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Part 2 extended final ? Home

He fell on the bed and closed his eyes. Val’s request about a vacation had struck a nerve. It brought back all that he’d pushed to the back of his brain. He felt miserable. He didn’t want to give her the news about Tammy’s murder. He certainly didn’t want to confide with her about a possible connection with Angela’s murder. She was a smart girl and might figure it out on her own. It was a possibility they were connected. He wanted to wait until morning. Let her have a good night's rest.?

Brian thought about a vacation. That would be good. To be alone with Val for a couple days. What heaven. He wanted to make it happen. But this murder needed to be resolved. Let’s just focus on the beach and a messy bed.

Putting the kids to bed? really wasn’t that hard. After getting dressed in her nightgown, Valerie first headed towards Heather’s room. Making sure she washed up, had brushed her teeth and gotten her usually bedtime story. Kevin was even easier. It was mostly making sure that his homework was done and that he didn’t stay up too late afterwards.?

Once that was done she headed to the kitchen, making sure that everything was prepped for breakfast and that her bag for skill was all packed and good to go. Mornings were usually so hectic and Val on occasions loved to get a run in or go for a swim in the local pool.?

After that was done, it was straight towards the bedroom. Brushing her teeth, making sure her hair was dry, putting on some lotion? before eventually crawling into bed next to Brain. “Will you be heading out early tomorrow? I’d like to squeeze in a morning run before waking up the kids. I haven’t been able to get any time in all week because things at school have been hectic but I want to try again tomorrow. It always gives me this awesome buzz.” She questioned, cuddling closer under the sheets.?

He wanted to say it was a good time to just grab the kids and go for an extended visit to her parents house in Colorado. He hugged her in return and ran his nose along her neck. The memo said a happy wife makes for a happy life. His life didn’t get the memo.

Instead, he realized he couldn’t put it off any more regardless of what a shit heel it made him out to be.

“Valerie.” He circled her body with his arms not wanting to lose this wonderful night it had been. Focus on had been. He felt her stiffen as he knew she would.

“Tammy Goodson was murdered earlier today.”

He waited, paused, flexed his muscles as if expecting anything.

“Wait? What?” That was unexpected. How did they get from lying in bed together and talking about going on a holiday to this all of a sudden? “What do you mean, she’s been murdered? I just saw her a couple of days ago and she was fine.” Deep down Valerie of course knew that she was talking irrationally now but Tammy Goodson had been a woman she’d known. A woman she had worked with. They hadn’t been close friends, but they had known each other and that hit close to home.?

“We think she was out jogging.”

Sitting up a little straighter, she tried to get a grasp of the situation. Not understanding why Brain hadn’t told her straight away. Not quite understanding how this had come to be.?

“Tammy was a mother like me? She had just gotten married, I don’t get it.” There were times when they did in fact jog together. And now she was gone, murdered? How was that right? They were normal people. This wasn’t? a movie, this was real life.?

“Val, this is the vital part that I need to tell you, She was killed in the same manner as Angela.”

“Angela?” No, this was too much. Angela had been a teacher as well. Again someone Valerie had known. They had passed each other at a conference once or twice, talked on the phone. This was hitting way too close to home and Valerie wasn’t sure how she was supposed to deal with it all.?

“No, this is too much. I can’t do this. I need some air.” It wasn’t exactly the same as an anxiety attack, but it did get to her, felt like the walls were closing in on her. It was too much. Brain was speaking the words and they did not make sense.? It wasn’t something she wanted to hear. “I can’t breathe in here,” Valerie then announced before getting out of bed and heading outside. There was a swing, under a tree in their garden where she always went if she needed to think. It was far too cold right now, but somehow Val didn’t care. She just couldn’t grasp this situation now.?

Brian steeled himself to not rush after her. One benefit of marriage is you did find out little things about your partner along the way. One thing he knew, it was best to give her space when something emotional was hitting her.

Countless times he’d had to deliver bad news to fearful citizens in his line of work. He never got used to it, but he did try to learn the best techniques in how to conduct himself under those harrowing circumstances.

He tried to stay above the emotion, keep a level head. Yet the thought of Val hurting made him weep. He could hide this side of him, he blamed his mother, of course. He was smart enough to know the release that came soon after. So for a few moments he stayed in bed and allowed his hurt to subside.

He went to the bathroom and cleaned up. His face looked older, haggard. He brushed his hair and tried a smile. The mirror didn’t break. A good sign.

Brian slipped on a robe and stepped out into the back yard. The brace of cold rooted up his legs and made him shiver. It was too cold to be out long. He found her by the big maple on the community swing. He sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

She shouldn’t have run away but sometimes Val needed that time to process. To gather her thoughts. Knowing that there was something happening that she had no control over. How was she supposed to protect her family like that? This was their personal bubble all of this was invading. The dark side of Brain’s life and it wasn't even his work oozing through now. It was school, it was … what was it really??

“I’m sorry I ran away. I know this isn’t your fault. It just hit really close to home and I wasn’t sure how to react to that.” Resting her head against his shoulders, she hiked up her legs, cradling her knees. “I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to do here. I don’t think I’m supposed to do anything but I’m scared of what it means.”

“It’s okay,” he said, hating the sound of that.

Reaching out with her hand she took hold of Brain’s and linked her fingers with his. “Do you think … I mean, are you worried that …. “ If he was worried then so was Valerie and she didn’t like that feeling. “Is this some kind of serial killer or something?” She watched the news, read the paper. How could she not worry about those things.?

“We don’t know yet.” Brian used the proverbial WE trying to distance himself from what was becoming very personal very quickly.?

“I’m sorry, I’m just emotional and hormonal and I’m late and all of this is just hitting me way harder than it’s supposed to. I just don’t want our family to get hurt, don’t want you to get hurt and I’m so afraid that will happen.?

“First, let me explain a couple things,” Brian said “I just found all this out today. I didn’t want to just come home and throw this on you right before dinner. Then you...er had other plans as well and I was thinking, let her get a good night’s rest. There is no good time to tell you honestly. I should have waited until morning.”?

He paused, disturbed by his own words. They didn’t sound comforting or informative.?

“I see a pattern in these two murders. You need to know because the media will be all over it and blasting warnings over the dumb tube TV. Friends at work will be upset. Father’s of teachers, husbands, well you get the idea.”

Brian got to his feet and pulled her up into his arms. He got under her legs and cradled her in his arms like on their honeymoon. He took her inside and sat her on the couch in the living room. He sat down next to her holding both of her hands in his.

“I don’t know if this is a serial. The Media might not figure it out. Right now it is just a guess on my part. We are waiting on the autopsy.”

“Listen, I don’t want you going jogging. Let me figure this thing out first. Depending on how things go I might want to send you to your Mother’s.”

Valerie was no idiot. She could connect the dots. Even if Brain was not trying to worry her. Both women had been teachers. Both had been out and about jogging and both had been killed the same way. It meant that there had to be some connection there. So they were either talking about a serial killer or it was personal but how likely was that.?

Val knew that she fitted the patron and that did worry her to an extent. She was more worried about her children though, her family. She was worried about Brain and what it would do to her.?

“The media will figure it out. I mean if I did, they will as well.” There really was no doubt about that in Val’s mind.?

But then of course he had to say the one thing she didn’t want to hear or do for that matter. “I won’t go out jogging, I promise,” That was an easy compromise to make. The other thing however. Not so much. “But I’m not going to my mother. I’m not leaving you or my house so that is not going to happen. You can’t force me Brain.” That was one thing Valerie wasn’t going to compromise about. .?

Brian held back his concerns and just held her. “I’d like to take you to Destin again.”

Destin was where they’d met and kindled more than just a childhood friendship. Their families had been friends forever. The Dads had been college pals and done all kinds of things together over the years. Brian hadn’t seen Valerie since they had been young teens. On the trip to Destin the two families had shared condos side by side. Valerie and Brian were both just starting college and were on spring break.??

He kissed her hands, “Come let’s try and get some sleep.”

“I’d love to go to Destin. In fact, I’ll go anywhere with you, as long as you promise not to ship me off.” Valerie was more than happy to agree to that. Destin held a lot of great memories for them both. That had been such a good summer. Just the two of them. Her parents would love to come down and babysit. It was exactly what they needed. But with the jobs they had and the responsibilities? It wasn’t always feasible.?

“And I love you, marrying was like the best thing I have ever done,” She then added, cupping his face and leaning in for a kiss. “Let’s go to bed.”