Her Deal with the Devil

Chapter 4: Bodies

    After putting on some clothes, I went to my purse. Grabbing my newly purchased phone, I keyed in Tristan’s number. He picked up almost immediately.

    “This is Dawkins.”

    Mmm, his business voice was very nice.

    “Hello Mr. Dawkins. This is Iris. Iris Hamilton?  I was calling like you asked.”

    I heard an audible sigh of relief on the other end of the phone.

    “Hey pretty lady. You had me worried there for a minute. I hope you don’t mind, but I made some adjustments to your shower. I would hate for you to be worried or panicked while washing.”

    I smiled widely. 

    “I appreciate you doing that. You really didn’t have to. And you don’t have to bring any food back either, you’ve already done so much for me.”

    I heard laughter from the other end.

    “Iris, I am pulling up now with the food. Knock knock.”

    I threw on a robe and hurried to the front door. Opening it I saw Tristan, with a huge plastic bag that smelled like heaven. I audibly moaned and then covered my mouth in embarrassment. Tristan looked back at me with laughter in his eyes.

    “I’ve never been so jealous of a burger before.”

    Having thoroughly embarrassed myself I stepped to the side to let him come in. As he walked in he looked around, as if searching for something.

    “What’s up Tristan?” I asked, feeling a little unnerved by the way he kept glancing around.

    “I was just wondering where the cat got to.”

    I immediately stopped walking.

    “Why would the cat be in here Tristan?”

    He stopped walking and turned to face me.

    “The cat was the only reason I made it to you in time before you split your head open like a ripe melon. He attacked me so I wouldn’t leave. And then when I put you in the bed he refused to leave your side.”

    I stared at him in shock. Whether it was over the fact that the cat rescued and protected me or over the fact that it could still attack me in my sleep, I wasn’t sure. I ran my hand over my face and began to massage my temple. 

    “Honestly, I am too exhausted to care at the moment. All I know is that the cat was not here when I woke up, and I haven’t seen it. Would you like to eat in the kitchen or in the living room? Kitchen has a nice table, but the living room has tv.”

    He thought about it for a moment.

    “Where would you be most relaxed? I felt that water when I had to turn it off, it was scalding. I can’t imagine you’re super comfortable at the moment. Speaking of, I brought some burn cream to rub on you, or you can apply it yourself if that would be more preferable.” 

    I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, so I strode past him head held high, on my way to the living room.

    “Well, you’ve seen me naked already. Twice as a matter of fact. So as long as you promise to be a gentleman, I will let you rub it in. I’m not sure I could reach all of the spaces on my own to be honest.” 

    Following me, he let out a low chuckle.

    “Pretty lady, I promise that I won’t do anything to you that you don’t want.” 

    Turning on the t.v. and settling into the couch, I bit my lip. That was the problem. The more I got to know him, the more I wanted him to do. 

                                                                                        ***

Daniel

    “Aye! I need another one!”

    The bartender glared at me. 

    “You’re cut off! You’re sloppy drunk!”

    I motioned for him to walk over and then grabbed him by the collar.

    “Get me another jack and coke or I will kill you and have your replacement do it.”

    The bartender jerked back and scowled, but he got me my drink.

    “That’s what I thought, bitch.”

    Unfortunately, he was right though. I was sloppy drunk. I was miserable. My wife had been missing for at least seven months. And I hadn’t seen any trace of her anywhere. The only people I could turn to for help would help, but they would also kill her before I could get to her. I am sure if I just talked to her, she would see reason. Hell, I was the reason she got to spend so much time doing what she loved in the first place. She didn’t even have to have a job with me. I know I was a pretty messed up dude, but I loved Iris. So much. Her smile, her hair, everything.

    Before I could get too sloppy, I felt rather than saw someone sit down next to me.

    “That seat’s taken buddy,” I slurred. The person next to me just laughed. Ugh. I knew that laugh. 

    “Whaddya want Alexi?”

    Alexi sighed. 

    “I’ve come to take you home Daniel. You’re a mess, and Frank there says you’re creating a hostile work environment.”

    I looked over at the snitch of a bartender and winked. He flipped me the bird. So I did it back. Only I forgot and did it with my right hand, which is inconveniently middle fingerless. I had to sacrifice something to leave the Yakuza and looking back, I am grateful it was just my middle finger. Usually it’s the middle finger, the ring finger, and the pinky.

    Getting up from my stool with a groan, I stumbled from the bar, Alexi not far behind. As we exited Alexi grabbed my arm and put it around his shoulder, steering me to his car.

    “Lexi. My car is this way.”

    He grunted, hating that nickname. 

    “Well you can’t drive now can you? And I am not leaving my car in this part of town.”

    “Why not? S’a piece a crap anyway.”

    Alexi didn’t say anything back, he just shoved me to the passenger side as soon as we got to his car.

    “If you were that worried about it you wouldn’t have gotten so drunk that you couldn't drive.”

    “Touché.”

    I slid into Alexi’s car and let the seat go all the way back.

    “To home, Benson. And make it snappy.”

    “I’ll smack the s**t outta you.”

    I laughed, suddenly feeling very emotional.

    “I miss her Alexi. I don’t want to go home. Too many memories.”

    Alexi sighed, not wanting to get into it with me tonight.

    “Sorry Danny old boy. I got company tonight. Seems like you’ll have to deal with her ghost after all.”

    I turned to look out the window. 

    “I guess it’s just practice after all, though.”

    I could feel Alexi looking at me.

    “For when she’s dead Alexi. After I kill her.”

                                                                                        ***

Jason

    I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ella was gossiping instead of working, as usual, but this time, the topic of discussion was Tristan Dawkins. As two of the most successful companies in town, we had both a cordial business relationship, and a somewhat competitive personal one. It was no surprise that Ella was gossiping about Tristan. Hell even I knew that she liked Tristan. No, the unbelievable part is that they were insinuating that he and Iris were becoming an item. The pencil I gripped snapped in half at the thought. I swept my commercial building plans to the side and barged out of my office. 

    “Ella, what’s this I hear? Are you over here spreading lies?”

    Ella turned to me with a smile as sweet as honey and a look deadly as arsenic.

    “All I was saying, Mr. Elliot, is that the floozy in Marian’s house is already trying to move in on Tristan. I’ve been waiting 3 years to get a piece of him. Who does she think she is?!”

    I arched an eyebrow as I could see she was working herself into a frenzy.

    “There are a lot of issues with those statements but at the moment, I’ve only got time for one of them: what makes you think Ms. Hamilton is trying to hook up with Tristan?”

    Ella rolled her eyes and looked at her friend. After glaring at Ella, the friend leaned in close.

    “Well, my aunt Janet was working over at the Diner last night, and Tristan came through. He ordered two of the burger specials---which as you know, even for a fella as big as Tristan Dawkins, one is plenty.”

    I stared at the woman in mock disbelief.

    “Oh no. Not two burger orders!”

    Ella held up her finger and then pointed to her friend again.

    “That’s not all. When she rung him up, she teased him about eating too much. He laughed and told her that a friend of his had injured themselves in the shower and needed some food. And she said when he took off, he was headed in the direction of Marian’s place.” 

    The friend finished her story and folded her arms. Meanwhile my eyes were beginning to bulge out of my head. Tristan Dawkins? Why? How does he know Iris? And more importantly was this burger drop-off before or after my offer? Could it be that she isn’t attracted to me? 

    I could feel myself spiraling. Before I got too far gone, I readjusted my tie slightly and took a deep breath. 

    “Be that as it may, Ella, this is not the time nor the place to be talking about such things. Anyways, how do you know what your aunt Janet saw. In the daytime it would have looked like he was going anywhere.”

    The friend smirked at me.

    “Aunt Janet said it was at least about 8 last night when he came and got his order. She could tell that he was headed to Marian’s because the streetlights don’t stretch too far out that way, and his tail lights were visible as he went over that hill.”

    I cleared my throat.

    “Any way you slice it Ella, Tristan is not your man. He can do whatever he wants with whoever.”

    As I turned to walk away, I kept telling myself the same thing about Iris. Besides, we had more important things to discuss.

                                                                                ***

Iris

    For some reason, I was ill at ease meeting Jason for lunch today. I called up to his office and his receptionist was a pill, as usual, but he seemed pretty distant and stand-offish as well. When I walked into the diner and found our table, I could tell that something was different. He didn’t have that same smirking grin, and his blue eyes weren’t sparkling this time.

    “Ms. Hamilton, so glad you could meet me here. The food here is delicious. Have you ever had a burger here before?”

    The way he looked at me when he asked clued me in that he knew more than he was saying. But as far as I am concerned, I had no reason to lie. Me and this man weren’t dating. Heck, we barely knew each other.

    “Actually yes. Yesterday. After I fell in the shower I was passed out. My maintenance man Mr. Dawkins found me and helped me. Afterwards, while I was unconscious he came and grabbed me this Big Boy special here. It was good, but a lot of food. I have leftovers for dinner tonight.” 

    I looked at him, and could tell he was surprised that I told him all that information. The way the muscles in his jaw kept clenching and unclenching I could tell that he had more that he wanted to say, but he kept quiet. Instead he picked up his menu.

    “Well I am glad that you are ok. So, what did you come to the office to talk about Ms. Hamilton?”

    Finally, getting right down to business. Looking at my own menu, I took a deep breath.

    “I want to sell my grandmother’s house. I know that you guys, while you are the only real estate company in town, you’re also the best. I know that the house will be sold quickly if you do it.”

    Jason, never making eye contact, snorted a little.

    “Unfortunately Ms. Hamilton, before your grandmother passed, she made sure to tell anyone who would listen about all the problems with the home and the property. No one in Carrefour would buy that heap honestly. Not even if you paid them.”

    Thinking back to the faulty shower, I was inclined to believe him. Not to mention, I don’t know too many people who would want to sleep 30 feet from a dead body, buried or not.

    I nodded sadly.

    “Yeah, not to mention, no one wants to have a dead body in their backyard.”

    Jason put his menu down quickly, and looked me straight in the eye.

    “Body, Ms. Hamilton?”

    I nodded, looking at him questioningly.

    “Yes, my grandmother is buried on the property.”

    Jason slowly shook his head. 

    “Not just your grandmother Ms. Hamilton. There are bodies on that property.”

                                                                                        ***

Iris

    I just sat rooted to the spot. Surely Jason misspoke. I have no idea what he could have been trying to say, but I just know he DIDN’T say, there were bodies, as in more than the one old bag that was supposed to be there.

    “So what are you trying to say Jason?”

    That man looked me in my eyes and said, “Nobody’s going to buy your house, because of all the rumors and dead bodies that litter the property.”

    If my eyes could have bulged any further out of my head, they would have. The way Jason was describing this made it seemed like my grandmother had a makeshift cemetery out there.

    “So...what do you suggest I do? I don’t want to live in the cursed cemetery either!”

    Jason looked around and leaned forward, making sure that no one else could hear.

    “You could gift it to me, and I can handle all the structural and...rotting issues the property has, and when I finally get it sold I will give you half the profits. Now, it may take a while, people’s memories are long here in Carrefour.” 

    It all made sense. Jason Elliot just wanted my grandmother’s property. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some commercial building already in the works. That way, he could bulldoze the land and not even have to address the dead bodies. There was one thing that bothered me. Why did he want me to gift it to him? He probably could have given me some decent lowball offer and I would have accepted, happy enough to be rid of the place. 

    “Jason Elliot is your company bankrupt?”

    Jason glanced around like I had just blasphemed his mother.

    “Where do you get off saying things like that. How dare you!”

    I stood up suddenly, angry that he tried to make this my fault.

    “How else do you explain the ridiculous lie you just told me? And the proposition to ‘gift’ you the property and hope for a check?” 

    He snatched me back into the booth quickly.

    “Listen. The housing market crash did create a few setbacks for Elliot realty. We had a lot of debts we had to repay quickly. But we did. And we are fine now, if not simply ‘less wealthy’. And I would be much obliged if you didn’t make a fuss about it.” 

    The condescending tone with which he said this made my skin crawl. I can’t believe I ever thought this horrid man would be able to help me. I snatched my arm from his grasp and left.