Sorry, everyone, about the bold parts. I know it's annoying, but italics don't work for some reason and I gotta do this. So, everyone, enjoy this last installment! J
I debated how to kill Jack for days.
It was terribly hard, sitting there at meals with him, sleeping with him, talking to him day after day, holding myself back from ripping his eyes out right there and then.
How dare he do this to me? How dare he forsake the vows we had taken, pledged to each other? Who the hell did he think he was?
No one like that deserved to live. You defy me, you die.
Emily was my biggest rock during those time. Of course, I never told her about my plans for revenge. But she listening through my rants and raves, while all while I was thinking – gun, poison, or knife?
I finally decided on the gun because I knew where one was and how to get it. Poison would be easily traced to me – Race had assured me no one else knew about the affair and I was the only one with the opportunity. And a knife was simply too messy.
The gun was from a shop I frequented a few blocks from my apartment. The little shop sold all typed of oddities, and this little gun had caught my eyes a few weeks back. It was pretty, with a shiny white handle and enamel on the sides. Small, it was easy to steal. I just slipped it into my basket and sailed out of there, after buying a little glass jar to divert suspicion. No one even looked at me twice.
It even had bullets in it, and I knew how to shoot - David had shown me one summer when we went to the country. Now all that was left was how to do it.
I knew Jack came home late – for the past few weeks he had been walking in at nine o'clock or later. What did he think I was, stupid? I wouldn't realize that surely you don't need to be out late EVERY night for work?.
The date was set for a Monday – it was the easiest day for me to leave the apartment and also the day Jack came home the earliest. This way, I would be able to shoot him and come home long before they discovered the body.
How to lure Jack into a deserted alley? The possibilities were endless, but so was the possibility that something would go wrong. He must come home early that day because Angelina was busy that night. So maybe I could forge a note to Jack, saying I was Angelina, to meet me in the handy little alley I knew about, the one I used to use to follow to Jack to and from work?
But what if Jack saw Angelina before Monday night, and mentioned it to her? After much thought, I decided to take the risks and composed this note:
Dearest Jack.
Please meet me in the alley at the corner of 7th and 64th. You know the one, with the big box in front that hides everything inside from view? Please come, dearest. 8:30 sharp. It's something special. Don't mention it to anyone – not even to me. It's too secret to be spoken of anytime before we meet.
Always,
Angelina
I had read the note that she had written to my husband, and copied out the language and handwriting as best I could. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice that it wasn't on pink stationery and the words were a little stiff. Jack had no idea I knew about him, so he had no reason to suspect.
Now I needed an alibi. I had less than a week to find one. The gun was loaded and the note was under my mattress, waiting. All that was missing was a rock-solid excuse.
After a long time thinking, I hit upon an idea. The alley was only a few blocks from my house, taking about three minutes to get there at a fast walk – less if I ran. I invited myself to the Johnson's (they lived on the bottom floor, underneath us) for dinner, who had the advantage of being old and on the ground floor, with a rather large washroom window. I said Jack was not going to be home that night – away on business – and it got awfully lonely by myself.
If all went according to plan, I would slip out at one point after the meal – it was called for seven – and be back within ten minutes.
How long does it take to shoot someone?
Thank God, everything went well. My nerves were shot by Monday morning, hands shaking as I served Jack his coffee. I had slipped the note into his jacket pocket the night before. He had surely read it by now.
It hurt me to see him all dreamy eyed and relaxed, yet distant. He wasn't thinking about me, his wife; he was thinking about some hussy.
My resolve strengthened considerable by the time Jack left, after a cold kiss on the cheek.
It was easy to kill someone, I thought. Easy.
I went to the Johnson's; dinner was boring and only made make me more nervous. When coffee was served, I excused myself from the table to use the washroom and whispered to Mrs. Johnson on the way out, "Please don't be worried if I am awhile. I think I might be……yes, carrying child………and you know the problems that come along with that…………." I smiled sadly at the old woman's delighted smile and hurried off.
The gun was in my purse, along with a glove. I wiped off any fingerprints and pulled on the glove. I stripped my fancy dinner jacket off and slid open the window. The night was clear, stars bright and far away.
I ran faster than I ever had before, driven by adrenaline and nervousness. Perhaps even a little bit of fear. But how would I ever get caught? The weapon was to be disposed of, there was no evidence. Not a single bit.
Finally, I reached the alley. I crept along the wall, dark with shadows. It was 8:29.
At 8:30, I heard footsteps, and saw Jack step into the moonlight from the other side of the alley. My heart sank.
Up until that point, I would have believed Jack if he denied it. If he wouldn't have come that night, I would have forgiven him in time and gone on with my life. But this, Jack visibly going behind my back - even if I had set it up – sealed his doom.
"Angelina?" He called softly into the dark alley. "Darling, you can come out now."
He used to call me darling.
I stepped out from behind the corner and came into the light, about eight feet away from him.
"Hello, Jack." I smiled, and gripped the gun in my hand, hidden in the fold of my skirt.
"Sarah? What – " Jack was in shock, still as stone. Caught in the act.
"Did you actually think I wouldn't find out?" I asked, smiling sadly and I raised my arm and cocked the gun.
"Sarah, your crazy. Put the gun down." Jack said hoarsely, attempting to grab it from me.
He didn't even try to deny it.
"You bastard." I hissed. "No one will ever get away with treating my like that. No one."
"I'm sorry – "
"No, no you are not." I said, my voice raising. "You married ME! ME! How dare you go behind my back? Break the vows you promised………….."The gun began to shake as I started to crumble.
"Sarah." Jack said, sensing hesitation. "We can work this out, it's over, I was going to break if off tonight anyway." He smiled charmingly. "Now, put the gun down."
"Really?" I sniffed, steadying my arm. "That's too bad."
"What?" He frowned, hazel eyes that I had once loved darkening. "Dearest – "
Dearest. I never wanted to hear that word again.
"Dearest, come on – " He repeated, more forcefully this time, drawing closer.
"Too bad you can't break if off with her." I said, tears clouding my vision. "You're dead."
And I shot him.
She climbs tiredly to her apartment, and sees all the little things in it that remind her of Jack. His shirt over the chair, a pencil and reporters pad on the kitchen table. Strangely, it doesn't hurt her to see them.
She eases into a chair and puts her feet up, rubbing absently on the dark red spot on the bottom of her sleeve. Pinning up he long brown hair, she get comfortable.
And then the phone rings. Sighing, she goes over to it, wondering who can be calling her at this time of night.
"Hello?"
"Oh, Sarah, I just heard………" Emily sobs on the other end. "This must be so hard for you, after everything."
"Yes." The newly widowed Mrs. Sarah Jacobs Kelly answerers. "Yes, it is."
And she sits down on the couch with the phone, smiling inside and crying with her sister-in-law – crying artificial tears.
**********
Ok, the shoutouts. The best part, right?
Ember: Ok, darling here you go! The conclusion!
Rumor: I hope whoever you get married, THIS don't happen to you. J
Spotted One: btw, how's glow going? Anyway, thanks for all the reviews – I know you read it already!
Black Fire (sorry, its shorter than your new name.): Yeah, I liked Race too as the PI. I didn't know who I was gonna use, but when I started tyoing he just evolved. Perfect casting, no?
Ty: thanks for the review! Sorry bout the bold stuff, but……
CiCi: thanks for the review! Now you know who killed him. Case closed.
Rhap: Sinful, hmm? I like that word. Well, Jack deserves it, sorry to say.
Appoliana: Jack? Suicide? I think not. Lol, that would have been an interesting twist on things………anyway. Hope you enjoyed it as is!