33. Malic
Malic
I grit my teeth, shaking away the memories of that night. It was an everyday thing for her. More drugs. More men. More me having to watch what the fuck she did with them.
Until Boss stepped in and took me under his wing, giving me everything I could have dreamed of. He was the only one in my life to give me a bit of stability.
Him and Meredith.
“It’s over!” I shout through the room and heave a few breaths, calming myself down again as the good doctor sobs in the chair, bringing me back completely. “It’s done,” I whisper to myself, staring down at the empty snuff box in my hands.
White powder covers her belongings. Good. It’s where it belongs. It does nothing but corrupt the minds of the already wicked, leading them to do things they shouldn’t.
So why is the good doctor sniffing powder?
“So.” I clear my throat, turning my attention back to the woman of the hour. “The good stuff for the good doctor, huh?” I grin, sifting through her remaining belongings on the ground. “Ah, here we go,” I say, grabbing her fancy name-brand wallet and meandering toward her again.
“I have over a hundred thousand in that account. It’s all yours.” Her voice shakes with every word she says as her eyes focus on the green debit card I hold between my fingers. “It’s all I’ve made since I started at the hospital,” she says, her voice quivering more.
“How about this one?” I ask, holding up a black card with no name inscribed on it.
It seems innocent enough, but I’d recognize a black credit card from anywhere.
They’re what the rich and powerful use around town, associated with a bank in the middle of Greenwood that only the elite can get into.
Doctors, fat chance. She’s not rich or powerful enough to garner such a reward.
So that leaves the person she’s working for. Whoever that is.
“I-I…” she stammers again, shaking her head as best she can. “It-It… I…”
“How curious,” I sing-song, throwing the green debit card on the ground and stepping on it. “A hundred grand on that one, but what about the specialized bank card here? The anonymous one?” I raise a brow, making her think I know more than I already do.
“I don’t know!” she says, shaking her head. “It showed up one day in a card, thanking me for…for…”
A grin builds across my lips until all my teeth are showing.
“Thanking you for what, Doc? For…harvesting organs from an unsuspecting family man? Or taking the blood from students? Well, I haven’t quite figured that one out yet.
Which is it? Because I’m very curious to understand what’s happening in my town.
” I cock my head when she pales more, and I swear I’m about to lose her to a heart attack at the way she shakes and groans.
“No! I didn’t…” she shrieks, gasping when I grab her by the hair and lean over her face.
“Fuckery has been happening around town, Doc. Lots and lots of it. But there’s one fuckery I want to know all about, and you’re going to tell me the answers to my questions, or I’m going to start peeling the flesh from your toes and stuffing them down your throat.
” I grin more when the smell of piss hits the air.
“Ah, yes. You know I mean business, right?”
“Yes-yes-yes!” she shudders more, taking in heaving breaths when I forcefully let go of her hair and step back, watching with glee as she dissolves into a puddle of emotions.
“I want you to tell me everything you know about my sister Meredith Monroe. And don’t fucking lie to me, Doc,” I rumble, pointing the knife at her again. “Or your toes get it.” I grin when she shudders again, blubbering about her precious toes. Oh boo-hoo.
“Meredith…” she whispers, sniffling again. “Meredith. The-the nurse?” There’s a hiccup in her voice and a sense of regret emanating from her.
It’s delicious. I want to feast on every ounce of insecurity she has festering deep inside her.
“Yes.” I grin, tilting my head. “The nurse. My sister. The one who has been missing for weeks. Ring any bells?”
She pales even further, flapping her lips like a fish out of water. “N-no,” she stammers again, grating on my fucking nerves.
“Now, now, Doc. What did I say about lying to me?” Quickly, I grab my phone and find a beautiful picture of my sister.
It was during her birthday celebration at the hospital, and I joined, bringing her a balloon and chocolates.
I may not be a good man in any department, but I’d never forget my sister’s birthday.
Her coworkers were slightly frightened at the sight of me.
“Mal!” she squeals, instantly throwing her arms around me and pulling me into a bear hug. “You came?”
“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss your birthday celebration.” I grin and hand her a small birthday balloon attached to a box of candy.
She laughs, pulling back from our hug and examining the balloon with tears in her eyes. “You know we’re having dinner tonight, right?” She raises a brow.
“Pish, posh.” I wave a hand. “I want to double celebrate.”
And I did, because my sister deserved it.
She deserved to work at the hospital in a normal job, with normal people around her.
She didn’t have to worry about our mom popping back up or a crime syndicate coming after her.
All she had to worry about was saving people’s lives. That’s it. No more. No less.
And yet, I still fucking failed her.
But not anymore.
“Just to confirm, Doc. You don’t know who this girl is?” I hold a picture of Mere’s smiling face, holding her birthday cake.
“No,” she says in a steadier voice. “I’ve never seen her before.” She slightly lifts her chin, giving me a look of disobedience.
I purse my lips, nodding slightly. “Ah, I get it, Doc. You don’t believe me, do you?”
“B-believe you?” she stammers again, losing that confident edge she so bravely put on.
“I mean, you’ve already tinkled in your big girl pants at the thought of me chopping toes off. What if I show you? What if I demonstrate exactly what I’m talking about?”
Her eyes widen a fraction more, and she tries to pull away from me as I turn to grab a stool and return with the knife in my hand. Sitting down, I pick up her foot, unhook her high heel, toss it aside, and look down at her painted red nails.
“Fancy footwork,” I hum, picking up my knife and holding it to her pinky toe.
My blood pumps double time inside my chest, beating happily in my ears like a joyous song of destruction.
This. This is what I live for. What my boss made me into.
An expert in getting people to loosen their tongues and tell me what I want to hear.
Only this time, it’s not for the good of the Shades business.
This is for Meredith, wherever she may be. Is she dead? Alive? Trying to survive? Well, that’s what I’m here to figure out.
“So, shall we get started?” I ask, looking deep into the beady eyes of Dr. Adriene Lohr as she weighs her options. I see the wheels turning behind her evil eyes, and the shift happens almost instantly.
“Yes! Yes. I knew her. She worked on the surgical floor and assisted in my surgeries. I didn’t know she was missing. I swear!” She cries out when the edge of the knife shifts against her flesh, and she attempts to yank her foot away from my grasp.
“Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn’t move an inch, Doc.
Or your toe will be no more. Unless you’re looking for a little snacky snack?
” I wrinkle my nose when she gags, leaning over the side of the metal chair and expelling the contents of her stomach three times.
“Gross,” I huff, dropping her foot and scooting my chair backward to the center of the room.
She heaves a few more times and then sits up, blearily staring at me.
I point the knife in her direction and stand, humming a tune.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that you need a little break, Doc.
Maybe I should leave you to your thoughts? ”
“You’re going to let me leave?” Exhaustion takes over as her eyes droop and her body sags.
“Oh, no. Absolutely not.” I grin when she tenses again.
“I want you to really remember everything about my sister, the nurse who assisted you on the surgical floor. I want you to remember what she overheard and why she and her coworker, Eleanor, suddenly went MIA. Poofed from existence. You’ll do that? ”
As I speak, I gather Olivia’s badge and glasses, and my clothes from a small basket near the bottom of the stairs.
Quickly, I pull my clothes on and shove Olivia’s belongings into my pocket for safekeeping.
It’s such a shame I didn’t get to dirty myself up.
Yet. That will come later. Much, much later.
I’ll let the good doctor marinate in her mess, thoughts, and truths.
Only then will I reappear with my knife to loosen her tongue more.
She’ll sing like a little birdy.
Besides, I’m sure my keeper is eager to get his hands on me, considering I slipped out this morning and haven’t heard a word from him. How odd. Usually, he’s blowing my phone up like a needy keeper, needing to know where I am at all times.
No matter.
“Have a good rest, Doc. I’ll be back shortly to continue this conversation when you have something to say.” With that, I walk up the stairs, shut off the lights, and leave the good doctor in the darkened space where no one will hear her cries for help.
I whistle to myself as I lock the basement door behind me and pull out the secret panel that conceals the door from everyone except Wilder, me, and Boss.
Oh, and Huxley, too. That fucking prick.
If I could pluck his eyeballs from his head and force him to forget about my super-secret torture room, then I would.
Then, my precious keeper would be awfully mad at me for starting a war or some shit.
Too bad I’m on the edge of not caring what I start, because I know I’ll gladly finish it. Boss can have his crown, and I can help take over this fucking town from the twisted asshole named Franco. His kingdom will fucking burn.