Essay/Term paper: A cry in the night

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Cliff Notes

a cry in the night:  Setting: The story starts in New York City, most
likely present day. Then as the story goes on it moves to minnesota out to
Erich's farm. It is winter in Minnesota and very cold. Characters: Jenny is the
main character of the story. She is a divorced mother of two. She is young and
pretty.

A Cry in the Night

Setting: The story starts in New York City, most likely present day. Then as
the story goes on it moves to minnesota out to Erich's farm. It is winter in
Minnesota and very cold. Characters: Jenny is the main character of the story.
She is a divorced mother of two. She is young and pretty. She works at an art
museum in New York City to support herself and her two little girls. She is kind
and sweet and has a brilliant sense of humor. Erich is an artist. He's
mysterious and curious. His actions speak louder then most words because he
tends to be quiet during the story. On the outside he seems like the most
perfect man. The type that every woman hopes of meeting and falling in love
with. But on the inside he holds dark secrets of his past and a twisted, hateful
mind. Kevin is Jenny's ex-husband. He's a struggling actor with a great sense of
humor. He tends to be a little selfish, but always tries to put everything on
the good side of the hill. He cares about Jenny and his children even if it
seems like he doesn't. Clyde is the old man who works on Erich's farm. He
basically runs the place and had been around ever since Erich was in diapers. He
worked with Erich's father to make his farm the most respected and well known in
the county. Rooney is Clyde's wife. She used to be great friends with Erich's
mother. She turns to Jen to give her a friend and some confidence. Everyone
around the farm thinks that Rooney is crazy and doesn't know what she is doing.
She's smart and a good cook, and loves to help. Mark is Erich's best friend from
childhood. He is a doctor and helps out Erich whenver needed. When Erich starts
to get weird, Jen turns to Mark for help and friendship. Mark is a helpful man
who cares deeply for others. In the story it seems like he's falling for Jen.
Tina and Beth are Jen's little girls. They are both young and influential.
Summary: She had been struggling ever since her and Kevin had broken up, Jen
thought to herself one night as she was rushing out of work to go pick up Tina
and Beth. Life had just gotten out of hand for her after the divorce. Money
seemed like it was everything. But she was still happy. She knew she'd pick up
her children go home and make them dinner and feel all cozy in their little
apartment. That was what she was really looking forward to for the night. Jen
knew that the next day would be very big and important. All her boss told her
was that a special unknown, yet very talented, artist would be coming to the
gallery and that she would be the one to introduce him and his work the the art
sellers and buyers. What Jen did not know, was that this man was named Erich
Kruegar, and was soon to be her future husband. Walking into work the next
morning was nerve wracking to her. Not only because she was meeting this
"infamous" artist, but also because she had to worry about the
children's new day care center. Worrying wasn't an abnormal thing in her
schedule though, she always had something on her mind other then herself. She
knew Kevin would be showing up that night because it was pay day. He always
showed up on pay day. He'd say to her something along the lines of, "But
Jen, I'm a struggling actor? You don't want me to starve do you? I promise I'll
pay you back Jen, I swear!" He'd never pay her back she thought to herself
as she walked into the gallery. Mr. Hartely, the owner of the gallery, rushed
Jen through the door and gave her some paperwork. Erich would be there soon he
had told her. He also made clear to her his plans with Erich and where he would
be and at what times. It was her job to arrange the artwork to a precise order
that was given to them by Erich. Jen stared in awe at Erich's work. He's great
she thought to herself as Mr. Hartely walked out the door. Day dreaming about
the man on the front of the pamphlet she found herself thinking of what type of
life this handsome man led, if he was married. All of a sudden, she felt
something behind her. She had bumped into Erich Kruegar. He must have let
himself in without Jen hearing him. He was early she thought. Staring caught
herself staring at him, he is gorgeous she thought to herself with a smile.
Making polite conversation they hit it off. Erich was considerate, intelligent,
and clean cut. Erich had insisted on taking her out for lunch. Knowing this will
completely throw her bosses schedule haywire, she hesitantly agreed. They
immediately hit it off. She felt like he really cared as he stared at her every
movement. After lunch they bought coffee and walked back to the gallery. Meeting
her boss at the door she knew she was in for it. Erich quickly introduced
himself and took full credit for them being late. Mr. Hartely nodded and opened
the door to the gallery. The customers would be there soon and then the gallery
would be full, loud, and full of life. After the showing of the artwork, Erich
insisted on walking Jen to the day care to pick up her children then to take
them out for supper. Him being very financially secure, took it upon himself to
invite Jen everywhere. Jen felt uncomfortable at first about all the money he
had been spending on her. But when he insisted that he didn't mind and that it
was all his pleasure to do so. She gave in. After about a month Erich brought up
and important issue, marriage. The thought of such commitment scared Jen to
death. Thinking about what had happened to her last marriage she was very
hesitant upon answering. But after thinking it through she figured it would be
the best thing to do. It would take her children out of this environment and it
would make her happy. Because Erich made her happy. Kevin had shown up one night
when Erich was over visiting Jen and the kids. Erich stood amazed as Jen handed
Kevin over some money. While Kevin was there Jen had explained to him what was
going on between her and Erich. Kevin didn't think it was such a hot idea, but
he took it as a sign of her moving on and he knew there was nothing he could do
about it, so he left. Erich was enraged that Jen gave Kevin money for no reason,
even when Kevin didn't pay any type of child support or anything. But then he
thought, well soon we will be gone and I will take her away from all of this,
and that is what he did. After the Wedding they moved on up to Minnesota. This
is where all of the fun began. They did not have a honeymoon because they didn't
want to leave the kids at such a young age with people they did not know. Erich
had also told the town that Jen was a widow and not a divorced woman. And the
emptiness of the farm also seemed just a little bit fishy to her. But she just
figured it was nothing and thought about all the good things. She noticed slight
changes in Erich's behavior. He was very obsessed over his deceased mother, and
he had ill memories of his father. He cried in his sleep and wandered secretly
around the house. Jen didn't know what to do, so she just tried to ignore it.
But when scary things started happening to her, she started to worry. Erich
would leave in the morning and go out to his little cabin in the woods. No- one
besides him was aloud there, and nobody but him and his mother had ever been
there. He told Jen it was his special place to be at peace and where he felt he
could work his best. Jen understood this, thinking nothing really of it. Until,
Erich started to leave for days at a time. This really worried Jen, she also
missed her husband. They had only been married such a short while, she just
could not understand why all of this stuff was happening. When she went on a
walk one day she stumbled upon something. It was a graveyard. It was the Kruegar
Family Graveyard. Opening the fence she entered the little space and looked
around. She scanned all the gravestones, but none shown up with the name
"Caroline Bonardi". Caroline was Erich's mothers name. Then deep in
the corner, under a big tree was a stone. Jen slowly walked across to look at
the stone as she peered down a hand on her shoulder startled her. She turned
around to find Erich standing behind her. His face looked stern and he looked
upset. She looked at him innocently and his face calmed he told her of his
mother, her accident, and why she was buried in the far corner. Jen thought
about everything he said, and asked herself, why doesn't this all work out?
Weeks passed and she had become quite close Clydes wife. Clyde was the man who
ran the farm while Erich was away. Rooney was Clyde's wifes name. She was a
simple woman, who was made out to be crazy and looney. Which she was not. Jen
knew this right away, just after spending some time with her. Rooney told Jen a
lot of things Erich had left out. How when Erich was young, he was really very
attached to his mother. He never wanted Caroline out of his sight. Jen never let
on that she knew any of this stuff when Erich was around. But then really
strange things began to happen. One was when Kevin turned up dead. The police
had stopped by to talk to Jen about Kevin's death. He was found in a nearby
river his car had been run off the bank and into the rapid icy water. In the car
was Jen's jacket, so the police were led to believe that Jen had something to do
with the accident. But truth was, Jen didn't even know that Kevin had been up
and around Minnesota at the time. Jen was confused. Soon enough everyone thought
she was a crazy confused woman, they thought she was dangerous because she lied.
Jen felt like there wasn't a care in the world, but then Mark showed up. Mark
believed that Jen was telling the truth. He was on her side. Together they tried
to figure everything out. Then one day. Jen came home to find that Erich had
taken Tina and Beth away. He called later that night saying he wouldn't be back.
He made her feel guilty by saying things such like telling her that she promised
that she'd never leave him, and that she said they'd be together forever. Jen
was stressed beyond belief, how in the world did he find out about her trying to
leave. She then knew that the only thing she could do was find that cabin out in
the woods. She set out, day after day, not knowing where and when she would find
it, and then one day, she stumbled upon it. She broke into the cabin by breaking
a window and unlocking the door. Upon entering she felt this cold chill go right
through her. She looked around, amazed. Art work lined the walls. But it wasn't
Erich's artwork. It was not his scribbled signature. It was one of a woman named
Caroline Bonardi. Looking around Jen stood in a maze of art supplies. She just
couldn't understand. What did Erich do with all the time he spend here, if all
he did was copy over the signature of his mother. So she looked around. She
found a closet, or what appeared to be a closet. She opened to the door and to
her horror, on an easel, was a picture of her, her 2 children, dead. It was a
brutal picture. She was scared, this was Erich's work. Taking the painting under
her arm, she ran. As soon as she got back to the house, she called for Mark.
Mark arrived at the house no more then 10 minutes later. In horror she showed
the picture to Mark. All of a sudden there was a knocking at the door. Who could
that be? They quickly shoved the painting into the closet, and opened the door.
There stood the sheriff. He looked at Jen and said, "We need to speak with
Erich, where is he?" Jen told him that he had gone a little vacation with
the children and should be back soon. The sheriff nodded and then said to her,
"Your husband is a fraud, those were his mothers paintings, not his,"
and then he left. Jen couldn't take it anymore she turned to Mark, and started
to sob. It was Erich's 35th birthday on that next day. It was nearly 20 years
ago that Caroline had died. Sad enough that she had died on his birthday. It
tore him up. Then it hit her, she realized what she had to do in order to get
Erich to come back. Ever since Erich was a little boy he had never left the farm
on his birthday. Jen had always resembled Caroline. That is why Erich had picked
her. It had taken her this long to realize this. She knew what she had to do. In
order to get her children back and to help Erich, she had to pretend to be
Caroline. There was a picture of Caroline that Erich had treasured. Jen found
some clothes that were basically identical to those Caroline was wearing in the
picture, she put them on, and went outside to sit in Caroline's chair. Mark was
sitting inside waiting. Then all of a sudden came Erich running, he was dressed
just the same as Jen, just like Caroline was in the picture. He had a gun. Mark
had called the sheriff to come down. Mark ran outside in fear that Erich would
shoot at Jen. Jen was just as scared and then, "BOOM". Erich was dead.
Jen had began to cry. Mark had put his arms around Jen and hugged her. Everyone
had come running. The sheriff arrived. Erich's body was taken away. But where
were her children. Erich had whispered that he had been staying 6 hours north of
there and that the children were alone. But now Erich was gone, and they didn't
even know where to start. Jen was going crazy. Her little babies were alone, in
the cold. They would freeze to death. Mark recalled a house that Erich had
owned, it was the first place they checked. He was right. And then it seemed to
come to an end. Jen couldn't go back to New York, she had no life there, and
yet, she had no life in Erich's house either. Mark had told her that he had a
little house on a lake that he rented out. Jen took it. There she lived and
raised her children. Traumatized for life she would stay, but she at least knew
that all her troubles were over, and she'd always have a friend when she needed
one, and that was Mark. Conclusion: This book was really good. A page turner at
any rate. I loved it. It was full of suspense and mystery. I kept asking myself,
"What's going to happen next?" I just could not put it down. The book
told a good story though. It taught about lies, deceit, cheating. That's life,
right? It seemed like the story was real. As much as we all know it was not. It
could have been. And it could have happened to anyone