A PUPPET ON A STRING

Chapter 13

"You think things happen for a reason?"

"Of course... Don't you?"

"Not really... It's all just one big chaotic cosmic mess as far as I'mconcerned."

Then wondered if he should check his horoscope. Conceding that God hadlong since deserted him after his marriage had fallen apart.

"So you think you just go through life aimlessly?" Asks Julie.

"That's about it... Yeah... Why not?" Accepts Frank.

"Oh my poor lost Frank... You have so much to learn."

"Be careful what you wish for Grasshopper... I going to take a quickshower... You can join me if you want?"

"I'll be right behind you..."

"I hope so..." Peeling herself from Frank's embrace.

Turning on the television to see the local morning news coving theapartment fire. Yellow tape marked out the area with investigators picking at therumble. Much as he had seen from his window. Reports had come in as to onedeath of a Thomas O'Connor. A self-employed consultant. No other person hadbeen physically harmed. The extent of the damage confined to Thomas'apartment. The cause of the explosion was put down to a faulty gas link. Butinvestigators were unsure what had sparked the explosion.'The light bulb you fools!' Thought Frank.The reporter announced that investigators were also having puzzled as towhy the security tapes of the building had been off at the time of the explosion.

'Smith... ha.' Frank grinned and shook his head in disbelief.

"I coming I'm coming..." He calls back, disrobing himself, "I'm coming."

And it would not be much longer before he actually did. Much to Julies'satisfaction.Exhausted by repeated sessions of love-making. They laid in each other's armsstaring at the ceiling. Again. The next morning he would be leaving. How wouldthis relationship work he wondered? A casual fling? Julie seem to thinkotherwise. Promises were made in the heat of the moment. Promises to call.Promises to visit. Commitments which Frank now regretted. There was Marilynto consider. Though being two thousand miles apart, mobiles and the internetwould connect them instantly.Imagining how he was going to juggle two women. One woman was enoughin his life. Two maybe every guy wishes for, but in reality it was logisticalnightmare. Somehow he had to make it work. What had he done to deserve this?Was it Julie's cosmic karma coming back to bite him in the butt for killingThomas?'

Thomas was a spy. He deserved to die', Frank told himself again, trying toshake off the guilt.A few days ago his life was simple. Now he had fifty thousand in the bank,two lovers, and the blood of a dead spy on his hands. His mind bounced betweenthe trinity of guilt's. Before succumbing to sexual exhaustion and falling asleepbeside Julie's very naked body.Though Julie had sapped him physically, she had rejuvenated his spirit. His lifehad become a precarious roller coaster after the previous flat seven months.Unexpected twists and turns, climbs and dives appeared at the least likely ofmoments. Julie was one of them. Smith was the other. And Marilyn? Well hewould have to see about Marilyn. All three were on his mind as the airliner flewwest. After a one hour stop-over in Chicago. Frank found himself arriving fourhours after he had left Flint.11:00AM Seattle time. The sound of the wheels signaled that he was homeagain. Time to face the music. Unsure what the future held. What was Julie? Afling? Or something more? What was Smith? That question could get someonekilled. Literally. The jury of his conscious was still out deliberating his part inThomas' death.