| Straight: Serial Stories: Ruin: Ruin, Chapter Five (1/3) |
 32 votes |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Share This Story: BlinkList - del.icio.us - Furl - ma.gnolia - Spurl - Yahoo MyWeb - StumbleUpon |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lusty Librarian's Note: I have named this the Story of the Week, which is really an award for the entire series, and if you haven't read parts 1-4, then I recommend not reading this until you've finished with all the others. RUIN Chapter Five Pieces On Thursday Alicia sent a text to my phone asking me to call her cell. When I did she told me one of her friends took her to lunch to tell her that there was talk in the neighborhood that Phil was having an affair. Feigning shock, Alicia said she expectantly waited for the friend to tell her about Kate. She truly was shocked when the neighbor instead named Lynn Stevens, the redhead who had just moved into the house next door to the Johnstons a few weeks earlier. “It must have begun this week while I was at my sister’s,” Alicia said. Later that evening as Kate and I walked through the cold evening air to the Johnsons' house for the Christmas party, I told her the recent gossip I had learned. “I heard that Phil Gladford was having an affair,” I said lightly. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Katie pull in her chin. I could feel her stiffen. “Really?” “That’s what I heard.” “With someone we know?” “The new redhead of the couple that just moved into the neighborhood. The Stevens? Yeah I think that’s their name.” “Really…” Kate repeated more as a statement than a question. “Guy’s nuts to be foolin’ around on such a pretty wife, if you ask me,” I said without being able to detect another reaction. By the time Katie and I arrived at the Johnstons' neighborhood Christmas party it was already crowded and in full cheer. We greeted a number of neighbors on our slow progression to one of the “bars.” I scanned each room we passed for Alicia and I could tell Katie was scanning as well. I saw Phil in the study as we passed by. He was talking with Lynn, the redhead in question. Katie didn’t see either of them; a woman passing in the other direction blocked her view into the room. We proceeded to the bar set up in the dining room. Alicia was there involved in a conversation with three other women. As soon as she saw us she greeted us cheerfully and the other women did too. I held up my hands. “First things first, I’m going to the bar, wine, Katie? Can I get anyone else anything?” “Thanks, we’re good,” they all said in unison. I got a glass of wine for Katie and a beer for myself. When I returned Katie was gone. “She said she’ll be right back,” Sylvia Norris said. I glanced at Alicia. She smiled knowingly. After a few minutes with the group while holding Katie’s wine I excused myself to find her. Alicia said she’d escort me. Alicia asked if I told Kate and I told her I did. We eventually found Katie sitting with Phil and the ravishing redheaded Lynn. As soon as we entered the room Alicia mumbled under her breath, “Uh oh, this should be good.” “There you are,” Alicia said to the trio as we approached. “Hi Hun. Hello Daniel,” Phil said. “Meet Lynn |
  |
Gotta love a mystery
