Marsha's Story

By Tressa Armstead

Marsha's Story is taken from the life and death of the author's friend. Though it is taken from reality, the story takes an unexpected twist. This psychological thriller will find you unable to put the book down as you try to discover the truth with Susan. Where it goes can only be called bizarre.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781468546521

Tressa Armstead

Tressa lives with her husband Karl and two dogs in Fort Stockton, Texas. After a 30-year teaching career, Tressa has retired and spends her time with her children, Kris and Tiffany, and her their spouses, Cori and Kelley. She also spends time with the grandchildren, Kyle and Kameron. She also spends her time at her church and singing with the Singing Women of Texas. Writing has always been a hobby for her, and she can now spend more time telling her stories.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Johnny found himself intrigued by his new-found toy: the internet. This chat room, as it was called, could prove to be quite profitable, he reasoned to himself. After all, with Susan gone, he needed to have some fun. Until her insurance money came, he had to lay low and wait.

Turning his attention back to the screen, Johnny noticed that his partner in the chat room was talking:

Suzy: I have lived all my live in one town. My father is a lawyer with a huge firm. I am an only child, and my mother is extremely ill with cancer. Enough about me. Tell me about yourself

Johnny: I, too, have lived all my life in one town, but my parents are dead. I have been by myself since I was eighteen. My parents were killed in a car accident. I inherited our car dealers hip, so I spend most of my time there every day. What do you do with your time?

Suzy: I take care of my mother when I am not attending classes at the university. (Not that I have to do that. I want to be there with her because I don’t know how much longer I will have her.) Do you have a girlfriend?

Johnny: No, I don’t seem to have time for girls right now. What about you?

Suzy: No, I’m the same. Someday I will have time for dating. Well, I must close for now. Hope to see you here tomorrow.

Johnny: Same here. 10:00 tomorrow night?

Suzy: I’ll be here. Suzy

Shocked, Johnny closed down his computer. The name Suzy carried him back to the day Susan had left.

All I want is the truth, Susan pleaded. What happened to Marsha?

You couldn’t handle the truth! So this ends our discussion. No more. I won’t mention her name and you won’t either. Understand?

This is your only answer? Susan thought to herself. Why can’t he just tell me the truth? Did he kill her, or was her death a suicide?

As the outside storm raged, Susan found herself raging. This man was a stranger. He was not the man she had fallen in love with. This man was not the gentle, loving man she had loved for so long. How could this happen?

Ignoring his wife, Johnny returned to the Sports Illustrated he had begun reading almost two hours ago.

The silence in the room grew until it was almost deafening to Susan. She could hear every raindrop as it hit the window pane. Every clap of thunder seemed to touch every nerve in her body.

When the weight of the room became unbearable, she rose to leave. She had to go think. What should she do? Should she tell Johnny that she had found the diary? Or, should she simply go to Georgia without telling him where she was going? Should she lie to him and tell him she was going to visit her mother?

The diary—why did it bother her so much? Was it really the ranting and raving of an insecure fool as Johnny swore when she mentioned seeing it before he hid it? She had to know!

Knowing at last what she had to do, Susan noticed that the rain had begun to subside. It was almost as if the storm had begun to quiet just as the storm inside her had begun to subside when she decided to go to Georgia to visit Johnny’s first wife. Maybe she could help her piece together the life Johnny lived before coming home.

As she stood in her room packing, Johnny suddenly appeared at the door.

Where do you think you’re going?

To my mother’s.

Why?

To think. You’re not the man I married. You’re a stranger. I can’t even talk to you anymore.

Susan, don’t be ridiculous. I’m the same man you married. I look the same. I dress the same. I walk the same. I talk the same. I am the same. You just won’t leave well enough alone. Marsha keeps invading our marriage. She’s dead. Leave her that way and let’s get on with our lives.

Marsha is not invading our marriage, and you are not the same man I married. You look the same, walk the same, talk with the same accent. But you are NOT the man I married. I can see it in your eyes, and it scares me. That’s why I am going to my mother’s.

Are you sure that’s where you are going? Don’t lie to me!

As Johnny came closer, what Susan saw scared her to the core. The look in Johnny’s eye was frightening. Would he hurt her? She had never thought so before.

As he reached out to grab her arm, Susan found courage deep inside. Don’t touch me! she screamed. Don’t come any closer, and don’t you dare touch me!

Are you going to stop me? he jeered.

Johnny, please just leave me alone. You frighten me. I’ve never seen you like this. You’re a person I don’t know. Please, just go away and leave me alone. She hoped the forced softness in her voice didn’t betray her fear, a fear she couldn’t control as long as he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.

Susan, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. You are just acting crazy these days. Tell me what’s wrong.

Nothing is wrong. I just think maybe we need some time away from each other, so I’m going to go to Mother’s for a week or so. I’ll be back. Don’t worry. Again, she hoped her voice didn’t betray her fear. She could feel her heart beating in her head. She had to get away—and quickly. Otherwise, he would know she was lieing.

Why do we need time away from each other? We love each other, don’t we? You do love me, don’t you?

Of course, I love you. Susan couldn’t say anything more. She felt as if her heart were going to jump out of her chest. Her throat was dry. Her eyes were filling to the brim with tears—tears she couldn’t let him see.

She had to get away. And now.

Trying not to let Johnny see the fear in her eyes, Susan went into the bathroom to finish her packing.

When are you leaving?

Tonight. As soon as I finish packing. I’ll call you from Mother’s so you won’t have to worry about me.

So this is not open for discussion?

No, now just move out of the way so I can go. I’ll call when I get to Mother’s.

Chapter 2

As she drove, Susan began to wonder if she had done the right thing. What would she do if Johnny went to her mother’s to find her? What would she do if he discovered where she was really going?

The darkness enveloped her and seemed to give Susan a strange sense of peace. So odd, she thought. The darkness is usually the enemy, the unknown. But, yet, I feel so at peace in the darkness.

As she drove toward Georgia, Susan recalled the day she had seen Johnny for the first time since his return to Texas.

A friend had told her he was back in town—alone. Susan had finally summoned the courage to call him. And, now, here she sat in front of the house. But, could she summon the courage to go in?

So many questions had remained unanswered. Would he remember the good times the way she did? Would he want her back? Can you ever go back?

With a trembling hand, Susan had opened the car door—the first step. It seemed to her that she had to order her feet to move. Why wouldn’t they just go? They had before, so many times. She felt almost as if she were anchored to the pavement.

From deep inside Susan found the will to move. Fortunately, she thought to herself, it doesn’t appear that anyone is around.

Indeed, the neighborhood was quiet. It must have been one of those neighborhoods where both husband and wife had to work in order to make ends meet. The quiet was stifling.

As she moved toward the door, Susan had felt like a criminal. Trying to reason with herself, she told herself there was nothing to be ashamed of. She was just going to visit a friend. After all, wasn’t that what he had said the last time they had talked—he just wanted to be friends. But, how can you be friends with one you loved so deeply?

Suddenly,