Chapter 68
EDDIE
Icame home from work on Friday night, and Lucy was a mess.
She blamed it on her upcoming trial, but I knew there was something more going on. I tried to be the doting husband and listened to every word she said. I also hugged her several times.
I’d made a mistake earlier that week and instigated a fight for no reason, but now I was back to being the caring husband.
This was good practice, because it was about to get a thousand times worse when she was told that her parents had been murdered.
I’m not sure Lucy would ever recover. She was exceptionally close to both of them.
And that’s why I knew there’s no way she’d divorce me after her parents died.
Lucy would be a shell of herself. Borderline catatonic.
In fact, I’d probably have to do the majority of the paperwork for her.
I’d have to deal with the cops at least some of the time.
I truly believed she’d be that burdened by the loss.
That would be the price of my getting rich. Having to look after Lucy, all while knowing I’d had her parents killed.
I knew she wouldn’t have the energy to divorce me, and that’s the truth. Plus, her parents would already be dead, and we’d still be married. I’m not sure it would really matter.
I tried to probe to see what was wrong, but she kept saying the looming trial had her on edge. Finally, she admitted that she had an emotional phone call with her father, but wouldn’t let me in on what was said.
Little did she know it would be the last time she ever spoke with him.
With Lucy’s trial starting up on Monday, she needed to work, so I gave her space after dinner.
She told me she was likely going to be up until the wee hours of the morning. This was not ideal. I had to leave the house around eleven to meet April by 11:30.
I came up with something, as I always do. Time to pretend to be that doting husband again.
“I’ll tell you what, Lucy. Maybe I’ll head out around eleven and get us some donuts, and when I return, make us a fresh cup of coffee.”
Lucy looked at me, surprised. I guess I couldn’t blame her. This was very out of character. I wish I didn’t have to be out of character with what was going to happen early tomorrow morning, but I didn’t really have a choice. I had to leave the house, and this sounded like as good an excuse as any.
“Is there any place that serves donuts this late?”
“It will probably have to be Safeway, but once I nuke those things for a few seconds, you wouldn’t even know they haven’t been fresh since this morning.”
“Thanks, Eddie. That would be nice.”
With Lucy in the other room, I waited impatiently for eleven p.m. to hit.
It was interminable, but finally arrived after what felt like a week.
I approached our study.
“I’m going to head off and get those donuts in a minute. Any preference?”
“A maple bar if they have one. Or maybe one with those little specks?”
“Sprinkles, you mean?”
Lucy laughed. I can’t remember the last time she’d genuinely laughed at one of my comments. If I had a conscience, this would have been the time I would have felt guilty about what was to come. Or, if I had a true “come to Jesus” moment, I’d actually call the whole thing off.
Neither one of those things was going to happen.
The guy who had been born on the wrong side of the tracks was ready to change that, and nothing was going to stop me now.
After telling Lucy I’d see her soon, I went back to our room and made my way to the safe. I’d hidden it behind several small boxes of shoes, and then some larger, heavier boxes. And then, you still had to pull a portion of the hardwood floor up to reach down and grab the safe.
I’d used a saw to cut a partition in the floor, just big enough to fit the tiny safe. The only things it contained were the two guns and some bullets, and the safe was only ten inches by ten inches.
I had hidden it exceptionally well and was positive that Lucy had never stumbled upon it.
I opened the safe and grabbed the Glock 17. The other gun that also occupied the safe—the Glock 19 I used to kill David Devers—was now sitting at the bottom of Castaic Lake, where I’d gone a few days after his murder to dispose of it.
I grabbed the Glock 17 and filled it with eight bullets. It could actually take a lot more bullets, but that was unnecessary. I also grabbed a towel on my way out.
I would reiterate to April that she was not to leave the gun at the crime scene, but I was still going to use the towel to wipe off my fingerprints just in case she panicked.
But the fact was that I trusted April, and truthfully, there was less risk in what she was doing than the risk I took when killing David Devers.
It wasn’t even close.
I left the house at 11:03 and headed toward the abandoned Little League field.
I arrived at 11:25, a few minutes earlier than I expected. It’s rare to drive through Los Angeles with no traffic.
The Little League field was dark and quiet, and there were no cars in the parking lot. It was perfect.
At 11:34, a car pulled into the field—April’s car.
She parked about thirty feet away, turned off her lights, and walked in my direction. We always talked behind the dugout, with gravel below our feet.
“Anything I should be worried about?” I asked.
We didn’t hug or kiss or otherwise show that we’d been lovers.
Since I’d first mentioned Strangers on a Train, it’s like we’d become business partners more so than romantic partners, which was just fine with me.
I mean, April was gorgeous, but I’d seduced her because of what she said about her husband. Her looks had been gravy.
“No, we’re good,” she said. “The LAPD no longer considers me a suspect.”
“That’s fantastic. I told you, April. We’ve got this.”
“So I assume you’ve got the gun and the directions?”
I grabbed the piece of paper with the directions and handed it over.
“Put this in your pocket,” I said. She did.
From my other pocket, I grabbed the gun and the towel that enveloped it. I began to wipe the gun down as I talked to her.
“I’m going to say a few things and make sure you listen intently,” I said.
“I will.”
“The gun is loaded with eight bullets. It takes even more, but that will not be necessary. Use all eight bullets if you have to, but I doubt you will. But make sure they are dead, because if either of them remains alive, this is all for naught. Second, do not panic and leave the gun at the scene of the crime. Take it with you. When driving back from Tahoe, there are several bridges along the Truckee River where you can throw the gun over. I’d suggest doing that.
It’s February, and the river will be pretty deep.
Also, before you throw it in the river, be sure to wipe the gun down with this towel. Just in case. Got it so far?”
“I’ve got it. Where did you get rid of the gun you used on David?”
“It’s at the bottom of a lake.”
“Okay, good.”
“Let’s get on with this.”
“Why the rush? Is your wife Lucy home alone right now, eagerly waiting your return?”
“Yes, she’s at home. Why?”
“Just curious why the rush.”
“Because I’m ready to get this done, and have you get on the road.”
“Okay, let’s do it then.”
April had a newfound intensity. Or, had I just missed it this whole time?
“Do you have any questions?” I asked.
“The gun is ready to shoot, correct? I don’t want to get up there, and the thing jams on me.”
“I took it to the range a month ago. It’s ready to shoot.”
“I assume that means the bullets are loaded?”
“They are, so don’t put your finger on the trigger when I hand it to you.”
I was still wiping it down with the towel.
“Got it,” April said.
“Any other questions?”
“No one else knows about us, correct? I also don’t want to drive to Tahoe, kill her parents, and then find out this murder can lead back to you and me.”
“Do you think I’m crazy? No one else knows about us.”
“Okay, I guess I’m ready then.”
I handed April the gun.
“Thanks,” she said. “Hey, one last thing before I go. I have to show you something. Hand me your phone. I left mine in my car.”
“This must be important,” I said as I handed her my phone.
“It is. What’s your password?”
“It’s 999888.”
For the first time, I noticed that I couldn’t see the numbers and letters on April’s license plate. It looked like she’d taken a page out of my book and duct-taped over them.
“Did you duct tape your license plate?”
She gave me a wry smile. “I did.”
“Lake Tahoe is way too far to drive with your license plate covered up. A cop might see it.”
Her smile widened, and I felt an uneasy feeling.
“Oh, but you see, Eddie, I’m not driving all the way to Tahoe.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
I looked down, and to my astonishment, April had raised the gun to her side.
“April, what are you doing?”
“This has become too complicated, Eddie. Me. You. David. Lucy’s parents. A second murder investigation. Two wills to worry about.”
“We have nothing to worry about.”
“I beg to differ. This whole thing has become a clusterfuck!”
“April, please. Let’s talk.”
“Talking time is over. I need to cut some ties.”
“April …”
“Sorry, Eddie. It’s time to uncluster this fuck.”
And then she shot me.
The bullet went through my left side, and the force of it knocked me backward to the ground.
I managed to get out a few muffled words.
“April, please stop. We’re a team.” I tried to say more, but I suddenly couldn’t.
April moved closer and now hovered over me.
“Oh, Eddie. We’ve never been a team. I’ve been playing you like a violin since the beginning.
I knew I could get you to do my dirty work, so I pretended to be looking forward to those conjugal visits.
But now that it’s time to hold up my end of the bargain, I’ve decided to take a different route.
You know, I think I’m going to do just fine with five million dollars.
I’ll be sure to send you postcards from exotic locations. ”
She laughed loudly and then typed something on my phone. I tried to say something else, but I couldn’t get my breath. I was dying.
“You know, Eddie, 999888 really is too easy a password. You should watch yourself. Someone might be able to break into your phone.”
She laughed again.
“Now, who do I blame this murder on? I was thinking of your wife. Lucy. Talk about good news/bad news for her parents. I’m allowing them to live, but I’m going to frame this murder on their daughter.
Thanks for telling me that she was home alone right now.
No motive for little Miss Lucy. I couldn’t have done this without you. ”
I was in shock at what I was hearing. April was way more diabolical than I’d ever imagined.
I tried to grab a quick breath, but it was becoming harder and harder. I knew I was moments from dying.
How the fuck had April gotten the best of me?
“You’re so stupid, Eddie,” April said as she stood over me, almost as if she were the Grim Reaper herself. “You never even looked at my shoes.”
I tried to move my eyes, but my body wouldn’t comply. April noticed this and moved her shoes so they were directly in front of my face.
“Do you see them? I’m wearing a pair of David’s tennis shoes.
Sized 11. They are way too big, and I definitely couldn’t run a mile in them, but I was easily able to walk from my car to you.
And guess what? When I leave this crime scene in a minute, these size 11 shoes will be all over the crime scene, all over this gravel.
And that means they’ll be looking for a man.
Likely a man of above-average height. Likely a man hired by your wife, Lucy.
They certainly won’t be looking for me. Not sweet little 5’5” April. ”
The woman standing above me was pure evil.
“I guess it’s time I say goodbye, Eddie. Thanks for the five million. I’ll be sure to think about you from time to time.”
April laughed for a final time.
Well, it wasn’t the final time she’d ever laugh.
But it would be the last thing I ever heard.