"Sal, while you were away I went up and looked at the winery with Howard."
Sally had her back to him at the sink. She didn't reply or acknowledge his remark in any way.
"It's a great winery...a little run down of course," Ted persisted. "It's about an hour up in the Sierra Foothills - Chardonnay and Zinfandel country. A place called Fair Play in El Dorado County. We can go skiing in the mountains and the kids can go to school in Placerville. A school bus goes right past the front gate - I checked."
When no reaction came from Sally he continued.
"Really it's awesome. It has a big old house; the main bedroom looks out over a valley. It has a pond with a boat shed. I could build a row boat for the children and Sally you'll love the kitchen it's huge..."
"What makes you think I want a big kitchen?" Sally spun round, her eyes glaring with anger.
"Well...I...just thought..."
"You thought because I'm a woman I would want a large kitchen to slave away in all day."
"No...no I thought we could hire a chef to cook for all the workers. Good country meals and all that. The kitchen could be the hub of the activity at the place."
"And who is going to pay for all this...where is all the money going to come from...can you tell me that?"
Ted paused and took a deep breath. "I really want this Sal...I want to buy it. I don't quite know how we will put all the finances together but I'm sure we'll figure it out. I want to give it a shot anyway. I know we will be happy up there as a family away from the city...breathing clean air. But I need your support, hon?"
Sally turned away from the sink and walked towards the door.
"Do whatever you want Ted," she concluded with a repelling flick of her hand, before disappearing down the hall.
Ted sat down at the kitchen bench and stared into his coffee. A few moments later Sally's cellphone rang. It was on charge at the end of the bench. Ted reached over and checked the caller but it was an unknown number. With Sally out of earshot he decided to answer it.
"Hello, Sally Farrell's phone."
There was a pause and then a male voice said, "Who is this?"
"Ted...I'm Sally's husband. She's just stepped out but can I take a message?"
The line went dead. Ted looked down at the silenced phone. The man had an accent, an Australian accent.
Ted stood transfixed and enraged. Why was he calling his wife? He was tempted to call out to Sally and ask for an explanation but the phone beeped and Ted saw an incoming text message. He opened the message and was spellbound.
"Your HUSBAND will have an accident!!"
YOU ARE READING
The Mind Man
Mystery / ThrillerDo your thoughts affect other people? What if those people end up dead? The unthinkable is happening. People are dying inexplicably. Just one man appears responsible. He is either a deranged monster, or a tortured soul; consumed by revenge, and unkn...
