“Excuse me, sir,” The cop said. “Do you live here?”
“Y-yes.” He choked out.
“Are you Mr Bernard Holloway?”
“Y-yes.”
“Good evening, Mr Holloway,” The cop went on, his voice expressionless. “I was wondering if we could go inside and have a talk. My partner is waiting in there. With your daughter.”
“Y-yes.”
“Perhaps you’d like to park your car.”
“Y-yes.”
Somehow Bernie managed to pull into the driveway, though he was sure it was at a terrible angle. Everything seemed very difficult. It even took him a long time to get the keys out of the ignition. When he stepped out on shaking legs the cop was standing there, grave and expressionless. In the dim light Bernie could see a hard plain face, emotionless eyes.
“Let’s go inside, shall we?” The cop said.
Bernie nodded, defeated, letting the cop follow him into the house. The door was unlocked. The living room was lit up. Another cop was standing in here, very similar to the other one. Through his swimming vision, he saw Hayley sitting on the couch in her uniform, next to someone he recognized. It was Father Bland, the local priest. He looked haggard and disturbed. Oh God, Bernie, thought, she told him.
“Hello, Bernard.” The priest said gravely.
“Hello, um, Father.”
“I guess you’re wondering why we’re all here,” The priest went on, Bernie noticing now that his eyes were quite red. “Maybe you should sit down.”
“Y-yes.” Bernie said, knowing it looked bad that he wasn’t questioning them, instead just sitting meekly in the armchair facing the priest and his daughter. Hayley was looking at him with her blue eyes, lips pouted, seeming more confused than anything. Even now, petrified, he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her legs and breasts.
“Perhaps it would be better if Hayley went away for the moment, Bernard.”
Bernie looked up guiltily from her chest. “Y-yes,” He said. “G-go wait in y-your room, honey.”
“Yes Daddy.” Hayley walked out looking even more bewildered. Bernie was left alone with the priest and the two cops.
“Now, Bernard,” The priest started, taking a deep breath. “I’ve asked the officers here if I could speak to you first. I know you are not a member of our congregation, but I believe you are a good man. I asked them if I could come with them to speak to you.”
Bernie was unable to speak, the eyes of the priest hypnotic. Oh God, he thought, save me, save me from jail! I’ll never touch her again!
“I know you are a good man, Bernard. I know that you love Hayley very much. There can be great strength in such love, can’t there?”
Bernie said nothing, gripping the chair in terror.
“Sometimes bad things can happen, even when you are a good person. I’m sure you know this already, Bernard. All I can say to you, is that God has a plan for us all, even for you. Even when bad things happen, God is looking over our shoulder.”
Bernie was starting to shake. He was sure that they would be able to see how afraid he was, that he was going to have no chance of denying their accusations. He was taking small panicked breaths, relishing every last free whiff of air, knowing that his life was over now. Soon the hammer would fall and he would be finished. The priest’s eyes bored into him and he was sure he saw the fires of retribution in them.
“Alright!” He blurted, looking around at them. “Alright! I admit it!”
“Admit what?” Father Bland asked, startled back into his seat. The cops looked back at Bernie with expressions of surprise and consternation. Bernie tried to answer him, tried to spit out his confession. He couldn’t. His throat was frozen, his pulse pounding in his brain.
“Bernard, calm down,” Father Bland spoke gently. “I’m not here to accuse you of missing church. I have some bad news, Bernard. I am very sorry to tell you that Freda was in an accident earlier tonight. She was killed, Bernard. I’m sorry to have to bring you such news. She is with God now, in peace.”
“What?” Bernie asked, confused. “What did you say?”
“There was an accident tonight at the church and Freda, your wife, has been killed,” The priest said quietly, tears in his eyes. “I’m very sorry. I know it is very hard to understand.”
“H-how?” Bernie asked. “H-how did it h-happen?”
“Bernard, I don’t think you should trouble yourself with that right now.”
“No. T-tell me what h-happened.”
“Well,” The priest said reluctantly. “Freda was doing some cleaning for us. She was trying to polish the cross that he have mounted on our wall. We’re not sure what happened, Bernard, but it seems that the cross fell on Freda. Its very large, you see, very heavy wood. By the time I ran out of my chamber, well, it was too late.”
“I see.” Bernie said, feeling strangely calm.
“The police tell me there’s going to be an investigation. No-one is sure right now as to how the cross fell.”
“I see.” Bernie repeated himself.
The priest talked some more, then the police wanted to talk to him, lots of official phrases and instructions that he didn’t take in. They gave him cards and some papers and told him they would contact him tomorrow. Bernie nodded and nodded, not talking. Eventually they all got up to leave.
“Bernard,” Father Bland said, touching his arm. “I thought it best not to tell Hayley. It would be best if you broke the news to her. Look to God, Bernard, and he will help you.”
“Thankyou.” Bernie said blankly. The police and the priest went to the door and Bernie closed it after them, leaning on it heavily. He heard them speak quietly on the other side.
“I know he’s had a shock,” One of the cops was saying. “But that guy seemed a bit weird.”
“Don’t judge him harshly, officer,” Father Bland answered, their voices receding. “Poor man has a teenage daughter to raise on his own now.”
Bernie leant against the door. He thought of Freda, of the young Freda, of the girl he had loved and married. He remembered her in bed, wild, hair tousled. Lovely. Then he thought of Hayley. God, he had to tell Hayley. How was he going to do it?
He walked down the hallway towards Hayley’s bedroom, his mind a total blank. When he reached her doorway he saw her sitting there on the edge of the bed, the Bible open in her lap, reading. She looked up at him with those innocent blue eyes.
“Daddy,” She said sweetly. “What did the Father want? Has Mummy come home yet?”
“No, not yet,” He said. “I’m afraid I have some bad news, honey.”
“Oh, what’s wrong?” She asked, worried.
Bernie unzipped his fly and pulled out his cock. The nine inches of meat was already stiffening just from looking at her. Hayley’s eyes widened as she saw it.
“Oh no!” She cried. “Its all swollen again.”
“Yeah, honey,” He slurred. “Daddy needs you.”
“Should I suck it for you, Daddy?” She asked.
“Yes, but let’s try a new technique, honey. Here, lie down like this, okay? Now put your head here. Just let me take off my pants. Yes, lie like that.”
Bernie kicked his trousers into the corner. Hayley was lying as he had directed her, on her back with her head hanging over the edge of the mattress. Her long blonde hair hung down to the floor. She was looking up at him, her lush pink lips slightly open.