STORIES (5) : MONEYLUST
(I have recently finished reading Freida McFadden’s “The HouseMaid”. I’ve enjoyed going through it immensely and my story today, first published for The story A Day Contest (May, 2024), is based on the last scene before the epilogue. Nina and Andrew’s mother, Mrs. Evelyn Winchester have a one-sided conversation going on. One-sided as Evelyn, is mostly doing the talking.
“If you don’t take care of your teeth, then you lose the privilege to have teeth.” She tells Nina at one point.
“Andrew knew that.He knew that was my rule. When I pulled out one of his baby teeth with pliers, I thought he understood.” She continues.
Nina is too afraid of what’s coming out of her mother-in-law’s mouth to think properly of a reply.
“It’s such a shame that he never learned.” Nina heard her continuing. “I’m glad you stepped up and taught him a lesson.” She goes out, leaving Nina behind, awe-struck!
Though I liked the way Andrew was tortured by Millie, the housekeeper in the dingy attic room and murdered in the end, I felt Nina, the main plotter of the murder, the one who put the idea of ‘teaching Andrew a lesson’ in Millie’s head, got away scott free.
As I believe no criminal or criminal offence deserves to go scott free, I’d have liked Nina either to be put behind the bars or murdered in the end as well. My present story is written based on that presumption.)
MONEYLUST
Andrew’s funeral is finally over. All the mourners, including the Winchesters, Robert and Evelyn, are gone. Nina has played her part of a heart-broken widow to perfection.
Now, only one thing remains. The Winchester House has already been put on auction. She’ll make sure that Enjo, the handsome hunk and Millie each got a year’s salary deposited in their banks. She owed it to them.
“Good riddance,” she murmurs to herself as she hails a cab.
Now, all she has to do is to pick up Cece, her daughter Cecelia from the Hotel. Enjo called her just a while ago asking her what was keeping her for so long.
The thought of spending the last night together with Enjo makes Nina break into a smile for the first time since the morning. She won’t force him if he isn’t willing. But a last, maddening ride in the bed together (Cece, by now, will be sound asleep in their room, she’d made sure that the little angel, had no inkling of what was to happen between the big guy Enjo and her in his room) would make it up for the last few days’ of immeasurable anxiety, pretensions and fears.
Enjo looks darned sexy in his usual T-shirt showing off his muscular physique. As he rolls up the sleeve of his left arm casually, the tattoos show thorough.
“Hi,” he greets her giving her an appreciating look. “Even in black, you look gorgeous. By the way, Cece won’t be awake for hours.”
Though his English is flawless, his tone rings a bell somewhere!
That was the hint she needed from him. The next moment they were undressing in a hurry, hungry to feast on one another.
In bed, Enjo’s a sheer joy.
“You’re rich now, Miss.” He whispers in Nina’s ear afterwards.
Lying beside him, Nina cradles her head on his chest. “I won’t forget you. I’ve already made arrangements for money worth your 1 year’s salary to be deposited in your bank….” She respons dreamily.
There was a quizzical look on Enjo’s face as he leaps out of the sheet, into his suit lying on the floor.
“I’ve one last request though. I want you to accompany me to The Winchester House for one last time for a reason. Coming?”
Nina smells danger at the mere mention of the haunted house. But she knows she owes it to him. Didn’t he accompany her when she made a similar request last time?
“But what about Cece?” She queries looking up at him with her pale blue eyes, reluctant to leave the bed.
“Be back in half hour, I promise,” he replies, kissing her gently on the lips once more.
As Enjo wants to get inside the house, they leave the car on the driveway and Nina still has the extra key luckily. They both step in the dark house holding on to one another. He seems in a hurry. So they race up past their master bedroom, past Cece’s room to the thick wooden door at the end of the hallway, up the narrow, dark stairway to the frightening attic room.
Enjo stops and fumbles with the door knob.
“I’ve to show you something inside for the last time.”
Nina stands like a statue as the door creaks open. Once inside, she is too panicky to switch the powerful flashlights on.
“What’s it, Enjo? Why did you bring me here?”
Those horrible memories are too painful and fresh.
But Enjo is not beside her anymore! She realises too late once again what has happened. He has locked her from outside!
From where did he get the key? How?
“Enjo. What’s this? You can’t act that monster even if you try,” Nina stiff, whimpers from inside.
“Wrong dear. We men are all the same in a lot of ways.”
Nina finds terror streaming through every fibre of her being.
“What do you want!” She asks feebly.
“A larger share of the booty?”
“The booty! The inheritance is rightfully mine. I’m still the moron’s legally married wife!” She retorts on her quaking legs.
“OK, then. I left all that I withdrew from the bank in my bag on the table. Let me out and I’ll hand over all the cash.” She please, realising immediately her mistake of talking about the withdrawn money.
“Please let me out.” She is about to pound on the door but withdraws her hand at the last moment, thinking of how her hands hurt for days even after all the medicine.
“I’ll, on one condition. I know you still have the whole bunch of the $100 bills in your pocket. I want you to take out the lot and swallow the first one on top down your throat. Remember, one at a time.”
(God! Did he ever sneak up to overhear Andrew, in his sober voice, trying to put the Fear of God in her? He must have, otherwise, how come he’s adopting a similar tone now?)
“The moment you finish swallowing all the notes, I’ll be back and let you out…” He says politely backing away from the door.
Nina’s heart jumps to her mouth as she finds herself leaning against the door and kneeling down – all her strength drained! She doesn’t have an ounce of energy left to fight anyone anymore.
“Why Enjo? Why? Didn’t I treat you right all along?” She hears someone wailing from inside her.
“Nope. You wanted to jab the lion’s share and leave the country after giving us the eyewash.”
“Eyewash!” Is he forgetting his English? He must be. Otherwise, what is this loony talking about?
“I’ve to go, Love. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Cece might need me you know…” says he with a finality as his footsteps start receding in the distance.
Painstakingly Nina takes the whole bunch of the hundred-dollar-bills out of her pocket. President Franklin looks askance at her from the centre as the bill gleans in the dim light coming from the small window in the opposite end.
She has to do it for Cece’s sake….
The end
