Chapter One

"Coming!",Isabel yelled in response to the doorbell that just rang. She was getting herself prepared for her evening flight targeted at her business trip as she had been promoted at her workplace earlier.

"Oh Miss Edna...come...come in",she said showing her in.

"Oh no, I just came to give you these fruits and flowers and say my final goodbyes",she said as she held out a basket with fruit, decorated with flowers.

"They are from my garden.Hope you'll like them",she added

"Of course I will. Thank you so much but I won't be long and I'm sure by the time I return, baby Darwin would have been ready to make a womb escape", Isabel said referring to Edna's baby bump. Edna chuckled.

" It's not like I'll be gone forever. In fact, I shall be back after three days.So how's Darwin doing?",Isabel explained.

"He's doing great. Isabel, I wish you the best of luck in your field trip but I can't stay any much longer. I've got to go "

"Okay, extend my greetings to him".

" Okay, he'll hear about it but I have got to go.Bye Isabel"

"Byeee!",Isabel exclaimed as she waved.

Edna Banks and Darwin Banks, a young couple just living next door to Isabel. They've been married for almost two years and are expecting their first child. Edna is a free spirited young woman who easily make friends with people living within her atmosphere. Her husband Darwin,one of a kind,is a young leader and an upcoming pastor at his church but barely makes a lot of friends. He sometimes contends with his wife's habit of making friends but she always ignores those efforts of his.They have been really great neighbours to Isabel with Edna doing most of the visiting of course. Darwin was just a quiet man about his business.Last Christmas was a joyous one as they came over to celebrate it with her. This probably would have been Edna's idea as her reluctant husband wouldn't have thought about that but they really had a great time.

Edna walked briskly to her house ,which was just a stone's throw from Isabel's, just in time to prepare supper. As she entered the house,she saw her husband doing the same thing she had warned him about over a thousand times.

"Darwin! Are you still at it again",she glared at him sitting behind a front desk counting money on the table.

"Yes I am. And what are going to do about it huh? Stick your lousy nose into it like you did the last time?",he yelled angrily.

"What has come over you, Darwin? Why do allow pride and greed to fill your heart. I told you I do not support this embezzlement plan of yours"

"And whoever asked for your support? Do you know that we live on these?And besides I'm not the only one who embezzles the money.Even the Bishop sometimes does so"

"But even as a young leader,you get paid. That money alone is enough to keep us for at least three months though they are wages.And if every other guy is doing it, you should know better , Darwin. You should practice what you preach. What will happen when you are found out?People will start calling you names. People will call you fake and you would be a big disgrace to this family. Look, I've had enough of this nonsense. ", He kept silent for a while.

"You are my husband and my husband is an honest man of God and we do not tolerate such deeds in this house.You know what? I'm taking this money where it belongs and I won't just sit here and watch you do the wrong thing", and with that moved towards the counter on which the money was,collected it with intenton to return it the next time she went to church.

"You better put that back,Edna",he said growling like a bear trying to overcome the raging storm in his heart.

"Edna!", but she ignored him and went her way, just about to keep the money somewhere safe to return it later. Darwin went running after her and snatched the money from her, pushed her away and turned his back to her because she was being relentless. As vulnerable as she was,she tumbled over the coffee table and hit her head on the glass center table.

"Listen,Edna, I get your point but I can't do this. I'm sorry. I just can't do this. At least not now,I need it. We all need it. At least think about the future" ,he didn't even know what had happened.

"Edna. Edna?",he said as he turned around.

"Oh my God! Edna,what happened to you?!!",he exclaimed as he saw blood oozing from his wife's head and nostrils.

"Noo! Edna please get up! I promise you I won't take money from the church ever again .Just get up okay and you will see...I won't...please get up...please!", but she was already gone with her baby bump.

"Argggghh....what have I done?!!!"

"Oh God,why me? Why now? At this time. At this moment,why?!",he exclaimed amidst tears as he stared at his wife lying there motionless.

"This is all your fault, Edna.You shouldn't have interfere into this matter and now see what has happened to you. What am I supposed to do now. Why did you find me trouble at this hour,huh...ohh,what a waste?"

Now the last thing he ever wanted on this earth is to go to jail or make up the front pages of newspapers and news headlines: "Man of God Murders His wife With Unborn Child". He's got a reputation to protect and he's got to think of something .After a while,an idea dropped into his head and he smiled. It was a good idea but certainly not a good one for his next victim.