The Ocean's Call Part 8
Part 8*
The house she, or rather they were living in was rather striking in its level of ostentaciousness. A brick colonial style with massive pillars on either side of the massive mahogany door. The entrance foyer had a marble floor and steps up the the living room. A study was off to the right , a sitting room to the left. She motioned for him to the left. For all the gawdiness of the rest of the house, the sitting room was most definitely Elizabeth. A white leather couch lined one wall, and two upholstered chairs directly across with an antique table and lamp between the two chairs. The colors were muted, as was the lighting which only added to the mystique and beauty of its designer. He sat on one end of the couch, she sat on the other folding her legs under her as she sat and adjusted her dress.
“So here we are. Finally. “ John said to break the ice. She smiled slightly. “I stopped by your…” he hesitated…”other house. Looks like you must have moved out before I got there. Nice couple has it now.”
“I didn’t want to get you involved, I couldn’t let you know where I really lived, I guess you heard about all the drama.”
“Well, it did make the papers you know. I’d like to hear from you what happened exactly, I mean if you can.” John wasn’t sure how far to push.
“It’s pretty simple really. I got involved with Jack a few years ago when I was young and stupid and didn’t know what kind of man he was. By the time I knew, I was locked in. He told me more than once he’d kill me if I tried to leave him.”
“Then I met someone else. I think it was more of a refuge for my sanity, to me with someone who was normal, honest, kind. He was a little older, but I didn’t care. I met him at a bar, and we went out a few times. I would meet him on the sly. He knew about Jack. I didn’t know he was married and had a family until later, then it didn’t much matter. He needed an escape too I guess. Everything was fine, until Jack found out. I still don’t know how, all I know is he was waiting for me one night when I came back from seeing my guy. He was sitting in the kitchen with Scout.”
“Who’s Scout, “ John asked. “My dog. A golden lab, one of the sweetest dogs. He even liked Jack, though I don’t know why. So here he is sitting at the kitchen table, Scout’s sitting on his haunches wagging his tail. He was always happy to see me. He wanted to come to me but Jack had a hold of her collar. So Scouts’ there wagging her tail and whining, and Jack says, “So where you been?” I told him I had been out with some girlfriends. “Guess again,” he said in this voice that made my blood run cold. “And don’t you fucking lie to me this time.” I was getting really scared, I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. Then he says, “I know about your boyfriend, and you stop seeing him or you’ll end up like this, and he grabs this butcher knife off the table and he pulls Scout’s head up by her snout and he…he…cuts her throat right there in the kitchen. I died right there watching her shaking and when he let go of her she dropped on the floor and lie so still. There was blood everywhere. Then he gets up, goes over to the sink, washes the blood off the knife and his hands, dries them on the towel and gives me this awful look, and tells me to “Clean it up!” He went to his room and I ran over to Scout. She was still warm and her big brown eyes were still open and looking at me, it was the most horrible thing I’d ever seen. I ent into the pantry and grabbed a blanket and wrapped her up in it.” “I put her in the trunk of my car and I came in here and just cried and cried.”
“I’m so sorry, that had to have been terrible. What did you do next?” John needed to know.
“I really don’t want to get you involved, when I saw you in the bar the other night…a lot had happened and I just needed to get away. I somehow knew I could trust you, but then I knew I couldn’t get you in the middle of it. That’s why I had you drop me at the house on Oak Street . I used to live across the street from that couple when I was growing up, it just seemed like a safe place to go at the time.”
“What happened to Jack? Is he dead? Elizabeth looked down. “Yes, he’s dead. But I didn’t kill him,” she said. “But you know who did, “ Jack said. “Yes, but no one will ever know, only four people know, and one of them is dead, there’s you, and me, and …that’s all I can say.”
“Is Scout still in the trunk of your car?” “I think the police might be looking for her.” “No, we buried her in my backyard.”
John’s mind was reeling. But he believed her. He had no reason not to. It all seemed to fit. “How can I help?” he asked. “Just be there for me. I can’t see my guy, it’s just not possible, I mean he’s got a wife and kids and…he’s done enough for me already. I just need someone to hold onto, to hold, to hold me. “ She looked up at John with the saddest eyes, he moved over and held her in his arms, she was sobbing and shaking. He eventually leaned back to lay down on the couch and she fell into his arms on top of him and fell asleep.