Филипп Марголин - The Perfect Alibi

When Kellerman opened his eyes, he saw the time on his wall clock and remembered that he would be fucking Douglas Armstrong’s wife in half an hour. Kellerman had arranged to meet Marsha tonight so they could celebrate his victory in the Henderson case. There was nothing to celebrate now, but sex might help him forget his humiliation for a while.

Marsha was good in bed, but more than the sex, Kellerman enjoyed cuckolding her wimp of a husband. Whenever he and Armstrong met at the courthouse, it gave Kellerman great pleasure to remember the way Marsha’s body felt.

Armstrong’s first wife had died unexpectedly from cancer. A year later, he’d married his secretary. Kellerman had met Marsha for the first time at a bar function. She wasn’t very bright, and she seemed a bit lost amidst all the legal brain power. Kellerman knew she wasn’t a lawyer, but he had asked where she practiced and pretended surprise when she said she was a legal secretary. By the time they’d parted, Kellerman had convinced himself that she was attracted to him. He hadn’t made a move during that first meeting, but he’d filed the memory away for further exploration at a date to be determined.

Nine months later, Kellerman had run into Marsha while she was waiting outside a courtroom where Doug was in trial. She seemed sad, and Kellerman sensed an opening. Not really thinking she’d accept, he asked Marsha to meet for a drink in a hotel over the river in Vancouver, Washington, where they were not likely to be seen. He’d been surprised when she accepted.

At the hotel, Marsha had been reluctant to do more than talk. Kellerman learned that her marriage was not working for reasons Marsha would not reveal. He pretended to be sympathetic, and Marsha agreed to meet him at the same hotel when Doug was in Los Angeles, taking depositions. This time, they ended up in bed. Kellerman was pleasantly surprised by how aggressive Marsha had been, and he’d concluded that her husband left a lot to be desired in the sack.

They had not met again for a month, and their next tryst was less satisfying. Still, the combination of conquering a body like Marsha’s and the secret thrill Kellerman experienced from cuckolding Doug Armstrong had made his experience enjoyable.

Imagining Marsha naked and waiting made Kellerman feel powerful. He looked at his watch. Marsha had probably arrived at the hotel by now. He would be at least fifteen minutes late. It would be good to make her wait.

When Kellerman walked into the hotel room, Marsha Armstrong was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room from the bed with her coat on. Kellerman stood in the doorway and frowned. Not only was Marsha dressed but she also wouldn’t meet his eye.

“What gives?” Kellerman asked.

“I’m… I wanted to tell you in person,” Marsha said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

“Tell me what?” Kellerman asked, trying not to sound annoyed and not completely succeeding.

Marsha looked up. He could see she’d been crying.

“What’s the matter, honey?” he asked with faked sympathy.

“I can’t do this, Rex. I… Cheating on Doug… It’s eating me up.”

Kellerman knelt by her side and took Marsha’s hand. “That’s a natural feeling, Marsha. But we both know your marriage isn’t working.”

“It’s not that. That’s not why I agreed to… to do this.” Marsha looked down at her lap. “When we first made love, I was very depressed. I’d…” Marsha took a deep breath and looked up. “I miscarried, Rex. It was our baby and… and the doctor said…” She started to cry again. “He told us I couldn’t have another baby. And after that, when Doug wanted to make love… I couldn’t do it. And I just wanted to see if I made love to someone else, maybe I could have a baby. But I wasn’t thinking straight, and I know you’ve been kind to me, but I can’t do this anymore.”

“I can see why you’re sad, baby,” Kellerman said, not willing to give up, “but you know I care for you, and we’re so good together.”

Marsha shook her head. “I can’t, Rex, I just can’t.”

She stood and Kellerman stood with her. “This is bullshit, Marsha,” Kellerman blurted out. “We agreed to have sex tonight. I paid for the room. You can’t just walk out.”

Marsha’s mouth dropped open, shocked by Kellerman’s callousness. “I can’t believe you just…” She shook her head and turned toward the door.

Kellerman grabbed her elbow. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You know I care for you. Come on back.”

Marsha wrenched her arm away. “This has been a mistake,” she said. Then she left the room.

Kellerman clenched his fists and cursed. He knew he’d handled the encounter badly, but his sexual frustration piled on top of the humiliation he’d suffered in court had been too much.

Kellerman dropped onto the chair Marsha had vacated. He let his head fall back. First that bitch Lockwood, and now this. No one treated him like this and got away with it. Someone was going to pay.

Doug Armstrong worked late at his office, preparing a case he was hoping to settle in Seattle, Washington. He had plenty of time to prepare, but his work provided an excuse to stay away from home. Until Marsha had miscarried, the Armstrongs’ home had been a joyful place to which he had always been happy to return. But miscarrying had hit Marsha hard, and the doctor’s opinion that she would not be able to have children had driven Marsha into a deep depression.

Doug had waited for Marsha to rebound, but life at home had grown darker and darker. Several months ago, Marsha had told Doug that she wanted him to move into the guest room. Doug moved out of their marriage bed without complaint after telling Marsha that he loved her and would do anything that would help her get better. But the brave face he put on was a mask that hid the horrible way he felt, knowing that the woman he loved could no longer stand his touch.

Doug parked in his garage a little before eight. When he walked into the hallway, he could see Marsha sitting in the living room on the sofa with her hands clasped in her lap. The television—often her only companion—was not on, and the room was lit by a solitary lamp.

Marsha looked up when Doug walked into the living room. There were tears in her eyes.

Doug hesitated before walking toward her. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“Me, I’m wrong. The way I’ve treated you…” Marsha began to sob. Her shoulders folded in, and she bent forward.

Doug moved closer, but he was afraid to hold his wife because he didn’t know how she would react.

Marsha looked into Doug’s eyes. “All you’ve ever done is love me, and I’ve been horrible to you. I’ve been so selfish.”

Doug sat next to Marsha and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can’t understand what you’ve gone through, but I’ve seen how hard losing your child hit you.”

Marsha didn’t reject his touch. She turned toward him. “It was our child, not just mine. And I could see how badly you wanted a child. I had no right to throw you out of our bed. I’ve been a monster.”

Doug took a chance and embraced Marsha. She melted into his arms. After a while, she stopped crying and nestled against Doug. They stayed that way for an eternity.

Then Marsha pulled back and looked at Doug. “Please take me to bed. I need you to make love to me, so I know you forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Doug answered.

Marsha stood up, took Doug’s hand, and led him toward their bedroom.

Carrie Anders found Patrol Officer Maggie Collins waiting in the hospital corridor.