Kathryn hummed as she stripped and tossed her clothes in the washer. The uneasy feeling disappeared, and she felt comfortable at home. After her shower, she cleaned the gun and placed it on the table.
“What am I going to do with it and the remaining bullets,” she said aloud. She rested her head on her hand as she pondered what to do.
“Hmm,” she mumbled. “What about dad’s old trunk? No one would look there.”
When Kathryn’s father died in the accident, her mother had the trunk moved to her basement. It had always intrigued Kathryn since her father kept it locked and told the girls never to open it. When her mom passed, Pam didn’t want anything to do with the forbidden trunk, and Kathryn had it moved into her own basement. She thought someday she might open it and look inside. Over the years, she ignored it and stacked other storage items on top and in front of the old trunk.
Why not, she mused. I can keep the gun there until I think of something better. I doubt if Pam even thinks about it. She always worried dad would get angry if she touched it. I was the curious one.
Kathryn picked up the gun and bullets and walked down to her basement. She moved a few boxes around and dropped a blanket on the floor in front of the trunk. She sat down and pushed the strange looking key into the lock. She hesitated before turning it, but she forced herself to unlock it. The click made her look around to be sure no one saw her. In the small, windowless storage room with the closed door, she had privacy.
She lifted the lid and saw stacks of papers held together with rubber bands. She glanced at them and saw some were her dad’s military papers, letters from her mom that she would read someday, handmade cards from Kathryn and Pam. She found letters from her grandparents and a few legal papers. At the bottom of the trunk was a box. She pulled it out and opened it to find a handgun.
She began to laugh. All the stress I went through to get a gun and there was one in my basement that is well over twenty years old. Kathryn didn’t recognize what make of gun it was, but it was old and worn similar to the one she had purchased from the elderly man.
“One gun or two, what’s the difference,” she said. She slipped her gun and bullets into the box with her dad’s and replaced the box. Placing the papers back as she found them, she closed the lid and locked the trunk. When she put all the other boxes back, she returned upstairs knowing the gun would be safe.
She poured a glass of wine and placed a few vanilla cookies on a plate and carried them to her room. She read in bed for an hour and then turned off the light and fell asleep.
~ * ~
Kathryn woke, stretched, and hit her snooze button. She was warm and comfy under her quilt and happy to remain there for the entire day. When the alarm woke her again, she turned it off and pulled herself into a sitting position. Turning on the early news, she saw the “Breaking News” symbol flash across the screen.
Kathryn turned up the sound and listened to the news anchor report Justin’s arrest. The police arrested him without incident a little after eight the previous evening. A shudder shook Kathryn’s entire body. Her sixth sense that something was wrong on Justin’s street saved her. She would have been in his apartment when the police arrived. If the arrest occurred before the execution, she might have been able to talk her way out of the situation. However, if they arrived after the execution, she would be the one in a jail cell this morning.
She reached for her ringing phone. It was Pam.
“Hi, yes, I just watched it. No, when I saw the picture on TV I never imagined it was him. I haven’t seen him in years. I’m glad someone recognized him. I’m absolutely shocked. Pam, I spent a lot of time in his basement getting closer than teens should. I never thought he could turn out to be a child molester or whatever he planned to do to that little girl. Okay, you, too. Call you at lunch. Bye.”
Kathryn dropped back on her pillow and sighed. That was a close call, she thought. I’m glad I’m done. Retired. That’s a good word. I’m retired. Now I can concentrate on my relationship with Nick. Face it Kathryn, you’re still head over heels in love with him. You have to make it work. She smiled as she pulled herself from the bed to begin getting ready for work.
~ * ~
Kathryn’s work day was typical and quitting time arrived before she knew it.
Doc asked her, “I know it is Friday, but you seem to be in a hurry to leave. Big plans tonight?”
“Nick’s coming over and we’re going to talk more. I think if we try we can make it. I survived one dinner with his mom. If I take Mac’s advice, I can survive the rest.” She smiled.
“Good luck,” Doc answered. “I’ll look forward to hearing all about it Monday morning providing we have a quiet weekend. I hope there are no more middle of the night murders.”
“Me, too, sir,” Kathryn said as she hurried to the elevator. Derek’s body hadn’t been found, and she knew Doc wouldn’t call her in this weekend. She could wait until Monday to see what, if anything, they learn about the execution and note she left next to his body.
~ * ~
Nick arrived on time carrying three white bags. Kathryn knew he opted for Manuel’s over pizza. She opened the door and smiled. He stood there grinning ear to ear.
“Did you bring enough food?” She quipped.
“Maybe we could have leftovers for breakfast. Maybe. I hope.” His grin widened.
“Let’s eat and talk,” she bit her lip to keep from laughing. It was the Nick she remembered before meeting his mom. He made her heart soar. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and kiss him breathless. She drew in a breath and thought, don’t attack him, Kathryn. Let things flow naturally.
Nick set the bags on the kitchen table and called out the items as he drew them from the bags. “Chips and Queso dip for starters. A large side of rice. Refried beans. Sour cream. Salsa. Guacamole. Last but not least, tacos and burritos. I wasn’t sure which you wanted, so I brought both. See there’s enough for breakfast.” He winked at her.
Damn, why does that wink make my heart flutter? She thought as she sat.
“Oh, I forgot,” Nick said as he ran to the front door. He returned with a six pack of beer and a six-pack of cola. “Forgot them on the porch. I wasn’t sure what you wanted.”
Kathryn grabbed a cola. “I want a clear head when we talk.”
Nick nodded and grabbed a cola. He placed the beer in the fridge.
They kept the conversation light during dinner. Nick did ask if Kathryn purchased any whipped cream.
She blushed and said, “Yes and no, I stopped at the bakery and bought cream puffs.”
“That’ll work,” laughed Nick.
After dinner, they settled on the sofa, and Kathryn turned to look in Nick’s eyes. “I love you Nick Donnelley more than I ever thought I could love any man. I needed to say that and make it clear before we talk again.”
“Good idea to get that settled because I love you more than I thought humanly possible. You’re my life, Kathryn.”
“Do you think love is enough for us to make it? We need to make a promise—a vow to put each other first. I know there will be times when your parents will need you, but I need to know you will be there for me during important times, too. I won’t put any unreasonable restrictions on you, but please don’t let your mom do what she did to me during dinner without standing up for me.”
“That will never happen again, Kathryn. I promise. I know what it feels like to almost lose you. I can’t go through that again. I want and need you in my life.”
“I want and need you in my life, too, Nick.” She smiled at him.
He grinned at her and slipped his hand into his pocket. When he pulled out his hand, he held a small black box and dropped to his knee.
Oh my, oh my, oh my, Kathryn thought.
Nick looked into Kathryn’s eyes. “I think I was in love with you before we began dating. You intrigued me since the first day I saw you in the cafeteria before I knew your name. I know we have had obstacles and trouble, but we made it pas
t them. We can make it in this life together. We need to be together. I know this isn’t a big diamond, but the jeweler said its clarity is perfect. You’re perfect, too. I know we can’t get married until I finish school, but we can be engaged and plan a wedding. Marry me, Kathryn. You’ll make me the happiest man on earth, and I’ll do everything in my power to make you as happy as possible. On our twenty-fifth anniversary, I’ll replace this ring with a one-carat with lots of little stones surrounding it. I would have gotten one now, but I’m not rich. Yet. This ring is connected to my heart. Please say yes.”
Kathryn looked into Nick’s eyes, then at the breathtaking solitaire diamond in the box and back to Nick’s eyes. Tears formed in her eyes and the harder she tried to stop them, the more they fell.
“Yes, Nick, oh yes, I’ll marry you. I love you.” She whispered.
Nick slid the ring on her finger and said, “Look it fits.”
Kathryn smiled, “It’s perfect and I wouldn’t want a larger diamond. It’s what you picked out, and it’s now linked to my heart, too.”
She threw her arms around his neck and drew him to her. Their kiss was passionate and lingering. Nick pulled himself off his knee and sat next to Kathryn. He wrapped her in his arms and said, “This is how I want to spend every night forever and always.”
“Me, too,” murmured Kathryn. “Now I know why you were so confident about having tacos for breakfast.”
Nick laughed, “I get to stay?”
Kathryn nodded. “Oh, yes.”
~ * ~
Kathryn woke to Nick’s gentle snoring. Both had fallen asleep exhausted. It was nearly noon. She was curious to know what the police might be saying about Justin’s arrest or if the news had information about Derek’s execution. She clicked on the TV to catch the noon newscast.
The news anchor began his story with a report about Justin explaining the police were not giving any details surrounding the man’s arrest. Derek’s shooting was part of the regular news report. It seemed, at least to Kathryn, that the executions were no longer major news. Just before Kathryn was about to click off the TV, the news anchor said they had breaking news.
Kathryn listened to a reporter from the western side of the state report on a double shooting. A young man accused of child abuse had been granted bail the previous day. He and his lawyer were leaving the jail when two shots rang out killing both men. The police recovered the high-powered rifle and a note stating, “Crimes against children will not be tolerated.” The note was signed, “The Executioner's apprentice.”
Kathryn dropped back onto her pillow and murmured. “That note can’t be about me. What if it is? What have I started?”
~ The End ~
Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have a chance, please leave a review on Amazon. I would appreciate it more than I can say. Reviews are the air and water for writers to continue writing. For more information on all my novels, and short story mysteries please visit my web site Marianne Spitzer, Author, Amazon site Marianne Spitzer on Amazon, my blog Musings Under the Willow Tree., Facebook page Marianne Spitzer, Writer or follow me on Twitter @MarianneSpitzer
Also, you may want to visit Wayne Zurl's website for information on his Sam Jenkins mysteries.
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