Nighttime Confessions - Concluded

"Don, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." she whispered. " All of this is my fault, this is all my fault." She seemed to shrink into herself, awaiting his recriminations.

Don hurried to her and took her hand. "Marge, listen to me. Your stupid attempt to take your life caused me to realize how stupid I've been as well. You made a mistake, a huge mistake, but I was wrong also. Instead of trying to get past what you had done, I attempted to punish you, the take the kids away and get rid of you. Marge, I was also a fool - we both were fools."

Don looked into his wife's eyes and saw the tears. "Marge, I love you. I should have realized that. I believe that we both still love each other." He saw Marge nodding her head up and down vigorously. "I should have remembered that, Marge, I should not have forgotten that. We will get by this, we are going to be ok, I promise."

Marge threw herself at him, wrapping her arms about him tightly. "Oh, Donny. I do love you so, I love you with all of my heart. I am so sorry for everything. I am so sorry that you had to see what Frank was doing to me. Donny, he has pictures, pictures of me with Phil Grant. I don't know how he got them, but he threatened to show them to you, the school board, everyone. I didn't know what to do. I let him use me," Marge wailed in agony.

Don held her and thought to himself, "I thought it might be something like that. Frank Morello was going to be very sorry. He will be very sorry he ever heard of the name Prescott," he vowed.

"Marge," he said softly. "Don't worry, don't worry about Morello. I will take care of that, I promise. Just get well, just get well and hurry home to me. Ok?" Marge nodded as Don tried to blot her tears. "Don, I want to move to Maine. I really do. I don't want to live here anymore. I think that would be a great start to the rest of our lives. Could we do that soon, Don? I mean really soon?"

Don nodded, "I think so, honey. I think so.

********************

Don had discovered that Frank Morello usually came into his office on Saturday mornings for an hour or so to catch up on paperwork. Don was going to make sure that he would also be there.

He quickly made his way home and was thankful that he hadn't discarded the silly disguise he had bought. Putting the bag with the cap and glasses in the car he drove to the athletic activities building of the high school and parked about a block away, but within sight of the parking lot. He didn't have long to wait. He saw Morello pull up in his yellow Mustang and enter the building.

Don donned the cap and glasses, exited his car and ambled slowly toward his destination. The two foot lead pipe that he found in his garage nestled snugly in the valley of his back, held in place by his belt. He was soon at Morello's office door. He saw that it was open and he entered. Morello was standing by a file cabinet.

"Hello, Frank," Don said softly. "I bet you weren't expecting me, were you?" He then removed his cap and glasses.

Morello stepped back. He didn't recognize Don at first. "What the fuck do you want, Prescott?" he blustered, but obviously disconcerted. He eyed Don carefully, wondering just what he knew.

Don remained calm. He slowly approached Morello who had backed up against the file cabinet.

"The pictures, Frankie. I want the pictures now, or you'll never leave this office alive." whispered Don.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Get the fuck out of here before I call the cops."

Morello suddenly found himself lying on the floor. Don had pulled his fishing knife from a pocket and held it at his throat. "Last chance, Frankie, give up the pictures or I will slit you from gullet to balls." and with that he drew a fine line across Morello throat. Not enough to do any damage, but just enough to draw a little blood.

Morello was now thoroughly frightened. "Ok, Ok, get that knife away from me, I'll give you what you want. Jesus, put the knife away."

Don pulled him up and kept a hand on the nape of his neck. Morello moved shakily to the filing cabinet and, using a key on his keyring , opened it and removed an envelope. Don pulled it from his grasp and shoved it into his pocket.

Don then removed the lead pipe from his back and with a quick swing, destroyed Morello's right knee. As he collapsed to the floor, Don went down on a knee beside him. Morello was now whimpering in extreme pain.

"Frankie, these had better be all of them. You would be making a really terrible mistake if you're holding any back. I know where you live, I know who your wife is and I know who your kids are. Remember that, Frankie. Do you understand me?"

Morello nodded, gritting his teeth through the pain. Don was not yet through with him.

"Now listen carefully, Frankie. I have more information for you. I want you to pay very close attention." Don was speaking about two inches from Morello's ear.

"It won't be next week, Frankie. It probably won't be next month. But one day, one day I will come looking for you. I will find you, Frankie, and when I do I'm going to kill you. I will kill you very slowly. You can take that to the bank, Frankie. You're a dead man walking."

Morello looked at him wide eyed. He knew without a doubt that Don was serious. He felt it in his bones. He again whimpered in pain, his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out.

Don stood, looked down at him in contempt and slowly walked out of the building. Driving home, he pulled his cell phone out and called Joe Burke.

"Hi, Joe. It's Don."

"Hey, Don, how are you?

"I need a favor, Joe. I spent the morning with you . We were going over some of the routes for our next road trip."

"Of course, Don. We did just that. From when to when, by the way?"

"From about 9 a.m. to whatever time it is now."

"Of course, we did just that. In fact, you left just a little while ago.", Joe assured him.

"Thanks, Joe. I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," Joe remarked as he severed the connection.

***********************

Three weeks passed. Marge was home and fully recovered and with hope in her eyes again. She had handed in her resignation, despite the protests from the school administration. It seems like the department was going to be really short handed. Frank Morello had also handed in his resignation unexpectedly and had moved, with his family, out of state. He had left no forwarding address.

Thankfully, the kids were really excited about our move now, after first voicing objections about leaving their school and their friends. We had pointed out the advantages of the move, especially the great sports teams at the new school they would be attending. They're good kids, they came around, especially as they witnessed the newly found affection between their parents Don stood and gazed at his home for the last time. The moving van had left and Marge and the kids were in the car. He took one last look at the house, a home that had provided so much love as well as heartache. He would not miss it. Don turned his back, walked to the car and drove away.