After two years of devoting every second of her life to trying to prove that Clyde’s death was murder, not suicide, Sarah was exhausted. She sold everything. The bookstore, the apartments and the motels and moved to San Francisco. It had been her dream to live close to her parents. She found a house on one of the city’s quaint sloping streets. Money was not an issue, since she had inherited Clyde’s fortune and with the profits of the property that she had sold. But this was where she knew she would be happy and could live quietly.
So with her cat, Axel, in hand, she left the past behind. She had completed the list of requests that Clyde had instructed for her to do in the event of his death. Even though they were divorced, Clyde had left everything to Sarah. She had even went through with his request of burying his ashes along with their son’s and having it concreted over with a tennis court. She thought it a strange request but she never thought that she would have to actually go through with it. But a promise was a promise.
Clyde’s death was still in the hands of the investigators that she had hired. They all suspected Jake of killing Clyde, but they had no proof. Sarah’s theory was that Jake had befriended Clyde when he realized that Clyde was worth millions and was planning on tricking him into turning it all over to him.
He did this by drugging Clyde so that he would sleep all day, so he could snoop around in his belongings . He even went so far as to try to drive Clyde insane by haunting him with the ghost of his and Sarah’s dead son. That was a very low blow that almost got the best of Clyde. Jake would call and taunt Clyde during the night about him seeing his son’s spirit in that old haunted house. This went on for months without the local town people ever knowing anything. They all thought that Clyde was the strange one and that Jake was just a nice guy who owned the bookstore. He had them all fooled, except for Sarah.
When it all backfired and Clyde was catching on to his ways, Jake just got scared and shot Clyde, making it look like suicide. Even down to leaving a fake note, saying that he just couldn’t go on without his son and Sarah.
Jake had meant to stick around to see if there was still a chance that he could get part of Clyde’s money, but when Sarah showed up immediately and he realized that she was in control now, he skipped the country and no one has heard from him since.
One thing for sure, he did not leave with Clyde’s money and he will be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
Meanwhile, Sarah plans to live out her life peacefully. Away from all the drama of the small town. The only friend she ever needs now is Axel. He sits in the sun on the windowsill and he appears to love the new house as much as Sarah does.
This is probably the last story of Sarah’s Secrets. I didn’t want to drag it out too long. I have no idea how many words this post has. My word counter seems to be on the blink. Although, I am sure it is over my limit. I am hoping that you all will forgive me, since it is the end of Sarah’s story?
FLASH FICTION FOR ASPIRING WRITERS Week of 3-25-2015
Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers