Red Orchids Ch. 05

"Mark, shut the fuck up. Okay?"

He began reaching into his pocket.

Marlene cocked the gun.

"Take it out, by the barrel," the girl said.

She had known he had a gun.

Mark bit his lip and did as he was told. He didn't dare look at Henry as he pulled the gun out. Henry's face went from shock to recognition as he realized the gun in Mark's pocket was his own. He pointed at the 9mm and said, "That's mine."

"Drop it on the floor," Marlene ordered.

The gun fell to the carpet with a heavy clunk.

"At least you're smart enough to keep the safety on, Mark," Marlene commented and kicked the gun away into the kitchen. The metal scraped over the linoleum floor as the gun skidded and then hit the base of the sliding glass doorframe. She looked to Mark, her body still turned to Henry and said, "Sit down, please."

Mark did as he was told.

"As I was saying," she turned back to Henry, "You're a nice man Henry. And I do like you. I've been watching you for a while now, about as long as I've been watching Mark. I've discovered a lot of different things about you both, but there is one thing in particular I find especially interesting. It's the difference between you two. You know what that the difference between you and him is, Henry?"

Henry nodded his head.

Marlene placed her free hand on his crotch and felt the hard length of Henry's cock, rubbing back and forth. Henry shivered as she squeezed and rolled her palm over his stony thickness. She kissed and licked at his skin, planting hot French kisses along his stubbled neck and jaw line. All the while, her gun remained trained on Mark, as though she had another set of eyes. Mark considered trying to grab the gun, but thought better of it. He was still too shocked to do anything but stare.

Marlene then looked to Henry, who was blushing, and asked "Was that nice?"

Henry nodded, clearing his throat, "Yes, very."

"Feels like you have a big, thick cock there Henry," Marlene said seductively, "And I know you're very well built for an older man. The just don't make 'em like they used too anymore."

"Thank you," Henry managed. He had never heard anyone talk to him like this except when he paid for it over the phone. Even then, that was nothing like this woman uttering words he never imagined anyone saying to him. Certainly, in all his fantasies no one was ever holding a gun.

"What would you do if I said I wanted to fuck you, Henry?"

Henry swallowed hard, uncertain of what to say.

"What would you do if I said I wanted to suck on your cock until you came for me?"

"I uh..."

"Because I would Henry," Marlene smiled secretively at him, "You're such a nice man. Nice men deserve nice things."

"I'm," Henry began, searching for the words in his lust clouded mind, "I'm so very flattered, Marlene..."

"But?" she asked expectantly.

"But I can't."

"Why not, Henry?" she asked, her finger still resting on the trigger of the gun.

"Because I-" Henry hesitated.

"Because?"

"Because I'm in love with someone else."

Marlene raised her eyebrows and smiled. She said, "That's the difference between you and Mark, Henry."

She gave his cock another squeeze and then backed away from him, looking to Mark, "The ability to say 'no' to temptation."

"What's your point?" Mark asked, his anger becoming more and more powerful by the second, "What the fuck is all this?"

"It's all about you, Mark," she smiled and motioned for Henry to go sit in the recliner, "It's all about you and the big picture."

Mark glared.

"Henry's in love with a woman he can't have," she explained, "He's been in love with Ellen probably since the first time he saw her. He's not married to her and he's not willing to intrude on the vows you share with her. He's so committed to her that even though he can never have her, he won't betray his love for her. Can you say you have the same integrity?"

Mark shook his head hatefully.

Henry sat down, feeling almost high, "I don't understand. Why Mark?"

"You will, Henry," Marlene assured him, "You will very soon."

***

"Ellen," Shannon asked, "Have you considered leaving Mark?"

Ellen looked at the ceiling, straining to hear the voices downstairs. Someone had come home a few minutes ago and bumped into Marlene. There were no sounds of a struggle or gunshots and that relieved her. Ellen didn't want anyone to get hurt, even Mark. She thought about Shannon's question and said, "Yes I have."

"Why haven't you? He cheats on you a lot."

"Does he?" Ellen asked, and then said, "I guess I haven't had the guts."

Shannon nodded and then after a moment asked, "Have you ever cheated on him?"

"Not until tonight," Ellen replied dismally, "Don't get me wrong Shannon, you're nice and all, but this was wrong. I feel terrible."

"Why?"

"Because I broke my vows," Ellen sighed, "Because even though I've known Mark I don't love each other anymore, I took a lot of comfort in the fact that I was honoring the vows I made."

"Do you love him at all?"

Ellen thought for a moment, "No. I guess I don't anymore."

"Were you ever tempted?"

Ellen thought of Henry and blushed, "Yes I have."

"By who?"

Ellen smiled sadly, "A friend of the family."

"He tried to seduce you?"

"No," Ellen shook her head, "No, he's not like that."

Shannon asked, "You still want him?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever think of seducing him?"

Ellen paused and then said, "I teased him one night. I shouldn't have. I guess I'd had a little too much to drink and I just felt... I don't know... adventurous."

"What did you do?"

Ellen sighed. "I went skinny dipping in front of him. He thought I didn't know he was there, but I did."

"What stopped you from pursuing him?"

She took a deep breath, "I think I knew in my heart than if I ever did what Mark has been doing, I'd be no better than he was. And my friend deserves better than that."

"Yes," Shannon agreed, "Henry does."

Ellen was about to elaborate when something caught her attention. She looked to Shannon and asked, "How do you know Henry?"

"I don't know him personally," Shannon looked away, "But I've come to feel I do."

"Shannon?"

"Yes?"

"Did Mark ever come on to you?"

The nanny was silent for a moment, and then said, "Yes he did."

Ellen pursed her lips, "Did you two sleep together?"

"Yes we did, Ellen."

Ellen's heart sank. She asked, "What is really going on here?"

Shannon said, "It's a family affair, Ellen."

Shannon then released her hands from the top of the bathroom door and the ropes began to fall and uncoil. The length looped around her breasts loosened and fell away as she stepped away from the door. She stepped out of the coils and massaged her aching breasts. She walked over to Ellen and looked at the awestruck woman. Shannon sat beside her on the bed and smiled, running a finger across her cheek.

"I don't understand," Ellen whispered.

"Let's go down stairs, Ellen," Shannon said.

"Why pretend to be tied up?" she asked, "Why tie me up?"

"Downstairs," Shannon said.

***

When Ellen and Shannon came down the flight of stairs and walked into the living room, all was silent. Henry turned and was relieved to see Ellen was all right. She was in her nightgown, a white simple satin one piece that made her look gorgeous. Henry noticed the red marks around her wrists and looked to her with eyes that wanted to cry. She nodded her head that she was okay. Henry sat back in his chair as Shannon sat Ellen down beside Mark on the couch.

"Shannon?" Mark asked, his eyes wide, "What is this?"

"My name isn't Shannon," she smiled politely at Mark.

"Then who are you?"

"I'll bet Henry can figure it out faster than you can, Mark," Marlene grinned.

Everyone looked to Henry, who only shrugged. He thought for a moment and then asked Shannon, "And what is your full name, or uh actually your alias?"

"Shannon Merele," the nanny replied and crossed her arms, dressed now in one of Ellen's business outfits and looking wickedly professional. She had even slipped on Ellen's pantyhose and high heels.

"Shannon Merele," Henry repeated and then said, "Marlene Henson..."

"They're the same name," Ellen spoke up as her eyes filled with recognition, "Shannon Merele is an anagram for Marlene Henson."

"Very good," Marlene laughed and looked to Mark, "See, she's not nearly as stupid as you made her out to be."

Mark only looked at his hands.

"Well," Shannon smiled like a housewife hosting a Tupperware party, "You all must be wondering what the hell is going on here. As you already know, Marlene is my daughter. As you must also know, Marlene is not even her real name. But, suffice it to say that we are both very much impressed with how you've all performed here."

"Performed?" Mark asked and then shouted, "What the fuck is going on here?"

Marlene quietly joined her mother in front of the entertainment center and handed her Henry's gun. Shannon looked at the impressive weapon and nodded her approval. She looked at the two men and asked, "Who does this belong to?"

"Me," Henry said.

"You planning on shooting someone?"

"No," Marlene stepped in, "Mark stole it from Henry."

"Mark?" Shannon laughed, "You stole Henry's gun? Perfect."

"You fucking bitch," Mark hissed, "What the fuck is this shit?"

Shannon walked over to him and slapped him hard in the face. Mark's head snapped to one side and then he was up on his feet. His hand raised into the air to strike and that's when the gunshot rang out. Shredded fabric and blood sprayed from Mark's shoulder as Shannon winged him. He screamed and fell back on the couch, holding his wounded shoulder.

"Shut up, professor," Marlene glared at him.

Mark was crying, the mighty lover of women and the architect of his wife's murder reduced to sobbing from the pain. Shannon found it ironic in much the same way Henry did, only she expressed it verbally. She said, "Funny how quickly things turn bad, eh Mark?"

"You killed Alicia!" Mark cried, "You killed Emma!"

"Don't be so wounded," Shannon looked down on him, "I'll bet you only thought of your own ass when she turned up dead."

Mark said nothing.

"Tell me," Shannon asked, "Did you even call the police?"

Mark looked away as Ellen watched him from the corner of her eye.

"How did you do it?" Henry asked.

"The day Mark threatened you in your office," Marlene said, "The day he revealed who he was sleeping with. He listed off his mistresses and as you know, sound carries through those vents very easily. I was in his office waiting for him and I heard everything. And then, while Mark and I were fucking on his desk, and while he was phone fucking Alicia at the same time, I had left my cell phone on."

"What?" Mark whispered. He remembered Marlene reaching into her purse to turn the phone off. She had said she wanted no distractions...

"I was listening through Marlene's cell phone," Shannon explained, "It only took me a few minutes to find out where Alicia lived. I mean, you pretty much gave me the directions, Mark."

"But you had Maddie that day," Ellen said, her voice weak.

"Not to worry," Shannon reassured her, "The girl was in the car when I killed Alicia. She saw nothing."

"Oh Jesus," Ellen closed her eyes.

"And Emma?" Henry asked again, "What about her?"

"After Mark finished fucking me tonight," Shannon put her hands behind her back, as though she were reciting a poem or speech to a large crowd, "He went to have dessert with Emma, a chef that used to work at Alessandro's."

"Oh God Mark," Ellen shook her head.

"But how did you know about Emma?" Mark stuttered and winced as he shoulder screamed in pain, "I never told anyone."

"You didn't have to," Marlene said, "I had been following you around when mom was busy here. I've been watching you for awhile, Mark. As soon as Mom called me to say you were going over to see her, I paid her visit."

"You killed Emma?" Mark breathed, "How could you do that? Why?"

"Why not, Mark?" Shannon shrugged, "Life seems to not be a very precious commodity to you."

"You killed her!" Mark screamed.

"No," Marlene corrected, "You killed them."

"What?" Mark looked up at them, his face sweaty and pale.

"The police already have phone records tying you to Alicia Keel on the morning of the murder," Shannon said and stood beside her daughter, "But what they will find in Emma's apartment is not only your fingerprints but also the hacksaw from your tool shed and a healthy amount of your semen on her body."

"My semen?" he managed and then remembered the chalice. Shannon had made him cum into the cup and they had drunk it together. But had they consumed all of it? Looking back, Mark thought not. "How?"

"While you were blubbering to Henry at his place, I was here with mom," Marlene rolled her eyes, "I took what was left of your spunk and then drove back to Emma's. Since you neglected to call the police, I was able to dabble your juice around her legs and even put some in her mouth."

Mark felt ill at the thought of Marlene pouring semen into a severed head's open mouth.

"I'm sorry," Henry interrupted, "How did you know he didn't call the police?"

"We're talking about Mark Gordian here," Marlene said, "He rightfully feared the police would suspect him. If that happened, he would be exposed."

"Why?" Ellen looked up at the two women, "Why kill them?"

"This may come as a shock to you, Ellen," Shannon leaned forward and said, "But my daughter and I are serial killers. We murder people."

Henry looked at Shannon and eyed the gun in her slender hand. There was no way he could get to it, and even if he did he doubted very much Marlene would give him the time to use it.

"But you know what?" Marlene laughed, "The fact remains Mark here brought a gun home with him."

"Yes," Shannon raised her eyebrows, "There is that."

"I was scared," Mark said.

"Oh, poor baby," Marlene mocked him as she pouted out her bottom lip.

"So what were you thinking, Mark?" Shannon asked, "Where you going to kill Henry or kill Ellen? Or both?"

Mark remained quiet.

Shannon sighed and shook her head, "You know why we picked you, Mark?"

Silence.

"Because you were the perfect candidate," she said, "Greedy, amoral, self-centered and too wrapped up in getting your lips over your dick to see past the end of your own nose."

"Your husband is a bad man," Marlene told Ellen, who for her part only sat there on the couch and listened. There wasn't much else she could do.

"He's been cheating on you a lot," Shannon explained, "With me, Marlene, Alicia, Emma and God knows how many others. We picked him because he was an easy target. Marlene here needed someone easy for her first time out, and it took us months to nail Mark. But what a catch."

"First time out?" Henry asked.

"Mark is my first job," she winked at the elder professor.

"You're going to kill him?" Henry looked to Marlene helplessly.

"I'm afraid so Henry," she said sadly.

"But you can't," Henry said, "Please, don't. There's been enough blood spilled."

"Henry," Shannon kneeled before the older professor and took his hand in her own, "Why do you think he stole your gun?"

Henry had his ideas about it, but said nothing. He only looked away.

"Before you rush to his defense in the name of saving a life, might I suggest a theory?" Shannon squeezed his hand, "I think Mark planned to come home and frame his wife for the murders of Alicia and Emma. He knew the police would suspect him, and if they investigated him he would be exposed for the fraud he really is. And he might even have named Marlene as a suspect, but when the police found that Marlene Henson did not exist he would look even more guilty. Since he obviously didn't want to be with Ellen anymore, and since we all know Ellen here is sitting atop a fat family fortune, well if she had gone crazy with jealousy and killed his mistresses, he would be free."

Henry felt sick. Her theory did fit the facts nicely. Ellen fought off angry tears as her eyes burned. Mark gritted his teeth as Shannon explained his thinking almost verbatim. She was good. Or maybe they just thought a like.

"And you Henry would be the last victim in her murderous spree," Marlene finished, "Killed with his own gun. Mark could have suggested you were in it with Ellen, or maybe you were jealous too and sought to kill Mark for his infidelity."

"Either way," Shannon said, "That man walks free and millions of dollars richer."

Mark shook his head, "You're insane."

"Am I Mark?" Shannon looked at him, "Why else steal his gun?"

Mark fumed, his eyes filled with impotent rage.

"You really are a bastard Mark," Ellen whispered.

"Don't you listen to them, Ellen!" Mark yelled as he nursed his wound, "I made a mistake and I'm sorry baby! I never meant for you to get hurt."

"Then why the gun?" Ellen asked quietly.

"I didn't know what I would find here," he said frantically, "For all I knew whoever had killed Alicia and Emma might have killed you too."

Ellen was silent, her eye red and puffy.

"You believe him Ellen?" Marlene asked as she paced the living room.

Ellen waited, thinking for a moment if she truly did or not. Finally, she said, "No, I don't."

"You're all fucking crazy!" Mark screamed at them, "I can't believe this!"

Henry closed his eyes.

"Henry!" Mark looked at him, "You know me, man! I'm no killer."

Henry said nothing.

Shannon looked down at her watch and then nodded to Marlene. The younger woman handed the silver pistol to her mother walked into the kitchen and opened the utility drawer by the sink. When she came back into the living room, she handed the gun to her mother and then knelt down in front of Mark. In her hands she had a roll of sliver-gray duct tape. She looked at Mark as his eyes darted to the gun Shannon was pointing at him.

"Hold you hands together," she said.

"No," Mark refused.

Shannon said, "You know painful a gun shot to the other arm would be, Mark?"

Mark held his hands out.

Marlene chuckled and began taping his arms together. The sound of the sturdy tape being pulled and torn into pieces echoed in Ellen's mind. She tried to remember where things had gone so wrong. How had she misjudged Shannon so completely? The woman was a full-fledged psychopath and murderer and yet she had never once suspected it. She had never even once thought it. She had been so wrapped up in trying to save her marriage with Mark that a murderer had slipped into her house and was caring for her daughter.

"What about Maddie?" Ellen asked.

"I'd never hurt her," Shannon said softly, even a little wounded as she looked at Ellen, "She's an innocent."

"What happens now?" Henry asked.

As Marlene taped Mark's wrists together and bound his feet, Shannon sat down on the coffee table. She looked at the gun and then looked back at Henry. He couldn't read anything into her impassive green eyes except that whatever she was about to say, she absolutely meant. He had no illusions that Shannon Merele and her daughter would follow through one hundred percent on anything they set their minds to. He figured them for being the kind of killers that functioned with some warped code of conduct. The mere fact that they respected Henry and Ellen for not being as morally bankrupt as Mark proved that.

And Shannon had seemed so hurt by the idea of killing Maddie...

"Look," Shannon said simply as she chambered another round into the gun and looked at Henry, "You have two choices here. One: you try to escape and call the police. If you do that, you'll be dead before the phone call even goes through to the dispatcher. I'll kill both you and Ellen. Option Two: you both remain quiet and cooperative while Marlene and I finish up. You do what we tell you. You both live and Maddie has a mother still."

Shannon let her words sink in and then asked, "Understand?"