Unspoken Reality

As Martin stood over Diane, looking deep into her eyes, he remembered back all those months ago to the first time they met. It was a charity gala that his company was invited to attend and as she was the chief of police, she was there to represent the department. Martin had always had a problem with these events, because he felt most attendees missed the point and were only in it to advantage their career and reputation. That was why he was initially reluctant to approach Diane. If it were not for her flowing golden-coloured locks that caught the light of the hall the event took place in as she mingled with the guests, he might not have bothered.

He remembers how they shared some very curt words. the conversation almost ended before it really got started. Until she started humming If You Leave Me Now by Chicago. In late 2022, it felt a little out of place for someone who looked young and vibrant to be singing such an over-the-top AOR classic. But he didn't leave her. He stayed and sat with her for most of the charity night, getting to know more about this not very stereotypical police chief. She had clear views on what she wanted to do about minor crimes, drug-related offences, sexual violence and domestic cases and helping with the homeless more. This was all very impressive to Martin, as many of these issues were close to his heart.

The Chicago lyrics just gave her an attractive kookiness. Her smile could light up the darkest rooms or even minds. Martin felt more alive and challenged when he was with Diane than he had ever done in the past.

They agreed to meet again...and have been seeing each other every week, almost every other day, since.

He admired the pathway she took to reach the top brass spot she had in the police and admired her fiercely feminist views and caring approach to people. It helped that she was drop-dead gorgeous. She was not slight and slender but was definitely in good shape and looked after herself.

Something he appreciated on the various dinner and dance dates they shared. Martin was an accomplished ballroom dancing amateur, and Diane was a worthy companion on the dancefloor.

Diane lay there motionless and also retracing the last few months since Martin, a truly enigmatic and brilliant individual, came into her life. Although she would not admit it to anyone out loud...she approached him and noticed him the moment he entered the hall that night. She did confess to Martin later that evening that she had Googled him extensively and was actively looking for an opportunity to get to know him. She loved his short blonde hair that was always immaculately groomed to perfection.

From the first time she spoke with him, she knew he was special because he didn't treat her like another woman trying to make it in a man's world. He treated her as a person and seemed to like it when she sung Chicago. It didn't feel like anything she had ever experienced before. She truly felt she had met her kindred spirit...the one man she would settle down with and never leave.

Martin was feeling a little smug, he had to admit to himself as he left the bedroom, with Diane lying there, motionless in the bed they had shared for the last few months.

He felt like the luckiest man alive. He had a powerful public servant in his bed, life and heart and knew he was in her's. Things really could not have gone better if he had tried any harder to achieve all that he had achieved in such a short time.

He knew though, he had worked hard for all he had gained in these last few months.

They had developed such a strong bond. He knew marriage was a word as close to her lips as "I love you". While he would not admit it, it was actually a lot easier than he thought it might be.

That he had plans and back-up plans that he never had to execute or follow because things just fell into place. Diane was a smart and emotionally charged individual. To a fault, almost. That was not a bad thing, though. Even in his darkest moments, Martin never held his victims accountable for his actions. She was not to blame. Martin was to blame, and he was happy with that fact. He revelled in it sometimes. When Diane was asleep, comforted by having her man so close to her. He revelled in the fact that she was such an accomplished, educated and decorated individual in law enforcement, and he had still managed to achieve what he had in a relatively short space of time.

The familiar sound of If You Leave Me Now flooded the house, through the wireless sound system that Martin had installed many years ago. It was really paying for itself now. Diane could not do anything but look at Martin as he walked into the room. Her hands were already cuffed and the tape on her mouth was really stuck firmly in place. There was a fire in her eyes, he was glad to see. Even when she had no chance, no hope, she still was fighting. He figured she probably thought he would cave in or that the pressure of what he was achieving might stop him in his tracks.

Martin though just gave the slightest of smiles and sat down beside her on the bed, stroking her face. He looked across at the letter of resignation had already written for her and the details of her new home he had already given to her one living relative, her brother. As they had taken some time off, as it was the third month anniversary of that first night they met, she did not know that he had already told her superiors that they had split up and that she was moving across the country to be with a childhood sweetheart. She had no idea that he had found that childhood sweetheart and bribed him. Diane just lay there motionless, she couldn't move as much as she wanted to, as much as she wanted to stick her thumbs into Martin's eye sockets.

If he had given it much more thought than he did, he would have seen a very loud "why?" expressed in her beautiful and shining greens. If he had offered her an explanation it would have been that he was always looking for a challenge and of the 15 women he had killed over the last 20 years, she was undeniably the riskiest target. Police chief, smart academically and streetwise She really was the most apt swansong for his sterling career. He had always marvelled that no-one had ever connected the dots between the dead bodies of the previous fourteen that had the misfortune of allowing him into their lives.

For him, it was not personal, and he did understand the irony of that fact.

He did care…on some level. But not enough for him to stop moving forward with his plans. Her death was as much a certainty in his mind as it was that first night. That is why, in part at the very least, that he suggested they celebrate the three month anniversary. He knew it would make her heart leap and knew it would give him the upper hand.

He remained silent but completed his plan. Giving her a strong sedative, he readied her for her last and long trip across the country. Chicago soundtracked the entire journey. If she was conscious at all and even if she wasn’t, on a subconscious level, he hoped that she would enjoy her last moments and Pete Cetera’s overblown histrionics. He even found himself silently chuckling at everything.

He always felt retirement would be hard. Now, though, he was looking forward to it. Not because he was tired, worn out or despondent with his work, but because he actually felt ready to just relax. To find a little place on the Floridian coast where he could enjoy the rest of his life. An experience he stole from his victims, including Diane.

Maybe one day someone somewhere would join the dots and make connections between the fifteen women. He didn’t think they would though, but humans are full of surprises. Who knows…

*

Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: This is my final entry into the Unspoken Challenge, which you can read more about here:

So, with my other two, which I will include links for, I took a different approach. For this one, I've had the idea bumping around my head for a few weeks and was unsure about even posting it. But, never say never.

For reference, the song referenced throughout the story can be enjoyed/hated below:

Here are my two other entries:

You can also read some other lighter pieces here: