Chapter thirty five
When they got to Toledo the following day, it was five-thirty in the afternoon. Mandy gave him directions and they drove by her house.
“Holy Shit, this is some fuckin house. I can’t imagine why you ever left.”
The house was two and a half stories, constructed of red brick and had what appeared to be a slate roof with four separate chimneys. It was set back from the street two hundred feet with an undulating lawn tapering down to a brick wall that ran the length of the property. To the side of the house was a five-car garage with rooms above the stalls. There was an enclosed walkway over the drive connecting the house and garage. The drive curved from the house down to a wrought iron gate set in the front wall. The house and buildings were of Tudor design, although that fact was lost on Sean. All he knew was that the house appeared costly to say the least. There was an arm sticking out from the gatepost with a touch-pad and intercom.
Mandy answered, “Believe me, some things are not worth what they cost.”
“You didn’t tell me about the gate.”
“It’s not a problem. There is no alarm on the gate, and I know the code to open it.”
“What about the rooms over the garage? Are there servants?”
“No, Daddy was paranoid about having servants living on the property. I used to use the servants quarters to play in when I was a kid.” A dark look passed over her face and she said, “Until I was ten.”
They had decided to go in at three in the morning. That left them about nine hours to kill. They decided to go check into a motel and then get something to eat. After supper, Sean drove back to Mandy’s and from there to the expressway by varying routes. With Mandy’s knowledge of the area, he figured the best route out in case they had to leave in a hurry and then went back to the motel to get some sleep.
The Sable pulled up to the gate at three-ten with Mandy behind the wheel. She punched in the code and waited for the gate to swing open. She drove up the drive with the lights off and turned the car around at the garage. She left it parked under the overhead walkway facing the street and got out. She left the motor on, had Sean slide over behind the wheel and told him, “Keep your eye on the door, if all is well I’ll signal you. If not we will have about ten minutes to get away from here. She then went to the side door, unlocked it and slipped inside.
Moments later, she was back at the door and signaled Sean to join her. He shut off the engine and joined Mandy in what in most houses would be a mudroom, but in this house was an elegantly appointed foyer. There was furniture and even oil paintings on the walls. They walked though the foyer into a room that Sean compared to an arena, only better furnished. As they entered the living room, a huge black dog padded up to them, and Sean almost messed his pants. Mandy just scratched his head and said, “Hi Hugo.”
She told Sean that he had nothing to worry about as long as he was with her. She then led Hugo to the kitchen and closed him inside.
Sean followed Mandy through the house and up an elaborate staircase that had more square footage by itself than the house Sean grew up in. He felt like he was in a museum. After a lengthy walk down a wide hallway, Mandy entered a large bedroom and snapped on the light. The two people on a king sized bed awoke and looked at their daughter. The woman was around forty, good looking and stark naked. The man was sixtyish, jowly and wearing jockey shorts that almost disappeared under his immense belly.
The man was the first to find his voice, “What the hells going on here Sam?”
Mandy said, in a shaky voice, “I’ve just come home for a visit Daddy and to pay you back for all your kindness.”
The woman noticed Sean staring at her breasts, and yanked the sheet up over her. She said, Samantha, who is this man and what are you doing with those guns?”
“I’ve come home to collect a debt.”
“I can’t imagine what you think we owe you. We gave you everything and would have given you more if you hadn’t run off with that bum.”
Mandy retorted in a still shaky voice, “Yes Mother you gave me everything, and daddy gave me way more than I wanted since I was ten-years-old.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Let us get dressed and we can talk about it. If you feel we owe you something, I’m sure we can work it out without those guns.”
Her fathers mind was racing with thoughts on how to get out of this mess. He had known the instant that he awoke that he was in a world of trouble.
“Look Sam, I’m sure we can work this out. If it’s money you want, I’d be glad to give you some. Just tell me what you want.”
“For a start get dressed. We’re going down stairs.”
“I can’t get dressed with that man here.”
“Of course you can mother he’s already seen you naked and besides as I remember you weren’t bashful when you were fucking the hired help.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She glanced at her husband, but it was obvious that he had other things on his mind than his wife’s fidelity.
Her mother and father got out of bed, put on their robes and with a little prodding from Samantha went into a huge walk-in closet. Mandy told her father to open the closet safe where her mother kept her jewelry. He said, “I don’t know the combination, she keeps changing it.”
“Mother open the safe.”
“I’m not opening my safe. If you want money get it from your fathers safe.”
Mandy stuck her pistol under her mother’s nose and pressed upward. She changed her mind and did as she was told. After opening the safe, she went back in the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Her husband sat in a straight-backed chair with Sean standing over him while Mandy went through the contents of the safe. The only jewelry she took was a velvet case containing ten large unset stones. There was five thousand dollars in paper money and a small velvet pouch containing twenty gold coins, which she also took. She picked up one of her mother’s empty purses from the closet to hold what she had taken from the safe and returned to the bedroom.
“Lets go down to Daddy’s office and see what he has in his safe.”
As he got up from the chair Mandy’s dad said, “Damn it Sam, not all the money in that safe is mine. I can let you have some, but not anywhere near all of it.”
Sean said, “It don’t look to me like you’re in charge here “Daddy”. I think we’ll decide how much we can take.”
“Don’t call me daddy, you fucking punk, you have no idea what kind of trouble you’re in.”
Sean caught him under the chin with all the force he could muster. The Glock opened a three-inch gash in his jaw that penetrated to the bone. To the old man’s credit, he stayed on his feet, and for a moment Sean thought he was going to take a swing at him. The moment passed and while blood ran down the front of his shirt, his wife darted into the bathroom and returned with a towel.
“Samantha your father needs medical attention.”
“He’ll be all right for now, as long as he does as he’s told.”
Her father’s office had dark mahogany paneling with a bookcase of the same wood extending the length of one wall. In front of the bookcase, facing the door was the largest desk Sean had ever seen. The entire desk, with the exception of the working surface, was carved with figures of women in native dress. A half-inch thick sheet of plate glass covered the top of the desk. The only thing on the desk was a keyboard, computer monitor and a telephone. Hanging from the ceiling was a fifty inch, plasma television. There were two overstuffed leather chairs facing the desk, and a leather couch across the far wall. In front of the couch was a coffee table holding a copy of Remington’s “Trails end.” At least Sean assumed it was a copy.
Mandy’s father went to his desk, opened a drawer and reached inside. About ten large tomes along with the shelf that held them swung out from the bookcase revealing a safe. Her father spun the combination until the lock clicked, he swung the door open and started to reach into the safe. Sean snapped, “Don’t even think about it.” Daddy returned to his desk and sat down. Sean walked over and looked in the safe. To his surprise, there wasn’t a gun. Mandy went to the safe and started removing money. When she was done there was a pile of bills on the desk that amounted to a hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars.
Her father said, “You’ll never get away with this.”
Mandy pointed the gun at him. He glared at his daughter but kept quiet. Mandy went to her mother, who was standing in the middle of the room and led her to the couch. When they were seated Mandy told her what she wanted her to go to the bank and make a withdrawal. She refused.
“Mother I need the money. All you have to do is get the money and come back here. If they question you, you can have them call father here.”
“I won’t do it; you’ve got enough from us. Just go away and leave us alone. I hope I never see you again.”
“If you don’t do this I will shoot you both.”
“Don’t be silly dear, you wouldn’t shoot us, we’re your parents.”
Mandy got up and walked over to the desk, stuck the barrel of her twenty-two against her father’s forehead and pulled the trigger. Her mother started screaming and flailing her arms. Mandy walked back to her and slapped her across the face with the twenty-two. She looked over at her father slumped face down on his desk with blood spreading across the plate glass and said, “I’ve wanted to do that for the last six years.
Her mother sat on the couch sobbing. When Mandy pointed the gun at her, she looked up and said, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Samantha.” Mandy said, “I know you are” and pulled the trigger.
Sean went to the kitchen to get something to eat. He walked into a kitchen that would have made most chefs jealous. Hugo came over and sniffed him but then ignored him. Sean stepped over to a refrigerator that would have held enough food to last most families for a year and opened the door.
Mandy went back to her mother’s closet, found an over-night bag and returned to the office. She put the money plus the purse in the over-night bag and joined Sean in the kitchen. He was standing by a butcher-block island eating a piece of blueberry pie from his hand. The blue juice was running down over his glove and dripping on the floor. Hugo was at his feet licking up the sweet drippings. The scene slightly repulsed Mandy, as if his display of bad manners was somehow worse than killing and robbing her parents. Sean said, “I’ll go though the house and see what else there is of value.
“There’s not another fucking thing I want from here, I’d like to go.”
“I’ll just be a minute, your mother must have a purse and your dad a wallet. I’ll go check it out and then we’ll go.
When Sean came back, he was wearing one of her fathers Rolexes and had an additional nine hundred and fifty dollars. Before they left Mandy took a roast and two steaks out of the refrigerator and gave them to Hugo. She then closed the office door and left the house. She didn’t bother to reset the alarm.
The maid arrived at eight sharp. When she couldn’t get anyone on the intercom, she phoned 911. It took the police an hour to arrive and almost that long to decide what to do. They contacted the security company who, in turn, sent one of their men to open the gate and let the police in the house. By the time the police were aware there had been a crime committed Sean and Mandy were halfway to Chicago. What Sean and Mandy didn’t know was that there was a loose stone in a basement wall that hid more money than they had taken from both safes.
Mandy was very quiet after they left her house and Sean sensing that she needed some time with her thoughts left her to her own musings. After about an hour, Mandy said, “I need to get rid of these gloves and gun.”
“Good idea, we can always get you another one.”
“I don’t want another one. I’m done with robbing and I’m sure as hell done with killing.”
“I see. are you done with me too?”
“No, I’m not done with you Sean. Don’t go getting all needy on me now. I like you, I might even be falling in love with you, but I’m not a demonstrative person so don’t expect me to be cooing over you and telling you how I adore you all the time.”
“Fine, you know for a kinda bright girl, you tend to grate sometimes.”
“I know. It’s one of my best traits. Look Sean in fourteen months I turn eighteen. Until then I have to keep my nose clean. As far as anyone knows, I’m just a runaway kid, bumming around the country. If I don’t mess it up between now and then when I turn eighteen I inherit my father’s estate.”
“So in fourteen months you’re just gonna waltz back home and say I’m here to collect my inheritance.”
“No. I think in fourteen months I’m going to be tired of bumming around the country and I’m going to be missing my family. I’ll call my daddy to say I’m sorry, and ask if I can come back home. Imagine my surprise when I find that our phone’s been disconnected, or even worse some stranger answers. The only thing I can think to do is call my daddy’s lawyer and tell him I’m having trouble reaching him.”
“I’m sure that you will be shocked to learn that he’s dead.”
“I shouldn’t be surprised if I become somewhat hysterical at that point. We had a few small differences, but after all, I did love them dearly. I think a nice touch at that point, would be to ask when the funeral is going to be.”
“And what if the lawyer tells you that you’re a prime suspect, being sole heir and all?”
“Then I would be more than shocked. I would be outraged. If you remember, I wore gloves the full time I was in the house so there are no fingerprints. Even if they should find DNA, say a hair or something, I lived in that house for sixteen years. The dog was bribed with meat. Of course, I don’t know that but if it came to a trial, I’m sure my lawyer would find it out. I certainly wouldn’t have any reason to bribe my own dog.”
“Slick. I would never have thought of that. In fact I wondered why you gave him so much meat. I thought he’d probably get sick.”
“I suspect that in fourteen months the police will have forgotten the whole thing anyway. After all, Daddy was a gangster and I’m sure the police have better things to do than worry over mob slayings.”
“You really had this thing planed out didn’t you?”
“I’ve been planning it for three years. It’s not the only reason I left home but it was an intricate part of the plan. Now all I have to do is stay out of trouble for fourteen months. We have more than enough to live on until then so we’re done with robbing.”
“What about the jewels, they could be traced and the person who buys them may remember who sold them to him.”
“The only reason I took them is that when I was a very little girl my mother would show them to me. She called them her “mad money”. I took them because I knew it would hurt her. If we sell them I will wear a disguise and sell them one at a time over a wide area.”
“What are they worth?”
“I don’t know, but my mother talked like they were extremely valuable.”
“There is only one thing I don’t understand. I thought we had decided against sending your mother to the bank?”
“I never would have let her go. I just wanted to see if in the end, she would help me. I wanted to know if for just once she would be on my side.”
They fell into silence for a while, Sean drove and Mandy stared out the window at the Indiana farmland. After a time she said, “Sean.”
“Yes.”
“Killing them wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it would be.”
Sean looked over at her and she had tears running down her face. He had enough sense to keep quiet.
“I think I’ll sleep for awhile.”
While he drove and Mandy slept, Sean pondered what they had done to make her hate them that much. He thought he knew, but wasn’t sure. He thought about the first person he had killed and he thought that if it was what he thought it was they got exactly what they deserved.
He considered the fact that Mandy very well may inherit a fortune, and thought what that might mean to their future. He wasn’t sure he could stand life as a kept man. Sean thought about Mandy’s house and wondered what it would be like to live in a place like that. While driving along the Indiana toll way he daydreamed about what it would be like to be that rich. One thing was for certain, he wasn’t going to forget about the ball. Before they went back to Ohio, he was going to get that. If she wanted to help fine, if not, he would do it alone. He thought it would be real nice to be that rich, but it sure as hell didn’t compare to living forever.
Mandy was startled awake when the tires hit the rumble strip about fifty miles west of Chicago. Sean jerked the wheel and got the car back into its proper lane.
“Where are we?”
“A little west of Chicago.”
“Would you like me to drive for awhile?”
“Yes I would. I can’t stay awake.”
Mandy took over the driving and Sean was immediately asleep. It was dark when they crossed the Missouri river. Mandy took the ramp for Davenport and worked her way toward the river. She finally came to what appeared to be a commercial dock area and parked the car. The dock stretched two hundred feet along the riverbank with a pier jutting fifty feet into the river. The dock didn’t seem to be in use. It may have been, but it had an abandoned look about it. The boards were curling up in places and there was no watercraft moored. The warehouses fronting on the dock also appeared abandoned. At the very least, they had been neglected for some time. The wooden buildings had not seen paint in her lifetime and possibly not in anyone’s lifetime. Sean awakened, and asked where they were.
“Davenport. I thought this would be a good place to get rid of the gun.”
She got out of the car and walked to the end of the pier. She dropped the gloves in the water and watched them float away. She then took the gun out of her pocket, looked at it for a moment and threw it as far as she could toward the center of the river. She turned to Sean and said, “Let’s get something to eat, and then find a nice room with a Jacuzzi. I’m about sick of looking at cornfields and I’m feeling kind of horny.”
As they were leaving the pier, Mandy spotted an old man sitting on the edge of the dock fishing. She was very startled. They had been on the dock for some time and she had thought they were alone. Although there was really no reason, he made her feel uneasy. She took Sean’s hand and hurried from the dock.
That night, in bed, after the best sex Sean had ever experienced, they talked about where to go next. If Sean was a man who thought about why things were what they were, he might have wondered at Mandy’s voracious sexual appetite just hours after murdering her parents. Sean, however, was not known for his depth of thought and so enjoyed his good fortune without question.
Later on as they lay in bed, discussing their next destination, Mandy said that she was partial to California. That was okay with Sean as long as they stayed away from the big cities. Mandy said, “How about north of San Francisco? I’ve always wanted to see the Redwoods.”
Sean, was lying on his side playing with her left nipple. He said, “Why not. Sounds like fun.”
He had no more of a notion where the redwoods were than he did Timbuktu, but he was beginning to have things on his mind other than travel. Judging from the hardness of Mandy’s nipple, so was she.
Long after Sean was sound asleep, Mandy lay awake pondering the recent events. She also reviewed in her mind her sexual appetite. To her the most amazing thing was that the things she despised doing with her father were now the things that brought the most pleasure. She had recently come to the realization that her favorite place for sex was a Jacuzzi, or better yet a bathtub. Mandy was starting to get aroused again.