Excerpt Wednesday – The Black Heart

Carter Rogers sat at his kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. He watched as a gentle breeze softly moved the curtains on the open window. It was an unusually warm evening for early May, but not warm enough to need air conditioning. He loved nights like this with the fresh air coming through the windows. He breathed deeply and then pushed back his chair and stood. He was setting his coffee cup in the dishwasher when an explosion sounded in the distance. The force was strong enough to rattle the dishes in the cupboard. Almost immediately, sirens could be heard in the distance.

Carter turned to his wife Morgan who was wiping down the counter. "I wonder what that was."

"Probably just some kids setting off firecrackers," Morgan replied with a slight shrug. She glanced at her wristwatch. It read exactly nine o'clock.

He shook his head. "I don't think so. Something's exploded," he said. "Don't you hear the sirens?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "I'm sure it's nothing serious." She smiled. "Would you like to watch TV or go to a movie? There's a new mystery I've been wanting to see. It doesn't start until ten. We could get a sitter," she said hopefully.

"Morgan, I'm too tired tonight. Besides, I doubt we'd find a sitter this late. Anyway, I don't like to do things on the spur of the moment. You know that."

She frowned. "I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe for once in your life you might want to do something spontaneous instead of mapping your life out minute by minute. Next time I'll ask you a month in advance so you can pencil it into your schedule."

Carter laughed at her sarcasm. "I'm sorry, honey." He came up behind her and put his arms around her slim waist. "We'll do something special tomorrow night. I promise. I already have it penciled in."

Morgan turned around facing him. "I suppose I'll let you off the hook. But no excuses tomorrow night. I'll line up a sitter."

"I'll even spring for dinner first. We'll make a night of it."

"I'm looking forward to it." She brushed his sandy brown hair from his brow. "Looks like you need a trim."

"I think I'll let it grow out a little."

Morgan began to reply, but the phone rang interrupting her.

"I'll get it," Carter said.

Morgan finished straightening the kitchen, tuning out her husband's phone conversation. She had other things on her mind to mull over. She jumped when Carter placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter, Carter?" He was ashen-faced and trembling.

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