Chapter 9: RIP

So, my voice is going to be commandeered by the author to tell you about things that I don’t know about and will forget as soon as I tell you. Before the asshole cuts me off here, just let me tell you that the next time I try out for a part in a trashy short drama, I’m going to read the audition notice more carefully. If I see anything that indicates this author likes to torture his characters, I’m going to give it a hard pass. Here he comes. I’ll talk to you later.

Dora and Beef wandered around Bernie’s mansion as if it was a museum. Everything was clean and neat. Even the bed where the old man died had been stripped and new linens were on it. Whoever the old man’s maid was, Dora wanted to keep her. She’d soon have all her uncle’s assets. She could afford a housekeeper. There was no reason she should dirty her hands.

When they got to Bernie’s study, they began an intense search. There was no telling where Bernie might have stashed cash. That’s the way it always was with old people. They hid money all over. He might have hidden thousands—maybe millions—in the mansion. She opened desk drawers while Beef looked behind pictures for a wall safe. He even checked under the cushions of the furniture.

Dora moved to checking behind old books on the shelves. Beef took her place behind the desk, checking drawers again and feeling under the top for hidden compartments. He finally put his feet up on the desk and lit a cigar.

“Hey! No smoking in my house!” Dora shouted.

“Shh. It’s our house. Remember, babe? Little favors have big rewards,” Beef said.

“Bastard,” Dora whispered. She didn’t want to anger her boyfriend. He was a little unpredictable. “Why haven’t we heard anything about Cal being dead? It’s been four days. It should have been on the news. Did you really kill him and leave his identification on his body?”

“Don’t worry. He’s dead. I didn’t touch his wallet, phone or keys. I dumped him on a construction road, so they wouldn’t have found him until Monday. By then, an animal could have dragged his corpse off the road for a snack. But he’s dead. Wasn’t breathing when I dumped him. Then I ran over him to make sure. I could feel his bones crunch under the tires. He’s dead.”

Dora shivered at how brutal Beef had been. She was glad it was done, but impatient about hearing the news. She needed Cal’s will before she heard Bernie’s will. She’d deal with paying Beef off later.

“We should check whatever hellhole he lived in.”

“Do you think I’m an amateur? I’ve already been there. Ransacked the place and left the door open to trigger an alarm as soon as someone saw it.”

Beef didn’t mention that he’d grabbed Cal’s laptop. When they took Cal at his office, they discovered his briefcase was empty. Before he made an attack on the AAA office, he went to Cal’s apartment. The laptop was sitting right there on his table. First thing Saturday morning, he’d delivered it to the Boss. Rex had hackers who could unlock anything.

Dora fidgeted with her phone, checking all police reports and local news feeds. She wouldn’t be happy until she saw the bastard’s mangled body.