Slipway Grey: A Deep Sea Thriller (9 page)

Desmond called out, “Hey? What’s going on over there?” He waved his arm in the air.

Mandy waved back, and then watched the water churn in front of her. When the water finally calmed, Sarah’s left foot floated to the surface. Mandy grabbed a fishnet from the railing above a long metal box containing a speargun. She leaned over the pier and scooped the foot out. Grey’s massive head rose to the surface, far enough that she was able to pat his blunt nose. “Good boy. Now, go take care of Desmond.” She pointed toward the athlete and watched as the shark sped off.

Desmond kept calling. She saw the dorsal fin of the bull shark getting closer. His yells for attention turned into screams of panic as the predator was almost on top of him.

Mandy watched Desmond swim frantically as the shark approached. Soon, Grey overtook him in a spectacular splash of thrashing water. In no time, the waters calmed. The shark continued heading out the bay toward the Gulf. It would be the last time Desmond would ever be seen again.

She looked at Sarah’s foot still in her hand. Her toenails were painted green. Mandy sneered. Sarah had never had any taste. She put on her clothes, and gathered Desmond’s, before heading for the boathouse. She could feed Grey the foot later.

If the others weren’t awake by now, she would give them until noon and get them up. Half of her plan had been executed, and the other half remained. Things were going smoothly, and she couldn’t wait to see the shocked faces staring back when the truth was revealed. Mandy was nearly ready to release her true self on the world. It brought an indescribable exuberance—a blast of raw energy. Better than sex or any orgasm. A high greater than any drug would bring.

Sarah’s foot went in the cooler, and Mandy skipped back to the house. Memories of Chet’s face frozen in horror returned. She felt herself getting wet.

Chapter 14

The only thing Mandy had on her mind was a hot shower and a few rounds with her vibrator when she entered the beach house. The sight of Serena sitting by herself at the table surprised her. Serena gazed up, and Mandy closed the door quietly.

“How do you feel?” Mandy asked, walking into the kitchen.

“Emotionally or physically?” Serena said. She faced down at the table and tapped her fingers rhythmically.

“I guess emotionally.”

“I’m a wreck, Mandy. I’m a little pissed off at you.”

“Me? What did I do?” Mandy fought off a laugh.

“Why did you bring up that question for Truth or Dare? You knew it would just start shit. This whole weekend is ruined, and it’s all your fault. I think you did this on purpose—get us out here and fuck around with us because you’re bored. Well boo-hoo, the poor little rich girl is bored. Fuck you.”

Mandy was stunned. A wave of anger rushed over her, and she was tempted to grab the copper pot hanging over the stove and beat Serena’s brains out until there was nothing left in her head. She fought the urge. That wasn’t the plan. Not like that.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Serena, I really do, but Chet needed to be called out. Besides, it’s not like you care that much about Desmond anyway. You cheat on him.”

“He cheats on me, too.”

“Seems like the person you should be getting mad at is yourself, not me.”

There was a pause, and Serena took a deep breath. “Sorry, Mandy. I was out of line.”

“This hasn’t been the best weekend. You want some eggs? I just went for a swim, and I’m starving.”

“Sure, that’d be good.”

Mandy got to work scrambling eggs while Serena made a pot of coffee. The house was eerily quiet save for the hiss of eggs sizzling and coffee brewing. Mandy plated the eggs, and the two girls sat at the table.

“So, I guess everyone’s at the beach?” Serena asked, shoveling egg into her mouth.

“Oh, you weren’t awake for all of that.” Mandy sipped her coffee.

“Awake for what?”

“Chet and I had a huge fight last night. He admitted to cheating on me, and I told him to leave. I offered to drive him to town, but he just stormed off. I told Desmond, and he tried to call him. Chet didn’t answer, so he went after him. Luke, Glenn, and Sarah are still upstairs sleeping.”

“Why didn’t he tell me he was leaving?”

“Serena, I have some bad news. Desmond told me he planned on dumping you. In fact, and I really shouldn’t say this, he came on to me this morning. Said we need to screw to get revenge on you and Chet. Silly, right? I swear, I can’t wait until I start dating college guys.”

Serena dropped her fork, devastated. “He…he was going to break up with me?” Tears welled in her eyes.

“Honey, no, don’t cry. You’re too good for him anyway.” Mandy rushed over and hugged her. Serena hugged back. “Look, screw them. We can still have fun. How about you go change? We can go for a swim and lay out. Let’s try to enjoy ourselves. Besides, I know you and I won’t stay on the market for long. Hell, Desmond probably went after Chet because they’re banging one another.”

Serena laughed, and Mandy joined her.

“Okay,” Serena said. “Let me go change, and I’ll meet you on the beach.”

She got up and walked up the stairs to her room. Mandy sighed and cleared the table. She needed to get back to the boathouse and do a few things before Serena was ready to meet Grey.

*

With each step she took, Serena grew angrier.
That asshole could have at least told me bye. He owed me that much.
She entered the guest room and headed straight for her phone. Sure enough there were no missed calls. She was surprised Chet hadn’t tried to call her, but she figured he was doing his best to keep it cool. She’d make it up to him when she got home.

She sat down on the bed and plotted her next move. Swimming with Mandy sounded okay, but they weren’t even that good of friends. She really only hung around her because of Desmond and Chet. What other options did she have? Leave the poor girl?  That’d be pretty messed up. Even though she still blamed Mandy for ruining the weekend, it wasn’t totally her fault.

Desmond wasn’t going to get away free and clear. She needed to get a word in at least. She opened her text messages, and something strange caught her eye. She had one from Chet, and it had been read. That’s why it never sounded on her phone. She clicked on the message, and her blood ran cool.
I told him to meet me in the boathouse? When?
Confusion set in, and she read his message: CAN’T WAIT Sent: 4:38 A.M.

Mandy!
It had to be, but it didn’t make sense. She needed an explanation, and she was damned determined to get one. She didn’t bother to change into her suit, knowing that swimming was probably not going to happen.
She’s messing with us, but why?
Serena debated waking Luke, Glenn, and Sarah; but decided to let them sleep. This wasn’t their fight, and she didn’t want anyone standing in her way when she tore that bitch’s hair out.

Serena ran down the stairs and headed for the door. She checked the kitchen, and then the rest of the house, making sure Mandy wasn’t still inside. She wasn’t, and as Serena made her way out, she saw the doors to the boathouse open.
Perfect, there’s no running from me now.

*

Mandy removed Sarah’s foot from the cooler and plopped it down on the cleaning station. Selecting a filet knife, she cut off the toes, taking care to remove each digit with precision. She tossed them in the water and watched smaller fish go for them. She threw one in the grass and smiled when two seagulls wrestled over Sarah’s pinkie toe.
And this little piggie was eaten by a seagull.
She laughed, and the birds flew away.

Mandy snatched the toeless foot off the plastic sink and tossed it in the water. She didn’t know if Grey would get it, but that didn’t matter. The best part was her plan was working. No one suspected a thing. She saw Serena walking down the path to the boathouse and was dismayed that she wasn’t wearing her bathing suit. Serena walked with a purpose, an attitude evident in her stride. Her fingers tightly clutched a cell phone. Mandy’s eyes widened.

She had stolen Serena’s phone and replaced it.
I forgot to delete the texts. Stupid, Mandy. Just stupid!
Her plan was going to unravel and over something so simple. Serena suspected, and Mandy knew that yappy bitch would scream and run as soon as the truth was revealed. She couldn’t let it get that far.

Mandy exited the boathouse and walked toward the beach, pretending not to see Serena. She heard the footsteps behind her click and clack on the wooden walkway and knew they’d soon be muffled by the sand. A desperate plan formulated in her head, but she didn’t know if it would work. All bets were off if Serena attacked her. She hoped it didn’t come to that.

“Mandy, wait up,” Serena called. Mandy came to a halt, her back still turned to Serena.

Serena came closer. The crashing of waves mixed with heavy breathing. Mandy couldn’t determine if they were breaths of exhaustion from pacing on the sand, or Serena trying to control her breathing from going into a rage.

“How could you? How could you do this to me? To Chet?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Serena.” Mandy turned and faced Serena.

Serena’s hand shook as she thrust the phone in Mandy’s face. “Really? This doesn’t look familiar?”

The text message was barely visible in the sunlight, but Mandy knew what it said. She threw her arms up, a what-do-you-want-me- to-do-about-it gesture, and Serena’s face grew the darkest shaded of reddish black Mandy had ever seen.

“Why, Mandy? Why would you do this to us? I thought you wanted us out here to have fun.”

“Seems like you’re the one who’s been having the fun. You, and Chet, and Sarah. Well, all that fun is over. I loved him, Serena. And I wasn’t good enough. He had to have others. You, Sarah, and Katy. Guess who’s next?”

Serena gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. She shook uncontrollably and thin streams of tears made their way past her eyelids and down her face.

“Katy?” she asked, unsure if she’d heard correctly.

“Oh, yes.” Mandy smiled. “Katy.”

Serena turned and attempted to run, making the biggest, and last, mistake of her young life. Unable to gain traction in the sand, she left her back exposed. The knife concealed in Mandy’s shorts slid through Serena’s back and into her lung. The air rushed out, and Serena fell to her knees on the beach. Mandy retracted the knife and stabbed into the other side. Serena let out a timid squeak as her other lung was punctured. She collapsed on her back. Mandy took hold of her hair and began to drag her toward the water. Serena’s eyes stared up at the blinding sun. Her mouth croaked open, and bits of sand landed on her tongue.

“You couldn’t keep your fucking mouth shut. We couldn’t just have a nice day at the beach. God, you are such a bitch.”

Mandy grunted as she dragged the girl to the water’s edge. She knew once she got her in it would be easier to float her to Grey. She saw the dorsal fin cut the surf and knew the shark was getting impatient.

Serena gasped, pleading, and Mandy laughed at the pitiful attempt at begging. The water was cool on Mandy’s legs as she waded into the surf with Serena in tow. Water rushed over Serena’s face. Mandy felt a large shape press against her and searing pain as the shark’s rough skin brushed her thigh. The pain was glorious.

“Bye, Serena. Say hi to Chet for me.” She pushed her farther into the water.

Serena’s body floated on the surface, bobbing like a lifeless doll. As her lungs filled with water, Serena stared up into the brilliant blue sky for the last time.

Mandy saw Grey burst from the surf and strike. There was an explosion of water and blood as Grey twisted and turned, severing Serena’s head and most of her right arm. The shark struck the other half and shredded the torso and legs until the water was flecked with bits of human debris. Mandy swam to shore.

She checked her thigh and saw the large red mark. Needle point droplets of blood formed and ran down her leg. The white sand was stained a horrible shade of crimson. Mandy kicked and moved the sand around to hide the evidence.

“What are you doing?” Luke asked.

Mandy recoiled and almost fell over. She’d thought she was alone the entire time, but Luke and Glenn stood on the beach, staring at her.
Did they see?
The knife was lost, mixed somewhere in the sand. Could she take them both if she had to? Time was running out.

“What do you mean?” she asked, trying to spin it innocently.

“You’re alone…and kicking sand all over the place,” Glenn said. They both eyed her suspiciously.

She turned the waterworks on and collapsed onto the beach, grabbing handfuls of sand and sobbing.

“I just wanted this to be a nice weekend, and it’s ruined!” She blubbered into the warm sand as her forehead made contact with the ground.

Luke rushed to her side to comfort her. Glenn stayed back, suspicious.

“It’s okay, Mandy. Really. Everything’s all right.” Luke reassured her as Mandy cried into his shirt.

“Everyone left. Chet left. Desmond went after him. Serena followed him. Sarah went for a boat ride with someone she knew. They all left me.”

“We’re still here, and we aren’t going anywhere,” Luke said, doing his best to comfort her. “Glenn, can you go back to the house and grab Mandy some water.”

“Sure, why not,” Glenn grumbled. He turned and made his way back to the beach house.

*

The water filled the glass, and Glenn sighed.
Some weekend
, he thought as he tipped the glass back and drank in long swallows. He had no intention of being Mandy’s errand boy and fetching her a drink like he was some kind of slave. Those days of being nice for the sake of it were over. The weekend was a bust—a major one at that. Sarah was off somewhere with someone she wanted to be with. He hadn’t even gotten a fair shot at her. It didn’t matter.

Soon he’d be off to college, and he could put this amateur bullshit behind him.

He thought about going back to sleep, or rubbing one out, or both. What was there to do anyway? He was happy Luke was finally getting to spend some time with Mandy, but for as hot as she was, the girl was clearly a beacon of bad luck. Parents dead, friends all gone. Sure, she had a ton of money, but what good was it?

He’d never had the chance to really explore the sprawling beach house. He walked from room to room, looking at the various pictures on the wall. Mandy’s parents looked happy enough in the photos. Her stepdad posed with a variety of fish he’d caught on what looked to have been expensive charter trips. Mandy was in a few of the pictures, but she never smiled. The closer her looked, he noticed the little girl and young woman in the photos all wore the same flat expression. Glenn shook his head and moved on. He found a game room, equipped with a pool table, foosball, and an air hockey game. He wished he’d have found this place the other night. Playing a game of one-man pool didn’t sound like such a bad idea. There was really no one around to hang with anymore.

The walk up the stairs was quick, and he looked through each room. Everyone’s bags were still in their respective rooms, and he found that to be a bit odd.
Why would they just leave their stuff? I guess they’ll come back and get it.
He figured in their rush to leave, they just didn’t care about some overnight clothes and toiletries.