Suspense, Mystery, Horror and Thriller Fiction - Suspense Magazine

solution is that?”
The Mayor only tilted his head. To Jerry’s shock, he looked like a dog himself, hearing a high pitched whine that was
unfamiliar to him.
Jerry couldn’t stop himself, “And what? Carla walked in here as you were butchering my dog?”
“Well, not me personally, but yes, Carla saw someone processing your dog. And like I said, I had no choice.”
Still pointing the revolver at Jerry, the Mayor used his left hand to wave at someone behind him.
Jerry turned his head to the left and saw a door open. Ringo stepped inside, leading a blindfolded and gagged Nancy
through the door. Her hands were tied in front of her. Behind her, stood Callie, looking incredibly small and thin under the
cold fluorescent lights.
“No!” Jerry cried.
Mayor Baker stepped forward, pushing the revolver into Jerry’s neck and whispered, “Now this can end here and now.
Carla ran away with the dog. Sad, I know, but it happens all the time. No one needs to know anything different. You, your
wife and Callie can live long, happy lives here. Together.”
With the barrel of that gun pressed against his throat and the sight of his poor daughter, cowering in the corner, all the
fight drained out of Jerry.
“Or?” Jerry asked.
“Or, Nancy and Callie can join the rest of your family as tonight’s main course. And you can be our special dinner guest.”
Jerry’s stomach turned. The thought of being forced to eat…that…it was too much to bear. He nearly vomited right there,
all over the Mayor’s expensive suit and shoes, but knew if he did that, it would all be over for Callie. She would never see the
light of another day. Neither would he and Nancy for that matter. He closed his eyes and searched his mind for some way
out of this.
“So what’s it going to be? Are you still a yes man, Jerry? Are you still loyal?”
Jerry opened his eyes and looked at his daughter. Her blond hair tucked into the blindfold, the reddened skin of her
wrists bound in plastic tie handcuffs. He then looked at his wife and knew what he had to do.
He nodded towards the Mayor, “Yes, sir. I’m still loyal.”
“Good. I knew you were a smart guy, Jerry, and I’ve always liked you.”
“But…” Jerry said.
“But what?”
“Well, what if Nancy had run off, too? Took Carla and the dog and just left? She hasn’t been happy for a long time, you
know.”
He looked at Nancy as she began to struggle against Ringo. His grip was firm, though and she had no chance of getting
away.
The Mayor smiled and shook his head, “You know, I’ve noticed that. Why don’t you take your little girl out for lunch, on
me,” he said. "She’s had a hard day. You both have. Just submit the receipt in your monthly expense report.”
“Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I think I will.”
Jerry walked calmly over to where Nancy and Callie were being held, and took hold of his daughter’s shoulder. He didn’t
even look at his wife.
He led Callie out of the room and back to his car, which was still parked in front of Animal Control. He removed her
blindfold and gag and cut the plastic handcuffs with a small pocket knife he kept in the car’s glove box.
“Dad, what’s happening?” she sobbed.
“Shhh, sweetie. Everything’s going to be okay.
“Where’s Mom? Where’s Carla?”
“Shhh, Callie. I’m here,” he said. “And for now that needs to be enough. You need to be quiet now, and maybe, just maybe,
we’ll get out of here alive. Okay?”
Callie nodded, and slunk low in her seat, still sobbing, but quiet.
As he turned west out of the lot and onto Golf Road, Jerry thought he heard the sound of the large meat grinder coming
to life over his daughter's crying, but dismissed it as his imagination.
He continued driving west on Golf Road with the rest of the commuters, then got on I-90, moving as fast as traffic
allowed and hugging his daughter the whole way. He didn’t stop at home and he didn’t stop for lunch. �
74 Suspense Magazine August 2011 / Vol. 025