Electric Dreams

"I'd like it to look good for our folks." was her reasoning.

Saturday morning they spent vacuuming, dusting and tidying up. They had a nice lunch that Zoe prepared before Derek went outside to cut the lawn. It was a small lawn, so it didn't take much time. When Derek started raking the leaves out of the flower beds, Zoe came out and held the bags.

"What about the hedge? Can you make those bushes look a little nicer? I'm going to start tomorrow's dessert - I'm making a chocolate cream pie."

Derek got out the electric hedge trimmer and the extension cord. He plugged the cord into the outside socket, the one on the patio with the GFI feature. The hedge trimmer didn't start; Derek pressed the little reset button on the socket. Still nothing. Derek opened the patio door and plugged the cord into the nearest inside socket.

For the next hour, Derek alternated between trimming and raking up the branches. Just before he finished, Zoe came out and picked up the remaining branches. Derek was ready to put the trimmer away when Zoe stopped him.

"Poor baby. You've been busting your butt out here all day. You must be beat and I have plans for you later on. Go jump in the hot tub and I'll finish putting the tools away."

"Hell Zoe, you've been working hard, too."

"I've been making a pie, no comparison. Get in the tub and I'll join you in ten minutes." She playfully pushed him away.

Derek quit arguing. He stripped down to his boxers and jumped into the sunken tub the previous owners had installed on the deck. The water was a perfect temperature. When he got into the tub, he took off his shorts; their neighbors had an unobstructed view onto most of the deck, but not the tub.

Derek settled into the water while the jets did away with the stiffness in his back. He thought the yard would pass their parents' inspection tomorrow. He was watching Zoe in the yard finishing up. Damn, he loved how she could rock a pair of yoga pants - what a great ass.

Zoe, on the other hand, couldn't help but wonder how fantastic things were working out. It's great when a plan comes together. So many variables, so many chances for things to go wrong. Zoe was smiling to herself as she picked up the last of the branches, put them in the pile Derek had started, then picked up the electric hedge trimmer. She walked toward the house and up the stairs to the deck.

Derek watched Zoe climb the stairs; the last thing Derek saw was the evil grin on her beautiful face as she dropped the trimmers into the tub. His scream ended immediately.

Zoe moved the work shoes Derek left near the patio door and placed them next to the tub, then she started to scream, "Oh my God, Oh my God!" as loud as she could before running into the house and dialing 911 on her cell phone. The dispatcher who answered her call tried to calm the poor woman down long enough to get a coherent statement from her.

"My husband, he's been electrocuted! I think he's dead! Help, please!"

The dispatcher was able to get Zoe's name and address and within two minutes, a patrol car pulled into the drive and the two officers were running into the house. One officer saw the cord leading from inside the house to the tub and quickly unplugged the cord. The second officer found Zoe sobbing as she sat on the kitchen floor with the phone in her hand. The second officer smelled smoke and called for a fire truck to be dispatched. A fire had started near the fuse panel, but the first firemen to arrive had the fire extinguished using a CO2 bottle and the fire was contained. The EMTs left Derek's body in the tub when they determined there was nothing they could do for him and that it might be a crime scene.

The police investigated the 'accident' due to its unusual circumstances. When the police finally calmed the distraught wife so she could relate what happened, she claimed she hadn't seen Derek's shoes next to the tub, had tripped over them and dropped the hedge clippers into the tub, just barely avoiding falling in herself. No matter how many times she was asked, first by the uniform police, then later by a Detective Turner, it was always the same - she tripped on Derek's shoes.

Unfortunately, there was nothing to contradict Zoe's statement that this was all a terrible accident. Investigators found Derek's fingerprints on the glass fuses and the copper pennies inserted inside the fuse sockets. Paul had worn gloves when putting the pennies from the change jar inside the sockets. Despite what you may have seen on TV shows such as CSI, there wasn't a magical way to reveal the faulty patio GFI socket was disabled the prior weekend by Paul and wasn't just one more wiring problem in this old house.

Placing the blame for the accident on the shoes and pennies was priceless; it made Derek's death largely his own fault.

Subsequent questioning of family, friends and co-workers all confirmed the couple were madly in love and theirs was a loving marriage. Two of Derek's co-workers remembered Derek complained a few months ago regarding the state of his marriage; but neither knew any reason for Derek's concerns and both said Derek seemed happy the last two months.

$$$$$ -----$$$$$

Sal Coppolini received word of his best friend's death while doing volunteer work in Liberia, helping a charity provide water filters to villages in several West African nations. The telephone call from his crying mother informed Sal that Derek, his oldest and dearest friend, had tragically died in a freak accident. Sal's mother asked Sal if he could get back as soon as possible because Derek's mother was beside herself with grief and Mrs. Coppolini felt Sal's presence would help the elder Mrs. Miller get through at least the next few weeks.

On the flight back to Oregon, Sal couldn't help but think back on his friendship with Derek. Two more different people would be hard to find in such a close relationship.

Sal had all the traits of his Italian/Latin roots - fun loving, romantic, a gifted painter and talented actor in high school and college theatre. After graduating from Cal-Berkeley, Sal stayed in Silicon Valley, working as the creative genius of a start-up developing computer games. The subsequent sale of the start-up netted Sal almost twenty-five million dollars. Not bad for a boy everyone assumed would live as a poor starving artist.

Derek's Teutonic roots revealed themselves whenever he complained that what this country really needed was a 'strong-man' as president and the abolishment of Congress, "Maybe then we could get things done!" Whenever Derek shared this sentiment, Sal couldn't help but laugh. Derek's personality served him well in his chosen field - accounting.

How did these two become 'brothers by different mothers'? It was football that did it. Starting in junior high and all through high school, Sal and Derek were the two best defensive cornerbacks in their conference. It was almost as if they could read each other's minds on the field, always working in tandem.

Derek didn't pursue football while attending Oregon State; he was intent on getting his accounting degree and making his mark in the business world. Sal was accepted at Cal-Berkeley and became a walk-on for the Cal Bear's practice squad as a cornerback. His major in Graphic Design led him to the start-up in the Valley. But you'd find the two of them together during every summer break until graduation; working as go-fers for the Daniels Construction Company. When Derek married Zoe, Sal was the best man.

$$$$$ -----$$$$$

Sal gave a wonderful eulogy at the service. Zoe spent the entire service red and teary-eyed. Everyone seemed taken in by her performance, and it was just that, a performance - Zoe learned in high school theatre how to dip her kerchief in a solution that guaranteed tears.

There was a small reception after the service, and, not for the first time over the past week, Sal felt that Zoe was doing all she could to avoid being alone with him. Sal always thought he had a decent relationship with Zoe. That is, until the previous Spring when Sal took Derek and Zoe out to dinner just before he left for Liberia. Zoe was quiet and seemed slightly irritable during dinner at Jake's Crawfish House.

Derek even apologized to Sal for her behavior. "Don't know what's bothering her lately, she been on edge more than not. If things don't change soon, I'll force her to see her doctor." Then, last month, Sal received an email from Derek which included Derek's relief that everything seemed to be all right again.

Immediately after the funeral reception, Sal and Charlie Conrad, the star quarterback from their high school team, went to a nearby bar and had a shot and a beer. They raised their shot glasses in a toast to their good friend. Then Sal opened up. "What's with Zoe? You'd think I have the plague the way she's ignoring me."

Charlie took a swig of beer before answering. "The woman is a total whack job. She was driving Derek fucking nuts the last year. Did you know he hired a private dick to follow her?"

"No; what'd he find? Do you know?"

"Derek said he came up empty. It cost him a grand to find out she was out shopping."

"Why did Derek have her followed?"

"Derek thought she might be cheating. He hadn't gotten laid in over a month and she was being a bitch. So, he gets the PI to chase her tail a few Saturdays - and nothing. In the meantime, Zoe starts being all sweet again. Derek figured it must have been work related."

"That doesn't explain why she hasn't spent more than two minutes talking to me."

The two old friends were quiet for a few minutes, Sal staring into his glass of beer, Charlie staring at the TV above the bar, without really comprehending what he was seeing; both lost in their own thoughts. Sal broke the silence.

"I don't get it. Someone said Derek bypassed the fuse by placing a penny in the fuse socket. That doesn't sound like Derek at all. All those years we worked together at Daniels Construction, Derek was a stickler for safety, especially electrical shit."

"Maybe he's not the one who put the penny in there."

Just then Kyle Olsen, another member of the team, walked into the bar after dropping off his wife at home. Kyle bought a round to toast Derek and the conversation about the penny was forgotten.

The next day, Sunday, Sal decided to find out if he had done anything to upset Derek's widow. It was mid-morning when he knocked on the door. No one answered, so he knocked again, this time a little louder. To his right, Sal saw the front window curtain move, he turned toward it and smiled, "Good morning, Zoe."

A few moments later, Zoe opened the front door, but only enough to talk through the crack. "Hi, Sal. What brings you here so early?"

Silently, Zoe was cursing herself for getting caught. The only reason she even looked out the window was to make certain it wasn't the cops with more questions. Now what? Does she let Sal in? What if she doesn't? Could she fake a headache or something? Before Zoe could answer her own question, Sal asked his.

"Mind if I come in for a few minutes, Zoe?"

Zoe opened the door to let him in. Sal walked in and couldn't help but notice the thin robe Zoe had on. He always thought Zoe had a great body and always did his best to avoid staring at his best friend's wife, but it was sometimes difficult not to notice her beautiful face, long legs and great chest - like now when her nipples were pushing the thin cloth out at least a good inch.

Sal had better manners than to stare.

"What can I do for you, Sal?"

"Things have been hectic, I wanted to make certain that there wasn't anything I could do for you, Zoe. You were my best friend's wife and I'd feel like an ass if I didn't at least offer to help if you needed anything."

Before Zoe could offer an answer, the upstairs toilet flushed.

Sal saw it, that brief movement, Zoe's eyes glanced toward the ceiling and the "oh shit" expression before she recovered. It was a flash, but it was definitely there.

Zoe's next statement almost blew Sal away, it was so unexpected. "Sal, are you making a pass at me?"

"What?"

"All this talk about 'if I need anything'. Are you asking if I need you to make love to me, your best friend's widow?"

Sal was completely flabbergasted. Where the hell did that come from?

"Oh my god, no! Sorry, Zoe. No, it's just that we haven't had any real time to talk and I didn't want you to think I wasn't being supportive." Sal backed to the door and was now outside again, still backing up. "Call me if I can help with anything." Sal got into his rental car before sighing in relief.

Zoe laughed out loud at how easy men, especially men like Sal, could be manipulated. All this past week, she was able to act the poor, young widow who lost the beloved love of her life. She knew how to fake the red eyes and tears, what to say and when to practically faint from heartbreak. When she had time to prepare, she was a good enough actress to fool almost anyone. Look how she easily fooled Derek. But she knew she almost blew it when Paul flushed the toilet just now. Had Sal caught the surprise on her face? Or did she cover it up when she accused him of trying to seduce her? Sal's deep olive complexion almost turned red and he was stuttering his apologizes as he scrammed out the door. "Damn, men are so fucking easy." she laughed before she called upstairs, "Paul - you stupid asshole!"

At the same time, Sal pulled over at the next block; he began laughing and talking to himself. "Damn - what a chump. She's good. Damn - she's very good. It took her less than three seconds to put me on the defensive."

Sal immediately stopped laughing and now he was pissed. It didn't take him more than thirty seconds to put two and two together. The silk kimono, the flushing toilet, the special effort to get him out of the house. "The grieving widow has a lover already!" Sal recalled there wasn't any particular man hanging around Zoe during the wake, the service or the reception. Only one reason why she'd have a 'special man' tucked out of sight - to keep the tongues from wagging and guessing the truth.

Sal was totally out of his league here; what to do next? He thought about going to the police; but had nothing but a flushed toilet to give them. He could hire a private detective, but how do you find a good one? Whoever Derek hired must have been worthless and he'd have a hell of a hard time finding someone competent.

"Maybe the insurance agent that sold Derek's policy would have an idea." Sal thought to himself. Sitting in the rental car, Sal pulled out his phone and called Derek's mother.

$$$$$ -----$$$$$

That same Sunday morning, on the other side of the city, Bill Roland looked up from his Sunday newspaper and watched his wife typing on her laptop. "It's driving you crazy, isn't it?"

Karin Roland stopped typing and stared at her husband. If he wasn't so damn cute, she'd be pissed at him; interrupting her chain of thought as she searched in her mind for the right words. Karin was attempting to write a mystery novel and it wasn't going very well. So much for filling in the empty hours with a new hobby. Karin got up off the chair, threw Bill's newspaper on the floor, and sat in his lap.

"I didn't realize how bored I'd be once Hannah left home for college. And Anthony is so busy with football, school, and his friends, I rarely see him except at dinner."

"What about your work with the insurance agency?"

"That's averaging ten hours a week, and ninety-five percent of that is on the computer running standard background checks. Damn, I never thought I'd miss following cheating spouses."

Three years ago, Karin Roland had had enough. She wanted to spend more time with the kids before they left the nest; wanted to get out of the business of chasing cheaters. On one of her last assignments, a client went berserk and shot his wife, her lover and himself. She sold her half of the detective agency to her partner and for the first time in her life, spent three years as a housewife. Three fantastic years, until recently. The boredom was starting to get to her.

It was a year ago when Bill came home and called a family meeting. He had received an unsolicited offer from a much larger company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. They were offering him the title of CFO and it meant a significant increase in salary; but it also meant moving the family cross-country from Long Island, NY to Portland.

Their oldest daughter was ecstatic. Of the dozen or so colleges offering her an athletic scholarship, the University of Oregon was her first choice. Hannah's only reluctance to accepting the offer was living so far from her folks.

Their son was a bit apprehensive and asked if he could give it some thought. It would mean moving away from his friends; but after researching online, Anthony was thrilled with the idea of living so close to the mountains and all the outdoor activities the Northwest had to offer. He'd be hiking or skiing in less time than it took to drive off Long Island. So Anthony would eventually end up as a 'go'.

The move would be a little tougher for Karin. Born in Brooklyn, a St. John's graduate, ten years as a New York City cop, and another ten years as a private detective in one of the most vibrant and important cities in the world. Could she do it? Karin approached the question in the same manner she approached every big issue - methodically. That night she sat in bed with a legal pad and pen, listing the pros and cons.

It was a little past midnight when Karin got up to get a glass of wine. As she passed Anthony's room, she noticed the glow under the door. She knocked, waited until she heard Anthony's whisper to come in, and entered his room.

"Hey there buddy, what are you still doing up?"

"Research, Mom. Just trying to understand why we might want to move there."

"What'd you find?"

"I think we should do it, Mom. Last year when Kevin Taylor's family moved to Asheville, he'd email how much he enjoyed living near the mountains. How he didn't miss living in the city."

"The city has a lot to offer, Anthony."

"I know, Mom. But wouldn't it be nice to have a change? And there's another reason Mom. Did you see Dad's eyes light up when he told us about them offering him the job? I think the time he was unemployed affected him more than I realized at the time. He always kept the faith and acted all cheerful; but I think he was trying to be strong for us. I'd like to do this for him."

Karin started to tear up. She kissed Anthony on the top of his head. "Go to bed baby. You have school in the morning. You can tell your father your decision at breakfast."

Karin decided to skip the wine. She went back to bed, wrote one last item on the plus side of her sheet, turned off the nightlight, kissed the guy snoring quietly next to her, and cuddled into his back with a smile on her face.

So, the Roland family moved and now, a year later, Hannah was at the U, Anthony was happy with his new school and friends, Bill was self-actualizing with new responsibilities and Karin needed something to occupy her time. And that's how they found themselves sitting in the den on this late Sunday, trying to come up with a solution to Karin's boredom.

In many ways, Bill was the perfect husband, but he was still a male and still carried the 'stupid' gene. Which meant he tried to joke Karin out of her funk. "Would you like it if I became more high maintenance? I could leave my clothes on the floor and a mess in the sink each morning."

Karin gave Bill a light slap on his chest. "Don't you dare."

Bill couldn't help himself, "I know, we could spend more time in bed!"

Karin decided to tease him back. "Or - I could take a lover."

They kissed and Bill got serious. "You have your Oregon Private Investigators License; are you thinking of getting back into it?"