An hour later, Katie admitted the party was a tremendous success. Jack operated the grill, taking orders, and flipping burgers. He received a lot of back-slapping and compliments on the house and the holiday decorations. “We sure needed this,” several commented as the night waned. There was a lot of shop talk and an overwhelming consensus that their bosses were idiots.
Katie agreed sweetly as she gathered trash and freshened drinks. She’d been right about the shoes. They did occasionally get stuck in the cracks between the pavers.
Jack watched Katie throughout the evening, and at one point, she caught his eye. She smiled, sharing their success. He gave her a thumbs up.
On Katie’s next round through, Jack glared at her and turned away.
What? What have I done now? She thought through the last twenty minutes trying to determine what had affected Jack’s mood. She couldn’t come up with anything and concentrated on their guests instead.
It was near midnight when the last person left. Katie toed off the shoes and ran a sink full of water. Jack sidled up behind her, running his hands up under her skirt and nuzzling her neck.
Katie laughed and pushed his hands away. “Stop! We’ll never get this mess put away if you do that.”
He drew her backward toward a kitchen chair, settling her on his lap.
One too many sangrias had Katie giggling and not thinking clearly. She was still riding the high of their successful evening and enjoying Jack’s company.
Jack stroked her rib cage. “I noticed you talking to Mike for a long time.”
It sounded like a conversation, and Katie responded, “I think I spoke to every single person, tonight. My mouth is tired.” She snickered again.
“No. You spent more time talking to Mike than anyone, even bent over to pour him a drink and give him a nice long look down your shirt.” Jack’s caress had stopped being gentle.
Uh-oh. Her mind raced, trying to remember Mike and any conversation they’d had.
“I saw you flirting with several men, although Mike seemed to be your favorite.”
“I wasn’t flirting. I promise I was just playing host.” She tried to slip away.
Jack held her in place. “I’ve told you over and over, you’re mine.”
“I didn’t do anything and wouldn’t. You have to believe me.”
Jack's eyes turned to slits, and his whiskey breath filled the space between their faces. “You will not embarrass me again.”
Before Katie could react, Jack twisted her around and yanked her down across his knees. Wrenching her skirt up, he yelled, “You are my wife! No one else touches you.” His hand came down repeatedly as he spanked her into submission.
Jack’s breathing changed, and Katie was sickened by his excitement over her subservient position. She cried, not out of pain, but shame. With her head hanging down toward the floor, her tears dripped off her face and onto the tile. She watched them land, each one a reminder of a year she’d lost and the indignations she’d suffered.
Knowing it was required, Katie apologized, “I’m sorry, Jack. It’ll l never happen again.’
Jack hauled her to their room and slung her on the bed, tearing into her with primal lust.
Later, she lay awake and counted the days until her get-a-way. Sixty-five.
As August neared, it was increasingly difficult to keep up pretenses. Jack sensed something amiss and scrutinized her moves more than ever. He lifted books off the coffee table, reading the inside flaps. “Why are you reading this? It sounds like garbage.”
He listened to the conversations she had with Aunt Susan and Cheyenne. If she drifted off, he reeled her back. “What are you thinking about? You seem to be daydreaming more.”
Katie walked on eggshells daily.
Unfortunately, Katie’s schedule lightened, giving her too much time at home, and putting her in Jack’s crosshairs more often. I’ve got to fill my days, or I’m going to make a mistake. She still had a month to go.
“I was thinking about picking up another client,” Katie mentioned casually as she and Jack were having breakfast. “I only have one morning with Amanda now that’s she’s improving. Add in a half-day with Gertie and two days with Mr. Parker, and there are almost two full days in my week with nothing scheduled.”
Jack raised his eyebrows and waited.
“I’m going to check with Cheyenne’s rotation. The extra money would be nice.”
Jack was noncommittal. “We’ll see.”
When Katie asked Cheyenne about potential clients, she was disappointed to hear the response. “We’re covered, for now, Katie.”
“Can you put me on the substitute list?” Katie tried not to beg.
“You don’t normally like to be called on short notice. Are you sure?” Cheyenne asked.
“Yep. We could use the extra money.”
“This is not what we agreed to!” Jack screamed, when Katie shared the news. “I’m supposed to wonder where you are every day?” He grabbed Katie’s arm. “I don’t think so.”
“I’ll…I’ll know the address and time frame the night before,” Katie stammered.
“You’d better, Katie.”
When she went to bed that evening, the comforter was turned down, and there, on her side of the bed, lay the knife. Katie hadn’t seen it in well over a year and trembled.
When Jack came into the bedroom and picked up the knife, Katie stopped breathing. This is it.
He took it out of the sheath and held it up toward the light, turning it, twisting it, admiring it. He slid the knife back into its case, laying it carefully on the nightstand.
Climbing into bed, he pulled Katie close and whispered, "You and me forever, right?"
She kept her eyes on the knife and answered in a small voice, “Yes, Jack.”
He rolled away and fell asleep while she stared at the ceiling.
She was on her very best behavior for the next few weeks.
Chapter 27
Katie woke up thinking, September 6! Today is the day. She’d expected to be nervous but was surprisingly calm. She put on a lightweight, eggplant-colored sweater over a sleeveless white blouse.
It was payday Friday and would be normal for her to make their standard, two-week withdrawal; Jack’s $300 payout, $80 for gas in both vehicles, $100-weekend money, and her measly $20 allowance. The $500.00 would keep her going until she could get to her bank.
She dared not take more, or it would alert Jack. He verified as much as they worked through their morning.
“You’re going to the bank today, right? The usual amount? Errands, groceries that kind of stuff?” Jack stood at the counter, scrounging through her tote. He came across her usual mishmash of miscellaneous items, including her precious compact. When he placed it and a tube of mascara on the counter, Katie froze.
She made herself concentrate on the iPad but watched him as he unzipped the little interior area assuring himself there were only tampons hidden inside. A pair of tweezers rattled around on the bottom, mixed in with six or seven pens and various post-it notes. A few coupons were loose, and her grocery list was half crumpled inside a couple of empty plastic bags. Jack replaced the makeup items and zipped her bag closed. Katie let out a breath and answered his question.
“Yep, in fact, I’ve got to leave early. I have my mammogram at nine-fifteen, then the lab work, and then my Ob/Gyn appointment.”
Jack’s eyebrows rose. “With Dr. Swisher, right? The female doctor?”
“Yes,” Katie answered and swallowed her irritation. He knew dame well Dr. Swisher was a woman, as he’d insisted upon such. Katie stayed silent. She couldn’t afford to be combative this morning.
Jack glanced meaningfully at Katie. “You want me to come along?”
“Come along? You mean to the doctor’s offices?”
Jack nodded.
“No. I do not want you to tag along.” Katie shook her head from side to side, fast enough to have her hair flying around her face. “It’s embarrassing enough without yo
u sitting in the chair.”
She thought about how he insisted on going with her to the dentist or clinic. He followed her into the examination rooms, exuding charm and giving the impression of the caring partner. Katie had seen the wistful expressions on the faces of other female patients and heard their whispered comments.
“Isn’t that nice?”
“I wish my husband would come with me, and actually care.”
Katie would silently seethe. You have no idea.
Jack interrupted her thoughts. “Two women, one of them naked while the other pokes inside? Sounds sexy to me.”
Katie gagged on her coffee, quickly disguising it as a cough. “No way. Not happening.”
He shrugged. “Your loss. Tell me again why there are so many appointments today. It seems weird.”
“I swear I’ve explained this to you a hundred times.” Easy girl. She softened her tone, “Because I’ll be twenty-eight I a few weeks, they scheduled me for my first mammogram. I figured, without much family history, it made sense.”
Jack nodded, accepting the information. It matched what she’d told him previously, and what he’d researched on the internet. “And the lab work? What’s that all about?”
“Jesus, Jack.” Katie bowed her head. She ran a hand across her abdomen. “It’s been over a year since we lost the baby. They want to do blood work to ensure things are still all right.”
He turned to the sink and rinsed his cup. “Oh. I remember now.”
Satisfied all was in order, he grabbed his briefcase and headed toward the door. “Call me when you’re finished. Maybe we can have lunch. You should be done around noon or twelve-fifteen, right?” This was another test. Jack watched her face to see how she accepted the potential change in her schedule.
Katie’s mind screamed, Lunch? Oh my God, now I’ve only got three hours! She couldn’t panic and worked at smiling and putting the right inflection into her voice, “That sounds about right. It depends on Doctor Swisher. She’s usually running behind, but twelve-fifteen seems a safe bet. We haven’t had a lunch date in a long time.”
She followed Jack to the front door and kissed him goodbye, not in the least sorry it would be the last time.
Conscious of the security cameras, she went through the rest of the morning as casually as possible. She completed a few chores, added a few items to her grocery list, and killed a half an hour. To anyone looking at the video feed, it would appear mundane, and even a little boring.
As Katie backed out of the driveway, she took a long last look at the house. She’d loved it from day one. Looking at the gleaming windows, the Victorian color scheme, and the carefully tended landscape, Katie felt a pang. She’d poured blood, sweat, and tears into bringing the house back to life. She committed it to memory and pulled away.
At the bank, she left her sweater on and buttoned up to the top. She filled out a withdrawal slip, waited in line, and chatted with the cashier, leaving a vague memory of a pleasant woman out running errands.
Although the medical complex wasn’t far from Forsyth Park and the bank, the drive took twenty minutes due to all the one-way streets and traffic. Katie sang with the radio, happier than she’d been in years.
She parked halfway down an aisle, wanting to make sure the parking lot cameras had her in sight. It was nine a.m., and she was right on schedule for someone who had a mammogram at nine-fifteen.
Katie popped down the visor and used the tiny mirror to apply a little lipstick. She shook her head at the irony. She hated Jack’s constant scrutiny but was counting on such surveillance today.
She repeated a phone number in her head as she walked toward the entrance. 330-555-1818. 330-555-1818. Once inside the building, she headed straight for the tiny reception desk.
“Oh My God. I locked my keys and my phone in my car! Can I use your phone to call my husband?” Katie reached for the phone, not giving the woman a chance to say no.
The woman shrugged her shoulders. “It’s a local call, right?”
Picking up the receiver, Katie smiled. “Nine to get out?” The girl nodded and turned away to assist the next person.
When the dispatcher at the local cab company answered, Katie launched into her practiced speech, “Hello. I’m going to need a ride. Can you pick me up at the Cooper Primary Medical Complex?” She rattled off the address. “Right out front, under the archway?”
“Yeah sure,” the bored dispatcher said. “When?”
“As soon as possible, please.”
“Okay, give us about ten minutes.”
Katie ended the call but pretended she was still speaking to her husband. “I locked the door just as I saw the keys on the seat. They must have slipped out of my purse.” She paused as if listening to a question. “Yeah, I’ll be out front.”
Katie hit the redial button, calling the cab company again. She turned her back to the receptionist and walked a few feet away, careful not to get too close to the camera near the elevator. Katie changed her voice a little, “So, can you pick me up at Cooper Medical Complex in twenty minutes?”
The dispatcher sounded surprised, “That’s weird. We had a call from there not two minutes ago.”
“Huh,” Katie answered, feigning disinterest. “Can you pick me up out front, please?” If the receptionist was listening, Katie needed it to sound like one continuous conversation.
In reviewing her getaway plan weeks ago, Katie had decided a single cab would be too obvious if the police got involved. A second taxi would make it appear more routine. It was all about perception. They might not follow such a lead for days, giving her precious time. She’d hoped to use Uber, but without a credit card, she couldn’t set up an account. The cab was the only choice she had.
Katie hung up the phone, waved at the receptionist, and headed toward the family restroom in the lobby. Taking the second stall, she removed her sweater and shoved it into the tote. Fishing out the hair bands, she scraped her hair into a ponytail and twisted it into a quick knot at the back of her head. Anyone who had seen her earlier would hopefully remember a dark purple sweater, and long, loose hair.
She heard someone come into the bathroom and froze. Whoever it was entered the adjoining stall, and Katie breathed again. Not Jack. She spun her wedding ring around her finger. Throw it away? Keep it? She decided she’d be less noticeable married.
Once the other person was gone, Katie popped out of the stall and hurried to the sink. She removed her contacts and scrubbed off most of the makeup she traditionally wore. The rest of the alterations would take place later. She shoved her glasses on her face, hurrying.
She pulled out her wallet, removing the debit card and her license. She put the cards and two-hundred dollars in her front pants pocket and zipped the remaining cash inside her tote.
Looking around quickly, she pulled out the plastic bags she’d put in the purse days before and shoved her tote down inside. She twisted the tiny bit of plastic left at the top. The tote was distinguishing with all its colors and sheer size. Getting rid of it here would be too coincidental. She wanted the police and Jack to wonder what had happened? Where’s her purse? Has anyone used her credit card? Had she been kidnapped?
Katie wiped her billfold with a damp cloth and shoved it to the bottom of the trashcan. She put her phone on vibrate only. Turning it off would alert Jack. When Jack checked on her whereabouts via GPS, and she was sure he would, the phone would show her “in” the building. If the items were found later, so much the better. She wiped the phone clean, trying to remove fingerprints and make it look intentional. Wrapping it in dozens of paper towels, Katie shoved it toward the bottom of the trash can, covering it thoroughly so it wouldn’t vibrate to the surface.
Head down, she made her way toward the entrance just as the cab pulled under the portico. Katie tossed her car keys in the outside trashcan and ducked into the backseat as fast as she could. “Hey! How are ya?” She slammed the door and clicked her seatbelt into place.
“Where to?” The cabb
ie asked
Katie rattled off the address she’d memorized. “957 Hidden Lake Court.”
It was ten minutes after nine. If things went as planned, she had at least a three-hour head start.
Chapter 28
The cabbie plugged the address into his GPS, but his face was puzzled. “Hidden Lake Court?"
Katie pointed to the stoplight. “Whoops! It’s green, make a right toward the highway.” She smiled encouragingly--anything to keep him moving.
He pulled through the intersection, and she let out a long breath.
“I never heard of no Hidden Lake Court,” the driver insisted.
“It’s further south. Below Middleburg, near the mall.”
He caught her eyes in the rearview mirror, and his eyebrows went up. “That’s a haul.” He smiled, though, thinking of the fat fare and upcoming tip.
“I know. My car broke down this morning. I can’t get hold of my husband and just want to go home.” Katie shook her head—exasperated, frustrated by the day, and playing her part to the hilt.
Katie settled in, looking out the window, a clear sign she wasn’t in the mood for conversation. The cab ride was a little over fourteen miles and cost Katie $30.00 with the tip, but it was worth it to get out of downtown Savannah. After paying the fare, she walked toward the broad steps of the big old house as though she owned the place.
In reality, Katie had no idea who lived there. She’d found it using Google Earth and had chosen it because of its proximity to her bank and shopping.
Once the cab rounded the corner, Katie retraced her steps and turned the corner as well. It was three blocks to her destination, and her vulnerability had her senses heightened. She walked quickly, watching her feet, glancing at signs, and making her way to a small branch office of First Bank of Atlanta.
Once inside, Katie filled out a withdrawal slip and scooted up to the first available cashier.
“Oops. You didn’t write in the amount.” The teller’s name badge listed her as Bethany.
There Was a Crooked Man: A Psychological Thriller Page 13