Murder in 1975 (Gay - Romantic Thriller)

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve 

The Holden cruised steadily along the street, clearing the parked cars by only a couple of feet each side. Twenty nine...thirty one...good. He'd reach his destination before he met the car coming towards him. Indicator flashing, the driver of the Holden turned left into another equally narrow street and parked his car halfway along it. He got out, locking the door behind him, and walked back the way he had come. 

The night air felt fresh on his face and he quickened his step, pulling down his jacket further to cover his wrists. There was a Morris parked outside Anne's house, which appeared to be dark blue in the faint streetlight. It must be his. He stood, resting his hand on the gate for several moments looking around. The street was quite empty of people and moving cars, lights shone dully behind closed curtains in most of the houses including Anne's; no one would see him go in. With a sigh of satisfaction, the man went through the gate and around the side of the house to find the back door. It was all going to be the same. 

The house itself was different of course. It was single storied, surrounded by a garden. Confidently he turned the door handle and pushed inwards. It opened. She had left it unlocked for him. With slow deliberate steps, he made his way along the passage, through the open lounge to her room which was where they had to be. The bar of light underneath the door told him he was right. It was as if what he was going to do was meant to happen ... always in the same pattern. But something was wrong. The door was shut; he couldn't see into the room. At the same time as that detail struck him, a floorboard creaked beneath his foot. He froze, had they heard him? 

He pressed himself against the wall, listening intently. A faint murmur of voices penetrated to him, unbroken. He was still safe and his tension eased a fraction. He would do what he had done before: overpower the man first, speed and surprise, and then teach the girl a lesson. His hand reached out for the carved door knob and eased it around. He thrust the door inwards and leapt into the room. He caught a glimpse of Anne's startled eyes and then someone grabbed his arm from behind. 

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded an angry young voice. "Who let you in? That's trespassing you know; we could put the cops on you for that alone. Now get out of here, and keep away from Anne!" 

The intruder's panic faded. Who did this kid think he was? Anne was his girl; he'd show them both. He swung his fist around at his captor's face. Unprepared, Tim caught the blow on the side of his jaw and rocked back. The intruder came at him again, fists flying, forcing Tim to fight back to defend himself. He was angry and a little scared, but it wasn't until his attacker pulled out a pocket knife that he realised how dangerous he was. The idiot was really trying to hurt him! Anne had given him no idea her ex-boyfriend was that jealous. The knife stabbed at his face and a wave of terror flooded through him, this wasn't normal jealousy, it wasn't normal anything! The man was mad! He meant to kill him. They writhed over the floor struggling for control of the knife and neither was aware when Anne ran panic stricken from the room. 

Her feet slipped as she ran down the passage. Quick! She must get to the phone. With shaking fingers, she dialled triple zero and called for the police. As she was replacing the receiver she saw the empty milk bottles waiting to be put out. She grabbed one and flew back to her room. He was on top of Tim, his hands at his throat, she screamed again and again, trying to distract him, to bring help - anything! Tim was gasping, his face purple, tears streaming from his eyes. In a frenzy of panic, Anne flung herself forward, smashing at the attackers' head with the bottle. It broke into a dozen pieces, gashing his forehead and he let go of Tim, shaking his head dazedly. 

For the first time her screaming penetrated his concentration and he pulled her roughly to the floor. She kicked and bit and scratched and he looked frantically around for a pillow to shut her up. Inch by inch he dragged her over to the bed and jerked the pillow off it. He was still trying to hold it over her face when someone wrenched at his arms. It took two men, a policeman and a neighbour to pull him off her and a second policeman started resuscitation as soon as he could get to her mouth. Her heart was still beating and he hoped he was in time to save her. Tim lay motionless in the doorway. Another neighbour bent down to help him.