Lethal Weapon Pt. 02

I will sit down and talk with you, will answer any questions you have about me and Roger. I would do anything to take it all back, and I would do anything to have you back, I truly love you and can't picture what my life will be without you in it. Please let me know something soon, I can't go on in limbo much longer.

Love, Trish

Martin put the letter back inside of the envelope, a few minutes later Trish came in. She looked over, expecting him to say something, anything. But Martin wasn't ready to talk just yet. He had to do some thinking about what she had written, he just took the letter and walked into his room, closing the door behind him.

Trish almost felt slighted, she thought sure he would discuss their relationship now, but he had not said a word to her. Her thoughts returned to what had happened, or more importantly, whom she had seen at the market.

For Trish, it had been a very interesting day indeed. She had just bent down to get a bag of sugar from the bottom self at the market, when she heard a man speak her name. Turning to see who it was, she saw a tall, very handsome and distinguished looking gentleman with slightly graying hair. She thought he looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him,

"You're Trish Smith, are you not?" he asked.

"Yes I am, can I help you with something?" she replied as she stood straight.

Pointing and shaking his finger provocatively and smiling, he asked, "I bet you don't remember me, do you .

"You do look familiar, but I can't place you. You called me Trish Smith, so I assume that you know me from school, because my last name changed not long after graduation," she replied.

"I'm Dan McAllister, we graduated in the same class. . . so I take it that you're married then?"

When Trish heard his name, she fell silent, her pulse quickened and she choked up a little, "Oh, a. . . a yes. . . my name is Trish Riggs now."

Trish remembered this man, or the boy he used to be very well. From the first time she ever laid eyes on him, back in her freshman english class, she'd had a huge crush on him. He was so good looking back then, and he looked very tantalizing right now. He had been her fantasy all through high school, but back then, he never gave her a second look.

"Martin. . . are you married to Martin Riggs?" he asked.

"Yes, we've been together since '84, we have three sons," she replied nervously.

"Oh, so he's your second husband then," he said, pausing, "You said that your name changed right after high school. . . 1984 was three years after graduation," he smiled again.

"OH! That smile," she thought, then she blurted out, "Yeah, the first marriage was a big mistake,"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, would I know him?"

"I don't know if you would remember him or not, but I would rather not talk about him anyway, he was trouble from the start, but he's dead now," she said, as she looked down at the floor.

"You know, I wouldn't really have called myself friends with Martin, I mean we never hung out or anything, but I knew him through my friends pretty well. I figured that he was who you were referring to, Martin is the only Riggs close to our age that I ever knew to be around this area. I will say that he's a lucky man though, because you are strikingly beautiful, and I would very much like to take you out to dinner sometime to catch up on everyone."

"Oh, I-I. . . may. . . I-a-I"ll. . . I don't. . . know," she said, hardly able to breathe, she'd had a thing for this man for almost thirty five years, was she dreaming?

"I'll be in town for the next three weeks, I would really like to get together, you know. . . catch up on old times and get to know you a little better before I leave. . . just as friends, nothing more," he smiled once more. . .

As Trish stood there in a daze, Danny pulled his wallet out of his inner suit pocket and retrieved one of his business cards, then pulled out his pen and circled the bottom number.

"That's my cell number, just give me a call if you decide you would like to go. I would be truly honored to have you as my dinner guest for an evening, the Marriott here in town has an absolutely outstanding restaurant."

"Oh God, that smile!" she thought again.

Trish took his card and told him that she would give it some thought. He told her that it had been a pleasure seeing her again after so long and he was looking forward to hearing from her, she wouldn't regret it.

"Oh my God, he is still sooo good looking, but I've already messed up with Martin enough, I could never. . ." she thought.

She was lost in thought the entire drive home, remembering how she used to lie in bed at night and fantasize about Dan. Back then, she had played the same scenario over and over in her head. . . It was never anything sexual, just that her and Dan had fallen deeply in love and married. The new home with a white picket fence, the children. . . a boy and a girl, she knew the story in her heart so well, even though it had been so many years ago.

Once home, expecting Martin to at least speak to her a little. . . then he had ignored her instead, the thoughts of Dan McAllister pushed their way to the front of her mind.

Over the next couple of days, Martin noticed that Trish seemed different, not a lot, but something was definitely off. She seemed aloof, almost like she did when she'd first started seeing Roger again. He suspected that she may have met someone, but she hadn't really been out of his sight long enough to actually be carrying on with anyone. Could she have maybe met someone on the internet?

Martin made up his mind to find out if there might just be someone else Trish was interested in, and to see what she would do if given the opportunity to spend some time alone. He called Jeff and explained to him what he thought was going on and his plan to see if she would take a chance to see someone else. Then, on Tuesday afternoon, he told Trish that he and Jeff were planning an overnight fishing trip to see if they could catch some catfish, they would be taking off Friday afternoon, and be home Saturday after lunch. They were going up to a gravel pit ten miles to the North.

"What about your back, how are you going to sleep on the ground? Will you be alright?" Trish asked.

"One of the guys that Jeff works with is bringing his camper, and Jeff said that it's got a real nice and comfortable bed in it, so I'll be fine," he replied.

Martin couldn't tell if Trish had something on her mind after learning his plans or not, but he tried to watch her close for the remainder of the week. On Thursday afternoon, Trish asked Martin if he was still planning on the fishing trip. For Martin, that raised a red flag, was she making sure he was going to be gone so that she could meet someone?

On Friday, Martin noticed that Trish seemed a little nervous and ansy. He asked her if there was something wrong and she told him that she was just worried about him going out like he'd planned. Martin told her that he would be fine and asked her what she had planned for the evening.

"Oh, nothing special, just sitting around and probably watching tv," she said, but she wouldn't look at him while she was speaking.

Later on that afternoon, Jeff came by and picked Martin and his fishing gear up on his way home from work, then headed on out to his house. Jeff's friend Steve was there waiting with his truck,

"Dad, you go ahead and climb in the front seat of Steve's truck and I'll put your fishing stuff in the back for you," said Jeff, as he got out of his car and walked over to his friend, "Steve, this is my Dad, Martin Riggs. . . dad, this is Steve Kahan."

They exchanged pleasantries and Martin climbed into Steve's truck. Jeff took Martin's fishing supplies from his vehicle and loaded them into the back of Steve's. Then went to gather up his own gear and made a quick trip inside to visit his wife and kids for a few moments before leaving. He grabbed his Barska 20-140x80mm Gladiator Zoom Binoculars on the way out. After climbing into the rear of the cab, Jeff handed the binoculars to Martin,

"Here Dad, when we get close to the house, these should help you get a better look," he said.

"Oh yeah, thanks. Damn Jeff, these are some nice binoculars," Martin replied.

Everything loaded, they headed back towards Martin and Trish's home, where they parked down the street a little ways and waited. For the most part, they sat in silence, with a few words spoken about whether the fish would be biting or not. Not much was mentioned about the reason they were sitting down the street from Martin's house.

An hour passed, and no one had shown up, the three were just about ready to give up, when a black Escalade drove by rather slowly. The driver appeared to be looking for an address. So the three men waited a moment and then pulled away from the curb, falling in behind the SUV. It pulled up and stopped in front of Martin and Trish's house and a tall, very well dressed man exited the vehicle and strolled up to the front door. They drove past slowly, checking the man out, who was now knocking on the door of Martin's home,

"I knew I was right!" exclaimed Martin.

"You recognize him, dad?" asked Jeff.

"He looks familiar, kinda like a guy I went to school with. . . his name was Dan. . . or Don. . . I think. I can't remember what his last name was though. . . Hell, it's been over thirty years ago, If that's even the same guy."

After Martin hadn't responded to her letter, Trish started thinking about Dan again. She gave it a week to see if Martin would come around, when he didn't, Trish made her mind up to go ahead and go to dinner with Dan McAllister, it would be innocent, she had no intentions. After all, Martin had been the one to tell her to go out with whoever she wanted. The revelation of the fishing trip played no part in her decision to go out with Dan, she had already decided that she was going whether Martin was home or not. Her mind was made up after he had all but ignored her the past week, Martin would have to find out when Dan showed up.

The three parked down the street and waited a little while longer, Martin looking through the binoculars. Trish came out and was dressed in a short, silky blue dress.

"Damn, she's wearing that sexy blue dress that she wore on our anniversary last year," Martin said in a sad tone.

A few moments later, Trish and her date drove past, Martin and Jeff ducked down, then after waiting a few moments so that it wasn't obvious, they fell in behind and followed at a distance. The Escalade drove down Main street past most of the restaurants, then turned right, onto Parker street. The three were shocked to say the least when the couple turned into the Marriott Hotel parking lot and stopped.

"Damn, she's getting right down to business isn't she?" said Martin.

"They DO have a restaurant here too, dad. . . and I've heard it's pretty good," Jeff replied.

"I just remembered that guys name, it's Mcallister, it's either Don or Dan. . . I remember him, he was a big pussy hound," said an irritated Martin.

After parking about two hundred feet away from the Escalade, they waited a few moments after Trish and Dan went inside, then, Jeff's friend Steve went inside to check if the couple were in the restaurant, or had gone up to a room. He spotted them just as the hostess was leading them to a table inside of the restaurant.

Assuming it would be forty five minutes at the very least for them to eat, he returned outside to the truck and reported what he had witnessed.

"They went inside of the restaurant, looks like it might just be a dinner date. You said that you all went to highschool together, maybe they were friends and they're just catching up," Steve told Martin.

"I don't know, if he's anything like he was back in high school, he's planning on fucking her tonight," Martin replied.

"Maybe he's changed," said Jeff.

"Oh I doubt that, did you see the way he was dressed, he just looks looks a playboy. He's in this for a piece of ass," Martin quipped.

After about a half hour went by, Steve headed back inside. Finding a seat in the lobby just outside of the dining room, he picked up a newspaper and pretended to read as he watched their table. They looked to be having a fairly good time, Trish reached across the table and touched Dan's hand, then leaned closer, looking into his eyes.

"It's gonna end up in this guy's room," he thought. He could just tell by their body language.

After finishing their dinner and settling the check, they rose and left the restaurant holding hands.

"Oh oh," Steve mumbled to himself after noticing.

Dan and Trish walked past Steve towards the front desk and the exit doors, Steve rose and followed a short ways, "Maybe this is innocent," he thought.

But then, they turned and headed towards the elevators. He headed for the exit to slip outside and give Martin and Jeff the bad news. Looking back as he was going through the main entrance, Steve saw Trish and Dan engaged in a very passionate kiss as they waited for the ride up to Dan's rented love nest.

He scurried across the parking lot to his truck and climbed in,

"I've got some bad news Bub, they're headed up to his room right now, I looked back as I was leaving and they were in a lip lock in front of the elevators."

Martin's emotions were all over the place, he knew that he told her to go fuck whoever she wanted, but when faced with the knowledge that she was actually going to do it, he was beside himself. Then he thought about Trish's letter and how she had explained about wanting to let go and be very sexual.

"New guy, horny woman, I'll bet she's going to be a porn star with him tonight," he thought to himself.

"What are we gonna do, wait around and see how long they're in there?" asked Jeff.

"Oh, she'll be in there all night, I guarantee it," said Martin, "She thinks I'll be gone till tomorrow afternoon."

"Are you gonna be alright?" asked Jeff.

Martin didn't answer right away, he was lost in thought, then he spoke up, "I guess I will be. . . I didn't realize just how much I still loved her, I guess this will be the end. Of course she'll probably be starting a relationship with ol' Dan now, hell. . . she might even end up married to him."

"This really sucks, you know it dad?" Jeff replied.

"Why don't we go get some beer and head on out to the lake anyway," said Steve, "I think puttin' on a good drunk tonight might be just what the doctor ordered, don't you?"

"Let's go!" said Martin.

Steve started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot. As they pulled out onto the street, Martin stared at the black Escalade as they drove past.

"How fitting," he thought, "A car just like the cars the funeral home uses. . . the death of my marriage."

After driving a little ways, Martin spoke up,

"Pull into a gas station, I've got to piss and I want something to munch on," he said.

Steve pulled into the Cash and Dash and Martin got out and went inside, heading to the restroom. After coming out, he spent well over thirty minutes deciding what snacks he wanted to take along to the lake. The thoughts of what was happening back at the Marriott were really starting to distract him. He came to the realization that, Trish had never loved Roger, it was all just sex. This was different, she may fall in love with this guy, then she would be gone forever. . . and he had been the one to push her out of the door!

After leaving the station, Martin, Jeff and Steve headed over to the liquor store and went inside.

"What's your poison. .? I'll buy, " said Steve.

"Bud Lite sounds good, if that's OK with you. . . but anything is alright," replied Martin.

"Sounds good to me too, how 'bout you Jeff, sound OK?"

"Yeah, that's fine," he said.

After a few minutes conversing with the clerk, they headed out with two cases of Bud Lite.

On the way back through town, Steve drove past the Marriott again, Martin quickly glanced over to the space where the black Escalade was sitting. . . It wasn't there!!

"Go back around and go through the parking lot at the hotel!!" exclaimed Martin, "The Escalade is gone!"

"Are you sure? Maybe you just looked in the wrong spot," replied Steve.

"Just go back, I know it's not there now!"

Steve turned around, headed back and turning into the parking lot of the Marriott. As they reached the spot where the Escalade had been, sure enough, it was gone.

"What the fuck is this all about!" said Jeff, "Did he go after some booze or something. .? I don't know dad."

"Let's drive back by the house before we go out to the lake," Martin said.

"Why, do you think she might have changed her mind?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know, I. . . I. . . Just don't know. I hope so. I doubt it though, he probably just went out after something. . . But go by the house anyway, just to be sure."

Steve headed over towards Martin's for a look. Just as they drove by, Martin noticed the light in the bedroom where Trish slept come on,

"Stop!! The bedroom light just came on on! Either she's back, or someone else is inside my house!" he exclaimed.

"Are you sure it wasn't on already?" Steve asked.

"NO! I just saw it come on, we need to find out what's going on and who's in there."

Steve turned the car around and headed back, parking across the street, he looked up and down the street for the Escalade, but didn't see it anywhere.

"What are you looking for?" asked Jeff.

"Oh, I thought maybe they came back here for their little rendezvous and he parked down the street somewhere so no one would notice."

"Why in the fuck would they do that, when they were already at a hotel? It doesn't make sense," quipped Martin.

"Jeff, go on in and tell your mom you came back for something out of the garage. . . There's that old Zebco rod and reel on the right hand side at the back. Just tell her I forgot it and you came into town for some snacks or something and that you decided to swing on by and get it for me," said Martin. "But be careful, in case it's not her and someone has broken in."

"Alright dad, be back in a minute."

Jeff walked across the street and rang the doorbell. He had a key, but he wasn't going to risk going in and catching his mother having sex with someone. He heard footsteps coming through the house as someone approached, then the door swung open and there stood Trish. She had a troubled look on her face, and acted as though she was getting ready to say something, but stopped herself.

"Oh, I thought you were at the lake with dad and your friend," she said.

"Yeah. . . yeah, I was. . . we are. I just came into town for some more chips and stuff and came by to get the fishing rod that dad forgot."

"Do you know where it's at, is it the one back over in the corner?"

"I'll know it when I see it, it's his old Zebco," he said, "Is there something wrong, mom? You looked kind of agitated and ready to really let someone have it when you opened the door, were you expecting someone else?"

Trish's shoulders drooped and she looked down at the floor.

"Jeff. . . I-I almost did something stupid tonight that I would have regretted for the rest of my life."

"Oh?" he replied.

"Well. . . You know your father and I have been on the outs for a while. . . I wrote your father a letter, hoping that he would talk to me about. . . well. . . you know. On the day I gave it to him. . . right after, I left and went to the market. While I was there, I ran into a man that I haven't seen in years, a very good looking man, I might add. I had a huge crush on him in high school, you have no idea how much I dreamed about he and I being together. "

Trish looked down at the floor again, before raising her head and continuing,

"We talked for a while and then out of the blue, he asked me out to dinner. . . I told him that I was married, but he said it would only be as friends, that's all. When I got home from the store, your dad never approached me at all. . . and. . . I don't know. . . I love your dad so much, but I need some companionship, someone to talk to, to laugh with, you understand, don't you?"