Page 96 of Requiem

“You son of a bitch!” he hisses back at him. “What the hell have you done? Where is she?”

“That’s for me to know, and you to not find out until it’s too late,” is his mocking retort.

“I want to talk to her,” Matthew demands.

“You and I have few things to discuss first.”

“No,” Matthew says. “Not until I know she’s alright. Otherwise you can hang up right now.”

Well that was a bold move, but it works. Jeremy puts the phone close to my mouth and nods his chin at me as an indication to speak.

“Matthew?” I whisper hesitantly.

“Julia, Honey, are you okay? If that bastard’s hurt you …”

“I’m okay, Matthew. How’s the baby? How’s David?” I interrupt him, keeping eye contact with Jeremy.

“He’s fine, Julia, don’t worry about him.”

I’m getting the sign to wrap it up from Jeremy and I nod my understanding.

“Listen to me, Matthew, do whatever Jeremy tells you to do and, for God’s sake, do not call the police, okay?”

“Okay,” he sniffs.

“Ah! Nicely done you two,” Jeremy praises us, taking the phone away.

“What are you going to do now?” I hear my husband ask.

Jeremy screws up his face in mock consideration. “Hmmm … let’s see … So many options …”

“Cut the shit, you motherfucker!” Matthew spits.

Jeremy becomes serious again.

“You know, Matthew, I’m not really sure how all this is going to end. But I can tell you what’s going to happen in the next twenty-four hours. Your blushing bride and I are going to get reacquainted. Intimately reacquainted,” he leers.

I can just imagine Matthew trying to sound calm as Jeremy baits him. He’s probably going to punch a hole in the wall as soon as he gets off the phone.

“Jeremy, you may hate me. But please don’t take it out on Julia. It’s me you want to hurt, not her. There was a time when you cared for her …”

“Oh, please. She’s just a stupid slut like the rest of them,” says Jeremy, unmoved by the plea. “Besides, don’t you see it, Matthew? Sure, I could beat the shit out of you or torture you or some sadistic shit like that, but what fun would that be? No, my friend, I want you to suffer. I want you to think about all of the unspeakable things I’m going to do to Julia. All of the violent, disgusting ways I’m going to fuck her. And fuck her and fuck her. Then, I’m going to beat the shit out of her. After that, I’ll fuck her some more.”

“Please don’t kill her,” comes Matthew’s breathy reply.

Jeremy ignores him and prattles on, clearly enjoying the sound of his own voice. “And as the hours go by, you’ll be imaging the worst. Only, for Julia, it won’t be in her imagination, will it? No, it will be her reality. She’ll suffer. And you will be helpless. You’ll be responsible for her suffering, Matthew. You did this to her, just as surely as if you were raping her and beating her yourself. I want you to think about that, Matthew.”

I feel my mouth go dry and slack at the same time. Oh, my God. The man standing in front of me is totally certifiable. I have the sudden, undeniable realization that there will be no reasoning with him. I’m going to have to think of something, and fast.

“I’m going to hang up now. I’m sure you’ll want to call the police but we both know what a bad idea that would be, right? We both know she’ll be dead at the first sign of a cop car. Do I make myself clear?”

“You do.” Matthew’s voice has become small and shaky.

“Oh, Matthew, I almost forgot! Congratulations on the baby!”

Jeremy hangs up the phone before Matthew can reply. But Jeremy does not hang up the phone before the blaring foghorn of the Pt. Jefferson Ferry filters into the kitchen, right on time.