Pendulum

by Stephanie

Disclaimer: As always, this is just for fun! I do not own the characters of Jessica Fletcher or George Sutherland. And like everyone else who is participating in this Writer’s Challenge, my intent is not to infringe on anyone’s copyright, nor is it to make any money.

Note from the author: This story is came about when I began another Writer’s Workshop project – writing Donald Bain’s “Coffee, Tea, or Murder” in George Sutherland’s voice. As you will see, I am approaching that project by re-writing the story as it might have been before it was edited by the powers that be. This segment is the second installment in yet another fan fiction 100 trilogy, and picks up the story during the final chapter. Part one can be found under “Wheel” and part three under “Million.”

She shrugged in response to my question. “I don’t know - not with any degree of certainty. What I do know, George, is that I have only ever loved two men in my life. I lost one of them nearly nine years ago. And although I have no immediate plans to make any radical changes to my life, I also have no intention of losing the other one.”

My heart swelled with emotion at her words but I before I could respond we entered the traffic pattern and Jessica began calling out each leg of our pattern on the radio as she lined us up with the asphalt runway below. I had no choice but to sit quietly and watch.

I don’t know if she was aiming for the numbers painted boldly on the runway but she set the plane down directly on top of them, as smooth a landing as I had ever experienced.

She taxied the plane back to the terminal, passing Jed, who was preparing to go up with a student.

“Bravo, Jessica,” I exclaimed once we had parked and the engine had been turned off. I removed my headset and leaned over to kiss her. “Next thing I know, you’ll have your sights set on flying for NASA.”

“I’d take you with me to the moon,” she said in response, a broad smile on her face.
I leaned forward and rested my forehead against hers. “And I wouldn’t hesitate to go.”

We spent the afternoon antiquing in downtown Cabot Cove, neither of us shopping for anything in particular but rather simply enjoying each other’s company. The evening was a slightly more formal affair, involving dinner with the Mayor and his wife, Seth, and the Metzgers and Richardsons.

Later that night I found myself unable to fall asleep, lying awake for what seemed like hours, listening to the maddening tick tock, tick tock of the pendulum on Seth’s grandfather clock as it swung back and forth just across the hall from my room. I’m not completely sure whether it was my own restlessness, the bloody clock, or Seth’s snoring in the room above mine that prevented me from nodding off, but I’d prefer to blame the latter two variables in the equation. I had to do something, so I threw back the blankets and crawled out of bed.

Not long after I had dressed and slipped quietly out Seth’s back door I found myself standing in the shadows two stories below Jessica’s bedroom, tossing small pebbles against her window pane. A small lamp was alight, presumably on her night table. Had it not been, I would have simply been content to pass by on my walk as I enjoyed the crisp sea air.

After what seemed like the tenth or twelve pebble (although I’m sure it was only five or six), I saw the curtains part and Jessica’s silhouette press itself firmly against the glass, trying to make out the shadowy figure down below.

Finally, the window slid up. “George? Is that you?”

“Aye, it is.”

“What are you doing?”

“Having a walk. Would you like to join me?”

“You couldn’t sleep?”

“Nae. Seth snores like a freight train.”

Jessica laughed and then looked down at her nightgown. “Give me a few minutes to change into something more appropriate,” she finally said before sliding the window back into place.

To see how the trilogy ends, continue by reading “Million.”