Page 25 of Devious Gambit

TEN

Rhys

“Make sure you don’t leave any fingerprints or hair samples on his clothing or in his car,” were the last words Marjorie uttered as we were leaving with Adam Sweeney in the trunk of his car. Tris did most of the hauling of Adam’s body down the stairs and into the trunk, while Lise and I carried leg each. He was a big guy and really solid.

Lise excitedly offered to drive Adam Sweeney’s BMW, while I rode with Tris to a place by the lake where a rowboat sat idle on the shore, according to Marjorie. We decided that the best option was to drive Adams’ car into the lake, but dump his body in another part of the lake, because they’re more likely to find his car first. If Adam was lying in the trunk, then it looked like murder. If his body is nowhere to be found, then it’s nothing but a missing persons case. Made sense in theory, however in reality, I didn’t think we were going to get away with it.

“I’m sorry to bring you and Lise into this,” I whispered to Tris, because speaking too loud would make it seem real, and it wasn’t real at all. It was a nightmare, nothing but a nightmare that I’m waking up from at sunrise.

“Yeah, well, I can’t say I’m overjoyed about it, but as you can see Lise has a different opinion.” He sighed. “I think we should’ve called the police, but it’s too late now.”

I gazed out of the window, feeling closed in by the towering, dark forests on both sides of the road.

“You know we’re fucked if anyone finds out about this, so I hope that old lady can keep her mouth shut. What did you say her name was again?”

“Marjorie Dwight.”

“Maybe I should Google her.”

“She won’t say anything.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because she gave an unlicensed gun to an inexperienced person.”

“And so?”

“Wouldn’t she get in trouble?”

“A little, but not as much as us for dumping a dead body you shot in self-defense.”

“Oh no, what have I done?” I cried out, covering my face with my hands.

“You did the right thing, Rhys,” he assured me. “What we’re doing at this very moment is the wrong thing, however, it’s too late now.”

Lise was ahead of us in Sweeney’s car and turned into a gated private dirt road. This was where Marjorie told us to go. She said the man who owned all the land wouldn’t notice us there. At the other side of this track that weaved through the forest was Lake Superior and the rowboat.

By the time we actually got to the lake, the sky was beginning to show signs of dawn. The next hour was a complete blur. Lise spotted the rowboat in some reeves and Tris dragged it out to the water. The three of us carried Sweeney into the boat, and only Tris and I hopped in. Lise wanted to drive further up the road, a mile or so, to dispose of the car and would ring Tris once she’d done it.

“I saw it in a movie once,” she said, animatedly. “I’ll just release the brake and let roll into the lake water.”

“Make sure you’re on a rise,” Tris told her, “or else the car won’t go anywhere.”

“Fuck, I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Tris mumbled as he rowed the boat out. It was unusually quiet, no bird calls, no wind rustling the leaves of the forest. All I could hear was the sound of the oar licking the waves as we went along.

“Do you trust her?” I asked him.

“I trust that she’ll always have my back, however…”

A howling cut through the crisp air, making me shudder. “Wolves?”

Tris shrugged. “Good thing they can’t swim.”

“However…?” I encouraged him to finish his sentence.

“She’s great, I love her and we have a lot of fun together, however, there’s side to her that’s a little dark.” He hesitated when Sweeney’s arm moved from the rowing motion, making me jump. “So, how’s your love life going?” I noticed the quick subject change.

I laughed. “Ha ha, you’re funny.” Weirdly, I needed the normalcy at a completely abnormal moment.

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