Chapter 4: Bill's Dilemma

Percy thought, "Sometimes I just can't understand Judith. She offered a woman the use of his favorite cabin for as long as she was here. Ok so the woman is dying of cancer and her stay on earth wouldn't be long. But damn she should have discussed it with me first."

As he sat there, in his favorite chair mulling over the circumstances, the Sheriff walked into the hunting camp's lounge with another guy Percy didn't know.

"Hi Perk, this is Bill Cooper. He's the guy who thinks his wife is cheating on him. He's the guy you agreed to help, "began the conversation.

"Hell I'm retired! "Thought Percy. "And I was in Homicide and don't know anything about cheating wives. I don't know where to begin."

Bill began to tell his story.

Bill and his wife Millie were your typical small town residents. Bill had a job with the County Highway Department and she was a school teacher. They went to church every Sunday. They were trying to start a family but Millie had trouble carrying the fetus. It seems that every time she conceived the baby would abort at between two and four months. Millie was becoming more and more depressed. She started joining all sorts of women's support groups. She was rarely around anymore to spend any one-on-one time with Bill. Bill rarely spent any one on one time with her.

At one of these group outings she met a very rich older gentleman. Before Bill knew it she was working for him, part time, hosting his parties and other gatherings. She was happier. But Bill felt her drawing slowly away from him. Oh it was gradual, but it was happening.

One night she didn't come home after a Saturday night party. On Sunday when she finally returned, she offered no explanation for her lateness.

"Mr. Holmes, can you help me gain the evidence I'd need to divorce her?" Bill asked Percy.

Percy agreed to help.

That night Percy sat in his chair with Judith and related the story.

"Judith, what evidence do I need to gather?"

"Percy, I think that you need to go out there and get the lay of the land first. Once you get a gut feeling for what might be going on, we'll make our plans."

Owning a hunting camp, Percy always talked to any land owner that might be affected by his hunters, fishermen, or general guests. Percy knew the landowner in question, but not the man who was leasing the house and property that Millie worked for. The place was located in the back woods and was very difficult to get to.

At one time it was a dairy farm, now only the house was being used. The buildings were kept in excellent shape, and the place sort of resembled a horse farm. It had all the white wooden fences, just not the animals.