The rifle was an old .30 caliber, possibly manufactured in Italy for the war. It was a bolt-action and had a bead sight.
Ted Vincent had it in a tree, growing on a hill overlooking the pool area of an estate. The rifle was covered in a type of material resembling Saran wrap. Ted wore rubber gloves that went up to his elbows. He had a small monocle-like device that allowed him to look at the pool area close up. However, he was only about 70 yards away from some chaise lounges that were set out by the pool.
The pool was on the estate of Byron Diamond, a billionaire entrepreneur. The tree was not quite on the estate. Close enough, though.
Byron Diamond was the employer of Ted's wife Cara. She was a beauty, with darkish blond hair and a nice figure. She was spending the weekend at Diamond's estate, as she had done for the last four weeks. She was not doing that secretly. She had told Ted what she intended - to have a sexual affair with her boss. Only on weekends, though, when Diamond's wife, Miranda, would be off doing charity work. Ted didn't know if Diamond's wife knew about Cara Vincent's visits. There was staff at the estate, so probably.
Diamond and Cara strolled out to the pool. Diamond had on a speedo, and Cara wore only a thong. A skimpy one, at that. It was not the first time Ted had seen the two scantily clad. He had carefully scoped out the grounds of the estate, over the past weeks. In doing that, he had arrived at his current position, holding the power of life and death over the two lovers.
Diamond was fashion-model handsome, with a slim, muscular build. He and Cara made a spectacular pair, especially dressed as they were now. Ted could understand, in some way, why Cara had gone to Diamond. But, from the start when she announced her intentions, he had been unable to tolerate the situation.
He and Cara were both thirty-seven. They had been married for sixteen years, and had twin daughters, Claire and Beth. They were fifteen and looked like their mom. At the moment, they were at Ted's parents' home, spending a week before going to soccer camp. They had inherited their dad's athletic ability.
Also at the moment, Ted was allegedly on a bike ride with his best buddy, Miles Jacobs. The two had been close friends since they were six, in first grade. Now they were partners in a business that sold financial advice to companies, and some individuals. The firm, M&T, was founded as soon as Ted was out of college. Miles didn't go to college. His folks couldn't afford that, and Miles wanted to get on in the world. He was an outgoing guy and took up selling things. When he partnered with Ted, he sold the services of the firm. Those services were excellent, and the company grew. Now both men were quite well off. Family men with children about the same age and going to the same school. Miles was married to his childhood love, Robin. Well, Robin was the childhood sweetheart of both Miles and Ted. Miles had won that competition. Ted never really understood why. Miles and Ted were quite similar in looks - six feet, medium build, brown over brown. Who could pick? But some people simply fell in love. That happened with Miles and Robin. Ted got used to it. He found Cara at college, and she was all he'd ever needed. Until a few months ago.
Now, Miles was waiting off a bike path some distance away. And Cara was about to get a big surprise.
Ted saw Cara and Diamond hug. The hug morphed into a kiss. Just as they broke the kiss and Cara stepped away a short distance, Diamond's chest exploded.
Diamond's body fell away from Cara. She screamed, hands to her face, as she fell to the ground. Blood was everywhere. She crawled toward the pool and pulled herself in.
Ted had seen enough. He clambered down from the tree. He ran quickly up the hill, and tossed the gun into some bushes on the way. He removed the plastic material from the gun first. Then he doffed the gloves. He stuck it all into a plastic bag on his belt and jogged up the hill to his bicycle. He hopped on, peddled away toward the main bike path and joined it when he saw that no one was in sight. Ted biked about three miles before he rejoined Miles. They resumed their ride. About six miles further on, Ted left the plastic bag in a dumpster behind a filling station. The two men then finished their ride, fetching up at Miles' house.
The gun didn't worry Ted. He assumed that police would locate it. They wouldn't get DNA from it. And it was untraceable, he believed. He had had the rifle for many years. He got it from a guy he knew, who was dying and didn't want his family to keep his weapons. There were two rifles, and two pistols. The other rifle was also a WWII gun, but bigger and more valuable. It was in Ted's gun safe, along with guns he inherited from his grandfather. He had never put the smaller rifle in that gun safe. It had been stored in a cupboard in his garage for many years. When Cara had made her announcement, Ted thought immediately of that rifle. During the next week he had retrieved it and taken it out on his country property to make sure it shot straight. A little work was needed. But he had rightly been confident that the rifle was good enough for the job. He stripped it an filed off the number on the inside.
He thought that his possession of the rifle only went to show that throwing old things away was improvident.
Robin was there to greet them when they got to Miles' home. They had decided not to speak to her about any plans. She expected them back at two pm, and they arrived just about then. She had a cold beer for each.
She asked, "How was the ride, guys?"
Miles smiled and said, "It was great. The trail wasn't very crowded, and we had a nice workout." They had been gone for four hours or so.
Robin gave them both hugs. She was a pleasant looking woman, their age. She had dark hair and some slight extra weight. Ted had always found her attractive. They flirted some, usually. But she was Miles's woman, and all three knew that. The two men drank their beers and showered in the pool house. Then they sat around the pool.
Robin asked, "Ted, how long will this Cara thing last, do you think?" She knew about it - what Cara was doing on weekends. Ted had told them both. They were his closest friends, and the people he went to when in distress, or in need of calm advice.
With their input, Ted had ostensibly settled on a plan to let the affair peter out, if it did. As far as Robin was concerned, Ted should have kicked Cara out right away. But Miles thought otherwise. He said to wait to divorce until they could protect the company, and until the twins were older.
But Ted already knew what he was going to do. He had no patience for guys who screwed other men's wives - especially his own. So, when he had worked out a plan, Ted spoke to Miles about it. They refined it together.
Now Robin was asking about Cara's dalliance.
Ted said, "I have no idea. But, Robin, my thing with Nora will last longer - I hope."
Robin said, "I still think you should ditch Cara." Robin and Cara had always been cool toward one another. The four did socialize, and their children did as well. Miles' oldest son, George, was a year older than the twins. His younger son Ben was a year younger. Both boys seemed to find the girls attractive. But the mothers were far from close. Cara had her circle of friends from the country club. Robin had hers from the Democratic party and some book clubs.
Their social evenings tended to go well, though. Cara was always nice and interested in Robin's 'hobbies.' The odd thing was that both women worked at similar jobs for most of their married lives - administrative assistants. That ended when Cara got hired by Diamond two years ago. Robin still worked for her same firm, accountants.
As the three of them sat there, Ted became lost in thought about recent events. He was wondering about his reaction, and about why Cara had betrayed him like she had. She had been working for Diamond for twenty months, and Ted had had no inkling of problems. Their sex life - always good - had not changed, nor had Cara been working late, or going on work trips. She would go to the club on most weekends, but often made the girls' soccer games, when they were home games. Ted always made all their games.
So, Ted was shocked when Cara sat down with him late one night and said, "Ted, I don't....I have something I'm going to do. I hope it doesn't screw things up too much. I love you."
Ted was instantly on alert. He was not a person who reacted emotionally to things. He seemed to most people to be a stoic. His parents were quite the opposite. They argued and fought like alley dogs. Then, they had make-up sex - like animals as well. Ted was an only child, and his reaction, honed over the years, was no reaction at all.
Thus, his stoic initial reaction to Cara. He said not a word and stared at her.
She was not unsettled by this. It had happened before. She went on, "Byron and I have developed.....well, crushes on each other. His wife goes away each weekend, Friday to Sunday evening. I'm going to...visit him at his estate when she's gone. Starting this Friday. I have no idea when it will stop. He'll probably get tired of me. But I have to do it, Ted."
Ted said nothing. In fact, he was calm internally as well. That was because he knew right away, as soon as she laid out this plan, that he could not stop her and that he wouldn't try to do that. He also knew that Diamond was as good as dead. So was the marriage.
What he hadn't quite decided yet was what to do about Cara. He'd always loved her. She was a pretty good mother. But he well knew that she was self-indulgent and status conscious. He'd noticed that but overlooked it. Now those negative qualities had reached their apogee. It was sudden, but not out of character for her.
He tabled the decision about Cara and almost immediately thought about the gun in the garage cabinet.
Cara was startled when Ted, after maybe a minute, smiled. He'd had that reaction when he thought about the rifle. Not only was Cara startled, but it was unsettling - that smile. It wasn't a fake smile. She hadn't expected that. She said with some heat, "You think something's funny?"
He smiled at her. "Not at all." But the smile.
She felt a shiver at the smile.
Ted stood up and asked, "Have you exchanged fluids with his guy yet?"
Cara paused. "No. Well, some kisses. That's it to now."
Ted said, "I'll be sleeping in the guest house. Let me know when you're done with the rich boy. Then we'll see what's left."
And he walked up the stairs to get his things for the night.
Cara sat there in the living room. She was unhappy with the turn of events. Still, this was something she wanted to do, and she was going to do it.
She felt lonesome sleeping alone, though. It was Wednesday. Only one more night. She was so looking forward to her weekend with Byron. She was hot for him. He was younger - thirty. He was rich and accomplished. And he was built. She knew that from seeing him working out at the office gym, shirtless. Her idea was to get her fill of him while his wife was taking weekends. She understood that that situation would persist for a couple months. Then, depending upon how the two of them got on, maybe they'd make some permanent arrangement. Maybe not. She loved Ted. She loved how he fucked her. She loved how he was good with their daughters. She loved that he had given her a good life. But for a while she'd been restless, and very attracted to her boss. She wanted it, and she was going to have it. She was confident that Ted and she could cope, somehow.
Ted thought through a lot of things, as he was basically sleepless Wednesday night. The twins were going to a friend's house all weekend. He would do some recon. Check out the weapon. Maybe have some fun.
