Walter ran that supermarket for twenty something years. Made a lot of money from it. The best place on the island to get your goods. Well organised. Clean aesthetics. Always stocked. A good business, ran well.
Before all that, before I worked for him, he was just Walt. One of the boys. Everyone liked Walt, either for his confidence or his money. His dad owned most of the harbour. He drew people to him. He was the king of the high school.
Malissa I’d known since kindergarten. We always knew we’d end up together one way or another. I suspect we’d be married by now. Maybe have some kids.
The night before Christmas Eve. Cold as sin. A bunch of us were messing around by the docks. For whatever reason Walt suggested we all jumped in. He and his girlfriend of the time, later wife, Kathy, walked together to the other jetty to watch. I don’t know why people agreed to what he said. I don’t know why Malissa thought to go first. I watched her drop into that black water like a rock.
Then Ben followed right after. A moment of giggling and Kimberly went too. Then it was just me and Chris and Matthew. Ben came up. Kimberly came up. Malissa never did.
Walt was over on that jetty watching the whole time. In the following chaos he slipped away I guess. Went home. The cops showed up and I spent the night on the docks as they searched for Malissa. Nothing. Not even a body.
I didn’t see Walt for a week but when I did, he didn’t mention Malissa once. Like she never existed. Like nothing happened.
Now I see him roll up to the supermarket each morning in that imported Land Rover of his and say, ‘Morning, boss.’
Paddy Dobson
23rd December 2021