needed your pubic hair and cum. So I took it! And the glass you used when you untied yourself is with her now too. Even this fireplace poker has your fingerprints on it!”

“But it has
your
fingerprints as well...”

“I know. But I also know where I’ve touched. I’ll wipe my prints when I leave it by the body, just like I did when I left the glass.”

“You fucking murdering
bitch
,” he said between gritted teeth.

“They’ll add this to the stories of you acting weirdly at the hospital. Witnesses will say they saw you at the shopping mall with a strange woman. The stories will just pile up next to the evidence, Johnny. What do you think they’re going to decide? All dirty fingers will point to bad boy Johnny and his little slut Sherrie.”

“You’ve had all this
planned?
” he whispered as thunder crashed around them.

She nodded, “Yes. Well, this scenario and a few others. It all depended on how you reacted, Johnny, and how far to the edge I could push you. I’ve had a variety of options that I’ve been planning for a long, long time.”

“You’re sick, Zoe. I mean,
really
fucking sick! You need help.”

“No, not me,” she said as she stepped towards him. “But it looks like you do! Now, you can decide to have a happy life with me and Sherrie, or you can take your chances and try to convince the cops you didn’t bring your wife all the way up here to beat her to death and then fuck her corpse. Your choice.”

“I’ll
never
choose
you
,”
he replied.

Zoe’s face quivered. A shadow fell over it.

“And neither will Sherrie when she hears what you’ve done.”

Silence.

“I just want us all to be together, Johnny,” she replied.

“It’s never going to happen, okay? You
understand?
Can you get that through your evil little mind?
NEVER!
”

“That’s up to you, Johnny,” she said in a small voice as her eyes fell to the ground. “Everything you’re looking for is here and back at the church. Everything. You have no idea how close you were to your wife in the past few days. So
very
close.”

The rain fell heavily on the roof.

“And I have everything I need,” she continued. “All the evidence to tie it all to you. It’s all back at the church, Johnny. The rest of your life is back at the church. Freedom or captivity, it’s up to you to choose. It’s all back at the church.”

Zoe turned from him and walked away towards the hay bales at the back of the barn.

Thunder rolled across the wet, cold night.

“It’s your game now,” she said over her shoulder. “Your turn to choose.”

Sixty-eight

John ran blindly.

He couldn’t think of anything other than getting back to Sherrie and getting out of this madness.

Gotta run. Gotta go. Go gogogogo!

He had turned around and opened the barn door slowly as Zoe walked away from him. He fully expected her to try and stop him. He was braced for an attack of some sort, for her to change the rules again.

But she hadn’t.

He’d stepped out into the cold night; his breath fogged and the rain pelted down on him. He felt colder than ever before, even colder than the night he spent chained to the X-frame at the church.

But he didn’t care. He had to run.

Sherrie.

He had to get back to her and set her free.

They had to leave, to get away from all this.

And soon…

We have a lot of work to do.

Lightning lit up the sky as he ran towards the farmhouse. His feet squelched in the wet grass, splashing through puddles and sliding in mud. He stumbled at one stage, his left foot sliding to the side. He fell forward, his body stretched out, arms reaching for something to grab, and landed heavily on the grass. He slid through a puddle for a couple of feet, dirt and water splashing into his eyes and mouth.

Slowly, almost exhaustedly, he climbed back up and kept on running. The wind blew its chill through his chest and legs. His wet clothes felt like a coating of ice.

Blood continued trickling down his arm.

Fear crawled inside him as he ran closer. Thoughts ran through his mind faster than he could catch them.

Helen, oh my God, Helen. How could she? How could Zoe do that to you? Oh my God, she’s mad, fucking crazy! And now she’s after Sherrie and me! No, nonononono!

He reached the farmhouse.

Finally!

Running up the steps, he came to a halt on the deck.

Thunder joined the ringing in his ears from the gunshot back at the barn.

He turned and looked back into the night. The barn stood large and imposing in the semi-darkness.

No sign of Zoe.

That can’t be right.

It’s too easy.

Why would she just walk away?

“It’s your game now,” she had said. “Your turn to choose.”

It’s all so fucking crazy!

He leaned against one of the pine trunks propping up the verandah, trying to get his breathing under control.

Keep calm, don’t let Sherrie see you like this. You can’t panic her!

The trunk moved slightly under his weight and the verandah shook in protest.

Don’t think about that now. Get Sherrie out of there before this whole shack falls in on itself!

Carefully, he reached out for the doorframe and took a step inside.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the extra darkness.

“Sherrie?”

No answer.

“Sherrie?” he said again, louder.

The wind howled in the night.

Still no answer.

No! Please, no!

Lightning double-flashed above them.

He saw Sherrie’s body, lying on her side, her head thrown back.

NO! Please no! Oh shit, don’t let it be. Please…

He knelt by her as he reached her side.

“Sherrie?” he said in a small voice, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. “
Please
? Sherrie?”

He shook her shoulder.

She jumped with fright, letting out a high-pitched cry.

John fell backwards, his heart pumping triple-time.

“Shit,” she turned to face him. “Don’t
do
that! You scared me half to death!”

John rested on his elbows, allowing his breathing to get back under control. His heart felt as if it was going to break out of his chest.

Yes! Yes yes yes. Thank you, yes. She’s still alive!

“I thought you were…” he began but stopped quickly.

“Frozen to death?” she finished for him.

Not quite,
he thought to himself.

“I
could’ve
been,” she continued. “You took so long! What the hell kept you?”

“It’s a long story,” John muttered, looking out past the metal sheets that were the far wall. His eyes focussed back towards the barn.

What’s she doing now?

“It always a long story with you, John,” Sherrie replied.

Silence fell between them as the rain continued its heavy beat, pooling in the puddles around them.

“Did you find anything?” she asked finally.

“Huh?” he replied, turning back to face her and clearing his thoughts.

“You know,” she pointed to the floorboards around her. “A crowbar or something. Anything to get me out?”

John stared at her.

What do I tell her?

The truth?

How can I?

I don’t even know the whole story. There are pieces still missing. Where can I begin?

“No,” he heard himself say. “The barn was empty.”

“
Shit!
” she muttered. “What are we going to
do?
”

The terror in her voice was rising. He could hear it.

“Keep calm,” he said as he crawled to her.

“Keep
calm?
” she replied. “
You’re
not the one sitting stuck under these floorboards.
You’re
not the one sitting in a fucking pool of water!
You’re
also not the one who was left here in the middle of the fucking night while your lover goes off to find something to get you out with. You’re not the one who had to sit and wait in the darkness, thinking about Zoe and this Fox guy and wondering if they’ll get me first!”

Thunder rolled down the valley.

Sherrie sighed.

“You were gone so long, honey,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” he replied, bending down and kissing her on the cheek. “I searched for anything I could use, but there wasn’t anything. I had to check thoroughly.”

She nodded, “I know. I guess time just seemed to drag. It was like you were gone forever. I called for you a few times, but I guess you couldn’t hear me.”

He shook his head, “No, I couldn’t.”

“I must’ve fallen asleep or slipped into shock or something,” she continued. “I didn’t mean to scare you when you came back.”

“That’s okay,” he smiled. “I didn’t mean to scare you either.”

Wind howled through the house. The verandah creaked loudly.

This place sounds like it could collapse at any second!

“We’ll work out something to get you free,” he said.

“Well, thinking caps on, bucko. Let’s think fast!”

“Can I try pulling you out again?” he asked.

She nodded, “You can, but I don’t think anything’s changed. Of course, I could’ve lost some weight while I was sitting here. It’s not like I had a three course meal or anything to pass the time while you were gone.”

“Ha ha,” John replied. “Very amusing.”

“Think it’ll work this time?” her eyes pleaded for a yes.

“Worth a try,” was all he could say in reply.

“
Anything’s
worth a try right now,” she agreed.

She lifted her arms high. He reached around her and waited for her to wrap her arms around his neck.

“Here goes,” he said as he steadied and then pulled upwards.

Sherrie lifted, further this time. He was sure of it.

“John?” she said in a small voice as he pulled harder. “It
hurts
.”

He gritted his teeth and pulled one last time.

Sherrie let out a growing moan.

Shit. Damn it. Fuck.

He eased her back to the ground.

“Jesus,” Sherrie said, reaching down and feeling her side. “I think I may have broken something.”

“Well, you’re the nurse.”

She smiled at him through the pain. “Never a nurse, John. Just a humble personal assistant.”

“And a damn sexy one,” he smiled at her.

She let out a short laugh, “Oh yeah, I’d be the girl-in-a-hole pin up for September, that’s for sure!”

“Couldn’t think of one finer,” he replied.

Zoe…

What are you doing now?

He stood and looked back out into the night, across the field to the barn.

“It’s your game now,” she’d said. “Your turn to choose.”

Then why don’t I believe her?

Why do I feel she’s still in control?

“…me out?”

He turned back to face her.

“Huh?”

“I said, there’s nothing from around here you can use to get me out?”

John shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“It’s just with all this wood and stuff just lying around, I thought you could use some of it.”

“There’s nothing strong enough or long enough.” He turned around, looking at the house once more.

Lightning flashed around them.

“I need something long and sturdy to lever the crossbeam off you.”

The rain fell harder in the night.

The noise echoed loudly around them as it fell on the metal sheets on the verandah.

The verandah creaked.

The verandah…

Those two old pine trunks aren’t going to support that verandah forever.

And then it hit him.

The trunks!

Strong and long and sturdy and hard…it just might work!

Jesus, it has to!

“Stay here,” he said to her.

“Ha ha!
Very
funny, Mr. Comedian,” Sherrie replied.

He turned and walked out the door.

“Where are you going?” she called after him.

“Not far.”

“Don’t leave me
again!
”

“I’m not,” he replied as he walked over to the closest trunk. It was cut just to the right length and ran from the decking up to the corner of the verandah. It was wedged into the corner of the verandah, but didn’t seem to be nailed or held there in any way. Only the weight of the verandah’s roof was holding it in place.

“Just cover your head and your ears. This could be loud and messy.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing!” she called.

So do I,
he thought as he reached out to the trunk and pulled on it.

It moved slowly at first.

He pulled again, with more force.

And then it came towards him.

He pulled harder.

Thunder rolled down towards them.

The trunk came away in his hands and the verandah lurched forward with a loud high-pitched squeal of twisting metal.

The second trunk in the other corner stayed firm for a few seconds before it slipped to the side, giving the verandah no support at all.

The front of the house shook as the verandah tore from its rusted old attachments and nose-dived into the decking. Falling in on itself, the verandah sent metal and wood and rain flying in all directions. It twisted in a spiral, squealing as if in pain.

When the commotion ended, the far end of the front of the house was completely blocked off with the debris. But the area near the doorway was free of rubble.

Yes!

“It’s my game now,” John said to himself as he balanced the long trunk in his hands. He turned to look at the barn. “My turn to choose.”

My rules. My game.

Time for the attack.