by Katie Bradford
Stacie finished placing her undergarments in the bureau drawer just as the phone rang. Without even thinking, she picked it up on the second ring and was about to say hello, when she heard her husband's voice on the other end. She was about to hang up like she normally did when Scott answered, but this time the voice on the other end kept her listening.
"Can you talk?" a low male voice asked.
"Yeah... Stace is up in the bedroom," Scott had answered.
"Are you ready for tonight?"
"Yep, got it all worked out. She won't even know what hit her?" Scott laughed keeping his voice low.
Stacie frowned as she held the phone closer to her ear. What in the world was Scott talking about? Being careful not to breathe directly into the phone, she covered the mouthpiece with her hand and continued listening.
"What about the neighbors?" the unfamiliar voice had asked. "She'll scream you know."
"The Fergusons? Man, they're old. They won't hear a thing. And if they do... well I'll just make up something - like Stacie saw a spider or something. They'll believe it."
"We're still playing poker tonight right?"
"Yep. I've already told Stacie I won't be back until the wee hours of the morning. She won't wait up for me. She's pissed at me for going out tonight but that won't last long." Scott laughed wickedly. "She'll probably go to a movie or something with her friend Missy and then turn in early. She won't suspect a thing."
"I still can't believe you got her to sign those papers," the other voice chortled. "If that had been my old lady, she would have never signed anything giving me full rights."
"You just don't know how to do it right, man." Scott chuckled. "I told Stacie some lame story about our house insurance needing an update and the paper had to have both our signatures on it. She signed it... no questions asked."
Stacie remembered. Scott had come home about a week ago claiming Allstate needed an update on their insurance policy. Scott was right, she hadn't thought twice when he'd told her to sign on the dotted line. She figured he had already read everything and there was no reason for her to reread. Now, she wished she had gone over the document with a fine tooth comb! What was Scott trying to pull?
Scowling, she listened to the rest of the conversation which was apparently about to end.
"Just hope I don't read about you in the morning paper my man."
Scott snorted. "NO one is ever going to know besides you, me and... Stacie.
"Well we'll see if you can pull it off."
"I'll call you later and let you know if the job got done," Scott almost whispered before adding, "I'd better go, Stacie will be coming downstairs any minute. She might overhear."
"Okay, well good luck, man."
Then the phone went dead. With the dial tone ringing in her ear, Stacie stood frozen for several long seconds before realizing the phone was still in her hand. Slowly hanging the phone back on the cradle, Stacie thought about the troublesome conversation she'd just heard.
What was Scott up to?
"Honestly Stacie, I don't know what to think?" Missy sighed taking another sip of her margarita. "It sounds so far fetched to think Scott's trying to kill you."
Looking off into space, Stacie replied, "I know what it sounds like Missy but what else can I possibly think?"
"I'm sure we can come up with something besides that," Missy said, trying to think.
"Okay," Stacie challenged. "What? What could he possibly be talking about when he said 'she won't know what hit her' or his friend saying, he hoped he didn't read about Scott in the paper tomorrow? He's gonna murder me in my sleep Missy, I just know it!"
"I've never thought of Scott... well... I just can't imagine Scott hurting you. You both seem so perfect for each other!" Missy replied compassionately.
"I thought so too," Stacie swallowed hard. "I guess what they say is true - you never really get to know anybody no matter how long you've lived with them!"
"And you don't have any idea what those papers were you signed?" Missy asked scrunching her nose.
Sighing heavily, Stacie groused, "I didn't think I had to check. I mean, my gosh, if Jim told you the papers you were about to sign was a bunch of insurance gobbledygook, would you have read it?"
"Probably not." Missy shook her head. "I wouldn't have..." she paused briefly before continuing, "But you can bet I will now!"
"Well I wished I had," Stacie lamented. "Too late now though! I just don't know what to do Missy."
"Maybe I should call Jim and tell him what's going on," Missy suggested. "He might know what to do."
Stacie shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe."
Just then the waitress brought their food and set it on the table. And it was decided that as soon as dinner was over, they would call Jim and together they would decide what should be done.
It was one in the morning as Scott quietly slipped the key in the front lock and opened the door. By all appearances, Stacie was fast asleep upstairs. The only visible light was the night-light in the hallway that always stayed plugged in.
Taking his jacket off, he opened the hall closet and hung it on a hanger. Running his fingers through his hair, Scott took a deep breath. He was rather nervous. After all, he'd never done anything remotely like this before. Maybe, like his friend said earlier, he was being stupid.
But as he gazed up the staircase and thought of Stacie laying there... fast asleep... Scott smiled. He wasn't stupid. In fact, this was the smartest thing he'd ever done! Over the years Stacie had become harder and harder to control. Her attitude could be pretty sassy sometimes!
After making a quick stop, Scott quietly began ascending the staircase. He wasn't sure why he was being so quiet, Stacie could sleep through a cyclone. But still, he walked stealthily up to his bedroom door and turned the knob. And just as was about to push the door open, he was jumped from behind and thrown to the ground.
"What the Hell!" Scott cried out trying to swing at the intruder but found he was at the disadvantage.
Everything happened all at once. Lights flipping on, voices filling the air, and accusations hurling right and left at Scott who looked totally stunned by what was happening.
"It's all over, Scott!" Jim informed the man laying face down against the carpet. "Stacie told us everything."
"What do you mean Stacie told you everything?" Scott demanded. "Where in the HELL is she anyway?"
"I'm right here, Scott," Stacie replied sadly.
"What in the Hell's going on, Stace?" Scott asked angrily, struggling to free himself with no luck. Jim was practically sitting on top of him, anchoring him steadfastly to the ground.
Trying not to be intimidated, Stacie replied, "I heard what you said on the phone..."
"What?" Scott spluttered, "You... wh... you heard me on the phone?"
"Every word."
"Oh Damn it!" Scott snapped. "Let me up. I can't talk with this carpet in my mouth!"
As Scott was actually bigger then he was, Jim was growing tired of holding him down, "I'll let you up but just remember you're not alone," he threatened.
"Just let me up," Scott grumbled. "Who in the hell are you anyway?"
"My boyfriend," Missy interceded. "And he knows judo so you'd better watch it, Scott."
Rolling his eyes, Scott sat up. "You just better hope I don't press charges against your boyfriend for jumping me in my own house!"
"He's here because I asked him to be here," Stacie assured her husband.
"Why?"
"You... your..." Stacie tried to form the words but couldn't. However, her best friend could.
Missy looked down at Scott and frowned. "Stacie heard every word you said to whoever you were talking to on the phone this afternoon." She paused briefly before continuing. "And you're actually going to sit there and tell us you have no idea what she's talking about? Unbelievable!"
"What did you have in your hand just now?" Jim asked looking around the area in which Scott was sitting.
Looking with disbelief first at Missy, then over at Jim, Scott began lifting himself up off the floor. "Do you mean this?" he asked angrily grabbing the solid oak paddle that had been knocked from his hands earlier.
"A paddle?" Jim looked dumbfounded.
"A paddle!" Scott replied flatly. "What in the Hell did you think it was? A gun?"
"Stacie said you were going to mur..." Jim stopped mid-sentence, suddenly very embarrassed by his actions.
"Murder?" Scott filled in the missing letters as he turned towards his wife. "You thought I was going to kill you?"
"Hey man I'm sorry. Somehow these girls got it into their heads that you were going to do something to Stacie tonight. I would never have jumped you if I had known it... it was just that..." Jim pointed to the paddle.
Ignoring Jim and Missy, Scott lumbered over towards his wife who was shrinking back against the wall, and snapped, "You thought I was going to kill you tonight? Why would you ever think that, Stace?"
Jim looked over at Missy and groused, "You and I have some things to talk about, young lady. Let's go home. We've wasted enough time here!"
Paling at the look she'd received from Jim, Missy glanced over at Stacie and gave her a silent goodbye, then reluctantly followed Jim.
Hardly even realizing the couple had gone, Scott continued raging. "I'm waiting for an answer, young lady. How could you think such a thing? It's me, Scott! The man you married five years ago! How could you believe that I would... I can hardly even say it... murder you!?"
"I don't know," Stacie cringed. "The phone call was so... so ominous..." she paused as her eyes traveled down to the paddle he was still holding. Suddenly her nervousness turned into indignation. "You know, I'm the one who should be furious!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah!" Stacie lashed out, "All those things you said on the phone and that paper you made me sign. What was it anyway?"
"I didn't make you sign it." Scott shook his head ignoring the rest of her statement.
"You lied! You told me it was an update on our insurance policy. What was it?"
Irritated at being questioned after being accused of such a heinous crime, Scott snapped, "What are you thinking it was, may I ask?"
Feeling rather ridiculous but mad nonetheless, Stacie replied, "Well you sure sounded suspicious about it over the phone! Maybe it's a..."
"And that's another thing," Scott interrupted, "What were you doing listening in on my phone call?"
Face reddening, Stacie looked away. "I... I was about to hang up when I realized you'd already picked up but then I heard that guy ask if you could talk. Who starts a conversation out like that anyway? Sounds pretty damn suspicious to me!"
Flabbergasted, Scott rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling as if asking the lord for help. Then shaking his head in disgust, he looked back at his wife and snarled, "There have been plenty of times I've asked that very same question."
Disgruntled, Stacie glared at Scott, "Oh come on, Scott. You might say, 'Are you busy right now?' or 'I know it's late, can you talk?' but who in the world would greet someone with, 'Can you talk?' That sounds suspicious!"
"Even so, Stace," he said angrily. "You don't eavesdrop on someone else's conversation!"
"You're sidestepping the question, bucko," Stacie groused. "What was that paper I signed?"
"Come in the bedroom and I'll show you the paper you signed."
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