Thanks, as always, to Rochelle for Friday Fictioneers.
PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz
Jigsaw (98 words)
We presumed she’d run. Taken that old clunker and made for other pastures, any were greener than these populated by a drunk husband and five bratty kids.
Dad sobered up, had to. He hired a private detective; nothing panned out. She disappeared from not only our lives but the earth. Until they pulled that clunker out of the lake.
I was a new deputy, watching my mother’s car hoisted up, murky water gushing from its body. We didn’t find remains, just a full suitcase of clothes.
The sheriff considered the case closed. I didn’t.
Dad seemed strangely relieved.
Sascha Darlington
For him to be strangely relieved is not a good thing… guilty! Now I have “Fried Green Tomatoes” in mind…
what happened in Fried Green Tomatoes?
They pull a truck out of the water five years later (20, in the book)… my favourite movie!
Was there a body inside? I wondered as I was writing whether I had seen a similar scene. 🙁
Nope!! That’s why I thought of it 😉
It’s a great movie…
The secret’s in the sauce. 😉
😁
Nice one Sascha! Still leaves the door open for her to be living somewhere else leading a different life.
Yes. It’s always fun to just offer clues and let the reader decide which way it should go.
Thanks, Anne!
Dear Sascha,
Jigsaw is a great title. I also thought of Fried Green Tomatoes. One of my favorites, too. Well written story, in any event.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks, Rochelle. I appreciate your reading!
Taut writing and a voice that draws you in
she must have made her escape by staging the whole thing.
She may have. 🙂 Thank you for reading!
‘strangely relieved’ says a lot. Good one Sascha
Ooh, this is a good one. I found “strangely relieved” to be ambiguous. Dad could be relieved because no body, no crime, or no body still means a possibility of life. Though, the “strangely” does point more toward guilt.
Yes, mysterious and enjoyable, Sascha. Of course, for some of us there is no mystery: we know what was lurking in that murky water, and snip, snap.
lol Something reptilian with sharp teeth?
Thanks, Steve! 🙂
My pleasure as always, Sascha. Correct, an Australian politician.
I am not sure you need to qualify politician. 🙂
This is a great write. That ending worked so well. Great job.
Thank you so much, Lisa! 🙂
The pieces to this puzzle fit together nicely Sascha. Only thing left to be done I guess is join the dots. 🙂