“This way, Sir.” A waitress led Xuan through the crowded restaurant packed with rich kids and parents. Xuan assumed Duong chose it because of its white-bread atmosphere.
“Thank you.” Xuan reached where Matthew, Ronald, and Duong were seated.
“Glad you could make it, Xuan.” smiled Matthew, telling the old man to sit.
“This place is packed, isn’t it?”
“This has become our favorite restaurant. It‘s one of Houston‘s most celebrated among the youngsters as you can see,” added Duong, calling over a waiter.
Xuan looked around, seeing what appeared to be horseplay. “Did you guys order already?”
“No, we waited for you this time,” said Ronald.
“So Xuan, tell us about that cabin in the woods,” started Duong.
Xuan took his time, answering. “Honestly, Tim was going to sell it to me, but we couldn‘t close the deal.”
“Such a shame it burned to pieces.” Duong looked at Xuan as if he knew something.
“If Tim was kind enough to sell it to you, he must have trusted you'd do good with it. He always told me it wasn't for sale,” added Matthew.
“Wow, really? Anna had dreams of designing that old thing. By the way, where is she anyway?”
“Maybe she‘s fucking that young carpenter, Billy? That woman has always been a whore.”
Everyone chuckled.
“I never met her, so I wouldn‘t know," continued Xuan.
The waiter put their food down and filled their glasses with beer.
“Do you have something to say Ronald?” asked Xuan disappointed with all the questioning. “Just keep playing the victim,” conceived Xuan.
“Not at all, just curious how the cabin burned down by a simple fire. Ben doesn't doze off too long.”
“I don’t know,” said Xuan.
“Then, it has to be Anna. No one else knew besides her where the cabin was. But you were there before, right?”
"I don't remember exactly. Tim took me to a lot of places. Why are you insinuating I did something, Ronald?"
“Maybe it was an accident as they said,” added Duong.
“Sorry, Xuan. I’m only looking at the situation, that’s all. Don’t take things personal."
Ronald couldn't stop staring at Xuan and Xuan noticed. He wasn‘t to take out all three at once and the old man couldn’t let Ronald take the strings into his own hands even if it meant killing him tonight. Xuan's eyes slowly drifted to Ronald who was chewing like it was his last meal. Xuan deemed it such. Matthew and Duong were chatting while Xuan was planning his move on Ronald. It had to be done quickly, meaning right here, right now.
After a few beers, the guys chatted about business. Xuan brought a bottle of poisonous herbs made into liquid form, and it was his most deadly weapon. He ordered a bottle of champagne and Ronald finished his first glass in one swallow.
“We’re going out for a smoke. We’ll be back.” Xuan felt like the Lord was on his side by sending Matthew and Duong away. Ronald was a heavy drinker but didn't smoke. Xuan offered him another glass as Ronald's eyes bobbed on a tall blonde with big breasts passing by. This was the perfect chance to get him.
“Go get her, Ron. She‘s looking at you. Look at those damn tits,” said Xuan hyping Ron up.
“You don‘t have to say anything. I’m already getting up.”
Xuan looked at how stupid this guy was. While Ronald was chatting, Xuan pulled out the liquid poison and dropped it all in Ronald's glass. Meantime, the blonde turned down Ronald, and he came back embarrassed. He blasted her while sipping on his drink.
Xuan observed Ronald and then excused himself. He waited next to the bar, watching him. For two minutes, Ronald was choking and then became unconsciousness, falling to the ground. A waiter yelled for help and the people in the restaurant started screaming. Duong and Matthew ran back inside as Xuan tried giving Ronald CPR. Ronald Ravens was dead.
Within minutes, the medics came to take the body out, and the police interviewed everyone. They then courted off the restaurant which was ordered to close.
“How did this happen? He was okay when we left.” Matthew’s quivering was the only thing heard in the empty restaurant.
“You should go back home, I’ll talk with the police,” insisted Xuan. Ronald and Matthew left while Xuan didn‘t wait around much longer. He grabbed a bottle of wine and rejoiced once he arrived home.
"Five down and two more to go," the old man thought as he pondered over the last victim. I could have killed all of them, but it would have made him look suspicious being the only person alive from the group. For the rest of the evening, Xuan cooked dinner enjoying a bowl of Pho. After finishing, he went to the basement and grabbed up a box.
There were many pictures of his family; all happy moments they spent together. He cherished the day he returned from the army and it was his birthday. Binh and Phoung made his favorite cake, along with some tasty Banh mì. Their smiles were priceless and he remembered them for ages.
Xuan then imagined about his return home. He'd be the only one alive. He shoved the pictures back in the box and kicked it under the kitchen table. Xuan's patience was running out but he knew it would be all over soon.
The following morning, Xuan got out of bed thinking about his next target, Matthew Jones. But there was one problem, he didn’t have his address or phone number.
When he reached the kitchen, he heard the newspaper hitting the door. Xuan brought it inside, concentrating on the front page headline -- POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER IN HOUSTON'S SUBURBS --. The old mand didn't see himself as such; he was only seeking revenge. If Xuan was in the army like his victims, the Americans would have given him a purple heart for killing the Gooks as they labeled them.
He set the paper down. “Damn reporters have nothing else to talk about.” His whisper was loud enough to hear as he went to go shower.
“These old bones are kicking in,” said Xuan as he put on his robe. He loved the mornings in Texas especially before people went to work. The old man looked out the window and saw Katherine and Ethan walking down the street with groceries. The young man‘s hand had a wrap on it and Katherine was struggling, carrying most of the bags. Xuan ran outside to help.
“Hand them to me,” commanded Xuan as he approached. They were surprised to see the old man in his robe again.
“Xuan?”
“You should come over for breakfast. Mom‘s cooking bacon and eggs,” said Ethan.
Xuan looked at Ethan‘s hand. “What happened, young man?”
“I was riding my bike and didn’t notice the tire was flat. I fell off when I braked.”
Xuan slightly grinned, praying they didn’t hear about Ronald Raven's death. The borough was small enough that everyone knew even if a tire was stolen.
“You went shopping injured,” joked Xuan.
“It's Mom‘s fault. We could have taken two trips or a taxi home,” complained Ethan.
“Don't baby him; he isn’t handicapped. That cut is smaller than a pinhole,” remarked Katherine as they reached their steps.
“Let’s go inside. I'll start breakfast.”
Xuan’s mind traveled back to happier times back home. “How could I say no to bacon and eggs?”
Xuan helped her set the groceries down and sat next to Ethan. Just like the time when they first met officially. “So, Xuan. Did you decide on when you're leaving town yet?” asked Ethan.
“Yes, maybe soon. My house in Vietnam is now fixed up. A typhoon struck it a few months ago.”
“Wow, I imagine it’s beautiful in Vietnam. I‘ve read many stories on the war and even saw Apocalypse Now.”
“Ethan!” yelled Katherine.
“Ok, mom. Sorry!”
“My house has three rooms, a large kitchen like your mother's, and one big front room. It’s not much, but we manage.”
“You can start setting the table for your mother, Ethan,” yelled Katherine from the kitchen.
Ethan began standing up but Xuan stopped him, putting his finger to his mouth. “Sit. I’ll do it. Tell me where everything is.”
Ethan pointed to the cupboard on the left and Xuan helped Ethan set the table before Katherine came in with the food. The three had a long chat about Ethan’s living on campus. The young man got a four-year scholarship and Xuan was proud of him. The old man was glad they didn't mention the recent murders in the town.
Xuan excused him, recognizing he started caring about Ethan and his mother too much. This wasn't the old man's plan. When he unlocked his door, Matthew was inside sitting, looking at TV.
“Matthew?” Xuan gasped setting down the food Katherine had given him. “Hello, Xuan. I didn’t mean to trespass but Duong‘s working today and I'm buying a new car. You’re the only one I trust being around these days.”
“How did you get in?”
“I knocked and turned the knob finding it unlocked. I hope you don't mind. We're buds, right?" Matthew scratched his head as he explained. "No problem. I wished you would have called first. You don't know whom I might have had in here." “Sorry, bud but are you up for a little drive?” said Matthew walking to the kitchen and pulling out a juice carton from the fridge.
“Sure, let me get dressed.” Xuan looked at the box of photos under the table. He pretended to straighten things up, throwing a rag over it.
“I’ll be right here.”
There's was no time to waste as the perfect chance came to kill Matthew. The old man devised a plan as he got dressed. "It must be my lucky day.”
Xuan and Matthew rode for thirty minutes to the Helfman Ford dealership. As they drove through the hot sun, Matthew blasted country music and Xuan tried blocking out the sound. When he spoke, Matthew lowered the volume.
“I like this car, to be honest. How much did it cost you?” asked Xuan, looking out the window.
“Not much.” Matthew made a U-turn. “What do you want to get now?”
“Maybe a Ford Pinto.”
Matthew nodded and Xuan was thinking about his plan. If they went out for a test drive, he could poison him; causing the car to drive off a cliff. Xuan smiled imaging as they pulled up in the car lot.
Matthew talked with a salesman while Xuan walked around checking out the cars. Some were so expensive that he believed no one would ever buy them.
Matthew was fixated on buying the Ford Pinto, and the salesman offered him to go on a test drive. Xuan got in first and Matthew slowly drove off. Xuan just needed to get Mattew unconscious. "Damn, I left the beers back home. What to do?" realized the old man. He looked down seeing there was a fire extinguisher underneath.
Once they reached an isolated area, Xuan spoke. “Matthew, I think the back tire is losing air” The car came to a sudden halt, and Matthew turned to him.
“Are you fucking serious?”
Matthew jumped out and slammed the door. He walked to the back and inspected it.
“Is it this one?” He got on his knees, sharply observing it.
“Yeah, that one.” Xuan unlocked the fire extinguisher and got out, seeing Matthew bent down.
“Are you sure it’s this one, I don't see anything wrong with it?” Matthew was about to get up and Xuan hit him in the back of the head. Matthew laid on the ground stretched out but was still conscious.
Xuan dragged him and put him in the passenger seat. He drove away, stepping on the gas with full force. The old man drove until he reached a mountain range a few miles down the road. He pulled Matthew’s body over to the driver’s seat and strapped his seatbelt. Then, he got out and pushed it towards the end of a cliff with all his force. When it reached the edge, it got stuck but after pushing it harder; the car flipped over and fell to its end, causing a big explosion.
As Xuan walked down the road, he was lucky someone spotted him in an old pickup truck. “Are you okay mate?”
“I'm lost. My car broke down some miles down. The engine died.”
The man tried chatting, but Xuan told him he didn't speak English well. The man told him he was from Alabama and here working in Houston. As they drove, the man cursed complaining about traffic.
“Thank you,” said Xuan when he reached his shop. The man saluted him, saying they could hook up in the evenings at a bar a few miles away. Xuan knew he’d never see him again. Once home, he listened to a message from Duong on his answering machine. The old man knew time was ticking as he edged closer to ending his misery.