The Photograph

"Sure, Kenny. I'd like that, but before you do, tell me what's bothering you. I know you just didn't decide to contact an old friend on the spur of the moment," asked Penderman.

"You're right, as usual,,Petey. I think I need to use your services. I'll tell you about it when I see you. How about Thursday evening. I can meet you at the Rittenhouse, ok?"

There was a pause. "Okay, Ken. I'll meet you there. I gotta admit, you've got me curious, and oh, by the way, congratulations on the upcoming nuptials. It was in the paper here."

Pete Penderman was the son of Hugh Penderman of Penderman and Penderman, Attorneys at Law, a prestigious law firm in center city. The very wealthy used the firm for situations discreet and sensitive and they had garnered an enviable reputation for handling matters in a way as not to offend the genteel sensibilities of the upper crust.

Ken Weber's request of his buddy was simple. Discreetly find out as much as possible about an assistant pastor by the name of Charles Moore. The law firm had an outstanding in-house investigative arm and Ken was aware of this fact from conversations with Pete during their college years. Pete was curious, but he learned well. He said he would do as Ken asked, but also requested that he be informed about the rest of the story when appropriate.

It took very little time. A few days later Ken received a large envelope with all the pertinent data concerning this assistant pastor. There was much information concerning his early background, but it really got interesting when Ken got to the part about Moore's days at divinity school. It seems that Moore had transferred from the school in the Midwest just before his senior year to a sister school on the east coast. The rumor had been that Moore had gotten a fellow student pregnant, but the girl had dropped out and there was no hard information that implicated him. Interestingly, the rumor persisted which probably was the cause for the transfer.

There was additional information, but it was sketchy and based on innuendo and rumor. Things about strange relationships between Moore and some of the married members of his flock, and while there was a paragraph about Moore's relationship with Connie Sterling, the was no mention of her pregnancy or abortion. The Sterlings seemed to have kept that information pretty well hidden from sources outside the community.

The last item in the envelope was a 8x10 photograph of Charles Moore. Ken studied it intently for a few moments. Moore was a tall, slim, dark haired man. He was dressed casually in a sport coat with a polo underneath. He was smiling at a point just to the left of where the camera must have been. Ken slowly replaced the photograph in the envelope, refastened the clasp and placed the envelope in his briefcase. He then turned his chair and gazed thoughtfully out of the office window.

***************

Ken Weber lifted his head and glanced at the kitchen clock. He noted that he had been sitting and ruminating for almost 2 hours. He rose, stretched and padded to the bar in the living room where he poured two fingers of scotch and then added a couple of ice cubes. He sipped his drink and walked to the glass doors, slid them open and stepped onto the balcony of his condo. He leaned against the railing and gazed up at the sky, now filled with the sparkle of a myriad stars.

Ken raised his glass in salute, a bitter smile on his face. He knew what he had to do. He drained the glass and returned to the living room where he carefully placed the now empty glass on an end table. He picked up the phone and dialed. It was time to put his plan into motion.

"Hello, Pete? It's Ken...

It didn't take long. In under two weeks Ken had all he needed. They sat in Pete's den, Ken glancing almost indifferently through the stack of photographs.

"Sorry, Kenny. They've been having at it ever since we started the investigation. They weren't even too clever about how they went about it. They were seen together often. It almost appeared that she wanted to be caught," Pete said quietly.

Ken nodded. "I'm surprised that you were able to get such clear shots. Where were these taken?"

"They rented a room for the afternoon at a motel in Jersey, across the river. The drapes weren't drawn together too carefully. My man just shot between the curtains," Pete snorted disgustedly.

Ken smiled. "Yeah, they weren't too smart at all. This date at the bottom of the shots, that's accurate?"

Pete hesitated and grimaced a bit. "Yeah, Ken - sorry. Shit, just a few weeks before the wedding too."

****************

Ken prided himself on his acting ability, his demeanor at the bank and with Connie and her parents changed not. When in bed with his bride-to-be he was still the amorous and considerate lover. He was aroused when appropriate, although it took a supreme strength of will.

In the meantime the swirl of wedding activities continued. Ken smiled inwardly each time that Horace Sterling grossed about the obscene cost of the affair. It was approaching six figures, but Margaret and Connie quickly overcame his objections.

It was on an evening just days before the wedding. They had just finished rutting (that's how Ken viewed it in his mind) when Connie turned to him and queried, "c'mon, Kenny. What's going on. What do you have planned?"

Ken turned to her in surprise. "What? What are you talking about, sweetie?"

Connie shook her head in impatience. "You know, Ken. You've been looking like the cat who ate the canary. You know, kind of smug and self satisfied. I know you, you have a surprise for me, don't you? C'mon, honey. Tell me...pleeeeze?"

It took a major effort for Ken not to laugh explosively. He managed to keep his mirth contained and moved to allay her curiosity. "Sweetie, you're just going to have to wait for the surprise. Let's just say that it has to do with our, ahh..honeymoon. Right, the honeymoon."

Connie bounced up and down on the bed. Ken noted almost absently that that wasn't the only thing that bounced. Her breasts had stopped quivering when she squealed delightedly. "I knew it, I just knew it. We're going to Paris. That's it, isn't it, Kenny. We're going to spend our honeymoon in Paris, aren't we?"

Ken smiled contentedly. "It's a surprise, sweetie...a big surprise. I'll tell you right after the wedding. You're just going to have to wait, sweetie. You're just going to have to wait."

***************

After the ceremony and at the reception, Ken strolled through the crowd, accepting the congratulations, smiling at everyone. He made his way to the small stage and looking about, noticed, to his delight, that Charles Moore was an invited guest. Taking the microphone from the MC he tapped it to make certain it was working and the asked the crowd for their attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen...folks," he paused, looking around the large hall, waiting for the hubbub to subside.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for coming, many of you from distant places, to support my bride and I at our wedding. Doesn't she look lovely in her beautiful white gown?" Letting the applause die down Ken continued.

"I would also like to thank my father-in-law and mother-in-law for providing such a lavish reception." Another round of applause. Ken beamed at the Sterlings.

"As a token of my deep appreciation I want to give each of you a special gift from me. Taped to the bottom of each chair you'll find a large envelope. Please take and open it now."

Everyone bustled to retrieve the envelopes. Those seated at the wedding party table looked confused, there were no envelopes at the chairs there.

Inside each envelope was an 8x10 glossy of his bride and Charles Moore, in exquisite detail, having sex. The crowd erupted in shock and while there were gasps heard, there was also quite a few titters and laughter here and there.

Ken continued, over the noise. "My darling bride. Be informed that I've taken steps to have this farce of a marriage annulled. Have a miserable life." and he turned and walked out of the hall.