MALLORY
I could curb my jealousy about Al being at Derek’s place. Al couldn’t. That brat wasn’t used to competition, nor did she know how to handle it well. And she was stupid enough to gossip about it, and with Dougie of all people.
Dougie stormed into Ma Shirley’s that same afternoon and called me aside.
“You getting around now, too, you little slut?” he hissed. “Don’t forget who you belong to.”
The nerve! I was over this stupid bunch.
“I don’t know who told you what, but that’s obviously the craziest accusation. You know me, Dougie.” I batted my eyelashes at him. “I have something for you, though. Something you’d be interested in hearing. Can we talk after the bar closes?”
“Where?”
“At two twenty. In the back. Outside.”
“And why would I want to waste my time?” he asked with the arrogance someone should’ve knocked off his face a long time ago.
“Because you might be interested in knowing what Al and Derek are planning.”
The idiot was still in love with her. How? I don’t know. His expression changed. Of course, he agreed. “I’ll be there,” he said, determined. “Better be worth my time.”
Everyone was on edge that day. Even Karen, who constantly checked her phone and scanned the bar like a vulture ready to peck at its prey.
I had one agenda, and when the night was coming to a close, I stole the spare bar key from the little coffee tin Karen kept in the storage room. No one had watched her for months like I had. Of course, she didn’t suspect I knew about the spare.
When the bar closed and we cleaned up, I walked out with Cherry and Karen and got in my car. Cherry was gone in seconds. Karen didn’t even ask why I parked on the street, farther away, and not at the back of the bar. She was in a hurry to leave.
When I saw them drive off, I turned and walked toward the bar from the side, where there were no cameras.
The good thing about the old-school technology was that you didn’t have clouds like these days, some Bluetooth witchery. Back then, everything was simple—an energy source and wires. A cut wire, and the cameras around the bar went off.
I opened the bar, went to the utility room, and unplugged the DVR, killing the camera.
In minutes, I heard the crunch of the tires as Dougie drove up.
I stuck my head out the back door. “Inside,” I said, motioning him in.
He strolled in with that arrogant half smile on his face. “Getting in trouble, Birdie?” he asked. “Does Karen know you are in the bar after hours?”
I shrugged. “I don’t care.”
“Oh, yeah? Brave lately, aren’t we?” He walked up to me, his drunk eyes sly with that same stupid confidence that let him have his way before. “How about a quickie before you tell me why I even bothered coming here?” His hands were already on my waist.
I slapped his hands away. “How about no?”
He snorted in surprise. “Ex-cuse me? You forgot your place?”
I hated that phrase, like he could tell me what to do.
“You forgot your place, Dougie,” I said sharply. “I’ve had enough of your shit.”
“Wh-what are you—”
He lunged at me. But I was ready. So ready. I hadn’t brought him here to tell him any secrets. That wasn’t why I had a hammer behind my back.
When he went for me, I swung as hard as I could and hit him in the head.
I’m sure he didn’t have any thoughts when he fell. He barely had a brain. He was Al’s toy, and after meeting Derek, the thought that I ever let this fool have his way with me disgusted me.
I leaned over his body to look into his stupid face. His eyes were open, staring vacantly at the ceiling. A pool of blood was spreading underneath him.
I grabbed a paper towel and wiped the hammer, then tossed it on the floor next to him. Carefully, I dug in his pocket and fished out his mobile.
I texted Alysha first.
Dougie: your boy derek is in trouble. come to shirley’s right now. or i tell the police what he did with his wife
Then I texted the same to Victoria.
The bar was mostly dark, with only the dim light over the bar counter. I hid in the back room, in the dark. I wanted to make sure those two were at the crime scene.
Both showed up in a matter of minutes. Vic first. Then Al.
I didn’t dare peek out yet. I only listened.
Both shouted, then cried, then fought—they always did that. Then Vic said, “Is that… Is that…?”
“Oh my god, drop that!” Al shouted, and I almost laughed—one of them had been stupid enough to pick up the murder weapon.
And then came the sobs and the words that I didn’t expect to hear. “M-Mom, s-something t-terrible happened.”
Well, well. I’d thought this would be easy, but Karen was now involved.
I snuck out through the back door and waited farther behind the lot, under the tree patch hidden by the shadows.
Karen’s car pulled in ten minutes later, and she flitted like a hen through the back door.
I waited, still, wondering how long it would take them to call the police.
Next thing I knew, the girls ran out of the bar and got in their respective cars. Then Karen. All of them drove off.
Puzzled, I walked to the bar, opened it with the spare key, and went back inside.
Dougie was still on the floor, blood everywhere, but—surprise, surprise!—the hammer was gone. So, Karen was cleaning up.
Huh. I wasn’t going to let it fly.
Calling the police would be easy. But since the chief was Karen’s buddy, I wasn’t going to leave it to chance. Dougie’s phone records would show Al and Vic were involved. Try to wiggle out of that, bitches!
I walked to the storage room and found the gas canisters. If I was going to leave this town, I might as well let it all go up in flames.
I carefully spread the gas in the storage area and the back of the bar. The police had to get here in time to find the body.
I threw a match and watched the bright, small flames flare into a blaze.
I walked out the back door, taking the gas canisters with me. Later tonight, while everyone was at the crime scene, these canisters would go into the shed behind Karen’s house.
Everyone was responsible for this.
Everyone had it coming.