I parked in front of the processing plant. I was behind the wheel, and Flea sat beside me.
"Wait in the Mustang," I told Flea. "If we get company, use the horn until I tell you to stop. You do not leave without me."
When Flea nodded his head, I left the Mustang, taking the car keys with me.
I came up behind Debra and Corky as they walked through the deserted, dimly lit plant. They talked, not knowing I was listening.
"Still want to go through with it?" Debra asked.
Corky was paranoid. "Why keep on hassling me?"
"This is your last chance to bail out," Debra said.
Corky was determined. "I want her dead."
Debra kissed his cheek. "My stallion!"
Corky was scowling. Short-tempered from the stress, he had acquired a nervous twitch in one eye. He was impatient with her. "No more, Debra!" Softer: "Not till this is over."
Debra showed Corky the gun in her shoulder bag.
"What's that for?" Corky asked.
Debra grew bold. "I'm not afraid of his blackmail!"
Corky freaked out. "Don't be an idiot, Debra! Put it away!"
I moved back into the shadows and waited.
I met them on the loading docks. Corky handed over a manila envelope and a set of housekeys. She kept her arms crossed over her chest.
"It's all there," Corky told me. "Housekeys, the floor plan of my house, Flea's checks."
I looked up. "The money?"
Corky passed over the money.
I counted it, then put it with the housekeys and the floor plan and handed it all back to Corky. I pulled my gun, checked it was loaded, then aimed it at them.
"The deal's off," I said.
"What!" Corky cried.
"What are you--!" Debra cried.
I cut her off. "I'm fed up with both of you. I'm not going to kill her. She's easily worth more than the two of you combined. You two are dirty dogs, and you ought to be put to sleep. You are weasels ... " My laughter mocked them. "You even fuck like weasels! I've seen you!"
Debra was outraged. "What are you doing jerking us around like this!"
Corky was numb. "I don't get it."
"The hit's off," I told them. "You get a divorce, and she lives. Anything other than that, the both of you end up in an oil drum at the bottom of the deep blue sea."
A Mustang horn sounded again and again and--
Debra was shrewish and shrill. "You can't trust these people, Corky! I told you!" she cried. She was outraged and furious. She pulled out her gun and shot at me, completely missing me.
I shot Debra. Her face exploded, and she was thrown back, already dead.
Corky was too horrified to move.
I shifted my gun onto Corky, to keep him from trying anything rash. But Corky was trembling with absolute fear.
Somebody stood behind and to the right of me, at the edge of the shadows. Having just witnessed me shooting Debra Lawson, and seeing that I now had my gun aimed at Corky Collins, that somebody lifted a deer rifle and shot me.
I was struck below the left shoulder. As I fell, I spun around and returned fire automatically at whoever had just wounded me. I landed on one knee, but I could still shoot.
I shot that somebody in the chest. The force of my bullets threw her backwards, falling dead. Blood soaked her blouse. When I saw I had killed Saundra, I was anguished.
In shock, Corky, seeing both his wife and his mistress struck dead, gave up all hope and sank to the floor.
I could hear police sirens approaching.
I struggled to my feet. Time to leave.
Behind me, Corky was on his knees, in shock and shaking, sobbing.
I stepped out on the loading docks. With headlights and police flashers flashing, the sheriff's patrol car and two other police units screeched to a halt, surrounding the Mustang. Flea had deserted the Mustang; he was nowhere in sight. The sheriff and two young deputies jumped from their patrol cars, their weapons drawn.
I saw Ivy racing towards me. She was backlit by police flashers and headlights. Then Ivy ran in front of the patrol cars towards the processing plant's doors. "Mrs. Collins!" she screamed.
Ivy saw me bloody and with a gun in my hand. Terrified, she came to a sudden stop. She stood between me and the deputies. The deputies couldn't see me.
Ivy screamed, "Michael!"
The sheriff saw Ivy confronted by a bloodied gunman. Fearing for her life, he yelled: "Ivy! Get away from there!"
Two deputies opened fire on me.
Bullets flew past Ivy.
I was desperate. I shouted: "Ivy, get down!"
Ivy screamed and cringed, too panicked to move.
I took aim and shot Ivy.