Frightened five-year-old Timmy darts to the far corner of his closet. He finds his baby blanket crumpled on his floor, Timmy grabs it and throws it over his trembling body.

"Please God, please make them stop fighting. Oh please make them stop," he begs. He huddles down in the corner, he covers his ears. He can still hear his daddy's angry voice echo through their hall.

Bill storms across their kitchen. The green checked tile and lime green appliances haven't been remodeled since it was originally built. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you? I expect my supper on the table when I get home," Bill yells in a drunken rage.

Janet smells an intoxicating scent of his nightly liquor lingering on his breath. She takes a few steps back as she gags from the foul stench.

"How many times do we have to go through this? Huh, how many?" he slaps her across the face.

"I... I'm sorry, Bill it'll never happen again," she covers her throbbing cheek.

"You're always sorry, a sorry excuse for a wife. I don't know why I even married you," he screams, as he slaps her again. "The only things you have to do all day is clean the house and get my supper, but you obviously can't do either." He shoves a stack of dirty dishes on the floor. Small fragments scatter across the filthy tile.

She drops to her knees and starts cleaning up the mess.

"Yeah, you better clean that up, if you know what's good for you." He puts his muddy foot on her back and then pushes her to the floor. "Get down there closer, so you can get all the broken pieces. I better not get one sliver in my foot, or, there'll be hell to pay," he warns, as he grabs a beer from the fridge. He turns around to sees she's slowly working on the shattered tableware. "Oh for God's sakes, Timmy can clean it up faster than that," he kicks her in the butt.

She tumbles into a pile of broken plates.

He grabs her long brown hair and pulls her to her hands and knees. "Get to cleaning," he orders.

"Y ...yes, Sir." Blood trickles down her head as she gathers up the slivers.

"Bring my supper in the front room when you're finished," he instructs. He kicks her in the ribs. "That's so you'll remember to have dinner on the table when I get home."

"I ...I will, I promise," she blubbers, as she grabs her aching side.

"You damn well better." he storms out of the room.

A few minutes later he stomps back in the kitchen. "I'd like my supper tonight."

"I... I'm getting it for you now." She tosses a handful of broken glass into the garbage beside her.

He grabs her hair and pulls her to her feet. With one hard shove, he sends her flying across their kitchen.

Her thin, frail body slams into the stove; spices fall across the top.

"Cook me something, right now," he demands. He marches towards the living room.

Janet is grabbing leftovers out of their fridge when she hears a loud thud. I better make sure he's alright. Emptying her hands, she runs to the front room. She realizes Bill's face is buried in a pile of clothes. I can't have you suffocate on me. Janet starts to roll him over when a thought occurs to her. If he did smother, Timmy and I would finally be free, but I'd be a murderer if I let him die. I wouldn't get charged if the police thought it was an accident. Could I live with myself knowing what I've done? What about everything he's done to me and Timmy? After a quick mental debate, she reluctantly reaches down. She notices blood gushing from the back of his head as she starts to turn him over. "What happened, Bill?"  she asks, as she drops to her knees. He didn't respond. She grabs some clothes and applies pressure to the wound. I've got to get help, but he'll die if I leave. "Timmy," she screams. Not seeing the child, she tries again. "Timmy, I need you now."

Hearing the desperation in his mommy's voice, he runs into the front room. "What's wrong, Mommy?"

"Daddy's been hurt."

"Hurt?" he asks as he walks closer.

"I need for you to go to the neighbors and call 911."

Timmy glances down at his daddy's lifeless body; tears stream down his cheeks. 

Janet looks towards her child. "Do it now."

Timmy glances back and forth between his Mother and Father not sure what to do.

"Go now."

Overwhelmed with emotions, Timmy darts out the door. A bloody bat falls to the floor behind him. 

*****

Three Berryville Detectives are sitting at their desks in the far corner of the station. Commotion continues all around them as they work on an old case.

Rachel, their newest team member loves cold cases, because of their additional challenges. Her partners, Joe and Jerry find them to be exhausting.

"I understand why this case went cold so fast. There's nothing to work with." He pulls off his glasses and tosses them on his desk. Jerry's been a part of the police force for nearly fifteen years. He loves the work and hopes to continue until he retires.

"See what you can find out about him," Joe instructs. Joe's been with the department nearly twenty years; he's worked his way up from beat cop to Sergeant.

"I already did. Bill's married, has two young kids 4 and 2. He worked at Eureka Springs Police Department for nearly ten years. Bill's wife, Liz is a stay at home mom." Rachel informs him. She started at the police station five years ago. After helping her partners solve a case, she decides detective work is her true passion.

"So, find out everything you can about their marriage. Jerry I'd like you to interview his friends and family. I'll interview his co-workers, see if I can find out why he was at the park so early."

"That'll have to wait," the captain says as he walks up to their desks. The three turn towards their boss.

"What's going on, Captain?" Joe questions as he runs his hands through his thinning hair.

"There's been a murder in the trailer park." The captain shifts his stance.

"I knew he'd kill Janet someday, I just knew it. I tried to warn her this would happen." Joe yells as he springs up from his chair. 

The captain holds up his hand to stop him. "She isn't our victim, he is."

*****

The three detectives arrive to find officers dragging Janet out of her house in handcuffs. Her once white floral dress was covered in blood. There were cuts and bruises on her face and a trail of dried blood on the side of her head.

"I want to talk to her after she's been treated," Joe informs the paramedic as he passes them.

"Yes, Sir." The rookie nods.

"Who was the first to arrive, Son?" Joe asks as he glances at the cruisers parked across the lawn.

"Kirk, Sir, he's still processing the scene." He points towards the house.

Joe notices Sharon, their medical examiner beside their victim when he steps inside. He then notices the filthy mess that surrounds him. I guess Janet gave up on housework too. "Do you have anything for me, Sharon?"

"I'm ruling his cause of death as blunt force trauma to the back of his head. I believe this is your murder weapon." She holds up a bloody bat. "The impression marks match his wound and I found this embedded in his skull." She holds up a small plastic bag containing a sliver of wood. "I'll confirm the match when I get it to my lab."

"Let me know what you find.

Sharon nods. "I will Joe."

Joe finds Kirk in the kitchen, he walks over to him. "I heard you're first on the scene, Son?"

 He glances up from the floor. "The first officer, the paramedics were here when I arrived."

"Describe what you saw?"

"The EMT's were on the porch when I pulled up. They said she was swinging a baseball bat around like a wild woman. Said she wouldn't let them near the body. I find her standing over him, her weapon in hand. I told her she needs to give me the bat, so the paramedics can help her husband and she hands the weapon right over."

"Tell me about the house, Kirk."

"The fight started in their kitchen. I believe he beat her up and then goes into the front room. She sneaks up behind him and clobbers him with a bat."

Joe tilts his head."Guess she's finally had enough." Joe is heading towards the ambulance when Rachel runs towards him.

"Whatcha got for me, Detective?"

"Their next-door neighbors said Bill pulls up to the house around a quarter till nine. A few minutes later, they hear her scream and then glass breaking so they called 911."

"Did they see what happened?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No."

"Has anyone interviewed Janet yet?" 

"We figured you'd want to since you're a friend of the family."

"I'll go talk to her, you finish talking to the neighbors and the little boy," he instructs.

"Yes, Sir."

~~~

"How's Janet?" Joe asks the paramedic.

"Her only injuries are the superficial wounds on her face from Bill's beating earlier this evening."

Joe walks to the rear of the vehicle. "Janet, I need to talk...." Realizing it's empty, he runs to the EMT.

"Where is she?" Joe asks running his fingers through his hair.

"She's on the bus." He points behind him.

"No, she's not." They dart to the back. 

Angry, Joe turns towards the paramedic. "Why didn't you stay with her?"

"I didn't think she'd run."