Payback Pt. 01

I shook my head. "I don't even know anyone who belongs to a bike club. No one I even work with owns a bike or goes on poker runs even."

"Any idea who might have wanted to hurt you?"

"Nope, I am divorced and live alone. I work on a non-union construction site and we haven't had any trouble with the union boys for a long time. I go out and drink a single beer about once a week as I have a drinking problem and can't afford to let myself get too drunk. The last time I did that I didn't sober up for three or four weeks. It has been hell getting my reputation back.

My wife remarried and is doing good, as far as I know. She left me because of my drinking. I don't think her husband is jealous as she most likely tells him about all the shitty things I used to do."

The officer finally left and the nurse came back in. "The doctor wants you to stay here in the hospital tonight. He has concerns about your kidney function. There was some blood in your urine. You have some broken ribs too that need to heal. There is not much we can do about those except to give you some pain medicine so that you can still breathe adequately."

I nodded and let them do their thing. When she left me alone again I pulled my cell phone out and called my brother. "Dave, I know it's a little early but I need some help."

Dave is cool so he took it in stride. I told him what had happened and where I was. I also gave him my fake name to use if he came to see me. "What do you need right now?" He had always liked Pam but didn't question me or give me any shit. That might happen later but not right now.

"I need my stuff from the house. If you would arrange for a mover to not ask questions and not let that bitch interfere then my things could be moved to a storage facility. Can you arrange all that?"

He had no problem with that. Since we had come from a hard knock neighborhood he knew some guys who knew some other guys who were used to people moving to new digs on a moment's notice. I texted him a list of what I wanted from the house. I also didn't care if they had to force the door.

My next call was to a realtor. He was also an old friend from the 'hood. "Mike, I need a fast favor."

"No problem, Charlie. What's up?"

"Pam is cheating on me with a dirt bag biker. I don't know his name but he hangs out at Mario's out on the edge of town. I don't care right now about that so he can wait until later. Today I need to list my house on the market and sell it as fast as possible so that Pam can't move the asshole into my place."

I had purchased the house just after we got married. Pam's credit rating hurt our chances for owning a house so the mortgage and the title were in my name only. I had always intended to get her name on the title but had procrastinated about that. Maybe my subconscious had known something like this might happen to our marriage.

Yeah, I know, she was entitled to at least half of everything but we hadn't gone to court yet so I was going to make her life as complicated as possible.

"Okay, Charlie, I understand but what happens if Pam is at the house when I come by to do my market assessment and put up the sign?"

"Right now she is just a tenant and can't say yay or nay about the ownership of the house. Just tell her I have moved and the house has to go."

I thought a minute. "Why don't you act as my rental manager and take a lease agreement to her. Make it a month-to-month lease but include how she has to maintain the premises in a saleable condition and keep it ready to be shown. Tell her she has to sign it or she will be evicted. I don't think she is smart enough to fight it until she gets a lawyer and I don't think she'll do that until I have her served."

I told him about the movers that would be coming soon. He chuckled and promised to grab a new lock for whichever door would be breached.

I was then moved to a room, given some breakfast and got some sleep. I didn't plan on calling a lawyer just yet. Let the bitch stew for a couple of days.

Dave called back late in the afternoon. "Charlie, all done. The guys went over and got your recliner, the microwave, washer and dryer, the guest bedroom set, your guns and gun safe and all your tools. They also took all the dishes, pans and utensils even though you didn't list them. They just wanted Pam to be as inconvenienced as possible. Oh, by the way, the bed in the master suite accidently got bleach poured on it. I don't think the fabric will stand up to the corrosiveness and the room might have to be aired out for a couple of days."

I had to chuckle even though it hurt. "Was she there?"

"They didn't see hide nor hair of the witch. I think they were disappointed. You know the guys, they don't like bitches."

I had to agree. He signed off and promised to come and get me when I was to be released.

Now, you might be wondering about my finances. She had time to raid the coffers. Well, didn't I say I am an accountant? I am a good accountant. Some of my clients are from the old neighborhood and have some shady income streams. I make their money all look good for the IRS. I also only let Pam have access to her money and a joint account I put money in on a regular basis. She couldn't touch the savings or investment accounts. Yeah, again, I would have to share with her but not until a judge ruled. Right now she just had her wages for her cashier's job to rely on unless Behemoth was paying her way.

I checked the account balances. She had withdrawn all of the available cash from the joint account. No problem, I still had my own account where my pay was deposited. It wasn't even in the same bank as the joint account.

About six in the evening Mark called me back. I didn't know he had no love for Pam until he reported. "Charlie, your wife is a little miffed. She was there when I came by late this afternoon. Apparently the front door was standing wide open when she came back to the house and 'stuff was missing' as she put it. She was pleasant to me until I pulled out the new lock and started to replace the damaged one on the door. She got a little PO'd when I put the key in a box on the door itself and secured it. By the way, you need a new front door. That one is a little damaged and will hurt the sale."

I chuckled again. The pain medicine they gave me helped me to find some pleasure instead of aggravating the pain. "Did she have any problem with the news that she is a tenant and needs to pay rent from now on?"

He chuckled. "Oh yeah, that went over like a lead balloon. When I told her the house was for sale she almost popped a blood vessel. She screamed at me to get off the premises. I told her that I was the new rental manager and that only the owner of record could force me off the premises. I then gave her the lease to sign. She, of course, refused to sign and wanted to know where you are. Have you blocked her phone number? She kept saying you have not been answering when she has tried to call you. I didn't think you would want her to know where you are located, and I don't really know anyhow, so I couldn't help her out, darn it!" That last statement was said very sarcastically.

"Did you tell her she would be evicted if she doesn't sign the lease?"

"Yeah, but you know how some people always think they know better. I told her she had twenty-four hours to sign or I would serve the eviction notice. I hope she doesn't sign. She will be out of the house within thirty days if she doesn't. I know a couple of sheriff's deputies that hate cheating bitches and they will be glad to help her move out, even if it is just to the curb."

After he hung up I checked my phone. Somehow, and it must have been while I was kind of out of it, I had actually blocked her number. There were multiple attempts to call me, starting at about midnight last night, and then multiple texts. Instead of deleting them I decided to keep them in case my future divorce attorney needed to see them and hear the voice messages.

I slept pretty good that night. Of course it might have been the pain medication but I wanted to believe that making Pam a little upset was a better sleep aid than the pain stuff.

The next morning the doctor finally came round. I was being released. My kidney function was better and my breathing was okay but I wasn't going to go out running for some time. The doctor was very adamant about that little fact. I had to promise to take care of myself and not get abducted again.

When Dave got to the hospital I had corrected my name for admissions and had called the office and had them give the poor girl the insurance information since I still didn't have my wallet. Dave took me to my truck and soon we were on the way back to our hometown. I certainly wasn't going to say my home as I was now homeless.

When I got into town I checked in with work. To say the least my boss was livid as I had gone incognito for days. He quieted down when I told him I had been abducted and beaten and left on the road edge to die. He also questioned who might have wanted to hurt me. He also told me that Pam was trying to find me. I don't think he liked my wry chuckle as I told him she could go to hell. I think he had desires in his heart to fuck the bitch. He could have her if his wife would agree for all I cared.

I made arrangements to take a couple of extra days off to look into my shelter needs. It was a slow time as quarterly reports had just been finalized and tax season was still a ways off.

I quickly found an apartment near work. Our local economy was doing poorly right then so housing wasn't hard to find. I signed a year lease and paid the necessary deposits to get the electricity and natural gas in my name. I also called the cell phone company and made my plan a month-to-month and arranged to have Pam's shut off in a couple of days. That would give me time to let her know she was on her own.

After that I went to the furniture rental company and picked out a couch, a bedroom set and then went and bought some pots, pans, dishes and utensils. Yeah, I know, Dave's friends had taken all that. I planned on giving them back to Pam if she asked.

I called Dave and set up a time for the guys to bring my stuff over. I then sat in my new domicile and dialed my soon-to-be ex-wife.

Surprise, but she answered on the first ring. "Hello, is that you, Charlie?"

"Unless someone stole my phone, of course it is, Cunt."

"Why do you have to be insulting? Where are you and why haven't you been home?"

"Are you stupid or what? I stop at a bar to have a beer and see you with your new lover. I didn't even try to confront you. There was no need. After the way you have been treating me the past couple of months it was obvious you have found someone new and I was just the convenient bill payer. I tried to get up and leave but you had to decide I needed to be stopped. Your boyfriend beat me down and stomped me while you stood and laughed. I had to crawl away and ended up in a hospital for a couple of days wondering if my ribs or my kidneys were going to survive your fucking boyfriend's attack. And you actually ask why I have not been back to the house? Are you fucking seriously deranged? Why would I put myself anywhere you could sic your new man on me again? Do you want to see me dead?"

She started to blubber some inanity but I carried on. I hoped she was recording this. "That's it, isn't it? You get me killed, come up with some kind of explanation, maybe that I was jealous of your innocent relationship with the fucker and then you get everything, the house, my money, my pension, and my life insurance. Bravo. Too bad I thwarted your plan."

She actually started to cry. "I need you to come home. Everything has gone wrong. The house is up for sale. There is stuff missing. I think someone broke in before I could get home and stole things."

"Yeah, someone I know broke in and took my things along with some stuff to help me set up my new place. I will be fully set up tomorrow sometime. Sucks to be you but I will bet your new man will be supportive and help out."

"How could you be so cruel to me? That man, that realtor, told me I had to start paying rent. Why do I have to pay rent on our home? This is so wrong, what happened to us?"

I had to snort, yes actually snort, over the phone. "What happened to us? Are you really that clueless? I think you should look in the mirror for your answer. You decided to treat me like shit and start a new relationship with a fuckhead before leaving me. You spend my money on slutty new clothes and go bar hopping with him. Obviously that night wasn't the first night you were there with him as everyone seemed to know who you were and who you belonged to. Then you stood and laughed as he beat me half to death. If I had made any real noise when I woke up he was going to finish the job, that I have no doubt. So, kiss my ass. You are now a renter and Mike is the landlord. Do not talk to me about the rent, just pay it or get out!"

"But I need some money. There isn't any left in the checking account."

"There won't be any either. I will continue to pay the utilities until the house sells. You pay the rent on your pay. You have a job. Quit buying makeup and clothes for a while. You have enough slut shit to get by on. Or better yet, get fuckface to pay your way."

"But you are my husband, you are supposed to take care of me."

"Yeah, and as my wife you are supposed to love and support me. Guess we both lose, huh?"

"What do I do for a car? My car was totaled and I need some way to get to work."

"Call your fucking boyfriend. You can ride on the back of his bike. You are already used to straddling something he owns."

"He is in the hospital with a head injury and multiple broken bones."

"Too fucking bad he didn't die. Tell him that I will be looking out for him. If I see him before he sees me, I will avoid him. Otherwise, I will be carrying my gun and will shoot instead of talking."

You know the "buts" just kept coming. Finally I told her to eat shit and die and hung up. Her number was still blocked so I didn't have to shut off my phone.

I tried to sleep, honestly I really did, but I had no bed and it hurt too much to lay on the floor. I finally left the apartment and went to the nearest decent motel and checked in for the night just so I could sleep in a real bed.

In the morning it took all I could muster to get up. God, I hope I healed quickly. I wonder if prize fighters feel this bad after going ten rounds with someone just as good or better than they are.

I had a quick breakfast then went back to the apartment. Soon Dave's guys had my stuff unloaded and set up. I gave them each an extra $100 bill for their trouble. After that the rental place came and brought the couch and other stuff. I gave them a tip also.

I was going to have to hit the bank again for walking-around money. I try to keep a couple of thousand in ready cash stashed somewhere easy to get to. After all I am not pure as the driven snow. Someone somewhere might decide that my accounting practices for my select friends might be just a shade illegal. So I have my go bag set up and ready to go. And, yes to your question, it is not in my former house.

I sat down in my familiar recliner to contemplate my near future. Should I disappear for a while or stick around and work and act like nothing is going on? When should I pull the trigger and divorce my cheating slut of a wife? Should I make her dangle on for a while? Should I act like we are getting back together and then dump her? Nah, the last was a non-starter. She would just continue with Behemoth or his replacement. I might make her dangle on until she got smart enough to get a lawyer.

In our state the outcome of a divorce wasn't based on why the dissolution was filed. Unless she went to jail for my beating, no judge would care why we were getting divorced. The ruling would just list out who paid what and when, not why. She would get at least fifty percent of everything that was publically known about. I would retain the rest.

Okay, so how can I make my wife's life a little nastier? After all I need and demand some retribution. So far the gravy train has derailed and she will have to fend for herself from now on. I hope the house sells quickly. I deliberately priced it to move quickly even in this economy. Her boyfriend is in the hospital. I don't know how badly he is hurt but I could only hope he will not regain full brain function and has to be fed from a tube the rest of his miserable life. That goes for any of his friends that happened to be there the other night when he beat me down. They all need to suffer for their sins.

Do I expect to be visited by his friends? Yes, sometime in the future they will want to right the wrongs they perceive to have been visited on them. I went over to where my gun safe had been placed by the movers and got out my "Judge". This bad boy only carries five rounds in its cylinder but can shoot either .45 caliber, that's the .45 Long Colt not the .45 ACP, or .410 shot shells. I loaded it with .410 rounds filled with slugs. These rounds could blast through a concrete block wall. I vowed to carry it with me wherever I went, in the apartment or out of it. In the accompanying leg bag I carried extra shells, both of the .45 and .410 variety.

I sat and pondered a little. I firmly believed that the best defense was a solid offence. So now what? Who should pay next for my wife's infidelity? I decided to just let it ride for a bit and see what was coming next.