Malice by C. M. Sutter

Author:C. M. Sutter [Sutter, C. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: C.M. Sutter
Published: 2017-10-23T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Ed inhaled deeply through his nose to calm himself. He closed his eyes and slowly blew out the air through his mouth. The therapist he had been court-ordered to see during the divorce proceedings recommended those techniques to calm his outbursts of rage. Sometimes it helped and other times it didn’t, but Ed couldn’t work effectively if he went in half-cocked.

The male voice on his GPS told him to turn right at the next set of lights. Ed rolled to a stop at the red light, checked for oncoming cars, and continued on. A quick left and one more right took him to the intersection of Grange Street and Fremont Court. He made the last turn and followed Fremont to the end of the cul-de-sac, where he killed his headlights. There, standing alone, was the home of Marilyn LaSota. Her nearest neighbor was four lots away.

Yeah, I can work around that. Now I just have to find the For Sale sign.

Ed coasted along the curb at a snail’s pace as he looked for the sign. He squinted at every shape, trying to make out its form. Shadows from low-hanging limbs fooled him while others blew slightly in the breeze. He tapped the brakes lightly and slowed to a stop. Ed shifted into Park then rolled down the passenger side window. A familiar noise caught his attention.

That’s the sound of the sign swaying.

Ed scooted across the bench seat and climbed out the passenger side. That door, with less cancerous rust, didn’t creak as badly as the driver’s door. He stretched his arms and reached into the truck bed to catch the end of the sheet that the sign was wrapped in. Ed pulled it toward him and lifted it out. With the sign in his arms, he followed the sound. There, along her flower garden and hidden slightly from above by limbs, stood the For Sale sign. Ed dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out the flashlight. He made a circle with the beam and checked his surroundings. It was time to get to work.

With the sign eased off the hooks, Ed set it on the ground and replaced it with his own. He carried the original sign to the truck and wrapped it in the sheet. With that sign lying flat in the truck bed, Ed climbed in the passenger door, scooted across to the driver’s seat, and quietly slipped away. Back at Grange, he switched on the headlights and continued to the next intersection where he turned right. At the end of that street, he killed the engine and stepped out before locking the truck.

Walking parallel to Fremont Street on Vine would prove safer for Ed. Even if innocent eyes took the time to peer out of their windows, not a soul would be seen on Marilyn’s cul-de-sac. He cut through vacant lots that hadn’t been excavated yet and finally arrived at Marilyn’s backyard. Ed was only fifty feet from the side door that opened into her garage.

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