Page 74 of The Crowing of Hell

“Stop talking about them. This is our time.” Eugene scowled, and I nodded in agreement. I didn’t feel like myself and wasn’t sure how much of a fight I could muster.

“This is very nice,” I offered, and Eugene returned to smiling amicably.

“Yes. It is. And very kind, too, after the trouble you’ve caused,” he announced, waving a hand.

“Trouble?” I asked as he began serving me food on a plate.

“Yes. I kept watch over you, Kendara, checking in every few months to make sure you were okay. And then, after than evil man ran you off the road, you moved out on me. I visited and left our usual sign, and you were rather rude and left.”

“Usual sign?” I wondered what the hell he was talking about.

Eugene’s temper surged as he thumped the table, making the china rattle. “Do not play games with me, Kendara. I don’t like games, as you remember. I would move a piece of glassware, and you’d put it back. You understood it was me checking you were okay and letting you know I was watching. When you moved returned to its correct position, that was you telling me everything was fine. Only this time you left!”

“How long have you been doing that? I can’t think. Whatever you sedated me with me has made me muzzy,” I explained. Clearer-headed, I still didn’t know who the hell this was.

“Since you won my case for me. The advice you gave me that day, well, you were a miracle, and I got rid of that bitch. Valerie didn’t get what she wanted, either. How you guessed Valerie had been cheating on me was divine intervention. But it stopped her in her tracks when I presented the evidence,” Eugene said, smiling brightly.

“But I didn’t represent you,” I muttered, pretty damn sure I hadn’t.

“Oh no. You were too kind. You didn’t want my money. The memory shall stay with me forever.”

“Tell me your version,” I said coyly, and Eugene’s gaze narrowed.

“You don’t remember,” he accused, and insanity flashed in his eyes. Yeah, there it was, just as I expected.

“Yes, I do. But I want to hear it from your point of view. Because you understand how careful I have to be as a lawyer,” I explained.

Eugene bought straight into that. Why, I don’t know, but for unknown reasons, he did. “Of course, naturally, you can’t allow others to understand how you helped me. We were at court, and you were representing someone. You pretended to be on the phone, but I understood you were talking to me. We’d made eye contact, and you’d smiled. You spoke clearly so I could hear and told me to get a PI and have him follow my wife and get evidence of her cheating. Then you said, with that, I’ll be able to protect my assets.”

The day Eugene mentioned, I recalled. Indeed, I had been on the phone with my client, who was a male and had given him that counsel, but I did not recall Eugene at all. Somehow, Eugene had turned my recommendation into his own and had caught his wife cheating. But that didn’t explain his fixation on me.

“Ah yes, just how I remembered. I’m glad you took my advice to heart.”

Eugene beamed as he put my plate in front of me. “I came home and told Mother straight away. And we investigated the witch I’d married and found the proof we needed. Mother was so happy to have evidence she confronted Valerie immediately and forced her to leave. Valerie begged and cried that day, saying she had made a mistake, but Mother dealt with her.”

There was an insidious smugness to Eugene and one that warned me to tread carefully.

“And you won your divorce.”

Scared, I wondered where the boys were. Seeing the insanity in Eugene’s eyes, I was terrified for them.

“Yes. Here, Mother likes her tea rather weak, but I think you’d like it strong. Because that’s the lady you are,” he said.

“Mother is important to you. Is she here?” I asked, praying she was and was also sane.

“Indeed, I shall take her afternoon tea soon.”

“Can’t Mother join us?” I inquired, and Eugene peeked up with a beaming smile.

“You wouldn’t mind? Mother can be such a chatter, but you’ll love her,” he exclaimed.

“Please do invite her,” I said, hoping that his mom could help me out here.

Eugene leapt to his feet as I looked around for anything that might help. I considered the knife but guessed he’d miss it at once.

Moments later, Eugene came back into the room, pushing an old-fashioned, high-backed wicker seat wheelchair. From it, his mother leered at me with a terrifying grin.

I just about managed to swallow the scream from leaving my lips as I stared at the desiccated corpse of Eugene’s mother.