Political Affiliation

Lunch with Karl was interesting. Betsy and Tolliver were picked up in Kentucky, near Fort Campbell. Some local cop was doing random checks on out-of-state license plates and running them just for practice. As luck would have it, Tolliver's number was a winner. Karl had no idea what was going to happen, but he seemed to be enjoying the situation at the present time. They called him to verify her identity, but there was no indication that any other action was necessary on his part.

Bradley borrowed a car from somewhere, and headed for Nitro, West Virginia. We didn't know what he was planning to do, and didn't want to know. Good luck to him.

Neither Karl nor I had seen or heard from Ray in several days.

The rest of the day was quiet and uneventful. A realtor friend of mine was dropping by later, to take a listing on the house. With the boys getting ready to go, and me alone, I didn't need it. I was just hoping that after the real estate fees and closing costs, there would be enough left so I wouldn't have to put anything out of pocket.

The television news that night was interesting. It seems that a three hundred thousand dollar motor home burnt to the ground, in the parking area, of the Green Dragon Market. The motor home belonged to Owen Zimmer, a Lancaster businessman. Arson was suspected. I actually laughed to myself, as I got a beer from the refrigerator. It was good to see that Ray wasn't taking any of this crap lying down. There was a Steven Seagal marathon that night. Hell, every night, there was a Steven Seagal marathon. I checked to make sure I had enough beer. I had no idea where my sons were.

Friday was a slow day at work, which I appreciated. Marcie called after lunch, about the 'for sale' sign on the front yard. I told her she could take any furniture she wanted from the house, and that we would split the profit fifty-fifty. She didn't protest the sale of the house. I think she realized at this point, that there was no going back. She had no idea Jordan was getting early admission at college. I guessed from that tid-bit, that the boys were not talking with their mother.

She called again later that afternoon, when she got the divorce papers. I told her we could talk the next day. She seemed unhappy with the reason stated on the forms.

I was looking forward to supper that night.

Alice Hoffman was in the same seat as she was the last time I saw her. This time, however, she looked radiating. As usual, her hair and make-up were perfect. The dress she was wearing was appropriate for the occasion, as well as flattering. I suddenly realized that I was checking her out as I walked up to the table.

"I didn't see your assistant when I walked in."

"His daughter has a piano recital tonight, so I gave him the evening off. You might have to give me a ride home later, so watch your drinking."

For some reason, that sounded like an invitation, which was awkward because the lady hardly knew me.

"I don't think a little wine will hurt, John. Do you have any preference?"

"I am not a wine connoisseur, but I would be happy with a rose, Portuguese, if they have it."

"How very utilitarian. This could end up being a cheap date for me." A few moments later, we were sharing a cold bottle of Lancer's.

I sipped a little and smiled. "Since it is a date, as you said, than I am afraid I will feel obligated to pick up the tab. Please, don't order the lobster."

The conversation stayed light and pleasant for most of the evening. At one point, Alice mentioned that it would help her divorce, if she could get some sort of statement from Marcie attesting to the affair. I promised to talk to her about it.

We never ordered another bottle of wine, but switched to coffee. Alice did not order lobster, and I did end up paying for the evening. I drove her home and escorted her to the door. She did not invite me in but I did get a quick kiss on the cheek. She didn't protest. Everything ended perfect, just like it began. I enjoyed myself and I enjoyed her company. On the ride home, I found myself trying to figure out a way to see her again.

The boys and I were just finishing breakfast when Marcie showed up. Josh and Jordan made an attempt to be civil to their mother, but it didn't come across very well. The both went outside, and a few minutes later the lawnmower was killing the morning quiet.

"What can I do for you Marcie?" I didn't see any reason to exchange pleasantries, so I got right to the point.

"It's the terms of the divorce. I was wondering if I could convince you to change them to something a little less explicit."

"You don't like the term 'infidelity'?"

"I know it's fully justified and you have ever right to use it, but I would feel better if you could mellow it out a little."

That didn't make sense, since the media exposed it to the whole world.

"I'll make you a deal. If you give a statement to Alice Hoffman's lawyer attesting to the affair with her husband, I'll change it to whatever you want."

"How did you get involved with Alice Hoffman's divorce? Why would something like that be important to you?"

My relationship with Alice was very casual and strictly professional, but I still felt a little guilty trying to explain it to Marcie. After what she did, my hesitancy did not make any sense, but I guess I still felt married and obligated to remain faithful. I realized now it was a stupid characteristic to hold on to.

"Alice Hoffman contacted me, to see if I could assist her in gathering information which would help her in her divorce. She is the one who gave me the videos of you and Allen."

At the mention of the videos, Marcie started to tear up. She wasn't fully crying, just sort of whimpering. I handed her a paper napkin to wipe her face.

"Janice and I watched some of them on the Internet. It was horrible. They didn't even have the decency to block out my face. Thank God they didn't give out my name or where we lived."

"How do you think I felt?"

"I know it sounds cold, but I didn't consider the effect that any of this would have on you or the boys. It wasn't till after I found out about the tapes that I got concerned."

"I guess that pretty much says that you don't feel bad about what you did, but about getting caught."

"I hate to say it, but that's probably right. There is no way I can undo what I did and no way I can ever make it right again."

I refilled her coffee cup and she wiped her face again.

"John, I am sorry about the things I did on the videos. I'm sorry you got to see them."

"What I don't understand is why you would do things with him, that you would not do with me. You never let me fuck you in the ass, yet he got to do it every time you got together. You never swallowed my cum after a blowjob, but you swallowed his, every time. You even spent five minutes giving him a rim job. I could never imagine you doing that with me. It hurt seeing you giving away, what you denied me. It was as if you loved him more than you loved me."

The tears were starting to come now. It was not my intention to upset her this way, but I felt that she steered the conversation in that direction. Amazingly, I did not feel guilty for hurting her.

"He was rich and powerful, and I felt like I wanted to do things to please him. I didn't love him, but I wanted to be with him. I know I am not beautiful or statuesque, so I thought maybe I could make him happy by giving him great sex. I was desperate, so I did things with him that I had never done before. They were dirty, awful, things that I would be embarrassed to do with you. I am sorry that I can't undo it."

I put my cup in the sink. I didn't want any more coffee. I guess I just didn't want to drink any more coffee with Marcie. I took a business card off the refrigerator, for Alice Hoffman's lawyer, and handed it to her. She took the clue and started out the door.

"Actually, Marcie, what you said on the tapes, hurt me more than what the two of you did together. You made remarks about me, and our relationship, that will be in my mind forever. It seems that nothing was safe from your verbal assault. You were not happy with my appearance, my job, my ability to provide for you, or our sex life. It appears that there was nothing I could do right in your eyes. The divorce will be such a relief for you. You will finally be rid of your loser husband."

"John, please, it wasn't that way."

"Sorry, Marcie. Goodbye." She was standing on the porch, still crying, as I shut the door and turned away.

As her car pulled out of the driveway, the lawnmower stopped. Josh and Jordan came in and each grabbed a cold coke.

"Are you going to give us an update, or are we still going to be treated like mushrooms?" Josh was trying to be cute, but still get his point across.

"Your mother was unhappy because I was getting the divorce for adultery. She asked if I could change it to something, that didn't make her look like a whore."

"I hope you didn't agree."

"She is your mother, Josh. Have a little compassion."

Both of them looked at me, a little disappointed. They walked back out into the yard, and moments later the lawn mower was roaring again.

Since Jordan now had his GED, he did not have to attend school anymore. Josh still had to go, but it was only to accumulate attendance days. He had already met all the graduation requirements. Jordan used the time to earn some extra money, working for a local landscaper. They enjoyed teasing each other about their situation. Josh got to see the hot girls at school and Jordan got to earn some cash.

Things were starting to settle down a little. Somehow or other, Owen Zimmer's wife found out why his motor home burnt up. It turns out that Owen was a salesman who worked at the Volvo dealership, and happened to marry the owner's daughter. He didn't own a thing, she did. It didn't take long for the wheels to start turning, after his wife received a mysterious package in the mail. Owen would be out on the street, with no job, and no wife, in no time. Jenny was still living with her parents. Ray had made no attempt to contact her, since filing for the divorce.

Bradley returned from West Virginia with a satisfied smile on his face. He made sure that Carla got a copy of the newspaper article describing the injuries that Steve Springer received from an unprovoked attack over the weekend. Mister Springer told the police, that three men jumped him for no reason, as he left his home. It reality, it was one pissed off husband with a baseball bat. Carla ended up canceling the petition for divorce, but Bradley made no promises, one way or the other.

Karl had divorce papers served on Betsy while she was in jail in Clarksville. He put everything in storage and moved to Pensacola. I never did find out what happened to Betsy. After Karl left, I didn't care.

I was having lunch with Alice several times a week, and usually an evening meal, one night on the weekends. They was nothing romantic or sexual going on, just good company. After a while, there was no mention of the adultery or the pending divorces. We did, however, talk about Allen, mainly because he never returned from the Bahamas, or wherever he was. It seems that he had a special deal going with some dubious businessmen about franchising out, the state motor vehicle inspection business. Large sums of money passed hands and lots of people wanted to talk to Mister Hoffman. Alice wanted to meet Josh and Jordan, but I was dragging my feet. There was just too much of a chance for somebody to turn a wonderful relationship into something inappropriate.

My fellow club members all seemed to have resolved their marital problems with some sort of satisfaction. I felt that mine was still up in the air. That changed in a way I hadn't imagined.

Jordan got summer session classes approved for himself and Josh. With my permission, Josh was able to get his diploma without having to finish the year. He would miss out on the graduation ceremonies, but both boys would be able to start college early. It looked like Jordan was becoming quite the negotiator. I took some time off from work to help move them both to the campus. Now, I was alone.

I didn't remember leaving a light on in the house when I left, and I wasn't expecting to find a portly man sitting in my living room. He had a Foster's in one hand and my first edition copy of 'The Big Kill' in the other. For some reason, I was not startled. The beer came out of my refrigerator and the book from my library. He appeared to be confident and comfortable, as he acknowledged my presence.

"Good evening, Mister Terrell. I hope you don't mind my relaxing a little, while I waited for your return. I assume your boys got settled in Okay. I always loved reading Mickey Spillane. His first five were the best, don't you think?"

My intruder wore a blue blazer with a gray turtleneck shirt. He looked like he belonged at a country club, not in my living room. A pair of bifocals was perched below the bridge of his nose. Without answering, I left the room and got a beer of my own. When I returned, he had put the book on the side table. I sat across from him and gave my long neck a taste test. He smiled and seemed to be very relaxed.

"My name is Elwood Kincaid. Alice Hoffman is my only daughter. She needs a little help right now, and from what I can see, you are the only one who can help her."

So now I knew what real money looked like. Anybody who likes Mike Hammer and Australian lager can't be all-bad.

"I am all ears, Mister Kincaid: please go on."

"There are several different groups of people looking for my daughter's husband. Unfortunately, some of them are less than pleasant. I had to relocate Alice to a safe place and need someone to watch over her. Someone who can be trusted."

"I thought she had somebody on her payroll to take care of that?"

"Not any more. I won't bother to explain. When I say, 'watch over her', I don't mean that she has to be physically protected, it is more companionship and comforting that she needs. From what she has been telling me, you are the best man for the job."

Elwood Kincaid was sort of smiling, as he explained the situation. I don't know if I felt uneasy or relaxed about that.

"What exactly did you have in mind?"

"I just need you to hold her hand for a week or two." He put the empty bottle on the side table, being careful to place it on a napkin he had placed there.

"Where is she now?"

"Upstate New York. I have a small lodge on a remote section of the Chazy River. If it was any further north, it would be in Canada."

"I have a job that I have to go to."

"You are on two weeks paid vacation, starting today. It has all been taken care of."

"Can you explain again, why you selected me?"

Mister Kincaid seemed reluctant to respond to my question. After shifting around in his seat a bit, he finally seemed ready.

"I made a big mistake a few years back when I literally forced Alice to marry Allen Hoffman. I had considered him to be a bright, up-and-coming political force, and felt he would be an ideal husband for my daughter. She didn't love him and at first rejected my suggestion. Unfortunately, I kept nagging at her until she gave in. I screwed up her life and don't want to see it happen again."

"What makes you think I am any better?"

"She picked you. I am in no position to argue with her."

I picked up the two empty beer bottles and started towards the kitchen.

"No more for me John. I already had two. Three beers and I pee in bed."

I walked back with a new longneck in my hand. "How do I find this place?"

He reached in his pocket and gave me a small, handheld GPS unit. "The coordinates are already programmed into it. You won't need it until you get north of Plattsburgh. Just in case, I have a map for you also."

I sat looking at the GPS, as Elwood Kincaid got up to leave.

"Take the book with you if you like."

"Thanks, but I read it three times already. How soon can you leave?"

"I'll be out of here before sunrise."

I finished my beer as he walked out the door. I never saw where he parked his car. I needed a shower and a good nights sleep.

I was almost to Binghamton when the cell-phone starting buzzing.

"John, It's Janice. Where are you? I had a hard time getting a call through."

"I am on a little road trip. What can I do for you?"

"Marcie is missing. I haven't seen or heard from her since yesterday morning. I was hoping you would know something."

"Sorry, Janice. I was up at State College with the boys all day yesterday. I have no idea where she might be. She hasn't called in a while now."

"John, I don't know what to do. Can you come over to the house?"

"I don't think so. I am in New York State right now and I am headed up toward Lake Champlain. I will probably be up here for at least a week maybe longer. Did you notify the police?"

"Yes. They are coming by shortly. I was just hoping you would be here to talk to them."

"I don't have any thoughts that might help. You have been closer to Marcie the last few weeks, so you probably have a better idea of where she is, or what she is doing than I do. Don't get me wrong, I do care what has happened to her, but I am not in a position to be of much assistance."

"I'll call you after the police leave. I will probably give them your cell-phone number. Is that Okay?"

"No problem. Thanks for the call. Sorry I can't help."

I spent the next several hours reminiscing about the life that Marcie and I had together. For some reason, I found myself dwelling on instances when I had doubts of her fidelity. It was never anything of any substance. I remembered times when I had pangs of jealousy, as she talked to male acquaintances for long times, at parties, or other gatherings. I found myself wondering about some of the small trips she made with her female friends over the years. Considering the recent events, I now felt there might have been other affairs that I was too innocent to have recognized at the time. I kicked myself for being too naive and trusting. Maybe if I had been more attentive and affectionate, none of this would have happened. A super, hot cup of Mickey D's coffee restored my senses. I didn't cheat, she did. Leave it there.

The phone rang a few times just north of Saratoga Springs, but the reception was too poor to hold a conversation. I decided not to fret about it, and just pushed on. The lodge that Elwood Kincaid sent me to was not near Chazy, but further west. The GPS was a big help: in fact, I don't think I would have found the place without it. The west branch of the Chazy River was nothing but rocks and white water. It was beautiful to drive along, as the sun was setting. In my mind I saw a native rainbow under each rock. I was hoping there would be some fishing gear at my destination. Naturally, I missed the turn. The GPS immediately notified me of my error.

There was at least a quarter mile of hard-packed gravel road before I saw the place. It was a stone lodge with a wide porch completely across the front. With the abundance of rocks in the area, it was easy to see why stone was chosen, instead of logs. The lodge set up on a small mound about 100 feet from the river. When I opened the car door, the first thing I noticed was the sound of the flowing water. The second thing was Alice standing in the doorway of the lodge, outlined by the light, from the room behind her. I imagined that she had been waiting for the sound of the car on the gravel, or for the sight of the headlights. I felt flattered that she was anxious to see me. I was glad to see her.

She waited on the porch, like a giddy little girl, while I brought my bags up. I had to drop them as she threw her arms around my neck and gave me a passionate bear hug. It would have been the ideal time for a real kiss, but we both pulled back, slightly embarrassed, before that happened. She had hot chili on the stove and cold beer in the fridge. It was a perfect ending to a long day.