Defective - A Psychopath's Tale

Chapter 17 - Facts And Details

"Mister ... Benson... ah, good to see you sir." Benji said when I walked up to the counter. He seemed a bit rattled for some reason. My senses were on high alert, so Benji acting out of character really flared them.

"What's the matter Benji? Seeing me make you nervous?" Candor was not in my wheelhouse at the moment, only the direct blunt approach.

Benji laughed nervously. "No, no mister Benson sir." He cackled a bit and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck as he looked at the counter instead of me. He looked up with a nervous smile. "It's just that... ah... well, sir, we don't have any Mopar Grand's in right now... ah sir." He tried to look apologetic. "I know that's your favorite car, mine too actually, and we just don't have any."

And he was afraid I'd turn into every other asshole at the counter when the place didn't have the car they wanted. I was cool. I put my hackles down.

With a reassuring smile I said, "No problem Benji, just give me what you got that's close to the front of the lot. Okay?"

He seemed to relax a touch. "Sure thing mister Benson. Do you mind a Desoto?"

"Nope, a Desoto will be fine." I answered.

Then we went through the routine as usual. I signed the needed paperwork, ran my card, placed my thumb on the reader when I needed to then was on my way.

As I drove out of town and the view gave way to farms with fields of crops, cattle and other animals I started to smile. Sheila, she'd be surprised to see me. She usually didn't like it when I visited her unannounced. Said she wanted to have the place presentable for me when I came home. This time though, I thought she'd be pleasantly surprised to see me.

Then I thought about Lydia. Tullis had wiped out the entire Vaughner family when her father refused Tullis' extortion attempts, refused to pay the protection money Tullis demanded. They were a very well-to-do family. They were big in precious metals and gem importation. Mister Tullis wanted in on their deal and was willing to kill to get what he wanted.

Tullis tried several times with different tactics each time to get Glen Vaughner to play ball; no matter what Tullis threw at him he never caved, so Tullis opted for plan B, kill them all, including Lydia, then take over their business. My part in this little coup was the elimination of their 12 year old daughter, Lydia. No one else in the syndicate wanted any part in killing a 12 year old girl, so the duty was dropped in my lap; I was said to be the boy with no conscience.

Both Tullis' were wrong about me, I did have a conscience; I was simply the boy whom never let his conscience show. Randle was right about me in one way though, I did try to balance out the bad I did with some sort of good. I hadn't before, but some, oh, four years or so ago I started doing 'good things' to ease my mind. About the time I started relations with Sheila.

Lydia seemed to be doing rather well on the farm with all the animals around. When I brought her to the Mellencamp's farm for the first time, she was excited to be around the chickens, ducks and geese that were up by the house. She was even more excited when she met their two dogs. She'd grown a lot in the three years since I dropped her off there and they made her a part of the family; but she still seemed to love all the critters running around.

By the time I pulled down her driveway, my thoughts had returned to Sheila. I was feeling a bit... blissful I guess as I drove down the long driveway, the farmhouse was just coming into view when my brain voice started screaming. 'Turn around! Run! Get out of here! Wrong, it's all wrong, think boy think, get out! Go back to Vermont! Run you dumb fuck, run!"

I shook my head. I slowed the Desoto and started looking around for anything out of place. Had Tullis found out about Sheila? Had he rationalized that I'd come running here because I thought he had no idea that she existed and thus had boys laying in wait for me? I told my voice to shut the hell up, I wanted to know if she was alright or if Tullis had hurt her. I needed to know!