“But, that doesn’t explain the stain. Where did the stain come from?” she asked, puzzled.

“Well, after the dog was dead, out of apparent spite for attacking him, Archibald took a knife and sliced open the dog’s throat. Blood went everywhere, and that’s what stained the wooden floor.” He stared down at the paper before him, as if seeing the image for the first time. “He left then, leaving Emma sitting on the parlour floor clutching the lifeless body of her beloved pet. Duchess, the dog, was a gift from Jebediah. After that scene, I found myself standing in our parlour with the boxes around me.” Tearing the page out of the pad, Justin quickly signed his name on the bottom and slid the drawing across the table toward Susan.

She turned the sketch right side up and lifted the paper off the table. Looking at the image before her, Susan smiled and exclaimed, “Oh, Justin, it’s wonderful.” Then, taking in the penciled scene before her in shades of gray, she quickly amended her statement. “What I meant was, they look so life-like; they all look like they could come to life and walk off the paper.” She fell silent as she studied the image. There, captured forever in pencil, was Buford standing in front of a propped up mirror tying his tie, the detail so fine that his displeasure was apparent on his face. Sitting next to him in the straight back chair before the window, was Emma, hands wrung together in her lap. Her head was tilted and she was looking down into her lap and the single tear present on her cheek expressed her anguish. Standing facing Emma and looking down on her with a grimace on his face, his arms crossed tightly, deep lines of distain and disgust etched into his stony face, was Archibald. The expression on his face was so malevolent that the entire drawing took on the feel of lurking evil.

Justin stood, placed his mug in the sink and turned to Susan. “I’m gonna go take a shower, then I’ll tell you what I did last night while I watched you sleep.” Her head snapped up and she stared at him, a puzzled expression on her face. “Don’t ask. After what happened when Archibald froze you, and along with the threat before that, I just didn’t want to leave you alone.”

“What threat?!” Susan asked, jumping out of her chair, knocking it backward to the floor in her haste.

“Damn it!” Justin smacked the flat of his palm against he forehead. “Susan, baby, I didn’t mean to tell you. But, there was another threatening note. It was a sketch of you entering the library and written on it was the message, ‘You will never be unfaithful again. Soon you will be sorry.’”

She went to plop onto the chair she had recently vacated, but missed and landed instead on the hard wood floor with a thud. “Oww,” she moaned, then moved to her knees and rubbed her bottom. “Son of a bitch, that hurts.” Susan looked up at her husband. He had leaned slightly forward and extended his hand to help her up.

She looked into his eyes and saw that he found this situation somehow humorous. “How’s the ass, baby? Does it hurt much?” he chuckled.

She took his outstretched hand and pulled herself up. “Do you want to kiss it for me? I’m sure that will make it all better,” she said sweetly, smiling at him.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you about the threat before.” He leaned down and rested his forehead on hers, “I didn’t want to worry you before I had to.”

“It’s okay, I guess,” she said. “Go on, take your shower, then we’ll talk more.” She moved to right the fallen chair and as Justin walked past her, Susan leaned over and smacked his butt. “Does it hurt, baby?” she asked sweetly, as he continued out the door, faking a painful limp.

To Be Continued…