Fractured (end)

Dee woke up, safe and sound in her bed. She had a vague sense that she had been dreaming an awful dream, but no matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn't remember a single thing from it. The gentle snores of a newborn baby drifted up from the bassinet beside her bed. She smiled brightly at the sweet babe by her side. Sitting up and stretching felt so good. But what had been in her dream?

She put the thoughts aside and slipped into her robe. She could smell the aroma of fresh coffee being brewed downstairs. Everything felt so perfect. From the kitchen, she looked out into the garden. Her husband was out there fussing over some flowers. She went to the back door, and down the porch steps to greet him.

He looked up, startled at the squeak of the screen door.

His smile spread from ear to ear and Dee couldn't help but return the grin. She felt as if she had been cooped up for so long and the beauty of this garden forgotten. For a moment, the joy filling her threatened to spill over in the form of tears--her sweet new baby, this lovely home.

"Welcome home," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. The strength and love seeped into her core, and the tears spilled as a laugh escaped her lips. She was so happy to be home.

***

Jack shifted the news camera to his shoulder and prepared the shot for the live news report about to take place. He hated these stories. The squalid shack of a home was in the background, and the field repeater lifted the microphone...

"It has been confirm by the authorities that the body of a young woman was discovered in the home you see behind me. Neighbors had complained for years of strange sounds of crying coming from this home where they all believed the man charged in this grisly crime had lived alone..."