Jogging down by the river, he slowed the pace of his late afternoon run. Stretches on the park bench overlooking the river completed his daily routine. The sun began its evening by slowly hiding behind the skyscrapers that pierced the evening’s horizon. Autumn’s harvest of multi-colored leaves blanketed the ground surrounding the bench.

He sat to savor the colors and lights reflecting on the river’s surface when the silence was shattered by tortured screams. Jake did a 360 degree turn, trying to zero in on the direction of this jarring intrusion to his joyful solitude.

What the hell is that? It sounds like a woman’s scream. An animal in distress?

Hearing nothing more, he convinced himself it was nothing to worry about and headed for his vehicle. As he opened the car door, the sound again scratched its nails on the night’s heavenly chalkboard.

Dashing toward the sound, he closed in on the location. Coming from the abandoned warehouse, he could hear a woman’s voice begging for help in between the screams. Slowing his pace to approach silently, he decided to assess the situation prior to going to her aid.

My god, that sounds like… “Gloria,” he shouted frantically as he ran into the building.

*

Who’s doing that moaning? Where am I? My head feels like it’s going to explode. Oh my god. It’s me. It’s me doing the moaning.

Jake tried to reach up to touch his forehead, but his arms wouldn’t move.

“What the hell? Hey, somebody help.”

He pulled and twisted, trying to release his arms. Slowly, his eyes opened and attempted to focus. He remained still when the ‘brain fog’ cleared and he recognized the smiling face.

“Gloria? What’s going on? Why am I tied down? Help me, honey. Cut me loose, okay? I thought I heard you screaming. Come on, hurry up. Cut me loose.”

Gloria placed both hands on her hips, stepped across her husband, and stood with legs straddling his waistline. The satisfied smile never left her lips. “Yes, I was screaming, my precious husband. Screaming to lure you here so I could make you pay. Does your head hurt, my love? It was just a little bop on the noggin. How’s that for turn-around justice, you prick.”

Jake renewed his struggle to get loose, attempting to kick his legs, but found they were tied down securely.

“What’s the matter with you? Are you crazy? What’re you talking about? What justice?”

“Sweetheart, you ask too many questions. Which one do you want me to answer?”

“All of them, dammit. Let me outta here.”

“Why are you in such a hurry, darling? Are you late for another secret appointment with your lawyer aka financial planner? Amazing that you never revealed you were meeting with ‘Allison’ Barker, just ‘Barker.’ I’m sure it was only an oversight on your part, right?”

“Of course, I did. I told you. You probably just weren’t listening. Untie me. Now. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I certainly do hear you, but unfortunately, for you, no one else can. Did you honestly think I was so stupid I didn’t know you were embezzling from your employer? You were never very careful about leaving notes around or open emails on your laptop. Obviously, you felt there was no one at home looking over your shoulder.”

“Gloria, I was doing it for us. Now we can head for the Virgin Islands where no one can find us and be set for life with what I’ve transferred there. Don’t you see, we’ll have it all. Now, get me loose and we’ll be on our way. Come on, baby.”

She stared at her husband lying on the floor tied up like a Thanksgiving turkey and started to laugh.

“What’s so funny? Why’re you laughing?”

“Well, your Baby has a financial planner, too. Imagine that, you son-of-a-bitch. All of the embezzled funds have been transferred out of your offshore accounts to a new account in a different bank and in an unknown part of the world. Unknown to you, that is. MY financial planner thinks this is hilarious. That’s what I’m laughing at.”

“You won’t get away with this, Gloria. Untie me. Now. We can work something out, I promise.”

“Trust YOU? Surely you jest, Romeo. You and Miss Allison Barker were planning to take off together and leave me with nothing and I’m supposed to trust YOU? And as for getting away with this, I think we have it all worked out. My partner and I leave for our new destination in just two hours. We’ll be long gone while you lay here to ponder on that ‘trust’ word you just discovered might be a good addition to your vocabulary.”

“Wait. You can’t just leave me here tied up? What if no one finds me? I could die and then you’d be a murderer.”

Jake’s face was turning bright red from the emotional combination of fear and anger.

“Oh, no worry, darling. We’ve got that covered, too. Just before we board our plane, we’ll make an anonymous phone call to your boss advising him to call the police to rescue you. We’ll tell him where you are,of course. Oh and, by the way, when the police arrive, be sure to inform them of the missing funds. I’m positive they’ll be anxious to learn of your part in that, too. Enjoy your stay here. It should only be a couple hours. Ta-ta, darling. My ride will be here in just a minute.”

At that moment, a loud squeaking noise announced the door’s opening. Gloria began to walk in that direction.

“Ah, here’s my partner now.”

Jake turned his head to see who entered the building.

“Allison?……”