Sweet Revenge

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ted

I was somewhat sure she was bluffing. But what if she wasn’t? Leia didn’t even blink when I mentioned the signal detectors. I’d had them installed when the house was remodeled. I’ve never really been the type of person to trust anybody, especially after I became a bit paranoid that people might have suspected me in the fire and in my wife’s disappearance.

But she knew me so well. Was it possible that I underestimated her? If so, then I might have made the biggest error of my life. I’d basically admitted the whole thing to her. The only thing I could say was that I was under duress and that a gun was being pointed at me. I had to say what I could to save my life from this crazy woman, right?

“Leia,” I said. “You need to calm down. We can talk about this. You are right to want me dead, but don’t do it. Please… think of our boys. They need a father.”

Leia scoffed. “They need a real father; not you. You’re nothing but a monster.”

I had to keep her talking. I knew she was enjoying this and for the time being I had to put my ego aside. If she was wearing a wire all she had to do was say that I charged at her and she was forced to shoot me in self-defense. I imagined she’d disabled all of my security cameras.

But I had to sell the idea that she was going off script and was really going to kill me. Or maybe I could make her want to kill me and then I could get the gun away from her that way. Somehow I had to get the upper hand here.

Leia… wow… I still couldn’t believe it was her. Even in the back of my mind I had thoroughly convinced myself that she had to be dead. There was no way she could have survived that fire. But it looked like she had gotten incredibly lucky. And with her money she was able to get herself fixed.

She looked amazing. Hell, she had me falling in love with her all over again. Still, I felt stupid for believing her lies. I should have known it was her. Somehow, in my gut, I should have known.

“You’re right to be angry,” I said. “But you aren’t a killer. Please don’t do this.”

“You really think I’m going to kill you?” Leia asked. “A moment ago you had yourself convinced that I wasn’t a killer. God, you lie more often than you breathe.”

I stepped forward and gave her a mean look. She reacted perfectly.

Leia stepped back and cocked the gun.

“Take one more step and I’m blowing you to smithereens!” She bellowed.

I backed away holding my arms up. “Whoa… calm down… easy does it…”

It was working. I was starting to sell the idea that she was out of her mind and that there was only one kind of vengeance she was seeking.

“Don’t tell me that!” Leia yelled. “Now, sit down!”

I did as she told me to and sat down on the couch. So far she was falling into my plans.

Leia started laughing. “Wow, this is fun. I had no idea what a little bitch you would be when faced with real danger.”

God, I wanted to rip her head off. I should have lit her actual body on fire. Actually, I should have killed her first and then set her on fire. What was I thinking? I’d been careless and overconfident. Now I was paying the price for it. This was my fault.

“Leia, there has to be a way for me to make this right. I was wrong. I’m a horrible person. I know this. But, you don’t want to kill me.”

“Oh, why don’t I?”

“Because then you would be just like me. You don’t want that to happen do you?”

Leia just laughed.

I was really beginning to wonder if she was actually wearing a wire. I’d already confessed to her murder and setting the house on fire. And I’d painted a pretty convincing case that she was going to kill me for real. Where were the cops? What were they waiting for? Maybe she really was bluffing.

“You aren’t wearing a wire, are you?” I asked.

A look of fear spread across her face, but it was quick, just a flash.

“What makes you think that?” Leia asked.

“I don’t see anybody coming to your rescue or coming to take me away. If you were wearing a wire they would have busted through the door already.”

I stood up just then, still keeping my hands held up.

“I don’t think you are wired and I don’t think you are going to kill me either.”

“Sit back down and don’t come any closer!” Leia yelled pointing the gun.

“I think you came here to kill me and you choked. You realized it takes a special breed to kill and most people just don’t have that thing.”