Every Little Step, a short story by wayne007. Date added: 2006-04-14. Times viewed: 1139.

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Lindsay paced the room, fidgeting with her clothes, tapping her fingers. She
stopped by the window and tried to relax. A perfect view, a peaceful view,
so tranquil and full of beauty. It was one of the things she liked about the
old hotel and the main reason she always requested a room on the south side
facing the lake. The mid-morning sun glistened of the lake beyond the tree
tops of the surrounding forest. Lindsay poured herself another glass of
chardonnay and lifted the glass to her mouth as she watched the birds fly
across the lake with a graceful air that she wished she could copy and apply
to her own life. This was her fourth visit to the hotel perched high in the
hills and she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that it could be
her last.

There came three rapid knocks at the door. Lindsay breathed a sigh of
relief, at last Freddie had arrived. Everything was falling into place. At
last she could begin to relax.
But Lindsay was startled when she pulled open the door and was greeted by
the grimacing face of Detective Samuels. She fought hard with her emotions
and tried not to let the shock register on her face. Surprise was aloud,
shock with a hint of fear would be out of place and reason.
"May I come in Miss Parton" He asked as if he were expected
Lindsay's mind was racing, but she needed to stay in control, she needed to
stay calm.
"Of course you can" Lindsay replied stepping back from the door
"I'm just a little surprised to see you" Lindsay said as the Detective
walked into the room and over to the window to admire the view before taking
a chair and sitting.
"I thought I had already told you everything you needed to know" Lindsay
said as she stood awkwardly in the centre of the room.
"Miss Parton today I'm not here as an officer of the law" Detective Samuels
said letting his statement linger for longer than was needed. He was making
sure that Lindsay understood the weight of what he was saying, and more
importantly what he was about to disclose.
"I know what you did" Samuels said, and again he paused letting the
statement sink in, Lindsay stayed rooted to the spot.

"But, I can not prove any of it" Samuels said
Lindsay let out a sigh of relief, her lungs felt heavy, had she been holding
her breath
"But, I'm not a man without needs. I have a young family whom I love dearly
and I want to provide them with the best life possible, that is my duty, my
promise to them" Detective Samuels said as he lit a cigarette.
Lindsay circled the room looking for somewhere to hide, somewhere to burry
her head. If she were a bird she could spread her wings and fly away, fly
away from all of this. She wanted Freddie here with her now; she needed him
more than ever.
"Detective please get to the point I'm expecting someone very soon" Lindsay
said perching herself on the end of the bed.
Samuels smiled smugly
"Ah yes Mr Freddie Easton" The Detective said as he blew out a cloud of
cigarette smoke "I'm afraid he's a little tied up right now"
Lindsay actually felt her heart skip a beat, the walls moved in a little
closer, the ceiling dropped down a little lower, suddenly there didn't seem
enough air in the room.
"What do you mean" She finally managed to ask, her voice trembling slightly
The detective dropped his cigarette butt into the half empty glass of
chardonnay and sat back in the chair with an all-knowing grin plastered
across his face.
"We found the body of his wife this morning buried in the waste land behind
their home" Samuel announced proudly

Lindsay didn't need to act surprise, she genuinely was, but not surprised
that Freddie's wife was dead, just surprised that they had found the body so
quickly.
"Freddie was arrested shortly after" Samuels concluded
Lindsay tried to maintain some ounce of self-control, she needed to stay
focused.
"You can't possibly think that Freddie had anything to do with it" She said,
more in panic than in argument.
The Detective rose from the chair and looked around the room as he spoke.
"We know all about Freddie and his numerous affairs. He wanted to leave his
wife, but she would never grant him a divorce. So he killed her, it was his
only way out"
Lindsay wanted another drink, needed another drink, something to help her
think, something to give her strength and courage. She was scared that if
she tried to stand that her legs would not hold her. This was all her fault.
Freddie had nothing to do with the murder of his wife.
"But Miss Parton I fear you have enough problems of your own right now to be
worrying about Freddie" Samuels said as he towered above her
"I don't know what you mean" Lindsay said her mind still a whirl thinking of
poor Freddie locked up in a cell. He could not go to prison, he would not
last.
"As I was saying before I know exactly what you have done, but I can't prove
any of it. And like I said I have a young family..."
Lindsay impatiently cut him off, her eyes filling with tears for poor
Freddie

"Please just tell me what you want" Lindsay snapped at him.
"Very well. I want 20% of the money you removed from your sisters bank
account" Samuels said lighting up another cigarette
Lindsay tried to look confused "Detective I do know what you are talking
about"
Samuels placed the cigarette in his mouth and began to clap
"That was good, but I think you could do better, you being a trained actress
and all"
Lindsay was about to give another performance, a better and more convincing
act, but saw it would be an exercise in futility. She crossed her arms and
looked him in the eye.
"Like you said you can't prove a thing" Lindsay informed him
The smile returned to the detective's face
"I know that thirty minutes after my last visit you packed your bags and ran
here. I know that you were waiting for Freddie to arrive and that the two of
you were going to run off together. With the money"
Lindsay didn't confirm or deny, the Detective continued regardless
"I even think that it was you that killed Freddie's wife, I don't think poor
Freddie knew anything about it, I don't think he even knew about the money"

Lindsay stayed very still on the edge of the bed and just listened
"It's amazing how much you look like your sister, subtle differences here
and there, but to a busy bank manager you could pass yourself off as her. Of
course you would need to know her bank account number and be able to copy
her signature"
The Detective stopped and smiled that smug smile at her
"You even cleared your own account a day later" The Detective shook his head
"You already had your share of the inheritance and you went and stole your
sisters half as well, and lets not forget you killed a mans wife into the
bargain"
Lindsay had heard enough. Freddie being arrested was bad enough, but there
was no way to help him, not now. Maybe once she was far enough away she
could wire him some money so that he could get a good lawyer. At the end of
the day he hadn't done it, so she figured that if the legal system really
did work then he would be found innocent of his wife's murder. But the
Detective posed a new problem. She needed to get on the road, she wanted rid
of this man. She had stolen, cheated and killed to get this far, so bribing
a police detective was no great weight on her conscience.
"If I pay you the money then I never want to see you again. No more money
after this" Lindsay said sternly

"Agreed" The Detective said
"Please turn around while I get the money" Lindsay instructed him. The
Detective turned his back to her as she pulled the mattress up and pulled
the money out. She knelt on the floor and counted out Samuels share.
"I was right, wasn't I" Samuels said from across the room
"What does it matter now, you'll have your money" Lindsay said not wanting
to lose count
"Just call it professional curiosity" Samuels said "It will help me sleep at
night"
Lindsay was busy placing the bills in a little pile for the Detective and
making sure she gave him the exact amount.
"Yes fine you were right" She told him
"About all of it" He inquired
Lindsay lost count and had to start again, her hands were shaking. She
wanted this man out of the room, she wanted to get away from this place, far
away.
"Yes damn it, all of it" Lindsay said losing her temper and picking the
bills up from the neat pile "Yes I killed Freddie's wife, for all his women
on the side he would never have left her, she never would have allowed him
to, he always went back to her, he was weak, he never would have run away
with me. I had to get rid of her. Me and Freddie should have been long gone
before her body was ever found. As for my sister, I don't even consider
taking the money from her as a crime. That inheritance money should have all
gone to me"
Lindsay took a moment to calm herself down before continuing
"You know she's not even my real sister. My Dad married her Mother when I
was thirteen. That was my family money, not hers"
Lindsay then heard a clicking sound behind her. She turned to see the door
being pushed open. She stayed on the floor open mouthed as her Sister Emily
walked into the room, followed by Freddie. His clear blue eyes met hers as
he walked past her and over to the Detective.
"Thank you Samuels, you can go and wait in the car" Emily said, Samuels
nodded and walked out of the room.
"He's not a real Detective" Emily said "And as you can see Freddie has not
been arrested"
Lindsay stayed on the floor surrounded by all the money.
"What do you want" Lindsay asked
Emily took Freddie's hand into her own and looked up into those blue eyes,
the same eyes she had looked into and sought salvation many times in the
past. Freddie looked uncomfortable, but did not break from her gaze. Emily
leaned forward and Freddie kissed her.
Lindsay let out a silent scream.
Emily turned towards her
"I want the money" Emily said approaching her "And not just what you took
from me, I want it all"
Lindsay looked around her at the neatly stacked bills that the bank had
bundled into tightly packed bricks.
"You can keep the 20% you were going to bribe Samuels with, call it a gift
from your little sister" Emily said giving her a cold smile
Lindsay scooped the smaller pile into her hand and stood, surprised by her
own strength she walked over and picked up her suitcase and gave the great
view out of the window one last look. She wondered if she would ever cast
her eye over such beauty again.

She turned and walked past Freddie, too shocked and too upset to say
anything to him. As she got to the door Emily called out to her, Lindsay
turned her battle beaten and weary body around.
"Don't think about coming back" Emily said "We have taken care of the body
of Freddie's wife, but if you should ever re-surface then so will the body
and with it enough evidence to put you away"
Lindsay didn't dignify Emily with a response, instead she walked away in
silence, leaving behind her the man and the money that was rightfully hers.

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