The Secret Dead

   A long while back I began writing a "Murder Mystery" story, and never finished it.  My wife loves this kind of stuff and encouraged me to complete this one.  Actually I thought I had deleted it all but I came across an old file and the idea and details came flooding back to me.

SPOILER ALERT: A serial killer's diary is discovered and an unforeseen twist in the end.

   DEAD SECRETS

   A week had gone by before the Coroner finally released her husband’s body to the local Funeral Home; a single gun shot to the head confirmed what she had seen for herself -- a suicide. Jillian would never forget finding George slumped over on the blood soaked couch with brain matter splattered against the wall. Nor would she be able to erase having to clean it all up herself.

   Next to a pile of bills and collection notices on the coffee table lay George’s final note; which read: “It all got out of hand and I’m so sorry, but I can’t stop.”
   George’s gambling debts had drained their joint bank accounts, and now Jillian was left holding several unpaid Payday loans. She lost her land line, Cable, and her utilities were being threatened with getting shut off as well. Now, she had to wait for his Insurance policy to kick in from the Post Office, and pay for his cremation. Their eight months of marriage had not seen them do anything more than verbally plan for their future old-aged deaths. Hence the wait began.
   Two days after they took George’s body away, Jillian couldn’t stomach staying at home by herself, and had not quite busied herself with going through his belongings or deciding on what to do with them yet, so she took a long walk. Spencer, her Brittney Spaniel was more than eager for his walk.
   A stone’s throw from their apartment complex was an undeveloped wooded area near a community park, and that’s where Jillian found herself heading. Spencer excitedly tugged at his leash wanting to be released, but Jillian smiled, “Hold up, boy.” Upping her stride to keep pace with him they continued along the curvatures of the winding sidewalk’s path. Three nanny’s with strollers watched their children at play on the ground’s equipment. At the other end of the park a group of men played their friezbee golf, as a middle aged woman was being pulled along by her own pack of twelve dogs. Crazy dog-walkers, go figure, Jillian thought to herself as Spence sniffed for a place to do his business near the wooded area’s tree line.
   Jillian came here every evening after work to walk Spencer, and it was the very place where she first met George, and where he had later proposed marriage to her. It had been their special place, and now that he was gone memories was all she had left. Something in the wooded area on her right caught her attention. Glancing up, she could have sworn she saw George.
   He was quickly walking away from her along a parallel pathway in the woods. She suddenly found herself calling his name out. Even more astounding was when he turned around. It was George!
With wide eyes, Jillian gasped and yelled, “Why the hell did you do it, George?”
   He said nothing. Spencer looked up at her cocking his head, questioning her tone of voice. Checking her dog for any validation that she wasn’t crazy, Jillian looked back into the now empty woods.
   The dog-walker came up from behind her and asked, “I’m sorry what did you say?”
Blushing Jillian quickly replied, “Sorry. I -- Just thought I saw someone I knew.” Then abruptly turned away and headed home crying.　


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