Chapter 22

Ed left the office at 7 o'clock. The young policeman was waiting for him in front of the building. Ed had him drive to Katherine's house. Katherine opened the door as the car rolled to a stop at the front door. Ed told the driver that he wouldn't need him until 7 in the morning. Katherine took Ed's arm and led him out to the patio. She had set a table on the patio with plates and silverware. She left him and went into the house. She returned with a Scotch on the rocks for him and herself. She sat next to Ed and they enjoyed the silence of the approaching twilight.

Katherine looked at Ed, "Ed, do you think that I am horrible for sleeping with you only days after my husband was murdered?"

"Katherine, I try to never make judgments about anyone. I have too many faults of my own."

"I have to tell you about George and me," she said, "I don't want you to think that I am a horrible person.

Ed started to reply; Katherine held her hand up to stop him.

"As I told you, George and I haven't been husband and wife for many years. We haven't even slept in the same room for over 5 years. He told me often that he only married me because I stood to inherit my father's estate. George used drugs since college and he gradually started using more exotic designer drugs until his behavior become more and more erratic. We had not had sex for the past 6 or 7 years. George told me that I was the worst woman in bed that he had ever had. One night about 5 years ago, George brought home a black man who he said was a business acquaintance. I went to bed and George followed me into the bedroom. He pushed me on the bed and ripped my clothes off and tied me to the bed. He had apparently been planning this, because he had ropes hidden under the bed. He called the black man into the room and he forced me to perform oral sex on him and he raped me several times that night. George kept urging him on and telling him to teach me how to be a real woman. In the morning George released me and told me that he hoped that I was pregnant with a black baby. I tried to commit suicide but I didn't have the guts to go through with it. After George left for the office, I called some carpenters and had them put a secure door on one of the other bedrooms, the bedroom I'm using now, and double dead-bolt locks. I moved my things into the other bedroom. When George came home I gave him drugs and whiskey until he passed out. I got him up to bed and tied him as he had tied me the night before. When he woke up the next morning, I had a butcher knife under his balls. I told him if he ever touched me in any way, I would cut his balls off when he went to sleep. I cut him a little to show him I meant what I said. He needed several stitches to close the cut. He never touched me again and there were times I didn't even see him for months."

"Why didn't you divorce him?" Ed asked.

"The abuse started immediately after we got married. After years of being told that you aren't really a woman, you start believing it yourself. I have no family and no close friends, so where could I go? After the rape, I was content to just be left alone."

Ed reached for her and pulled her to him. He sat her on his lap and held her. She laid her head on his shoulder and the tears started running down her cheeks. Ed started kissing away the tears. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him passionately.

Katherine got up, "I fixed dinner for us. I hope it isn't dried out. I want it to be perfect for you."

She went into the kitchen and returned with 2 plates heaped with food. She had prepared Swiss steak, snap peas and mashed potatoes. She smiled as she set the dinners on the table.

"It looks great," Ed told her, "Great looks and you can cook too?'

She gave him a quick kiss and sat down. Ed realized that he hadn't eaten since morning and he was famished. Ed complimented her often on the meal. Each compliment brought a smile from her. After they finished eating, Katherine got up and got them a brandy from the bar. She handed Ed his glass and gave him a quick kiss.

"If you keep this up, you'll never get rid of me," he said.

"That's my intention," she smiled.

Ed finished his brandy and took Katherine's hand and led her up the stairs. He took her into the bedroom and walked to the bed. Katherine stood still while he unbuttoned her blouse. He peeled the blouse from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. He unzipped her skirt and it joined her blouse on the floor. She stood before him in only her bra and panties. Ed pulled her to him and hugged her tighter than he should have.