The Unborn

Chapter 26

Ben parked his Chevy on the side of the street. He looked up at Anna’s house from his seat. Sitting in her driveway was a silver Volkswagon Convertible. Ben eyed it suspiciously. He remembered seeing that car before. His mind ticked over trying to recall where. He got out of his car and stepped onto the footpath, his eyes still fixed on the VW. Like a bolt of lightning it hit him. That was the car he had seen Marla and Dr. Sugars drive away in the night he visited the Wellness Clinic, but what would Rose be doing at Anna’s?

The thought had no sooner entered his mind when he heard smashing glass and screaming echo from inside Anna’s house. He grabbed for his gun and ran to the front steps, stopping beside the front door. The voices became hushed and he could hear Anna sobbing hysterically. Ben trod carefully and made his way towards the window to the left of the door, his gun still firmly in his hand. His heart thumped in his chest and sweat gathered above his brow. As swiftly and as quietly as he could, he poked his head around to the front of the window and peered inside.

Anna was seated on the sofa in the lounge room, tears streaming down her cheeks and Rose was standing over the top of her holding a gun. Ben pulled his head back from the window before he was seen and backed further up against the wall of the house. With his left hand, he reached into his pocket for his phone. It wasn’t there.

“Shit!” Ben cursed under his breath.

His breathing became more rapid and the sweat now ran down over his brow and into his eyes. The stinging caused him to repeatedly blink his eyelids. It was the body’s vain effort to expel the salty liquid from his eyes and regain his vision clearly. Rose’s voice resounded from the lounge room. It was harsh and deep.

“You dare to threaten me! Who do you think you are?”

“You have to go,” Anna sobbed and stammered, “to the police.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” Rose’s voice grew more menacing. “and neither will you.”

“But Marla…”

“She was weak, she was going to run to those cops and tell them everything.”

“You? You killed her, too?” Anna’s voice rose to a higher pitch.

“No!” boomed Rose, “I’ve killed no-one.”

“You killed Tessa, I know you did, and so do you.”

“Tessa was an accident!” Rose spat back at her.

“An accident? If it was an accident you should have gone to the police like Marla wanted you to.”

“You should be more worried about why Kylie-Anne and Marla were murdered…” Rose cut herself short.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, they were all your clients. They all died within hours of meeting with you. Doesn’t that tell you something?”