Page 57

The motherfucker hit the floor like a crackpipe.

Lorna screamed as Grandpa Wilde stepped gingerly over the now dead body of a half of a man with a whole lot of mouth and nerve.

He clasped his cane and looked around the place.

Lorna bolted towards the back of the trailer and pressed her back against the wall, sliding down into a chair behind a small table.

The place was absolutely filthy… trash everywhere.

Needles and empty beer and wine bottles.

Rolling papers and pills. Cigarette butts stacked high in a teacup.

A strange stench hung in the air—something like Cheetos and cheap wine blended together.

The floor was sticky with something brown and old, and the walls were covered in torn out newspaper articles and glossy scenes from nature and expensive car magazines.

“Lorna, long time, no see. No need to be afraid.” He offered a soft grin. “I ain’t gonna hurt you. As I told your husband there,” he stated with a smile, “I came here to tell you something important and speak to you about business.” He gave the place a once over again, then met eyes with her.

The woman’s bloodshot eyes darted to her partner who lay in his own blood, and then back at Grandpa.

“Did ya have to shoot him, Cyrus?” she choked out.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he shrugged, “I’m sure your ex-husband, Kage, told you all about me and how I operate. I’m sure you remember, too. Seein’ as, at one point in time, you and my grandson were deeply in love.”

“I… I ain’t seen or spoke with Kage in years… I don’t have no business with him.”

“Well,” he took a drag of his cigar and continued, “maybe you should… I can tell by that purple shiner on your face, and the bruises on your chest and neck there, that you’re not the best judge of character when it comes to pickin’ a partner.

” He dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, then continued.

“Now, I am aware that you and Kage ended on bad terms, he and his mama were rather hush-hush about it. Regardless, I’ve lived a long while.

I can fill in the blanks.” He tossed up his hands.

“Somebody cheated. Kage filed for divorce. When he’s pissed off, he’s pretty decisive.

” He chuckled, then shook his head. “He’s almost as stubborn as me,” he said with a sigh.

“Anyway, Kage misses you. That’s why I’m here. ”

Her eyes widened—a look of confusion showing, along with the struggle to stay alert. Her skin ghostly pale, she slipped into a chair, and lit a cigarette with shaky hands.

“He does?” she finally asked.

“Yes, he does.”

Lorna stared at her dead spouse, then back at Grandpa with those big hazel eyes of hers.

“I think we outta call an ambulance or something, for Hank.”

“Oh, no, honey. He’ll be okay. The morgue is open all night.

” Grandpa grinned. “He ain’t botherin’ nobody, now is he?

Not me,” he pointed to himself, “and not you anymore, either. Isn’t that a blessing?

No worries of some unemployed, low level thief and addict beatin’ the daylights outta you, siphoning your social security check for his drug habit.

Now, from the looks of things, not only could you use a new lover now that this ol’ woman beatin’, weak man is departed, but you could also use some money. ”

“I don’t want—”

I know it may not seem like it, but I’m a forever romantic. I want to help Kage get his life back on track.”

“His life back on track? Is he hurtin’? In trouble?” She sounded genuinely concerned.

“Yes. He pines over you. On the outside, he’s doin’ great.

Got his own business, makin’ good money, real good money, and has a big ol’ pretty house in the woods.

And my Lord… you should see the land he owns now.

It’s the pride of Houston. Worth millions of dollars.

” He smiled when she leaned forward, her attention clearly piqued.

“But he’s all by his lonesome. He has no wife. ”

Lorna’s eyes got big again, and she began anxiously swinging her tattooed foot, the toenails covered in chipped bright red nail lacquer.

“I think it would be a good idea if you make it over to his house real soon. Pay him a surprise visit.”

“But… but I don’t know where he lives, and he told me after our divorce was official that if I ever saw him out and about, to not speak to him, and that if I show up to wherever he stays, ever again, he’d kill me.”

The woman looked downright petrified now. Grandpa had no idea that Kage had said such a thing, but it was clear she was serious. Maybe more had happened than he realized? He cleared his throat.

“Lorna, folks say things out of anger. It was still fresh, you know? He was upset. Miffed. It’s been over a decade!

Surely Kage is not holdin’ on to that same animosity after all of this time.

Besides, you two were so young back then.

Now, I don’t have much time.” He glanced at his watch.

“I have other affairs to tend to tonight, but I want you to think about what I said.”

He pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket, walked up to her, and placed it on her coffee-ring-stained table that she sat at.

Her wary gaze flitted over him, then she slowly opened the envelope.

She took out a huge handful of crisp one hundred dollar bills, and her eyes smiled before her lips did.

Then she noticed the piece of paper folded inside.

“Don’t worry about that letter just yet. Read it when I leave. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

She took out the piece of paper and placed it down onto the table.

“Now, that money I gave you? That’s just half. I’ll give you the other half after you go over and discuss with Kage what’s in that letter.”

Her smile slowly faded.

“I… need the money. I’m behind on all of my bills. But I can’t go see Kage, Mr. Wilde. He’d be mighty upset. I was married to that man. Shared a life with him. He meant what he said to me.”

“Lorna, you’re being paranoid.” He shook his head.

“I know Kage better than anyone. I told you that folks say all sorts of things when they’re angry.

Includin’ Kage! You know how bad his temper is.

” He shrugged. “But love is love, angel. You fooled around, right? Had an affair. It happens! Sometimes in a moment of weakness, we—”

“I didn’t just cheat on him.” She snatched a crumpled tissue from the table and blew her nose.

“What’d you do then?”

“He packed up my stuff after he found out about the affair. And in the midst of doin’ that, he found pregnancy termination papers…

found out I got an abortion. I told him I didn’t know if he was the daddy, but he didn’t want to hear it.

He was convinced it was his—he wanted that baby.

” Her voice trailed at the end. “I have a lot of regrets. Kage was a good husband. He was a lil’ high strung and intimidating at times, but he loved me, and I loved him.

I just wasn’t ready to be married back then, I guess.

Ain’t nobody ever treated me as good as he treated me since .

” Her eyes watered—she was overwhelmed. “I couldn’t have no baby under those circumstances and besides, I didn’t want any kids no way.

I just didn’t have the heart to tell him. ”

Grandpa swallowed his emotions. He wanted to take his cane and whack her across the gotdamn lips. Both sets. How fuckin’ dare this White trash, stinkin’ ass bitch! No wonder Kage hates her!

He took a deep breath and composed himself.

“Let those without sin cast the first stone, child. Go to him… apologize… explain your mindset. Then present him with the information in that document.”

She reached for the paper.

“No, no, wait until I’m gone. It’s a surprise.”

“Why do, uh, you want me to talk to Kage so bad?” She sniffed, then took a drag of her cigarette.

“Because I want to make it up to him. Make him happy. He’s miserable without you.

Another reason is purely my fault, Lorna.

As you may recall, Kage blames me for the harm caused to him in that hospital when he was a teenager.

I do feel somewhat to blame. He needed to go, don’t get me wrong—I mean he did try to kill me and all—but I drew it out far beyond its helpfulness.

I was wrong to do such a thing. It changed him…

turned him into someone he wasn’t before.

A monster. In fact, I’ve been tryin’ to make it up to Kage for a mighty long time and now, with you , I finally can. ”

She picked up the money and counted again, a greedy gleam in her eye. He looked around her pigsty once more. Sloth. Stewin’ in her own filth. After she was satisfied, she smashed her cigarette in a piece of crinkled foil, then glimpsed at dead Hank, and flinched.

“Honey, don’t worry about him. I’ll make a call and he’ll be out of here before he starts stinkin’.

Gone without a trace. Now, you use some of that money to get cleaned up.

Stop in a beauty salon and get your hair done.

A little makeup and a new dress would do you good.

Then you head over to see Kage. I’ll leave you his location.

” He slipped Kage’s address that he’d written on a piece of paper, and laid it beside the now open envelope.

“This offer expires soon, young lady, so make haste.”

“…What if I decide not to go?”

“I doubt you’ll choose that option, darlin’. You’re not stupid.” He glared at her. She shrank in her seat.

He pulled out his phone and dialed. “Jasper, I need you to send the cleaners to Lorna Wilde’s trailer, please. Seems there was a bit of an accident with her significant other.”

“On it.”

Disconnecting the call, he waved goodbye to her, stepped over Hank’s rotting body, and made his way back to the car.

Once he was in the backseat of the vehicle being driven away, he pulled out a tri-folded piece of paper and re-read the part that he enjoyed the most…

Refined Clause: “If the landowner, Kage Wilde, holds a property trust, and any of the following individuals—a blood relative, an inheritor of legal age, or an ex-spouse—files a claim on the estate within twenty-five (25) years following the finalization of the divorce decree, said claim may be considered valid under the following circumstances: Unpaid Financial Obligations: The landowner has failed to fulfill court-mandated alimony, child support payments, or other financial responsibilities outlined in the divorce decree. Hardship Clause: The claimant can demonstrate significant financial hardship directly resulting from the dissolution of the marriage. In such cases, the plaintiff may argue for forfeiture of the land to compensate for damages, unpaid obligations, or breach of the divorce settlement.”

He chuckled as he folded the paper back up.

Kage, you never paid alimony like you were ’spose to. You’ve got to read the tiny print, my boy. Now, she’s got a way in. The land is as good as gone, and to think this almost expired before I got wind of it! Thank you, Lord! God sure works in mysterious ways…