“I’m sorry,” Shaun kept saying, “I didn’t want you finding out like this. You have to go.”
“Not until you tell me who she is!” Frankie screamed.
Shaun man-handled Frankie back into her car and slammed the door shut again — despite her screams. Neighbours were poking their heads out of their own homes now, looking to see what the commotion was all about.
“Just believe me when I say I love you. I can’t be with you though. I’m sorry. Just go.”
“Fuck you!” Frankie shouted through the car window as she threw her car into first gear and released the handbrake. She spun the vehicle around at the end of the road and headed home with tears streaming, uncontrollably, down her face. Shaun was standing in the middle of the road, watching her leave his life and wishing he could tell her the truth. The woman came out of the house and put her arm around Shaun. Had Frankie looked in the rear view mirror, she’d have seen him push her away.
IV
The woman hadn’t had a chance meeting with Shaun. It wasn’t a corny story of a man meeting another woman and falling head over heels in love with her. It was far more sinister than that. It was the story of a woman — obsessed with a lead singer in a band — who’d do anything to be with that person.
She had met him in a car park after a gig and had seemed nice enough to start off with. She was complimentary about the music. She had said he had a great voice. She explained how she was surprised he hadn’t hit the big time already and that she could see big things in his future.
“And that’s not all I can see in your future,” she had told him.
“Oh? What else is there?” he asked. He had expected an answer of ‘money’ or ‘fame’ not…
“I see me in your future.”
The woman had said it with a cheeky grin on her face and a wink of an eye. Shaun knew instantly what she was talking about and was quick to dismiss it.
“I have a girlfriend,” he had told the woman.
“Frankie Yates.”
The woman knew everything about Frankie. She knew where she lived. She knew where she worked. She knew the names of her family. She knew the names of her pets and — more particularly — she knew which pet was her favourite.
“Of course she’s not good enough for you,” the woman had continued. “Someone like you,” she explained, “can do so much better for themselves.”
Shaun walked away from the woman but she followed. He knew she was nuts. His first nutter, he actually felt a little proud. That is… Proud until he realised she was following him.
“Look,” the woman had said. She had reached into her bag and pulled a photograph out. She handed it to Shaun.
“What’s this?”
“My pussy,” she had said with a wink.
It wasn’t a rude picture that he had been shown. It was a picture of a black and white cat. It was a picture of Gizmo. Shaun would recognise that cat anywhere.
The woman explained that she had never found a pet she’d been able to get that attached to. She explained how she’d watched Frankie and seen how much she loved that cat. And then — her tone changed. She’d gone from friendly, to creepy… To nasty.
“I want you and I’m going to have you,” she had said.
“I love Frankie,” he had argued.
“And you’ll learn to love me just as much, if not more…” the woman had said. “Because if you don’t…” It was at that point the woman showed him a second photograph. It was a picture of an oven and — through the glass door — you could see Frankie’s pet cat. The woman explained that — if she couldn’t have Shaun — then Frankie couldn’t have her favourite pet, unless it was served up with some roast potatoes and side dish of vegetables… If the woman got Shaun, Frankie got to keep her pet. But — under no circumstances could she have both her pet and Shaun.
“If you go to the police, her cat will die. If you tell her about any of this — her pet will die… What happens is up to you and I’ll give you a couple of minutes to mull it over,” the woman had explained, “but if you love her — like you say you do — you wouldn’t want to see her crushed at the sight of her pet cat cooking in the oven…”
“You’re sick,” Shaun had spat at her.
“But I’m also a great fuck,” and — with that — the woman had kissed him.
That night Shaun slept with the woman. Around midnight, she got out of his bed and she disappeared into the night. He thought that was it. He thought she’d be out of his life and all she would be was a dirty little secret he’d have to bury from Frankie. But that wasn’t it. She had merely popped out and — a couple of hours later — she had returned. Cradled in her arms was a pet carrier. Inside that — Gizmo.
“Just in case you doubt me,” she had told him when she woke him up. “Tell her it’s over or I’ll cook the cat…”
* * * * *
“You’ll give the cat back now?” Shaun called over to the woman standing in the doorway as Frankie’s car disappeared over the horizon.
“Of course but — remember — you try telling her and I’ll get it back.”
The woman walked up behind Shaun and put her arms around him. She kissed his neck.
“So — fancy coming back to bed before you shoot off for work? Might as well start the day with a smile, yeah?”
The woman laughed as Shaun felt his heart break; already missing Frankie. He suddenly turned to the woman and pushed her away.
“Fuck you!” he yelled. “I’m not being blackmailed to be with you, you fucking nut!”
“Oh? Really?”
“You can’t stop me from telling Frankie. And — what’s more — you can’t stop us from being together. You honestly think you’ll get away with hurting her cat? You’re insane.”
He pushed past her, back into the house. The woman following quickly behind.
“Is that it then?” she called out.
“I’m phoning Frankie now,” Shaun said, storming through to his room. He picked up his mobile and started searching for Frankie in his contacts.
“And that’s your choice?” the woman asked. Shaun turned his back on the woman as he listened to the phone, waiting for Frankie to answer.
“Hello?” Frankie’s shaking voice came down the end of the line.
“It’s me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything I said. Come back and I’ll explain everything… I was being blackmailed. Please… I’m sorry… Look, I can’t talk now but if you come back… I’ll tell you everything. Just come back.” He didn’t wait for her to answer him back. He knew he couldn’t keep her talking and that it would be easier face to face. He turned back to the woman.
She wasn’t in the room.
“Where are you?” he called out.
She appeared in the doorway again. A look of hatred on her face.
“Well?” she asked. “Is your precious Frankie coming back then?”
“Hopefully,” he said.
“Should be interesting…” the woman said with a wry smile on her face.
“And you’ll give her her fucking cat back now too. That way we won’t have to phone the police. You can just leave…”
“If that’s what you want.”
“You’re insane. You know that, right?”
“Me? You’re the insane one. Turning this down? I could have taken your band so far…”
Shaun heard the sound of a car pull up outside. He looked out of the window and saw Frankie’s car.
“I could have made you famous.”
“Just leave us alone, you’ve had your fun…” Shaun pushed past her and hurried outside. The woman didn’t follow.