Neon is the Colour of Vengeance (Flappers and False Gods)

MRS CARTER

The end was in sight. Hugo would be able to rejoin Evan soon, but as he plotted the deaths of the final three names on his list, he realised there was something he had to do first.

Tears rolled down his face as he stood on her stoop for the hundredth time and the last time.

The door creaked open. Barbara was wearing her night things, a green silk bonnet and matching nightdress.

“Oh Hugo, sweetie, you look awful. Are you alright? Come on in and I’ll fix you some tea.”

“Mrs Carter…” He could barely speak.

“Sit down, I’ll be right back then you can tell me all about it.”

Hugo let himself be ushered onto the floral couch. He put his head in his hands and cried as Barbara bustled in the kitchen. He hadn’t thought that it could be worse, but this was.

“Did you and Evan have a fight?” Barbara laid a tray of sweet tea in front of him.

Hugo shook his head.

“Everything okay?”

Hugo shook his head.

“What’s wrong?”

Hugo tried to speak, but no words came out.

“You’re scaring me now. Tell me what happened. Is Evan alright?”

Hugo shook his head again, unable to contain a sob.

Barbara got up from her armchair and came over to kneel in front of him. “Please tell where my son is. Please tell me my baby is alright.”

“He’s dead,” Hugo whispered. He couldn’t look at her, he squeezed his eyes shut. “My family killed him because I tried to leave. We were going to run away together. We were going to be happy.” He took deep heaving breaths between every few words.

“No. No. No. No!” She wailed and fell back. “When?”

“A month ago?—”

“A month? My baby has been dead for a month and you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t know how…I’m sorry.” Hugo wiped his nose roughly on the back of his hand.

“You! I told him you’d get him killed! I warned him. Men like you are nothing but monsters, some just wear pretty faces.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Hugo reached for her, trying to hug her.

“Don’t you touch me.” She scrabbled further away from him with the agility of a much younger woman. “You get out of my house! Get out. You bring death and I want no part in it!”

“Mrs Carter?—”

“GET OUT!”

Hugo scrambled to his feet and stumbled towards the door.

“Hugo.” She said his name like a curse, like it tasted bitter on her tongue.

He stopped, placing his hands either side of the door jamb without turning back. He stood there, waiting for the next slew of cutting words that he deserved ten times over.

“You kill them.” She sounded deadly. For the first time Hugo could see the mob wife in her. “You kill them all.”

“I will, I swear it.”

“Don’t ever come back.”

“I don’t plan on it.”