THE TAINTED TRUST (Volume 2 of The King Trilogy)

CHAPTER 44

         Vancouver International Airport. Monday, March 19, 1990.

A torrential downpour drenched Kerri's gigantic red and white Air Canada 747 as it thundered skyward. Seated behind the starboard wing, she stared unfocused at the hundreds of droplets on the outer surface of her window. Trepidation plagued her, yet she looked forward to returning to her job and to Miles Dennis, the one and only person in New York City who would be happy to see her.

The captain's baritone voice broke the silence on the airplane four hours later. "This is your captain speaking. We should be landing in the next ten or fifteen minutes. The weather in New York isn't all that bad, for March. It's clear and cool, about forty-five degrees."

It was six-fifteen, New York time, when Kerri's plane touched down at Kennedy International Airport. After clearing customs and picking up her bags, she took a taxi to her apartment.

Her heart pounded when the cab rounded the final corner and moved to within sight of her apartment. She strained to see the living room and bedroom windows facing the street, but saw no lights. Her hands shook when she unlocked the front door. She kicked three unopened newspapers inside, then entered and closed the door. She turned on the lights and scanned the apartment for evidence of Brian's return. None.

She telephoned Miles Dennis. After three rings, she heard the familiar message on his answering machine.

"Miles, it's Kerri. I just called to tell you I'm back in New York. I'll see you at work tomorrow morning."

Kerri was awakened at ten forty-five by the loud ring of the telephone beside her bed. She managed to turn on the night table lamp with her eyes tightly shut. With one eye barely open, she lifted the receiver, answered, then pulled the covers over her head to preserve darkness.

"It's Miles...Did I wake you up?"

"No. I'm still asleep."

"Sorry. I just assumed you'd still be awake. How are you?"

"Fine, under the circumstances. How are you?"

"Tired. I've been working my fingers to the bone. I didn't realize how valuable you had become until I had to work without you. I can't tell you how glad I am to have you back...Is Brian there?"

"No. I'm alone."

"No notes, flowers?"

"Nothing."

"Do you subscribe to The Times?"

"Yes. Why?"

"...If you've got today's edition, you'll find a picture of your husband in the sports section...I should warn you. It's not pretty."

"Why? What am I going to see?"

"He's with a woman...A stripper."

"It's probably just a publicity thing," Kerri said, unwilling to accept any notion of her husband's infidelity.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's got anything to do with publicity... Maybe I should come over there. I don't want you to be alone when you see it."

Kerri's heart pounded as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Thanks for offering, but I can handle it. I'm over twenty-one."

"Don't hesitate to call me if you change your mind."

"I won't," Kerri promised. She hung up, then leaped from the bed and raced to the front door. She descended to her knees and ripped the Wednesday edition of The Times from its clear polyethylene cover. She removed the sports section and dropped it on the floor in front of her. In the center of the front page was an eight inch square photograph of Brian and another woman. Brian, obviously unwilling to be photographed, was attempting to shield his face with the palm of his left hand. His right arm was wrapped around the woman's shoulder.

Kerri's eyes shifted to the caption at the bottom of the photo. Her blood turned cold as she read, "QUARTERBACK SNEAK??? New York Jets' star quarterback, Brian Pyper, was seen leaving Runway Thirty-eight early this morning. Accompanying him was super-stripper, Tina DeSouza. Pyper's wife was unavailable for comment."

The photograph spoke volumes. Kerri's focus darted back and forth between her husband and the stripper. Disappointment and rage exploded inside her. She was heartbroken. The equation of her marriage had been altered, permanently. Never again would she experience the purity of their relationship. She thumped the photograph with her fist. "You bastard!" she screamed, tears blurring her vision. "How could you do this? How could you destroy such a beautiful thing?"