Welcome to Saturday Spankings! We’re deep into Secrets on the River and today’s snippet is the beginning of an intriguing conversation. Cassie is still being plagued by nightmares dealing with her first husband. Jenny mentions that it’s like she has unfinished business with this fool, but how could that be if he’s been dead for fifty years. Cassie begins thinking that maybe her unfinished business isn’t with him.
Cassie sat up straighter in her rocker and after another quick glance around, reassuring herself that it was just the four of them, turned to Sue and said, “I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to tell me the truth.”
Sue gave her a grin. “And what is it that you think I know that you don’t?”
“I’m serious. I want to know.” Cassie paused and took a deep breath and then she asked, “Did you kill Edwin?”
Lily and Allie froze, their eyes locking.
Sue’s face showed no emotion at Cassie’s question. “You held onto that question for fifty years? The bastard died of a heart attack,” she said.
“Sue…”
“What?” Sue snapped.
“Do you remember what we talked about the weekend before he died?” Cassie asked.
Sue’s angry flashing eyes told all the women that she remembered. “You mean when you came to tell me you’d decided to commit ‘suicide by husband’? Yes, I damn well remember that conversation.” Sue’s voice was angry even though she was speaking of a conversation that had happened a half-century before.
“I never said that…”
“You were going to let him kill you! You were going to goad him into killing you! You’d given up. You came to tell me good-bye.”
“Sue,” Cassie’s voice sounded as if she was begging Sue to understand, “I didn’t have any choice. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t see any other way out.”
Sue seemed furious as she came back at Cassie. “You could have come to live with us and you damn well knew it! Don’t you dare say you had no way out!”
“Could I have lived with you forever?” Cassie shot back. “I didn’t have a dime to my name and no marketable skills. I’d have ended up draining you and probably ruining your marriage. I couldn’t do that.” She paused a minute, then asked, “Is that why you killed him?”
“He died of a heart attack,” Sue repeated.
“After we talked, you had a dinner party the next Friday. Edwin commented that it was tacky to have a party on a Friday evening. But he wouldn’t have missed it. On the way home that evening, I remember he also pointed out that you behaved like trash by serving the wine yourself rather than having one of the staff do it.”
“Gee, I’m crushed. I’ve always cared so much what the bastard thought of me,” Sue replied sarcastically.
“Then when Phillips went in the next morning Edwin was dead,” Cassie continued.
“Everything was crazy that day. I felt enormous relief. But I was still surprised. He’d never had heart problems, no family history of heart disease. So I always wondered…”
“How would I know anything about it? There was an autopsy. He died of a heart attack.”
“I know about the autopsy. I just want to know…”
“Lily,” Sue suddenly barked. “I’m tired and I want a nap. Will you help me to my room?”
Allie felt a tingle go down her spine. Sue never voluntarily left a conversation. While both Cassie and Sue frequently napped in their chairs, they were adamant about not going to their rooms for a rest, even after the mugging and the broken bones. Sue obviously did not want to continue this particular conversation.
“Sure, Miss Priss, hang on a minute,” Lily told her as she went to her. She helped Sue stand and Allie quickly pulled back the rocker and rolled the wheelchair right behind her. She sat and Lily began wheeling her to the door.
“Sue?” Cassie stopped them before they reached it. She stood, looking at her friend. “You never thought of killing Tom, did you?” she asked with a slight grin.
“Still do,” Sue answered shortly.
They had gotten to the door when Cassie stopped them again. She went and stood directly in front of Sue and took her hand.
“Thank you,” she said simply.
Sue pulled her hand away and waved it in front of her face before disappearing into the house. Allie would think about that gesture for the rest of her life. Was Sue waving off what Cassie said as silly talk? Or was she waving it off as if to say, ‘Don’t mention it. I was glad to do it.’?
This isn’t the end of that conversation.
Be sure to come back next week.
These ten books introduce Cassie. She is my friend and has been since she wandered into my imagination fifty-four years ago. She is married to Tom, the man who loves her in a way that makes my heart nearly burst with happiness for the two of them. He loves her, guides her, protects her and when necessary, spanks the fool out of her. I’ve been told that their adventures are exciting, funny and realistic. Their love-life is passionate and fulfilling – but you’ll hear no graphic details, Cassie is a lady and giving too much detail would not be proper.
Cal’s Law series
Cal and Jenny are one of my younger couple. The spanking in their relationship began mere minutes after they met, and Cal hasn’t let up much since. There relationship has it’s struggles, but these two are meant to be together. They live in the same town as Cassie and Tom and there is a lot of interactions among the character of both series. Jenny is not as reluctant as Cassie to openly discuss her sex life, so you’ll find a little more spice in this series.
On the River series
In this, my latest series, everyone is around – all the characters I’ve grown to love over the years are living on the area of the river that they call The Landing. Their lives, their adventures, even their spankings sometimes intertwine. By this time in the series, I’m just typing as my characters tell me what’s happening. And I love it!
I’ll close today with a review on the latest book. This is one of the finest reviews I’ve ever had.
Starting with the first Cassie book until now, I have never been disappointed or failed to wait expectantly for the next one.
And, of course, the links -
Undercurrents on the River (book four)
Family on the River (book five)
Sunset on the River (book six)
