Per Verse Vengeance Read online

  Nicole turns towards the seats, then stops. She reaches into her purse for the Maxim 9, spins around and grabs the nurse by her hair. “You don’t seem to understand what that son of a bitch did to my best friend.” Nicole slams the nurse’s face onto the counter and jams the gun against her head. “And unless you give me some information, they’ll be picking your brains off this counter for the rest of the night.”

  With her face distorted against the countertop, the nurse manages to reach over and touch a stack of papers with her hand. “That’s his chart. I don’t know anything else.”

  Nicole glances through the chart then presses down harder on the nurse’s head. “And the guy in Armani suit who was in here when the patient arrived … what did he want?”

  “What guy? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Nicole lifts the nurse’s head by her hair. “You really need to learn some manners.” She pushes her backwards into a row of file cabinets. “And don’t bother calling security, unless you want a few more bodies coming through the door.”

  She walks out of the ER and gets back into her car. It was useless to try anything else tonight, and besides, she needed to get back to Elizabeth.

  When she enters the apartment, Elizabeth is still in the shower. Nicole reaches over and shuts the water off.

  “Where have you been?” Elizabeth asks.

  “Just driving.” Nicole grabs a towel and helps Elizabeth to her feet. She gently dries her off.

  “Is he dead?”

  “No. He’s in the ER.”

  “You went back to kill him, didn’t you?”

  “And ruin all our plans? I’d never do that.” Nicole wraps her arms around her shaking friend. “I love you, Elizabeth.”

  “I know. I’m such a problem,” Elizabeth stammers.

  “Don’t ever say that. You are the only reason I haven’t gone totally crazy.” Nicole pushes Elizabeth’s blonde hair back from her face and kisses her between the bruises on her forehead. “Come on. You need to get dressed.”

  Once in her pajamas, Elizabeth sits on the bed and lets Nicole brush her hair.

  “You know, if we ever get low on money we can just let your hair grow really long and sell some of it,” Nicole says. “There’s a huge market out there for natural hair like yours.”

  “Why would anybody want to buy my hair?” Elizabeth’s voice is so quiet that Nicole has to strain to hear her.

  “Because it’s absolutely beautiful. Most girls would die to have hair like yours.”

  “I would much rather have your hair.” Elizabeth stares blankly across the room, and Nicole’s expression tightens suddenly.

  “Don’t you do this to me,” Nicole remarks, leaning her head against Elizabeth’s. “We’re leaving tomorrow … for good!”

  “They’ll track us down. They’ll kill us. I don’t want you to die.”

  “No one is going to die. We’ll have our chips removed and they’ll never find us. And our contracts are just about over anyway.”

  “It won’t stop them. They’ll make us examples.”

  “They won’t be using anyone as an example. I promise you that.”

  Nicole gently twists a shiny curl around her fingers.

  These locks, which fondly thus entwine,

  In firmer chains our hearts confine,

  Than all th’ unmeaning protestations

  Which swell with nonsense, love orations.

  Our love is fix’d, I think we’ve proved it;

  Nor time, nor place, nor art have mov’d it;

  Then wherefore should we sigh and whine,

  With groundless jealousy repine;

  With silly whims, and fancies frantic,

  Merely to make our love romantic?

  “Did you just make that up?”

  “That’s Lord Byron. Remember we learned about him back in the monastery?”

  “No. But that was beautiful.”

  Elizabeth leans forward. “I don’t want to run away. We’ll be looking over our shoulders all the time and never be truly happy and free.”

  “Promise me, you will not do anything stupid.”

  “I promise … I just want us to be happy and free and away from here forever with your baby sister. I would never do anything to jeopardize that dream of ours.”

  Nicole hugs Elizabeth and lovingly kisses her.

  Eight

  Nicole parks a couple of blocks from Evan Thomas’s home. She pulls the wig from her bag, sets it on her head and spends a few moments adjusting things until she’s ready. One more glance at her computer map. There it is … a large hole in the fence … one she could easily fit through…

  It’s six o’clock. She puts on a pair of sunglasses, picks up her purse, gets out of her car and starts to walk toward the mansion. Over by the pool, Evan Thomas is mumbling some kind of gibberish. He sits shirtless in a beach chair, a bag of cocaine beside him and a martini in his hand. With his hair greased back and his eyes hidden behind ridiculous glasses, he looks across the murky brown pool that has vegetation sprouting beneath its surface.

  Nicole walks right up to Evan who finally notices her as she steps in front of his beach chair.

  “Who the fuck are you?”

  She smiles. “I’m a gift … from the Joker.”

  Evan laughs. “I knew Jackson would never forget me. And you must’ve cost him a pretty penny. Was it his idea that you make up your face like that?”

  “Of course, Mr. Thomas.” Nicole turns her back to him and runs her hands along her butt, but when Evan reaches over to touch her she turns around and waves a finger in his face. “No touching. Orders from Jackson. Not until you can prove to me that you can still get an erection the old-fashioned way.”

  Nicole reaches into her purse, takes out a small bottle of lubricant and hands it to him. “Jackson thought this might help.”

  “Always the prankster, that guy.” Evan stands up and pulls down his pants. He rubs the lubricant on his hands, then slumps back into the chair and watches Nicole dance as he starts to play with himself. The setting sun glints off her black outfit as she gyrates in front of him.

  “That’s a good little boy,” Nicole says as she rubs her butt against his decrepit face.

  “Come here, bitch.”

  But Nicole dances behind the chair again. This time, she reaches into her purse and pulls out the gun. Then she slides in front of Evan, the gun hidden from his view. He continues to rub himself with one hand and reaches for her with the other. But again, she waves a finger in front of his face. “No, no, no.”

  In an instant, she takes aim, pulls the trigger and erases Evan’s genitals from the face of the earth. He cowers as blood shoots out like water from a fire hydrant. She grabs him by the hair as his hands and body flail like a fish caught on a hook.

  “Remember the girl from Vegas? This is her gift to you, you piece of shit.” She shoots him in both his legs. Any sign of superiority or vanity is gone. His face is as white as the cocaine beside him. Nicole grabs one side of the chair and flips it hard. In his unbalanced state, he falls beside the pool. She stands over him, sees the flicker of life still in his eyes and pulls the trigger twice, splatting his brains across the cement. She kicks what is left of him into the muddy pool and unloads the rest of the bullets into his slowly sinking body.

  Stumbling away from the scene, Nicole makes her way to the black Jaguar and climbs inside. She’s shaking violently and clenching her fists when she looks into the rearview mirror and suddenly starts to vomit all over herself. “Get it together! Get it together, Nicole!” She snaps her head back and drives off without wasting a moment to clean up. She parks in a secluded area off Coldwater Canyon and starts to take off her soiled clothes and the ghastly makeup.

  Nick stands pensively before the sliding glass door that opens to the pool area. The room is dark except for the outdoor lights that reflect off the water and into it. He listens to “Nessun Dorma” sung by the young Jackie Evancho. Nicole, dressed in th
e same clothes she wore earlier in the day, walks into the room and over to the stereo system. She lowers the volume. “What’s with the opera music? It’s so eerie.”

  “Sorry if it offends your tastes,” Nick replies without turning around.

  Nicole shakes her head and lets the remark slip. “How do you feel?”

  “I feel fine considering that I’ve been shot up with enough steroids and anesthesia to knock out a baby elephant. And on top of that, slipped a sleeping pill.”

  He turns, holding a drink in his hand. “So how did your date go?”

  Nicole flops down on the couch, stretches out and rests her head on a pillow. “Turn on the news and see for yourself.”

  Despite the music, an unnerving stillness descends upon the room. Nick stares down at her. “You’re incapable of feeling remorse.”

  She doesn’t blink. “Since you’re feeling so much better, why don’t you pour me a bourbon, neat. And please, take your time.”

  Nick sets his drink down. He strides over to the couch, pushes her feet off of it and throws himself down beside her. “You really have no idea who you’re dealing with.” He grabs her arm and hauls her up. “Now you listen to me, you psychotic bitch … go to your room and get the laptop you planned this insanity on.”

  “You’re hurting me.”

  Nick lets go and she gets up, but before she can walk away, he jumps up behind her, hauls her back and pats her down for any weapons.

  “Satisfied?” she asks.

  “On second thought, I think I’ll escort you.” He takes her by the elbow and they walk up to her room.

  “Why don’t you just cut me loose before it’s too late?” Nicole asks.

  “Why don’t you just shut up and accept my help. The way I see it, I’m the only friend you have right now. And if it wasn’t for the fact that I personally know what a sick pervert that asshole was I just might cut you loose.”

  Nicole crosses her room and takes her laptop from the desk.

  “You use any other electronic devices?”

  “No.” She hands him the laptop and they walk out of the room and down the stairs. Nick leads her to an oversized garage that houses a number of high-priced automobiles. He stops before a row of hooks and picks the keys to one of the most expensive sports cars in the world, a 2015 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. The sleek black exterior with a retractable top looks more like a piece of art than a car. He opens a side cabinet and pulls out a hammer and a blanket. Nick opens the passenger door.

  “I’m not getting in there,” Nicole says.

  Nick places the computer, hammer and blanket behind the driver’s seat. “Just get in the car.”

  “I drive or I’m not going. Having you behind the wheel of a car like this would be like committing a mortal sin.”

  Nick looks at her in disbelief and then flings her the keys. She gets in, adjusts the driver’s seat and steering wheel and turns on the ignition. The engine roars and she smiles as she looks at Nick beside her. “Now, this is what I call a car.”

  She pulls out of the garage and stops at the electronic front gate.

  “Just don’t speed,” Nick warns.

  “Like there’s a police car on this planet that could catch up to me in this thing.”

  Nick touches her on the arm. “Please.”

  “My God, you’re no fun. I can’t believe that you, of all people, own a car like this.”

  “This isn’t my car.”

  “It’s in your garage.”

  “Probably a gift to my mother.”

  “She likes fast cars?”

  “Not that I know of. She’s probably never even been in it.”

  Nicole looks at the car’s odometer. “I think you’re right. This car hasn’t been driven. Well, if no one in your family wants it, I’ll be glad to take it off your hands.”

  “You’re such a thoughtful little creature.”

  “Thank you. I try my best.”

  The gate opens and Nicole drives down the street and turns right on Sunset Boulevard, heading straight to the beach. Occasionally she hits the gas for a few seconds simply to irritate Nick and feel the power of the beast.

  At Sunset and the Pacific Coast Highway, she turns right. The majestic Pacific Ocean, which runs parallel to the highway and straight up the coast for hundreds of miles, is on the left-hand side.

  “Just tell me where to stop … otherwise I’ll have no problem driving this baby straight up to Washington State.”

  About thirty miles up from where they turned onto the highway, Nick has her make a left into a deserted little parking area no more than sixty feet from the water’s edge. She shuts the car off as Nick reaches over the seat and grabs the computer, hammer and blanket. The full moon and clear sky provide more than enough light to see as Nick walks down to the edge of the water and places the computer on the blanket and starts to smash it repeatedly with the hammer until he’s sure the hard drive is beyond repair and the computer is unrecognizable.

  Nicole watches from the car. “My God, you have some serious anger issues.” Nick glances at her. “Give me your phone.”

  “No way. I have all my contacts on this phone.”

  “Knock it off. You don’t need your contacts anymore and you have no friends.”

  “All my sister’s information is on here.”

  “Okay, you have five minutes to write it down. You tossed the gun, I hope?”

  “I’m not stupid. It’s in pieces and floating down a number of different sewers in this godforsaken town.”

  She tosses him the phone. “I have it all memorized, but you owe me a new laptop and phone.”

  Nick shakes his head as he pulls out the SIM card. He snaps it in half as he walks back down to the blanket. He smashes the phone and card and starts to fling all the pieces into the ocean. Nicole gets out of the car and walks over to him.

  “You know, you’re polluting, right?”

  Nick continues to fling the pieces into the water and Nicole starts to do cartwheels on the sand beside him. Finally she stops, the moon shining down upon them, and turns to him. “Tell me I’m beautiful.”

  Nick looks at her in disbelief.

  “Tell me how beautiful you think I am.”

  “Haven’t you had enough men tell you how beautiful you are?”

  “They were all looking at a price tag.”

  She’s staring into the dark waters now, and he stops and looks at her. For a moment, all the broken pieces seem to come together and form a complete picture. She was a child robbed of her innocence, treated like a commodity and stripped of her humanity and identity. “You’re beautiful, Nicole. Simply stunning!”

  Nicole turns and kisses him on each cheek. “Thank you, Nicky.”

  Nick shakes the blanket and the few remaining pieces fly into the water, and Nicole, once again, starts doing cartwheels. Then she lies down on the sand a few feet from him and looks up at the brilliant moon and the stars and starts to recite Edger Allan Poe’s beautiful poem, “Annabel Lee.” She pauses frequently as her voice breaks with unfiltered emotion:

  For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

  Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

  And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes

  Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

  And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

  Of my darling — my darling — my life and my bride,

  In her sepulchre there by sea—

  In her tomb by the sounding sea.

  Then she puts her hands out to him. “Help me up?”

  Nick reaches down and takes her by the hands and lifts her up and against his body where she rests her head on his chest. They stand there for a long moment … a troubled and unhinged union, a silhouette in the midst of nature’s untold beauty.

  She finally breaks away. “I’m cold.”

  They get into the car and Nick looks across at her, but she’s staring out the driver’s side window at the waves crashing against the
beach, illuminated by the full moon and an ever-expanding galaxy of stars. The ocean scent invigorates ancient memories while drowning a cluster of unfulfilled dreams. “She’ll always be with me.”

  Nicole drives through the electronic gate and parks in the garage. When she gets out, she runs her hands along the top of the car. “Think your mother would be interested in a swap? My lovely car for this beautiful machine?”

  “That depends, does your car come with the arsenal in the trunk?”

  “I’m sure we can work out a reasonable compromise.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure you can.” Nick holds open the door for Nicole and they enter the house.

  “Any chance some of that pizza is left? I’m starving.”

  Nick disappears into the kitchen as she sits down at the dining room table. She sighs as she looks down. Nick places two slices before her as she looks up at him and asks, “What, no beer?”

  He smiles and walks back in the kitchen and returns with a beer that he pours into two glasses and hands her one.

  “Thank you, sir.” He sits down in a chair right beside her. “So I guess that house, the job, my sister and six hundred thousand dollars is no longer on the table?”

  “You guessed right.”

  “Please, don’t hate me, Nicky. I couldn’t stand it if you did.”

  “Have I ever insinuated in any way that I hate you?”

  She shakes her head like a little girl and remarks, “But at times it’s what you don’t say that frightens me the most.”

  He grasps her face in his hands and looks directly into her eyes. “I’ve seen way too much to waste my energy on such a distasteful emotion. I might not agree with your actions, but I can’t argue with the motivation behind them.” He runs one finger along her cheek. “You’re so beautiful. Who would imagine that such features could actually be a curse?”

  “Just think, if it wasn’t for my burning desire for a mojito we never would have met, and you wouldn’t be burdened with my curse. I would be hundreds of miles away from here by now. Please let me believe it was fate. Don’t take that away from me. I know I should have left town after committing that ghastly act tonight, but I had to come back … back to you. It was selfish and childish, a teenage girl type moment, but I couldn’t help myself.”