His Favorite Sin

4.1 : POLISHED PREDATOR

Nine Years Ago

Hannah had told Dahlia things, a lot of things, about the bodies that had been found buried in the woods surrounding the Dvoraks’ mansion, the same woods she passed through every time she made her way up here. Her skin prickled with chills just from the thought of it.

Every investigation that had been launched surrounding the Dvoraks’ mansion always concluded with the same speech – ‘“...a victim of a wild animal attack.” We’ve barely ever seen any “wild animals” here!’ Hannah had snapped. ‘Also, I’m pretty sure wild animals can’t bury their human victims. Seriously, do they think we’re stupid?’

Cora distinctly recalled Mr. Dvorak mentioning wild animals being present in those woods and him being strict with the curfew.

‘We’re not supposed to be talking about this.’ Derek muttered as the three of them walked together down a small pathway in the small park of the town. He had been mostly quiet while Hannah talked, and Cora could see how uncomfortable he was with the discussion, his eyes darting around anxiously as if he were a fugitive cautious of being monitored.

‘I can talk whatever the f**k I want to, and anyone dissatisfied with my words can go suck it!’ Hannah flipped her hair unapologetically, coffee in one hand and her phone in another, which she used to take a quick selfie of them before they resumed walking. ‘Great. Derek ruined the shot.’

‘Are you sure it’s not just wild animals?’ Cora asked before she and Derek could get into another bickering.

She shrugged, ‘Could be, but those wild animals must worship Mr. Dvorak because they only attack those who go against him or locals who refuse to sell their lands.’ Cora was taken aback, and Hannah luckily went ahead to clarify after taking a sip of her coffee.

‘Old Johnny Thomas once owned this little piece of land that was part of numerous other parcels that Mr. Dvorak was trying to acquire to expand his cattle farm. A few wouldn’t sell, including John. He never liked Mr. Dvorak prior to that, and I’ve heard him cuss out Mr. Dvorak, even called him a wolf in tailored suits, a polished predator, etcetera. A man like that would never have stepped foot near the Dvoraks’ home, but somehow, his body was found in those same woods after the rain had unearthed him. As usual, the cops ruled it another “wild animal attack.” A month later, with John gone, it was easy for Mr. Dvorak to purchase the land from his next of kin, and Mr. Dvorak got his cattle farm.’

‘You think Mr. Dvorak killed him?’

‘Honey, everyone thinks so. It wasn’t the first time something mysterious happened to a local who went against Mr. Dvorak.’

A heavy feeling settled on Cora’s chest. Her eyes shifted to Derek, who still appeared fidgety but didn’t disagree with Hannah’s words.

‘If there are so many murders happening around him, why wasn’t he investigated or arrested?’

‘Are you serious? Look around, he owns all these!’ She gestured to our surroundings, including the park and the local businesses in our line of sight. ‘He owns the whole town,’ she added quietly.

When Cora had first come for the interview, Mr. Dvorak explained that the reason he didn’t have many applicants for her current job was due to some ill rumors going around about him. She hadn’t expected it to be this bad.

She didn’t care for the truth, just her life, and she was ready to rush back to the mansion, pack her things, leave an apology note, and get the hell out of there for good. But in the process of packing her clothes, Mr. Dvorak arrived home and asked Anna, their maid, to get her. Filled with dread, Cora made a short prayer and then reluctantly made her way to his studies.

She was unprepared when he handed her a check for her salary, in advance. Her eyes nearly popped out of her eye sockets looking at the amount on the paper.

‘A whole year in advance?’

He smiled, amused as he took back his seat behind his desk. ‘That’s a month. That was the amount we agreed on when you first came here, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes, but I thought it was for a year’s salary...’ He chuckled again.

‘Lance likes you. He’s had it rough this year, but I can see him more relaxed around you. You’re doing great. I’m happy I hired you.’ Cora was stunned speechless. A minute ago, she was ready to pack her things and run for the hills, but now that would mean rejecting that generous check, and she really needed the money. That sum was just impossible to return when it was already in someone’s hands.

‘Thank you, Mr. Dvorak,’ Cora said instead, shutting out the voice in the back of her head saying otherwise.

Dazed, she slowly turned, making her way out when Mr. Dvorak stopped her.

‘Oh, and Dahlia?’ He held her gaze as she turned back to him. ‘I was serious when I said you could call me Ben.’ And with that, he dismissed her again. She paused at the doorway before staggering back to her room, dumbfounded as she tried collecting her thoughts.

Mr. Dvorak had been nothing but kind to her from the start, and perhaps she had misunderstood him. He had let her into his home and was generous to her. So far, he had given her no reason to dislike him, and yet, she had been skeptical about him and even thought him weird. But he wasn’t. She had just been weirded out by how amiable he was to her when she was used to the notion that the rich and powerful were disgusting snobs. But he hadn’t been like that to her.

If she had been wrong about him, Hanna and Derek could be wrong about him also. He was a very wealthy and influential man, living in the most secluded part of this little town, and that gave him so much privacy from others. They didn’t know him well, so there could be jealousy, contempt, malice; of course, gossip would begin to form.

But what if she hadn't been wrong, and he really was what they said he was?