I saw something Thursday night that I thought I would never see. I was sitting at a red light on my way home. I was the third car back from the cross street when I saw my wife's' car go by with two people in it. I thought maybe she is taking someone home after work. I figured I would follow them to make sure everything was all right. There was two cars between her car and mine when she turned into a bar parking lot. Neither of us drinks a lot and we don't drink and drive. If we are going to drink when we go out we always take a cab. As I came into the parking lot her car was in the back corner of the lot but there was no one in it. I thought maybe she is having a drink with a friend from work. I didn't go in, maybe I should have. I drove on home with the thought that she will explain it all when she comes in.
Janet and I (Dillard) have known each other since before we started school. Our families had lived close to each other for years. We had always been friends and pals. We shared a lot good times and bad times through our teenage years. I think we were in love back then but didn't know it. I would have troubles with girls and she would comfort me. I came to her rescue when she had trouble with the boys. We never "dated" as such but we did pal around when we didn't have dates. We even went to the senior prom together but we didn't kiss goodnight. It was only after we had finished college and returned to our hometown, that we started dating and realized we had loved each other for a long time.
We went together for a year before we got married. We had both had sex with others while in college. Sex with each other started soon after we started dating and it was hot. We did anything and everything with each other. We had discussed sex with others and both agreed that neither of us was into that. We agreed we would be true to each other.
Janet came in about seven thirty said, "Sorry I am late. I had to help with payroll. The computer went down and everybody had to pitch in. I am going to get a shower and I will be back down and get us something to eat."
I knew something was not right because she never takes a shower until just before she goes to bed and I had seen her with another person in her car at a bar. She came back into the living room where I was watching TV. She asked, "What do you want for supper?"
I said, "I ate earlier."
She went to the kitchen and I tried to figure how I could bring up the subject of seeing her car. I finally said, "You know I saw a car just like yours on Birch Street about five fifteen tonight. But there was two people in it so I knew it wasn't you."
I heard a glass fall to the floor in the kitchen. I said, "Are you okay?"
She said in a funny voice, "Yes. It slipped out of my hand. I am glad it didn't break. I spilled water everywhere."
I said, "Do you need me to help?"
Rather quickly she said, "No. No, I got it. Don't get up."
I didn't mention any more about it. We sat and watched TV for a little while when she said, "Brad is so funny. We laughed so hard at him today."
I said, "Tell me again who this Brad fellow is?"
She said, "He is the guy that transferred in from headquarters about three months ago. You know I have mentioned him before."
I said, "Yes, I remember you mentioning his name quite often here lately."
She said, "Why, Dillard, You sound like you are jealous."
I said, "No. It is his name has come up a lot. Is he married?"
She said, "No. Lets change the subject."
I said, "I have to get up early. I am going to bed."
She said, "I will be on in a while. I am tired too."
When she came to bed, I reached over to pull her to me. She pushed my hand away and said, "Not tonight baby. I am too tired."
I said, "I just wanted to hold you. Goodnight." As I turned away from her.
She reached over and rubbed her hand across my back and said, "Tomorrow night baby."
She was still in bed when I left the next morning. I stewed over what I had seen and why she hadn't told me about last night and why she would lie to me. The name Brad and her bringing his name up was working on me too. The only person I knew very well at her work place was Josh. He is a salesman and is on the road most of the time but I decided I would see if he had come for the weekend. I called and he was in. I told him who I was and asked could he meet me for lunch.
He agreed and we met at a local burger place. We talked for a little while then I asked, "Josh, What do you know about this Brad person that works with your company?"
He got a funny look on his face and didn't say anything for a minute or two. He finally said, "I don't care for the bastard. He has been fucking my wife while I am out of town. My next-door neighbor kept seeing this car at my house during the day and noticed this person leaving just before the children came home from school. He wrote the license plate down and gave it to me. I recognized it as Brads' because it is an out of state tag. Why do you ask?"
I told him what I had seen and about Janet telling me a lie about working late to get the payroll out. I told him about her bringing his name up quite often also.
He said, "Oh yeah. He is a smooth talking son-of-a-bitch. I hate to tell you this but the rumor is going around the office he is seeing someone from the office but I have not heard any names mentioned. What do you plan on doing? I must tell you our payroll is done by an outside source and they have their own person in the office."
I told him I planned on laying a little trap. I was going to take a little out of town trip but before I left I was going to put a recorder on my phone and a camera in my bedroom. If I didn't get anything then I would start keeping closer tabs on Janet."
He said, "I am leaving Monday as normal but I will be in town and I will be watching my house. I plan on catching them in the act. If I do I will kick his ass and then kick her out. I bust my ass on the road to give her a living and this is the thanks I get. Well I have to go. I have a meeting at one. Call me next week."
I told him I would and left to go to the electronics store. They had a two-camera package, with voice recorder that run off batteries and didn't need wiring. I bought the smallest VCR recorder they had. The outfit was voice activated so I didn't have to be present to turn it on and off. It took me about thirty minutes to get the cameras and recorder in place. I would turn it on Saturday morning when I left home.
That night Janet came in a little late and her hair was cut short. I had always liked her hair long and she knew it. I said, "What happened to your hair? Why did you cut your pretty hair?"
She replied, " I wanted to try it short. I was going to talk to you but I knew you would try to talk me out of getting it cut."
I said, "So you are going to quit talking to me about things like this. We have always talked about stuff like this. I am disappointed that you would make that decision without talking to me first. And by the way I don't like it short."
She said, "It is my hair and I will wear it how I like it." As she turned and went to the bedroom.
A little later I walked into the bedroom and got out my suitcase and laid it out on the bed and started putting my underwear and things in it. She came walking through and said, "You don't have to leave just because I cut my hair. Gosh, You are getting touchy lately."
I said, "I forgot to tell you, I found out this afternoon, I have to be at the Jackson plant in the morning. They are having some problems and the boss asked if I would go down and help them out. John, who usually does this is on another job in Texas and won't be back until next Wednesday."
She asked, "When will you be back? I hope you aren't gone long. We haven't had a lot of time together lately."
I told her, "I may be back Tuesday. Probably not before and it may be later. If John comes in Wednesday, he will come down Thursday and relieve me. I won't be available by phone most of the time because they don't allow cell phones in but very few areas of the plant. I will call you tomorrow night and let you know where I will be staying. I am going to bed in a few minutes because I have to leave here at three in the morning. I am going to pack my truck tonight and I won't disturb you when I get up."
I put all my stuff in the truck and came back through the living room. I said, "I will tell you goodbye now. I will be asleep, when you come up.
As I turned to go she said, "Are you going to tell me you love me? Don't I get a hug?"
I turned back and took her in my arms and said, "I love you with all my heart and soul. I hope nothing or nobody ever comes between us. I don't know what I would do without you in my life."
I felt her stiffen as she kissed me and said, "I love you too. Sleep well and hurry back. Don't be mad about my hair, I will let it grow back sometime soon."
I didn't comment. I went to bed and got up and left the next morning going to Jackson. I turned the recorder on before I left. I knew I would get a lot of her in the bedroom and living room but I had no idea if I would get more than that. I knew I was only going to be in Jackson until Sunday afternoon but I had other plans. I called Janet that afternoon late but she wasn't home. I left a message that we would be sleeping on cots at the plant and I didn't know when I would get to call her again or when I would be home. I finished up my work and was back in town by eight Sunday night. I drove by the house there was nothing suspicious.
I went out close to the airport and got a motel room. I called Janet about ten o'clock and when she answered she sounded a little out of breath. I asked, "Is something wrong? You seem out of breath."
She said, "No. I started back doing my exercises and am a little winded. When are you coming home?"
I told her I didn't know and we talked a little longer then I told her I had to go that the boss was calling. I told her bye and hung up the phone. Before I had called I remembered to dial 67 to prevent her from knowing where the call was coming from. I then drove back by my house and the car Josh had described was in my driveway. I went back to the motel with a heavy heart. I pretty much knew what that meant. I would know more tomorrow when I checked the tape. I went to bed but I didn't sleep much that night. I asked myself, "Why didn't you stop and go in and kick the bastards ass. Then you could kick Janet out and then get on with your life." I needed proof for the divorce and what was going on, had been going on for some time. I did not want to go to prison for killing some lowlife SOB.I had made up my mind that I was going to get through this without losing my temper and going apeshit. My anger might come later when I have the proof in my possession.
