Carruthers' Demise, Final Chapters (standard:drama, 2300 words) [24/24] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Jan 23 2014	Views/Reads: 2921/1627	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Things come to a head, as Carruthers, Chelsey and Casey face each other.

Chapter Forty Four 

Casey Jennings stood before them, a serene smile transfixed to her face.


‘Sorry for the unannounced entry – I just hoped and prayed I'd get the
chance to be alone with you two – one more time.' 

‘Just what is it with you?' Chelsey yelled; fury swelling her pupils.
She was on her feet, striding to confront the intruder, but Carruthers 
was up too; something in that smile, smug, unnatural, made him step in 
front of his wife – 

‘Oh don't be so jumpy the two of you – anybody would think you were
frightened of me...' 

‘No, not frightened,' Carruthers said, composing and steeling himself,
eyes logged on Casey. ‘Perhaps a little unnerved and wary; you've not 
been yourself since...' 

‘Since when?' Casey arched her dark brows. 

‘Goldhawk's death?' Casey's right arm had been behind her back but now
she drew it forward, settling elbow against midriff, unravelling her 
hand so that it exposed the small metal object within. ‘Something I 
found lying around.' 

Carruthers gaped, flung out a hand to snatch the pistol but in a single
fluent motion Casey swiped the barrel down across his fingers. ‘Not so 
fast...' her laugh was fleeting and harsh – her lips became mashed and 
screwed, and Carruthers, clutching his rapped fingers noticed she wore 
make-up perhaps for the first time. Smeared on as it was she resembled 
a clown – and he knew – a dangerous one at that. 

‘Get back, both of you – there are things I want to say – from a
distance.' 

Chelsey forced herself out from behind Carruthers' shadow and arched
forward. ‘I don't know what the hell's got into you but if you think 
I'm...' 

‘You'll do as I say!' Chelsey felt the force of the pistol in Casey's
backhand blow – the cold steel sending her reeling. Instinctively 
Carruthers reached out to catch her, hauling her away from Casey's 
reach. 

‘That's better,' she snarled, ‘have the decency to let me speak without
interruption.' 

Carruthers was forced back on the bed, his arm tight around his wife for
fear of retaliation as he glared at the demonic figure who'd once been 
his friend. 

‘Oh, isn't that touching,' she snarled. With her free hand she pinched
her fingers. ‘I'll take a mental clip of that – you know, like a 
camera's shutter. No don't spoil it with wasted words...' she took 
several steps forward and Carruthers thought of charging her, but the 
weapon in her hand was unwaveringly steady. ‘Huh – such fools all of 
you – though I had Adrian wrong. I thought he was an idiot and a 
waster, never assumed him capable of killing anyone – which I assume he 
did to Foulkes...' again the harsh laugh, ‘it sure as hell wasn't me. 
But Goldhawk, now he was another matter, that one was attributable to 
me, well he had it coming – the lecherous and conniving bastard. And 
that chump Higginbotham tying up the loose ends, wrongly, handily for 
me. Oh yes, because in the end it's acted in my favour. 

‘From what I saw, in the end I reckon Adrian was unbalanced enough to
have killed you Chelsey – and you too Marty my love but that would have 
spoilt my fun. As it was my knight-in-shining armour arrived in the 
form of Noades, dear sweet Noades.' 

Casey delved into her pocket, her eyes switched from Carruthers to
Chelsey – she flung fragments of crumpled paper in front of them, 
littering the floor – Chelsey's eyes widened as she realised what they 
were – 


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