The Trophy Exchange (5 page)

“
He had that drawstring cinched up so tight, his eyes barely poked through. But I knew it was him.
”

“
You knew it, Rose?
”

“
Looked just like him. And besides, he
’
s a mean man.
”

“
Right. Anything else, Rose?
”

“
I
’
m sure there is but I just can
’
t think of it right now.
”

Lucinda rose again.
“
If you think of it, Rose, you just give us a call.
”

“
Of course. It
’
s my duty as a citizen. Do you have a card?
”

Lucinda reached for her pocket. She stopped as her fingertips grazed her cards and patted down her jacket.
“
Sorry Rose,
”
Lucinda lied.
“
I
’
m all out. You just call the station and leave a message. They
’
ll get all the information to me. Thanks for your time.
”

Lucinda crossed back over the street and caught up with Ted in the master bedroom of the Spencer home.
“
The neighbor thinks she saw the husband leaving the house in a hurry,
”
she said.

“
You don
’
t sound like you believe her.
”

“
Not sure. She
’
s a bit loopy. The guys out there canvassing – have they found anyone else who saw someone leaving the house this afternoon?
”

“
Not yet,
”
Ted sighed.

Lucinda
’
s cellphone chirped again. She pressed the green button.
“
Pierce here.
”
She turned to Ted and mouthed,
“
Creger.
”
She nodded her head several times and said,
“
You checked it out?
”
She nodded again, disconnected and turned to Ted.
“
Creger found the husband.
”

“
Where?
”

“
Afghanistan
.
”

“
What?
”

“
Afghanistan
. It seems like the good doctor volunteers for Doctors Without Borders. He
’
s been in
Afghanistan
for the last three days tending to the victims of land mine explosions. Missing feet. Mangled arms. That kind of stuff. The organization is flying him back on a priority basis. Don
’
t know yet when he
’
ll get here.
”

“
Guess we can scratch him off the list,
”
Ted said.

“
Maybe.
”

“
Maybe?
”

“
He
’
s a doctor. He
’
s got money. He could have hired someone to kill her while he was conveniently out of the country. It does make for an excellent alibi. Could be he
’
s a victim. Could be he
’
s a good planner.
”

Five

Ted pulled into the concrete driveway
and drove
up to the garage doors of his brick ranch. He headed up the sidewalk to the porch. Long before he reach
ed
the front door, it flew open. Six-year-old Kimmy squealed,
“
Daddy!
”
as she raced toward him.

Nine-year-old Pete swaggered out in an attempt to appear cool although his delight at his father
’
s return home from work twinkled in his eyes.
“
Hey, Dad,
”
he said.

Ted swung Kimmy up in one arm and threw the other one around Pete
’
s shoulders.
“
How was football practice today, Pete?
”

“
O
kay
. I
’
m running back, now,
”
he said with a smile.

“
Congratulat
ions. Good job. You
’
ve been working hard for that position
―”

“
Daddy, daddy, daddy,
”
Kimmy interrupted.

“
Yes, Kimmy.
”

“
I took a toad to school for show and tell.
”

“
You did?
”

“
It peed on my hand.
”

“
It did?
”

“
I dropped it on the floor and washed off my hands.
When I came back, Toadie was gone.
”

“
Oh no.
”

“Ms.
Rogers said we have to find him. She wouldn
’
t let us go out to recess. We all had to stay inside and look. But we couldn
’
t find Toadie anywhere. I told
Ms.
Rogers you were a policeman and you could find him. Can you come to school and find Toadie, Daddy?
”

“
I
’
ll drive you to school tomorrow morning and we
’
ll go toad hunting.
”

“
But don
’
t use your gun, Daddy. I miss Toadie. I want him back.
”

“
What if he pees on your hand again?
”

“
Oh
,
I forgot,
”
she said squeezing her face tight in distaste.

“
You are such a sissy,
”
Pete said.

“
Am not,
”
Kimmy responded poking out her bottom lip.

“
Are, too.
”

“
Am not.
”

“
Enough,
”
Ted said as he set Kimmy down on the floor of the living room.

“
Are, too,
”
Pete hissed as he raced off to his room with Kimmy in hot pursuit.

Ted shook his head and walked into the kitchen to give his wife Ellen a kiss. She turned her face away from him and his lips brushed the side of her head. Ice crackled in her voice as she said,
“
I saw a glimpse of you on the news, Ted.
”

Ted tensed, shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. Not again, he thought.

“
Saw your girlfriend, too.
”

Ted knew any protest would fuel Ellen
’
s anger.
“
Can I help you with dinner?
”

Ellen
’
s mouth drew up as tight as a miser
’
s purse.
“
You can set the table if you want.
”

He grabbed four yellow Fiestaware plates from the cabinet. He noticed for the first time the scratches on their surface as he kept his focus away from Ellen and on the job at hand.

“
If you really want to help, Ted, you can stop seeing that woman,
”
Ellen said.

“
It
’
s work, Ellen. I don
’
t control the assignments. No one asks me which homicide detective I want at the scene,
”
he said knowing if they did, he
’
d pick Lucinda every time.

“
Right,
”
Ellen snapped.

Ted wondered once again about how different his life would be if he
’
d clung tight to Lucinda during those four years at school. How would it be if she stood in the kitchen now? If his kids were Lucinda
’
s kids, too? He opened a drawer to retrieve the eating utensils and placed a fork, knife and spoon by each plate.

“
If work keeps throwing you and your girlfriend together, maybe you need to get another job,
”
Ellen persisted.

“
Ellen, we
’
ve been over this a thousand times. You don
’
t want to move. I am a cop. I love my work and wouldn
’
t be happy doing anything else.
”

“
And you love being near your girlfriend, don
’
t you?
”

“
Ellen, please, Lieutenant Pierce and I dated in high school. That was long ago and before I ever met you. I married you not her. Case closed.
”

She slammed a plate of pork chops on the table.
“
Maybe our marriage should be closed, Ted.
”

“
Ellen, that
’
s not fair.
”

“
Maybe I should set you free to run after bad guys and chase after your bloodthirsty, baby-killing girlfriend,
”
she spat as she plopped a bowl of green beans next to the chops.

“
Ellen, that
’
s enough.
”

“
Yes, it is enough. I
’
ve had enough. Now you
’
re on another case together again, she
’
ll be calling here at all hours. You
’
ll drop everything to rush to her side. I have had more than enough,
”
she said slapping down the mashed potato bowl so hard white glops flew out of it and on to the table.
“
Kimmy, Pete,
”
she hollered,
“
dinner
’
s ready.
”

The kids flew in and scooted into the chairs. As Ted pulled out his seat, Ellen started down the hall.
“
Aren
’
t you going to have some dinner, Ellen?
”

“
I
’
ve lost my appetite,
”
she said over her shoulder. The door to their bedroom slammed. The hostile noise reverberated down the hall and made the children squirm. Ted looked at the kids and saw two little furrowed brows, two pairs of downturned lips, two innocents caught in a storm of their parents
’
making.

Ted served out a pile of potatoes on each plate, making sound effects with his mouth. Then he picked up green beans with his fingers and stuck them like a green picket fence in the white mounds. He etched smiley faces on the chops before slipping them on to their plates. Kimmy and Pete giggled, their parents
’
troubles forgotten.

Ted put a smile on his face for the sake of his son and daughter but his mind twisted in turmoil. He didn
’
t want to lose his family despite the pangs of regret he harbored about Lucinda. Right now, though, it seemed inevitable. Ellen
’
s hostility escalated with every passing day and still he loved her. But how long c
ould
that love last under the constant barrage of negativity from her?

He
’d
begged her to go to counseling but she refused. He could not decide if she really felt threatened by Lucinda or if Ellen was just building a justification for the day when she
’
d say goodbye.