All Tomorrow's Parties (23 page)

“I visited the camera shop a few streets from her, Simpsons it’s called”, said Andy. “The surprise for me came when I asked if they knew Karenna Lacey; they assumed I was a friend. They said she had got married last year and was now called Karenna Black. Said apparently her husband Tony is some big shot editor or something (so Karenna tells them). Apparently she’s a natural with a camera, won competitions and everything”, Andy said.

“Oh shit, this is freaking me right out. What kind of psycho is she? Laine I am so so sorry…” Chris’ voice had become high-pitched.

“Shh keep your voice down, they’ll be down in a minute”, said Laine in a very low voice

“Have you called the police?” Chris whispered, his voice no more than a breath

“No, no police, we’ll do this my way. We needed Tony to distract her so we could fill you in. Here’s what’s gonna happen”, said Laine, now standing by the doorway, still speaking in soft tones.

Simple Minds had got through the miracle and were now aptly onto the hunter and the hunted.

Karenna was in seventh heaven. Tony wanted her. It was only a matter of time before she really was Mrs Black. For now she would play it his way. She had often used her body to get what she wanted with those sleaze balls at SBC and she knew she was good at it. She was a bit taken aback when Tony had first asked her to “entertain” him. But why should she have been surprised? After all he was a man. He hadn’t even touched her, which was sweet, she thought.

“Not a word”, he had warned as they left the bathroom.

“Ah just in time, just serving up”, said Laine as they made their way into the kitchen. The kitchen was steamy with condensation. Across the back windows the occasional flashes of light were framed as the storm gathered momentum. The storm would soon be directly above them. Large raindrops hit the windows in a desperate attempt to start an invasion.

Dinner went off without a hitch. Pleasant conversation coupled with good wine were all that could be seen to the uninitiated. Andy had dominated the conversation, talking about forensics and how easy it is to find someone on very little evidence, especially if they already had a criminal record. This was of course all done for the benefit of Karenna, who despite the topic of conversation seemed blissfully unaware that it was directed at her.

Andy had found out that Karenna Lacey indeed did have a criminal record for ABH. Three years previously she had hounded some poor guy’s wife. It ended badly and Karenna was charged.

“So Karenna, Ella and I are talking about going back to Italy this year, just us - have you ever been to Italy?” said Laine, pouring herself more wine.

Karenna for a split second looked confused, then with an act that was worthy of an Oscar said, “No, never been, always wanted to go.” Phew, good save again, thought Karenna.

“Well now, that is very interesting”, said Laine, making her way towards Karenna. “Because from where I sit I’m sure we’ve seen you in Italy. In fact I would almost guarantee you were there at the same time as us last year.” Laine gritted her teeth, the venom desperate to be released.

Karenna jumped up from the table. Chris firmly pushed her back into her seat.

“You are not going anywhere until we’re done, do you understand?” Chris had firmly placed her back in her seat. He stared at her, his eyes full of hatred.

“You are one nasty evil little slut.” From across the table Tony’s voice boomed, loud, deep and full of thunder.

“For you to ever think you could come between us…” he sneered. “Whatever stone you have crawled out from under, you can crawl back to it. You’re finished here, do you understand me? We never want to see you anywhere near us or in fact anywhere in London. Otherwise make no mistake the police will be involved and this time they won’t be so lenient with you, do you understand?”

Tony had got to his feet, and now with all the control he could muster he was towering over Karenna, fists clenched.

“But… but… upstairs, you, you wanted me, you really wanted me, you made me…” Karenna was shaking, her voice cracking.

“I showed you around the house Karenna, nothing more. See? Twisting things to fit your warped version of the truth. Get over it, you just can’t help yourself can you?” Tony bent down and looked her straight in the eyes.

“Let me make this simple for you. You will leave this house, go home, pack and disappear. If I so much as even think you are still here I shall make your life a living hell. I called Henry this evening and told him to fire you, told him that you had a criminal record and were dangerous.” Tony turned and walked towards Laine: she had never seen him this dark.

“And if you ever think you could even compare to my wife, then you….” Karenna deftly grabbed a knife from the table. With one swift powerful move she rushed at Tony, stabbing him in the back. It happened so fast that everyone seemed to react in slow motion. Grabbing his chest, Tony lurched forward. He tried to steady his hold of the table. A loud dull thud sounded as his face hit the robust wood. Laine and Ella screamed.

Karenna, face contorted, teeth bared, had lost control. Her eyes took on a wild, hunted look. No one moved: everyone stood looking at Tony as he lay motionless and crumpled over the table. Blood dripped down onto the dining chair, slowly expanding into a crimson circle on the floor. Wild and feral, Karenna grabbed Laine, holding the bloodied knife to her throat. She was a lot stronger than Laine had given her credit for. Chris and Andy had both taken a moment to fully comprehend the situation and were now heading towards Karenna and Laine.

“Don’t you dare come closer; I’ll do it, I’ll rip her fucking head off her shoulders!” Karenna hissed.

Laine could feel the blade wanting entry through her skin; she let out a small groan. Her eyes focused in on Tony who lay motionless across the table. “Tony”, she whispered. Ella, Andy and Chris were now all at Tony’s side.

“We need to call an ambulance, we need to call a fucking ambulance Karenna!” shouted Chris, who had moved Tony off the table and laid him onto the tiled floor, the circle of rich red blood ever increasing.

“See what you’ve all done, you’ve done this… if you’d have left us alone…” Karenna screeched. Her voice had taken on an other-worldly insipid quality

“We need an ambulance Karenna, he’s bleeding out”, Ella pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Karenna yanked Laine by her hair backwards through the kitchen door and into the hall. It was all Laine could do to maintain her footing and she stumbled briefly. Karenna had released the knife from around her throat but now held it tightly by her side. It was the bread knife, Laine glanced again: the end was missing.

“Lock it”, Karenna barked, pointing to the kitchen door.

“Now.”

Hands shaking, Laine managed after several attempts to lock the kitchen door. Karenna, snatching the key, pulled firmly on Laine’s hair, dragging her down the hallway and into the sitting room, forcing her into the arm chair.

“Don’t you fucking move, I have to think.” Karenna’s voice was colourless, almost mechanical, no inflection of emotion.

The knife was still being gripped firmly in Karenna’s right hand. Laine wasn’t even sure Karenna knew she still had the knife.

“You have to let them out, you have to let them call an ambulance Karenna, he’s going to die!” screamed Laine.

The fear of losing Tony had taken root in Laine’s mind. This was all wrong, he should not be on his own. She owed him so much and this was not how it should be: they were just finding their rhythm, the stability she craved had been on the horizon, she could see it, and now this. Her hand brushed the arm of the chair and at that moment she knew what she had to do.

“Don’t you fucking move, you have fucked this up not me. You should have let me have him when I had the chance, not bewitch him – you don’t even love him for fuck’s sake…” Karenna had moved closer, her voice jeering and heavy. The smell of iron rich blood was getting closer, searing Laine’s nostrils. Karenna smelt of death, of despair, of darkness.

With each breath she took she was gaining ground, trying to seal Laine’s fate. Her blood-stained hands gripped onto each arm of the 1940s chair, she was now eyeball to eyeball with Laine, the metallic smell of iron was overpowering.

“If I can’t have him then neither can you…” A leer spread across Karenna’s face, making her look even more deranged.

Laine seized her moment. She grabbed the hidden knife from the compartment of the chair and with every ounce of energy she had she lunged towards Karenna. She caught her straight across the neck. A powerful torrent of blood surged out at such speed that both women gasped. Blood seemed to be everywhere. Karenna grabbed her neck and swore. She tore a strip from the bottom of her dress and tied it around her neck. She felt incredibly light-headed and started to sway, giving Laine just enough time to run. Laine ran for her life. She had been completely taken aback by the sheer volume of blood that had sprung forth. Blind panic and fear gripped her, taking on a rigamortis-like quality, her muscles slowing under the sheer weight of fear trying to immobilise her. She had to fight it, she knew it was her only option. Images of Tony slumped over the kitchen table flashed through her mind. Her adrenaline now in full swing, she had only one choice: it had to be life. She climbed the stairs two at a time, leaving behind imprints of blood on each stair. She dared not look back. Too many thoughts were crowded in, she had to stay focused. She had misjudged Karenna once, and she would not do so again.

Karenna, now unrecognisable, had taken on a ghoul-ike appearance; her hair matted thick with ruby red blood, her dress torn, her face knotted and twisted with pain.

“I will kill you!” she screamed.

Her mind was racing but her body depleted of blood was slow to respond. In a dreamlike state she headed for the stairs holding fast onto the stair rail: she would find Laine, she would kill her and then it would be over.

“Come on Laine, you might as well get this over with”, she shouted. Each step seemed to take more effort than the last. Karenna stopped and tore another strip off her dress. The bleeding had eased but had not stopped.

Laine, reaching the the top of the stairs, realised she was leaving a trail of blood behind her. Quickly and deftly she took off her jeans, and socks, wiping the soles of her feet against the jeans, she had to survive. Think, Laine, think. Where would she stand the best chance of survival?

As soon as the kitchen door had locked Andy grabbed Ella.

“Look at me Ella.” His voice low and measured. “You need to run out of the back door, get to a neighbour’s house and call the police. Do you understand?”

“Yes but… but what about Tony?” she whimpered.

“Chris and I will look after Tony, now we need you to focus OK?” He touched her hand.

“I’m scared Andy”, she cried.

“I know, but you have to do this, we all need you to do this. We have to stop her and we need you to raise the alarm OK?” His words again measured but this time spoken with a sense of urgency.

“OK Andy”, she said, and giving him a hug headed for the back door.

Tony had not moved since Karenna had stabbed him. He looked vacant, and unaware of life carrying on around him. His eyes, darker than normal, fixed and vacant: a glazed expression appeared to consume him.

“He’s dead Chris. I think the blade pierced his heart”, said Andy, getting up from Tony’s side.

Chris didn’t move. It was as though he had been turned to stone. He sat cradling Tony’s head in his lap. The pool of blood which only minutes earlier had been warm and flowing was now cold and had started to dry on the terracotta tiles.

“He’s dead Chris”, Andy repeated, this time softer in tone.

He placed one hand on Chris’s shoulder.

“I know, I just don’t want it to be true”, said Chris, sadly bowing his head.

Chris straightened up. “Ella must have raised the alarm by now. Let’s nail the bitch”, he said, teeth clenched to stop from shaking.

It didn’t take them long to break down the kitchen door. As they did, the power failed and they were left in total darkness. “Shit, the storm must have hit a power station or something”, said Andy, glued to the spot, trying desperately not to let the fear that had been kept at bay take hold.

Chris produced a mini maglite attached to a bunch of keys. The beam was short and limited but it gave off enough light for them to see the trail of blood on the stairs.

“If she’s done anything to Laine, I’ll…” A deafening clap of thunder ran through the house. The storm was directly overhead.

Laine had taken a chance and opened the front bedroom window. She had wanted to jump through it but had instead decided to use it as a decoy. A small balcony fronted the window. It was indeed quite plausible that she could have gone out onto the balcony and escaped. She instead climbed to the second floor just as the power had blown. She glanced back and saw Karenna highlighted against the lightning, knife still in hand, heading for the front bedroom. Laine’s heart was racing, sweat formed on her upper lip. She made a conscious effort to breath long and deep. Tiny thoughts echoed through her head, grabbing her attention. None of them big thoughts - all little crazy things; do sweat droplets dropping onto the floor make a noise? Laine prayed that Karenna would take the bait as she quietly squeezed herself into a crawl space under the eaves in the attic room. She could hear her heart pounding, and wished that she could hold her breath so as not to make even the slightest sound. She had used the crawl space to store precious memories from her time in Italy: photos of her and John that Ella had taken. A menu from the trattoria where she had first met John. The rose petals she had kept in silk from the monastery in Venice. If she were to die, she could think of no better place. She could hear screams, or was it just the wind? Time seemed to have been slowed almost to a walk, a heartbeat slowing after the 100 metres.