Page 45 of The Neighbor
As soon as she opens the door, I know my first guess was right. Kimmy. Jesus, doesn’t she have anything better to do than bother two people trying to have a good time and get to know one another? She’s got all those damn kids and that husband who doesn’t seem to be able to do much on his own. You’d think all of them would be enough to fill her time. Instead, here she is shoving her nose into other people’s business.
After only a minute, Caroline returns to the dining room and sits down. “That was Kimmy. You know how things are in this neighborhood. I have the feeling she’s just the first one we’ll have to deal with tonight. Any chance you want to go to your house instead? I don’t think they’ll bother us there, and we’ll be able to talk without being interrupted constantly.”
I try to hide how thrilled I am that she’s going to be in my house and nod like it’s not the best idea I’ve heard in ages. “Yeah,sure. We can head up there right now,” I say as I stand to leave, hoping I don’t look too eager.
Caroline follows behind me, leaving the glasses of half-filled wine and the rest of the dinner sitting on the table. Just as we’re near the front door, she says, “Oh, damnit! Give me a couple minutes. I’ll be right behind you, okay?”
“Okay. Want me to take the wine, or do you want to bring it?”
“I’ve got it. See you in a couple minutes,” she says with a big grin.
Obviously, I’m not the only one who’s looking forward to what’s about to happen tonight. Too bad for her we don’t have the same plans in mind.
I see that pain in the ass Kimmy on my way up the street and barely give her a half-hearted smile as I pass her. Go into your house, woman. There are five people who need you there.
As I walk toward my house, I begin to feel sluggish. This is why I don’t drink. It dulls my senses and my wits, two things I not only need for the rest of this night but badly want at their best. I want to enjoy watching Caroline take her last gasp of air in this world. I want to hear that familiar sound of desperation as she realizes what I’ve done and this is her final night alive.
My feet feel like someone’s encased them in fifty pounds of concrete, but I continue to trudge up the street toward my house. No one else is out tonight, thankfully, because at this moment, I just don’t have it in me to pretend to be happy to see them. This being neighborly thing is exhausting, and right now, it’s too hot to be anything but focused on getting to my air-conditioned house and relaxing before Caroline gets there.
I think I see Aaron watching out his front window, but when I look closely, he disappears. Weirdo. The last thing I need tonight is to run into that guy. He gives me the creeps. Always skulking around like some odd thing scaring the hell out of people.
When I finally reach my house, I’m happy to finally get some relief from the oppressive heat. I look back and see Caroline walking down her front steps. Good.
Tonight’s going to be perfect, just like all the other times. All I’ll have to worry about is Kimmy saying she saw her come here, but considering the way she behaves most of the time, I don’t think the cops will believe her. I’ll just tell them Caroline and I had a disagreement after Kimmy interrupted our time together and the last I saw of her, she was heading toward the Marshall’s house. That and the requisite devastated expression on my face that a woman I was interested in is missing will do the trick.
18
The sirens start soundingthroughout the development around eight o’clock as I sit on my front porch enjoying my morning coffee. I drifted off there for a few minutes, unsure today would be the day it all happened.
“Damn. I must have been exhausted,” I mumble as I wipe the sleep from my eyes. “Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but it’s also a very tiring dish.”
Kimmy rushes out of her house with Misty on her hip while Tim and the boys follow behind. Marilyn and Harold run to the end of their driveway and look across the street as if to ask if anyone knows what’s happening.
I know I have to force myself to not look happy. It’s going to be hard, but I can do it. I pretended not to hate every blessed second that son of a bitch was around me for the past few weeks. I’m sure I can fake being surprised and then upset at the news that someone has met his untimely demise.
I take a deep breath in to steady myself and slowly stand up. Kimmy runs across the street to my yard and shakes her head in disbelief. “It’s Adam’s house. What happened the other night between you two? I haven’t seen him since I watched him walkup the street right after I interrupted your dinner. I’m so sorry, Caroline. If only I hadn’t done as you asked.”
Poor Kimmy. I don’t want her to blame herself, so I smile and walk down to meet her, making sure to wear my most concerned face.
Taking her hand in mine, I give it a sympathetic squeeze. “Don’t do that. I wouldn’t change a thing. Whatever’s happened, you have nothing to feel bad about. Neither do I.”
Tears fill her eyes as she sobs, “I know, but another day of police in our little neighborhood? I don’t think I can take it.”
“We have each other, and Marilyn and Harold are here with all of us too. It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Tim shoos the boys back into the house and hurries up to in front of Adam’s house to find out what’s going on. We wait in silence to find out the news, my heart hammering away as excitement fills me. A minute later, he starts walking down the street toward us wearing an expression of pure sadness.
“What? What is it, Tim?” Kimmy asks, practically pleading for him to tell us the news.
He doesn’t answer until he reaches us. In a low voice, he says, “Adam was found dead in his house a few minutes ago. Aaron, of all people, found him. He says he’s been gone for a few days by what he saw.”
Kimmy lets out a sob filled with pure horror. “Oh my God! That’s terrible. Our cozy little neighborhood is rocked for a second time by tragedy!”
I’m not sure if she’s referring to Sara’s death or the breakup of Suzanne and Jared’s marriage as the first tragedy. Here in suburbia both are on pretty much equal footing.
But I need to put on my show right now, so I don’t have time to think of what the hell Kimmy actually means. Opening my eyes wide, I whip up some tears and say, “Oh, no! What couldhave happened? He was fine when he stormed out of here the other night.”
“Stormed out? Why?” she asks, her focus so swiftly shifting from someone’s death to the possibly lurid details of my time with Adam.