Fatal Mistress – a 10-minute short story Read online

FATAL MISTRESS

  by

  Ian Fox

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  PUBLISHED BY:

  Ian Fox

  Fatal Mistress

  Copyright 2011 by Ian Fox

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  Chapter 1

  _________________________

  With his movie star looks, joking demeanor, and optimistic attitude, Gary Nelson was undoubtedly an attractive guy. He liked the company of important people, could joke at his own expense, and knew how to enjoy himself.

  The only thing spoiling his life was his job, which often drained him psychologically so that it sapped his positive energy. All he was capable of at the end of the day was self-pity. This was due to his father-in-law, the CEO and majority shareholder of the Trionid Corporation, who often humiliated him, and frequently in front of others. On at least twenty occasions Gary had decided to find another job and move on to a more peaceful life. But he was too attached to the perks of his position as finance director. He liked everything connected with material wealth and pleasure.

  He straightened his tie as he looked in the rearview mirror of his Bentley Continental GT. He wondered what his father-in-law was up to again, calling him in the middle of the day and telling Gary to come to his home. Because of this, Gary had his personal assistant cancel two morning meetings.

  Gary parked in front of a magnificent house lording over a huge plot of land on the outskirts of Mansfield, and dropped the car key into the inner pocket of his Brioni leather bomber jacket. The mere thought of his father-in-law’s presence filled him with apprehension since he never knew what to expect. In spite of the air temperature of only 50 degrees Gary felt hot, and cold sweat was sliding down his back. Would he be told he was useless, and get fired? Would he once more be given a new assignment that would keep him awake nights? Or would he have to spend the following two weeks working sixteen hours a day … again?

  When he rang the bell, he tried to loosen his collar with his other hand, feeling he could not breathe. Hearing footsteps on the other side of the door, he pulled his shoulders square in preparation. A woman he had not seen before, who had a freckled face and remarkable opaque eyes, opened the door and escorted him to the spacious living room.

  She left, and he sat in one of the leather armchairs, admiring the magnificent wooden coffee table.

  While waiting, he picked up a newspaper and read two lengthy articles about big business. He put down the paper.

  What is he doing? he wondered.

  More waiting.

  Gary looked at his watch. Nearly an hour had passed, but his father-in-law still had not appeared.

  After two hours Gary had had enough. He called to the woman, who happened to walk past the open door, to check what was happening. She bowed politely and went upstairs.

  Gary took his cell phone out of his pocket and began reading his texts.

  A heartrending scream pierced the silence of the mansion. Gary jumped up, knowing something terrible must have happened.

  Moments later he rushed into the massive, expensively furnished office. His breath caught in his throat—his father-in-law was lying on the floor.

  Without a word, the woman ran past him, into the hallway.

  As he walked over to check on his father-in-law, Gary detected a bullet wound in the side of the man’s head. A large puddle of blood was spread across the dark hardwood floor. Gary flinched and put his hands to his face.

  Then he gathered his wits, took a few deep breaths, and looked into his father-in-law’s eyes. Gary glanced at the door, took a few footsteps, and then stopped. He could hear the woman talking to the police on the phone.

  Gary turned back to the motionless body and realized that the stress that had only a little earlier plagued him was gone. Still in shock but unbelievably calm, he wondered how his father-in-law’s death would affect his life.

  Chapter 2

  _________________________

  Nearly six hundred people gathered at the splendid funeral. Gary held his wife’s hand as she quietly cried. While they slowly walked behind the coffin, he thought about his future. Everything would be different now. Linda was an only child and she’d inherit the majority share in the corporation. They had talked about this the previous day and Linda thought it obvious that he should become the new CEO.

  A CEO, Gary thought. Of course he would like the position, but was he up to it? He was aware of the huge responsibility and power—which sent the adrenaline pumping—but he also knew he would no longer have any free time to speak of. Did he really want that way of life?

  Then he remembered the police officers, with their pesky questions only a few days earlier. They had decided that his father-in-law had not committed suicide. They were looking for a murderer. Gary was unable to help them, having no idea who could have killed him.

  When the procession stopped in front of the grave and the priest spoke, Gary’s wife suddenly began shaking and gasping, and he wondered if she would be able to last till the end of the ceremony.

  As Gary dropped a rose into the grave, he looked at a picture of his father-in-law for the last time and said: Thank you for everything.

  Chapter 3

  _________________________

  Her intelligent eyes behind frameless glasses, high cheekbones, and pale lips made Linda Nelson look a bit like a teacher. She had always liked wearing dark clothes which contrasted with her short blond hair.

  She was driving along a badly tarred country road in her favorite Audi. Stopping a few hundred yards beyond the village, Linda waited for an old green vehicle to park next to her.

  A thickset man with a hook nose and protruding ears got out of the car and into the Audi. He said to her, “Are you satisfied with my services, Mrs. Nelson?”

  “More than satisfied. You left no traces. The police are going round in circles.”

  The man stroked his nose. “I waited for him in the house, like you told me to. Death came quickly. I can assure you he didn’t suffer.”

  Linda smiled coldly. “Good. Then I won’t keep you any longer. Here’s the money.”

  The man took the leather bag. “I don’t have to count it, do I? I can trust you?”

  “You can trust me. And now I’d like you to start following my husband. Watch him at all times. I don’t trust him and I’d be really hurt if he was cheating on me. I detest adultery.”

  She turned the ignition key and the engine roared to life. “Goodbye.”

  “See you, Mrs. Nelson.”

  Chapter 4

  _________________________

  On the way home Linda thought about her father. As an eight-year-old girl she had made a firm decision to take revenge one day. She never forgave him for what he had done.

  Because she was clenching her jaw so tight, her cheekbones stood out and her eyes looked hard and cold.

  “I saw you! Admit you’re meeting that woman!” her mother shouted.

  Linda was already in bed when she suddenly felt thirsty and wanted to go downstairs. She heard them arguing.

  “You’re pathologically jealous. There isn’t anyone.”

  “It’s your second affair in a year. I can’t stand this anymore. I’m going to kill myself.”

  Linda’s heart lurched on hearing this and she began to cry. The thought of something happening to her mommy horrified her.

  “Do whatever you like, for all I care. I’m tired from work and don’t want to argue.”

  Her mother shouted, “Where are you going?”

  Banging the door, her father left the house. Her mother went to her bedroom.

  Linda entered her parents’ bedroom and cried with her, ho
ping that in spite of all this, things would be alright in the end.

  But two weeks later, one morning when she awoke, her father told her the terrible news. Her mother was dead … suicide.

  Linda could never forget this and, sometime later, talked to her father about his mistresses. He insisted he had been faithful to her mother, but Linda sensed he was not being honest.

  When her father remarried, the story repeated itself with more arguments and accusations. Linda’s suspicions that her father was lying became stronger. And when at the age of fifteen she visited him unannounced at work, she caught him kissing his secretary and now she knew for certain. Just like she knew she would never forgive him.

  These memories reminded her of her husband. How he had been coming home in a bad mood day after day, how he was often so exhausted when he came from work that all he could do was fall into bed. Something had to be done. First she had suggested they move to a different state where they could live a more peaceful life, but Gary insisted that he had worked so hard and invested so much in the company that he did not want to give it up. Linda could no longer watch her father destroying their life. One day Gary got so drunk he had to be taken to the hospital to have his stomach pumped. That’s when she made her decision. It was time for revenge.

  Chapter 5

  _________________________

  A year had passed since Gary became the CEO. He worked from morning till night and in the last months the results were beginning to show. Profits had never been so high, the company’s turnover was increasing with every month, and this made him even more confident. Finally he knew he was better at the job than his father-in-law.

  Fridays and Saturdays were reserved for various parties at the magnificent estate, where Gary and Linda now lived. Gary enjoyed meeting new people and always ensured that they had a good time.

  Even during the week, they held numerous dinners at which Gary became acquainted with important business partners and negotiated contracts with them involving six-digit figures.

  But something was bothering him. For a few months he had felt that someone was following him. Gary didn’t know whether it was paranoia because of overwork or whether it was real. He once even mentioned it to Linda, but she told him he was imagining things and working too much.

  Although he was able to buy everything he wanted and had a magnificent house, three cars, as much clothes as he desired, and had even started collecting ancient coins, Gary felt an emptiness inside he could not explain.

  And when one day his personal assistant retired and he had to choose a new one, he realized what was missing. During the first selection round he eliminated all who were over thirty. Three candidates made it into the final round, all very beautiful girls with large breasts and attractive hips. None of them had the required work experience, but nevertheless he chose one: Marjorie, a redhead with wavy hair, velvety eyes, and ivory skin. He trembled with excitement while telling her what her duties would be.

  But when he left his office in the evening, he again had a feeling someone was watching him. He dragged his fingers across his forehead and thought he was imagining things due to exhaustion.

  He pulled the car over and stopped for a while, frowned, and carefully examined the trees along the road in order to spot the mysterious follower, but as usual he saw nobody.

  Then he smiled to himself as he thought of Marjorie, who was very nice to him. Today she had been wearing an extremely short skirt and when she bent to pick up the teaspoon that fell on the floor when she came to collect his empty coffee cup, he wondered if she had dropped it on purpose.

  He also remembered Linda and the story from her childhood. He knew how much she hated adultery. She had told him a number of times she would kill him if he cheated on her.

  “But I do need a competent secretary who’ll take some of the workload off my shoulders,” he said out loud, knowing full well that he was lying to himself.

  He could barely wait to see Marjorie again.

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  About the Author

  Ian Fox was born in Slovenia (EU), and has also lived in the U.S.A., France, and Germany. He is fluent in English, French, and German. Because of his extensive international experience, his books are set in the U.S.A. or Europe. Ian’s books have enjoyed great success in Europe. He has published three crime (mystery) novels that have sold very well and been ranked among the top 100 most borrowed library books in Slovenia. He is currently working on two new novels. Enthusiastic readers write to him, saying they can’t put his books down and read them in a few days. Individual libraries have ranked his works among the top ten, sometimes even the top five most-borrowed books.

  Connect with me online:

  Website: https://ianfox.si/

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ianfoxwriter

  Twitter: @IanFox2

  My blog: https://howtopromoteebook.blogspot.com/

  About Other Books:

  Only the Strongest Survive

  The novel opens with a hair-tingling scene, as two men kidnap Emely Donnovan, one of the wealthiest women in America, and bury her alive. What is behind this horrific crime?

  Raised in a strict religious institution, Emely never knew her parents. Fearing a life of poverty, she starts up a small business that deals mainly with buying and selling stocks. Thanks to her extreme dedication and knowledge, the company grows over time into a major conglomerate. In her desire for ever greater financial security, this beautiful, ambitious CEO has accumulated a number of enemies.

  But now she finds herself locked in the basement of a remote house in the middle of a forest, watched over by one of her captors who makes her buy and sell stocks for him so he can get rich. Her challenge to survive becomes even more complicated when Emely’s captor falls in love with her. …

  Promise Me Eternity

  Dr. Simon Patterson is a successful and well-respected neurosurgeon at Central Hospital in the town of Seattle. Married, though without children, he keeps himself so busy that one day is not much different than another. Until, that is, he saves the life of the powerful mobster, Carlo Vucci.

  At a dinner in honor of Dr. Patterson, Carlo Vucci introduces him to his alluring wife, Christine. Simon is entranced by her beauty.

  Three weeks later, Christine shows up at the hospital complaining of terrible headaches. Dr. Patterson offers to help her, but Christine did not come to see him just because of her headaches. A series of shocking events follow that turn Dr. Patterson’s life into a nightmare. Among other things, he finds himself in court being accused of murder in the first degree. …

  Forget the Past

  Reporter Anya Horvat, who works at Clarice, a weekly women’s magazine, has relationship problems with men. She is thirty-five years old, yet has never had a single relationship that lasted more than two months. This reality prompts her to consult the well-known and successful psychiatrist, Patricia Bellows, who is later found horribly murdered. Anya has never dealt with a murder investigation before, but when her boss literally forces her to take the assignment, she begins to uncover the murdered psychiatrist’s intriguing past—and at the same time, the source of her own problems. …