All I asked was for him to take responsibility for his kids-give them what they deserved. He lives in that big fancy house with his new wife and kid and my kids, his kids are ignored. That’s not fair.”
Becky shook her head. “Erica, look I know you didn’t mean to do it , but you have to call the police. You can’t just let him lay there.”
I looked at my friend. She just didn’t get it. If I called the police there’d be an investigation. I knew I’d end up in jail. I stood up. “Can you keep Josh overnight? I need time to think.”
Becky nodded. “Yeah but I still think…”
I raised my hand to quiet her. “I know what you think. Just promise me you won’t tell anyone. Okay?”
Becky nodded. “Okay.”
I pulled into my drive a few minutes later. What to do? Could I just let Johnny lay there until someone found him? I unlocked the door and ran to the bathroom and threw up. Afterwards, I splashed cold water on my face and tried to calm down. I felt bad Johnny was dead, really I did.
Now his kids wouldn’t get anything from him. I wondered if he had changed over his insurance policy. More than likely, knowing Johnny. I hoped he at least listed the kids as beneficiaries. How cold and callous I sounded. My ex-husband was dead. I killed him, and all I worried about was if the kids would benefit from his insurance. When had I turned into such a shallow person? I made a pot of coffee and turned on the television. I needed to think, to sort this out. I curled up in the corner of the couch.
The news was just ending, but the newscaster broke in with a breaking story. “The body of attorney, John Morris, was found on the steps of the parking garage at the Standard Building. Police are investigating, but there are no signs of foul play. It appears to be an accident. We’ll update you when we learn more.”
At least they found him. Now I didn’t have to worry about calling the police. An accident, I’d be off the hook. I grabbed the phone and dialed my friend. “Becky, did you watch the news on channel five? They found Johnny’s body.”
“No the boys are playing a game I don’t have the television on. Who found it? When?”
“They didn’t say who found it. The police think it was an accident. I have to let them think that, Beck. Besides, it was. I’ll come over and get Josh. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
God, how was I going to tell the kids their father was dead? I dialed the phone again and called Susan Burns. I hated to do it, but I had to pick up Katie, too.
I picked Josh up first and broke the news.
“How, what happened?” Josh wiped tears from his eyes.
I hugged him. “It was an accident. He fell down the steps in the parking garage. They aren’t sure what happened, maybe he had a heart attack. I don’t know.” I certainly couldn’t tell him I killed his father. I drove to Jessie’s to pick up Katie.
It had been hard to tell the kids their father left and was getting a divorce, but that was nothing compared to this. It didn’t matter that Johnny didn’t visit or call. He was still their father, no matter what kind of a jerk he was.
Katie burst into tears when I told her. “Daddy’s dead. He can’t be. I mean….” Her body shook and her tears turned into gut-wrenching sobs.
I held my daughter and tried to comfort her. Lord, what had I done? How were we going to get through this? I guessed I’d have to call Babette, offer to help, see if there was anything she needed. Cripe, she was just a kid herself, only twenty-five and with a new baby. The fact that she stole my husband didn’t enter into it. If it hadn’t been Babette, it would have been someone else. I couldn’t really blame the girl, Johnny was good-looking and a smooth talker. I had no doubt he made the advances. Sure, Babette could have resisted and should have known better, but I still couldn’t lay all the blame on her.
Chapter Three
Once Katie and Josh were settled, I
Becky shook her head. “Erica, look I know you didn’t mean to do it , but you have to call the police. You can’t just let him lay there.”
I looked at my friend. She just didn’t get it. If I called the police there’d be an investigation. I knew I’d end up in jail. I stood up. “Can you keep Josh overnight? I need time to think.”
Becky nodded. “Yeah but I still think…”
I raised my hand to quiet her. “I know what you think. Just promise me you won’t tell anyone. Okay?”
Becky nodded. “Okay.”
I pulled into my drive a few minutes later. What to do? Could I just let Johnny lay there until someone found him? I unlocked the door and ran to the bathroom and threw up. Afterwards, I splashed cold water on my face and tried to calm down. I felt bad Johnny was dead, really I did.
Now his kids wouldn’t get anything from him. I wondered if he had changed over his insurance policy. More than likely, knowing Johnny. I hoped he at least listed the kids as beneficiaries. How cold and callous I sounded. My ex-husband was dead. I killed him, and all I worried about was if the kids would benefit from his insurance. When had I turned into such a shallow person? I made a pot of coffee and turned on the television. I needed to think, to sort this out. I curled up in the corner of the couch.
The news was just ending, but the newscaster broke in with a breaking story. “The body of attorney, John Morris, was found on the steps of the parking garage at the Standard Building. Police are investigating, but there are no signs of foul play. It appears to be an accident. We’ll update you when we learn more.”
At least they found him. Now I didn’t have to worry about calling the police. An accident, I’d be off the hook. I grabbed the phone and dialed my friend. “Becky, did you watch the news on channel five? They found Johnny’s body.”
“No the boys are playing a game I don’t have the television on. Who found it? When?”
“They didn’t say who found it. The police think it was an accident. I have to let them think that, Beck. Besides, it was. I’ll come over and get Josh. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
God, how was I going to tell the kids their father was dead? I dialed the phone again and called Susan Burns. I hated to do it, but I had to pick up Katie, too.
I picked Josh up first and broke the news.
“How, what happened?” Josh wiped tears from his eyes.
I hugged him. “It was an accident. He fell down the steps in the parking garage. They aren’t sure what happened, maybe he had a heart attack. I don’t know.” I certainly couldn’t tell him I killed his father. I drove to Jessie’s to pick up Katie.
It had been hard to tell the kids their father left and was getting a divorce, but that was nothing compared to this. It didn’t matter that Johnny didn’t visit or call. He was still their father, no matter what kind of a jerk he was.
Katie burst into tears when I told her. “Daddy’s dead. He can’t be. I mean….” Her body shook and her tears turned into gut-wrenching sobs.
I held my daughter and tried to comfort her. Lord, what had I done? How were we going to get through this? I guessed I’d have to call Babette, offer to help, see if there was anything she needed. Cripe, she was just a kid herself, only twenty-five and with a new baby. The fact that she stole my husband didn’t enter into it. If it hadn’t been Babette, it would have been someone else. I couldn’t really blame the girl, Johnny was good-looking and a smooth talker. I had no doubt he made the advances. Sure, Babette could have resisted and should have known better, but I still couldn’t lay all the blame on her.
Chapter Three
Once Katie and Josh were settled, I
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