Extreme Malice by Ray Swirsky & R E Swirsky

Author:Ray Swirsky & R E Swirsky [Swirsky, Ray]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2013-11-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Friday, Nov 18th 5:17 pm

Jack arrived home from the office and parked his car in the garage. He was on his way to the street to bring the recycling bin back inside when he spotted Fred waddling up the street towards him. He removed the bin from the street, put it inside the back door of the garage, and went back out to catch Fred.

"Hey, Fred," Jack shouted.

Fred nodded and puffed heavily as he usually did when he was almost finished with his walk back from town.

"Hi, Jack."

Jack strolled over and onto Fred's property for the first time since the murder. "Can I ask you something, Fred?"

"Oh sure," he responded through heavy breaths. "What's up?"

"Nothing really. It's just that, ever since Donna's death, we hardly talk anymore. I never really talk to anyone anymore..."

"Is that so," Fred said. He scratched his chin and looked at Jack with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yeah," Jack said and smiled sheepishly. "We used to talk a lot, you and me. All of us, you know. Tracey and Donna..."

"Uh huh, we did at that, Jack. But things have changed now. People change."

"I know they do, but I was hoping we could talk."

"We are talking."

"No, I mean really talk...like over a beer, or glass of wine. I want to talk like we used to."

Fred looked at Jack and uneasiness pressed into the wrinkles around Fred's eyes. He looked up to his house. Jack knew he was watching out for Tracey.

"How about you come over for a drink later? Around seven? Just you and me," Jack offered.

"I'd like that," Fred replied and nodded his head. “I gotta go. Tracey will be...well, Tracey..."

Jack had his suspicions about how things were over at the Anderson house.

"Never mind. I'll see you later, then," Jack said.

Fred nodded, turned, and walked into his house.

Jack watched Fred until he disappeared. He scratched at his chin deep in thought.

A few minutes later, he was back in his vehicle and on his way to the wine store. Fred was a unique character, and he liked the finer things in life. Tracey may have called Fred cheap, but Jack saw Fred in an entirely different light. Jack respected Fred. Fred spent his money wisely, but he didn’t hesitate to spend forty dollars on a single bottle of wine. Fred chose where he spent his money carefully, and Fred expected quality and value from everything he purchased.

It was dusk by the time Jack parked outside Gunther's Wine Store. The days were growing shorter. Jack entered the store and pulled the door open. He caught the reflection of a quick flash somewhere behind him. He turned quickly but did not really know where to look. A couple of cars went by with their lights on. He saw a young couple on the other side of the street holding hands and walking slowly. He looked up and down both directions and saw no else.

Had he imagined the flash? Was it just a headlight reflecting in the glass?

Jack went inside but glanced out the front every few minutes as he searched the specialty wines.

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