The Key Part III

The Key-Part III

Jessica reached over to answer the phone but it stopped as her hand touched the handset. She leaned over to check the caller’s ID but the word ‘anonymous’ was all she could see. She was not sure that Morgan would be calling using the business cell phone that he recently got or not.

All that the television was showing now was the weather report that indicated that for the next few days the weather would be cool and clear. On the weekend would be another cold front that was on its way. The weather forecaster mentioned that this might be the coldest front of the year to come. With that information she advised that people should already have pipes wrapped for the coming severe freeze.

Jessica racked her brain to see if she could recall any mention of a new female employee when Morgan talked business. There were five men and six women as department heads, but they were older than Morgan. He considered himself lucky because he was ten years younger than the next youngest. Also the other people were married. Morgan had worked hard to prove that he could handle the responsibilities of his position as well as his peers.

Then Jessica remembered the conversation of the two old ladies at the store. She made a mental note to go back to the same store next Tuesday and be very observant for the same two ladies. She did not think that she would miss seeing that large brown purse.

After what seemed like a long time, the phone rang at the same time that someone was knocking on the door. Jessica ran to the phone and lifted up the handset. “This is the office of Dr. Jonathan Stokes reminding you that you have a dental appointment in the morning at 9:30 pm. Please press one on your phone if you will be keeping this appointment or two if you want to cancel. If you must cancel, you can call tomorrow morning to reset this appointment.” said a computer voice on the other end. Jessica was on the verge of screaming that she never wanted the computer to call again but she hurriedly pressed two to cancel. She thought that whatever was going on would last more that just a few hours. She then dropped the phone down on the phone’s base to run to the door.

“Jessica! Jessica! Open this door right now! If you do not I am calling the police!” said her father’s voice.

Jessica opened the door and flew into her father’s arms. “Oh Daddy! Daddy!” and then started crying onto his shoulder. Behind him was her mother who put her arms around Jessica and then suggested that they all go into the house.

Her father and mother walked her to the couch and they helped Jessica sit down.

“Jessica can I get you something from the kitchen?” asked her mother as she put her purse on the coffee table.

“No Mother. I---I just don’t understand. I only caught the end of the news and saw Morgan holding the lady in his arms. I missed the report.”

“Jess, “ said her father with the low, controlled voice, “ Morgan may have been involved in a murder.”

Jessica’s mouth opened but there was no sound. Her father sat down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder.

Her mother sat down on the small chair next to the coffee table.

“Yes, Jessica, “ said her mother. I was in the kitchen myself but heard the news when there was a bulletin for a hostage situation at a Motel about ten miles from here.

“ What else did you hear? “ questioned Jessica with teary, eyes. She got a Kleenex from a pocket in her sweater.

“It seems that the young lady was at work and her husband walked in straight to her office. When she refused to go, he pulled out a gun. Since some of the workers were at an in service for their new office opening, the area was pretty empty. He forced her into his car and drove her to the motel where he found out that she and the two kids were staying. Luckily the kids were at the grandmother’s house.” continued her mother.

“But someone noticed her leaving without her purse or signing out. The people think that it was Morgan.” added her father who was home because of the day off he decided to take.

“The police were called and they all converged at the motel where the man had taken her. It was lucky for her that the caller gave the right address so they got there a little after the man and this woman arrived.” said her mother.

“Yes. They saw the husband with a gun at the lady’s back and tried to get him to give up. He took one shot at the police and then forced her into the room there. I think that the policeman was hurt.” said her father as he shook his head.

“Daddy, was the motel the ‘Rest Up Inn?’ “ she asked with a trembling voice.

“Oh, let me see. I think it was. How did you know? I thought that you said that you only heard the end of the report?” he said as he looked through the bottom of his bifocal glasses.

Jessica walked to the hall closed and pulled out the key that she had found earlier. She walked directly to her father and let him see the key.

With a look of shock that quickly turned to anger, Jessica’s father, Gregory, showed the key to her mother. She also had a look of shock that turned into disbelief. Her parents then looked at each other and then waited for Jessica to explain how she had this key.

“I picked up Morgan’s suit from the cleaner’s today. He had left it in the pocket and the cleaner returned it to me thinking that I knew.” said Jessica with a broken voice.

“You mean that Morgan and that lady are ?” whispered her mother with a hurt look on her face.

“I guess so. I mean he never told me about her. He has been coming home late a few times. His suit pocket had the key in it. “ said Jessica as she turned from one parent to the other. “What would you think?”

“I think that our son-in-law is up to his neck in trouble with the law, after I deal with him. I’ll get some of my friends in the law department to give me some good divorce lawyer names and we’ll leave him high and dry. “ responded her father with is fist hitting his other open hand. He stood up to go to the phone when the phone began to ring again.

Her mother looked at the caller ID. “It says Police Department. Do you want me to answer it for you dear?”

End of Part III
I went back to make a few minor corrections of the other parts. Nothing that would change the basic part of the other stories.

Who do you think is on the other end of the phone?
Should Jessica talk to that person?
Is Jessica and Morgan’s marriage really headed for the rocks?
Part IV will be there in a week.