Secrets

"No man, seriously. I can't do this."

Being from the streets, Randy was tired of playing with this guy who seemed to think this was just some game. He sighed with irritation. "Man come on. Stop trying to pretend like you ain't gonna do this. Your holier than thou act ain't foolin' nobody. You can keep up the pretense until you cave, or you can just cut the bull and cave now."

Dan took a moment then looked Randy right in the eye as best he could. It was a bit of a challenge. You see Randy was a giant of a man standing at 6'5" and weighing in at a good 240 Dan guessed.

Dan, on the other hand, was a slight build at 5'10". Wiry was what he preferred to think of himself as. Somehow that sounded more athletic in his mind. Yeah, wiry.

He squared up to Randy and said in the most confrontational tone he could muster, "No".

Randy stared down at Dan for a long moment before turning to walk away. "Dan, man you're in trouble here. I'm just tryin' to help you out."

"No Randy. What you're trying to do is put me in debt to you and with the life you lead and the lowlifes you run with, that's not a debt that would lead to anything good for me."

Randy stopped with his hand on the doorknob, "Man, you got this all wrong. See, where you at right now? That's not where you wanna be. You gotta choose man. You gotta choose."

As Randy slipped out through the door, Dan was left with his thoughts. "He's right. I've got to choose. If I give him the money I'll be indebted to him for the rest of my life. And who's to say he won't come for more. If I don't, I'll lose my luxurious life as I know it today. In fact, I'll lose my life, period."

Dan continued to contemplate his situation searching every part of his brain for a reasonable solution. He came up with nothing, absolutely nothing.

A few weeks later Dan found himself still wondering what to do when his office phone rang. He had some ideas about what to do but he wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with any of them.

He could see from the Caller ID it was Randy. He knew time was up and this would be his last opportunity to accept Randy's offer or take his medicine.

"Hello."

"Hey man. You know what's up. What you got to say?"

"Randy I can't see any other way out. I've got the money. When do you want it?"

"You right. There ain't no other way out unless you wanna kill yo'self"

Randy opened the office door just as he hung up. Dan turned and realized Randy was calling from the hallway. It took Dan a moment to regain his composure. "So the money's here, right?" Randy asked.

"Yeah, yeah it's here."

"OK, so hand it over. Let's get 'er done."

Dan walked over to his credenza to pull out a completely stuffed Manila envelope. He handed it to Randy and suggested they have a drink or two on the deal.

Dan guessed this wasn't exactly something Randy would expect, but knowing Randy's liking for good liquor, Dan knew he would accept. How could he resist a 25 year old Scotch?

He was right. Randy said yes. One sip later and Randy suddenly felt dizzy and nauseous. He could feel his legs giving out from under him. He was heading down and in that instant he knew he had been poisoned. Looking at Dan he started, "You____..." as he hit the floor.

Dan checked Randy's pulse and breathing and knew, without doubt, it was over. His secret was still safe and he had all the money he needed to pay his brother Dudley to help him.

A few months prior, Dudley had made a series of very bad investments that put his home in pre-foreclosure and left him penniless. His wife of 20 years wasn't even speaking to him anymore and had already hired a divorce lawyer.

Making these investments was his way of simply trying to show off and be like his big brother who was quite wealthy, but he just didn't have the know how. He realized he should have stayed in his lane.

In an attempt to salvage his life, he took out a loan from some unsavory types that also happened to be associated with Randy. When Dan offered him a significant amount of money to help get rid of Randy, Dudley jumped at it. He could get his home back, payoff his debt and get back on track. Maybe even his wife would come back. He did love her after all. Well at least he thought that's how it would all go down.

Dan and Dudley quickly disposed of Randy's body and no one was the wiser. Dudley couldn't believe this scumbag Randy was trying to fleece his brother for nothing. Just to get some money.

Ten years later Dan sat in his office and mused, "Time passes and life goes on. Amazing. I've really, actually gotten away with it. Wow! No one, except Randy, knows about the body buried under my home..." Dan chuckled to himself, "...and he's not talking."

"The construction of my new home coincided nicely with my killing of Stella. She was getting in the way of my future plans and she just had to go. The poison worked well, and fast just like with Randy. With no family or friends to miss her it was so easy to put her under my home foundation as it was being built. Brilliant Dan, just brilliant. "

Dan sat with a satisfied grin on his face when his phone rang. He could see it was Dudley. "Hey bro, what's up?" Dan asked cheerfully.

"Bro, we need to talk." Dudley's tone seemed somber and serious.

"Yeah man, what's up?"

"Remember Randy?"

"Yeah, of course. What about him?"

Dudley took a deep breath and sighed into the phone, "I'm really disappointed in you big bro. I know about Stella."

Dan's breath caught in his throat. He could feel his stomach tighten and his satisfied grin fade to a deep frown. His mind reeled with 20 thoughts running through while he tried to land on just one that would be the perfect solution to this unfortunate development.

Finally he had to ask himself, "Could I really kill my brother?" He just didn't know.