The man opened the wooden gate and ushered the woman through. She teetered unsteadily as her heels tapped softly along the paving stones before opting for the near silence of soft grass.
‘I’ve never done it in someone’s garden before,’ she giggled as she turned and watched him close the gate behind him. ‘Kind of exciting, don’t you think?’
‘Certainly is,’ the man replied, the grin covering every inch of his face. ‘More than you’ll ever know.’
She hadn’t been the most difficult conquest of his life. The way she’d stood at the bar had said a thousand words alone, and he’d already heard a good few stories about this woman to know that he was pretty much assured of a good time. Unfortunately for her, his idea of a good time was far removed from most other people’s.
He’d chosen his time and place carefully. This was all a game of odds. His chances of success could rest on the opening of a door or the recognition of a face, which was why he’d taken great time and care over timings, places and, most importantly, ensuring he remained the master of disguise.
It had worked out beautifully. He hadn’t let her get too close just yet; that could’ve alerted her to his wig or prosthetics. It also had the added bonus of making her wild with intrigue. Keeping his distance had worked wonders in terms of persuading her to come with him in the first place.
Under cover of darkness, though, he was safe. His disguise wouldn’t be blown, and if it was he could end this in seconds. It wouldn’t be the same careful and meticulously planned method that he was intending, but it would be better than the alternative.
He could smell the alcohol seeping out of her pores like black smog from a power station. She started to move closer to him, the pungent fug making his eyes water. He closed his eyes and remembered that this was a means to an end. There was no shame in what no-one knew. Besides that, there was no other way.
She moaned and groaned as she rubbed herself up against him. It was now or never. He could swear he heard another gasp of perverted pleasure as he clamped his hand over her mouth, the other holding the back of her head still so as not to allow her to move away. He looked deep into her eyes as he steadily moved her backwards towards the fence.
As he heard the thud of her back hitting the wooden panel, he allowed her a half-step forward before taking the hand from the back of her head and dropping it inside his coat pocket. The coat was brand new, as were all his clothes. A shame, but also a necessity.
‘Now, are you going to be quiet for me?’ he said, trying to spot the point at which her sexual excitement turned to desperate fear.
She nodded. He could tell she was still deluded; still excited. He felt the cold, hard steel in his coat pocket before removing it, lifting it up to her throat and drawing it across, deep and firm. The warm liquid ran over his hand, making him shiver in the night. She’d had her moment. Now it was time for his pleasure.
She tried to gasp despairingly, the hole in her trachea wheezing and gurgling as he continued to clamp his hand over her mouth. By now her lungs would be pooling with blood. It was only a matter of time before he could let go, her eyes glazing over like marbles as the last vestiges of life slipped away.
Finally, he recognised those familiar signs and felt her body weaken as her legs started to give way. Using the last of her natural strength and support, he moved her back towards the fence again and let go, her body sliding down the wooden panel just as he’d intended.
He stood back and waited for her to die before tugging at her feet, making her lie almost horizontally. He pulled her feet back towards her pelvis, splaying her legs like a woman in the midst of giving birth. He took the handkerchief from his trouser pocket, shoved it in her mouth, then took it out and tied it around her neck. A slight deviation from the perfect version, but he couldn’t afford to be too fussy.
Surveying his handiwork, he again drew the sharp tool from his coat pocket and this time went to work on her abdomen, having memorised each line and incision he needed to make. The firm resistance of the muscle wall was strangely satisfying, as was feeling it give way when the sharp blade finally managed to pierce through the barrier.
A few moments later, he was happy. The distant sound of a car rumbled in the distance, but other than that all was quiet.