Chapter Fourteen
Asa studied the blonde at the bar, nursing her drink. He noticed her talking to a few of the patrons, some of whom had bought her drinks. Her face was caked with makeup and she wore a dress so low cut; her nipples were nearly exposed. She was there for a good time.
But he was going to make sure that by the end of the night, he was the one having the good time.
Most people on the outside looking in, would simply think she was a barfly who hung out in random bars to get blackout drunk and hook up with random men. Those people would have been right. However, underneath the surface, Marion Robinson was so much more. She was a Sunday school teacher who was much loved by her congregation, teaching the word of the Lord on a Sunday and hanging out in bars on weeknights while her husband was at work. Maybe it gave her a thrill, Asa didn’t care what she did in her married life.
He did, however, care that she was one of them. A monster in disguise. She never would have been a blip on his radar had he not been asked to consult on another doctor’s patient.
It had taken him several weeks to determine exactly what was going on with the patient. And with each bit of information he managed to uncover, the beast within him was roused. Based on his experience, it was easy to assume that his prey was a victim herself simply based on the statistics of men being the aggressors in abusive relationships but this was a special case. This monster was out of the ordinary.
So once Asa could pinpoint who the culprit was, he knew that it was time to hunt again. It didn’t matter that it was only recently that search parties had given up on finding the councilman and that it was wise that he lie low. The beast had to be fed and until it did, it made him restless and edgy.
The only thing that calmed him down was his Jamie.
Their relationship had progressed far beyond his wildest expectations. Not only was she his other half, she was his oxygen. The light in his darkness. With just one smile from her, the beast was soothed. In the last several months, a lot had happened between the two of them. When Jamie’s lease was up at her apartment, Asa convinced her to move in with him. He’d pointed out that it only made sense, since she was at his place most of the time anyway.
The second big change was that he’d convinced her to give up her job to pursue her education full time. It hadn’t been exactly easy to convince her, considering how independent she was. Jamie had argued that she’d feel like a kept woman but Asa had managed to persuade her that they were building toward a future.
While he wanted her to succeed at whatever she sought to accomplish, he was secretly happy she had decided to quit for selfish reasons. There was nothing wrong with janitorial work. No work was demeaning if one took pride in what they did, but it did something to him to see his woman being treated as if she was less than just because she didn’t have letters behind her name. Jamie didn’t seem to mind because of her sweet nature. But he did. She was his and he wanted her uplifted in all things. And, at least, now she was out of Maria’s reach.
Ever since word had gotten out at the hospital that he and Jamie were seeing each other, some of the other staff started giving her a hard time. A handful of the nurses who had been friendly toward her refused to acknowledge her presence. Asa was the one who’d had to hold her when she cried about it. There was one nurse who had deliberately spilled the contents of a patient’s bed pan on the floor and had called Jamie to clean it up, though Jamie had said she couldn’t prove that it had been on purpose. But Maria had by far been the worst. Dr. Nguyen seemed to go out of her way to make Jamie’s work experience as miserable as possible. Jamie had stopped him when he wanted to say something to the other doctor. Out of respect that for Jamie, he’d left it alone.
Now that she was no longer at the hospital, which was one less worry he had to deal with, he could focus on the task at hand.
He watched his prey from his corner of the bar as she flirted with another patron. After they whispered to each other and giggled, it was clear where things were heading but instead of leaving the bar, the two of them headed toward the restroom. Asa saw them disappear into the men’s room.
That seemed to be a pattern for her. Maybe this was how she got a thrill out of these random hook ups. Based on her past random hook ups, she wouldn’t be in there for long unless her mysterious partner had stamina.
And sure enough, ten minutes later, his giggling and clearly drunk target stumbled out of the bathroom with her lover for the night.
Asa stood up and placed a twenty on the bar to cover his tab before heading outside. He got in his vehicle and pulled away from the bar, out of the line of its cameras. He just needed to bide his time because he knew this particular monster liked to drive drunk. It was a wonder she hadn’t managed to kill anyone yet.
Sure enough, not long after he’d found a spot to wait for her, she came wobbling out of the bar alone. Her dress had ridden so far up about her waist that he could see her underwear, or lack of them.
She fumbled for her keys and got into her vehicle. The best thing about this bar was that it was off the beaten track and didn’t get a lot of traffic. As she pulled out of the parking lot, her car swerved to the side. Asa pulled his car behind her at a safe distance. If things went according to plan, she’d notice that her car wasn’t driving properly and that was mainly because he’d tampered with the tire so it would slowly deflate. He’d noticed that it was already dangerously low when she’d left the bar but once she started to drive on it, it should deflate quicker.
Just then he noticed her car swerve to the side and much to his annoyance, she drove into a ditch. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. Though this road didn’t get much traffic, someone could still drive by and see what had happened. He pulled up behind her once he was certain no one was driving up.
Asa hopped into the ditch that thankfully wasn’t too deep but the car still wouldn’t be able to get out without the help of a tow truck. The monster seemed dazed. She didn’t notice that he was standing there, staring.
“Ma’am, can I be of assistance to you?”
She turned her head in his direction. There was a cut on her forehead that she must have gotten from banging her head on the steering wheel. The airbag had not deployed because she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt.
“Wha-what happened?” She asked in a daze.
“You’ve had an accident. Let me get you some help.”
She focused on him properly for the first time and grinned. “Well, hello handsome. Haven’t I seen you somewhere before? Did you follow me?” She giggled. Clearly, she was drunk out of her mind.
“Yes. That’s it exactly. I followed you. Come on. I’ll take you to get some help. I can’t leave you alone by yourself like this.”
“Well, aren’t you a gentleman.” She giggled before opening her car door.
Asa backed away careful not to touch the car so that he wouldn’t leave any traces of himself behind.
“Mmm, you’re handsome.” She fell against him.
Asa turned his head when she tried to kiss him. She was disgusting, not just because she reeked of alcohol and bathroom sex but because she was a target. She wasn’t even human to him.
“Come on let’s go.” He needed to get them out of here before another car passed them by. He led her to his vehicle and put her in his passenger seat. Once he was in the car, he quickly pulled off thankful that there had been no other activity on the road.
He headed for his cabin property which was about a half hour away. If he timed it just right, he could get her to his workspace, finish the job and return home before Jamie woke up. He’d hated leaving her alone but this was a necessary evil.
“You’re sexy,” the monster smiled at him. She reached over and placed her hand on his thigh.
Asa removed it and concentrated on the road.
“Spoil sport,” she pouted. “Don’t you want to have a little fun?”
“Of course, I’d prefer it not to be in the car.”
She placed her hand on his thigh again and moved it until she touched his package.
Repulsed by her touch, he gripped her hand more firmly and tossed it off of him. “Not yet. When we get to where we’re going, there will be plenty of time for fun.”
She folded her arms and pouted. Her lips were surgically enhanced so she had the appearance of a deformed trout. He couldn’t wait for this job to be over. To be rid of this blight on society. “We’ve been driving for a while. Where did you say you were taking me?”
“Relax, you said you wanted to have some fun, right?”
“Yes…but what about my car? I left my phone and purse behind.”
That was exactly what he was hoping for. She’d be hard to track without those items. But the fact that she was lucid enough to know, made him realize that she wasn’t as drunk as he thought. This meant that he’d have to tread lightly. The last thing he wanted was for her to put up a fight before they got there.
“Well, I can call the police and when they arrive on the scene, they can have it towed. I’m sure the officers would make sure your items are secure.”
She shook her head. “No. That would bring unnecessary attention. I’d rather just have a tow truck pick it up and then give me a ride home.”
“But not before we have fun, right?” he prodded. Asa figured the best way to get her to lower her guard was to distract her and keep her talking.
“Well…yes but it’s close to midnight so we don’t have much time before my husband gets home. He works at night and I have to get home before he does.”
“Oh? You’re married?” Asa asked, although he knew the answer to that question.
“You’re not one of those goody two shoes who cares about that stuff, are you? Besides, I wouldn’t have to hang out at night if he could get it up. He wants the good little housewife to take care of his home and take care of his brat. He only married me because his son needed a mother,” she spat with disdain.
Asa’s hands tightened on the wheel. The way she discussed her family as if she were the victim, made the beast rage and want to get out. It took everything in him not to punch her in the face but he managed to maintain his cool.
“Sounds like your husband expects a lot of you. And what exactly does he give you in return?”
“That’s just it. He thinks just because he works and provides for us, that it’s enough. But, he doesn’t spend time with me. He only has time for the brat.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re very fond of your stepson.”
“How can I be? He’s this creepy little freak who spends his time in his room working on weird science experiments. When I was in high school, we’d make fun of kids like him. He has these big bug eyes and I get so grossed out when he looks at me.”
“That sounds unfortunate.”
She snorted. “For me, it is. And the worst part is that my husband wants us to have a child to keep the little creep company. And ruin this figure? I think not. It’s bad enough that I have to pretend to like his stick in the mud friends.”
“It must be very hard for you.” The more she talked, the deeper Asa’s disgust grew.
The monster went on and on about how horrible her life was. Lucky for her, she wouldn’t have to endure it much longer. Asa breathed a sigh of relief when they pulled up to his cabin.
Asa opened the door for the monster and smiled. “Ready for some fun?”
“If you have alcohol, then I’m up for anything.” She looked around. “This place is kind of creepy. You live out here?”
“Yes.”
“All by yourself? I’m surprised a handsome man like yourself isn’t attached.”
He smiled politely before guiding her to his cabin. As he was about to unlock the door, he turned to her, “You know what? I left something in my shed that I need to get. Do you want to go inside and wait for me?”
She frowned. “Well, it looks kind of dark in there,” she said with uncertainty in her voice.
It never ceased to amaze Asa that the monsters he hunted could perpetuate the most horrific evils but, on the inside, they were all cowards. “Well, if you’d like to take a walk with me to the shed, it’s just in back. I’ll be quick.”
“Yes, I’d rather go with you. It’s scary out here.” She wrapped her hands around his arms and sidled up next to him.
Asa schooled his features trying not to gag from the scent of her cheap perfume. He led her to the shed in back. His workroom.
He pulled the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. Once they were inside, she tightened her grip on him. “Is there a light in here?”
“Of course.” He pulled the overhead cord above his head which illuminated the shed.
The monster examined her surroundings. “What could you possibly want in here? It’s just a bunch of old tools.”
Asa reached for his hammer. “This.” He held it up.
“What do you need that for?” She said releasing his arm.
He smiled at her when he saw the comprehension dawn in her eyes. Before she could release a scream, he bashed her over the head with it sending her toppling to the ground. Part of him wanted to keep hitting her until her brain was mush but he had to show restraint. He wanted her alive long enough to know exactly why he was doing this.
Asa knelt down beside her and felt for a pulse. It was still steady.
He stood up and went to his work station and looked at his various tools to figure out how he’d take this particular monster out. Asa settled on the rope.
With that in hand, he went to the first aid kit on the wall and retrieved an ammonia inhalant to revive her. He’d hit her pretty hard but just enough to knock her out and not to cause more than a minor concussion. He’d made the mistake of hitting one of his prey so hard that bone fragments had splintered all over the place. And the worst part, was not getting to tell the monster why he’d done it. That was his favorite part…besides watching the life drain out of their eyes.
While she was still knocked out, he pinned her arms at her sides with his knees so that she wouldn’t be able to fight or scratch. Then he wrapped the rope around her neck and tied a slip knot so that he could tighten it at the right moment. Once that task was complete, Asa opened the ammonia pack and waved it under her nose.
Slowly, the monster’s eyes fluttered open. She seemed confused at first but then her gaze focused on him, looking at her from above. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”
Asa smiled. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going kill you.”
She let out an ear-piercing scream which only made him laugh. He screamed along with her. “Go ahead and scream. It’s music to my ears,” he encouraged her.
“Why are you doing this to me? Please let me go! I have a family. A husband and son who will miss me if something were to happen to me.”
“Are you sure about that, Mrs. Robinson?”
She stopped fighting for a moment to send him a stricken look. “How did you know my name? I never told you…did you stalk me? Please, if you want money, I can give it to you. My husband has a good job. Money isn’t an issue. Or you can just have sex with me. You don’t have to do this. Just let me go and I promise I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“I think it’s funny how you invoke that you have a husband and child when you were badmouthing them earlier. If I remember correctly, you said your husband couldn’t get it up and your stepson is creepy.”
“It was just talk, I swear. I love them so much. It was a mistake coming out here with you.”
“No, it wasn’t. You came out with me because you wanted to fuck. One would think you’d had enough after the man in the bar but you’re insatiable, aren’t you?”
“Please,” she cried with tears streaming down her face. “Don’t do this. I haven’t done anything to you. Please somebody help me!” she screamed.
“Did Miles beg when you broke his rib?” he asked.
She stiffened. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Did you torture that little boy to the point where he nearly had a heart attack at the age of ten from the stress you put him through? You see, I’m privy to all the things you’ve done to him; the concussions, the bruises and the broken bones. You’re a violent person, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t do it. I swear!”
“Not only are you a monster but you’re a liar. The very least you can do is own your shit.” Asa gripped the rope and pulled.
The monster tried to kick and break free of the hold he had on her but he was too strong for her. He released the rope just as she turned purple so she could breathe.
She inhaled deeply before going into a coughing fit. “Please. I’m sorry.”
“Admit what you did and I’ll set you free.”
Tears streamed down her face, making her mascara run down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to hurt the kid. I swear but he was so needy and my husband only seemed to care about him. I was jealous. I promise I won’t touch him again.”
Asa smiled. “See, now that wasn’t so hard.”
“I’m just stressed is all. I promise I’ll be better.” She sniffed.
“I know you will,” he said softly before tightening the rope again but this time, he didn’t let go.
The monster struggled but he held on until there was no fight left in her.
Her eyes had bulged from the pressure he applied. Only when he was certain that she was gone, did he release the rope.
Carefully, he took the rope from around her neck and went about the task of disposing of her body in a place where she wouldn’t be discovered until she was a decomposed skeleton. It was better this way. When people disappeared and their remains went undiscovered long enough, it was difficult to pinpoint the cause of death. That also meant it was harder to pin the murder on someone.
But this wasn’t murder. It was simply his brand of justice. The world was free of one more monster. As he got rid of the monster’s remains, he returned to his cabin and carved an M on his wall.
Once again, the beast had been fed.