Lamb to the Slaughter pt 1

Mary maloney was waiting for her husband to come home from work. Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when she would come home. There was a slow smiling air about her, about everything she did. The drop of a head as she bent over her sewing was curiously tranquil. Her skin, for this was her 6th month with child. It acquired a wonderful translucent quality. Her mouth was soft, and the eyes, with her new placid look, seemed larger, darker than before. When the clock said ten minutes to 5, she began to listen, and a few moments later, punctually, as always, she heard the tires on the gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the footsteps passing the window, the key, turning in the lock. She laid aside her sewing, her stood up, and went forward to kiss him as he came in. Hello, darling, she said, hello, darling. He answered. She took his coat and hung it in the closet. Then she walked over and made the drinks, a strongish one for him, a weak one for herself. And soon she was back again in her chair with the sewing, and he and the other, opposite, holding the tall glass with both hands, rocking it so the ice cubes tinkled against the side. For her this was always a blissful time of day. 

She knew he didn't want to speak much until the first drink was finished, and she, on her side, was content to sit quietly, enjoying his company, after the long hours alone in the house. She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to feel almost as a sunbather feels of the sun, that warm male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone together. She loved him for the way he sat loosely in a chair for the way he came in the door, or moved slowly across the room with long strides. She loved intent far look in his eyes when they rested in her. The funny shape of his mouth, and especially the way he remained silent about his tiredness. Sitting still with himself until the whisky had taken some of it away. Tired darling? Yes, he said, I'm tired. And as he spoke, he did an unusual thing. He lifted his glass and drained it in one swallow, although there was still half of it, at least half of it left. She wasn't really watching him, but she knew what he had done because she heard ice cubes falling back against the bottom of the empty glass, when he lowered his arm. He paused a moment, leaning forward in the chair. Then he got up and went slowly over to fetch himself another. I'll get it. She cried jumping up, sit down. He said, when he came back, she noticed that the new drink was dark amber with the quantity of whisky in it. Darling, shall I get your slippers? No. She watched him as he began to sip the dark yellow drink, and she could see the little oily swirls in the liquid because it was so strong. 

I think it's a shame, she said, that when a policeman gets to be as senior as you, they keep him walking about on his feet all day long. He didn't answer, so she bent her head again and went on with her sewing. But each time he lifted the drink to her lips, she heard the ice cubes clinking against the side of the glass. Darling, she said, would you like me to get you some cheese? I haven't made any supper because it's Thursday. No, he said. If you're too tired to eat out, she went on, it's still not too late. There's plenty of meat and stuff in the freezer, and you can have it right here and not even move out of the chair. Her eyes waited on him for an answer, a smile, a little nod, but he made no sign. Anyway, she went on, I'll give you some cheese and crackers first. I don't want it, he said. She moved uneasily in her chair. The large eyes still watching his face. But you must eat, I'll fix it anyway, and then you can have it or not, as you like. She stood up and placed her sewing on the table by the lamp. Sit down, he said, just for a minute, sit down. It wasn't until then that she began to get frightened. Go on, he said, sit down. She lowered herself back slowly into the chair, watching him all the time with those large bewildered eyes. He had finished the second drink and was staring down into the glass frowning. Listen, he said, I've got something to tell you. What is it darling? What's the matter? He had now become absolutely motionless, and he kept his head down so that the light from the lamp beside him fell across the upper part of his face. Leaving the chin and mouth and shadow. She noticed there was a little muscle moving near the corner of his eye. So here's a question. 

So go ahead and pause this and answer these two questions. Based on the evidence that you've read so far in the story. This is going to be a bit of a shock to you. I'm afraid, he said. But I've thought about it a good deal, and I've decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won't blame me too much. And he told her. It didn't take long, four or 5 minutes at most, and she sat very still through it all, watching him with a date kind of dazed horror as he went further and further away from her with each word. What is the new spectrum tells Mary? What makes you think that? So there's another question. So there it is. He added, and I know it's kind of a bad time to be telling you. But there simply wasn't any other way. Of course, I'll give you money and see that your look after, but there needn't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldn't be very good for my job. Her first instinct was not to believe any of it, to reject it all. It occurred to her that perhaps he hadn't even spoken, that she herself had imagined the whole thing. Maybe if she went about her business and acted as though she hadn't been listening, then later when she sort of woke up again, she might find none of it had ever happened. I'll get the supper. She managed to whisper, and this time he didn't stop her. 

When she walked across the room she couldn't feel her feet touching the floor. She couldn't feel anything at all, except a slight nausea and a desire to vomit. Everything was automatic now, down the steps to the cellar, the light switch, the deep freeze, the hand inside the cabinet taking hold of the first object it met. She lifted it out, and looked at it. It was wrapped in paper, so she took off the paper and looked at it again. A leg of lamb. All right then, they would have lamb for supper. She carried it upstairs, holding the thin bone end of it with both her hands, and as she went through the living room, she saw him standing over by the window, with his back to her, and she stopped. For God's sake, he said, hearing her but not turning around. Don't make supper for me. I'm going out. At that point, Mary maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air, and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head. She might as well have hit him with a steel club. She stepped back a piece, waiting, and the funny thing was that he remained standing there for at least four or 5 seconds, gently swaying. Then he crashed to the carpet. The violence of the crash, the noise, the small table overturning, helped bring her body out of shock. 

She came out slowly, feeling cold and surprised, and she stood for a while blinking at the body. Still holding the ridiculous piece of meat tight with both hands. All right, she told herself, so I've killed him. Here's another question here. So take a minute and answer that one. It was extraordinary now how clear her mind became all of a sudden. She began thinking very fast, as the wife of a detective, she knew quite well with the penalty would be. That was fine. It made no difference to her, in fact it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the child? What were the laws about murderers with unborn children? Did they kill them both? Mother and child, or did they wait until the tenth month? What did they do? Mary maloney didn't know, and she certainly wasn't prepared to take a chance. She carried the meat into the kitchen. Placed it in a pan, and turned the oven on high, and shoved it inside. Then she washed her hands and ran upstairs to the bedroom. She sat down before the mirror, tidied her hair, touched up her law. Her lips and face. She tried a smile. It came out rather peculiar. She tried again. Hello, Sam. She said brightly, aloud. 

The voice sounded peculiar, too. I want some potatoes, please, Sam. Yes, and I think a can of peas. That was better. Both the smile and the voice were coming out better now. She rehearsed it several times. Several times more. Then she ran downstairs, took her coat, went out the back door down the garden into the street. It wasn't 6 o'clock yet, and the lights were still on in the grocery shop. Hello, Sam, she said brightly, smiling at the man behind the counter. Why good evening, miss maloney, how are you? I want some potatoes, please, Sam. Yes, and I think a can of peas. The man turned and reached up behind him on the shelf for the peas. Patrick's decided he's tired and doesn't want to eat out tonight, she told him. We usually go out Thursdays, you know, and now he's caught me without any vegetables in the house. Then how about meat, misses maloney? No, I've got meat thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb in the freezer. Oh. I don't know much like cooking frozen Sam, but I'm taking a chance on it this time. You think it'll be all right? Personally, the grocer said, I don't believe it makes any difference. You want these Idaho potatoes? Oh yes, that'll be fine. Two of those. Anything else? The grocer cocked his head on one side, looking at her pleasantly. How about afterwards, what are you going to give him for afterwards? Well, what would you suggest Sam? The man glanced around his shop. 

How about a nice big slice of cheesecake? I know he likes that. Perfect, she said, he loves it. And when it was all wrapped and she had paid, she put on her brightest smile, and said, thank you, Sam. Good night. Good night, misses maloney, and thank you. And now she told herself as she hurried back, all she was doing now, she was returning home to her husband, and he was waiting for his supper. She must cook it good and make it as tasty as possible, because the poor man was tired, and if, when she entered the house she happened to find anything unusual or tragic or terrible, then naturally it would be a shock and she'd become frantic with grief and horror. Mind you, she wasn't expecting to find anything. She was just going home with the vegetables. Misses Patrick maloney going home with the vegetables on Thursday evening to cook supper for her husband. That's the way she told herself, do everything right and natural. Keep things absolutely natural and there'll be no need for any acting at all. So here's number 6. So go ahead and pause this and answer that question. Therefore, when she entered the kitchen by the back door she was humming a little tune to herself and smiling.

Patrick, she called, how are you darling? She put the parcel down on the table and went through into the living room, and when she saw him lying there on the floor with his legs doubled up and one arm twisted back underneath his body, it really was rather a shock. All the old love and longing for him weld up inside her, and she ran over to him, knelt down beside him, and began to cry her heart out. It was easy. No acting was necessary. A few minutes later, she got up and went to the phone. She knew the number of the police station, and when the man at the other end answered, she cried to him, quick, come quick, Patrick's dead. Who's speaking? Misses maloney, misses Patrick maloney. You mean Patrick maloney is dead? I think so. She sobbed, he's lying on the floor, and I think he's dead. Be right over the man said. The car came very quickly, and when she opened the front door, two policemen walked in. She knew them both, she knew nearly all the men at the precinct, and she fell right into a chair, then went over to join the other one, who was called O'Malley, kneeling by the body. Is he dead? She cried. 

I'm afraid he is. What happened? Briefly, she told her story about going out to the grocer and coming back to find him on the floor. While she was talking, crying and talking, noonan discovered a small patch of congealed blood on the dead man's head. He showed it to maloney, who got up once and hurried to the phone. All right, so here's number 7. This will be the end of this section, so there will be a part two of the video. So when you're done answering question number 7, head on over to part two.