I tried to warn her off.
“Isn’t it a little late for you to be out here? It’s dangerous this time of night.”
I was minding my business. She came on to me.
“You look like you could use the company.”
We drove for an hour before she started asking questions. Stupid. Fucking. Questions.
The more she spoke, the more I felt the tingling sensation under my skin, like maggots slithering over roadkill.
When she finally got around to looking at the backseat and asked me about the rope, I flipped.
The satisfying crack I heard after my fist collided with her head was the sweetest sound.
Then there was silence.
I kept digging until the hole was deep enough. I was about to climb out when my phone started to ring. Wiping the sweat off my brow, I answered the distinct ringtone.
“What?” I barked.
“Aren’t you cheery this evening? How have you been holding up?” he remarked, only making me more annoyed.
The loathing I had for him grew stronger with every encounter. At first, I thought it would pass and that I would get used to him. But that time never came, and since he was far too useful, I couldn’t very well get rid of him, either.
“Do you have something to tell me? It’s been two weeks. You make something happen, or I go back on our agreement.” I sneered as I climbed out of the hole.
“You sound like you’re out. Charles, are you?” His voice rises an octave, eating away at any of the patience I had left for him.
“I’m at out, having a smoke. Stop with the questions.”
Kneeling to the ground, I pushed the body into the hole. She hit the bottom with a thud.
“The hospital logs showed another visitor besides Officer Grant, and you’ll never guess who.” He laughed as I heard clanking noises in the background. It was likely he was at a bar. The man loved to drink and had the beer gut to prove it.
Sloppy prick.
“Are you trying to piss me off? Get on with it already. I don’t have patience for your drunk rambling.”
Once the dirt was packed into the hole and I covered it with some nearby branches, I made the journey back to my car.
Still laughing as if I’ve told the best joke, he continues. “Mr. Parker Woods. Fire Captain. The same fire captain who just showed up in my town. I’ll be damned." His chortle turned into a cough.
I waited in suspense for him to catch his damn breath.
“His father is running for mayor and has been very committed to winning my vote. There have been rumors around town about a new face - a real fine thing with curves and a behind worth mentioning.” He whistled his approval.
Evelyn.
Sneaky, sneaky Evelyn.
A plan was forming in my mind. This game had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
Laughter bubbled out of me as I stripped my clothing, swapping them for the spare pants and shirt stashed in my trunk. “Sounds like my girl, I guess we’ll be seeing each other real soon.”
“Looking forward to it. Now we’ll have to do this just right…”
I would let him think we were partners in this plan, that we were doing things his way.
