Quietly, she walked down the staurs. After looking everywhere, she realized that Harley wasn't home. 'Where is he?' she silently wondered.
On one hand, she was glad that he wasn't home. She didn't have to listen to his berating and try to dodge his fists. But,on the other hand, she was scared.
Jennifer, Justin, and Molly had eaten breakfast and were sitting in the livingroom. Since it was a Saturday, the kids didn't have school. Jennifer kept glancing at the door, not able to keep her mind on the television.
When the knock sounded on the door, Jennifer couldn't help but jump. Answering the door, she saw two policemen standing there. "Um, can I help you?"
The youngest of the two, nodded. "May we come in?"
She stepped back, allowing them entrance. The older policeman spoke. "I'm Officer Hafort and this is my partner, Officer Frinley. We have some bad news, Ma'am."
Having heard the voices, Justin and Molly walked over to their mother. "Mom, what's going on?" Justin asked.
"I don't know. These officers have something to tell us."
Officer Finlay sighed. "We're sorry to have to tell you this, Ma'am, but we found your husband this morning. He had washed up by the resevoir." After a slight pause, he continued. "We will need you to come and identify the body, though. It's procedure."
Jennifer nodded. On the outside, she knew that she looked like she was probably in shock. But, on the inside, she was doing cartwheels of joy. She knew that it was wrong, but she couldn't help but be relieved that Harley was dead. She had gotten her wish. He would never be stepping foot in their home again.
"Justin, stay with your sister," Jennifer said.
"Are you sure that you don't want me to come with you, Mom?"
Jennifer nodded. "I'll be okay, sweetie."
Jennifer left with the two officers and Justin shut the door. "Go back and finish watching tv, Mollusk. Everything will be okay." With a slow nod, Molly did as she was told.
Justin stood looking at the closed door for a few minutes, hoping that his mother would be okay. When he went to turn back around, he spotted a small speck of mud on the carpet. Quickly walking into the kitchen, he grabbed a damp rag and a bottle of stain remover. As he cleaned the mud off of the carpet, he was just glad that the police hadn't seen it.
He knew that he was being silly. They probably just would've thought that it had been tracked in by him or Molly. Well, they would've been half right. It had been tracked in by him. But he didn't want them getting at all suspicious and checking it. He didn't want them to know that it was mud from down by the riverbank.