Darren ended the call with a swish of his finger as he left his office and headed for his car. He picked up the milk and eggs his wife had asked for and turned into the driveway. Parked in front of his house on the street though, was an odd van, painted in desert camouflage. He looked at it as he watched the garage door close.
"Grace?" he called as he set the bags on the kitchen counter, "Who's..." he stopped when he noticed a strange man sitting in his dining room.
Grace smiled, "Darren honey, this is Lincoln. He ran out of gas and needed to use a phone and the bathroom."
Darren eyed the man suspiciously, "I have a gas can in the garage I can fill you enough to get to the station for a fill up.
Lincoln smiled, "No need Darren. Triple A is on the way with a fill up. Grace was just being kind and keeping me company and feeding me while i wait. You're a lucky guy."
"I know."
Grace blushed, "Oh stop it..."
Darren felt the short hairs on his neck standing on end. He did not like this one little bit. there was something about this guy that was rubbing him the wrong way.
Lincoln stood up and stretched, "You didn't happen to see triple A when you drove in did you Darren?" he asked and then without warning shot him in both knees. "Sorry Darren, can't have you following me."
Grace screamed but Lincoln covered her mouth, "You now...you are coming with me...I like you. We are going to have fun the two of us."
Darren was frantically trying to get up but his knees were gone. He watched helplessly as that stranger dragged his wife out to the garage and had his good time with her and then shot her. He had left his phone on the counter with the bags and couldn't quite reach it. Once Lincoln had left he started throwing things up until the phone fell to the floor. It fell a few feet from him so he dragged himself over to it and dialed 911.
The operator had help quickly dispatched to them but not in time to save his wife. Why the man had chosen to kill Grace, but leave him alive was a mystery to him. Several weeks passed and the police had no leads on the man in the van, but Darren received a letter from one state over.
Hey Darren,
Hope you legs are recovering alright. Hated to do that to ya man, but you weren't supposed to get home that fast. I was just there for Grace. Wasn't paid to kill you.
Anyway. She was a nice ride. You had it good. I'm sure there's more like her out there for ya. Take care.
L.
He wasn't paid to kill him. Who had paid him to kill Grace?