Twist

She disembarked several blocks from her usual stop and walked the rest of the way. Approaching her house stealthily, Sylvia sneaked into her own garage and let herself into the house. She mounted the stairs to the kitchen, fumbled about, found her way into the bedroom, and undressed for bed, all without turning on a single light. No sense in attracting Blanche's attention.

I tell you, Blanche," Sylvia said over coffee and Danish the next morning, " when John comes home, I'm going to kill him. He went out last evening saying he had a meeting to attend and he never came back."

"I saw him leave," Blanche said. "About six o'clock, wasn't it?"

"I think so. Probably ended up drunk at some buddy's house. Played poker all night, I'll bet. Just wait till I get him."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

Sylvia opened it to see a uniformed policeman.

"Mrs. Conners?" he asked. "I don't know how to tell you this, but your husband's body was found in an alley this morning. It appears he was the victim of a mugging." Sylvia covered her face with her hands, a gesture she felt would show surprise and shock. She collapsed into her chair and began to tremble...a nice touch.

"Funny thing, though," the policeman said as he crossed the kitchen to a pegboard by the door that led to the garage stairs. "We found your husband, his wallet, and his car, but no car keys."

He fingered a key ring attached to an oval with the initials JC inscribed on it. "How did he manage to drive that car without his keys, I wonder?"

Sylvia felt her calm slipping away and panic beginning to overpower her.