Marie

By Linda K Ladig

She felt confident in having a strong loving marriage, until the night she sees her husband with his arm around a tall brunette. Using all her skills from her previous life as an insurance investagator she follows her husband and the brunette. Her world turns upside down when she feels a strangers arms around her, whispering her name telling her to put the gun down. Enjoy a woman scorned getting payback. Her name is MARIE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781105567926

Book preview

Marie

MARIE

By LK Ladig

Marie felt confident in having a strong good marriage, until the night she saw her husband with his arm around a tall brunette.

Marie’s world turns upside down when she feels a stranger’s arms around her, whispering her name telling her to put the gun down.

Preview

Secretly hoping she would see her husband exit Mikey’s alone and head back to his office. the entrance door opens and there he was with his arm around a tall brunette. Seeing his companion lean into his arm and rubbing his chest there was no doubt of the intimacy between them. No doubt whatsoever, if they weren’t sleeping together already they were sure heading there.

Sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy a woman

scorned getting payback.

Her name is

‘Marie’

Copyright 2011 by Linda K Ladig

MARIE is a work of fiction.

Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales, business establishments is completely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Cover design by: Ladig Photography

Cover Photography by: Ladig Photography

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned in printed or electronic form without permission from the author except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

ISBN 978-1-105-03012-3

www.ladigpubs.com

CHAPTER ONE

Sitting in the overstuffed chair Marie was trying to convince her self not to fix another drink. What good would being drunk do her, she thought. Glancing at the dining table, set with her fine china and silver, she sees that the candles have burned themselves down to the holders. Deciding a fire was the last thing she needed, she rose from the chair. Blowing the candles out, she picks up the two place settings, stacking plate on plate, silverware on top and walked into the kitchen. Standing before the sink she was tempted to just toss them all into the sink, let survive what would. Knowing this act would only hurt her, she’s the one who would have to clean the mess up, she carefully places the settings back into the cupboards and drawers where they belonged.

Looking across the kitchen, seeing the dinner she had prepared, tears well up in her eyes. Wiping a stray tear she starts the task of throwing everything she had prepared for this special night into the garbage pail. Having pushed and crammed all of the dinner, including the desert, into the pail, she goes into deep cleaning the kitchen.

Satisfied two hours later that the kitchen was back to perfection. She tosses caution to the wind and makes herself a stiff drink, more alcohol than mix.

Holding the glass, Marie says to the house around her.

What the hell, it’s not like I am going anywhere and I am definitely going to be alone tonight. Not like I will have to hear any criticism, I’ll be sober by the time the jerk off gets home tomorrow.

Marie toasts herself and downs half the drink. Not sure what to do next she goes into the great room and turns on the wide screen.

Yep, just had to ‘have’ the biggest and best on the market. What? We have 361 channels and still nothing worth watching…Geez!

Flicking through channels, Marie finds her mind wandering back to her husband. Talking to the images on the TV she tries to justify his not being there with her.

Yea, work comes first, knew it was a demanding job, short notice, have to go back to the office and fix another problem. Not the first time,   sure won’t be the last time.

Frustration building inside her, the tears well up again.

But not tonight, she sobs, couldn’t we just have tonight. You said we could, that you would make sure nothing interrupted tonight…you promised, damn it, you promised!

Overcome she throws herself into a pillow howling and crying, hitting the pillow with both hands. Tiring and feeling exhausted and a little silly, she sits up. Wiping the wetness of the tears from her cheeks she shivers getting control. Downing the rest of her drink she goes into the kitchen and makes another, just as strong if not stronger than the first.

Leaning against the counter she replays their conversation from earlier in the evening. He had called ten minutes after he should have been home. Sincere sounding apologies, over and over. How he just couldn’t get out of this meeting. His whole future was relying on it. Everything they had been working so hard for.  This was it, if he could pull this merger off. Yea, it was just paper work but it had to be perfect, even Evelyn was staying late to help him. He would make it up to her, promises of doing the things they had been putting off all these years.

The more Marie replays it in her head the more she starts feeling overly selfish for feeling so sorry for herself. Here he was giving up this special night too, one he had truly wanted and saying how much he was looking forward to it. Pouring the remainder of the drink down the sink, Marie rinses the glass and sets it on the drainer next to the sink. Staring at the glass Marie decides she has been way to self centered and hurtful, especially when she tartly told her husband to ‘fuck his self’ and hung up on him. Finding her keys and bag she heads for the garage.

CHAPTER TWO

Driving, she has her favorite country and western radio station tuned in. Singing along with the songs she knew, her spirits were rising. Surprising her husband with his favorite take out dinner, she was sure would help mend her hurtful words to him. What the hell, so they spend their tenth wedding anniversary at his office. As long as they were together, even just for a short quick dinner, was all that really mattered. She would make up it to  him  for not  understanding  and being so mean during the phone call.

Mikey’s was too far out of the way to her husband’s office. But oh, how he loved their ribs, they just melted in your mouth. Her husband swore he could live off their ribs, seven days a week. It had been months since they had ordered from Mikey’s, so this would be special in its own way. Marie is smiling as she pulls into the parking lot, having to park several rows back she comments to herself.

Damn, must be a sports night with this many people here.

Getting out of her car Marie weaves between cars heading for the front entrance. Suddenly, she stops with a puzzled look on her face. Looking a row ahead of her she can’t believe she sees her husband’s car. Sitting there all parked nice and neat in Mikey’s parking lot. Her mind runs amuck with different thoughts. He took Evelyn out for a quick dinner. No, this is way to far from the office to be convenient. He stop for dinner before coming home…..no, that didn’t make sense…he knew she had dinner made, even if it was now in the garbage.…Mikey’s is too much out of the way for the office or home…. that’s why we don’t come here that often and we are way out of their delivery range………….. Not being able to make sense of the vehicle, Marie laughs softly telling herself she is mistaken and it is just a car that looks like her husband’s. Walking closer she rereads the license number several times, convincing herself it is, in deed, her husband’s car. Not sure what to do and feeling the sway of the alcohol she had earlier consumed, Marie goes back to her car and gets in.

Trying to tell herself there was a completely reasonable explanation why she would find her husband’s car at Mikey’s when he said he was at his office. Not being able to come up with any logical reason, Marie digs her phone out of her bag and dials her husband’s number. As she counts the rings she tells herself.

He will tell me where he is and what is going on I am totally reading way too much into this.

Marie comes alert hearing the phone being answered.

Hello.

Panic floods through Maries veins, what if?.She quickly buries the feeling and answers.

Hey, it’s just me, thought I would call and tell you I am sorry for being so short with you earlier.

Hey Baby, its ok! I’m sorry too, I know how much effort you  put into this evening. You’ll never know how sorry I am about having to miss it.

I know…... I was just so short with you, and… thought maybe I could bring dinner to you and kinda make amends.

No...no that’s alright, Evelyn and I have already ordered in. We’re fine no need for you to bother, really!

Marie caught the slight panic sound to her husband’s voice. Yet she was going to give him all the chance she could to tell her where he was.

Ok, no problem, so you ordered in at the office?

Yea, we just finished and are back at the grind right now.

Marie’s stomach fell to her feet, the SOB was lying to her.

Well, guess I’ll just stay home then. Know when you’ll be home?

Baby, I’m sorry but this looks like it might be an all niter, so don’t wait up for me. I’ll catch a few winks on the couch when we finish and be here for tomorrow’s meeting.

Keeping the tension out of her voice Marie asks with forced concern in her voice.

Oh honey, you want me to bring you a change of clothes, you sure don’t want to show up in a meeting in slept in clothes.

Hurriedly her husband replies.

No, no I have a change of clothes here in the office for emergencies. No need for you to go to any trouble. I’m fine.

First time I have heard about a change of clothes at the office Marie thinks before answering.

Ok, then I’ll see you some time tomorrow. Don’t work tooooo hard, ok?

No, no I won’t, see you tomorrow. Love you Baby.

Marie hears the phone disconnect before she has a chance to reply. Not that she was going to respond with a return of love you but the rudeness of just hanging up intensified her growing fear.

Tossing her phone onto the passenger’s seat, Marie clasps the steering wheel with both hands, her knuckles turning white with the strain. Hurt and distrust are pushed aside in Maries mind as she contemplates what action to take next. Realizing her car is under a security light making it easy to spot, she moves it to a space where she has a clear view of both the entrance and her husband’s car. Her logical mind working in top gear she pops the trunk release, getting out of the car she retrieves her camera bag from the trunk. Back in the driver’s seat she takes her camera out mounting the appropriate lens and programming for night shooting. With a slight laugh and a smile spreading across her lips Marie says out loud talking to her husband’s car.

Huh, forgot I use to do surveillance for insurance companies didn’t you.

Secretly hoping she would see her husband exit Mikey’s alone and head back to his office. the entrance door opens and there he was with his arm around a tall brunette. Seeing his companion lean into his arm and rubbing his chest there was no doubt of the intimacy between them. No doubt whatsoever, if they weren’t sleeping together already they were sure heading there.

Marie kept her calm watching them walk to the car. As her husband opens the door for the brunette, the brunette pushes the door closed, leaning against it pulling Marie’s husband into her. The embrace that followed should have been behind closed doors. Remembering her camera Marie quickly puts her shocked emotions aside and focus’s in on the couple firing several shots. In the back of her mind wishing it was real shots she was taking. Shifting into professional mode she makes sure of shots that showed one or both of their faces, leaving no doubt of the persons involved in this display of affection. Skillfully she composes several shots showing the car and license plate. Then the car and Mikey’s sign over the entrance. Of course, the center of all of these, were the two people groping each other against the car. Marie, tiring of the scene, is grateful when they proceed to get into the car sparing her any more of their romantic overtures.

CHAPTER THREE

Watching as her husband starts the car, Marie decides quickly that she is going to follow them. Opening her glove compartment she thanks her lucky stars she never got around to cleaning out all her surveillance equipment. Taking the recorder out, she switches it on checking the battery level. Great, good to go. Taking the spare battery and charger out, she plugs it into the car adapter for backup. Taking the recorder and mounting it on the dashboard she starts her car. Speaking to the recorder she recites her name, the time, date, current location and persons being under surveillance.

Thankful it was night time and knowing cheaters were usually so self involved, trailing was not too hard. Thinking the obvious was they would head for a hotel, Marie was surprised to be stating to the recorder the resulting destination was an impressive