Pernicious (57 page)

         
“Shut up!” Tasha shouted, and thankfully they did. “Perry!” looking in every direction. “It’s over, Perry! You might as well give it up.”

         
No response.

         
The only hiding place was the tall bush behind the back fence. Perry wouldn’t go in there, Tasha thought, and risk getting scratched or stung.

         
Where is she?

         
Near the patio door, Tasha noticed a barbecue grill overturned. The patio door was locked. She listened for a few moments and then walked up the path along the left side of the house. In the house next door, Tasha saw a man peeking out the window. He disappeared before she could ask him had he seen anyone.

         
No sign of Perry in front of the house; no sign of anyone in either direction.

         
Today a holiday?

         
 
Perry couldn’t have gone far; she had on pumps.

         
She’s either hiding or she’s gone back into
…The front door stood wide open.

         
“Tasha!” Neal’s voice, a high-pitched squeak. “Tasha!”

         
Her heart skipped two beats. She took a deep breath and stepped inside…Neal was on his knees, arms to his sides, head held perfectly still, sweating profusely.

         
Perry stood behind him, smiling. Tasha focused on the hedge shears, blades pinching into either side of Neal’s neck, blood dripping down his collar.

         
Barely moving his lips, Neal said, “This wasn’t in the plan, Tasha!”

         
“Relax, Neal,” Tasha said.

         
“Drop the gun and get down on the floor!” Perry shouted. “Do it! I’ll cut his fucking head off! You know I’ll do it! You know I will!”

         
“Tasha!” Neal said. “I didn’t wanna come here! This exactly what I was afraid of!”

         
“It did not have to end this way, Perry,” Tasha said, the gun at her side. “We didn’t have a case against you. You were in the wind, free as a bird. Now you’re making a mistake. An ‘Oh, I’ve messed up bad!’ mistake.”

         
“Get on the damn floor! ”

         
“Let him go, Perry. Step back and drop it! Do it! Or die! ”

         
“You’re gonna get him killed if you don’t do what I tell you. Try explaining to your big-head bastard how you got his daddy’s head chopped off! Toss the gun and get on the damn floor!”

         
Tasha raised the Glock and aimed it at Perry’s head. “Drop it, Perry! Your last warning!”

         
“Bitch, please! You think you can bluff me with an empty gun? Ha! That’s how all this shit got started, you bluffing and bullshitting instead of minding your own damn business!”

         
“You’re right, Perry, this gun is empty,” Tasha said, and tossed it onto the couch.
    

         
Neal groaned. “Oh God! Sweet Lord Jesus, save me! Please!”

         
Tasha knelt down on one knee…and then sprung up, throwing her vest back with one hand and pulling out a 38 Midnight Special from a shoulder holster with the other.
  
“This one isn’t!” She fired one shot. POW!

         
A dime-sized hole suddenly appeared in the bridge of Perry’s nose. Behind her a large silver mirror with intricate mythological decorations was cracked and blood splattered.
         
Perry’s eyes crossed, blood bubbled out of her nose and mouth…She grunted…gurgled…then swayed forward momentarily before falling backward.

         
Neal remained on his knees. “Tasha?”

         
“Yes, Neal.”

         
“That wasn’t a blank, was it?”

         
They could hear sirens approaching. “No, Neal, it was not a blank.”

         
He started to look behind him, stopped. “Tasha?”

         
“Yes, Neal.”

         
“It’s possible I soiled my underwear again.” Neal sniffled…and burst out crying. “In fact I know I did!”

         
Several emergency vehicles drove up out front, sirens screaming, strobe lights pitching red and blue against the walls.

         
“It’s okay, Neal. It’s okay.”

         
Shaking his head: “I’m not sure I was wearing underwear!”

                                     
Epilogue

         
Tasha tapped the horn. A few minutes later Derrick stepped out of the house, followed by Neal.

         
“Hey, Momma,” Derrick said, reaching through the window to hug her.

         
“Are you ready to go?” Tasha asked.

         
“Yes.”
 

         
He started to get in the car when Neal said, “Derrick, why don’t you go inside for a minute. I need to talk to your mother.”

         
“Okay,” Derrick said, and went back inside the house.

         
After he left, Neal stood there, avoiding Tasha’s gaze, saying nothing.

         
“Well?” Tasha said.

         
“Do you hate me?”

         
“No, Neal, I do not hate you.”

         
“Why don’t you come inside the house? You just drop Derrick off or blow the horn for him to come out. It wouldn’t hurt you to come inside, would it?”

         
“I’m not coming inside, Neal.”

         
“Why not? Because this used to be her house?”

         
“No. Honestly, I couldn’t care less whose house it is.”

         
“Why don’t your ever step in? You think the house is evil or something? Cursed?”

         
“Neal, please.”

         
“Hell, it’s been five months since we even had a conversation.”

         
“We’re conversing now, aren’t we?”

         
“Because I trapped you in front of Derrick. If you’re mad at me just say so, get it off your chest.”

         
“I’m not mad at you, Neal. Honest.”

         
“We need to talk about it.”

         
“Talk about what?”

         
Neal looked away. “About what happened with Perry.”

         
“Okay, Doctor Phil. Let’s talk about Perry. Let’s see…she’s dead, end of story.”

         
“You’re being sarcastic.”

         
“And you’re suffering from a guilty conscious. Neal, she’s not on my mind like she is yours. I have other issues to feel guilty about.”

         
“You’re not upset I stayed with her when you told me to leave?”

         
“Neal, listen to me. It’s over! Derrick is safe. You’re safe, I’m safe. What happened was a nightmare. Now, thank God, the nightmare is over.”

         
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. You know I never got a chance to thank you properly.”

         
Tasha shook her head. “Not me. You should thank Derrick.”

         
“How did you know where she kept the gun?”

         
“I didn’t.”

         
Neal swallowed. “Shit, if Derrick hadn’t found it, I wouldn’t be here talking to you. He told me she roughed him up a bit.”

         
“Neal, that’s exactly why I don’t think about what happened. You don’t know how difficult it was for me to send my son to that woman knowing what she was capable of doing. I just thank God it’s over.”

         
“Derrick’s going to be all right. He’s like me, able to snap back from anything.” Tasha snorted. “He still thinks we might get back together, you know? You can’t blame a kid
 
wanting his parents to get back together.” He stopped, stared at her, gauging her reaction.

         
Tasha stared back at him.

         
Neal rubbed his throat, and Tasha noticed a long scar along his neck. “Is the invitation still open?”

         
Tasha gave him a quizzical look.

         
“You said you wanted us to get back together as a family. Is the invitation still open?”

         
Tasha looked at her left hand, no jewelry, a faded indentation on her ring finger.

         
“I do have a lot more to offer,” Neal said. “The insurance company paid off and my lawyer couldn’t find anything in probate. Hell, I’m a multimillionaire.”

         
Tasha lighted a cigarette. “Neal, you’re a very lucky man. Very lucky.”

         
SNAP!

         
“You know, it’s not half as great as I thought it would be. I’m lonely when Derrick isn’t here and most days there’s not much to do. Boring as hell.”

         
“A job might fill the void,” Tasha said, and blew smoke at him.

         
Neal laughed, waving the smoke away. “I didn’t want to work when I was broke. You know damn well I’m not working when I got money!”

         
“Neal, you’ll never change. Never.”

         
“Why should I? Perry used to keep a bunch of flowers out here, remember?”