Tales of Sin and Madness by Brett McBean Read Free Book Online Page B

his heart practically bursting from his chest.
    “I hope you’re not lying to me.”
    “I promise. I’m all alone.”
    Silence. Then, “Okay. I believe you. Now, the decision. Your wife and daughter are dying to know.” The kidnapper laughed.
    “How do I know you’ll keep your end of the bargain?” Ray said. “How will I know you’ll let the other one go?”
    “You have my word, Ray.”
    “And you promise just one shot? To the back of the head? No suffering?”
    “Yes. Unless you try to trick me in any way. Then both of your little darlings will know the meaning of real pain. Understand?”
    “Yes.”
    “Good. Now…who’s the lucky winner?”
    Ray used all his energy to speak. “Rebecca,” he said quietly.
    “A surprise choice,” the kidnapper said. “Your daughter. Okay, it shall be done. Bye.”
    “No, wait. When will I see my wife?”
    “Soon enough.”
    The phone went dead.
    Ray held onto the receiver for a long time before Jerry took it off him and placed it down.
    “You did what you had to do,” Jerry said. “I’m sorry, Ray.”
    It was easily the most sentimental thing Ray had heard Jerry utter.
    “I can’t believe it,” Ray said. “My daughter is dead. I’m never going to see her again.”
    Jerry grabbed Ray around the shoulders. Ray couldn’t help it. He just let it out. He cried for what seemed like an eternity.
     
    * * *
     
    They were sitting in the lounge, drinking cold beers that Jerry had gotten from the store over an hour ago when there came a quick rapping at the front door.
    Ray jumped up, spilling his beer over the floor and rushed to the front door. He flung it open and saw Kim.
    Kim looking old and tired and dirty. She fell into his arms, crying.
    “It’s okay. You’re safe now. You’re all right.” Ray picked her up and carried her into the lounge. He laid her down on the couch. “Get some water,” he told Jerry.
    Jerry, looking positively dazed, nodded and bounded into the kitchen. He came back and handed the glass to Ray
    Ray gave the glass to Kim. She finished the water in one mouthful.
    “I can’t believe it,” Jerry said. “That mother-fucker told the truth. He let her go.”
    Ray nodded. He brushed hair away from Kim’s face. She was pale, but had stopped crying.
    “He made me shoot her,” Kim said, her voice raspy. “That bastard made me shoot my own daughter. Told me I had to or else…” Her words broke up and she began sobbing.
    Ray held her close. “It’s over now, darling. Don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault.”
    “Farm,” she said between sobs.
    “Farm? What about a farm?” Ray said.
    “That’s where he took us. That’s where Rebecca is.”
    Ray glanced at Jerry. Jerry’s wild look told him he was thinking the same thing. “Which farm? Whereabouts?” Ray asked.
    “Off Taylor Road.”
    “I know it,” Jerry said. “You want me to call the cops?”
    “Fuck them. You can get out there quicker than they can.”
    Jerry gave a quick smile, then he took off for the front door. “If I find him, I’ll bring him back. We can take care of the fucker ourselves.”
    “You do that,” Ray called, and then Jerry was gone. Ray heard the sound of Jerry’s van roar to life and then the tyres screeched their way from his driveway, off into the night.
    “He’ll be gone for at least half an hour,” Ray said.
    Kim wiped her eyes, sat up and smiled. “Dumb fuck. He’ll probably spend all night trying to find the kidnapper.”
    Ray chuckled. He stroked Kim’s blonde hair. “He means well. And he is our only witness, after all. He’s important to us.”
    “True,” Kim said. “You got a beer? I could really use one. Putting on that voice really fucked with my vocal chords.”
    Ray hopped up, went into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He wandered back, handed the can to his wife. “And you did a pretty good job of it, too. There were times I actually thought I was talking to a man.”
    Kim popped open the top and took a