UnVailed

I looked through her cell phone to find the same thing. All of her text messages were deleted. Now Joy was better about deleting text messages, because her phone got too slow if she didn't, but she never deleted her entire folder. I'd see if Steven could help with that too.

I got up and walked to her suitcase. I opened it and took everything out. I found only the one business outfit that she wore the day I dropped her off at the airport. There were three cocktail dresses, and everything else was lingerie. I now knew that I was most likely headed for divorce court.

*****

The next morning I took a quick shower, grabbed Joy's cell phone and laptop and left the room. I left her suitcase just as I had found it. I had spent the night sleeping in the chair by the table, it wasn't comfortable at all but I couldn't bring myself to sleep on the bed.

I grabbed a cup of coffee at a small breakfast place then I called Detective Phillips. "You oughta say 'wakey wakey fucker' when she answers." I was glad my inner smart ass was still alive, because I felt like shit.

I was surprised she didn't sound sleepy at all when I called her. "Detective Phillips? This is Roger Rigby. I was inventorying my wife's things last night and I found a motel keycard in some of her stuff. I figured I should turn it over to you in case it might help you with her case."

She thanked me and said she'd meet me in half an hour. I drove around Vail aimlessly for twenty five minutes then made my way to the police station. Detective Phillips met me as soon as I entered the lobby.

"Hi Mr. Rigby," she said as she shook my hand.

"Good morning," I said as I handed her the keycard. "Here it is."

"Come with me Mr. Rigby?" She led me down a hall to an office. "You look like a man with the world crashing down on him. Care to ease your mind?"

I don't know why, but I told her about finding the room by using Joy's phone. She frowned a time or two, but seemed easier when I told her I hadn't disrupted the bed. I gave her Joy's phone, but I didn't mention the lap top.

"What are you going to do now Mr. Rigby?"

"I'm not sure. I think I'll likely lose my wife over this. I'd love to hear her explanation but I don't think I can believe it."

"Don't lose hope yet Mr. Rigby. There might be a logical explanation for this that doesn't involve extra marital relationships." She said it well, but I could read it in her face that she didn't see many other options.

I thanked her and went to the hospital. I was sent to the ICU waiting room until the next 15 minute visiting session began. They let you visit a patient for 15 minutes every two hours.

After my second 15 minutes of wishing the lump in that bed would wake so I could ask her what the fuck was going on, a doctor came out to visit me. He was a guy about my age, with sandy brown hair that looked like he should be an all-star quarterback in a movie.

Dr. Benson assured me that Joy was recovering from her wounds, but asked me if I'd be willing to have her transported to Denver. "St. Luke's has an excellent program for rehabilitating brain injuries and I think her chances would improve tenfold there."

He explained in medical terms what her injuries were, but I only understood that she'd been hit in the head, either by someone, or by falling on something, and could have brain damage.

I then signed a release allowing them to transport her. They would transport her the next day; I asked if they could call ahead so that I could go do the paperwork at St. Luke's on my way home.

"Where is home?" he asked me.

"Colorado Springs," I replied.

He got an excited look on his face and asked me to wait a minute. He went over to the desk and made a phone call. A few minutes later he came over. "Our plan has changed," he said. "We will transport her to St. Augustine's in Colorado Springs. They have a program that is comparable to St. Luke's and it will be easier on the family to visit her."

He left and a nurse brought me a whole new round of papers to sign. I signed them and then made my third and final visit before going home. I stood there looking down at her. My vision blurred as I thought of my future without her.

"Joy, I don't know why you are here. I don't know what's going on exactly, but I do know that you seem to have more secrets than I think our marriage can handle. I'll not file for divorce until I can actually talk to you. But I am pretty sure we're done."

I left the hospital with tears in my eyes. At least none thinks it odd when a guy walks around a hospital teary eyed, if I'd been in a bar or an auto parts store more folk might have looked at me funny.

I called Jim on my way out of Vail. I let him know that they would be moving Joy to Colorado Springs and that I would be by later to fill him and Yvonne in on everything.

When I got home I was relieved to see my sister's jeep still in my driveway, because I could always talk to her about anything. I was greeted at the door by an ecstatic Doberman I call Piper.

Beth met me as I entered the living room. I was so relieved to see her. She knew something was wrong as soon as she laid eyes on me. I gave her a hug and told her I loved her. Then everything came pouring out. She held me as I broke down and mourned the end of my marriage.

She stayed with me until late in the evening. She tried to talk me into going to dinner, but I wasn't hungry, I knew I still had to go let Jim know everything. I did allow her to come with me for that part.

By the time I had laid everything I knew out for Jim and Yvonne, I could see that he was no longer convinced his daughter wasn't doing me wrong. I had seen the look he was wearing once before.

Joy and I had been dating for a couple of months. There weren't many weekends that we spent apart and we'd spend available week day evenings together when her schedule allowed.

One Thursday evening Joy called me to say that she was going to have to break our date for that weekend. I wasn't happy about it but I knew it happened sometimes. She was about to ring off when I heard Jim in the background "You tell that son of a bitch he better come face me!"

I heard her make an exasperated sound and told me to just ignore him as she rung off. Needless to say I was bugged at why he'd be ranting about me. Ten minutes later I was on her front porch with Jim yelling in my face.

"You're no better than that other little bastard. If you feel you need to smack my daughter around, be a man and smack me!"

"Smack your daughter? What?" I was shocked that he would ever think such a thing.

"So what! She wouldn't put out last night? She didn't want to say you're the king of shit? What the fuck makes you guys tick?"

Now I got a tad pissed off. "First off," I yelled, "The only little girl I have smacked was that slimy bitch Garrett the night of the concert when I met Joy. Second I haven't seen Joy or been around her since last weekend. We rarely see each other during the week. Third I think you need to find out some facts before you go shooting off your mouth!"

By that point Joy and Yvonne had come out to see what was going on. I saw Joy was sporting a black eye. "What the fuck happened to your eye babe?"

"You hit her you asshole!" Jim yelled.

I spun to face him. Just as I was about to say some rude shit Joy piped in "He didn't hit me daddy. I'm sorry but I had dinner with Garrett last night and we got into a fight."

I was off the porch and headed for my car. Joy was screaming "Roger come back here."

Jim caught up to me and spun me around. "Son I am so so sorry. I shouldn't have gone off."

Joy came up. "I'm sorry baby. It was just dinner."

"Jim, I fully understand your ire. I'm sorry I spoke to you with anything less than respect. Joy, I'm sorry you got hurt again, but you and I are through." I didn't hear either of their responses as I slammed my car door and headed down the street.

I was driving aimlessly, until I realized I was close to Garrett's trailer park. I parked my car five spaces away and walked to his front door. I knocked and in a moment I heard footsteps approaching the door.

"Ah bitch. I knew you'd show up after all," he said with a sneer. That sneer quickly turned to surprise as my fist drove into his nose. He didn't seem to be expecting me. He fell back into his front room and I was on him as he fell. I'm not sure how many times I hit him. I just know he was responding anymore after several so I kicked him in the ribs a few times and got ready to leave.

I saw his trailer was full of moving boxes. "Moving huh?" I said as I tuned back to him. I heard a slight groan. "Let me wish you a 'fare thee well' then," I said as I kicked him square in the nuts.

I went home and iced my sore knuckles. My phone was ringing as I went inside. I picked it up without looking at the caller ID. Before I could get any greeting out I was assailed by the bawling wails of my now ex-girlfriend. "Roger baby, please let me exp.." CLICK.

I had no more than hung up and it was ringing gain. Caller ID said it was Joy so I let it ring. After an hour of my phone ringing, then stopping for a minute and ringing again it stopped ringing. I was glad she had finally given up.

Ten minutes later when my phone rang I got exasperated was going to answer it as rudely as I humanly could. But the caller ID said the call was from my cousin Hugh. He was calling to warn me that the CSPD had received a phone call in which the caller had feared that one Garrett Jimenez might be in danger.

"I'm not worried about this guy," I told Hugh.

"No, but CSPD is going to be contacting you. It seems they found Mr. Jimenez in a rather precarious state. All he could tell them was some big guys came and kicked his ass."

"I don't know any big guys Hugh."

"No, but the caller feared you might do harm to this Jimenez guy, so naturally when they found him laid out, yours was the first name they sought."

"Thanks for the heads up Huey," he hated being called Huey. "I've got a slim alibi."

"Fucker, I hope you do."

By time the police showed up at my door I was ready. I had all of my hockey gear out stacked by my front door. I only had a minor scrape on my knuckles, but they were swelling.

Luckily the officer seemed not only mildly care about catching whomever had messed Garrett up so my story about working on my hockey conditioning seemed to sufficiently explain my hands. It didn't hurt either that I played for the police department sponsored rec league team.

I went to the rink on Saturday and skated myself almost to the point of dropping. I wanted to be ready for the upcoming season. One of the top defensemen on my team wasn't returning which meant I was going to see more ice time.

I got home that evening to see several notes on my door. All but one was from Joy. The one that wasn't from her was from Jim. He wrote an apology letter. He said that he was ashamed for ever believing that I would harm Joy. He also went on to ask me not to hold it against his daughter that he'd reacted that way.

I immediately dialed their house phone and luckily Jim answered. I told him that I held no ill will at all against him for his reaction. "You reacted the way any decent father does. It's not your fault Joy didn't come clean right away."

"Well son I am glad to hear that. I worried all night long about it. Now would you like to talk to Joy?"

I could hear her excited voice in the background imploring him to give her the phone. "No I really don't wish to talk to her Jim. She went back around that creep, knowing what a dirtbag he is, and then allowed you to believe that I had hit her. On top of that, she broke our date for last night so that I wouldn't see her face. Sorry Jim, I don't have time in my life for deceptive women."



Now as I told Jim and Yvonne everything I had discovered in Vail, I knew he was rehashing old times as well. "I don't know what to say son. I'm glad they're bringing her here. I hope you aren't thinking of doing anything rash."

"No sir. I'm not hiring attorneys just yet, but I am preparing myself for it. She's going to have to have one hell of an explanation for all of this."

"No matter what happens, Roger, Yvonne and I think of you as a son, and I hope that if this is as bad as I fear you won't cut us out of your life."

I assured them that I wouldn't cut them out of my life and then Beth and I headed for my house. We drove for a few minutes in silence then Beth asked me, "Are you going to be OK?"

"Do I have any choice? Curling up and dying is definitely not an option."

"I'm sorry this is happening to you. If she is cheating, is there any chance at all of you two staying together?"

"No. I can't handle the thought of being turned into one of those paranoid husbands who has to put GPS trackers in their wife's panties and spy cams in every nook and cranny just to sleep at night."

"Mom asked about you. You know she loves you and it might be helpful to talk to her."

"So she can tell me that it's OK to be cuckold? So she can tell me I need to share my wife? No thanks. If there's one person on the face of the earth I DON'T need to talk to it's her."

Beth had always taken up for our mother. When Daniel went to prison, she'd asked me to try to visit mom more often. I went to see her once. She started in on how Danny should have been more open to sharing, I walked out. Joy chastised me for being rude; but I told her that I wasn't going to listen to that crap. And, I added, I would never accept a cheating spouse.

"I'd just hate to see you make a decision you'll regret later."

"Don't worry sis. I'll have answers before I decide anything."

Shortly after Beth dropped me off, I was in Steven and Joe's living room. Steven started pouring through Joy's laptop as soon as I handed it to him, and I filled them in on what was happening.

After half an hour Steven asked if I could leave the lap top with him for a day or two because he needed more time to dig through it. I had no problem with that. Joe told me that if I wanted he'd set me up with his cousin.

"Joe, unless your cousin has 36C tits and a shaved snatch, I'm not interested."

"Prude," he laughed. Joe was always trying to make me uncomfortable, but I had no problem with his and Steven's choices or lifestyle so I usually ended up getting called jaded if I didn't act shocked, or prude if I declined being hooked up.

I stayed for a little while and had a beer with Joe. Steven had his nose buried in Joy's lap top and didn't even notice there was anyone else in the room. After our beer, Joe said he had to go to bed. He had to get up at three in the morning to make it to work.

"I guess I'm gonna go to bed and rub one out thinking about my newly single sexy neighbor."

"Oh?" I said. "I thought Mrs. Jasper had been a widow for a while."

Joe laughed and wished me a good night. Steven grunted or something as I left. I went home and took Piper out back to do her business and play a bit of fetch. During the summer I usually have to decide we've played enough ball. Piper can play until my arm falls off. But in the winter I let Piper decide when we've played enough. Usually no more than three throws and she's ready to go in.

I got in bed and called Piper in too. Joy hated it when I allowed her to sleep in the bed, but at that point I really didn't care what Joy wanted or hated. Although Piper is a bed hog, I can't fully blame my poor night's sleep on her.

The next morning I drank my coffee and tried to focus on the sports section of the paper until eight. By nine I was sitting in Bernie Jags' office. Bernie was Joy's boss, and I knew he'd answer my questions.

"So what can I do ya for Brian?" Bernie said jovially. I don't know why he always insisted on calling me Brian.

"It's Roger Bernie. I was just wondering if you could shed some light on something for me."

"Of course, Roger, how can I help you?"

"Is there any reason involving your insurance agency that my wife would have left the convention in Houston to go to Vail?"

"Vail? As in the Colorado ski town? Just north west of here?"

"Yeah, that Vail."

"Why would Joy be in Houston Roger?"

"For your company convention is the reason I was given. You know for the top ten earners in the state."

"Roger, I may be treading on something here that might be toxic, but I think you are confused on some things. First the convention you mention was in Houston last week but it isn't about the top earners in the state.

Joy is what you call a "Managing agent," meaning she has several less experienced people working under her. The top ten agents in each office get to go to the convention. Managing agents don't usually wish to go. The convention is more of an incentive for the newest agents.

I usually send one Managing Agent to the convention. If I can't get a volunteer I pick one. Joy has never gone to the convention."

I was flabbergasted and growing more irritated by the moment. "And what about the training meetings in Indianapolis she goes to every year?"

I require all of my Managing Agents to attend those meetings. I also send some of the agents to go as well."

"What can they possibly teach that takes two weeks?"

"Two weeks? We usually fly out on Sunday and fly back Thursday afternoon." As he spoke I saw a flash of recognition come over his face. "I should have known. They always took two weeks off and stayed in a different hotel."

"They?" I asked. "Would the other half of they be my wife's beaux?"

"If I tell you this Roger, you must promise me no harm will come to either of them."

"Bernie, my wife has already been harmed. She's in a coma and whomever she's been messing around with is most likely the culprit."

"I highly doubt that," he paused as if he was about to give the ending of a movie away. "Look, I know people are capable of just about anything, but some guys aren't the violent type."

"Bernie, I have always known you to be a standup guy. If I could get the answers straight from Joy I would, but I can't. You have my word that no harm will come to anybody involved."

When he told me the name of the guy he thought Joy was with I couldn't have been more surprised. "That little fucking weasel?"

*****

An hour after my meeting with Bernie my cousin called my cell.

"How ya doin', Zeke?"

My grandmother had hated that my parents had named me Roger. No one ever said why, but she refused to call me by it. She instead opted to truncate my middle name and call me Zeke. Everyone in my family caught on and called me Zeke, everyone but Joy. "It's not a dignified name," she said; as if we were royalty. Normally Hugh just called me asshole so I knew he must have been with someone who didn't know me.

"Hugh. What are you up to this here shitty morning?"

"Vail called this morning. It seems they have discovered who rented the room that Joy had stayed in. We are going to call him and ask him to come in, if he refuses we'll cite him as a person of interest and pick him up."

"Can I be there when you talk to Cal?"

"I'm sure Jeb will...Hey did you say Cal?"

"Yup, Cal as in Cal Davis. I went to see Joy's boss this morning."

After I finished telling him everything I had learned from Bernie Jags he said. "Damn boy! You should have become a cop. I'll call you when we get an interview set up."

The next few hours were spent at the hospital, meeting with the team of brain injury specialists. Part of me just wanted to say, stick her in a corner somewhere and let her rot, but I still didn't have full proof of anything.

Jim and Yvonne showed up at the hospital an hour before Joy arrived from Vail. I filled them in on what I learned, and Jim couldn't believe his daughter would behave that way.

Yvonne just begged me to wait until Joy was out of the woods, so to speak, before I took any action. I reassured her that I wouldn't harm Joy in any manner, even if that meant living a charade for a few weeks.