Just Desserts (2 of 2)

Tom walked over the now vacant lot where the diner, gas station and his boyhood home used to be. He had worked at the place all of his life and never left it until now. He married his high school sweetheart Edna when he was in his 20s after his parents promised to hand him over the diner. It came with a price as he had to pay them $1000 a month until they passed away. The money could of been put back into the place, but Tom wanted his independence from his parents who promised not to intervene with his decisions.

They were smart as they had figured Tom would immediately sell the place. So they put Edna's name on all the deeds as a condition for giving it to Tom. Tom would tell all of his friends it was his idea, but he knew better. Edna loved the place as she would often visit there when Tom worked as a boy. She loved cooking food and running the place so it became her child. Tom had no brothers or sisters, but he did have plenty of cousins who seemed to think they didn't have to be charged for food or using the motel. Edna also believed in giving charity out to the family as well, so Tom couldn't do anything about it.

Now Tom was in his late 50s and wanted to see the world. He had only known that desert diner all his life and wanted it gone for good. He got his wish as he looked at the small road that lead to the trailer park Edna was from. It was completely gone as well as all other signs of life. Tom got into his car and sped off to his hotel room. Once there, he opened the two suitcases that were loaded with the money he withdrew from all of his accounts. He would not need to close the accounts as they were all near zero. A knock at the door interrupted Tom's dreams as he saw it was Janice.

"I see you got the money out. I must say, I didn't really think through my plan at all. It was spur of the moment as all the accounts and even the house were in my husband's name. Technically, he is still alive so I don't get a thing. I still have to pay the bills and even had to get a job to do so. I thought I could take trips with the money, but all the officials are suspicious of things like that. So I decided to pay you a visit and take your money off your hands." Tom saw Janice was smiling and wondered if she was joking.

"Look, we were not supposed to meet up again after I left the place. I helped you out with your little problem so you can't blackmail me without implicating yourself. This money was earned by me and it is not that much. $500,000 is what I got for that dump and the property which is worthless in my book. I made out on the deal and plan on starting a new life. While I can give you a few thousand, I plan on leaving this place quite soon." Janice took out a small pistol and shot Tom with a tranquilizer dart. She then grabbed the money and left a small note for Tom:

Tom, you lied to me and I am taking the money as payment. I know about your gambling debts and you can start over without money. I doubt you will be going to the police either as you don't want to explain what happened to your wife and parents. There is a one way ticket to Rio enclosed with $20,000 for you.

When Tom got up he read the note and got something for his headache. "Just how did she find out about my poisoning my parents those years back?" Tom's parents had returned and demanded a portion of the diner when he couldn't afford the payments to them. He gave them a room in the motel and told them he would have the papers drawn up to put them back in control. He made sure to give them tea with an additive in it.
______________________________

Janice waked into the office and sat down as the secretary smiled at her. "The General will be with you in a minute as he just got out of a briefing." Janice waited patiently as Ike soon opened the door and a few other officers left. He then saw Janice and asked her to come inside. "I see you lied to me about your rank. I did some checking up on you after we got rid of the gun. I do think we both need to have a nice long talk as I did get some money for myself." Ike frowned as he looked at the picture of his wife on the desk.

"I will be home later on so we can discuss this as two rational adults. I did call in a missing persons report on my wife, so you can't be seen around me." Janice smiled as she stepped out of the office. "I will be there tonight, General."
_____________________________

Janice had felt betrayed by Ike as she told him all about her marriage to her playboy husband who was also very wealthy. She had been a young trophy wife at first, but as she grew older her husband found other young playthings. Since Janice came from a good family, she was allowed to stay his wife. Janice had no idea about the other women until recently. Her husband called her an idiot for not knowing about the other women. It had been devastating as she even gave up having children as he told her he did not want any.

With no other family, Janice had figured it would be easy to pull off the murder and then live off the money of her husband's. But he was not officially dead and he had given her a cash allowance every month. Since his name was the only one on the account, Janice could not get any money out. She couldn't contact a lawyer as they would start asking questions if he didn't show up for the depositions and inquiries. Had he been alive, Janice could of sued for divorce and at least had an allowance to live off of. She had people believe her husband ran off with a younger woman, but now questions were being asked. Janice then had to file a missing persons report.

Janice did have a relatively comfortable life. She was also an artist although she did not sell any of her works. She would do some intern work at art exhibits and studios, but she was never paid for it. Now for money, Janice had to work a job at a big box store which she found insulting. At least with Tom's money, she could do several art shows to establish herself. But first she had to deal with Ike.
_________________________

"Would you like some brandy, Janice?" Janice sipped the brandy as she looked at another picture of Ike's wife. "I found out that Tom killed his parents. I was doing some checking at where his folks lived and found they had not been home in years. Their mail was sent to a post office box which Tom would check every few weeks. The house they lived in was falling apart and the neighbors told me the parents had gone out of town on a long ocean cruise.

"Then I did some checking on you and found out you were a three star general. It seems you were stealing her money and hiding it for some reason and she found out. I learned she came from a very wealthy family." Ike drank down a whiskey and poured himself another one. "Yes, I was doing that not only with her money but mine as well. I put it in a good hiding place and hoped she would realize I did it for her good as well as mine. I believed the world was coming to an end and transferred everything into gold. I got this from a friend of hers who turned out to be trying to scam me. She wanted the money for herself after she divorced me. So it wasn't stealing, but she would of claimed so ruining my career. I became so angry and you know the rest of the story."

"It must of taken some brains to pull the wool over your eyes. I am not going to judge, but I do think someone is going to find out what happened. If I wear a wig and do my make-up differently, I can look like your wife. She doesn't have to remain missing and no one will find out. If her parents come over, I can play sick or something. The good thing is I can stay here and not have to work." Ike looked at the picture and then looked at Janice.

"You get your own room and must go to official functions with me. Other than that, you can be Janice and take care of her life until you have your husband declared dead. Then I will be retired and you will have his money." Ike liked this plan and told Janice they might as well go through with it. "I feel like such a fool to be taken in by that man. And the wife was in on it as well. Now we can do our own fooling of people."
__________________________

The reception was finishing as Janice said her goodbyes to many of the guests. They only met Ike's wife briefly and could not tell the difference. Ike did hear from many telling him how much more sociable his wife had become. The plan was working quite well for him.

Janice had told her friends she was going to take a long sabbatical because of her missing husband and his holding of her finances. They understood and had told Janice she should sue for divorce. Janice told them he had seven years to come back or she would have him declared dead.

Tom hated Rio at first but soon grew to love it. He had never experienced so much change in his life. He used some of his money to open up a nightclub and met several young women. He also used an assumed name just in case things were found out back at home.