A Rush to Violence Read Free Page A

the light. He drank water from one of the faucets and then splashed his face with it. He grabbed a towel from a holder and looked at himself in the mirror. He was a man of forty, but in spite of how young he looked at middle age, he felt as if he had lived twice as long.
    Tomorrow morning would be difficult. It would require his absolute focus. Right now, Jennifer couldn’t know what he was experiencing. He had to handle this on his own and get rid of this on his own.
    Everyone would be safer that way.
    He turned off the light and went back into the bedroom. All he could see was her shape in the bed. He stood there in the silence, tried to shake off the dream, but it was difficult. He saw Katie’s head blowing apart and Beth choosing death over life. He pushed the images away and for a while, they retreated.
    He got into bed and turned to look at Jennifer. When it was morning, Marty Spellman would once again be the husband she knew.
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    When the sun rose, Marty went through the motions as if it were just another day. He had coffee, he showered and then he found himself standing naked in the dressing room mirror. He was aware that she was behind him. In an effort to keep the moment light, he pinched a fold of skin at his side. “I’m getting fat,” he said.
    “You’re not getting fat.”
    “I’m so getting fat.”
    “If you’re getting fat, then please describe to me what fat means to you.”
    He turned to his wife, who was dressing for work at Channel One, where she was its star investigative reporter. He showed her the fold between his thumb and first finger. “That’s fat.”
    “That’s skin and muscle. In fact, you’re pretty much all muscle.” She lowered her eyes to his crotch and smiled. “And that’s just plain thick.”
    “Maybe I’ll take up running again.”
    “Maybe I’ll join you.”
    He hesitated. Jennifer was a lot of things, but in spite of how fit she was, she was not athletic. “On second thought, maybe I’ll take up jogging again.”
    She had a towel around her damp hair and took it off to snap it at him. “I’m an excellent runner.”
    “You’ve never run a day in your life.”
    “Please. It’s one foot in front of the other, only fast. How hard can it be?”
    “Ask me after your second mile, newbie.”
    She ran her fingers through her blonde hair and shook it out. She flipped it up over her head and looked at him while he got dressed. “Tonight, we run,” she said.
    “Tonight, we take the girls to dinner.”
    “That’s tonight? I thought it was tomorrow night.”
    “It’s tonight. Seven sharp.”
    She came over and put her arms around his waist. She kissed him hard on the lips and then said in his ear, “Are you going to eat something fattening for dinner? Maybe some greasy ribs that’ll stick to your own?”
    “You’re hilarious.”
    She patted his flat stomach. “And you’re neurotic.”
    “Is seven going to be cutting it too close for you?”
    “You never know what the day will bring.”
    In his own line of work as a private investigator, he knew that was the truth.
    “But if anything happens, I’ll either call to say I’ll be late or that I won’t be able to make it.”
    “Try to make it.”
    “I haven’t seen the girls in a week. Believe me, I’ll make it.” She stepped into a pair of shoes. “What’s on your agenda?”
    “I’m meeting a new client.”
    “Who’s that?”
    “You can’t handle it.”
    Her eyes flicked up to meet his. “I’m all ears.”
    He admired her body. “And other parts. I’m meeting Lia Costa.”
    Her eyes widened. “Oh, no, you’re not.”
    “Oh, yes, I am.”
    “What does she need from you?”
    “No idea. I’ll find out in an hour.”
    “Her husband was strangled to death in their home last week. She found him in their bedroom when she returned from shopping. I covered it. It was huge news.”
    “I remember. I saw your report.”
    “When did she call you?”
    He pulled on a pair of