ROMANTIC SUSPENSE : DEATH WHISPERED SOFTLY (15 page)

After a long pause Ricardo said in a hushed tone of voice “Why did you do this Steve, why did you double-cross me? Didn’t I trust you?

Steve was surprised to see Ricardo subdued; he knew Ricardo was a fiercely tough and unpredictable thug, someone who could go wild and become irrational at the drop of a hat. Yet at this moment of a potential showdown, he was talking calmly!

“Although it may seem that way, I haven’t betrayed you Ricardo. We can still be friends, rather than enemies. There was an unexpected turn of events that happened that night at the café.  I can’t explain them and I don’t expect you to understand the hand fate has dealt me but the results changed my life dramatically, even radically. I am marrying the very woman I had gone there to murder—Grace Kingsbury. I will be rich soon. It would be wise to have me as a friend than an enemy Ricardo. Also remember that you and your friend are safe only as long as
I am safe
. My future wife, Grace Kingsbury knows it all and so does her attorney (this Steve lied about). So tell your friend Gustav Nilsson to get the hell out of Grace Kingsbury’s life and take whatever she gives him to buy his shares of the company
, unless
he wants to spend the rest of his life rotting in prison!”

Steve knew that Nilsson was listening to the conversation, observant to everything going on and he wanted Nilsson to hear this and know that he was dead serious.  However Steve seemed to have underestimated Ricardo, for a vile murderous gleam shone from his eyes when he heard what Steve had told him. His grip tightened on the gun he was pointing at Steve and for one horrible moment Steve thought Ricardo was going to shoot him. But at that very moment Gustav Nilsson entered the room shouting wildly “Don’t do it! Don’t shoot you fool! Drop the gun! Ricardo seemed to freeze at Gustav’s sudden entry and eruption. His tense hand holding the gun went limp and he let the gun drop on the desk.

Steve looked up sharply at Gustav Nilsson and was shocked to see the transformation.  Nilsson looked nothing like his suave self—when Steve had seen him for the first time, in this very room. His once devilishly handsome face now looked drawn and gaunt. Heavy bags had formed under his eyes, indicating that he had not slept well the past few nights. His facial muscles seemed to be under considerable strain and his eyes brooding. He looked like a man who had lost his nerve, and was struck with fear and panic.

After he stopped glaring at Ricardo Lopez, Nilsson turned around to face Steve and said in an imploring voice “you won’t do that to me, will you Neal?’ Nilsson pleading voice sounded like a moan dripping with dread and terror and nothing like the evilly demented thug he seemed before.

  “After all we trusted you Neal and gave you all that money; you won’t hand us over to cops, will you?” he pleaded desperately. There was a pronounced tremble in Gustav Nilsson’s voice, which seemed to embarrass Ricardo, who was watching all this silently.

So the sick bastard has gone yellow, Steve thought contemptuously.  He knew that it would be far more gainful to talk this situation over with Nilsson than Ricardo. Right now it was Nilsson who was the weak link in their association. His fear and dread of the cops, in the present situation, was pretty evident, and Steve wanted to take full advantage of that. 

“Look Nilsson I have nothing against you or your buddy Ricardo. And I did go that night to do what we had planned to do, and yet by a sheer quirk of fate, instead of becoming an assassin of Grace Kingsbury that fateful evening, I became her rescuer. Now we are in love and are marrying soon. I have told her everything Nilsson. She knows that you had hired me to kill her. One phone call to the cops and they will be all over you and you will wish you were dead!”
When he heard this Gustav Nilsson’s face turned a pasty grey with terror, and beads of sweat appeared on his face. Steve could see on Nilsson’s frightened face that he knew his life, his freedom and finances were in grave jeopardy. He looked like a frightened cornered animal that had lost all will to fight.

“However, I will give you a break Nilsson” Steve continued knowing fully well that he had Nilsson where he wanted him, and Ricardo couldn’t do a darn thing because Nilsson was his boss, and Ricardo his obedient puppy!

“If you don’t want to lose all you have and rot in prison Nilsson, you will do what I tell you. Grace Kingsbury wants to buy your
tiny
share out. She doesn’t want to see your dirty face anymore Nilsson. In spite of what you tried to do to her she is still willing to pay you a half a million for your share. And that amount also includes the thirty thousand you gave me. She actually wanted to give you nothing, for you deserve nothing—after devising the plan to murder her. In fact she wanted to send the cops after you, and put you away to rot in prison for the rest of your lousy days. It was at my insistence that she reluctantly agreed to pay you half a million” Steve lied smoothly.

“I am giving you this break Nilsson. Take the half million you are getting from Grace Kingsbury, my future wife, and get the hell out of this town!” Steve said with a rasp in his voice. He hoped his tough voice would intimidate the terror-struck Nilsson to accept this ridiculous offer.

But before Nilsson could react or respond to Steve’s offer, it was Ricardo who sprang to his feet and picked up his gun and yelled “The son of a bitch is bluffing boss, can’t you see! Don’t listen to him!”

The murderous look was back on Ricardo’s face. But before he could say anything else Gustav Nilsson screamed “Shut up, shut up, shut up you stupid jerk! It’s
my
life which is on the line and not yours!  So shut your damn trap and don’t speak a word!” The snarl in Nilsson’s voice shocked even Steve.  His outburst stopped Ricardo and he slumped on a chair muttering to himself.

“I accept the offer Neal. I don’t wanna have nothin to do with that Kingsbury bi...”  Gustav Nilsson almost blurted out the cuss word, but stopped himself in the nick of time seeing Steve was glaring at him. I will do the transaction anytime the, the… lady wants to, and I promise never to show my face to her or you for the rest of my life. You have my word Neal, my word is my bond. But you must give me your word in return that as I honor our agreement you will honor it with your word as your bond that you won’t ever squeal to the cops?”

His face broken, his hands trembling, the sheer unconcealed terror on his face said it all; Steve knew this man was licked. And there was nothing Ricardo Lopez could do about it. Steve knew he was within a heartbeat of a massive triumph. But he controlled himself and said “Ok Nilsson, that’s a deal. Our lawyer will call you when he has finished making papers for you to sign. Neither I nor my future wife Grace Kingsbury will come. We don’t want to see your faces ever again Nilsson. Do you get that?!  Sign the darn papers and take your money and get the hell out of Grace’s life for good” Steve said with unconcealed contempt in his voice. Nilsson said nothing and nodded feebly. His shoulders had dropped and his broken face seemed to dangle from his neck. Here is one spineless man, Steve thought disgustedly. Then he glanced over to Ricardo who had turned away his face in obvious revulsion of Nilsson’s fear and cowardliness. Gustav Nilsson and Ricardo Lopez knew they were beaten, and there was precious little they could do about it. Since there was nothing else left to be said, Steve walked out of the office leaving the duo mumbling and blaming each other in defeat. There were no goodbyes, there were no handshakes.

As Steve walked out of Ricardo’s office, and on the street, he felt wildly triumphant. He knew that he had won a huge victory here. He had defeated two demons that were evil to the bone!

He had not an iota of doubt that Nilsson or Lopez would ever cause Grace or him any trouble. He still couldn’t get over Nilsson’s terror struck-face. But he felt no sympathy for him or Lopez. By their own actions they had caused this, he reasoned. Had Nilsson not been greedy and crafty, he would have accepted Grace’s earlier offer of four million and walked away a multi-millionaire. But now he had no option but to accept the comparatively paltry offer of half a million. And Steve knew that Nilsson’s loss was Grace’s gain. By this meeting today, Steve realized that apart from getting Nilsson out of her life for good, he had gained Grace three and half million dollars! That gave him an even greater satisfaction—that he had succeeded in saving Grace’s money. He felt he was repaying Grace for all her loving kindness and trust she had shown him. The thought of having done this for his darling Grace made his chest swell with happiness and pride. He had beaten the crooks… the murderers. He had not only tied the loose ends together, but he had also tied up the losers!

As he continued to walk on the street where Ricardo’s office building was situated, Steve noticed how blue and clear the skies were. He had decided to not take the car back to Grace’s home; he wanted to walk all the way back. It was a magnificent day and he wanted to savor and enjoy every bit of his triumph while walking all the way back. There was not a cloud in the sky, there were birds chirping and it seemed flowers had bloomed overnight – or perhaps it was for the first time he had time and the inclination to notice the flowers and appreciate their beauty.  As he walked past a park, he saw children playing about. It was indeed a most beautiful day he thought and smiled.

His heart was filled with happiness and love for Grace as he walked to her house. He knew that he was leaving all his sadness, misfortune and a murky past behind. He couldn’t wait to see her and tell her the whole story of his meeting. He could envision how pleased, joyous and proud she would be. He knew a great life lay ahead of him and Grace—a life filled with abundant love, harmony, companionship, enterprise, and partnership. Ironically and inadvertently not only had Steve achieved what he had dreamed about and so passionately wanted—a chain of restaurants— but he also found love along the way.  He knew he was given a second chance, a gift as it were, and he was going to take full advantage of it. One incident had transformed his life radically, when his parents perished in a plane crash. While another dramatic incident had altered it all… again—when the old lady had crashed her car into the café.

How could this have happened?  He didn’t know the answer, and would probably never ever know. As of now he couldn’t think; neither could he stop smiling.

With not a worry or care left, Steve Neal continued his long walk to Grace’s house in the brilliant sunlight, relishing every bit of the walk and his triumph. He suddenly stopped walking, looked skyward and whispered “Thank you dad, thank you mom... Thank you God”