Chapter One Hundred and Seven #2
THOMAS: ‘Now that really was a fluke. The original idea was for me simply to leave the credit card on the table and go to the bathroom. I knew that you would check the credit card once I was gone, but the flying credit card mistake worked much better. Much more natural.’
He paused and nodded at his screen.
THOMAS: ‘And I’ll hand it to you – back at The Legion, the whole running away trick so that I’d come running after you, followed by the argument in the restaurant because of the false name… that was genius and so well played.’
Thomas paused for a second.
THOMAS: ‘Back at the house, I wasn’t exactly ready for you to find that secret basement yet.
I was still working on ideas on how I could make you find it without making you suspicious, but you beat me to it, which made the whole thing seem that much more real too.
And I’ll tell you this – your performance after you discovered the basement was flawless.
You would’ve probably been a great actress if you hadn’t decided to waste your life as a con artist.’
MARY: ‘Fuck you! You know nothing about my life.’
THOMAS: ‘There’s nothing to know, Mary.’
The anger was back in Thomas’ voice.
THOMAS: ‘Other than you are a fucking lowlife who has destroyed the lives of so many others out of pure greed, nothing more, and now it’s your turn.
Let’s see how you like losing everything you have.
Let’s see how you like going to prison for something you didn’t really do.
And do you know the real reason why I chose San Francisco?
Because in California, first-degree attempted murder carries a life sentence, where you will have to serve at least fifteen years of that sentence before you are eligible for parole. ’
His head angled sideways.
THOMAS: ‘Still not close enough to avenge Phil, but I’ll tell you this – you better watch your back while you’re inside because someone might try to put a pencil into your eyes.’
He tried a smile again, and this time he almost managed it.
THOMAS: ‘Being a billionaire has its perks, you know? People can be easily bought.’
MARY: ‘Fuck you.’
Mary’s tone was as angry as Thomas’ now.
MARY: ‘You really know nothing about me, or my life. This is a fucked-up world where people can only see the decisions you’ve made, not the choices that you were given.’
THOMAS: ‘Everyone has a past, Mary. And you and Denise are not the only ones who’ve had a rough childhood, who came from an abusive household, who had parents who never loved or cared for them.’
As Mary heard Thomas say Denise’s name, her breath caught in her throat.
THOMAS: ‘Yes, this is a fucked-up world, but you and Denise aren’t the only ones who, from a very early age, had to find out just how fucked-up life can be. True, I don’t know the choices that you were given in life, but I’m sure that there were better decisions to be made.’
MARY: ‘Where is she?’
THOMAS: ‘What?’
MARY: ‘Denise. Where is she? If that was all put up… if you’re not really a serial killer, then those Polaroids of her are fake, right? So where is she?’
Tears were gathering on the rims of Mary’s eyes.
Thomas was staring straight into his cellphone camera, as if trying to read Mary’s expression.
THOMAS: ‘No idea. She was supposed to meet me in Seattle the day before yesterday, but she never turned up.’
Mary breathed out a huge sigh of relief. That could only mean that the phone call that she’d made to Denise before calling Dr. Fox had reached her in time, and Denise had aborted the whole con and made her escape.
Mary’s tears quickly morphed into a bright smile.
MARY: ‘She’s gone. I guess your plan wasn’t that perfect after all, huh?’
Thomas seemed to take a minute to ponder over something.
THOMAS: ‘I found you, didn’t I?’
He paused for effect.
THOMAS: ‘I’ll find her as well… even if it takes me another ten years.’
MARY: ‘No, you won’t. She’s way too smart for you.’
Just then, Mary heard heavy footsteps approaching her cell door and the sound of its latch unlocking. She quickly removed her headphones and stuck her head out from under the thin blanket.
‘I guess your lawyer is here to see you,’ the police officer said, jerking his head to one side. ‘Let’s go.’
Finally, Mary thought. Dr. Fox has finally made it, and she’s waiting outside with a lawyer and her ‘evidence’ package.
‘I need to use the toilet first,’ Mary informed the officer.
‘Make it quick,’ the officer replied, closing the door again.
Mary quickly returned to the call.
MARY: ‘I guess it’s my turn to have a surprise for you.’
She smiled at Thomas.
THOMAS: ‘A surprise?’
He looked curious.
MARY: ‘Just a little package detailing all the abuse I’ve suffered at your hands for the past year and a half. Something that I’m sure the detectives and the DA will love to see.’
THOMAS: ‘Abuse?’
MARY: ‘Surprise, motherfucker.’
At the other end of the line, Thomas coughed once…
twice… three times before it turned into a coughing frenzy.
While coughing, he extended his unbandaged hand, as if asking someone to get him a glass of water.
All of a sudden, a hand appeared on the left side of the picture, handing Thomas a new cup with a straw – a friend…
a nurse… his lawyer… someone was in that hospital room with Thomas, and it made Mary’s whole body freeze, including her heart.
The small camera on Thomas’ phone was able to capture a little more than just the hand – it captured part of the forearm as well, where Mary could see a tattoo, a tattoo that she’d seen plenty of times in the past two years.
It showed the two main characters from the classic Christmas animation movie – The Nightmare Before Christmas – Jack Skellington and his girlfriend, Sally.
In the tattoo, Jack and Sally were facing each other.
In their hands, they held each other’s bleeding hearts.
MARY: ‘Who’s that?’
Mary’s voice faltered.
THOMAS: ‘What do you mean? Who’s that where?’
The coughing frenzy had all but gone.
MARY: ‘Who is that in the room with you? Who handed you the glass of water?’
Mary’s tone sounded desperate.
THOMAS: ‘Oh… that’s my sister – Rose. She’s been helping me out from the start.’
He turned his phone so that Mary could see her.
Mary’s entire world stopped spinning for a second, before it completely collapsed around her. She was looking at Dr. Lillian Fox, standing by Thomas’ hospital bed.
ROSE: ‘Hi, Mary.’
‘Dr. Fox’ was waving at her.
THOMAS: ‘What? You don’t think that you’re the only one who has a sister who can help you with a con, do you?’
Another attempted chuckle failed.
THOMAS: ‘She was hiding in the house last night, Mary. She got in while we were having sex, up in the bedroom. Who do you think placed all those photos on that second wall, down in the basement? Who do you think added the headshots to the “murder” wall? Who do you think helped me obtain these bruises and the knife wounds to my back? Who do you think cut the phone line before you could make the 911 call? Divide and conquer, remember? This is for Phil.’
Rose winked at Mary before blowing her a kiss.
ROSE: ‘Gotcha!’