Jogging Into Problems

JOGGER

I was jogging along a pathway between my small office and my home, about two miles away. It was an impromptu run. I was frustrated by some work-related discovery material that had been sent to me in a woefully incomplete state. After about an hour messing with it, I slipped out of my jeans and work shirt, and into a pair of shorts, t-shirt and running shoes. A pair of sunglasses, a head band, and off I went. I was going to stop at my house to get some more paper data I needed. Maybe twenty pages.

As I was about a half mile from my home, I noticed a guy about two hundred yards ahead. It was a little unusual, since this path really just went to my subdivision. It wasn't much used. There was a cut off that took me around to the back of the house. The guy ahead of me took that cut off. It didn't go anywhere else but to my cul-de-sac, and my back door. I picked up my pace.

I rounded a small bend and looked for the guy. He was at the back patio door of my house. I watched him open the door. It had not been locked. I stopped to consider what I had seen. I knew that my wife, Alice, was working from home that day. I ran up to the door. It was locked when I tried it. Of course, I had a key, and used it. I slid the patio door back quietly, and looked inside. No one was in the kitchen, where Alice usually works. Some of her work documents and her lap top were on her desk. I heard noises from upstairs. Muffled.

Near the entrance from the dining room to the kitchen, I kept a billy club, of the sort that used to be used by beat policemen. It had been my grandfather's when he actually was a beat policeman. Having it out was protection, but also reminded me of him -- a man I adored as a child.

I picked up the billy club and crept upstairs. They were carpeted, and it wasn't a problem. The door to the master bedroom was closed, and the noises were coming from there. The noises were still muffled, but I believed they were sexual noises. I tried the knob to the door and when it turned, I gently opened it. Imagine my surprise.

The jogger's clothes were on the floor, and he was just about to mount my wife. My completely naked wife. My completely naked wife whose arms and legs were wide open. A welcoming spread.

I stepped to the bed and smashed the guy's ass with the club. A resounding smack. I gave it all I had. He screamed and grabbed his ass. Alice looked, wide eyed. Wide arms, wide legs, wide eyes. She shouted something. I recognized the guy as her boss, Simon Greene. He rolled off Alice and off the bed, holding his ass.

He said, "Stop....I was invited."

I looked at Alice. She said absolutely nothing.

Simon said, "You better put that down. Or I'll take it from you and kick your ass."

He was a bigger man than I. Maybe six two, two hundred, to my five ten, one sixty. Older, forty or so to my thirty. I heard that he had martial arts training.

He seemed so sure of himself when he threatened me, standing there, naked with his pasty skin in my bedroom. I didn't know him well, and he didn't know me much at all. One thing he didn't know was that I spent a lot of time playing racket sports, mainly tennis. I had a great backhand stroke.

I smiled at him. It seemed to set him off. He roared. I mean it was a roar like a wild animal. He lunged at me from about six feet away. I sent a backhand stroke to his face. He didn't have any time to duck. The club took him on the right side of his forehead. I had aimed for the cheek -- no, not that cheek. He must have tried to go low when he came at me, and his head moved just a slight bit downward. That's why the club caught his forehead.

He dropped like a sack of cement. He never moved as I looked down at him. I glanced at Alice. She was in some sort of trance. She was glassy eyed, and drool was dripping down her chin.

I looked around the room, and I saw a cell phone on the dresser. It was in an upright position, screen pointed at the bed. The son of a bitch had been videoing. I picked up the phone, switched it to see the phone pad and dialed 911.

"What is your emergency?"

"My name is Tim Jenkins. I'm at my house at 12 Arbor Circle. A man was inside my house, in my bedroom. When he attacked me, I hit him. I believe he's very badly injured and needs immediate medical attention. Also, my wife is here, and it seems to me that she has been...I don't know...drugged. Something. She's conscious, but not responsive.

"We have people on the way, sir. If you are armed, please set down your weapon. They will approach your house with caution. Please understand that."

"I understand. I'll meet them in the front yard." I heard the sirens, and I went downstairs. I kept the phone with me, line open. I put the billy club down on the sofa. I went out the front door. I was in the middle of the front yard, hands out at my sides, when the police car arrived. There was an ambulance directly behind it.

There were two officers, a man and a woman. They got out of the car, but did not have their guns out.

The woman, who seemed to be of a higher rank, asked, "Are you Mr. Jenkins?"

"Yes, they're in there, upstairs."

She said, "Show us."

I turned and went back inside, and the officers followed. I took them to the bedroom door. I stood aside. The door was open. Alice was still on the bed. She was staring into space. Greene hadn't moved at all, that I could tell.

The female officer knelt at Greene's side, checked for a pulse. She told the other officer to get the medics. Then she looked at Alice. She said, "Ma'am, are you all right? Ma'am?..."

No response. The medics came and I stepped well out of range. They worked feverishly on Greene. A second set of medics arrived. The police officer -- Sgt. Leslie Hadden -- took a robe from the closet door, and got Alice off the bed, and into the robe. She took Alice into the guest bedroom.

She looked at me. She pointed downstairs. "Go down there. Don't leave, but stay out of the way."

I went into the kitchen, looked around. I took Greene's cell phone and hooked it up to a small computer I kept in a drawer. I downloaded the video. Then I downloaded the whole contents of the phone into another file. I emailed the video to my office email. Then I shut the thing down, and left the phone on Alice's desk.

I watched from the kitchen doorway as the ambulance guys took Greene out through the front, loaded him up and sped off.

A policewoman that I had not seen before escorted Alice into the front room, away from me. She was walking, but didn't ever look up from her feet. She wore the robe, and some sneakers.

Sgt. Hadden came into the kitchen with a plain clothes detective -- a slight, older man, John Dempster. She introduced him to me. He and I already knew each other. My legal practice now was mostly civil. But for some time, I did criminal defense work, and Detective Dempster and I had some cases together. I liked him, and I thought he and I got along well.

He said, "Hi, Tim. I'm sorry all this has happened. Do you know the man that you hit?"

"My wife's boss, Simon Greene, with an e."

"Does have a family around? We have his clothing, jogging stuff, and a credit card, but no ID."

"I don't really know him well at all, John. Last I heard, he was married and had kids in school. That was maybe a year ago."

"Did you have any reason to believe that he and your wife were sexually involved?"

"None. Until today."

"Tell me how it happened, please."

I went through the events, from my decision to run to let off tension and pick up some papers, through the 911 call. I did not really leave anything out. I had no reason to do that.

"So, did you recognize Greene when you were outside?"

"No. When he rolled off the bed -- that's when I knew who he was."

"You hit him in the ass."

"Yep. I didn't want to do any real damage. But I wanted the guy off my wife -- no matter what she wanted."

"But then you hit him again. Why?"

"Like I said, he told me to drop the club, or he'd take it and beat me with it. Then he roared and came at me."

"Roared?"

"Yes. I....I assume now that he was trying to frighten me. He succeeded. You know, I wasn't aiming at his forehead. I was aiming lower. He must have....ducked, or his head went lower."

"Okay. Well, your wife is out of it. We're having her tested for substances. I assume that when she comes around, she'll confirm what you've said."

"You know, John. That cell phone right there was Greene's. I believe he was doing video of the sex. All of the fight might be on there."

"Why is it down here?"

"I used it to call 911, then I kept it open when I went outside to wait."

Det. Dempster had a crime scene tech take the phone.

I asked him what was going to happen to Alice.

"I'm not sure. Let's go see." He and I and the Sergeant went into the living room, where Alice was sitting with a uniformed officer and a medic.

Dempster asked the medic, "What's with Mrs. Jenkins?"

"We're going to take her to County Hospital, as a precautionary measure, since she seems to be in shock. Her vitals are okay."

I looked at Alice. And, right then, she looked back at me. A tear dropped from her right eye. "I'm sorry, Timmy." Then she seemed to go back into that trance.

"Alice....Alice.....," I was a little frantic when she turned off again. But she didn't respond.

In a few minutes they took her away in an ambulance. I dressed in clothes I had in the cellar, and followed in our car. The police were still at the house but I was assured that they would lock up, or at least leave someone there.

I called Alice's parents, who lived one state away, about a two-hour drive. I gave them a short version, and told them that I would call from the hospital.

Alice and I had been married when she was twenty-one, just out of college, where we met. I was one year away from getting out of law school. Alice right away got a job with Simon Greene's insurance firm. It was a big firm, and he was one of three owners. She had moved steadily up from a clerk to an administrative assistant. She was assigned to Greene's section -- housing and auto. I had attended company functions with her, and never noticed anything between those two. I met Greene's family that first time. She had now worked at the firm for six plus years.

Our marriage, I thought, had been solid. Until today, that is. I had little doubt that the liaison I saw was consensual. So, unless he had managed to drug her somehow, that was likely to end the marriage. Given the circumstances, I didn't see how he could have drugged her. No time. I thought she had been waiting for him, probably naked. And she had left the back door open. I wondered how many times it had happened.

I loved Alice. She was pretty, vivacious, and kind. Our sex life was very good. Even when I was taken up with a trial, we still made time, at least on the weekends. And now, since I had largely abandoned criminal trials, my work was much more predictable.

I didn't understand what I had seen. Greene was a bigger man, but, based on what I saw today, not bigger where it might have made a big difference. But I only had a glance. Who knows?

At the hospital, Simon Greene's wife was in the emergency waiting room. I recognized her, but she seemed not to notice me. I left it at that, and asked about Alice. They allowed me to go back into the bay where she was. She was asleep. I looked at her for a bit. I was lost. I couldn't believe that she had done this to me. To us. I had a deep need to understand what had happened, before I made hard choices.

A pretty woman dressed in a white coat came into the small room.

"I'm Doctor Moore. Are you her husband?"

I nodded. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's had some trauma....mental trauma. She had a shock reaction that caused her to...well...zone out. She's not catatonic. When she wakes up, it's very likely that she'll come out of it, and be normal."

"When will she wake up?"

"Maybe three to four hours, based on the dose we gave her."

"Thanks, I'll be around. I guess."

"Okay." She was leaving, but I stopped her.

"What about Simon Greene? How is he?"

"Are you related?"

"No, just an acquaintance."

"Well, I shouldn't...but he's in a coma. Medically induced. He has a very serious head injury."

She left.

I wondered about Greene. I had believed that I killed him. Now, maybe not.

Yet.

I called Alice's parents and reported what I had been told. They decided to come to us. But I discouraged that. I told them that Alice had likely been having sex with her boss, and that she and I needed to have a discussion of that.

Her mother, Joanie Carson, said, "I....I wondered about her the last few months. She seemed different, worried. Please give her a chance to explain, Tim."

"Oh, I will. I promise. It doesn't seem like it'll do any good, though. We just will see."

I went looking for Mrs. Greene, and found her in the ICU waiting room. I walked up to her.

"Hello, Mrs. Greene?"

"Yes, is there some word?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm Tim Jenkins. My wife Alice works at your husband's firm. They seem to have gotten close."

She was a tallish, slim, brown-haired woman, maybe late thirties. She said, "Close?"

"Yes. As in they were naked in my bedroom when I came home this morning. That type of close."

"Ah. You're the guy who hit him."

"Yes. Sorry."

"No, you're not sorry. Are you?"

"Maybe not. I'm sorry

"Sorry not to be sorry. Well, okay. Simon has been weird lately. It made me wonder. He didn't make the kids' sports, like he used to do. He claimed he was busy at work. I guess he was busy with your wife."

"I don't know that for sure, except for today. But they sure got down to it fast. Like they had a routine, maybe. What have the docs told you about how he's doing?"

"They haven't said one way or the other. He may have an operation soon, though."

"Well, good luck to you. Have your kids....."

"They're with my folks. They know he's at the hospital. Not much else."

I went outside to get some air, and maybe some perspective. I decided to make no decisions until I heard from Alice. I stood out there for an hour, and went back inside.

Alice was in the same emergency room space, with a curtain around her. I went into it, and she was moving, but still asleep. I sat down in the chair, dozed off. I woke when she started mewling. "Uhhhhh....Ohhhh...Um...."

Her eyes fluttered open. She looked at me, and closed them again. She started moaning. I went for help.

Dr. Moore was at the nurses' station, and I waved at her. She came quickly.

"She seems to be waking up. I'm not sure if I should be there, though, when she does. She saw me and just shut down again."

"Wait here." She went into the space. I could hear, but not see.

"How are you, Alice? Can you tell me that?"

Alice was responding to her, in a weak voice. "I'm....so....God...so sorry."

"Alice, we need you to wake up all the way. You need to face the situation -- whatever it is -- and move forward. Just zoning out can't last long. I'm going to release you this afternoon, maybe in two hours."

"Okay. Where's Tim? He was here when I first woke up."

"He thought you'd....react better if he wasn't here. He's around, though."

"Hmm. For how long, I wonder. I messed up bad. What about Simon? Is he okay? Tim hit him."

"We don't know if he'll be okay or not. He's probably going to get an operation."

"Damn. Well, I told him.....not to be so adventurous. It was a bad risk....he lost. Me, too, I bet"

"Maybe you should talk to Tim. I'm sure I can find him. Or maybe that can wait until you get home."

I opened the curtain. I went inside. "Alice, I'll take you home. Soon, I hope. After that..."

"Okay, thanks. I'm sorry."

"We'll talk." I turned to Dr. Moore. "When can we go?"

"Now. I'll start the paperwork. We'll get her some scrubs to wear." She left.

Alice said, "I....want to.....I'm very sorry, Timmy."

"Sorry. Just doesn't make much difference. You have to explain. When we get home."

Dr. Moore brought her the scrubs, dull aqua. I left the cubicle while she changed. She seemed to see that as a rejection. It was. I had no desire to see her naked. Maybe never again.

They had her in a wheelchair, when I pulled the car up to the exit. She stood and got into the car. We didn't speak during the ten minute drive. She was leaking tears, but not sobbing.

I opened the front door, and we went into what had been our happy home. No police were there. There wasn't even a big mess downstairs. Alice sat on the rocker in the living room.

"I'm going to check upstairs. I'll be right back." I trotted up. There was a mess up there. Our bedroom had a slice out of the carpet where Greene fell. I assume to get blood. The bed had been stripped down to the mattress. Drawers had been opened, and not pushed fully back. I decided to take stock later.

The other rooms were okay, except the bathroom had evidence of fingerprinting -- powder.

I wasn't looking forward to the discussion with Alice. I called her folks, and told them she was home. They were relieved, but wanted to know if they should come. I didn't know what to say. So I held off committing. I bit the bullet and went downstairs.

"You want something? Coffee? Water?" Alice looked at me when I asked.

"No. Nothing."

I sat across from her on the sofa. We were facing each other, about six feet apart.

"What happened, Alice? I thought we were doing well. What...?"

"It's hard to explain, Timmy. I worked for Simon for all these years. I always liked him. Not...you know...sexually. But lately...in the last month or so, he started flirting. He'd make a little comment about how nice I looked. He would touch me sometimes, on the arm or shoulder. I was surprised. Then he asked me out to lunch -- just us he said."

"But, didn't you consider all that -- the big change in attitude -- consider it strange?"

"Maybe a little." She looked down. "I was flattered. And...he's quite attractive...I found that I was interested. It took me a while to admit that."

"So, you knew he was trying to seduce you, and you.....decided what?"

"To see what happened." She put her head into her hands. But looked up again.

"And...." At this point I was sure that we were toast, because this wasn't a case where she'd been tricked or drugged. She wanted it.

"And we went to lunch. I asked him why he was doing this now, after all this time. He said that he always wanted me, from the start, but squelched it. That was his phrase. Squelched it"

"Alice, why? What's wrong with me that you were open to him?"

"Nothing's wrong with you Timmy. He...said he wanted me so much. He said he wanted me much more than you did. I was old hat for you. New for him, exciting. Just the thought got me....aroused."

"Why didn't you talk to me about it?"

"What would I say -- that I was considering cheating? For more excitement? I never considered that."

"How many time did he fuck you, Alice?"

"He never fucked me. Never. Today was to be the one and only. But you showed up. I was....so deeply sorry when I saw you. I saw your face. After you smacked his ass. You looked at me with such....disdain. Not even hate, or anger. Just like you thought I was despicable. A brief look, and then you clubbed him."

I thought, when she said this, that the cops should have spoken to her first. Fuck'em.

"Hadda do it. He came for me."

"I know. But it was so...quick and final."

"Alice, I don't believe you about this being the first time. I saw him come through the back. The door was unlocked. And, it didn't take me long to come inside, and upstairs. But you were both naked, and he was....about two inches from fucking you. You wanted it, too. So, I believe you'd done it before."

"No, Tim, Simon and I had a make out session in his car two days ago. We...felt each other up. But I wouldn't let him...go further. I told him he could come to our house after you left for work."