10:56
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I've surprised myself by writing another chapter. Remember that, as with the previous two chapters, this is only an initial draft. As the tale unfolds and other developments occur to me, I'll go back and make changes, adding or subtracting in order to 'harmonise' each chapter with the others. When I eventually conclude the tale, I'll go through it again and give it all a final polish. Anyway, hopefully you're enjoying it, but I won't know unless you tell me. Where is everybody? Surely not everyone's away on holiday at the same time?
******
Chapter Three:
Ted had amazed himself with his boldness. Now he was horrified by his rashness. Passing himself off as his brother had seemed his only logical course of action if he wanted to avoid further attempts on his life, but now the possible repercussions of a split-second's decision began to dawn on him. He daren't risk taking his wife - or Ben's - into his confidence lest that put them in danger, but it meant that Mary would have to endure her grief for real, thinking that he was truly dead. And now he would have to maintain the pretence of being his brother's wife's husband, and deceive her as well. Could he do it he wondered? Not just have a go at playing the role, but carry it off undetected? When Ben and he had been students they used to play a little joke on their teachers and fellow pupils. Ben would take Ted's place in class and, behaving in the quiet, soft-spoken manner of his brother, would pretend to be him. Ted would do the same, aping Ben's assured, arrogant, brash demeanour, while apprehensively wondering if the cheat would be detected. It never was, by teachers or classmates. Hopefully he could repeat the success of his 'performance' in this current mad situation. If only there were another way out, but it was too late now - nothing for it but to soldier on.
"So what happened?" asked Jaconelli. Ted told him exactly as he remembered it. "You the guy on TV?" enquired the cop. Ted nearly said yes, but caught himself in time. "No, that was my brother... the deceased."
"Who'd want him dead?" the detective continued. "The Mob perhaps; crooks, gangsters, psychos - anyone who's ever been exposed on Ted's show has to be worth a look," Ted replied. He was more guarded now, aware that he had to avoid saying the first thing that came into his head in case he gave himself away. Was it his imagination, or had Jaconelli detected this slight change in his manner? The detective seemed to regard him with more scrutiny than before, as if he was suddenly suspicious. He thrust the thought from his head. He couldn't afford to falter now, and he knew that in order to convince others of his identity, he had to behave convincingly - any hesitation would betray him.
"What's going on? What happened to the car?" A woman, standing in the hall, looked bewildered and aghast at the same time. Ted looked at Mary and knew that here was the moment where his facade could be revealed before it had really got started. He stood up from the sofa and took a step towards her. "Mary... it... it's Ted. Something awful's happened... he's dead, Mary, he's dead. Sorry, but there's no easy way to say it." She looked at him intently, but there was nothing about her gaze which disclosed any suspicion. "No," she said, "I don't believe it - he can't be!" She crumpled to her knees on the floor and sobbed hysterically. Too hysterically, Ted fleetingly thought. Mary was usually much more composed and in control of herself. She hadn't even cried when her father had died seven years ago. Jaconelli observed the scene silently for a moment, as if he were evaluating it. Then he spoke.
"I'll need to speak to both of you later," he said, "but I'll leave you to your grief for now." A uniformed cop appeared at the doorway and nodded to Jaconelli, who, almost imperceptibly, nodded back. "The, er... remains have been removed, but my men will stay to guard the car until forensics have examined it. Hopefully, we'll get something of value from it, despite it being blown to hell and back. A fingerprint maybe - who knows."
He nodded respectfully to them both and went out, closing the door behind him, and Ted and Mary were alone. Her sobbing gradually subsided and she got up and sat on the sofa. She saw the drink on the coffee table that Ted had poured for Ben, lifted it to her crimson lips, and drank it slowly. Then she looked at Ted and said something that almost floored him. It took an effort of will to stay calm and not betray himself.
"I knew it would catch up with him eventually," she said. "You can't piss that many people off without payback - however long it takes." And then came the kicker. "Well, that's him gone now, so we don't have to pretend anymore. Once you leave that bitch of a wife of yours, we can be together."
As Mary's words burned into his brain, Ted felt his heart sink within him. It wouldn't be the last time.
Want to see more? Then let me know, pilgrims. Incidentally, please don't make plot forecasts or suggestions - this story is already mapped out (in the main), so I'd prefer to avoid being accused of stealing ideas if any of yours should happen to coincide with mine.
"What's going on? What happened to the car?" A woman, standing in the hall, looked bewildered and aghast at the same time. Ted looked at Mary and knew that here was the moment where his facade could be revealed before it had really got started. He stood up from the sofa and took a step towards her. "Mary... it... it's Ted. Something awful's happened... he's dead, Mary, he's dead. Sorry, but there's no easy way to say it." She looked at him intently, but there was nothing about her gaze which disclosed any suspicion. "No," she said, "I don't believe it - he can't be!" She crumpled to her knees on the floor and sobbed hysterically. Too hysterically, Ted fleetingly thought. Mary was usually much more composed and in control of herself. She hadn't even cried when her father had died seven years ago. Jaconelli observed the scene silently for a moment, as if he were evaluating it. Then he spoke.
"I'll need to speak to both of you later," he said, "but I'll leave you to your grief for now." A uniformed cop appeared at the doorway and nodded to Jaconelli, who, almost imperceptibly, nodded back. "The, er... remains have been removed, but my men will stay to guard the car until forensics have examined it. Hopefully, we'll get something of value from it, despite it being blown to hell and back. A fingerprint maybe - who knows."
He nodded respectfully to them both and went out, closing the door behind him, and Ted and Mary were alone. Her sobbing gradually subsided and she got up and sat on the sofa. She saw the drink on the coffee table that Ted had poured for Ben, lifted it to her crimson lips, and drank it slowly. Then she looked at Ted and said something that almost floored him. It took an effort of will to stay calm and not betray himself.
"I knew it would catch up with him eventually," she said. "You can't piss that many people off without payback - however long it takes." And then came the kicker. "Well, that's him gone now, so we don't have to pretend anymore. Once you leave that bitch of a wife of yours, we can be together."
As Mary's words burned into his brain, Ted felt his heart sink within him. It wouldn't be the last time.
******
Want to see more? Then let me know, pilgrims. Incidentally, please don't make plot forecasts or suggestions - this story is already mapped out (in the main), so I'd prefer to avoid being accused of stealing ideas if any of yours should happen to coincide with mine.
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