25 February 2008

a new life - part 10


She had encouraged him one hundred per cent all along and hadn’t it even been her idea in the first place? Her change of heart hadn’t truly surprised him. He knew she could never follow through with anything. Yet this was such a cheating, stealing, life-changing thing he had hoped it might for once be different.

In the end her old selfishness surfaced and she had told him to leave and “take his half of the filthy money with him.” He couldn’t trust her to keep quiet, her urge to boast and gossip would be too strong. She was unreliable so silencing her for good had become inevitable.

Her half of the money was still in the suitcase on top of her wardrobe where she had slung it, 18 brick-sized wads of twenties – enough to buy a whole new life. Francis had been less casual. The day after the robbery he had driven to his father's isolated farm and buried his new life in an isolated corner of a remote field in two black watertight parcels. X marked the spot in his mind.

***

Now in the quiet house he climbed the familiar stairs in darkness, keeping to the edges to avoid creaks. The gun dug into his belly.

He hit her with the butt hard enough to knock her senseless but she was still conscious, just. He pressed her head face down into the pillow while his right hand held the gun barrel to the base of her skull. She was no longer struggling just whimpering, “Please Frank, don’t, plea…” His point-blank shot to the back of her head blew her into the pillow, cutting her off mid sentence. At least he hadn’t had to look at her face.

4 comments:

Russell CJ Duffy said...

A fitting end for the two faced wife? Certainly an unpleasant end. A stain on a pillow case. Is it about this time that Francis final act throws him over the edge?

More soon we hope.

Elena Horowitz-Brookes said...

Oh my God!!! This part ended on such an intense note. I found myself holding my breath... seriously! This is certainly not a good thing for Francis. If I were him, I'd choose to stay lost in my amnesia forever!

Like CJ, I'll be waiting for more with baited breath!!!

Neetee said...

Now you're scaring me!!

This is incredibly well written! It's the real deal.

Frank has ice water running through his veins. He wasted no time with his intentions. He's like a firecracker.

Perfect Virgo said...

CJ - soon indeed. Francis is a scheming rascal and I hope you will be fascinated to find whether he can worm his way out of this one.

Boulies - he certainly took pretty drastic action. He has nowhere to turn now. Let's see what he does, will he run? Remember this is the past not the present.

Neetee - cool as a cucumber as we say down my way! Thanks very much for your kind words and don't be too alarmed, any bloodshed is only pretend.

Just 3 parts to go, so the end is nigh.