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Murder
On the night of June 3, 1922 Wilfred caries out his plan to kill Arlette, his wife. He had mentally prepared himself for what was to come and had gotten his son involved as well. The night of the murder he had gotten Arlette extremely intoxicated so she would sleep heavily during that time would be when he would kill her quickly and painlessly or so he thought. -
Omaha, Nebraska
In Omaha, Nebraska a man named Wilfred murders his wife June 3rd 1922. He is motivated to do so because his wife Arlette, is trying to sell land that she inherit from her father and move to St. Louis and take their son away with her and leave him alone with the farm. Wilfred doesn't initially think his plan out all the way through however he slowly breaks down his sons morals to include him in the plot which shows how he is early in the story a conniving man. -
Readjusting
The day after the murder Wilfred and his son Henry clear out all evidence that could have gotten them caught. Already Wilfred is feeling guilt and beginning to hallucinate. This is the beginning of his downward spiral into madness. -
Midnight Madness
Late at night Wilfred wakes up in a pool of sweat, he was dreaming about Arlettes grotesque figure in the deep well where he threw her. Hes starting to hallucinate and smell blood everywhere. -
The plan
Once all the evidence is rid of Wilfred is met by a police officer who asks where Arlette is and he uses his well devised plan and says she ran off to St. Louis which the officer believes and goes on his way. He had gotten away with murder but the worst was still yet to come. -
Wilfred and Henry
Wilfred doubts Henry's ability to keep their secret so he starts giving him everything he wants in fear of him telling. Wilfred is consumed by this fear but continues to try forcing his thoughts about Arlette aside and live as he always had. -
Henry's departure
After a couple of weeks Wilfred has come to suppress his thoughts about Arlette but still has his nightmares that wake him up in the night. Henry leaves to go live with his girlfriend in Montana and Wilfred is left totally alone with just himself and his thoughts. -
What to do
Wilfred cannot pursue Henry or send the law after him because Henry threatened to tell the police about the murder which is something he cannot afford because he just began to get used to normal life again so he remains quiet and goes on like this for another few years. -
The apartment
Wilfred has now sold the land he lived on along with what his wife had inherited. He could no longer bear to live in the house because his hallucinations came back and he was going mad. -
The End
Wilfred sits in a small apartment in Omaha in the end of the story and is writing a letter explaining all that he had done.