The Past Can Be Dangerous

"That's all I need. I am sorry to have upset you, I can see that you need to come to terms with this but I needed to know what you knew about her in order to find out who has done this to her and who the person was that died with her." What I thought, so someone else was with her?

"I will see myself out Mr. Simons. Please lock your door and please be careful about who you open the door too and don't forget to close your blinds so people don't know if your not home."

"Yes, I will officer. Goodnight," I said. As he left I closed and locked the door quickly so he would hear it. Then it came to me. Someone saw her here and said something and we just lied about it. Then I knew why he had asked his question about her returning in the afternoon. Sure, what should I have said, I thought? Ok, she was here and we all had sex together and then she went home and everyone was fine.

Now I knew he would be suspicious of us.

The evening had just changed to morning as midnight passed and Barb and I were relaxing with a cup of tea in the kitchen when there was a knock at the kitchen door at the back of the house. I looked at my watch, it was 12:30am. We both looked at each other wondering who it could possibly be at this time of the morning.

The knocking became louder and more rapid on the storm door.

"Who could it be at this time of night," Barb asked inquisitively.

A voice cried softly, "Let me in, please. It's Cheryl."

Barb's eyes widened in surprise when I opened the door to reveal Cheryl standing there soaking wet.

"Oh my God, your alive, " Barb cried. We were all in shock as Cheryl walked in from the darkness like a wet rag. Her hair looked like a wet rag mop with green grass entwined in it.

"We thought you were dead! We saw the news and the police were here. They said you had been killed. I thought I was going to loose my mind when I heard the news and now your here?"

Cheryl could barely stand then collapsed to the floor in a shivering heap. "Oh, honey get a blanket quickly," Barb called out. In an instant I had a blanket from the linen closet in my hands and Barb had picked her up and sat her in a chair at the kitchen table. I wrapped her shoulders with the dry warm blanket her closed eyes opened to see us both drying her face and hair.

"Try this warm tea that will warm you up," I said in a soothing voice.

"No thanks, I've had enough water for today," Cheryl said trying to crack a joke but before she could complete her sentence broke into tears and sobbed in Barb's arms.

"It's alright. Your ok now." Barbs calm voice reassured her, which also helped me as well. "What happened?"

"Someone tried to kill me!" Cheryl cried.

"Your safe here, no one's going to hurt you here."

"Honey, call the police," Barb asked.

"No, please no" Cheryl screamed hysterically.

"Why not?" Barb asked trying to comfort her.

" 'Cause they ran me off the road."

"What Really, why? Were you running from them?"

"No, they ran into me on the corner of Deadmans bluff where my car left the road into the lake. There were gunshots being fired at me from the road. Who ever it was wanted me dead!"

"How do you know it was a police car?"

"I remembered the lights on the top of the police vehicle before it hit me weren't on until after I swam came up from my submerged car. Someone was shooting down towards me from the road. I just kept really quiet in the water until they drove away."

"Oh baby, that's horrible. There must be something else wrong. Why would anyone do that?"

"Maybe 'cause I slept with the Deputy before we did our little fling?"

"What, really?"

"Yah, it was just one of those things... I tried to get out of one of those speeding tickets about a week ago with a smile and a hair flip when he said he would forget it if we... Well we did and then he discovered his wife found out, somehow."

"Maybe he thought it might have been me who squealed, but it wasn't."

"You have to bring this out and clear it up," Barb's stressed voice replied.

Then I thought about the report on TV.

"The TV reporter said someone else died too, a male companion?"

"Did they say who?" Cheryl looked puzzled and bewildered.

"No, just a male companion."

"Oh no, Jake?"

"Who?" Barb asked inquisitively.

"My boyfriend Jake Billings."

"Would you please call Jake and see if he's at home?"

"At this time of night?"

"It's important."

"If I call him and someone else answers they might recognize me

and let others know I am alive. So far everyone thinks I am dead.

Just call and ask for different name. I must know that he's ok."

"OK, I'll do it."

"Just short and sweet ok."

"For sure."

Picking up the phone from the wall Cheryl called out his number and I dialed.

"555-2697"

Nervousness was making my hand shake as the phone rang once and and then an answer.

"Sargent Holdsworth here how can I help you?"

"Oh, uh I am looking for Jake Billings."

"Who's this?" The officer asked quickly.

"His brother," I replied thinking he wouldn't know the brothers voice.

"Oh, Mr. Billings. I have some bad news. I must admit this isn't the normal way I like to report this kind of news to anyone but your brother has had a vehicle accident and was pronounced dead at the scene. I am sorry to have to tell you like this."

"Oh, no that's terrible. What happen officer?"

Cheryl's eyes widened and filled with tears.

"He was found in the lake off Deadmans Bluff where his car was found submerged. Oh and Mr. Billings..."

"Yes," I replied.

"I need you to come down to the station as soon as you can."

"Yes, I can leave shortly." As I placed the phone down on the hook

I looked at Cheryl with a slightly different look.

"What happened," Barb asked inquisitively.

"Ask her. They found him in the car that was found in the lake off Deadman's Bluff."

"No, no... He wasn't with me their lying." Cheryl began sobbing.

"Who answered the phone."

"The police"

"Did he give his name?"

"Sargent Holdsworth I seem to remember."

"Oh, uh that explains it," Cheryl scorned

"Is that who..." Barb asked?

"Yah. He probably rammed me into me into the lake."

"But why," Barb asked.

"Probably wanted me to go away for good so I don't make any problems for him, family or career."

"But murder? I think that's going a bit over board don't you think?"

"Not for him. He told me of his other flings with other women."

"But to kill someone for that...?"

"Like Priscilla Barnes."

"The Mayor, your joking."

"Nope. He was boasting about it and others."

"Who else?"

"I can't say."

"You mean, you won't."

"I've said enough to get all of us killed. I have to go, before..."

There was a knock at the front door and everyone looked at each other in shock and surprise.

"Who could that be at this late hour," Barb whispered?

A clear loud low voice from behind the door called out.

"Mr. Simons, are you awake? Sargent Holdsworth, Victoria Police."

Cheryl's facial expression turned into fear and began to shake as his voice echoed down the hall.

"Barb, get Cheryl out of here while I talk to the policeman. Don't go out the back door there might be someone out there. Take the carport window and go to my bothers house and don't even look back. When you get there call me. Get some clothes for her and go."

Cheryl looked at me in disbelief.

"I thought you had your doubts about me," she whispered.

"Not at all, now go."

"Yah, I'm comin'," I yelled. "Who's there again?"

They ducked and scurried to the bedroom to get what they needed for the midnight run; Like fugitives from the law they hurriedly packed and slipped out the window undetected by the two police officers who were outside the front and back.

Opening the door I greeted the officer.

"What the heck is going on? It's 1 o'clock in the morning how does anyone get any sleep around here?" I was in a disgruntled state as I talked to the police officer at the door and he could understand my tone.

"Mr. Simons, have you had any contact from the woman who I talked to you about earlier today a Mrs. Cheryl Heinz?"

"No, why would I. You were here when I was watching the TV story about her fatality on the news unless the story was wrong."

"Why would you say that Mr. Simons unless you have seen her."

"Because you're at my door now in the middle of the night bothering me about it."

"Your wife is she here? I need to speak with her also."

"No, she's not. She went to her sisters for the night as she was very upset about this whole thing."

"Why would she not want to stay at home with you?"

"Well, she and I aren't really relating too well these days."

"Somehow I don't believe that from what I hear from your neighbours."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let's just say that a neighbour of yours seems to think you were here today around 3pm under a woman or two."

"Ok, so you found out about it. I'm guilty, take me away. So I had a few extra marital affairs when my wife's not home. Is that a crime? "

"That's not what you told me earlier today, now why is that?"

"Do you think I am going to admit that in front of my wife, while your here?"

"No, I can relate to that."

"So the women, there were two?"

"Yah, so I like more than one at a time."

"Come on now Mr. Simons just try and be a bit more discrete about these things and close your curtains. It gets the neighbours upset."

"You mean aroused? Mrs. Green must have gotten her binoculars steamed up again."

"Your wife said she was home all day and you were at work, why is that? What was she hiding, Mr Simons?"

"I don't know, maybe she was at her sisters again making her own entertainment, if you know what I mean. People do at times like to have a private life right even though you're married."

"Yah, right. Makes some sense. Just be more careful about these things, ok? I have my own problems too! Sorry to have disturbed your Harem."

As he left I closed the door behind him and breathed a sigh of relief. So if he knew before why come back this late? Maybe he thought Cheryl was here and if so maybe he wanted her to run. I waited hours for the call from Barb but nothing and I was now extremely worried thinking maybe they had been intercepted at my brothers house. That wouldn't be too hard to figure out. I looked at my watch as I lay on the couch and 3 am came and went not a word. Then I heard a quiet tap at the back door. Startled to my feet I bolted to the kitchen. Another light tap as I got closer and as I opened the door I saw two silhouettes outside.

"It's us, let us in."

"I was worried sick. I didn't hear from you for four hours, I thought you might have been caught."

"Almost, we made it too Marty's place but we saw police inside the house so we went to my sisters place. When we got here an hour later there were police there too, so we came back here. What a night. So what happened here?"

"Well all I can say is I think the police officer suspects I am having an affair with two women at the same time in our living room. I also gave him the impreesion that my wife is having an affair with her sister."

"Oh ok, so things are back to normal again. Can we come in now?"

"You look cold and tired come in and get warm with a nice cup of tea, unfortunately we will have to have it with the lights out so as not to wake the neighbours."

"What do you mean?"

"Well apparently the officer said there was a witness across the street that said there were two women in our house doing unspeakable things in our living room with me yesterday afternoon."

"Oh, so you had some more fun without us again?"

"I think he just suspects that we have been lying to him about our own indiscretions."

"So we're lesbians and your two timing two women without me at the same time. I think I can live with that. What about you Cheryl?"

"You too are crazy, I have lost my boyfriend in more ways than one 'cause I wanted to get out of a speeding ticket. This just makes my week."

"Was he any good in bed?" Barb asked impolitely.

"Yes, and I loved him too," Cheryl's voice cried a bit.

"You know, so far tonight has been nuts. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that your boyfriend is ok," I said to her in a confident tone.

"You can be so sweet at the right time," Cheryl said.

Barb looked at me angrily and said, "I am going to bed, Cheryl you coming? He can sleep on the couch with his two lovers."

"Right behind you sister and maybe we can do that lesbian thing," Cheryl's voice replied and they walked to the bedroom together holding each others hand. There were no more disturbances as I slept and awoke to sunlight coming into the living room. The smell of bacon and eggs cooking in the kitchen arose my hunger.

Walking into the kitchen Barb was cooking and Cheryl placing knives and forks on the table.

Glancing my way Cheryl responded "Oh, look who's up. Mr. 'two timing' lover."

"Won't you ever forgive me for that?" I asked.

"Well, Maybe. But only if you promise to do me one more time."

"I thought you were more than satisfied with my wife? I heard you talking about me last night. Didn't you two get any sleep last night?"

"Nope, we were too busy pleasuring each other all night."

"And I thought you would be faithful to your boyfriend and save yourself for marrige?"

Her expression changed her eyes watered then she became angry.

"Damn you, I hate you, men. You always know how to hurt."

"Well we were fine until you showed up in our house and turned our lives upside down."

"I gave myself completely to both of you in so many ways and for what? Hatred, disrespect and cruelty?" Cheryl held a cutting knife in her fist and was stabbing and marring the table with it."

"I never asked you too. You should have stayed faithful with your boyfriend and none of this would have happened."

"Well nothing seemed to stop you from enjoying yourself yesterday in the living room."

"Stop it!" Barb screamed at the top of her voice. "Cheryl put the knife down."

"Barb I'm sorry, I..." Cheryl took a few steps toward me with the knife in front of her which was twisting but was still held very firmly and deliberately.

"Cheryl calm down and please put the knife down your scaring me," barb exclaimed.

"I have a thought about this whole thing, Cheryl. I think you needed us because you killed your boyfriend and tried to make it look like an accident but you needed witnesses to vouch for you. I could see how you could make up a fake story about you and the cop. Pretty good I must say. Then you tried to get us to have pity for you. Poor baby." Barb was nodded no but the writhing anger in Cheryl's eyes and face just confirmed my suspicions. Another step closer she crept.

"I thought you believed me last night? You told us to get out of the house." She crept closer again and was now in front of me staring me in the face and an easy target for her knife which was at waist height.

Thwack... Before she knew anything Barb had swung a heavy forged steel frying pan and struck the back of her head and she fell to the floor in a heap. Looking down on her I could see she was out cold.

"Oh honey you alright?" Barb asked as she trembled and dropped the heavy pan to the floor. " I Couldn't believe it. She looked like she was actually going to stab you." Cheryl didn't move at all but then I noticed a trickle of blood start to pool on the kitchen floor. Bending down I picked up the knife and checked her neck for a pulse,

nothing.

"Oh no."

"What? How is she?"

"I think she's dead."

"Oh, no. Please no. How could I..."

"You didn't know this would happen. You saved my life."

"How did you know...?"

"I didn't..."

Just then a there was knocking at the front door and a gruff voice

called out.

"Mr. Simmons are you there? Sargent Holdsworth, Victoria Police."

"Coming," I shouted and walked to the front door, Barb followed.

Opening the door the Sargent looked in to see the both of us there and asked,

"We have a problem."

"Yes I know," I replied in a solemn tone.

"How would you know I haven't told you yet. We found the body of Mrs. Hinez boyfriend in the trunk of her car from last night's accident. We have discovered he had been stabbed many times. The problem is we cannot find her body."

Barb glanced down the hall toward the kitchen.

"Is she here?" He asked inquisitively.

"Yes she is, but she can't come to the door right now."

Forcing himself between us he walked quickly down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Oh, my." Grabbing his mic from his lapel he shouted into it. "Dispatch we need an Ambulance to 1054 Tillicum Rd. woman down bleeding excessively, head trauma. He then checked her pulse. "Dispatch, disregard Ambulance woman deceased notify coroner and have other units respond to this address."

Turning to face us he barked "What the hell happened here?"

"She was going to attack my husband with a knife and I hit her with the frying pan. I thought she was going to kill him."