Free The Chronicles of Beast and Man by J. Charles Ralston Page A

didn’t care about being home at night, than she assumed that the evening shift would be perfect.
    To Marcy’s surprise she was told she could go home at three o’ clock, which meant she had two whole hours before meeting with Rod later. She decided to use her time wisely. She would stop and get a few groceries, then go home and clean a little.
     
    -
     
    Immediately after walking in the door she began taking care of the little cleaning around the house that she hadn’t done for a while. She thought about the possibility of Matthew walking in. If he would happen to come strolling in after a long day, it would ruin her plans of meeting with Rod later. No such thing happened, nor did Marcy really expect it to happen. Matthew was three towns over in Monmouth assisting on a job to build the city a new hospital. There was no chance that he would be back early.
    Marcy took a quick shower and changed into a sexy little black dress she had been hiding in her closet. She then made a quick phone call to her mother just to make sure she would watch her kids until six. Her mother of course said yes and did not even want an explanation as to why she needed them watched longer. Fortunately for Marcy her mother genuinely loved watching the kids.
    Once that issue was taken care of, Marcy left and instantly drove to the Restful Motel, which was of course the only motel in Medusa. Marcy automatically noticed that Rod’s truck was nowhere to be seen. Rod usually parked a few blocks away in an attempt to not peak anyone’s curiosity. But Marcy was always able to spot the truck, it had almost became a game for her; can I find the hidden police truck?
    She walked up the stairs and came to the room number ten. Marcy turned the knob to the room but it did not budge. It was still locked. Rod hadn’t showed up and he wasn’t going to. An unspeakable feeling of rejection started to fester deep inside Marcy and she walked back down the stairs and to her car.
    Maybe Rod did not know what time to meet , she thought. Marcy knew that wasn’t true, he would have been ready at the drop of a hat. Perhaps their little affair was over, Marcy thought, or what if Rod really wanted more than just a sexual partner? If that were so, then Marcy understood why Rod wouldn’t want to see her. She would never be able to give Rod more than just an afternoon orgasm. She valued her life with her children and her husband far too much. With that thought she wondered how much truth there could be in that statement. If she loved her children and husband so much, why would she cheat? The relationship between her and Rod was not something that she was proud of, but it seemed to satisfy a craving from deep within. The more she thought about what she was actually doing to her family the more it hurt. Tears began to run down her face as she wept. How had she let herself get involved with another man?
    Who was she trying to kid, this wasn’t just another man. This was Rod Truex, her high school sweetheart, the one that got away. It was then that Marcy noticed Rod’s truck sitting in the drive way of the Parker residence. In that very moment everything was once again right in the world. Rod had not cut off contact with her, he was busy with work. Of course he would be busy; a young girl had been murdered. Marcy felt very selfish for only thinking of herself and her sexual needs. Then again she felt relieved as well, this meant that Rod still found her attractive, and he also hadn’t ditched her.
    Marcy wiped away any trace of tears and picked her kids up at twenty minutes after five. It was forty minutes earlier than she had told her mother she would be there, but it was no big deal. After arriving home they found Matthew sitting in his recliner in the living room, watching the evening news, and about to doze off already. He couldn’t have been home for more than ten minutes. Marcy thought to herself.
    Marcy than prepared a quick supper of loose meat sandwiches and a can