The Deed

Part two of the Mark of Cain

 

 “Maybe he is still in the park, it won’t hurt us to go look.” Her smile was more of a smirk than a show of affection. Goading him to take up her offer. Alisha knew he couldn’t refuse her logic. After all, it was the last place Rex had been seen. At least as far as he knew. She wanted to gloat but allowed her smile to warm.

 

“Sure let’s go I have an hour before I need to head back to work.” He was head groundskeeper at the golf course. A good job here in the city with good benefits and he was looking at a long weekend to boot.  With no reply to her statement he shot a smile of his own. As James turned to head to the car Alisha followed. I got you. Flashed in her thoughts.

 

He spent most of his time proving to her that in a fight men had the advantage. Women had no business working in law enforcement. What were they going to do, to restore order? Cry till the perpetrator felt guilty? He had said that very thing, many a time. He looked at her in her uniform and gave a short laugh and shook his head.

 

As they both closed the door to her ’79 dodge charger she knew what he was thinking He reeked with it, plus they fought about it almost, every day. She thought many times about leaving him but that would give him the upper hand. Letting him know she could not cut it and that just would not do. However wouldn't it be nice if he would leave her?

 

She tapped her index finger on the steering wheel. Kept her eyes on the road and controlled all facial expressions. By now they were in the park she rolled her window down and smiled as she called out for Rex.

 

“Your loving this aren’t you? You know how much that dog means to me?” He spouted with vigor.

 

“Now who sounds like a little girl? Stop your crying and let’s just look for the dog.” She had bought a Red Rooster Iced Latte before coming home for this mid-day performance. It was his favorite drink and she knew he could not resist.

 

He didn’t even ask, after all they were husband and wife even if in name only. He just started drinking it. Their daughter Alisa-Beth had autism and between that and her attending the police academy he could not forgive or love this Jane Wayne want-a-be.

 

“Man this tastes extra good today.” He said with a smile; his first honest smile presented to her today.

 

“Ya, I had them add extra shot of caramel. Hey did you remember to take your anxiety medicine at lunch.”

 

“Wow, that actually sounded sincere-” And shot her another smile. “-and I did, thanks for asking.”

 

“Look at us being civil and everything.” Alisha batted her big brown eyes and he let out a belly laugh. “Hey! There he is cutting over to the cemetery. Rex!”

 

“Where!”

“Look he’s right there.” She pointed toward the trees. This was working all too well.

 

He was looking but just could not see him. Nevertheless he called to him the same. “Rex, here boy come to daddy!”

 

What an a*s, loves that dog more than us. Blurted across her mind as if it were a Flash Flood Advisory. “I’ll park over in lot B we can try and catch up with him. You alright you are really perspiring quite a bit?”

 

“Just a little anxiety, my hearts racing like a freight train but I will feel better once we get the dog back.”

 

“Well, all right let’s get go’n then.” Her best smile was extended to him and out the car they went.

 

He had a small wobble in his footing she noticed it right off; funny thing is he probably didn’t notice it at all. “Man I bet that damn dog is playing in that fresh dirt over there.” A lazy arm pointed toward a trapped area.

 

“Come on Alisha, I’m sure he is, he can’t resist a hole that size.” He stumbled and caught his balance. “Whoa, we need to get him in the car and head back home I don’t feel well at all.”

 

“Sure thing won’t take us but a second, hang in there dear.” Dear, hum that might have been a bit too much. His keys went tumbling down into the fresh dug grave he glanced down getting ready to call her a fool for dropping his set of keys. The picture of Rex was a dead giveaway.

 

However, no affront proceeded from his lips as his world went black. The damage was done and she holstered her baton. Tossed a fresh layer of dirt over him and reseeded to the tree line. All that was left was waiting. A Hurst drove down the lane followed by six cars. Not too many mourners, but a bargain she thought. Two for the price of one. The smile was overloaded with satisfaction. She had waited three more hours and then emerged from the darkness. The walk to her car was filled with euphoria a simple plan with no flaws. She tossed the latte into the trash-can no one would notice three extra alprazolam’s were missing and he sure didn’t noticed that he had drank them.

 

Alisha got a Walmart sack but his toothbrush, shaving kit, and med’s in it. She called the home warranty to come out and fix her washing machine.” Tuesday” they said. She placed a bunch of his cloths into a laundry basket.

“Hum.” Looks very natural, she thought. Then changed into her sweats and Pittsburg Steelers jersey and drove off. Gave the basket of cloths to the church in the nearby town. Tossed his personal hygiene essentials in the dumpster at the zoo. They had a strict policy against patrons rummaging through the trash bins. Then grabbed her cell phone.

 

“Hey, Sally how’s my favorite sister-n-law? Want to take the kids to see Airplanes tonight. There’s a 9:00 showing?” I’ll be home from the sitters in twenty minutes. Why don’t you meet me there?”

 

“Oh yeah that’d be great. I guess James won’t be going with us?”

 

“You know, you got that right.”

Reviews

[Ron]

Heh heh! Dark & clever! Well crafted!

[Cherrie Palmer]

read the Mark Of Cain that is part1. I still need to write one more piece to this story. Not always easy with a six year old underfoot.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Thank you, Ron I'm always glad to see a review from you.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Ya know my Husband always gets nervous then I start kills characters off.