Not Another Cinderella Story 171b5c

Not Another Cinderella Story

Deanna Ricketts

Copyright © 2020 by Deanna Ricketts.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020906976 ISBN: Hardcover Softcover eBook

978-1-7960-9807-5 978-1-7960-9806-8 978-1-7960-9805-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/28/2020

Xlibris 1-888-795-4274 www.Xlibris.com 810286

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Dedicated to my daughters: Azaria, Arius & Summer And my special girl - Danika

I love you guys and appreciate all the encouragement you have given me. You have always been my strongest ers in my completing this dream and I thank you for that. As I always told you when you were growing up, you can do anything if you put your mind to it. And this is proof that I never lied.

Love You Always

Chapter 1

N ow, I am usually an optimistic person. The sun always rises even after the darkest night. And everything in the light of the morning sun doesn’t seem as bad as it appeared the night before. You may even be able to laugh at the ass you made of yourself. And learn from it. Not always but we are trying to be optimistic. And maybe a little grown up. This is the story about my never-ending nightmare. I want to give you a fair warning this isn’t a once upon a time type of story where the ending is predictable and good triumphs over evil. It is a story about my life. I can honestly say that I had never expected anything like this to happen to me. I am the dictionary version of boring. Maybe, I should fill you in on the background that led up to this point in my life story. Let’s start with your traditional beginning. Once upon a time….. Sandy, (that’s me) was your ordinary run of the mill divorced mom of two kids, working full time for a large hotel in the sales office. Her days usually consisted of agitated customers, sales reports, events changes, carpools, sports commitments, meal prep and refereeing. Any single parent out there knows that trying to take time for yourself was next to impossible. Sandy accepted this. It was her life not by choice but because of certain choices that were out of her control. But she dealt with it the best that she could. That morning started out as routine as any other morning. Her oldest daughter Jasmine was yelling up the stairs that their father was on the phone and wanted to talk to her about their weekend with him and his new family. Sandy groaned and reluctantly reached for the phone on her nightstand. This was the man that she had been married to for fifteen years. When he hit the big forty, he suffered from your typical mid-life crisis and left her for a twenty-

three-year-old beautiful ex-model/actress with the perfect body. You know the type. She had legs that never ended, perfect long blond wavy hair and flawless skin that didn’t need make up. She never wanted children. Had no stretch marks and was at her man’s beak and call – the perfect sex kitten. Sandy knew she never had a chance at winning against the perfect pin up girl. Needless to say, karma’s a bitch and within six months after stealing her husband, she became pregnant and gained one hundred pounds – maybe not one hundred pounds but it looked like it and at the same time Sandy lost sixty pounds of baby weight that forgot to leave after the kids were born. Stress was a great diet aid. Sandy looked better than the ex-model, husband stealing bimbo did. Now how was that for irony and divorce justice. Sandy knew she had to answer the phone and speak to the man she once loved. But every time they spoke, Chloe, his new wife, would listen to their conversation making unnecessary comments and Sandy couldn’t stand listening to her. Her conversations with Mike didn’t involve his new wife. Sandy figured her guilty conscience made her a little bit paranoid. Reg herself to the pending hell awaiting on the other end of the phone she picked it up. “Hey Mike, what’s up?” “Hi, Sandy, I was wondering if you would be able to do me a big favour this weekend? It would be okay if you can’t, I understand if you had plans or something?” Mike sounded nervous. Like she had big plans, please. But she was not going to let Mike or Chloe know that she was most likely staying home with a book that she had started and a glass of wine. “I had something in mind, but nothing set in concrete yet, why, what’s up?” She’s thinking that he needed to pick up the girls on Saturday and not Friday like originally planned or earlier or later Friday something simple like that. Wrong. “You we have tickets for the concert this weekend, right?” Mike said.

“Yeah, on Saturday night.” She was hoping he was not trying to back out of taking the girls because they were so looking forward to it. “That’s the problem. Our babysitter cancelled on us last minute. And Chloe and I were wondering if you would be able to babysit Matthew for us so that we could still go as planned. I know the girls are looking forward to it and I don’t want to disappoint them but….” Mike had struggled to ask her. She could tell by the way he dragged it out. And for a top- notch lawyer who gets paid big money to use his words, he was at a loss for them now. Sandy couldn’t believe the nerve of her ex-husband and that idiot wife of his. “Mike, you are joking right?” She couldn’t believe it. She knew that it took a lot of guts to ask her but what was wrong with Chloe? She couldn’t miss the concert and watch her own kid. “No, I’m not joking. I hate asking you but there is no one else that I trust enough. I know it is a lot to ask. And I hate to put you on the spot like this, but I don’t know what else to do.” She could tell that he was embarrassed to ask. “Why can’t Chloe give you and the girls some alone time.” Sandy asked. “As great as that would be, some people don’t know how to give, they only know how to take and take and take.” Mike may have said it to her, but he was directing it at someone else. He was speaking so quietly, and he sounded so depressed. It reminded her of the time he told her about his affair. Her heart did a little bit of a twitch. She didn’t hate him. She was still in love with him, maybe more than she would like to it to herself. He got caught in a bad situation and didn’t know what to do back then and had to live with the consequences. Maybe Mike shouldn’t have said anything at all because all hell broke loose after

that. Chloe was listening as usual and boy did Sandy hear more than she wanted too. “Well, if I make you that unhappy Mike go back to her. Just , she didn’t make you happy either. If she did you wouldn’t have come to my bed. telling me that I made you feel like a real man? You loved that I was young and beautiful. You said that you liked having a sexy woman on your arm. And how proud you were that all your friends were jealous of you. saying that to me Mike. Do you? What, you can’t hear me? Why won’t you answer me?” Chloe was crazy with jealousy or just crazy Sandy didn’t know which, but she was acting insane at that moment. Mike must have ed that Sandy was still on the phone and could hear their fight because next thing she heard a thump. He must have tried to hang the phone up. She waited for a dial tone to make sure the connection was broken but heard their voices instead. She listened. “I saying it Chloe. But do you what you told me? You said you would never let yourself go. You would never in your life get fat. You never wanted kids. Now I don’t regret having Matthew, I love him but if I wanted more kids, I would have had them with Sandy. And besides Sandy is the one that my friends drool over now. You don’t want to work or clean or even take care of our son. We’ve had to hire a maid to clean and babysitters or a nanny to watch him or my girls come over to watch him because you don’t want to or are too tired. Sandy ran tirelessly after our girls and still managed to work full time and keep a perfect house. You should ask her how she did it.” Mike was screaming at Chloe and Sandy couldn’t him ever being so mad. It did feel good to know that he had noticed her new look. And knowing that his friends noticed too made her feel good. Thank you, Mike. “Do you know how much work Matthew is? All he does is cry, eat and shit. I don’t g up for that. I don’t get an hour to myself anymore. You are always working or out with your girls. And besides I don’t see anything wrong with those girls of yours helping earn everything that we give them. And I didn’t have to work, you told me. I was too beautiful to be a slave to the

workforce. You told me you wanted me home at your beck and call.” Chloe sounded like she was crying. “We. When was the last time you contributed anything to our income? You spend it faster than I can make it. You have us so far in debt I don’t know how we are going to pay the mortgage next month. And don’t you tell me what I can and can’t spend on my daughters or son, I work extremely hard for what I make, and I will spend it anyway I feel is right. Is that understood? I didn’t have the foggiest idea what I was getting into when I hooked up with you. You are a selfish, spoiled child that is never happy unless you are out spending money or partying with your friends.” Mike was furious. “You love those girls more than our Matthew. He should be number one with you. He is your only son after all. I did that much right – unlike someone else.” Chloe hated her. Sandy should hang up. It was the right thing to do. It wasn’t any of her business. She wouldn’t have wanted anyone hearing Mike and her fighting before their divorce. So, Sandy hung up the receiver quietly just in case they could hear it on their side of the phone line. She knew she would be getting a call back shortly, so she made a mad dash to the shower for a little quiet time. You can’t be expected to answer the phone if you can’t hear it ring. She made a mental note to remind herself to ask Jasmine about her and Jenny babysitting all the time. Sandy didn’t want them watching Chloe’s offspring every time they went for a visit with their dad, no matter how cute he was. He really was adorable with all that brown curly hair and those big brown eyes. Thankfully, he looks exactly like his daddy and nothing like Chloe. It made it hard to hate a child that looked like the man you loved for so many years.

Chapter 2

T he hot water could not have felt better. The smell of lavender filled the air. Sandy’s mind opened to a flood of memories. Like the first time she ever laid eyes on Michael Hamilton. It was June and she was twenty years old, walking in the park lost in thought. Thinking about nothing or something who knows. She loved nothing more than the smell of lilacs in bloom. And being so lost in her own thoughts she didn’t see him in time to stop and get out of the way. She smashed right into him as he was bending over to pick up dog poop. It was embarrassing not only had his hand landed in it, she fell on top of him causing him to slip and get it on his shirt. Sandy could have died right there and then but all he did was look up at her and laugh. He always did have a great sense of humour. As she was getting up off this total stranger, who was gorgeous, with his messy in need of a haircut wavy brown hair, big melt into brown eyes, and a perfectly tanned face. She couldn’t take her eyes from him. Then out of the blue this great big monster of a dog runs up and knocks her over on top of this incredible stranger again. “We really should get to know each other better before you keep sitting on my lap like this. I mean I am not complaining. A beautiful girl wants to sit on my lap in the middle of the park walkway. Who am I to argue?” He was laughing at her. And with the sun shining down on him he looked like a dishevelled angel. Her heart melted. She couldn’t even if she was able to breathe.

“Hi, I’m Michael Hamilton. Mike to my friends.” He extended his hand to her and she very clumsily took it. “Hi, I’m Sandy Anderson and I am so sorry. I wasn’t paying any attention. I was lost in thought and enjoying the smell of the flowers. I am so embarrassed.” She noticed the smear of dog poop on his shirt then. “I’ll get you a new shirt since I ruined this one. I am so sorry.” At that very moment she wanted the earth to open and swallow her whole. Mike just laughed at her as she apologized again. They had forgotten that they were still sitting in the middle of the sidewalk in the park with this big dog jumping at them, making people walk around. Some making not so nice comments and others just smiling and chuckling at them. After untangling themselves and getting up out of the middle of the walkway, Mike, Oscar (the dog) and Sandy walked around the park for the rest of the day. He told her that he was dog sitting to help pay for school. He had just finished law school and was studying for the bar exam. Cute, smart and ambitious. She had found the perfect guy. They talked all day and found out everything there was to know about each other. And it was then that she realized she wanted to be with him forever. Childish and naive she knew but blamed it on the endless fairy tales we watch in movies and read in books while we are growing up, at our most influential. And like all dreams, you wake. Her awakening came in fast and loud. Bursting through the bathroom door in the form of her eldest daughter. She was letting her know that their father was on the phone once again and would like to speak to her. “Mom, Dad says it is important that he talks to you. I told him that you were in the shower and that you would have to call him back, but he says he would wait until you were done.” She was your typical new teen that was annoyed at everything and the fact that she had to do as she was asked was completely wrong and beneath her.

That was the end of two things, one a nice hot shower and two, a few pleasant memories. “Okay honey. Can you at least go out for a few minutes so that I can get out of the shower in private please? Tell your dad I’ll be a minute.” Sandy hurried out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself as she walked back into her bedroom to take the phone from Jasmine. She tried to usher her daughter unsuccessfully out of the bedroom while she spoke to her father, not wanting her to hear anything she shouldn’t, but she wasn’t willing to leave. She was as strong willed as her father sometimes. So, she turned her back to her daughter and began to speak. “Hi, Mike. Is everything okay now? The line went dead last time.” She played stupid. She didn’t mention anything of what she had heard. She didn’t want to cause him anymore embarrassment. “It’s okay. Sorry about that. Chloe is a bitch today not that it is any different than any other day. When she’s in this mood everyone pays for it. Why couldn’t she be as laid back as you Sandy? I mean I don’t give her a reason not to trust me and yet she doesn’t.” Mike explained. “Do you forget who you are talking to? You had an affair with her. She knows that you were capable of doing it once so who says you won’t do it to her too. Especially now that she is so… unattractive. She knows she looks nothing like she did before and that makes her afraid of losing her man. And you do that old saying once a cheater, always a cheater.” Sandy knew in her heart that those were horribly mean things to say to him, but it was the truth. Maybe she wanted to hurt him with a trip down memory lane. Mike started to say something and then just laughed. It is one of her favourite sounds. That booming baritone sound that fills your ears and the room and sends tingles down your spine. “I guess you’re right. But who can afford two ex-wives? Maybe, I should get a better lawyer next time. What do you think?” Mike was laughing. “I don’t know if you could afford a good lawyer. You know how ridiculously

expensive they are.” It felt good to joke around with him. It made her think of the old days when they would joke around with each other all the time. Whatever happened? “Thanks Sandy. I really needed to laugh. It has been a horrible week here. And at the office. But I only called you back to tell you not to worry about Saturday night. We’ll find someone else. It wasn’t fair of me to ask you. Who knows you probably have a date that night?” Was Mike fishing for info on her dating status? Interesting. “I’ll do it. I did have dinner plans but maybe I’ll invite them here instead of going out” He didn’t need to know that her big dinner date included a TV dinner, her latest novel and a glass of wine. She was really moving up the social ladder now. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out. Is it a serious thing between you and this guy? I wouldn’t want to come in between the two of you and cause any problems? I mean you babysitting your ex-husband’s son might seem a little weird. And besides do you know this guy well enough to be in the house alone with him? I’ll just ask someone else and then you can go out instead.” Mike sounded like a concerned parent or a jealous man right now. And she had to it that it felt good. She liked to hear Mike squirming and being uncomfortable with her having an imaginary date come to the house. She had to suppress the giggle that was bubbling up. “I am sure I can change it to Friday night, if it concerns you so much. No worries. I’ll do it for you and the kids not for the love of Chloe though. You know you really could do better than her.” Like me she wanted to add but didn’t. What did she do to make him want to turn to someone so superficial? “You are a tough act to follow, you know that right Sandy? Thanks for watching Matt. He really likes going to your house and checking out all the girls’ stuff. You know the typical brotherly snooping. Well, thanks again, you really are the best Sandy and I mean it. One in a million.”

If she was one in a million then why did he feel the need to wander? She was never going to be able to understand. It shouldn’t still hurt anymore it had been years but hearing him say something like that just makes her question the logistics of life. “You’re welcome Mike. I’ll see you on Saturday. I might not be here on Friday when you pick up the girls though.” I hope he was wondering if I was going on that date she hinted about. They chatted for a few more minutes about the girl’s school and vacation time and then hung up. Sandy held the phone in her hand and tried to when they stopped talking to each other like this. He was her best friend, lover, father to her kids and one of the biggest and best parts of her world. She tried to forget how much she missed him, but her heart won’t listen to her head. The pain of realizing that you love someone more than they loved you hurt. She would never have had an affair on Mike. She couldn’t picture herself with anyone else. That was why she hasn’t had many dates in the time that they have been apart. She didn’t know if she would be able to trust another man. She didn’t want to get hurt again. And, she thought that she may still be in love with my ex-husband more than she was willing to it.

Chapter 3

F riday came, and the girls left with their dad and Sandy wasn’t home. She had to work late as usual. That night when the girls called to say goodnight, she got all the gossip. “Mom, do we have to come back to Dad’s on Saturday night after the concert?” Jenny was upset. Sandy could hear it in her voice. Jenny was the more sensitive of the two girls. She didn’t like conflict and would give anything to be a family again. “Why, what’s going on Jenny?” She had a feeling that she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear what her daughter had to say so that it couldn’t be said later that she had influenced her. “Dad and Chloe are fighting. Worse than usual. Worse than when you and Daddy were getting divorced. I don’t want to be here anymore. I think Chloe is drunk mom and she is being so mean and throwing things.” Jenny sounded like she was on the verge of tears now. Sandy was surprised that Jenny could their divorce she was only fiveyears old when they split up and she thought that they were pretty good at fighting behind closed doors. “Honey, I’m sure it’s not that bad, is it? Besides it is going to be late when the concert ends. And you will only be going back to your Dad’s to sleep. How do you think Dad would feel if you left? He would be really upset if he knew you didn’t want to stay over. Do you think you could stay Saturday night, and we can sit down and talk to your Dad after he brings you home Sunday? We could see about arranging something else?” Sandy didn’t want her upset, but it was court ordered that she spend time at her Dad’s. And she knew Chloe would start shit about paying child when the

girls don’t visit their father. But when your daughter is telling you that the parent in charge is fighting constantly with potential physical violence involved you have to it it gets a parent very concerned. What if someone got hurt? And was she drunk, or had she only had a glass or two of wine and that constitutes drunk to a child? “But Mom, it seriously sucks here now. Chloe is yelling at all of us. Jasmine and I are watching Matthew because they need to talk. We can’t spend any time with Dad because she is always right there, or she is calling him to do something for her. I don’t like her anymore Mom. She always smells weird too.” Jenny told Sandy. Sandy itted she was curious about the smell thing. “Like it or not Jenny she is your stepmother and you need to show her respect.” She wanted to add evil but restrained herself. “Would you like to be left out of everything? What if I got involved with someone would you be mean and not want to include him into things that we do too?” She was trying to reassure her daughter. Even though she had a pit in the bottom of her stomach. What the hell was going on over there? “I don’t want you involved with someone else Mom. You are Mom and that’s it. You aren’t dating anyone, are you? Do you have a secret boyfriend?” Jenny sounded horrified that her mom may be dating someone. Sandy couldn’t help but laugh at her. “No, Jenny. I do not have a secret boyfriend. You and your sister are my world.” Jenny has the typical eight-year old’s attitude. It’s all about her and no one else. Moms and Dads don’t get divorced in the perfect world. They live happily ever after. “Let me talk to Jasmine, okay baby. I love you” Sandy wanted to get off the phone. This call was stressing her out. But she needed to make sure everything was okay.

“I love you too Mom.” “Jasmine, Mom wants you.” Jenny lowered her voice to a whisper and continued to talk to me until her sister reached the phone. “Mom, did you know that Chloe is mean and really ugly now.” Sandy laughed at her. The things that come out of a kids mouth. “That’s not a nice thing to say honey.” Jasmine grabbed the phone away from her sister. “Hi Mom. Jenny isn’t lying you know. Chloe is ugly now and mean and I think she has been drinking too. We are upstairs and we can hear glass breaking downstairs. It’s scary.” Jasmine was whispering. You know how it is when you are thirteen-years old and trying to be independent and brave. That was her girl. Miss Maturity to the end. “Hey babe, what’s going on over there? Your little sister is really upset. And I don’t like the fact that you guys are always babysitting your little brother. You are supposed to be visiting your Dad not running a daycare.” “It’s okay Mom. Really. Dad and Chloe are thinking of splitting up. But I’m not supposed to tell you anything. Dad wants to leave, and Chloe is threatening to take Matthew and disappear one minute. And then the next she says she will take him for everything she can. And then later, she is telling him that it would kill her if he left her and that she won’t let it happen. She is messed up Mom. Serious brain damage.” Jasmine said. Sandy didn’t know if Jasmine was exaggerating or telling the truth but either way she was getting concerned. “Jasmine is your Dad close to you?” She wanted to speak to Mike and find out what was going on. “Would I have been able to tell you all that if he was?”

Good point her beautiful daughter made. Sarcasm noted. “Good point smartass. Can you get your Dad to call me? Or maybe, I’ll just talk to him when he drops Matthew off tomorrow. Try to keep your little sister and brother out of the war zone. Neither one of them needs to hear all the garbage adults say. Okay?” Jasmine was my rock. I knew I could count on her. She is much more grown up than most thirteen-year-olds. “Alright Mom. I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow. Are you sure we couldn’t come home after the concert and help take care of Matthew? Dad and Chloe can talk or split up or whatever? I am only asking for Jenny and Matthew. He is a cute kid and doesn’t need to hear this crap either, even if he doesn’t understand.” Sandy laughed at her. She could always make me laugh, just like her Dad could. “I’ll talk to your Dad tomorrow about it. Maybe we can work something out.” It must be getting bad over there when neither one of them wants to stay. “Sure Mom. Thanks. I love you. See you tomorrow.” Jasmine hung up before she could say good night and that she loved her too. Sandy couldn’t stop thinking about the whole situation. It kept her up for most of the night. Was Chloe really going crazy? Sandy had always thought she was off. But she never liked her for obvious reasons. The girls liked her in the beginning. Things couldn’t be that bad. Then again, she didn’t think the girls would lie to her. They are almost over the idea that she and Mike would ever get back together. She never wanted to know what was going on over at Mike’s house when they split up. She didn’t have the need to have her nose rubbed into his new perfect family life. But maybe she should have asked more questions.

Chapter 4

S aturday morning dawned bright and beautiful. The sun shined through the opened curtains. Clear blue skies and large white fluffy pillow clouds for as far as the eye could see. It was the promise of a perfect day. Sandy used to love waking up on mornings like this with Mike. The quiet stillness of the house. The comfort of Mike’s body next to hers. They would leisurely make love before the girls woke up. And after they finished, they would lay in each other’s arms and dream out loud about the future. The whole world was theirs to discover. They would dream about where they wanted to travel when the girls were grown and on their own. Sandy always wanted to go to Rome and explore the ruins. Mike wanted to go on an African Safari and see the wildlife before their natural habitat was extinct. They both wanted to experience the exotic beaches of the Caribbean. Those dream trips would never come true now and suddenly that made her feel very sad and lonely. Sandy was only in her forties, she worked hard. And looked good considering everything. Sure, the girls weren’t as perky as they were in her twenties and her hair had a few more natural blond streaks now. She has great legs and her butt could fill out a pair of jeans the way they should be. She deserved someone special too, didn’t she? Who knows if Mike and Chloe did split up, her dream trips could still become a reality? Stranger things have happened. Before Chloe they were a happy couple, a happy family. She knew she still loved him. And she thought he may still love her too. There was seriously something wrong with her. He left her for a much younger woman. And they were married now with a baby and she was not a homewrecker. She valued family and marriage. But it would look good on Chloe if Mike did stray. Not with her but with another woman. It would even the score and take a little bit of the sting away. Sandy knew that you begin to neglect your partners the longer you are together.

You take them for granted. You think that they will always be there for you. She found out that you need to keep that person in your life feeling special and wanted. Or they will find someone else that will. Think about it, if you found him attractive somebody else would too. All this sole searching hurt her heart and head. Throwing back the covers, Sandy swung her legs over the side of the bed. No matter what happened in the past or what was going to happen in the future she had to get up, get ready and child proof her house. It had been a long time since she had entertained a two-year old. The phone started ringing as she turned on the shower. She thought about getting out and answering it but decided it could wait. What could possibly be that important on a Saturday morning? This time no one interrupted her while she enjoyed a super long, hot shower filled with more daydreaming. There really are some advantages to being divorced, she decided. She didn’t have to share the hot water with anyone. And there was no chance of anyone barging in on her when no one else was home. Always find the positives in all that life throws at you. Sandy lazed around in her robe taking her time doing her hair, painting her nails and applying her make-up. She had to it she was looking pretty good. Way too good to be babysitting her ex’s baby. Just as she was about to get dressed the doorbell rang. If it’s not the phone it’s the door. She raced down the stairs. It was too early for Mike to be dropping off Matthew but maybe he was taking the girls out for something to eat before the concert or he wanted to lay Matthew down at her house. Who knows? Boy was she wrong. When she opened the door, she was shocked to find that it wasn’t Mike standing there but the most incredible looking man she had ever laid eyes on. This could not be her new neighbour. She had heard through the neighbourhood gossip chain that he was moving in this week. And that he was single, handsome

and a successful doctor, a neurologist, she thought someone had said. If this was him then there had to be something seriously wrong with his personality because no way was this perfect specimen of male gorgeous allowed to be single. He was gay. They are always gorgeous men. Playboy. That’s it, he’s a playboy. And a damn hot one. Standing in front of her was a tall at least six foot three, muscular built but not vulgar, sexy six pack drooling type. Not Conan the barbarian type. He had lush dark black hair with natural sun streaks through it, worn a little long but not shaggy. And his eyes were green with the tiniest flecks of blue speckled in them. She thought she had died and gone to the Roman Empire in the sky. He was a Greek God and the man of many future fantasies. “Hi, I’m Chris Papadopoulos. I just moved in across the street. And I was wondering if I would be able to use your phone. It seems that mine hasn’t been connected yet. And my cell phone is dead. And I have lost the charger somewhere in the house. My internet is not yet connected, and I really need to call and see when they will be here to connect me to the world again. So, you can see the predicament that I’m in. Would it be alright if I came in and used your phone?” He smiled at her with his perfect white teeth. “Sure, not a problem. By the way I’m Sandy Hamilton. I don’t mind letting the phone guy in if you need to leave. I know the layout of your house. I have been in it a million times. I mean, before you bought it. I knew the people that lived there before you.” She was beginning to feel like an idiot. She was rambling on. But he made her nervous. Sandy wondered if she may have swallowed a whole hive of butterflies or colony or whatever gathering butterflies live in. Her stomach and mind were a mess. Chris just started to laugh at her, and she had to him. “I’m sorry. It’s just that we don’t often get someone who looks like you move into our quiet neighbourhood.” Sandy blurted out. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, she felt like dying. What a first impression she was making. It’s no wonder why she was going to be single

forever. No one in their right mind would want to date an airhead like her. She wished she could be smooth and chilled around beautiful people. Not a chance. “Oh, my God. I didn’t just say that out, loud did I?” What an impression she was making. “I’m sorry again.” Sandy apologized. Chris was standing there looking so damn gorgeous with that little smirk on his face. She just wanted to lean over and kiss it off. What the hell was going on with her? She truly was losing her mind. At least, she wouldn’t have to go far for help. He is a neurologist after all, or would she need a psychiatrist. Oh my God, she really was losing it. “Thank you. It’s nice to know that someone as beautiful as yourself finds me attractive. I am flattered. And yes, you really did say that out loud. Are you always so honest when you meet new people?” Chris asked Sandy. He was teasing her. The amusement was evident in his eyes, his gorgeous green eyes. “I have always had a way with words. I have a bad habit of speaking before, I think. It is my worst downfall. I have been told that I need a filter on more than one occasion.” Sandy replied. He called me attractive. She was flirting. What do you know she hadn’t forgotten how? “Well if that is your worst downfall then I think I should take advantage of it and ask one of the most beautiful women that I have ever had the privilege of meeting, who has no faults, other than being too honest, out to dinner with me. And give the neighbours something to really gossip about. Would you be interested, I noticed that you weren’t wearing a wedding ring. Am I off base asking you out? I don’t want an angry husband pounding on my door.” He didn’t seriously just ask her out on a date. Off base – no way — he just hit a home run.

“No, no husband around here. And yes, I would love to go out to dinner with you. When did you have in mind? I mean you could call me and set something up. Oh, no you can’t your phone isn’t working yet but then again you will find your charger I’m sure. But I haven’t given you my phone number yet, did I? I’m doing it, again aren’t I? I am so sorry. You are going to think that I am a total raving lunatic and put your house back up for sale and move out of the crazy lady’s neighbourhood.” Sandy rambled on like an idiot. Why could she not shut up? Chris stood there laughing at her. It was such a nice sound. She had forgotten how much she missed a man’s attention and it didn’t hurt that he was absolutely gorgeous and a doctor too. “You are someone I am most definitely interested in getting to know better. And just for the record I don’t think you are crazy. I do think you would be a lot of fun to hang out with. So, why don’t you give me your number and let’s say tomorrow night around seven o’clock. I can pick you up and we grab something to eat and see a movie. I really don’t know the social scene around here, being new to the city. You can let me know if it is casual, formal, nudist colony, you name it, just let me know so that I can dress or not dress accordingly. Okay?” Did he just say nudist colony? She wished she knew where the local naked people hung out. “That sounds great.” Sandy said. Her mind and mouth worked together that time and she didn’t embarrass herself again. She showed Chris to the phone and after he finished making his call, she walked him to the door. They were casually chatting when the front door came flying open. In come her two beautiful daughters, her ex-husband and his love child. “Hey guys. I guess I lost track of time. Is it time for me to babysit already?” Sandy asked. She ed that Chris was standing beside her and she made introductions. “I would like you to meet our new neighbour, Chris Papadopoulos. These two

beautiful creatures are my daughters, Jasmine and Jenny and this is my exhusband Mike Hamilton and his son Matthew. Whom, I have the honour of babysitting tonight.” Mike stepped up to Chris and shook hands with him. “It’s nice to meet you.” Mike stepped back and gave Sandy a strange look. She was puzzled. What was that about? The girls said hi and put their heads down. What was going on? Chris was making a gracious exit, stopped on the door threshold and turned to her with that smile, that gorgeous smile of his, “I’ll pick you tomorrow at seven.” Sandy just nodded her head. “It was nice to meet you.” Chris said to everyone else. She closed the door. Took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face her daughters and Mike. “Mom, who was that? And why was he here? And why are you only in your robe?” Jenny asked. She looked down at herself. She had forgotten that she was still in her robe. That explained Mike’s look. “Mom, he is so cute. I can’t believe you are going on a date with him tomorrow night. He is hot. How did you meet him?” Jasmine asked. Jasmine was pumped. But one look at her father’s face told her to shut up. Sandy looked at Mike and thought too bad. They were not married anymore. She was a free agent and it was an ego boost that such an attractive guy asked her out. “I will talk to you later about this.” She told Jasmine. “I didn’t realize you were busy. I tried to call first but there was no answer.” Mike said.

The insinuation that someone or something had stopped her from answering the phone laid heavily in the air. “If you would rather cancel babysitting and go out with Mr. Perfect tonight, I can make other arrangements. I wouldn’t want to ruin your love life. But I would think you would be more discreet with whom you let in here because of the girls.” Mike was visibly upset. “No, that’s okay. We have plans for tomorrow night. He’s on call tonight at the hospital. And you are the last person who should be making judgement calls on me.” “Sorry, you are right I was out of line. What is he a nurse or an orderly?” Mike was trying hard to make Chris sound like a nobody. “No, a doctor actually. A neurologist.” Sandy said. She watched as Mike squirmed. “He is a doctor. For real. Wow Mom. That is way cool.” Jasmine was impressed. She got approval from her teenager. She never saw that coming. “Oh” Was all Mike could say. He looked crushed and Sandy started to feel bad. She was proud that someone like Chris wanted to spend time with her. Obviously, Mike was not happy about it, but what can you do? He had someone warming his bed every night, crazy lady or not. It was her turn.

Chapter 5

S o much for a peaceful Saturday. She underestimated the energy of a toddler. By eight o’clock she was exhausted. Sandy hated to it it, but Chloe may have been right. You really don’t get a minute to yourself. But then again when she thought back a few years she did it with two and worked so …. suck it up princess. Moment of insanity, thinking anything Chloe said could possibly be true. She was so tired she couldn’t think straight. Matthew was tucked into bed after his bath. That was an adventure. Who expected that a little kid could cause a tsunami in a bathroom? The house was quiet. And she could finally sit down with a glass of wine and channel surf. There was nothing good on television for a Saturday night. She needed to get Netflix or Crave. Sandy went and got her book and had started reading when the doorbell chimed. Who could that be at nine o’clock on a Saturday night? Everyone had more of a social life than her. Maybe it was a door to door bible salesman trying to save her soul before church tomorrow morning. It would be a big job she laughed to herself. She answered the door, still chuckling. Another shock. Her gorgeous doctor/friend/neighbour/date had come to pay her a house call. “Hi, do you always answer the door laughing? Or are you not alone? I saw your lights on and ed that you were babysitting for your ex, so I thought maybe you would like a little bit of company that is if you aren’t too busy and/or aren’t alone?” Chris said. What a day, two men thinking she had more of a life than she did. She smiled and tried to explain about the bible salesman thought that had come

to her mind when the doorbell chimed. Chris joked, “I’m not a bible salesman and I won’t be able to save your soul. I’m sorry. But could I tempt you with some company and a movie? I am an old movie buff. My favourite.” He held up a copy of Gone With The Wind. He really was perfect. Without thinking she snatched the movie out of his hands. “This is my absolute favourite movie of all times. I can tell you word for word what every actor/actress says. I know all of it. I won’t tell because that drives me crazy when someone does it to me, but I could. I watch it every Christmas, it is like a tradition of mine.” “So, can I come in or do you want to watch it on the front lawn?” Chris joked. “Sorry. My manners are out of whack today. Please come in. Would you like a glass of wine, coffee or tea?” She asked him. “I think a cup of coffee would be fantastic. How was the little one today? I see the house is still standing. Did it make you want to have more of your own or are your baby days done?” Chris asked. “It was fun but exhausting. My baby days are done. I don’t think I would survive doing it on a full-time basis again. I’ll have grandkids one day and that will suit me just fine. Love them, spoil them and send them home. How about you? Do you have kids or want any?” She really didn’t know anything about this man. “No, I don’t have any kids. But I’m okay with it. I’ve had no one serious enough in my life since my wife ed away. And I’m getting too old for it now.” Chris said. Sandy was surprised that Chris showed so little emotion when he mentioned his wife’s ing. She couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t appear the least bit upset by it. He was acting so nonchalant. That should have raised a red flag to her, but it didn’t. That’s a mistake she’d live to regret. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” Sandy said.

It was their first date and here she was making it uncomfortable. She needed to lighten the mood quickly or it may end up being their last date too. Just sitting there together on the couch talking. Movie playing in the background. Sandy forgot how much she missed the company of man inside and outside of the bedroom. The conversation went smoothly. With no uncomfortable silences. Plenty of laughs. It felt as if they had known each other for years. They had a lot in common. The next thing she knew it was midnight and her front door came flying open. Jasmine ran up the stairs crying. Jenny came trailing in behind her in tears and bringing up the rear none other than Mike and Chloe. Great, just what she wanted to deal with tonight. “What the hell is going on?” Sandy asked as she rushed to the front entrance. Jenny ran into her arms before she was halfway across the foyer. Sandy held her, whispering softly to try and settle her down. Chris was completely forgotten as he sat on the couch observing the family drama. “Oh, you can thank my wonderful wife for this.” Mike said. His face was set with angry creased lines along his forehead. He looked ready to explode. “Me! How dare you. It was you that started it. You, flirting with that young waitress. She was young enough to be your daughter. Thank you so much I’ve never had better service. Here is a $50 tip. And could I get your number too” Chloe was losing it on Mike. Sandy knew Chloe was exaggerating because Mike was not like that. Not when they were together anyways. He was always a complete gentleman. A generous tipper and that was why he always got the best service. “Oh, please Chloe, I did not do anything of the sort. She was a good waitress and I gave her a tip because the service was good. That’s it. No hidden meaning behind it. She managed to keep your drinks coming regular enough. And I know that wouldn’t be an easy task for a marathon runner.” Mike shot back.

“Seriously. I had a few drinks. I needed them. After all, all you have gone on about from the time you brought Matthew over was her and her new boyfriend. The doctor. Blah, blah, blah. Who cares? He’s a fool getting involved with her. And just think if they get married, no more alimony. More money for us. Unless you keep giving it away to slutty little waitresses.” Chloe’s face was so red it looked as if volcanic lava was going to start shooting out of her mouth. Chloe was acting crazy. Sandy had to it that she was a bit afraid. Sandy ed Chris was still in the living room listening to everything. She looked back at him just as he stood up and made his presence known. Chris walked over to where we were standing in the front entrance. “Sorry everyone, I didn’t mean to get in the middle of a family matter. I think I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow night Sandy. That is, of course, if we are still on for our date?” He was such a gentleman. “Yes, of course. I’ll see you to the door. Excuse us.” Sandy said. She pushed past her ex-husband and his deranged wife shooting them a dirty look. “I’m really sorry you had to see and hear all that. I was just told that the two of them are having serious problems. And somehow everyone’s issues end up being my problem.” She apologized as they were standing at the door. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You strike me as a capable woman, smart, and caring too. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Chris said. Chris leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek and she couldn’t help but smile at him, temporarily forgetting her other unwanted company. She closed the door after watching him walk down the pathway. She leaned against the closed door and paused for a moment lost once again in thought. But like every good moment it ended too quickly, and she was pulled back into reality. “That’s really cozy. I would have found someone else to watch Matthew if I had known he was coming over.” Mike was fuming. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. What does it matter who she is sleeping

with? You are not married to her anymore, , you are married to me.” Chloe was right to be mad at Mike. He was not allowed to judgement on her life. It was not his business. He walked out on her not the other way around. “Okay. First off, I am not sleeping with anyone. And if I was it would not be anyone’s business but my own. And it doesn’t seem to matter to the pair of you who is married to whom because it didn’t stop either one of you guys from sleeping with each other. Did it?” She gave them both a disgusted look. How dare they come into her house and be so rude. She walked over and stood in front of Mike. “I didn’t know that he was coming over, but it was a pleasant surprise. And for the record I will entertain whomever I want to in my house. And in my bed. that. Now I don’t give a damn what is going on between the two of you but when both of my daughters come home in hysterics after a night out with the both of you, I think I deserve an explanation as to what happened, don’t I?” She was really pissed off at both but especially Chloe and that was just because it was so easy to hate her. “It is none of your business Sandy. This is a personal family matter between Mike and I. And it does not involve you or your daughters.” Chloe had the nerve to snip at her. “You listen to me bitch when you have my kids with you and they come home in the state that they did, it then becomes my business.” Sandy said. Chloe could stuff her attitude. How dare she come into her house and speak to her like that. They ruined her first nice night with a man in a long time. “Don’t you start at me too? I don’t have to take it from the likes of you. You are a middle aged lonely bitter woman. What do you have to look forward to in life except loneliness and death, or worse snot nosed grandchildren? Yuck!” Chloe’s true colours were showing tonight.

“You know Chloe if all I had to look forward to at the end of a long workday was your miserable face, I would work a lot of overtime too. Or whatever else I could think of doing besides coming home to you. Now get out of my house.” Sandy knew she may have stepped over the line insinuating that Mike was doing anything more than work, but Chloe was really making her angry. “How does she know you work so much overtime? You have been coming over to see her every night, haven’t you? That’s why you were so mad over the new boyfriend, you didn’t want to share her with someone else did you?” Chloe was beyond mad, she was crazy. “Doesn’t feel good does it?” Sandy shot back. The truth was Mike wasn’t coming over. They weren’t having an affair. It felt good to remind her that she did it first. Sandy didn’t know if Mike was involved with anyone else. But she knew he wasn’t happy. Chloe stood there with her mouth hanging open and then burst into tears. “You don’t love me anymore. You are having an affair. I knew it. You bastard. I want you out of my house Michael Hamilton. Pack your bags and get out. I never want to see you again. Are you listening to me Mike? I hate you. How could you do this to me. And with her of all people.” She just stood there yelling at Mike. Saying all the stuff that Jasmine had been telling her before. Sandy was at a total loss for words. How do you calm down a hysterical, certifiably crazy person? “Quiet down Chloe, everyone on the street can hear you. I am not having my personal business broadcasted for Sandy’s neighbours to hear. I am not having an affair. Not with Sandy or anyone else. I’ll move out. And I am taking Matthew with me. I have wanted out for a very long time. I can’t take it anymore. I would rather live in a shack then in that house of horror you call a home.” Mike was talking in a monotony voice that sent shivers down my spine. “You will never get my son. He is all that I have. What would my friends and family think of me if you took our son? No way. I would kill all of us first before

I let you go. No one will ever tear apart my family. I will not be humiliated like this. I am not her. No way.” Chloe was up and down with her emotions like a roller coaster. And how the hell did she always get dragged into this crap? “Mike you need to get her out of here. Talk to her about whatever happened tonight someplace else. I want the both of you out of here now. I’ve got to talk to the girls and try to calm them down.” She was trying her best not to lose her temper again. She just wanted them out of her house. “She is right Mike; you and I need to talk. This is our family business and not hers.” Chloe said. Chloe turned to Sandy then, “I know you want him back Sandy, I can tell. You never stopped loving him. A woman knows. But he is mine now and for however long I want him to be.” Chloe wasn’t yelling. She kept stepping closer and closer to Sandy. And when they were almost touching noses that was when she could smell the booze. Maybe Chloe did know more than she did about her feelings for Mike. Who knows? But she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of itting it. Sandy realized that this raging lunatic was drunk, very drunk. She understood her better now, these were the rantings and rages of a desperate, lonely, very unhappy drunk. No chance of reasoning with her tonight in her condition. “Chloe, go home and sleep it off.” Sandy said. Sandy turned to head upstairs with Jenny when Chloe started yelling again. “What now are you calling me a drunk? I have had a couple of drinks and that does not make me a drunk. You are pathetic Sandy. How dare you call me a drunk?” Chloe was out of control.

Sandy turned back around and faced Chloe. She wondered how she had missed Chloe slurring her words before. But it was clear to her now. “The best thing for you to do Chloe is get out of my house, get into your car and go home. Whatever you are or aren’t is none of my concern. I just want you out, now. Before I have to call the police, and have you thrown out of here. Or maybe I’ll just take advantage of the situation and throw you out of here myself.” Sandy was seeing her own shade of red now. “Oh really, you and what army? You think you can take me? Bring it on bitch. I dare you to try. Come on. You won’t fight me now and you wouldn’t fight me when I took your husband either. You just rolled over on your back and let it happen. Maybe, do you think that if you ever stood up and fought for him, he wouldn’t have left you for me? You are pathetic. I took your life before and I could do it again with your new boyfriend if I wanted too. I am way more of a woman than you are Sandy. I don’t even know what he sees in you anyways. You are a pathetic old creature.” Chloe screeched at her. Sandy paused and questioned her own life for a moment. Half of what Chloe had said was true. She didn’t fight hard enough for her marriage and family. She had let Chloe take her life. Chloe was a drunken fool, yes, but she sadly knew what she was talking about. “Get out Chloe. I learned a long time ago that you can’t reason with a drunk. I didn’t fight hard enough for Mike you’re right. I am also not taking sloppy seconds. That was you, not me. Now get out of my house and don’t you ever step foot in here again.” Sandy turned her back to Chloe and started to talk to Mike. “We will need to discuss the girl’s visitation in the future. I don’t want your wife around my daughters until she gets help.” Sandy said. Sandy left Jenny on the staircase and walked over to the front door. Maybe they needed to be shown the way out. But before she could reach for the handle everything went black. When she came back around to a conscience state, she found herself lying on the foyer floor. When she tried to sit up, the dizziness made her nauseous and she laid back down. She lifted her hand up to her head to try to stop the throbbing.

She felt something sticky and when she took her hand away all she saw was red, blood. Why was there blood? Was she bleeding? She must have looked quite a sight with blood dripping down her face and matting in her hair. What the hell happened? Sandy couldn’t . Everything was foggy. She heard Mike and the girls but when she opened her eyes all she saw were spots dotting her vision. When her sight did clear, who did she see looking down at her, none other than her Greek God – Dr. Chris. “Hi there, sleeping beauty. I certainly didn’t move into a boring neighbourhood.” Chris was smiling down at her. God he was gorgeous. She could get used to waking up to his beautiful face every day. “What happened?” She asked “Apparently, you and your ex-husband’s wife, Chloe, got into an argument after I left. From what I can gather from the girls, your ex-husband’s wife hit you with a vase. You are just lucky that she couldn’t get more strength behind it or we would be having this discussion at the hospital and not in the middle of your front foyer.” Chris explained. She tried to sit up and got dizzy again. And ended up lying back into Chris’ arms. That was rough. “Take it easy now. Doctor’s orders. The cut isn’t deep enough for stitches so don’t be concerned. The bleeding has stopped but if you feel sick to your stomach or out again you will need to go to the hospital and have yourself checked for a concussion. I think you are going to be fine.” Chris was smiling at her as he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to the couch in the living room. She laid back on Chris. He smelt so good. She didn’t want to be put down. “Not that I mind holding you in my arms or anything, but I think maybe in a more private setting would be better.” Chris said. He motioned with his head in the direction of the foyer where the girls and Mike were standing there watching us.

Sandy giggled. She guessed he was right. It wasn’t the best time. Chris laid her down onto the couch and asked as he knelt onto the floor beside her if she was ok. “I’m fine. Thank you.” Sandy said. She looked towards the doorway just as the two police officers walked in. Now she was really confused. “Why are there police officers in my living room?” Sandy asked. What the hell had gone on here? “I called them mom,” Jasmine said “I was scared. I heard the fighting and then when I came down the stairs, I saw Chloe pick up the vase and hit you with it. And blood was everywhere. I was really scared, and I thought she killed you.” Jasmine said. Jasmine started to cry and ran over to her. Sandy took her into her arms and kissed her on the top of her head. Thirteen isn’t all that grown up. “Thank you honey. I am okay. It’s comforting to know you know what to do in an emergency though. So, what’s going on now? What else happened?” Sandy asked. She was asking Chris, the police officers and Mike all at the same time. And then she realized that she didn’t see Chloe anywhere. “Where’s Chloe?” she asked Mike. The young police officer stepped over to where she was lying on the couch. “She has been arrested ma’am. For assault causing bodily harm, assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, DUI and endangering the welfare of a minor.” “Oh my God. Okay, so more happened other than her just hitting me over the head. What else went on?” she was so confused, how long was she out cold? “Well after she realized what she had done to you she got scared. She ran

upstairs to get Matthew from bed. I ran after her, but I couldn’t stop her. She was screaming at us as she came running down the stairs with Matthew in her arms. No one was keeping her son from her. She loved him and wanted him with her. She was swinging him around like a rag doll. She almost dropped him over the railing once. She took off into the kitchen and grabbed your car keys off the table and headed to the garage. She planned to take your car. But she lost her balance, tripped over the foot stool, fell, hit her head on the edge of the counter splitting it wide open. She dropped Matthew on the floor hard. Blood was flying everywhere. I didn’t know if it was Matthew bleeding or if it was from her head wound. She grabbed Matthew up off the floor and ran towards the garage door again. And when I tried to stop her, she swung Matthew at me like he was a baseball bat. The whole time screaming like a lunatic and Matthew screaming in terror. She threatened to kill all of us. And that she was going to get even. She managed to get to the garage and had literally thrown Matthew into the backseat of your car when the police showed up.” Mike was describing a badly made B rated movie not my life. “Matthew was crying and screaming, arms outstretched to me. He wasn’t buckled in, but I couldn’t get the car door open. I couldn’t get him. Chloe saw the police and completely lost it.” Mike said. “That’s when I showed up.” Chris interjected. “I saw the police cruisers and the lights flashing and wondered what was wrong and if my help was needed.” Mike just turned and gave Chris a deathly dirty look. She had never seen such a look of utter hate on her ex-husband’s face before. It was the night of firsts. “Mom, we were all so scared.” Jasmine looked up at her, she was still in her arms and Jenny ran over to them. “Well anyways,” Mike continued. “She started your car and proceeded to ram your car into the police cruiser sending Matthew flying from the backseat into the front, landing on the enger floor. Chloe hit her head off the steering wheel. It must have been the same spot that she had hit it on the counter because the second time knocked her out cold. It took a few minutes to get to her because of the locked doors. The

police had to smash your car window to get to her. I’m sorry. I’ll pay for it to be fixed.” Mike just looked beaten down after telling her. She couldn’t tell if it was the embarrassment, frustration or relief that we all had seen what she was capable of. “Don’t worry about the window. I’m insured.” Sandy told Mike. Mike sighed, took a breath and continued. “When she came to, the ambulance attendants were working on her. She must have realized that she was in serious trouble this time because she tried to get away. She jumped off the stretcher and started to run down the driveway towards the street. The police officer saw her, he started to chase after her, not really a chase. I mean, she was drunk and trying to run in five-inch heels, with a bandage wrapped around her head. She wasn’t making it very far. When the police officer grabbed her arm, she turned and punched him in the face. And when he went down, she tried to kick him, but he grabbed her ankle and she fell to the ground. You would have thought that she would realize that it was over, but no not her.” Mike stopped and put his face in his hands. She didn’t know if he was crying or just in shame. Chris picked up the story at this point. “The second officer pepper sprayed Chloe, but she wouldn’t give up. She reached up and grabbed the officer by the ba….., private area”. He glanced in the direction of the girls and half smiled an apology and then continued. “Sending that police officer to his knees. A third officer had to intervene because Chloe would not let go of him. She was pepper sprayed for a second time and when she reached up to cover her face the officer got away and she was pinned to the ground and handcuffed.” Sandy was horrified “Oh my God, what are the neighbours going to think? I’m going to have to move. How is the officer that she punched and the other one that she violated?” “The first officer may have a broken nose but no other serious injuries. The

second officer will be okay, just very sore for a little while.” Chris volunteered. Mike looked up and finished off telling me what he planned on doing. “Long story short, she is under arrest. And in jail. And I think I’m going to let her stay there for the night or however long they want to keep her. Sober her up. She needs to see what kind of mess she has made. And then when she gets out, I am going to file for divorce. This was the worst incident by far. But what’s stopping her from getting worse? I am afraid of closing my eyes at night. I don’t know if I will ever open them again. She is crazy. Medication needed, institutionalized crazy.” Mike sounded miserable but determined. Sandy wondered what he was talking about, when he said, this being the worst incident to date. How many more have there been? And how many did the girls witness? “Okay, this has been quite a night. I think you girls need to go to bed now. And I’ll look in on you when I get upstairs.” After she sent the girls to bed, she turned to Mike, “Where is Matthew now?” “Asleep upstairs. They checked him over and with the exception of the bump on his head he didn’t need to go to the hospital. I just put him back to bed. I hope that was ok. Little kids are very resilient”. Mike said. “That’s fine, let the little guy sleep. You can leave him here tonight. And I guess you can sleep in the guest room if you don’t want to go home. And I think I need to go to bed myself.” Sandy was suddenly very tired. “Thanks Sandy, maybe I will take you up on that offer. I don’t want to be by myself tonight.” Mike looked as exhausted as he sounded. “And I will carry you up and put you to bed. Completely professional, I swear.” Chris offered with a glint in his eye. “No, that’s okay. I can help her if she needs it. You can just go home now. Thanks for your help Chris.” Mike countered. “Oh, I don’t mind, and I know how tired you must be after having to deal with your wife tonight. I wouldn’t want you to drop her on the stairs or anything.”

Chris was staring Mike down. Mike looked at Chris with a look of pure hate. The tension in the room was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. She turned to Mike and said, “It’s okay. I would like to speak to Chris alone anyways. But, thank you for the offer.” “If you’re sure, I guess it would be alright. I’ll see you in the morning then. Thanks again Chris for all your help. Sandy didn’t deserve what happened to her tonight.” Mike headed for the stairs with his head bent low. “My pleasure to be of service. I love to help beautiful damsels in distress. It makes me feel like Rhett Butler. My poor Scarlet will be always so thankful.” Chris said, giving her a look that melted her like butter. “Well it is unethical to take advantage of a patient.” Mike said as he reached the top of the stairs. “She isn’t technically a patient of mine.” Chris replied. And then to Sandy said in a soft whispering husky voice, “So, the rules can be broken. Or at very least bent a little bit.” Chris never took his eyes off her. If she didn’t know better, she would think that these two grown, successful, gorgeous men were arguing over her. Bad or good day. Couldn’t really tell. “I’m fine Mike. I trust Chris. Good night.” She was trying to get Mike to give them a little bit of privacy. “Good night then.” Mike said “Good night” Chris responded “Good night, Mike.” She could tell that he was reluctant to leave. She had to it it was making her feel good about herself. “Thanks Chris, for everything. You must really wonder what type of neighbourhood you moved into. I am sorry for all this. I didn’t realize she was so out of control. I am very embarrassed and extremely tired. I think I really need to

get to bed.” Sandy said. She tried to sit up and got dizzy again. And laid back down. “That should be my clue to leave, but honestly I don’t want to.” He leaned over to her and kissed her long and hard. It was no little peck on the cheek this time. It had been a long time since she was kissed like that. It left her breathless and wanting more. “Wow. What was that for? Or do all your patients get a kiss like that as part of your bedside manner?” She was trying to joke. “No, I reserve that for only the most beautiful and special patients” He kissed her again. This time longer and with more intensity. She never wanted it to end. The feelings that were bubbling up inside of her were hard to put into words. But wow might help to describe them. She didn’t want it to ever end but with everyone upstairs she thought it would probably be better to stop now before they got more carried away. “I think maybe it is time for you to go. Not that I really want you to but, you know with all that has happened I don’t want to upset anyone any more than they already have been tonight. I’m sorry but I hope you understand.” “Definitely. I think we are going to have something very special. And I hope they can get used to seeing a lot more of me around here.” Chris whispered to her with his breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine and tingles in her forgotten places. Sandy stood up to go upstairs and another dizzy spell hit and before she could stop him, Chris had scooped her up into his arms and carried her up to her room. Laying her on her bed ever so gently, and with another little kiss he was on his way. Was she dreaming or had all this really happened? After Chris walked back downstairs, Sandy could have sworn that she had heard the spare bedroom door shut. It has always had that squeaky hinge. Maybe not. But maybe yes.

Chapter 6

“G ood morning Mom.” Sandy opened her eyes to see her old life come back to her plus one. Her perfect family, Jasmine, Jenny, Mike and now Matthew standing beside her bed with a breakfast tray. She looked at Matthew. His little face was so bruised. She wondered how many bruises he had on the rest of his body. Her heart went out to him. She just wanted to take him in her arms and snuggle him like she used to do with the girls when they got hurt. “If I had known all it would take to get breakfast in bed was to be hit in the head, I think I would have done it sooner.” Sandy struggled to sit up in bed. “Take it easy. You have had a rough night you know. Or don’t you ?” Mike was just like his old self, happy, smiling and so very handsome. How could she forget last night? Two handsome men strutting like peacocks to get her attention. And then those kisses between her and Chris. They made her blush just thinking about them. Sandy was sure that wasn’t what Mike was referring too. “Penny for your thoughts? Must be something nice to bring a smile to your face after last night’s little episode” Mike asked Not wanting to tell Mike what she was really thinking about she simply replied, “How could I not be smiling when I get a delicious meal in bed. With my most favourite people in the world. And to know that the kitchen will be sparkling clean when I see it. What don’t I have to smile about?” She was joking about the clean kitchen. She could only imagine the mess that she would be walking into. And accepted it. “The mess is already cleaned up thank you very much. I have gotten very good at cleaning since I have been living with Chloe. She doesn’t do housework. The

dishwasher chips her nail polish. And the vacuum causes static that just ruins her hair.” Mike laughed making the most over exaggerated gestures with his hands. Everyone laughed at him. “At least she succeeded where I failed. She taught you to clean up after yourself. What do you know, she was good for something after-all? That is besides making such a handsome little boy.” Matthew had been struggling to get out of Mike’s arms and onto the bed with her. And when Sandy held out her hands to him, he flew out of his Dad’s arms, scampered onto the bed up and under the covers and snuggled into her. The girls piled onto the other side of her. And Mike took a seat at the foot of the bed. This was the way she always envisioned her life. Her kids and husband are lazing around in bed having breakfast, talking and laughing. It hurt to that this wasn’t her life. Mike was married to someone else and Matthew was not her son. She wished with all her heart that it was, but her brain overruled her heart and she could only pretend, for a short time that this was her life. “What do you want to do today, Mom?” Jasmine asked, looking between her parents. “Oh, it is still your Dad’s weekend. I think he will want to get Matthew home, changed and cleaned up. And he does still have to go and see Chloe at the police station. Or at least call and talk to her – don’t you?” She asked Mike. She could see the painful expressions cross his face. All the frustration from last night’s activities are painfully obvious in his expression. She wished that she could do something to make all his pain go away. “No. I called the police station and they are keeping her in until she can see the judge on Monday morning. And I really have no desire to go and visit her there. She did it to herself and maybe it will help her with a reality check. So, really, I have nothing to do today. I am at your disposal. What would you like to do?” Mike looked at Sandy and it made her catch her breath. Sandy knew it was the anger talking. But she couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for Chloe. “Mike, don’t you think you should at least go and see her in jail. Try and talk to

her in a controlled environment. Straighten things out. Or at least settle things one way or the other?” Sandy said. She was hesitant about getting involved with their relationship. Her girls stayed at their place, and she wanted to know that they were going to be safe. “No. I am too angry to go anywhere near her. After what she did to you and Matthew last night, I don’t think I ever want to see her again. I know, I will have to eventually but not today. I am in a great mood and I don’t want her to spoil it. She has done that too many times. I need a break.” Mike was pretty set in his decision. She shouldn’t get involved, but she knew how it felt when your whole world was crumbling around you and there was nothing you could do to stop it. “Mike, I don’t like what she did either. But she is sitting in a jail cell all by herself. She has sobered up by now. And regretting what she did. I don’t like her at all, never have or will. But she needs your right now. She had some serious charges laid against her last night. And her nightmare has only begun. What about calling her family or other friends? Somebody should be there for moral at least.” Sandy couldn’t believe that she was trying to help this woman who singlehandedly destroyed her life. “Maybe, you’re right. Sadly, her family walked away from her years ago. I guess that should have been a sign. But family dynamics are something that I overlooked. Every family has issues. I just figured that they would work it out eventually, you know. And as for friends she doesn’t have any good girl friends just good time friends. And if there is no alcohol available, I doubt that they will be around either. I just don’t see who I could call for her. She has isolated herself from everyone with her crazy ass behaviour. I couldn’t have been the only reason that she became an abusive drunk. I think I was just too blinded by her attention to notice what a nut job she was before we got married. Sandy, I just don’t want to see her again. I am so angry and upset with her. She went way too far with you and Matthew last night, not even to mention the police. Look at my son’s face. He looks like he has been through ten rounds of boxing. And you, you had to be carried to bed by a stranger. I don’t even want to know what the police officer is feeling today. You don’t do this to someone you love. You never

would have ever hurt one of the girls like that. Someone could have been seriously hurt or killed because of that stunt last night. And the charges that she has managed to tally up is insanity.” Mike sounded so defeated. You could tell he was wrestling with his conscience. He was a good man. Sandy knew that Mike was going to give in and go see Chloe, he just needed a little more coaxing. “She is your wife Mike. She needs you more now than ever before. Think about it, what would people think of you if you walk away from her right now? Is it a sensible career move? A lawyer’s wife in jail and he won’t represent her. Or even visit her. It could really hurt you in the future. And you need to think about Matthew in all this too. Later, she could try and turn him against you by telling him that you left her rotting in jail. And in family court it could go against you too. I am the last person in the world to push you to work things out with her but for Matthew’s sake why not try. Or at least, get her the necessary help she needs? If you go to see her today and all hell breaks loose then at least she won’t be able to hurt you or anyone else. And you can tell the courts that you tried and actually mean it.” Sandy said. She was looking at Mike sitting there at the end of her bed running his fingers through his hair. His nervous trait that she found so endearing. “Sandy, I know you’re right. You usually are. I’ll go.” Mike turned to the girls. “While I am gone, why don’t you guys think of something fun that we can do when I get back. I shouldn’t be long. Maybe a couple of hours max.” He pulled the girls into his arms. “I love you guys, you know, that right?” “Yes Dad.” Both girls responded at once. “We love you too.” Jenny pipes in, “How about the water park, Dad? Is that okay Mom? Are you coming with us too?” “It’s not my weekend with you guys. It’s Dad’s turn. You’ll have to ask him, not me.” I told Jenny. “Come on Sandy, it would be fun. I thought maybe we could all do something together. Chloe can’t interfere, unless she breaks out of jail. Not that it would surprise me if she did. Or do you have some other plans?” Mike asked her.

Sandy knew he was fishing for information on her schedule with Chris, but she wasn’t falling for the bait. “Okay, what if I promise to go and see Chloe. And then come back and pick up you and the kids and we all go as a family.” Mike asked. She knew he wanted a simple life. So, did she. At this moment she knew she looked like the solution, but things don’t change that quickly. “Girls can you take Matthew downstairs. I need to talk to your father. Please.” Sandy asked the girls. “Come on brats. The grown-ups need to talk, and they don’t want us to hear them.” Jasmine said. She was trying to ease the tension in the room. She walked out of Sandy’s bedroom with Matthew and Jenny. When the girls left with their little brother between them, they were all laughing. Sandy’s heart swelled at the sight of them. If she knew then how different all their lives would become later, she would have kept them closer for a little bit longer. She wished she could have turned back the hands of time and savoured that moment for a while longer. But that isn’t possible as we all know. “Mike, I don’t think it is a good idea for the girls to get the wrong idea. We are not hanging out like a family. Chloe is only in jail for the weekend. And then you need to clean up your own house, so to speak. You need to either work it out or start divorce proceedings. I’m not telling you which. But you need to figure it out and until you do, I don’t want the girls or Matthew to get the wrong idea.” It hurt so much to say this to him. But she had to put herself first. And she didn’t want to hear false promises, only to have them taken back and her heart broken again. It wasn’t fair. “I get it. I do. Really. I understand but I want you to know that I know I made a mistake all those years ago. I didn’t know how to change things. Not then but I do now. Chloe was crazy fun and spontaneous; she had no inhibitions sexually. When I met her, she made me feel sexy and young. Reckless. I was without responsibilities. She was so different from you. And I thought that was what I wanted. She was carefree and young. And you were serious and mature. I found

out soon enough that you can only ride the roller coaster so many times without getting sick and wanting off. It was a mistake that I regret every day. I love you so much. I never stopped. I sometimes go to sleep at night and hope when I wake up it will all turn out to be a bad dream.” Mike explained to Sandy. She was stunned. “Chloe changed so much after Matthew was born. I don’t mean just the weight gain, but it started there. She lost all her modeling jobs and as for her acting, I don’t think that even the local community theatre would welcome her back. And then the drinking started or got worse, I don’t know which. But she was always a party girl, it started to get out of control. Do you know that at one point it got so bad I wouldn’t leave Matthew with her anymore? I didn’t tell you everything that had gone on because it was so embarrassing. And I didn’t want you to take away the girl’s visitation. Truthfully, I just didn’t want to believe it myself. And once you it it out loud you can’t pretend anymore.” Mike took a deep breath before he continued. “One night, I came home from work around eight o’clock and the house was dark. I figured no one was home. I was relieved because she started yelling as soon as I opened the door every evening. That’s why I worked so much overtime. That and because she has a shopping addiction that I had to pay for as well as her partying. But, when I opened the garage door, I heard Matthew screaming, not just crying but screaming at the top of his lungs, that gut wrenching, world is ending scream. I ran upstairs and straight to his room. The smell that greeted me when I opened the door was horrible. He had shit through his diaper. It was all over his bed, on the floor, in the crib, on him. I don’t think there was a dry spot anywhere. He was so upset. He was standing at the side of his crib just shaking. His face was all red and blotchy, that look you get when you have been crying for a long time. I picked him up and just held him. Even with the state he was in. And he clung to me for dear life. It took me almost an hour to settle him down long enough to give him a bath and clean up the mess in his room. And the whole time Chloe never came to see what all the noise was about. I thought she must have ed out in her room. I knew the truth. In my heart I knew that wasn’t true. Finally, around ten o’clock I got Matthew fed, bathed and back to bed and then I went looking for Chloe. It hit me suddenly that I hadn’t seen her car in the garage when I pulled in. I went through every room in the house and I couldn’t find her. I didn’t want to believe the alternative.

I even checked the closets and laundry room. I came to the realization that Chloe had left Matthew home alone. I slumped into the chair in my office and I started to think about all the times I had stayed late at the office or even stayed there overnight. I wondered how many times Chloe had left him alone. Finally, around two in the morning she comes stumbling in from the garage, falling in the kitchen, swearing, getting back up only to bang into something else and land on the floor again. You know how I found her when I walked into the kitchen? Crawling across the kitchen floor heading to the stairs. She was that drunk that she couldn’t even walk. But she drove herself home. When she finally looked up and noticed me standing there, she tried to be all sweet and sexy.” Sandy couldn’t believe her ears. His life was crazy out of control and she felt bad because she complained about her life. She took his hand in hers and held it. Mike took a breath before continuing. “She looked up at me and had the nerve to say, ‘Hey babe, when did you get home?’ I was savage at the sight of her. And she drove herself home. She could have killed someone.” “I lost it and started yelling at her. Don’t give me that shit. How could you leave Matthew home alone? Where the hell have you been all night? Who did you expect to be here watching him?’ I knew yelling at a drunk didn’t get you anywhere, but I was so frustrated and so angry.” Mike was trying to excuse his actions, but Sandy didn’t feel he needed too. She would have been furious too. “She stopped dead in her tracks and the look that came over her face was demonic. If I hadn’t had been so angry, I think I would have been afraid.” “Don’t you dare give me shit about going out with my friends? I am allowed, you know. There is no law that says I had to stay home all the time and watch your child. I am young, beautiful and sexy you know. Am I not allowed to have a life? You ruined me when we got together. I never wanted kids and you knocked me up. I hate being a mom. It’s boring. I’m better than this. I had a career before you. I was happy. I was somebody. People wanted to be around me. Now I am a nobody, your wife or Matthew’s Mom. So, I go out with some friends occasionally and have a few drinks. Some laughs and a little bit of fun, so what. I am a woman and I need to be made to feel special and wanted. And if you won’t give me the attention at home, that I deserve, I am going to find it

somewhere else. From someone else more deserving of my attributes. Chloe was screaming at me.” “I could believe my ears. Chloe stood there basically telling me she was being unfaithful. And accusing me of being unfair to her. She felt that she had done no wrong.” Mike was so upset that Sandy didn’t even think he was going to be able to finish telling her the rest of the story and quite truthfully, she didn’t know if she wanted to hear the rest. “I realized that I wasn’t going to get through to her by yelling so I tried to talk to her calmly. I needed to tell her that she couldn’t leave him alone like that. He could have been hurt, someone could have broken in, anything could have happened. I reminded her that he was her son.” “Do you know what she told me? That he was asleep when she left, and she knew that I would be home shortly. She had dinner reservations for seven o’clock and only left at six o’clock or maybe six-thirty. She couldn’t exactly. And he was sleeping. That was her explanation. She honestly thought that she had done nothing wrong.” Sandy couldn’t believe what she had heard. “I didn’t get home until eight o’clock Sandy. He was alone for more then two hours. He is a baby.” Mike looked crushed. “I was so mad at her. I just couldn’t understand why she had left. You never would have left the girls alone. What was she thinking?” Mike said. Mike was so upset. Her heart was breaking for him. And her disgust was building for Chloe. The best place for her was in jail because if she saw her right now, she would kill her. “She looked at me and said that she had left a bottle in the crib with him in case he woke up before I got home. Can you imagine if the house caught on fire?” It was tearing Mike up. “I said to her that I didn’t get home until after eight o’clock. And she just shrugged. She didn’t care. At that point I couldn’t care how mad she got at me. It

wouldn’t be the first time that she lost her cool and hit me. I just started yelling at her again and I knew it was a waste of time, but I was angry and frustrated” “She told me to shut up. That I wasn’t her father. She never wanted that brat. She called her own son, that brat. She told me that she didn’t care what happened to him. Chloe was ranting and I just sat back and listened not believing what I was hearing.” Mike looked so beaten down. “She finally stumbled up the stairs and into the bathroom and I heard her throwing up. I stayed downstairs for a while longer before I headed up to bed. I was sleeping in the guest room by this point in our relationship. I heard her moaning in the washroom at the top of the staircase. I don’t know why I even stopped and knocked on the washroom door. And when she didn’t answer I told her that unless she opened the door, I would break it down. She still didn’t respond. So, I kicked the door in. And found her lying face down on the floor in her own vomit. I was so disgusted at the sight of her that I almost shut the door again and walked away. Let her lay in her own filth. But when I looked down at her again, I saw the pill bottle and I knew I had to get help.” Mike took a deep breath before he continued. “I ran to the phone in our bedroom and called the ambulance. I didn’t know what she took, how much she took. I didn’t even know she was on medicine for anything. She was rushed to the hospital and had her stomach pumped. They kept her for a forty-eight-hour psychological evaluation for attempting suicide. I never told anyone about her leaving Matthew alone. I didn’t want Child Services to get involved, I didn’t want them to take him away from me. I love him as much as I do the girls.” Mike was so upset. Sandy knew he had no favourites between the kids. “Anyways, after the evaluation period we agreed that we needed a nanny. Chloe was so horrible to every one of them that they never stayed longer than a couple of weeks. Finally, the agencies stopped accepting our calls and wouldn’t send any more nannies for us to interview. Do you know how wrong that is? I never wanted to tell you any of this because I knew you hated Chloe. And I know I gave you the reason, but I didn’t want you to stop me from seeing the girls.” Mike looked like he was in agony. His life was a nightmare, he couldn’t wake up

from. “Oh Mike, I am so sorry you had to go through all this alone. I would never have stopped you from seeing the girls. We would have worked something out.” She leaned over and hugged Mike. Being this close to him brought back so many memories. She started to pull away but when she looked up, and their eyes met. The attraction was there, and he leaned in to kiss her. Sandy didn’t know if she would have stopped him if they hadn’t heard someone clear their throat behind him. Both, Mike and I jumped. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” It was Chris and he was standing in her bedroom doorway. “The girls let me in. I just wanted to check on my patient, but I can come back later if this is a bad time.” Chris sounded angry. “Okay, see you later” Mike said to Chris without turning around. At the same time, I told him that it was okay. He could come in. Mike must have gotten the hint that the moment was gone, and he stood up. “I’ll go and see if the kids want to go to the water park after I get back from seeing Chloe. I’ll talk to you later.” Mike said. Chris walked over to my bed as Mike got up. “Can you shut the door on your way out please? I want to talk to Sandy privately.” Chris wasn’t asking Mike; it was more of an order. Sandy didn’t know if Chris was being an ass or if he had something important to talk to her about. Mike looked at her, and she nodded. He walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Chris sat down on the edge of her bed, where Mike had been sitting moments earlier. “Well, that was uncomfortable. Did I interrupt something important? I like you

Sandy, but I won’t play any games. If you want to take this opportunity to work things out with your ex just tell me and I will walk away with my dignity.” Chris was obviously pissed but composed. “No, it is over between me and Mike. He was telling me about Chloe and all the crap that she has been pulling. He was so upset. I felt sorry for him. I explained that he shouldn’t mislead the girls into thinking that we are getting back together. And what you saw was a hug, a consoling hug. Nothing more and nothing less. We were together for a long time and I just don’t like to see him or anyone else hurting.” Sandy explained to Chris. She was hoping that Chris understood. How ironic that she was telling a man that she had met less than twenty-four hours ago that he meant more to her then her ex-husband, who had just finished telling her everything that she’d wanted to hear him say to her for the last three years but hadn’t. Life was strange. “I have to it I am glad. You are a beautiful woman. And I find you interesting and entertaining and I want to get to know you a whole lot better.” Chris took Sandy’s face between his hands bringing his lips to hers. The taste of his lips on hers was electrifying. She wanted more, so much more. Sensing her yearning, he pushed her back onto the pillow, a bit rougher than she liked but it was lost in the moment. He nibbled her neck working his way down towards her breasts. The slightest of moans escaped Sandy’s lips. The fire between her legs was burning hotter than an inferno. She felt his hand cup her breast and she thought that she was going to die from desire. She reached out with her fingers to caress his chest through his shirt but instead found herself unbuttoning it. She wanted to feel him. His skin on her skin. His hands on her body. His lips on hers. She wanted him so bad. She let him lift her nightdress up and over her head. Naked on her bed with a desire burning away any common sense. Sandy pulled him closer to her and felt the hair from his chest brush her nipples and her body erupted with need. Lowering his head to her breast, he took her nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting faintly. She wanted to feel him inside of her. She could feel his arousal against her thigh, and knew he wanted her too. She reached for his zipper and started to pull it down, but he stopped her. He hesitated and she quickly realized why. Her girls could walk in any minute. She grabbed her night dress and pulled it back over her head. She was flushed and embarrassed.

“I am so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I wanted you so bad. What must you be thinking of me? I haven’t been with someone in a very long time and it felt so right but I am not this type of person.” Sandy said. She was on the verge of tears because she didn’t want him to think of her as some kind of slut or a desperately lonely divorcee. Chris sat back and began buttoning up his shirt. “I like you Sandy and I don’t think it’s possible to think badly of you. The first time that we’re together as a couple won’t be a quick little fling. It will be a night to for both of us. I want to make you feel like a goddess. I know how this sounds but I am crazy about you. You make me feel incredibly alive. I can’t get enough of you. I want to be around you constantly. I think about you when we are not together, and we haven’t even been on an official date yet. So, what does that say about me? This is, whatever this is. Is happening quickly but it feels right. I want to be with you, and I hope you feel the same.” He leaned over and straightened out her night dress and kissed her again. At the same time as Chris sat back at the side of her bed the door burst open and in barged Jenny. Chris and Sandy looked at each other and started laughing. “What’s so funny?” Jenny looked at them as if they were crazy. “Dad wants to know if you’re coming to the water park with us or not?” Jenny asked Sandy. Jenny had not mastered the art of knocking on a bedroom door and waiting before entering. She also needed to wait for an answer before asking a second question. Sandy looked past Jenny and she could see Mike standing just outside the doorway trying very hard not to be seen. How long had he been standing there? And how much had he heard? And Sandy realized that Mike was putting their daughter in the middle of something that had nothing to do with her and that was not cool. Sandy was starting to lose her temper with Mike. “No, honey I am not coming with you today. You guys can have some alone time with your Dad. Isn’t that what you wanted? Time without Chloe around bugging

you?” “That’s okay. We don’t mind if you want to come Mom. Or are you not coming because of him?” Jenny was referring to Chris. “Jenny, show respect. I am not coming because I have plans of my own today. And they do not include the water park. You were supposed to be with your Dad this weekend. So, I made plans and if they include Chris or not, that is none of your business young lady. And I expect you to apologize for being rude.” Sandy was not allowing this to start. “I’m sorry Mom, Doctor P. I didn’t mean to be rude.” Did she seriously just call him Dr. P? Chris started laughing. “You can call me Chris or if you want to call me Doctor P, I kind of like it. I never had a nickname before.” Chris was being a good sport about everything. “Really? You must have been an only child. Jasmine is always calling me names, and some are mean.” Everything was forgiven and forgotten in that girls’ mind. “Sorry Mom. I love you.” Jenny said. Mike stepped out at that moment to make his presence known. “Hey, I think I will head out now. I’m going to go to the Police Station and then come back here to get the girls and Matthew. Do you want anything brought home after the water park? We could do a BBQ if you want. You’re welcome to come Chris, if you would like?” It was not his house, what the hell did he think he was doing. “I think we are okay. We might go out for something to eat anyways. You can keep the girls until later if you want.” It would give her some alone time with Chris. “Alright. I’ll be back to get the kids in about an hour. If that is still okay?” Mike asked.

“That’s fine.” She was a little put out with Mike, but she couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for him too. “Stop and grab Matthew’s swim shorts, towel and a change of clothes on your way back. See you in a bit.” Sandy told Mike. Mike just nodded and walked away. “Do you have a lot planned for today?” Chris was asking her. “Not really, I just have a little bit of shopping to do and then of course I have to get ready for my date tonight. Unless, I don’t have a date anymore?” She looked at Chris for confirmation of her plans. “We do, unless you’re cancelling. Maybe if you don’t mind, that is, I would love to tag along with you when you go shopping today. You could introduce me to my new city.” Chris wanted to come shopping with her. “It isn’t much fun. I have grocery shopping to do and picking up a gift for Jenny’s birthday next week. No great fun stuff, but if you would like to come you are more than welcome. I hate shopping alone. Actually, truth be told I hate going anywhere alone.” She was more honest with Chris than she thought she should have been. It would be great to have him go with her though. “I think it would be fun to do the everyday stuff that a family does. I didn’t grow up with the traditional type of family life. My parents travelled a lot with their jobs, and I had a live-in nanny until I was eleven-years old and we had maids to shop, clean and cook for us. So, this will be an adventure for me. I am looking forward to it. Should I come and pick you up in an hour or do you need longer? Will Mike be back by then?” Chris really did sound excited. “You had maids and an alive-in nanny? Wow, you were rich, weren’t you?” Jenny was intrigued. Chris turned to her and he suddenly looked very sad, “Yes, I was. But it isn’t all

that it’s cracked up to be. It is really very lonely.” “I would like to try that kind of lonely sometime.” Jenny laughed. “No, dishes or chores, Mom and Dad not home yelling at you. I think I could handle it.” “Get out of here or I will start yelling and throwing things at you.” It was nice to see her interested in something about Chris. “Don’t go all nuclear on me Mom. I have a stepmother who does that now.” Sandy knew Jenny was only joking but you had to wonder if there wasn’t at least a little bit of truth to it. Sandy turned to Chris, “I should stick around for Mike, so why don’t we say two hours instead. I’ll meet you downstairs this time though okay?” “Are you sure? I don’t mind coming back up here to find you.” The smile suggested more than the words. “People, kids in the room.” Jenny yelled. “Gross” As she took off out of the room and headed downstairs. “I’ll see you soon” Chris leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips as he got up and walked out of the room.

Chapter 7

S andy had just finished feeding the dogs when the doorbell rang. She rushed out of the kitchen and stopped to get one final look at herself in the hallway mirror. Not bad, she managed to pull it off. Her hair had turned out perfect today and she was even able to hide the bruise on her cheek from last night with carefully applied make up. She was glad that she decided on the tighter jeans, they showed off her newly tightened butt. She could honestly say that she was looking mighty fine. Tight jeans, high heeled black leather boots and a peek-a-boo white silk top with just a glimpse of her camisole showing from underneath. With deep iration for her new push up bra she was looking amazing, if she did say so herself. With final acceptance of her looks she took a deep breath and opened the door expecting to see Chris but was surprised to find a beautiful woman standing on my doorstep. “Hello, can I help you?” Sandy asked. She was the most attractive woman that Sandy had ever seen. She had long wavy chestnut coloured hair with high and low lights that probably cost more than a car payment. Her eyes were piercing green with little specks of gold. Her makeup looked professional done. She was tall and model thin. And she was dressed from top to bottom in expensive looking designer clothes. There was no question that she was very wealthy and very used to being spoiled. Sandy suddenly didn’t feel so good about herself anymore. She felt like Cinderella before the ball, in rags. This beautiful stranger looked startled when she first saw Sandy but regained her composure quickly. “Hello. I am looking for Dr. Christopher Papadopoulos. Does he live here?” She asked as if Sandy were the hired help. She brushed past her into the front entrance with a look of disgust. Sandy got the feeling that this woman thought her home was a dump. Not good enough for servants that obviously tended to her every need. Just the way she looked around Sandy’s home made it feel like it was some shanty in the bayou of the Mississippi. Completely unworthy of her

royal presence. “No, I’m sorry you have the wrong house. Dr. Papadopoulos lives across the street in the white house with the red trim.” Sandy informed her unwelcome visitor. She didn’t know why she felt the need to call Chris by his professional name but sensed that this mystery woman would not approve of any type of personal reference to him. “Thank you. Sorry to have bothered you.” She said with a flip of her hand and a toss of her hair she turned her back on Sandy and walked out of her house. “That’s perfectly alright.” Sandy shut the door and went to the front window to peek through the curtains. She didn’t want to spy on Chris, but she had to find out who this woman was. And she wanted to see the physical reaction that he gave her when she showed up on Chris’ doorstep. Sandy could see Chris’ front door perfectly from her living room window and only needed to pull the curtain slightly back to see clearly. The mystery woman walked up to Chris’ door and knocked once. Tried the handle, found it unlocked and was just about to open the door and let herself in when Chris pulled it open to come out. The look on Chris’ face spoke volumes. He was not happy to see her. And Sandy had to it to herself that it made her feel much better. The woman just laughed at his expression and went to put her arms around his neck. Chris pushed her away and looked directly towards her house. Sandy took a step backwards away from the window. She knew Chris couldn’t see but it felt like he could. And the look on his face was frightening. She felt his stare piercing through the window. Chris stepped out onto his front porch and roughly pushed the mysterious woman into his house and slammed the door. Sandy was starting to think that her perfect day was not going to be so great after all. She waited around for another fifteen minutes and called over to Chris’ and of course there was no answer. She left a message with both her cell phone number and home number, but she didn’t really expect a call back. She waited another fifteen minutes and then grabbed her coat and purse and headed out the door. She was beautiful, rich and the type of woman every man would lust after, how

was she going to compete with that. She didn’t get a phone call all afternoon and when she called over after she got home from running her errands, she didn’t get an answer then either. It was four o’clock and she didn’t know if there would still be a date for tonight or not. Sandy decided to take the dogs for a walk, it gave her an excuse to walk past Chris’ house and check things out. Nothing out of the ordinary. When she got home, she didn’t have a voice message from him and there was no answer when she called him at six o’clock. Sandy took the hint, there was going to be no date and no explanation either. She did notice that the fancy car was no longer parked in front of her house. She popped dinner into the microwave and waited for the girls to get home. So much for her fairy tale ending.

Chapter 8

T he girls came home around nine o’clock, sunburnt and full of smiles. Their laughter filled the air and the story of their day came spilling out amongst giggles and high fives. “Mom, you should have come with us. We had so much fun. You had to see Dad. He went down the Zombie slide. It keeps you spinning around and around in the bowl part before it shoots you through the hole. And when Dad hit the water, he made such a splash that he soaked this lady who was standing by the fence watching for her kid and she got so mad. She started yelling at him. Can you believe that, she got mad because she got wet at a water park?” Jasmine was killing herself laughing at her own story. Sandy couldn’t help but smile. “That is a little bit crazy.” She agreed “Okay girls, upstairs, shower and get ready for bed. It is a school night after all.” The girl’s ran upstairs to take a shower and change for bed, leaving Mike and her alone together. “So, how was the big date? Couldn’t have been that great if you are home already.” Mike had always been in tune with her emotions. “No, not great, actually not at all. But I did get to meet his sister or maybe an exgirlfriend, not sure which one because she disappeared very quickly without introducing herself. But I can tell you that she is beautiful, rich and very, very snobby.” Mike could sense her disappointment. She didn’t hide things well. “What do you mean? He has a girlfriend. Kind of hypocritical of you isn’t it?” Mike said. She knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her, but he did. “Relax Mike, he isn’t married or divorced or even involved with anyone. He is a widow from what he told me with no kids. I’m not stupid. I know she is not his

sister. He told me he was an only child. And the way she wanted to hug him, let’s just say that it was not sisterly unless you were some kind of hillbilly. I really don’t know that much about him, I only met him yesterday.” She confessed to Mike. “It seemed like you guys knew each other longer than that. Pretty well actually.” “Really Mike, what is it to you anyways? How is your wife, by the way? Still in jail?” Sandy was pissed. She didn’t need to have him imply that she was doing anything wrong. She felt bad enough. She had put too much faith into someone and was disappointed again. She should have known better. “Sorry. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.” Mike was just looking out for her. “Maybe something came up and he had to go to the hospital. And she could be an ex-girlfriend that wanted to rekindle something. It doesn’t mean that he does. Give him a chance to explain before you cut him out. I wish I had never had an affair on you and then you wouldn’t be dating anyone else. You deserve to be happy though. I miss the good times, the laughter, snuggling and making love to you. I miss you and our life so much. You, dating someone else is killing me. I know I have no right to be, but I am jealous.” Mike was confessing his feelings for her. “Why didn’t you tell me all this before? It would’ve changed so much.” Sandy told him. The tears were swelling up in her eyes. She needed to leave the room. And out of this conversation. Mike was moving closer to her. Her heart was racing. He took Sandy’s face in his hands and lifted it up so that they were looking each other in the eye. “I am so sorry for all the pain that I caused you Sandy. I love you. I always have. I just lost my way. I want you back. I want to be the one to make you happy. I want us to be a family again.” Mike’s lips touched hers and it was like the world stopped. Her knees went weak and her heart was pounding out of her chest. If his arms were not holding her up,

she would have melted to the floor. Sandy pushed him away and turned to look out the kitchen window. She didn’t want Mike to see her cry. “No Mike, I won’t be that woman. I love you, always have and always will but I will not degrade myself that way. I’m sorry.” Sandy heard a loud bang outside in the backyard. She looked out the kitchen window but didn’t see anything. It must have been the gate slamming shut or maybe it was the door to her heart. “Could you please leave Mike, I really want to be alone.” Her heart was breaking. She didn’t turn around to look at him. She didn’t trust herself. She didn’t know if she could or even wanted to stop him from kissing her again. A strange feeling of being watched washed over Sandy. Was it guilt?

*************************************************************************

Chris never moved a muscle as Sandy pushed Mike away. Why was she crying? Why the tears? Could she really be that stupid? Did she think she meant something to him? He left her and started a family with someone else. Mike needed to back away. Sandy was his now. He needed her. Chris slammed the gate and stormed out of Sandy’s backyard.

Chapter 9

T he next morning dawned bright and sunny, unlike her mood. Sandy was sore all over. But it was her heart that hurt the most. She was disappointed and confused. Here she was supposed to have had her first date with an exceptional man and got stood up. And then the love of her life tells her that he still loves her. It was too much. She couldn’t wrap her brain around what had happened that weekend. But life goes on. And she had to go to work. As Sandy was walking in the doors to her office, Janice came running up to her. She had a coffee in both hands and this great big goofy smile on her face. “Are you going to tell me who he is?” Janice was acting like a child. How did she know that Sandy had met someone? “What are you going on about Janice?” Sandy asked. Her head was throbbing, and she wasn’t in the mood to be interrogated this morning. Sandy reached over and took a coffee out of Janice’s hands. She needed coffee. Maybe it would help her have a clearer head. She needed some caffeine in her system. “Who is the guy? Did you meet someone special this weekend? Or have you been holding out on me? You must have made quite the impression.” Janice asked her. Janice just kept going on and on. It was getting on her nerves. It was way out of her usual character. She was acting like a young schoolgirl instead of the no nonsense woman that usually greeted her in the office.

Sandy kept staring at her with a puzzled look. What the hell was she talking about? Mike had better not have come in to talk to her. But then again, she knew Mike so that wouldn’t be it. And she was as hurt by Mike’s betrayal as Sandy was. They were all good friends before his affair. And Janice would be loyal to her until the end of time. So, Sandy was really confused as to what Janice was going on about. “Janice, I honestly don’t know what you are talking about. And I am not in the mood to be interrogated this morning.” She was on the brink of tears and that wasn’t like her. “Well, you have one hell of a secret irer then.” Janice said. Janice continued to lead the way into the office. She held open the office door and Sandy couldn’t believe what she saw. “Who are all these flowers from?” Sandy asked. There were flowers everywhere in her office. Bunches of roses. Every colour imaginable. They were beautiful and the smell was incredible. “The flowers started to arrive around eight o’clock this morning and I thought maybe it was for a meeting or a last-minute event that I didn’t know about. But nothing was written down, so I asked the delivery guy who they were from and he said that he was told to keep delivering them and answer no questions. There is no card and the florist won’t tell me anything, I called. So, did you have a great weekend?” Janice asked again. Janice looked at Sandy and then she must have seen the bruises that she had tried so hard to hide with make-up because her smile died on her lips and was replaced with a grim line. It was no longer a happy occasion. She got her mean cop look on. Sandy always thought she would have been a good cop in another life. Just enough mean but comionate at the same time. And she never cracked under pressure. “I have an idea who these flowers are from, but he better not have. Come on, we

have a lot to talk about, like those bruises for one thing.” Janice said. Janice pulled her into the office just as another delivery arrived. It was an enormous bouquet of peach coloured roses with baby’s breath. The flowers were not Mike’s style. Way too flamboyant. But, who else could it be? Surely not Chris. He hadn’t even shown up for their date. Sandy needed someone with an objective opinion to help her figure out what she needed to do about the crazy weekend. And there was no one better than Janice. So, three coffees later and a box of tissues Janice was filled in on the events of the weekend. The meeting of Chris, the broken date, the assault from Chloe and her arrest and Sandy even included the kitchen scene with Mike, which did not impress Janice in the least. “So, what do you think? The flowers are from Mike or Chris?” Sandy asked her friend. Janice was quiet. She was only quiet when she was thinking hard. “That was quite a weekend. And you haven’t heard from this Chris guy since you saw him with that girl on Sunday? What about Mike? And what is going to happen to Chloe?” Janice was looking at her and she could see that she was deep in thought. “I will not be the other woman. Not for Mike or anyone else? You know me better than that I hope. Besides, if I did have an affair with Mike can you imagine the beating, she would give me if she had a reason?” Sandy was trying to make light of the situation, but she truly was afraid of Chloe. She was holding onto the hope that Chloe would not go so far as to hurt the girls or Matthew to get even with her or Mike. She was crazy and Sandy couldn’t say for sure if she wouldn’t. Anything was possible. Another delivery arrived. It was a large, beautiful, very expensive bouquet of yellow roses. It was so large she couldn’t even see the delivery guy holding it. She needed to find out who was sending her these flowers and put a stop to it. Romantic gesture, sure but this was too extravagant. “Someone is spending a lot of money on me. What a waste.” She poked her head

around the flowers to say thank you and tip the nearly invisible delivery guy but instead of seeing some young kid she found herself looking into Chris’ gorgeous eyes. “Money is not wasted on someone so special. I do have to say the flowers pale in comparison to your beauty.” He said. Chris was standing there holding this bouquet and he looked like one of those statues you put into your garden surrounded by flowers. He was perfect. “Hi. What are you doing?” Sandy was stammering and blushing as she reached over to take the vase of flowers from him. “I just wanted to say how sorry I was about standing you up yesterday. I know I should have called but an emergency came up and I had to rush to the hospital. And I was there all night. I really was looking forward to spending the day with you. Can you get away now? I would love to spend today with you. Also, I hope the flowers tell you how disappointed I was with our sudden change in plans. Am I forgiven? Do I get another chance with you, the beautiful, crazy, single faulted neighbour of mine?” Chris asked her. Chris never mentioned his visitor, but she was not going to dwell on that now. He just asked her out again. “I think we could work something out. But I can’t take the day off.” She laughed at him. “Sorry, where are my manners, Chris this is my co-worker and very good friend Janice. Janice this is the new neighbour and my knight in shining armour, I was telling you about, Chris.” Sandy made the introductions. “Oh, you were talking about me. All good I hope?” Chris had extended his hand to Janice to shake but was talking to her. He smiled the whole time. That was until Janice spoke. “No, not all good.” She said. Sandy turned and looked at Janice in surprise. She was always a little bit standoffish with people, but she was never out and out rude. She tried to laugh it

off but the look that came over Chris’ face was a combination of annoyance, anger and surprise. “Very funny Janice.” Sandy gave her a look that told her to back off. She turned to her Greek God and smiled. She didn’t know what was wrong with Janice but that was not acceptable. She wanted to change the conversation. “I don’t understand why you would spend all this money on flowers for me. I get it that you got called into work. I understand you have an important job. I don’t need this grand gesture. I will it that it is nice. But you really didn’t need too. What am I going to do with all of them?” She was talking to Chris as much as verbalizing her own thoughts. “I just wanted to let you know that you are important to me and I will not disrespect you or what we have started. Respect and honesty are very important qualities in a relationship. Don’t you agree?” Just that comment sent a chill down her spine. It was almost like he knew what had happened in her kitchen last night with Mike. But, then again, he never mentioned his visitor either. “Yes, honesty is very important. From both people in a relationship.” Janice piped in. As she walked away without a goodbye or nice to meet you. Nothing. She shut the office door harder than necessary. “I don’t think she likes me very much. Did I do something to insult her?” Chris was looking at her like a wounded puppy. “I apologize for her. She isn’t usually rude to people. I don’t know what came over her.” She felt responsible for Janice’s behaviour. “That’s okay. She will like me more when she gets to know me better. I’m sure of it.” Chris tried to play it off like it didn’t bother him but the look on his face was hard to read. He looked angry but that wouldn’t make sense. It must be new not having a woman like him instantly. “So, am I forgiven, or do you hate me too?” Chris took her hands in his, kissing

her knuckles gently. “I don’t hate you. Really, I understand.” She whispered. Chris leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss and pulled her into his arms. It felt so good and safe to be held again. “I’m so glad. I really don’t know what I would do if I lost you.” Chris said. She got butterflies in her stomach and she didn’t know if it was because she liked what he said, or if it frightened her a little bit. After all, they had only just met. “Did you have company stop by yesterday? I thought I saw a strange car pull up to your house.” She only casually asked and was surprised by his response. “You can’t possibly know every car that comes on the street and who they are there to visit. But, no I didn’t have any company.” Chris snapped at her and lied to her face. “No, of course I don’t know every car that comes on the street. It’s just this one was very expensive looking and didn’t fit in. It doesn’t matter. They must have been looking for someone else.” Sandy said. So much for honesty in a relationship, she thought. But, then again, she didn’t volunteer what had happened between her and Mike in the kitchen either. Everyone has secrets. Chris and Sandy walked out to his car holding hands and talked about Chloe and the whole messed up situation and what Mike intended to do about it. “I think you need to distance yourself from their family problems Sandy. Look what happened to you already. That woman is dangerous, and I don’t just mean to you, what about the girls? Do you think she is capable of hurting them?” Chris was obviously concerned for her safety and the girls. She appreciated it but he had to understand that Mike’s problems concerned her daughters as well.

“I agree with you. It is their family business. But Mike is the father of my daughters and whether I like it or not I’m involved in whatever goes on at their home or in their lives.” She hoped Chris would understand but unless you had kids of your own you always think it is just so easy to walk away from your ex and their new families. “I just want you to be careful. She is crazy. And I don’t want her to hurt you any worse than she did. You don’t deserve it or need the extra agony.” Chris cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. “I don’t want to lose someone as amazing as you to some crazy bitch.” Sandy had to it it felt good to mean something to someone again. She kissed him back and sent him on his way. She headed back into the building. She needed to get some work done.

Chapter 10

J anice walked into her office at the hotel and sat down at her desk. Where had she seen Dr. Wonderful before? And why was it eating her up. She decided to do a little background check on the good doctor. Let’s see what Google would tell her. After misspelling his name a few hundred times, she finally got it right. She started to look up some information. It was the usual boring stuff. It almost sounded like she was reading a promotional ad instead of his personal history. He attended some medical school in the Caribbean, probably thanks to rich Mommy & Daddy, graduated within the top tenth percentage of his class, blah, blah, blah. Nothing helpful. She needed history – personal history. Everyone had a few skeletons in their closets, especially the rich. It just wasn’t sitting right that the rich and fancy doctor was satisfied living in a middle-class neighbourhood. Working at a regular hospital instead of practising in the big city, making tons of money. He didn’t strike Janice as the charitable type. She knew that they didn’t live in a hick town. But they didn’t attract the big celebrities either. Something smelled wrong. And as a retired police detective, she knew to follow her instincts. And as an added bonus, she still had a few connections on the Police force. She could ask and see what they could dig up for her. She picked up her phone and dialed a number she knew by heart. “Detective Mills.” It was the same deep, sexy voice that came over the line, that always made her smile. Thinking how many people were intimidated by this man made her laugh. If they only knew him, really knew him, they would never be afraid of him. “Hi Jason, what’s new?” Janice hadn’t called him in a while. Not since he and her cousin had split up. She was put in a bad spot. Her cousin was wrong, but she was family. Janice wanted to side with Jason but her true feelings for him would have become a little too obvious. And she wasn’t living with the backlash of that. Janice had been in love with her ex-partner for years, but she wouldn’t mix work and pleasure. So, she

didn’t let him know how she felt. But her cousin knew and yet it didn’t stop her at that party Janice had thrown to celebrate Jason’s promotion. Everyone was having a great time. Laughing, drinking, good food and music. And leave it to that dear old cousin of hers. She had Jason in the bedroom giving him a very personal party favour. And the rest is history. He married her two months later because she said she was pregnant but conveniently miscarried after the wedding. Being the wife of a cop isn’t as glamorous as it appears in movies and books. It can be lonely. And the marriage didn’t work out in the end. “Oh hey, Janice Walker. Long time, no talk. What have I done to deserve your call? Family finally disowned you. And you need a friend again?” Jason knew the family dynamics and the loyalty crap that they played on her. He didn’t approve but knew he could do nothing about it. “Very funny, Officer Mills.” She laughed at him. She ed that he always smelled so good. She couldn’t help but smile at the random memory that popped into her head. “That’s Detective Mills, ma’am. I can’t believe that you forgot about my promotion. You did throw me a party.” He was making fun of her now. “Ma’am, you didn’t really just call me that, did you?” She hated nothing more than to be called ma’am and he knew it. “I ma’am, but we have to be polite to all civilians. Police policy.” He was picking on her because back in the day she was not always able to be polite. “You follow policy or you being polite, not quite sure which is more disturbing.” God, she missed this man. “I miss your sarcasm ma’am, almost as much as I miss your smile.”

Jason completely shocked her with his compliment. She didn’t know what to say. “I mean, you were a good partner and it was nice to have someone protect me from the bad guys. You could be pretty scary sometimes.” He must have ed who he was talking to and was backtracking his compliment. “Anyway, how are you doing? Making money in the corporate world? Dating anyone?” Jason asked. Now, this was sounding more like the Jason she ed. “I’m doing okay. Not making millions yet but working on it. I love my new job. And I don’t tend to get shot at, which is a plus. Not as exciting as those dangerous donut runs we used to do but I think I will survive. I saw enough bad people on the job. It’s kind of nice to see them before they become idiots to one another.” Janice had been shot in the chest just inches from her heart, five years ago and almost died. It was terrifying and ended her police career. Not that she thought she would have been able to go back to work even if she had been allowed. Now thanks to her near-death experience, she was deathly afraid of guns. And carrying a gun went with the job. “I need a favour. It involves checking someone’s past for me. I don’t trust this guy. I get a bad feeling from him. Can you help me out?” Janice asked. She was hesitant to ask for a favour. It had been so long since the last time they talked. And then it was only by accident. She had been buying a cappuccino and turned around to walk out when she literally bumped into him. He wasn’t your movie star handsome, but he made her heart skip a beat. “Sure, as long as it isn’t someone you are dating. I’m not getting involved in a domestic. It isn’t for you, is it?” He sounded odd. “No, it isn’t for me. But it is for a good friend of mine. Sandy and I work together. She is a great person. She has had shit luck with relationships. Her husband had an affair on her. She has just started to date this new guy, and

something isn’t sitting right. I think he is slimy. Hiding something. He is a prominent doctor, who moved into her neighbourhood and don’t get me wrong, it is a nice place but not nice enough for a doctor. But that isn’t the thing. I know him from somewhere. I just can’t figure out where. He is polite and attractive and rich by the look of it, but something is wrong. He gives me the creeps. My friend, Sandy doesn’t deserve to be hurt again.” She told him what had happened to Sandy on the weekend to help make her point. “Your life is never boring is it Janice?” Jason wasn’t laughing now, and he had that serious undertone to his voice. “Not boring enough for me. I just want the simple life and drama follows me. I don’t look for it” It was true, she just wanted to be happy, safe and in love with someone special. The whole family package looked good to her. “I’ll help you out. Just don’t tell anyone, I would get into a lot of trouble. What’s this guy’s name and any other information that you have on him. What do you want me to look into? Criminal past, married, pedophile, what am I looking for?” Back to sounding like the cop that he was. “I don’t know what to look for. Just everything, you know. Find out whatever you can. I’ve gotten a bad feeling about this guy.” She couldn’t put it into words. She knew Jason understood what she was trying to say without saying it. “Cop’s instinct. I get it. Something’s not adding up. I will see what I can do. Give me the information you have.” She gave Jason all the information that she had on Dr. Wonderful, which really wasn’t much. “I can drop by with the info as soon as I find something out. Your house or work? I could even email it to you, but I would rather not.” Jason said.

Was Jason making excuses to stop by? “Stop by my house. I don’t want Sandy to know that I am doing this. She doesn’t know my past job and I want to keep it that way. Besides, if you stop by the house, I can thank you with dinner. My famous lasagna with all the trimmings. You can bring your girlfriend if you want? Just give me enough time to make it, okay?” She was excited. She liked cooking for him, and she knew he loved her lasagna. “No girlfriend, just me. Hope that is okay? I’ll bring the wine. But you know what that means? I’ll be crashing on your couch, the drinking and driving thing. Wouldn’t look good if I were stopped and charged with a DUI. You know what I’m saying.” Jason said. “Of course, for safety reasons. Absolutely. Thanks again Jason, I really appreciate it. Talk to you soon” Janice hung up the phone and sat back in her chair. She couldn’t wait to see him. Sandy walked into her office then. Thankfully, she had hung up the phone when she had. She stood in the doorway staring at her. Janice knew that she had to talk to Sandy and explain her behaviour that morning. She looked pissed. “Hi, what’s up?” Janice was trying to sound casual. “Is something wrong?” Sandy asked. Sandy was asking her the one question that she couldn’t honestly answer right now. “I was talking to Jason. He is coming over for a visit and I’m nervous. You know the story between him and my cousin. I always wanted more than a friendship. You knew that? Anyway, he won’t tell me why he’s stopping by.” Janice said. It was the only answer she could give Sandy without revealing truthfully why she and Jason were talking again. “Maybe, he does like you but doesn’t know how to tell you. He may have been with your cousin to make you jealous. Stranger things have happened. Look at this weekend. And speaking of this weekend Janice, why don’t you like Chris?”

Sandy asked. Janice knew she was going to ask her at some point, but she was hoping it would be later. When she had all the info on him. “I really don’t know why. The first time I laid eyes on him, I just didn’t like him. I don’t know what it is, or if there is anything, but … Maybe it was just hearing about your weekend. It was crazy. Everything with Mike and Chloe. Chris could have just shown up at the wrong time. I am sure the more I get to know him, the more I will like him.” She was trying to reassure Sandy as well as herself. Maybe there really was nothing wrong with Dr. Wonderful but then again maybe there was. “I’m sorry that I was rude. I will apologize the next time I see him.” Janice told Sandy. Janice didn’t want to cause Sandy any more upset. She has had enough in the last forty-eight hours. “Thanks Janice. I value your opinion. Anyways, do you that couple that came in?” Subject dropped and on to work.

Chapter 11

“W ho the hell did that bitch think she was!” Chris was furious. “Snubbing me like that. I am a doctor not a nobody. She needs to learn respect. Do women not know their places anymore?” He was asking the questions but not expecting a response. “Women are put on this earth to serve their men. They cook our meals, keep our homes, sex whenever we want and as much as we want. Women are the weaker sex. They need men. Therefore, they need to obey. I don’t want to hear their opinions.” Chris was pacing the room like a caged animal. “You do as you are told and do not question your man! Let me tell you, when Sandy and I are married she will not be allowed to associate with that woman anymore.” Chris was furious and he made his captive audience listen to his rants. She was after all tied to the chair and couldn’t go anywhere. “What makes you think that she will marry you? And even if she does, why would she listen and obey you? Women today have this little thing called a brain and the strange thing is that we know how to use it.” Shannon was being her usual smart mouthed self. She didn’t care how much she pissed him off. “You know what your problem is? Your big mouth. You should have taken lessons from your sister. She was a lady and she knew her proper place. She walked into a room with grace and beauty. Every man in that room wanted her. She oozes class and dignity.” Chris was furious and his face was crimson.

“You didn’t mind my big mouth before. I how much it pleased you. You couldn’t get enough of it. And my darling little sister couldn’t have been that great or you wouldn’t have had to come to me for sex. You enjoyed my company as much as I did yours. I was your bad girl and that excited you in a way that little sister of mine never could. I showed you what a real woman was capable of. I don’t you telling me to stop, no that’s not completely accurate either. You did have to tell me to stop because you couldn’t keep up with me. You weren’t man enough for me. Were you? That’s why you and I could never make it as a couple. I was too much woman for you to handle. Right Christopher?” She was hoping to make him so mad that he would leave the room. She had to get free. He was insane, completely crazy. Her father had been right about him the whole time. “Shut up, you are nothing but a stupid whore with a thick wallet. You have no class. If you did you would never have slept with your sister’s husband. She was a lady and was treated as such. You on the other hand are only a mistress and will always only be someone’s mistress. Never good enough to marry but fun to ride for a while.” Chris felt he was entitled to have a mistress. He did nothing wrong with having one. He wasn’t betraying his wife. A mistress was the whore in bed that his wife couldn’t be. “So, what does that say about you Chris? You were the one having the affair on your perfect, beautiful wife, the mother of your child. You are a fool Chris, you lost everything didn’t you? You lost big time. Where is Cynthia? Where is Amber? What did you do to them? I don’t really care about Cynthia, she was such a needy, little whiner. But I am sure Big Daddy would love to know where his precious daughter is. I just don’t understand why you would hurt Amber though. She was the apple of your eye, the beautiful protocol daughter, smart, witty and just enough bad to make her interesting. Sure, she was special. But you couldn’t really tell. Not that much. I loved my niece. People would go out of their way to give us whatever we wanted. She was a good little tool to have around. I just don’t get how you hide a three-year old? Taking her away from everything she knows and everyone that loves her. Now that is cruel.” Shannon said

She knew she was pushing her luck by challenging him on Amber. That was dangerous ground. She needed answers though. Big Daddy was threatening to cut her off and then what would she do. Get married or get a job. Not the choices she had in mind. She was desperate. What didn’t make sense was why she was able to track Christopher down so easily when not one of the private detectives that Big Daddy hired could. “I am not going to discuss my family life with you Shannon. You don’t know what it is like to have so much responsibility. To have people count on you for everything. It gets tiring. I never hurt anyone. I don’t know where they are.” Christopher was lying and Shannon knew it. “I think you need to get a little sleep now Shannon. I don’t want you causing any trouble for me with my new neighbours. Maybe a little nap will help you wake up in a better mood. I’m trying to start a new life here. They don’t know my history and I would rather keep it that way.” Chris said. Chris walked over to Shannon with a glass of water and a couple of pills. “This will help you sleep. Just relax and don’t fight me on it. We both know you will lose in the end.” Chris’ arrogance was just too much for Shannon. She was never known to be able to hold her tongue. “I already met your neighbour. Your lady friend, Sandy, I think her name is. She was the one who told me where to find you. I wanted someone to notice my presence just in case something went wrong and I disappeared too.” Shannon said. “So, you see unless you can explain why this beautiful, exotic woman was looking for you, she is going to start doubting your integrity. Funny isn’t it, Christopher you honestly thought you could run away from your past? You will have a lot of explaining to do to your new lady friend. Let’s face it, from what you have told me, her friend may already be onto you. You did say she didn’t like you. Tisk, tisk Chris, I think you may have a problem.” Shannon started to laugh at Chris. Chris walked back to Shannon’s chair grabbing it by the arms and shook it.

Rattling the teeth in her head. “You, stupid bitch, what have you done? I can make you disappear too. It really isn’t that hard. A sisterly reunion, what do you think? As for Amber, you never liked her. You only used her to get discounts and better seats in restaurants. And if you ever see her again, which would be a miracle. I will just have to enlighten her on your truly selfish intentions. Let’s just see if she would want to spend any time with her Auntie then. Now, take this and shut up for a while.” Chris shoved the sleeping pills down her throat almost causing her to choke. “Not so good at swallowing, now are you? Have a nice sleep Shannon. Do us all a favour and don’t wake up.” Chris turned to look at his sister in law when he reached the doorway. What had she said to Sandy? How was he going to explain her presence? And why hadn’t Sandy mentioned it to him this morning? Was she suspicious of him too? Chris went downstairs to mix a drink and figure out what his next moves should be. He moved here to start over with a simpler life. It was getting crazy again. Why was this always happening to him?

Chapter 12

S andy and Janice left work together at the end of the day. Sandy was only half listening to whatever Janice was ranting on about. She was usually attentive to her friend’s complaints, but she just couldn’t focus today. It was a combination of Chris’ blatant lie, conflicting feelings over Mike and the mystery woman. There was no way she could concentrate on Janice’s monologue of complaints. Suddenly Janice stopped dead in her tracks and Sandy walked on a few more steps before realizing that she wasn’t beside her anymore. Sandy saw the look on Janice’s face and turned to look in the direction of her friend’s stare. “Oh my God.” Was all that Sandy was able to squeak out. “What the hell happened to my car? Who would do such a thing? Why?” Janice was in shock. She ran over to her car and collapsed onto the ground. “I’ll call the Police. Janice, don’t touch anything.” Sandy was rummaging through her bag looking for her cell phone. She was trying to pull Janice away from her car and dial the police at the same time. Neither proved to be an easy task with her arms filled with flowers. She dropped the flowers to the ground and pulled Janice from the car she loved so much. Janice drove a mint condition forest green 1969 convertible Mustang. She and her father had completely restored it after he found it in a barn at an old farmhouse that was scheduled to be demolished. Janice’s dad was always scavenging demolition sites for overlooked treasures before they were bulldozed. This was his last epic find. It took them years to finish it. From what she was told, it was a labour of love, as well as, a bonding experience for the two of them. It brought them closer together as they worked out their frustration and anger issues. They were having a hard time getting over Janice’s mother’s

murder. And then to discover that her dad had stage four lung cancer. It was a hard time for them. They finished the car just shortly before his ing. And that made the car more meaningful. “Janice, I have no idea how you feel, but I am so sorry. But, please don’t touch anything. The police will need to see the car in this shape. And I don’t know, maybe look for fingerprints or something.” Sandy didn’t have a clue what they could do, if anything. Janice walked up to her car, or what was left of it and as gently as a mother would touch the face of her child, she stroked the hood and started to cry. That was something new for Sandy to see, Janice was tough. She didn’t lose her cool with customers, never got frazzled at events and very seldom ever lost her temper. She was always in control. Janice picked up her phone off the pavement and called someone. She spoke very softly and was crying. When she hung up, she turned to Sandy and walked into her arms and hugged her. There were no words to say. The police showed up and started to take some pictures and write up a report. Not that we could tell them very much. Just as the tow truck was about to load Janice’s car onto the flat bed another car pulled up. It was occupied by a single male and it looked like an unmarked cruiser. Must be a quiet day Sandy thought. Who knows? But when this officer unfolded himself from his shell of a car and walked toward them, she got the distinct feeling that she was suddenly unwelcome. Janice walked over to this guy and fell into his arms and started to cry all over again and he just put his arms around her and held her with such tenderness. Sandy was jealous; he was obviously in love with her. And she had no clue who he was. It seemed like an eternity before Janice regained her composure. “I’m sorry Jason. It was just such a shock. You know how much I loved that car. I don’t even know what to say. I am sorry for being such a baby.” Janice was obviously embarrassed about her emotional outburst, especially around this guy. Sandy stepped over to introduce herself. “Hi, I’m Janice’s friend and co-worker, Sandy Hamilton. You are the Jason I

have heard so much about. It’s nice to be able to put a face to the name.” She extended her hand to this huge man. “Hi, I’m Janice’s ex-part…” He started to say something as he gripped her hand in his. “Sorry, where are my manners, Sandy this is Detective Mills, Jason. He was married to my cousin. Right Jason?” She had completely cut Jason off when he was introducing himself. And what was he talking about, ex-partner? ‘Yeah, that right. I was married to her cousin.” Jason said. Jason was clearly pissed off and now Sandy really wanted to know the history with these two. “Yeah… no I mean. We were good friends before he started to date Pam, my cousin, but we lost touch after they broke up. It was a family thing.” Janice was so flustered. “Janice’s family wouldn’t want her associating with the enemy. Family rules.” Jason said. Janice was clearly upset and leaned closer to Jason and spoke in a whisper hoping she couldn’t hear. “No, not here Jason, please. No one knows my past.” “Sorry, but you called me. What do you want me to do?” Jason asked. His tone had resorted back to the caring one from before. “I didn’t know what to do or who to call. Dad and I worked so hard on it and now this. I just don’t get it. Steal it – okay I get that. But trash it. It just doesn’t make sense to me. It’s a classic.” Janice was on the verge of tears again. “It looks more personal to me. Did you do something to piss someone off?” Jason asked. Jason put his arm around Janice and pulled her close again. Janice allowed the hug which spoke volumes.

“Janice, why don’t you get Detective Mills….” Sandy started to speak to Janice. “It’s Jason.” He corrected her. “Jason,” She said. “to give you a ride home and I’ll take care of everything here for you and report it to the hotel. Maybe they caught something on the cameras. Is it alright if she gets a ride with you Jason?” She could tell by the expression on his face that it was more than okay. He would have taken her to the moon if that was where she wanted to go. Sandy really liked this guy. “Do you mind? I really don’t want to be here anymore. I’m sure I could take a cab if you have somewhere else to be.” Janice said. “That’s okay with me. Do you have everything you need? Your chariot awaits you, ma’am.” Jason said. He bowed down to Janice and despite the situation, Janice couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t call me ma’am” Janice managed a smile. Jason turned to Sandy, smiled and opened the door for Janice. And then walked around and folded himself back into the driver’s seat. There was so much more to this story than Janice wanted to tell her, but she would find out. She promised herself that. As she turned to head back into the hotel to start her report, she could have sworn that she saw someone duck behind an SUV at the back of the parking lot. Maybe it was her imagination working overtime or she was being paranoid. She couldn’t get inside the hotel fast enough.

Chapter 13

T he bitch will learn. Respect, learn it, show it. She had to learn the hard way. And he was glad to be her teacher. Who was that big guy that showed up? He could be in trouble. Chris was satisfied to see her crumble. He thought he would have seen a spark of fight in her and was disappointed to know she wasn’t as strong as those other bitches he had taught lessons to. Especially that one, years ago. It was the female cop that was investigating the home invasion at his parent’s house. She was attractive, older but still attractive. One of the few women that wouldn’t respond to his flirting. She must have been a lesbian. She got nosy and found out about his involvement in the burglary that killed his parents. He had hired those guys to break-in his parents’ house and steal some valuables, not kill them. That had been a mistake. He had tried so hard to get her to understand that he had nothing to do with it, but she just wouldn’t let it go. No amount of money or flattery worked. He didn’t understand what the problem was. His parents were old. Eighty- five-years old is a good old age and they were starting to waste away anyways. They didn’t have a social life. He may have been part of the reason for that. All the embarrassment and shame he brought to his family made them social piranhas. A few lawsuits, affairs, it was no one else’s business. It was his life. His parents didn’t realize that they were tired of life. He had to help end their suffering. Besides, it was partially their fault. They had no right to cut him off financially.

Why do you wait to have a child so late in life? Forty-five is rather old to start a family don’t you think. It’s not fair to the child. And the boredom of being an only child. He had no playmates. He took care of that nosy cop. He showed her who was boss. He even went to her funeral. It was so hard to stand there and listen to the crying. Especially, when all he wanted to do was laugh at those fools. Standing there crying, talking to him about what a great person she was and the whole time he had to keep it to himself that he was the one who killed her. It was hard to control one’s self. He laughed all the way home. Stupid fools. People were such foolish creatures. It was ironic that he would run into this woman, a friend of Sandy’s no less, who made him think of that stupid policewoman again. It was a small world.

Chapter 14

A n hour later she was on her way home. The paperwork was monstrous for one incident. And it didn’t even involve anyone getting physically hurt. The hotel security was going to check the parking lot footage and get back to her. Emotionally Janice was destroyed. And Sandy wondered if the good Detective had left her yet. Or was he still offering her a shoulder to cry on. Janice could use someone in her life, she seemed so lonely. She would only let people so close before she pulled away from them and shut down. She was so mysterious about her past too. She kept her personal life very private. She wished she knew her before her parents died, she wondered if she was more carefree. But that was a whole part of her life that was off limits. She never talked about it. Sandy wondered what this Police Detective meant to her. She knew her mother was on the police force. Could they have known each. Is that the connection? Maybe he was her mother’s partner. Maybe that was what he was about to tell her in the parking lot. She hoped Janice knew how much Jason was into her. She looked so safe and vulnerable in his arms. It was nice to see the softer side of her. She ed when Mike looked at her like the Detective looked at Janice. She had always felt safe and happy then too. She missed the intimacy so much sometimes. Thinking of Mike reminded her that she should call him when she got home and see what was going on with Chloe. She knew the bail hearing was sometime today and she wanted to make sure she watched her back if Chloe was out. She may need to get a restraining order. And she seriously needed to talk to Mike about the girls going to his house. Especially if Chloe was back home. When she turned the corner, heading down her street, what did she see? Only Mike’s car, parked in front of her house. Great, how much more trouble did she need today? As she pulled into her driveway, Chris walked out of his house and waved at her.

Motioning for her to come over. Not wanting to face what was awaiting her at home she headed over to see what he wanted. She stepped into Chris’ arms and welcomed his hug. “Hi beautiful. How was work?” “Don’t even ask. It has been a day and now this.” She said. Sandy gestured to Mike’s car parked in front of her house. “Chloe was to get out today and I don’t know what is going on. I’m just done with it. He had better not have brought her over to my house. Even to apologize, not that I think she had that ability.” Sandy said. She realized how exhausted she was, both physically and mentally. “Why don’t you come in for a drink and a snuggle before going home?” As soon as Chris made the offer, he regretted it. What was he thinking, Shannon was upstairs? He was going to have to get rid of her soon. Maybe later tonight. “I would love to, but I can’t. I have to face the music sometime. But, thanks for the hug. I really needed it.” She smiled at him and leaned in to give him a kiss. “Anytime.” Chris said. He kissed her and let her go. “I think the neighbours have seen enough this weekend we don’t need to continue the show. I can just see Mrs. Miller peeking through her curtains now. Every suburban street has a local busy body, you know.” Sandy said. She thought she would give Chris the heads up about living on their street. “Oh really, and which house would be hers? So that I can go and introduce myself and tell her that I am not going to corrupt her beautiful neighbourhood.” Chris was making fun, but she felt like she had to apologize for Mrs. Miller. “She is in the white house with all the flowers. She is a sweet old lady. She’s

lonely, her husband ed away a few years ago and her kids don’t visit very often. She’s harmless.” Sandy said. “Maybe, I’ll introduce myself to her and let her know that if she needs any help, medical or otherwise, that she can just give me a call. I can also find out all the gossip on my fellow neighbours.” Chris winked at her. She knew it sounded very nice and neighbourly it just didn’t seem sincere. And besides she didn’t see Chris as the gossiping neighbour type. And she didn’t see Mrs. Miller being too friendly to someone that was stepping on Mike’s territory either. She still held out hope that she and Mike would reconcile. “Sure, but don’t be surprised if she is a little standoffish with you. It takes her a while to warm up to people. She is old and there is that right to be grumpy when you are old.” Sandy knew Mrs. Miller always loved Mike and she didn’t know how she would take to her dating someone else. “I’m sure she warmed up to Michael right away when you guys moved in though, didn’t she?” She didn’t know what to make of his comment. It wasn’t right and sounded so childish. “I can’t it was so long ago and her husband was alive then, so things were very different.” Sandy looked across the street toward Mrs. Miller’s house and saw her front curtain moving and for whatever reason she hoped Chris hadn’t noticed it. Jenny was heading in her direction. “Mom, are you coming home? Dad is waiting for you; he needs to talk to you. Hi, Chris.” Jenny waved to Chris. “Coming.” Sandy turned to Chris, “Is it okay if I call you later and you can maybe come over for a coffee or a glass of wine?”

“Sure, just give me a call when you have free time.” Chris said Chris sounded a little put off. But gave her a quick kiss and headed to his house. As Sandy crossed the street to go home, she looked back over her shoulder towards Chris’ house and saw him looking at Mrs. Miller’s house. Sandy found that unnerving but didn’t know why. Sandy needed a hot bath, a large glass of wine and a lot of sleep. Everything and everyone was making her suspicious list today. She was way too on edge.

Chapter 15

S andy walked into the house expecting to find Chloe sitting in the living room with Matthew, glaring at her. But instead there was no Chloe and Matthew was sitting on Jasmine’s lap and Mike and Jenny were nowhere to be seen. “Hey guys, where’s your dad?” Sandy asked. Matthew squirmed off Jasmine’s lap and came running over to her. He jumped into her arms and kissed her. She had to it it was sweet. The best welcome home. “Momma Sandy.” Matthew said. He didn’t just call her that did he? She liked it. Mike and she were going to have to talk about it because she knew Chloe would not. “Mike?” Sandy called out. “We’re in the kitchen.” Mike answered. With Matthew still up in her arms she headed towards the kitchen. She made it as far as the kitchen doorway and saw them. Mike and Jenny were making supper. She put Matthew down onto the floor and he scampered off in search of anything. “I hope you are hungry. We are making my infamous spaghetti and homemade meatballs for supper.” Mike said. It was a flashback seeing Mike standing in the kitchen with a sly look and a mess everywhere making dinner. She couldn’t help but smile. “Why are you making dinner? And where is Chloe?” She asked. “Why don’t you grab us a glass of wine and then we can talk. Janice called and left a message for you something about thanking you again for all your help with

her car. Did she break down or something? And I have a lot to tell you about Chloe.” Mike told her. We were talking to each other like any other married couple. The time clock had reversed back to when this would have been the most normal conversation in the world. She grabbed the wine and gave Mike his glass and sat down at the island and watched him make supper. He was still as attractive as ever and she had to it she enjoyed watching him. “What happened to Janice’s car?” Mike asked. “Someone completely trashed it in the parking lot at work. We had to call the police and file a report with work. The detective that showed up was a friend of Janice’s. He thought that it looked personal. It was strange, nothing was stolen from it. And it is or was a beautiful car, so why not steal it. Instead they beat the crap out of it. I don’t get it. Janice’s detective friend is really… I don’t want to say in love with her, but he really likes her. And she is sweet to him too. We don’t know that much about Janice’s past, do we?” Sandy said. “No. She was always pretty private about it. I don’t even think I know where she worked before starting with your company. Do you?” Mike asked. “No, that’s the point. This guy comes to her rescue and says something about being her old partner and Janice shuts him up as quickly as she possibly could. And then goes on to say that he was married to her cousin once. I wonder if maybe he was her mother’s partner when she was a cop. Or maybe Janice and this Jason guy had an affair and that was why the cousin and he split up. Janice doesn’t strike me as that type to do that though. Look how she was with you when you and Chloe got together. I just assumed that she was working in sales before she came to work with me. Maybe it was her cousin that trashed the car, revenge?” But even as she uttered the words, she knew that it wasn’t right, it seemed too extreme. “Why not just ask her. Ask her outright. She can’t avoid the question that way. And the two of you are good friends, so from one friend to another it isn’t a violation of privacy to ask about this guy either. Mention the cousin and revenge

angle. The most she can say is that she doesn’t want to talk about it. And then, snoop into her employment records.” Mike was right, she could just check her employment records. But she thought she would like to give Janice the chance to tell her first. And she’ll ask her about the cousin and this guy. After all, she gave Mike such a hard time. And if she did the same thing, it is a bit hypocritical. “I guess I will tomorrow at work. She could lie too easily on the phone. I want to see her face. I would be able to tell if she is lying better watching her expressions. Anyway, what is going on with Chloe and why are you making me dinner?” Sandy might as well ask. She had a feeling it was not good. “Chloe had started to go through alcohol and substance withdrawal in the jail cell. I guess she was vomiting, shaking, and sweating the whole thing. From what I understood they had no choice but to transfer her to the hospital. She is going through the detoxing process. And being observed because she told them that she had suicidal thoughts. It doesn’t make me feel good to know that her drinking was so out of control. And as for the substance use, I had no clue. I couldn’t tell you if it was prescription or street drugs. The night of her overdose I had to search the house when I got home because she wouldn’t tell me what she was taking. The hospital wanted to know. I wanted to know. I hope she gets the help that she needs now though. I can, as her husband, have her held for further psychological testing if I feel that she is a danger to herself or others. I may not love her anymore, but I don’t want her to hurt herself or anyone. You understand, right?” Mike asked her. Chloe was worse off than either of us knew. And she had allowed the girls to go over. “You can’t beat yourself up over it. You are not her babysitter or parent. She is a big girl. She needs to be held able for her own actions and choices in life. I am glad that she is getting the help that she needs.” Sandy was not afraid of Chloe just what she was capable of. “So, what else happened at work today? You look exhausted.”

Sandy jumped off the stool and headed out of the kitchen. “I forgot. Shit, girls I need your help.” She ran out to the car with the girls in tow. “I forgot to bring these in, and I don’t want them to die in the hot car. Grab a bunch of flowers girls. We’ll need to find a spot to put them all.” Sandy said. Sandy grabbed a bunch of flowers and led the way into the house. Mike was standing in the open doorway with a strange look on his face. “I see that the doctor made quite a spectacle of himself today. Janice mentioned it in the message. But I must it I wasn’t expecting anything like this. Janice doesn’t like him very, much does she?” Mike asked. “Wow Mom, where did you get all these? They’re beautiful.” Both girls were amazed. “Come on let’s get the rest of them.” She ignored Mike’s snotty comments as they headed out the door again to bring in another armful. “Please be careful. Chris bought them for me, and I don’t want them ruined before I can enjoy them. I’m sure he spent a fortune on them.” Chris came out of his house as they were heading in with an armful each. “Do you need any help? I thought you forgot them at work. What do you think girls, did I do okay?” Chris crossed the street as he was talking. He was happy that she hadn’t forgotten them in the car any longer. He had seen them there earlier when she had arrived home and was mad that they were left in the car when she went into the house. It was disrespect. The money didn’t mean anything to him but the fact that the flowers didn’t mean anything to her was upsetting him. “They are so cool. You spoiled Mom. Can you send me flowers sometime?”

Jenny was won over by Chris’ gesture. “Maybe for your birthday, okay?” Chris was taken in. “Sure. Mom, did you hear that. I get flowers for my birthday. I’m going to tell Dad. He is going to be so jealous.” Jenny grabbed her flowers and ran for the door. “You do realize her birthday is next week?” Sandy was laughing at Jenny because she just played Chris. “No, I didn’t know that, but you will need to tell me her favourite colour and flower and I will send her the biggest bouquet that I can find.” Chris was trying hard to win her girls over and it felt nice that he wanted to. “You don’t have to. She would be just as happy with a single flower. But, thank you.” Sandy said. Sandy smiled at Chris, just as Jasmine came out with Mike following close behind. “I thought you didn’t like our Mom anymore. You did stand her up yesterday.” Jasmine said. Jasmine was being rude. And Sandy wanted to know where she was going with it and how she even found out that she had been stood up. “Jasmine, that is rude. How did you know about the change in plans anyways?” Sandy asked. She had a feeling she knew the answer as Mike turned to go back into the house. “Dad said that if a guy stands you up then they don’t really like you.” Jenny said. She felt confident with her answer. Sandy was about to correct her when Chris spoke up. “Sometimes when you are a doctor, like me. You are called in to help people and those people are hurt and can’t wait, not even to make a phone call.

Unfortunately, that is what happened yesterday. I didn’t have time to call your Mom and explain. So that is why I sent her the flowers to say sorry and that I would like to try again. It’s an apology from me to your mom. Your Dad got this one wrong.” Chris explained it very well and I could see Mike squirming. “Yeah Jasmine, sometimes Dads can be wrong. Chris didn’t mean to hurt Mom’s feelings, he just has an important job, right Chris? And did you know my birthday is next week, I’m going to be nine years old, pretty soon I will be old enough to date too.” Jenny said. Jenny stuck up for Chris. I didn’t see that coming. And she knew she should be proud of her, but instead she felt embarrassed for Mike. “Your Mom just told me about your birthday. Maybe we can do something together. You think about what you would like to do, anything, dinner, movie, bowling whatever and let me know, okay? Oh, and I don’t think you can date until you are at least twenty-five. It is a law, I think.” Chris was trying to win Jenny over and Mike was getting mad. “We have celebrated her birthday as a family for the last eight years without your help and I think we can handle this one too.” Mike sounded pissed. He stepped out of the doorway and onto the driveway. Sandy thought that there was going to be a fight. She stepped between the two men. “Okay everybody. Can we just take my flowers inside please?” She whispered to both “We can stop the pissing contest anytime now.” She proceeded to walk into the house carrying her flowers followed by each of the girls, Mike and Chris. She turned to Chris after he put the flowers down on the dining room table and thanked him again. “Thanks Chris, but I think I can take care of them from here. I’ll walk you outside.”

She didn’t want or need another scene in front of the girls. These men were starting to frustrate her. They walked outside to the front porch and Sandy turned to Chris to apologize. “Thanks again for the flowers. I love them, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to be inside right now. You really made Mike mad, even if you were right, I just don’t want any more drama today. Is it okay if I just call you later?” “Sure, I understand. I just don’t get why he is here though. I’m a little confused.” Chris said. “I can understand that. So am I. I just don’t know what is going on right now. We were just talking about Chloe when I ed the flowers and I think he just needed someone to talk to.” Sandy said. “I understand the need to talk to someone, but I don’t get the dinner thing and the family birthday. You are the first woman I have even tried to get to know since my wife died and I don’t know, I guess I just don’t want to get hurt.” Chris looked confused. She could understand his point of view. But she had so much on the go right now, she didn’t know what to say that would make him feel better. “Can I call you later and we can talk?” Sandy asked. “Sure.” Chris said. She gave him a quick kiss and walked inside again shutting the door, leaving him standing on the doorstep.

Chapter 16

H ow dare she take his side . Mike should have been thrown out of the house, not him . And for what good reason does she need to sit down and have supper with him and pretend that they are some happy little family. He could give her so much more than Mike could. They could have all the money in the world with the help of his little plan. Chris thought he should make a visit to Mike’s wife and tell her how her husband is playing happy little family with his ex-wife. She was crazy enough to take care of it for him. That loser was not going to take Sandy away from him. He had plans for them and maybe Jenny. He liked her but not her sister Jasmine. She was going to be a thorn in his side like her father. Sandy needs to learn not to treat him like this. She needs to correct her ways before they get married. She will learn her place; she is a smart woman. He felt she was trainable.

Chapter 17

“M ike can I have a word with you please.” Sandy was furious. “Dad’s in trouble.” Jenny whispered to her sister. “Shut up. It’s your fault. You need to know when to shut up.” Jasmine snarled at her sister. Jasmine was mad at Jenny for saying anything to Chris about Daddy being wrong. She ran out of the kitchen and upstairs to her room. Slamming the door behind her. “Mike, what were you thinking? Why would you ever think it was alright to tell the girls about my date with Chris? I told you because I was upset. You want to suddenly play family with us, and you expect us to drop everything else in our lives because of what you want. You should have thought about that a long time ago. Before you ruined our family. I think you need to take Matthew and leave. I don’t want you here right now. You changed the game plan, not me. I want a life too before I am too old to enjoy it. Please go now. I’ll make your excuses to the girls.” Sandy was rightfully mad. She was upset that he told the girls things that they didn’t need to know. And she was upset because he was also right. And the fact that Chris still hadn’t told her about the mystery woman that came to see him. Made her start questioning everything. Mike walked out of the kitchen, picked Matthew up and started to head out the door. “Mom, where are Dad and Matthew going?” Jenny was coming out of the kitchen behind her father and stepbrother. “Matthew isn’t feeling very good honey and Daddy has to take him home now.” Sandy kissed Jenny on the top of her head and looked Mike in the eyes,

challenging him to go against what she had said. “That’s right baby. We have to get going but enjoy your dinner and I will call you later ok?” Mike was talking to Jenny but looking at me. She had to look away. She wasn’t hungry anymore. “Go tell your sister to come down for dinner.” Sandy turned to Mike. “Thank you for dinner but we are not doing this. Whatever this is.” She walked away before he could see the tears in her eyes. She heard the door shut behind her as a tear rolled down her face. Why was her life so complicated?

Chapter 18

C hris must have been watching the house because Mike couldn’t have even been around the corner and he was knocking at the door. Wiping away the tears the best she could she answered the door. “I just wanted to say that I was sorry again.” Chris said. He stood at the door looking so pitiful. But she just had, had enough for one day. “I just can’t deal with any more today Chris. I’m sorry. I just need to be by myself for a little while.” Sandy told him. He knew that she had been crying. She was not a very pretty crier. “I understand. I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry for adding to your stress. I didn’t mean to. I don’t like what your ex-husband is putting you through right now. I get it you can’t just erase the past from your memory. But I wanted to let you know that I’m here for you if you need someone to talk to or just to listen to you when you talk. Okay?” Chris sounded so sincere that she couldn’t reject him again. “Did you want to come in? I was going to give the girls their supper. And we can talk after everyone has eaten. Have you eaten? Do you want to us? I am sure that there is more than enough.” They walked to the kitchen together. “I’m sorry Chris. Mike was wrong telling the girls anything. Jenny is wrong for asking for flowers, Chloe is just plain crazy and work is crazy, don’t even start me on that. I just don’t know what has come over everyone in the world recently.” She tried to make light out of everything but couldn’t.

“Don’t worry about Jenny, she just knows what she likes and isn’t afraid to ask for it. I ire that in a person. My daughter was the same way.” Chris said. Sandy stopped making the girls plates and turned to Chris. “I thought you told me that you didn’t have any children. How old is your daughter?” She was completely baffled. Without missing a beat Chris said, “It is or was my step-daughter actually. I loved her as much as if she was my own. I haven’t been able to see her since my wife died. Her father came back into the picture and took away all my visitation rights. I could take it to court but to be truthful it was too hard to see her anyways. She looked exactly like her mother and it just broke my heart. But she would be three and half years old now.” He looked so sad that Sandy just had to hug him. “I am sorry Chris, I didn’t know.” “That’s okay. Maybe she is better off wherever she is. What kind of parent would I be anyways? I work long, crazy hours. It isn’t the type of life for a single parent.” Chris said. The conversation paused and the uncomfortable silence was deafening. “So, does your offer of dinner still stand? I’m starving and it does smell delicious.” Chris asked. Mike would flip knowing that Chris was eating the dinner he had prepared for them to share as a family. But then again, why waste good food. “Sure, do you want to call the girls down to the table and we can all eat together.” Sandy asked Chris as she walked into the kitchen to plate dinner for everyone. “Are they upstairs?” Chris asked. She nodded. Jasmine walked into the kitchen at that moment and gave Sandy a questioning look when Chris walked past her.

“Is he staying for dinner? Where is Dad and Matthew?” She asked. Jasmine was looking around the kitchen for everyone but saw that the table was only set for four and she turned back and looked at me. “Yes, he is staying, and your Dad and Matthew left. Now, I want you to your p’s and q’s. Chris is a guest and I want him to feel welcome, please.” She knew it was going to be strange, but Jasmine was brought up knowing her manners. Just then Jenny made her grand entrance on Chris’ back, laughing at something he had said to her. Jasmine was very quiet throughout dinner. She was evaluating the situation and Sandy didn’t think Jasmine liked what she was seeing. But she used her manners and that was all that she could ask of her. But Chris did win brownie points with Jasmine after dinner when he cleared the table and helped with the dishes. Sandy sent the girls upstairs to take their baths and do homework. And she and Chris settled down on the couch with a glass of wine. “It has been quite a day hasn’t it?” Chris said. “Flowers, car trash, family fight, dinner, dishes and now some quiet time. Is this what your life is like on a regular basis?” Chris asked. Sandy was snuggled up to Chris on the couch and her heart stopped. How did he know everything that happened today? She never told him about Janice’s car or the family argument. “How did you know about the argument between Mike and me?” Sandy asked Chris. “I just assumed that something happened when he left so quickly after I did earlier.” “Oh, but how did you know about Janice’s car?” Sandy asked him. Chris didn’t blink an eye when he started to explain “Jenny told me that she

overheard you telling Mike. Was she not to tell me?” It sounded reasonable enough, but she didn’t think Jenny was even in the room when Mike and she were talking. But she could have been. “No, it isn’t a secret, but she needs to learn not to repeat everything that she hears.” It wasn’t a big deal but what if next time it was? They enjoyed their glass of wine and then Sandy made her excuses for wanting Chris to leave. She pleaded exhaustion and a promise of a call tomorrow. She really was exhausted and by the time she got the girls tucked into bed it would be another hour at least. And she wanted to talk to Jenny about telling business that didn’t involve her to others. “Well my beautiful daughter, are you as tired as I am?” Sandy loved tucking the girls in. It still made her feel useful. “No, I could stay up and watch another movie if you want to?” Jenny was tired, you could always tell with her by her eyes. “Honey, I have to ask you something. Why did you tell Chris about Janice’s car?” “What are you talking about Mom? What happened to Janice’s car? Did she have an accident? Is she ok?” Jenny was genuinely concerned. “You didn’t tell Chris anything about it?” “No. Did Janice have an accident? Is she ok? I really like her. I hope she is ok.” “She’s fine honey. Her car was hit today that’s all. I just thought you told Chris about it. You didn’t hear your dad and I talking about it?” Sandy asked her. Jenny shook her head no. “I must have said something and forgot. No worries. Night beautiful. Love you.”

Sandy leaned over and gave Jenny a kiss. Maybe it was Jasmine that had said something to Chris and he just got their names mixed up. “Night Mom. Love you too.” She walked out of Jenny’s room and closed the door. She was going to stop into Jasmine’s room. but noticed her light was off already and didn’t want to disturb her. She was tired. She would ask her tomorrow. Sandy fell into bed and thought that she would’ve been able to fall asleep right away, but she laid there for hours thinking about everything.

Chapter 19

H e had to get rid of Shannon tonight. She was invading his privacy and as long as she was around there was more than a slight chance that Sandy was going to find out about his past. That slip about Amber tonight could have been costly. Thankfully, he had learned to lie very well. He could only live off Cynthia’s monthly allowance for so long. He would eventually have to get his hands on her trust fund and her life insurance policy. Although that would be a bit difficult without a body. Or he would have to report her missing and the investigation would be so extensive. And all the questioning. He needed someone to find her body. Someone that couldn’t be traced back to him. Or make him a suspect in her death. And then there was that little problem called Amber. He needed to find out if she was the sole beneficiary. And of course, where she was. He would have to report her missing. He could be truthful about that one because he didn’t know where she was. But again, all the questioning and suspicions floating around. He hoped his Sandy plan would be able to eliminate everything else. Only time would tell. He didn’t need more hassle from “Big Daddy”. And how could he report one missing and not the other. He could make it look like an abduction. Say they had a fight and Cynthia took off with her. Everyone knew how much she loved that kid. And then if Amber is found, without Cynthia he would be able to live off his daughter. It would just be best if both bodies were found and he received all the money. Now the only problem with that was he would need to establish an alibi. Cynthia changed so much after Amber was born. Almost, like she had grown a backbone. Funny, he wondered how many pieces it was in now, after she fell off that high cliff. Shannon showing up was not part of his plans. He didn’t have enough money left to pay her off like those other private detectives. They were happy to report back that they couldn’t find him. But it seriously made a dent in his money stash.

But if he were to let Shannon go, what would she say or charge him with, kidnapping, forcible confinement. Too risky. She can’t go free. He just wondered if she had realized that yet. He can’t let Daddy Moneybags know that Cynthia was not with him. What was he supposed to say? “Oh, I am so sorry, but I killed your daughter and I have no clue where Amber is?” He had given him such a convincing story when he last spoke to him. Telling him that they just wanted to have a break from the family stress to work on their relationship. Maybe try to make a little brother or sister for Amber. Like he would chance having another retarded kid. One was bad enough. It had given him some time to work on his plan. He moved and tried to find Amber on his own. But it had been a year and that was too long of a time for Cynthia not to Big Daddy, that was unbelievable for the two of them. They were extremely close. Daily phone calls, emails, texts, it was almost creepy how they stayed so closely in with each other. Almost like incest. Really does anyone like their children that much. Whatever happened to being seen and not heard. The text messages had worked for the first six months, but then he lost that damn phone of hers with all her information. He should have taken the numbers and put them in his phone, not everyone got Big Daddy’s personal cell number, including him. So, the messages had ended six months ago and the private investigators started showing up five months ago. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to avoid his father-inlaw. He was a very rich, well connected, influential man. He always got what he wanted. Chris being the exception. Cynthia and her father got into fights because she was in love with him and wanted to marry him. He threatened to cut her off financially. And he almost got his way too. Thankfully, their little trip to Las Vegas and a couple bottles of champagne sealed his future with Cynthia. She was a beautiful drunken bride. He ed the look on his father-in-law’s when they got back and told him they were married. Memorable. He needed to figure out how to prolong his situation a little bit longer until someone stumbled across Cynthia’s body or he found Amber. Maybe Shannon

would be able to help. Depends on how much she wanted to live. Reaching the top landing Chris walked over to the bedroom door that locked his prisoner in her own dungeon of despair and opened it up to a very pathetic sight. “Shannon, are you awake yet? Did you have a nice sleep? Not too comfortable napping like that is it? I am sorry about my inhospitable ways. Maybe the bed would be a better choice. But then again, you are used to being tied up to a bed though, aren’t you?” Chris laughed at his joke. “You surprised me with the way you showed up. You do understand that you complicated my new life, don’t you? I am trying to move on since your sister had her little accident and the disappearance of my daughter. You understand that I needed to make a new life for myself, don’t you?” Chris told Shannon. “I didn’t mean to hurt your sister. It really was an accident. But I promise you I didn’t hurt Amber. I loved that little girl. I just don’t know where she is. That is upsetting for me for many reasons. Mostly financially, but emotionally too. You wouldn’t understand the love between a parent and a child. Being that you have never had any children and well, we all know your father doesn’t love you. I know it has negative long-term effects on a person. The promiscuity and need for attention, excessive spending, ah hell, you would think I was talking about myself and not you. I guess we really do have a lot more in common than I originally thought. Parents should be held responsible, you know. The vicious cycle they start when they don’t provide proper parenting a child needs, is wrong. I mean why have a child if you don’t want it? Does society really look down on people that make a conscious decision not to have a child. Why give into the pressure to have one just to fit the social norm and then neglect that said child?” Chris asked without expecting a response. He was trying to explain himself to Shannon and it seemed like she was understanding him and if not, he didn’t really care. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt them. I know you are not a cruel man. I believe that whatever happened was an accident. You are keeping Amber safe because we both know that Big Daddy would take her from you, to replace his precious Cynthia. I know it is always about Cynthia. It always was. Things never change.” Shannon was trying to win Chris’ trust by agreeing with him.

“I am very thirsty. Could you please get me a glass of water, my throat is so dry?” Shannon asked. Shannon wasn’t sure what he was up to yet so she would play along. Make him believe that she was on his side. This was a game of wits and she was a master. “I will get you a glass of anything you want. I just want you to understand everything and then maybe you can explain it to your father. Would you be able to help me, Shannon?” He knew she was calculating her next move, but he wanted her to believe that he believed her. “Why did you come looking for me? Did Big Daddy get the last postcard from Rio that I, I mean, that your sister sent?” Chris asked. He needed as much information as she was able to give it to him. “Yes, Big Daddy got the postcard, but he didn’t believe that she sent it. He called her phone and filled her message box, sent hundreds of texts to her phone and got nothing back and he is worried. He has tried to track her phone, but it must be shut off. He has sent guys to look for her and Amber. but no one ever seemed to be able to find you. And then they would quit with no explanation or answers. I was told to start looking or I would be cut off financially. And then I would have to get a job.” Shannon was horrified at the thought. “You really are not that hard to find, you know. You should have hidden your trail a little bit better. And why did you come back from Rio? You would have been safer there.” Shannon was being honest with him. “I need to find my sister and niece. Not for the love I have for them but for money. That is a concept that you should understand.” Shannon said. He could tell that she was being honest with him. “I loved your sister once. But she just got so needy and clingy. And it only got worse after the baby was born. We had an understanding that I could do as I pleased if I was discreet about who I was with. And then she thinks she can change the rules halfway through the game. I don’t think so. But, when your sister fell off the cliff or jumped, I don’t know which, she was very upset, and

we were fighting. All I know is that I didn’t have anything to do with it. I knew no one would believe me. So, I didn’t report it.” Chris told Shannon. He was trying to explain his version of events to her, but she was not getting it. “What happened to Amber then?” Shannon asked. Shannon was struggling with her emotions; she didn’t think it would bother her to find out her sister was dead. But it did. “I don’t have a clue what happened to Amber.” Chris was being honest. “Cynthia was mad at me and asked for a divorce. She told me that she was taking Amber and I would never see either of them again. I couldn’t allow that. I didn’t take her seriously at first. She always got like this after she found out about one of my little flings. I didn’t think she was serious this time either. And I walked out of the villa and drowned my sorrows at the local bar and met someone, a townie tramp and stayed out for the night. You know just to teach your sister a lesson. Remind her who was the boss. But when I got back to the villa the next morning they were gone. I was hung over and angry and needed a nap. So, after I woke up, I went looking for them.” Chris said. “I found her; it really wasn’t that hard there are only so many places to hide on a small island after all. She was alone. Sitting on the bench looking out at the ocean. She looked so beautiful and peaceful and I ed why I married her. Well you can understand my surprise when after I walked up behind her and bent to kiss her on the back of her neck like she loved. She whips around and smacks me across the face. I wasn’t going to stand for that so I smacked her back and she fell to the ground, very dramatically I might add and started to cry. I wasn’t going to help her up, but another couple came around the bend and saw her sitting there. I went over to where she sat and whispered to her that if she made another scene in front of these people, I would throw her off the edge of the cliff. I stood up and offered her my hand, which she very wisely took. And I helped her up. I pulled her in for a hug until the other people were out of sight and then she pushed me off her like I was a rapist or something. I was starting to lose my patience with her.” Chris took a breath before he began again. “And that is when I asked her about Amber, and she wouldn’t tell me where she was. We fought, I grabbed her and may have shoved her, but I swear, when I turned to walk away. She was standing there by herself. She was fine and then

next thing I hear her scream and look back to see her going over the edge. I rushed over but I couldn’t see her or where she landed or anything. I knew those people had seen us fighting and I am positive the people at the villa must have heard us. They would say that it wasn’t an accident, we were fighting, it had gotten physical, I pushed her over. But I swear to you, I didn’t hurt her. I checked out of the villa and flew back home and haven’t seen or heard from anyone but private detectives since. I love my daughter and I want her back, but I don’t know where she is. I can’t exactly ask for help looking for her. Can I?” Chris said. Most of the story was true and he hoped the tears added credibility to his version, but Shannon was one tough bitch. “Why not go back and explain it all to the police? They could have helped find Cynthia’s body. Or maybe she landed on a ledge and was rescued and is in a coma over there. Who knows, anything is possible. They could help you look for Amber. Like you said it wasn’t that big a place, so how hard would it be to find a little girl with Down Syndrome. She did stand out a bit you know. Do you think Cynthia would have hurt Amber?” Shannon asked. A new horror crossed her mind. If her sister was losing it would she be capable of hurting her own child? “They wouldn’t believe me. And your Daddy has never liked me. He would go out of his way to make me look guilty and I swear I didn’t hurt them.” Chris said. He was so good. She was believing him. “I wanted to go back and look for them, but I was running out of money and I just couldn’t afford too. That’s why I moved here and started to work again.” “Why didn’t you call me, I would have given you money to go back and look. I liked our arrangement. It worked for me too. Did Big Daddy cut off her s? You do realize that there is a way around that don’t you? What about her trust fund? Are her s frozen? You’re her husband and Big Daddy shouldn’t be able to take over your finances.” Shannon said. Not that Shannon wanted to help Chris, it just pissed her off that her father interfered with everything.

“What are you talking about? Your father isn’t in complete control of Cynthia’s money? Are you telling me that my lying, conniving bitch of wife was not as stupid as I thought she was?” Chris asked. “Your sister made me believe that your father controlled all financial matters. And that he gave her an allowance monthly. Are you telling me differently?” Chris was pissed. “Cynthia had complete control of her money by the time she was twenty-one years old. Daddy thought she was mature enough to handle her inheritance from our mother. She just doesn’t have any access to daddy’s money. Did she put you on an allowance? That dear little sister of mine wasn’t as stupid as I thought after all.” Shannon was impressed. “She told me that all her money was being held in trust by your father and she only received a monthly allowance.” Chris was furious. He had been played like a game of cards by a very talented poker player. “We could make a deal here you know. You need money and I need money. You help me, and I help you. Does anyone know where you are Shannon?” Chris asked. He was thinking of a new strategy plan. “Yes.” Shannon answered. She was lying and Chris knew it. “If you are going to lie to me then we are through here.” Chris said. He went to put the tape back onto Shannon’s mouth. “Wait, no one knows where I am. I can help you if you help me.” Shannon was so thirsty and tired that she was running out of steam. “Good. Hang on a second while I go and get you a nice glass of water.” Chris left the room to grab a water bottle. When he came back, he threw it at his

sister-in-law, hitting her smacking her in the chest. “Sorry, I forgot you couldn’t catch it.” And laughed sinisterly. “Chris please. I know you are not a monster. I am so thirsty. Please.” Shannon was pleading. “Yes, I am a monster Shannon. A very charming, attractive and successful monster. You do have to it that?” Chris sat back and smiled. He loved his manipulative manner. He really was a neurologist that was true. And he does work for the hospital in this small crappy town, because no large reputable hospital would touch him with a ten- foot pole. His family had to buy him his position with the last hospital. And just because someone dies while he is operating doesn’t make him a bad doctor. The hospital should never have made him come in on New Year’s Eve. It was a night of celebration and that was exactly what he had been doing. He wasn’t drunk. He had only had a couple. He was still able to do his job. It was a head injury. People die from head injuries all the time. But that night, that stupid freaking nurse had to report that she smelled alcohol on him and with the patient dying and the lawsuit that followed. His family had to settle it outside of court because it would have been an embarrassment to them. What else was new? Everything he did was an embarrassment to his family. The only thing he did right was become a doctor. They made sure he disappeared for a while until the dust settled. And then when he came back and asked the dynamic duo, aka, his socialite parents if they would please help him re-establish himself. What do they do? They laughed at him and told him no. They felt that it was time that he learned to stand on his own two feet. Make a name for himself now that he was a doctor. He should be able to make it on his own, they said. Well they left him no choice. He did have to look after himself after all. So, he came up with the idea of the home burglary. He found a couple of guys willing to break in and rob the house. They were only to break in and steal money and jewellery. Nothing hard to get rid of. His mother had more jewels than God. And it was all insured so really, they weren’t losing anything. It would be replaced with new. Everyone liked new stuff. The simple robbery turned into

a home invasion because his parents decided to not go to the gala at the museum like planned and stayed home without telling him. So, of course, the guys he hired still show up to rob the place and find his parent’s home. And one thing leads to another and his parents were found murdered. What was the old man thinking trying to stop these big, muscular guys? He was old and frail. Oh well it worked out in the end because he inherited everything and that kept him going for a while. But life was expensive. That was when he met his beautiful, air headed wife. Their family had more money than a small country and flashed it around. Chris wasn’t stupid he knew what to do, so he met, fell in love with and married one of the wealthiest women in the world. “Well what is it going to take to make you go away Shannon? For good and to keep your mouth shut forever? I could do it for you permanently, but I have been there and done that and it is getting boring. I think Sandy would be good for me, a chance to redeem myself. I could be a family man and make a life with her.” Chris said. Chris didn’t want Shannon to know his true intentions with Sandy. He was visualizing his new life. The little wife, kids, maybe a dog and complete with a white picket fenced yard. Boring. “I need money Chris. Plain and simple. I can’t survive without it. And I don’t want to marry it. I like the nice things, but I don’t play nice with others, as you very well know. Daddy has said that if I don’t find Cynthia and Amber, he will cut me off, no money, no trust fund, and no inheritance. I wasn’t given my share of my mother’s money like Cynthia. It was felt that I was too immature to be able to handle that much money at one time. So, I really do get an allowance monthly. I can always get more if I want. I can be very convincing with our financial advisor. And I have learned a lot from him over the years. And taught him a lot.” Shannon said with confidence. “Daddy calls me spoiled and ungrateful. He is at fault for that because he gave me everything just to stay away from him when I was growing up. It was always Cynthia and then me but after Amber showed up the order changed again, Amber, Cynthia and then me pulling up the rear.” Shannon was bitter but

truthful. “You are so pathetic Shannon, honest but pathetic. You could never hold a candle to your sister. I can see why she was your father’s favourite. She was a beautiful, caring, and stupid or maybe not as stupid as I originally thought. But she was a loyal person.” Chris said. “Her one major flaw being Amber. How could she give me a child like that? Yes, beautiful but a retard, I don’t care if she is socially acceptable or not, she is after all still a retard. I am a doctor for crying out loud. That was a cruel joke on me. What does that say about me? With our genes we should have been able to produce a perfect child, a beautiful, smart child, not that abomination. But even with all her visible faults, she was still able to develop well, and she was beautiful, in a slightly contorted way. She loved me completely, trusted me implicitly and got me accepted into circles that I couldn’t get into on my own. Everybody that met Amber was attracted to her. Ironic isn’t it. A retard can make you more acceptable to people. Your family’s old-world money gives me connections to a society that I could only dream about before marrying your sister. And after Amber was born, let’s just say the world was mine for the taking. Sympathy, it is priceless. So, you see I couldn’t let anything happen to her, she is my golden ticket. Oh, don’t look so shocked. You and I are cut from the same cloth. We look out for number one and to hell with everyone else.” Chris said. Chris’ explanation was not shocking to Shannon. It hurt to think that he thought so lowly of her. And that he was right about it too. “Chris you are wrong. I do care for my sister and I love my niece. Amber is special, trusting and a sweetheart and I am glad you didn’t hurt her too.” Shannon said “I didn’t hurt your sister, she slipped or jumped. I don’t actually know what happened.” Chris explained again. Shannon had to make sure not to get Chris too upset with her. He would get mad and knock her out again. Or he would notice that while they were talking, she had managed to get her hands free. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. I understand you would be blamed and that was the only reason you didn’t report it. I get it, I really do. I’m sorry. I just want

to help you find Amber and make Big Daddy happy. You and I can go on with our lives. Money, social standing, everything and anything we want. We can work out a story about Cynthia. She had a nervous breakdown and left Amber with us and made us promise not to tell. She just needed a little bit of time to work on herself. Daddy would believe that. Our mother was always taking personal time to work on herself when we were children. I promise I’ll help you. But you have to trust me enough to let me go.” Shannon pleaded. She was starting to think that Chris was falling for her story and she meant none of it. She was going to run to the police and Big Daddy and tell them everything as fast and as soon as she possibly could. She just cared about her own ass, to hell with everyone else. Shannon just proved to Chris that she was just as selfish and self-centered as he was. “You make me laugh Shannon. No wonder we had so much fun together. Sex was always great with you. You’re making me hot just thinking about it. Maybe, we could work something out. Maybe you can use your very talented negotiating talents to convince me.” Chris said. Chris was extremely turned on and approached Shannon. He ran his hand down the side her face, “We did have some fun, didn’t we?” Shannon moved her hand from behind her back and reached up to stroke Chris’ chest. He grabbed her wrist, squeezing so tight that she grimaced and cried out. “How the hell did you get your hands untied?” Chris’ face was red with fury. “I managed to untie my hands. I could have made a run for it while you were gone but I didn’t. Doesn’t that prove to you that I can be trusted? You are the closest person I have ever been able to say that I may love in my entire life. We are good together and we could work something out so that we can both get what we need. You and I both need Big Daddy’s money. I can help you get at Cynthia’s s without Big Daddy even knowing. And we are incredible in bed together but neither of us is capable of being monogamous. It could work. We could work, you and I as a team. Kind of like Bonnie and Clyde without the love.” Shannon begged Chris.

She was pleading and lying to him the whole time. Her only chance of surviving this situation alive was to convince him that he was correct and that she was not going to tell his secrets. Make him believe that they were partners in manipulation. “How do I know you won’t take off running as soon as I untie your legs?” Chris asked. Chris was testing her loyalty. She had to prove that she wouldn’t, and she didn’t care what she had to do. “I could have taken off my leg ties at any time today if I wanted. My hands have been untied for a long time. I could have untied my legs and made a run for it, but I didn’t leave, I stayed. I don’t give a damn about Big Daddy, Cynthia or even Amber truthfully. I want to be with you again and I want Daddy’s money. That’s it. We are good together and you know it. You said so yourself. I can prove it, I want to be with you, and I need to be with you. You are the only one that could make me feel incredible. Let me prove my desire to you. Untie my legs and let me wrap them around you.” Shannon purred. She pulled her hands free and moved them down toward the top of his pants. When he didn’t resist her, she began to undo his belt and slide the zipper down. She reached in and grabbed him. A groan escaped from him and she knew she had him. “Come on baby, untie me and let’s have some fun.” He untied her legs and as quickly as she was untied, she was naked, and the party started. He wanted her and that made him want to hurt her. He was like an animal, a very aroused, mean and cruel monster, not an animal. He threw her onto the bed and entered her forcefully with no foreplay, no warm-up, only savagery and just slammed and slammed her, not caring if her tears were of pleasure or pain. Her screams of pain slowed to only moans. That only made him more and more angry and savage. Every time that he entered her, he tore her open a little bit more. The blood was flowing steady and the pain was unbearable. The first hit was a surprise to both of them. And when the blood sprayed up and into his face, it excited him more than anything ever before in his life. He hit her again and the thrill that ran through him was electrifying. The more he hit her and the less that she moaned the more

satisfaction he experienced. By the time he was spent for the final time, Shannon was not moaning at all. The pain was too bad to make a sound. Her upper body was covered in blood and was already swelling and bruising. Both of her eyes were swelling shut. Her cheek bones are broken. And her face was bruised. Her nose was a bloody pulp and twisted to the side. There was blood coming out of her ears. Shannon had ed out a couple of times during her beating and rape. And was not fully alert even now. Her body and soul had gone into shut down to protect her from anymore beating. She was not the beautiful woman that had shown up the previous day. She looked like the casualty of a horrific car accident. But when Chris climbed off her broken and bloody body, satisfied with his ride, he turned to pick up his pants and proceeded to put them on. And when he turned and looked at his lover, this once beautiful woman, now a bloody beaten pulp laying on a bed. It would have disgusted and appalled a regular man, but not Chris he was aroused again. And started to unzip his pants again. “You are too good a piece of ass to let go with only one round of fun. Come on baby take me in your mouth. You know you want to. You promised that you were the best earlier ? No, let me remind you.” Chris laughed. Chris shoved his penis into Shannon’s mouth and held her head so that she couldn’t spit him out. “Come on you whore, you know you want it.” Chris kept pushing himself into her mouth until he was satisfied, and he flipped her over and took her from behind again. He came again and again. His only thoughts being whores were whores and you could treat them any way you wanted. When he was finished the last time, he climbed off Shannon and picked up his clothes and walked out of the room naked. No reason to get his good clothes soiled with her filth. He left the door open without so much as a look back. Shannon was not going anywhere anytime soon. He had made sure of that. Some bitches need to be taught some tough lessons in life and he was a great teacher.

Chapter 20

C hris walked into the bedroom the next morning and found that Shannon was still lying on the bed in the same position he left her in last night. Laying there in her own filth. It turned his stomach. Walking over to the bed Chris looked down at Shannon with disgust. “Get up, you, lazy cow. Look at this mess. I want you to clean it up and go take a shower, you stink.” Chris walked back to the bedroom doorway waiting to see if Shannon was going to respond. And when she failed to move a knot of panic rose in the pit of his stomach. Had he gone too far last night? It was fun and he was hoping to have a repeat performance before he got rid of her. He was disappointed to think that he wouldn’t be able to have that much fun again. He had dreamt about it all night. Replaying it in his mind until he was so aroused that he had to relieve himself. “Did you not hear me? I said get up and clean up this mess.” He walked over to the side of the bed again and kicked the leg of it, hard enough to make the bed move. Still no movement from Shannon. He leaned over and checked for a pulse, she had one. She was alive and breathing, for how long depended on her. “Shannon, I know you can hear me. I want you to get up and take care of this mess you made. We did have a good time last night, didn’t we?” Chris said. A soft moan escaped Shannon and then silence again. “See, I knew you liked to play rough. You were amazing. It was the best sex ever. I honestly can say that I have never been so satisfied before in my life. You really are my bedroom soulmate Shannon. I could never have this much fun with your sister. She was always a little bit prudish in the bedroom. But not you. I’m going downstairs now and make myself some breakfast. I am famished. It must have been the work out. When I come back up you had better have moved and

started to clean up this mess. Do you understand me Shannon? I don’t want to have to discipline you like a child, but maybe another good spanking is in order.” Chris laughed. Another small groan came out of Shannon. And Chris could feel a familiar tingle in his groin. “I have to go now but not because I want to. If I had all day to spend with you and repeat last night again and again, I would. But I do have to make an appearance at the hospital today.” Chris told her. Shannon just moaned again, and Chris took that as her understanding. “Good as long as we understand each other. I will see you in about thirty minutes.” Chris walked out of the bedroom and downstairs, humming to himself. Nothing was wrong in his world. Shannon rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a thump. She managed to pull herself up to a sitting position leaning against the bed for . He was a crazy man. He has completely lost his mind. She had to get out of here because the next time he was going to kill her. She grabbed the corner of the bed sheet and pulled the sheets off the bed, rolling them into a ball. She left them at the side of the bed and since Chris had failed to bring her any replacement sheets, she left the bed unmade and curled into a ball on the floor and cried. She hurt so much, physically and mentally, why couldn’t she be loved, she was not a bad person. She laid there and cried for what seemed like an eternity. And then half crawled and half pulled herself into the ading bathroom. Shannon managed to drag herself over to the bathtub, a beautiful old-style claw footed monster that looked like it would be able to hold her in its watery embrace and take away all her aches and pains. As the tub was filling up with warm scented water, Shannon looked in the mirror to see what had happened to her face but instead of seeing her reflection a hideous creature returned her gaze. She raised her hand to her swollen face and traced the bruises with her fingers. She cried out after looking at her reflection. Her nose was broken and twisted at such an angle that she wondered how it was

still attached at all. If it hadn’t been for the pain that touching her face had brought to her she would have thought the reflection was someone or something else. She didn’t look like herself, she didn’t even look human. She started to cry. She was going to get even with Chris, somehow, someway, she was going to make him pay and pay dearly. Shannon walked over to the bathtub and shut off the water and climbed in. The warm water slowly took away the aches and pains from her body but not from her mind. Those scars would never heal. She must have drifted off; she must have been dreaming about drowning and her dream seemed so real. She was floating under the water. Swimming like a mermaid without a care in the world. She didn’t want it to stop. A peaceful watery grave. Suddenly, she couldn’t get up. She couldn’t breathe. She was getting scared. Why couldn’t she get up. She started flailing her arms, clawing for something to help pull her out. This wasn’t a dream, she was drowning. She must have fallen asleep in the bath and now she slid under the water. She hadn’t seen Chris enter the bathroom. But she felt his hand on her head pushing her under the water. She continued to struggle and then just stopped. Why bother maybe this way was better and she just let go and stopped struggling and a feeling of calm came over her. “I don’t think so” Chris pulled Shannon out of the water by her hair. “I’m not done with you yet.” He laughed as she lay gasping for air on the bathroom floor. “You look pretty hot laying there all naked and wet. I’m getting harder by the second here. You want me, don’t you? You are such a cock teasing bitch.” Shannon gasped for breath and tried to crawl away to the open bathroom door leading away from this mad man. Beyond the threshold was the safety of the bedroom. She felt his hand wrap around her ankle, and she was being pulled back.

“No, please no more.” Shannon cried. She didn’t know if she had spoken out loud. Or if the words were spoken only in her head. She didn’t even have the breath left in her to scream, she tried to kick but to no avail. Chris flipped her over onto her back and her head smashed off the bathroom tile, blacking out for a moment, but only a moment. Shannon realized with a broken soul that he wasn’t done raping her yet and she just started to scream and scream. But no one would hear her, it was all in her head, no sound could escape the choking hand around her throat. She welcomed the blackness, at least she wouldn’t be awake while he was finishing with her. Shannon woke up shaking. She felt the cool breeze on her skin and could hear the stillness of the night. Shannon was afraid to open her eyes; she was hoping that everything had been a bad dream and had never happened. But she could feel the coolness of the bathroom tiles on her skin as she lay naked on the floor. She decided she wasn’t ready to face reality yet and ed out, welcoming the darkness again. When she finally regained conscience, she was dressed in a t-shirt and tucked nice and comfy in the bed in the guest room. She realized that her body hurt. And that the last twenty-four hours had not been a bad dream. It had happened, and she just started to cry softly. She realized that she was tucked into bed with no restraints or gag? Where was Chris? Was this some trick to test her? If she tried to escape, he would kill her? If she stayed, he was going to kill her anyways. She tried to swing her legs over the edge of the bed only to realize that she was chained to the bedpost by her ankle. She had thought she was unrestrained because he had left her such a long lead and her hands were free. She should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy. He was sadistic. She was never going to be free. Her impending fate sent her sprawling back into bed in a heap of tears. The bedroom opened and Chris walked in on Shannon sobbing uncontrollably on the bed. “What’s wrong Shannon? You don’t like your new accommodations? I thought it must be more comfortable than the bathroom floor. Did you have a good rest? I don’t really care. I am just being polite. You were incredible. I have never had so much fun with anyone ever in my life. It is like you opened the sexual beast in

me. You are going to be a hard act to follow. You know I was going to kill you the other day when I came in here, full intentions on ending your pathetic life but I am glad that I didn’t. You are my true sex mate. I would never want you for a wife or anything respectable like that because we both know you are only a whore and I do have a reputation to uphold. But as a sex slave you are one of a kind. And I have been thinking that you could come in handy with dealing with your father. I haven’t worked out all the details yet, but I will let you know when or how you will serve me.” Chris told her. He walked over to the side of Shannon’s bed and sat down. He went to stroke her hair, but she pulled away as harshly as she could sending shooting pain throughout her body and to no avail. Chris grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to him, “I am the boss around here and it will do you well to that or you could have a very similar accident to your sister. Do you understand me?” The coldness in Chris’ voice sent chills down Shannon’s spine. She tried to talk but started to cry instead and only nodded her head, sending more pain through her body. “Good, now do your job, I am feeling rather aroused right now. I have a date and I could not possibly be expected to act normal with this large hard on pressing against the front of my pants, could I? Take care of it now Shannon. Do your magic with your mouth.” Chris stood up and unzipped his pants, shoving his penis into Shannon’s face and she accepted it through swollen lips, splitting them open, blood trickling down her face but that isn’t what was hurting her, it was the broken spirit. Her life felt worthless and that was causing her pain now.

Chapter 21

W hat a day yesterday was, hopefully it would be a one of a kind thing because too many days like that and she thought she would move to Siberia or Alaska somewhere completely isolated and quiet. Where the worst thing that could happen is a chance encounter with a bear or a moose. It was time to get up and start another day and she just had no desire to. Sandy was planning on having a breakfast date with Chris, but she wasn’t feeling up to it. She thought she would give him a call and cancel. It was still early enough, but what if he was still sleeping not everyone got up early. She could cancel with a text and then he could read it when he gets up. For some odd reason she wasn’t up to dealing with Chris this morning. Too much of a good thing and all. Sandy started down the stairs to put on a pot of coffee and text Chris to cancel their breakfast when she stubbed her toe on the edge of the door frame. She let out a little scream of pain at the same time as the door chimed. Who the hell was at her door at six o’clock in the morning? She hoped it wasn’t Chloe, that was just what she doesn’t need right now. Unlocking the door and trying to scan her appearance in the front mirror proved to be a little difficult. Especially since she was trying to balance on one foot. Just as she opened the door it was pushed in quickly and the front door hit the same toe. It was not starting out to be a very good day after all. Damnit. “Are you okay? I heard you scream, and I was a little over-zealous trying to get to you. Sorry about pushing the door onto your toe.” Chris was standing in the doorway with a look of concern on his face. “What are you doing here Chris? It is six o’clock in the morning. I just got up. I haven’t even had my morning cup of coffee yet.” Sandy was upset. She was trying to hold back tears because the twice injured toe was throbbing. And she wanted to go back to bed and start over again. She was not the friendliest person in the morning.

“Here let me take a look at your toe.” Chris just scooped her up as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do and began to carry her over to the couch. “I’m okay. You really don’t need to carry me Chris.” Sandy said. She wasn’t sure why, but she just didn’t want him to be that close to her. Maybe it was because it was so early and the pain, which was already starting to go away. Was it weird that she didn’t want to be around him? Why didn’t she want to see him? “Oh, I insist. The dashing doctor rescues the victim and she shows her undying gratitude with love and loyalty. This is the way I see this whole scene playing out you know.” Chris smiled one of his gorgeous smiles at her and all the doubts and weirdness left. “Well in that case, what are you waiting for, carry on Doctor God. My life is in your expert hands.” Sandy said. She was laughing as she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to be carried. He placed her down as gently as a mother would a newborn baby and gave her a little kiss. “Wow, you have got great bedside manners.” Sandy said. She hadn’t realized that he was standing over her looking down at her until she opened her eyes. And maybe it was just a trick of the lights or she was still half asleep, but he looked mad at her. Not angry, not mad but crazy, out of control fury. But by the time she blinked her eyes and gave her head a little shake his expression had changed, and he was the gorgeous creature that she ed. He leaned in for a kiss and Sandy sat up quickly. She didn’t know why but she didn’t want to kiss him. “I am sorry, morning breath. Horrible.” Sandy tried to apologize her actions away, but she could tell that she had hurt his feelings. “I am sorry about last night Chris. I don’t know what happened. I just was so

tired, and I needed to get some rest. Do you understand and forgive me, or do I have to get you flowers?” Sandy was trying to lighten the mood. She was trying to sound cheerful and carefree, but it was coming across as forced. “That’s okay. It was a long day for everybody, and I had a lot of stuff to get done. But with no distractions it is amazing what can be accomplished.” Chris said. “Do you want a coffee I could murder one.” Sandy tried to get off the couch to head to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. She really could use one. “I’ll make it for you. I love to help in the kitchen, and I am very good. I find it fun. When I was a kid, we had this maid, I think she started with my family years before I was even born. She was a great cleaner and a very good cook. It used to drive my mom crazy that we only had a maid doing two jobs. She wanted a chef, but dad didn’t feel the need to have both a chef and maid for only two people that was before I was born. After I came along there was a nurse and a nanny, so my mother got her way and we had a chef as well. When I was old enough, I would sneak into the kitchen and learn from the chef. But because my mother was so difficult to work for, we went through a lot of kitchen help and by the time the nurse had left and I no longer needed a nanny I asked to help out in the kitchen to fill my time. My mother scolded me because she wanted to hire a new chef and it wasn’t the proper place for her son to be found working in the kitchen like a common person. But my father fought her on it and I was allowed to learn to cook from our new chefs as long as I promised to stay out of his way when we had a dinner party so that I didn’t disrupt his domestic responsibilities. In other words, she felt that she paid him good money and that I should be severely reprimanded for even thinking of working in the kitchen with the common working class. I loved it, I even thought of culinary school for a career, but my mother wouldn’t hear of it. Anyways, I can make some great food and even better coffee. Interested?” That was the most personal Chris had ever gotten with her. And she knew she should have felt honoured that he shared a personal memory with her but all she could think was, wow, this guy was rich growing up. Why was he living here?

And his mom sounds like such a snob. “I would be so afraid to meet your mom. She would not approve of me. I am not rich or young. I’m divorced. With children. Please don’t invite me over if they come to visit okay. I don’t want to feel any more inadequate. Thank you.” A sudden look came over Chris’ face, a mixture of sadness, angry and something else. “You won’t have to worry about meeting my family, they were murdered years ago during a home invasion that went very wrong.” Chris said. “I am so sorry Chris. I don’t know what to say. Did they ever catch the guys who did it?” Sandy asked. Learn not to open your Sandy mouth and jump in. She scolded herself. “No. They got away with it. I couldn’t stay in that house after that and it didn’t hold a lot of good memories for me anyhow. So, I sold everything, donated the money to charity and moved on with my life. It happened a long time ago and it feels like it happened to someone else.” She took his hand in hers. Leaned over and gave him a kiss, morning breath and all. That little kiss turned into quite the make out session that almost led to her taking him upstairs to her bedroom. Thankfully, they heard a door open and feet shuffling down the hall. “It sounds like the girls are getting up. Do you still want that coffee?” “I’ll make it, why don’t you go and jump in the shower and I suggest you brush your teeth. Morning breath and all you know. I didn’t want to say anything, but you are right, it is pretty bad.” Chris was joking with her and she was laughing as she ran up the stairs. The last thing the girls needed to see was her in her robe again with Chris. You can only explain it away so many times. She came downstairs after her shower and got dressed to the most amazing smell of coffee and all the breakfast scents wafting up to greet her. Her stomach betrayed her before she could say a thing.

“Sounds like someone is hungry” Chris laughed. He was not talking to her, but to Jasmine and Jenny and they all laughed at her expense. “I recruited the troops to help prepare this incredible, mouth-watering spread.” Chris said. There was bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, bagels, coffee and orange juice. “Wow. This looks so good. But I know I didn’t have all this stuff here, where did it come from? I didn’t take that long a shower, did I?” I was very puzzled. “No, Jenny, Chris and I ran over to his house and got some of the stuff. He has a really nice house Mom; you should go and see it sometime.” Jasmine said. Jasmine was helping Chris cook and it looked so cute. That was until the front door opened and Mike and Matthew came charging in. “It smells awesome in here. What is the special occasion?” Mike asked as he walked through the door. You could see the smile leave Mike’s face as he turned the corner into the kitchen and saw Chris behind the island with his daughters making his ex-wife breakfast. Sandy could only imagine what was running through his head at that moment. “Mike, what are you doing here? Hello, my little handsome man.” Sandy held her arms out to Matthew and he ran into them. “Mama Sandy.” Matthew gave her a big hug and kiss. She could see that Mike was not very happy with the scene that he had walked into. “Sorry, didn’t know he was going to be here. I thought we could talk before you had to go to work. I took the week off. With everything going on with Chloe. I have a lot of ends to tie up. But I can see that you are busy.” Mike said.

It was so tense in the kitchen you could have cut the air with a knife. “It’s not what you are thinking. We were going to go out for breakfast, but the girls wanted to make breakfast instead. He didn’t stay the night if that is what you are thinking, not that it would be any of your business anyhow.” Sandy said. She always felt like she had to apologize for having a life. “It isn’t my business but what about the girls? Do they really need to see your boyfriend this early in the morning?” Mike was mad. “Wow, seriously. I guess it was different when they would wake up and see Chloe in the morning instead right?” “That’s different, we are married. You are not.” “Not yet anyways, maybe by lunch time. Either way I can promise I wouldn’t screw it up if she was my wife.” Chris said. We all turned and looked at Chris. What the hell was he playing at? Not even close to that subject yet. It wasn’t funny. Chris turned to the girls “I guess that wasn’t funny.” The girls just giggled. They thought it was. Chris turned back to Mike and Sandy. “I’m just saying that she is amazing, and you were a fool letting her go. And who knows what the future holds.” Chris was just standing there looking incredibly sexy making breakfast and starting a war with Mike. “Whatever, I’ll talk to you later.” Mike took Matthew from her arms. “Hungry. Mama Sandy.” Matthew wanted to come back to me “Come on Matthew. We will stop and get something to eat. Love you girls.” “Bye Dad.” The girls yelled. Mike walked out of the house thinking that we had spent the night together and that the girls were okay with another man making them breakfast, playing daddy

to them. She was going to have to call him later and clear up the misunderstanding. But she wasn’t going to let it ruin her breakfast. “Come on girls, let’s eat this wonderful breakfast that you have made. I am starving.” It was great sitting around eating breakfast like a real family again. You don’t how much you miss something until you are reminded that you forgot. “Okay girls, I will clean up and you go and get ready for school. You can’t be late, or I will get in trouble.” “Thanks Chris. We really don’t have to help clean up mom?” Both girls looked at me. “It’s ok. I will help Chris, but you guys are doing dinner dishes tonight.” “Ok. Breakfast was great Chris. Thanks.” Jasmine said. Jasmine was surprising me how quickly she had warmed up to Chris. “You’re welcome and thank you for helping.” Chris said. The girls headed upstairs, and Sandy turned to Chris and thanked him again for an amazing breakfast, excellent company and much needed coffee. “I really should get ready for work. There is so much to do, but I just don’t want to go.” Sandy told Chris. “Play hooky with me today. Miss work and we can have some much-needed alone time.” Chris was pulling her chair closer to his and began playing with her shirt buttons. “I can drop the girls off at school and you can get dressed or not. Whatever makes you comfortable and I will come back and we can talk, watch a movie, whatever you want to do. How does that sound?” Chris sounded so sexy. “Exactly what I need. Unfortunately, I can’t. I have too much going on at work

today and I don’t even know if Janice will be in because of the whole car incident. I have clients coming for a meeting this afternoon. And the girls walk to school, they don’t need a ride. But, thank you anyways.” Sandy said. Just as she finished her list of excuses, her cell phone rang, and it was Janice. “Hey, I was just talking about you. How are you? Are you coming into work today? Do you need a ride?” Sandy asked. “I’m fine, no I don’t need a ride and yes I will be taking the day off. Just thought I would let you know. Don’t forget you have that meeting this afternoon. All the paperwork is on my desk. I have a lot of running around to do today so I just took a personal day.” Janice said. Janice left out the part where she was meeting up with Jason to see what he found out about Mr. Perfect. Dinner at her place and she needed to clean and get stuff to make supper for him. “I thought you might I was just telling Chris that.” Sandy said. “He’s there. Did he stay the night?” Janice was pissed. They just met. What was Sandy thinking? “No, he didn’t. He came early and made breakfast for the girls and that’s it.” What the hell was wrong with people? She was never the type to jump in and out of bed with anyone. Sandy was seriously questioning how well people knew her. “Okay, well I won’t keep you. Just wanted to let you know what was going on. I’ll see you tomorrow and Sandy be careful you don’t even know this guy very well.” Janice warned her. “Thanks Janice, I will see you tomorrow.” What was it with her not liking Chris? She was right, she didn’t know him very well, but she was enjoying some much-appreciated attention. The girls came bouncing down the stairs right then and announced that they were leaving for school and that they did not need a ride. Obviously, someone was eavesdropping again.

“Love you both. See you when I get home tonight, okay?” “Yes Mother. We are not children anymore you know; we will be alright. Besides, Chris lives across the street and Mrs. Miller is always home. Love you, see you both later.” Both girls gave me a kiss and hug and Jenny went over and gave Chris a hug. “Thanks for breakfast it was great and fun to help make. Can we do it again sometime?” Jenny asked. “Anytime you want, as long as I am not working of course.” Chris was thinking this is what normal children were like. Why couldn’t she just have given him one like these girls. But no, he got that freak of nature that he can’t even find. “Great thanks” Jenny gave him another quick hug and she and her sister were off, slamming the door behind them. “You have some great kids Sandy. I would have loved to have one just like them.” Chris said. “What are you talking about? I thought you had a step-child with your wife?” Sandy asked. Sandy was completely puzzled by his statement. What was he talking about? “I do, or did, she was no longer allowed to see me, ?” Chris said. “Oh my God, I am so sorry. I forgot. How do you cope knowing she is out there, and you can’t see her or be near her? I would be out of my head with grief. I don’t know how you do it Chris.” Sandy leaned over to Chris, put her arms around him and pulled him close. She wished she could take away the pain he must be experiencing. A dead wife, murdered parents and a lost child. How does he get up in the morning? How is he even sane?

Chris wrapped his arms around Sandy’s waist and rested his head on her chest. “You just learn to overcome things and besides I hold onto the faith that she will be home with me sometime in the future and I want it to be as normal as possible.” Chris turned his face to Sandy and pulled her down for a kiss, but just before their lips touched, he whispered, “You would be a wonderful mom to her.” The kiss started out a little bit strange because Sandy was reeling from his statement but then nature took over. Chris pulled Sandy onto his lap and before she knew what was happening, her shirt was open, her bra was unhooked, revealing her naked breasts. Sandy tried to pull it closed but Chris gently grabbed her hand and brought her fingers to his lips. Kissing them ever so softly, never breaking eye with her. The ion that was coming from that look was electrifying. Every nerve in her body was afire. Sandy leaned in to kiss him hard on the mouth, swinging her leg over him, straddling him on the kitchen chair. Chris’ hands started to roam over her exposed body, cupping Sandy’s breast and squeezing her nipple between his fingers, gently but hard at the same time causing Sandy to moan with desire. Kissing her neck and slowly moving down caused Sandy to lean back and expose herself completely to him. He looked at her with such desire that a moan of pleasure escaped from Sandy’s lips. Chris took Sandy’s nipple in his mouth and made fireworks explode between Sandy’s legs. She was so wet. She couldn’t ever wanting someone so desperately in her life. She reached for his belt and began to undo it and release his manhood in all its glory. Before she could do anything to please him, he picked her up. Pulled her skirt up and underpants down and laid her down on the table. He entered her with such force that Sandy was shocked and satisfied at the same time. It may have been quick, but it was worth it. It had been a very long time since someone wanted her so much. Completely spent Sandy got up and pulled her skirt down and started to button up her blouse. “Wow, Chris, that was incredible. And totally unlike me. I have never done this before.” Sandy said.

She was shocked at what she had just done. She looked around at the mess that was all over the floor and on her clothes. Everything was covered with the breakfast leftovers. Sandy turned red with embarrassment. “I don’t know what came over me, I am so embarrassed.” She was surprised by what had just taken place on her kitchen table. “Don’t be Sandy, I am in love with you. I know I haven’t known you very long, but I am so glad that I could show you how much I want to be with you. The next time will be more romantic I promise but this was terrific. Don’t you think?” Chris turned those gorgeous eyes on her and she put her head down in despair. “I didn’t think I was ready to be with anyone yet. You are the first since my marriage break up.” Sandy confessed. Chris put his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to meet his eyes. “I am honoured to be the first man and the last one to help you get over a rough time in your life. I hope that from this moment on we are an item. Just you and me and no one else. I don’t ever want to share you. You are my new everything. And I know you are going to say that we are going too quickly but I knew it the first time I ever laid eyes on you. You are beautiful, mature, caring and damn sexy. And I thank the day that your ex screwed up and let you go. I won’t be that stupid. You are mine and hopefully we just made a complete commitment to one another. Wouldn’t it be great if we just made a baby the first time, we made love? The thought just makes me want you more.” Chris started kissing Sandy and before she could stop him, he scooped her up and she could feel him entering her again, more gently this time. The pleasure was more than she could take. And she didn’t even fight him when he carried her upstairs to her bedroom, where they made love for the third time that morning. It was exquisite. Laying in Chris’ arms, completely spent, Sandy snuggled in and played with his chest hair. “Chris did you mean what you said downstairs, about being in love with me?” Sandy asked.

She was nervous asking him. But she had to know the truth. “Completely. I love you Sandy. You are an amazing woman and I don’t want to let you go, so I guess I am asking you. Will you be my girlfriend?” Chris said. Sandy started to giggle like a young schoolgirl. “Yes, I will.” “You know we need to consummate this new relationship status?” “Again. No way. I couldn’t. I don’t have any energy or orgasms left.” Sandy groaned. “I bet you do. Let me show you.” Chris slid down the bed and between Sandy’s legs and before very long she was moaning away her protest. Chris was an incredible lover, making her forget all about being late for work.

Chapter 22

W ell that was quite a reason for being late for work. Sandy wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it yet. Her body was definitely in favour of this new arrangement, but her heart and mind were not so sure. She was going to have to think about this whole thing thoroughly. Best to do it without further complications like having sex with him again. It’s not that she didn’t believe in love at first sight, it’s that everything was moving too quickly. She needed to slow down and figure out what she wanted. There were quite a few people that may not like her new dating status. Mike and Janice to name a couple. She didn’t know how the girls were going to feel. They loved their dad. And she knew that they were thinking that their parents were working out their problems this weekend and possibly getting back together. But Sandy just couldn’t see that happening. A few weeks ago, maybe even a few days ago, she would have wanted nothing more. And with everything that had happened lately, she was just so confused. Did she want to try to work things out with Mike? For both the girl’s sake and her own. And you had to include Matthew in the equation, he was such a sweetheart. But did she really want to deal with Chloe more than she absolutely had to? She knew the girls liked Chris, but she knew they loved their dad more. “Janice, why do you have to hate Chris so much that you have made it impossible for me to even talk to you about any of this?” Sandy asked her absent friend. She needed to find out what was going on with her. Sandy never noticed how private Janice was about her past until yesterday. She needed to find out some personal stuff about her. Maybe it would give her the answers about why she suddenly took a dislike to Chris. A little trip to the personal office to pull Janice’s employment record was in order when she got to work. Perfect timing with Janice calling in sick today. She was not acting like herself right now. Maybe it has something to do with that detective, Jason Mills. There is a history there and Sandy needed to find out what it was. She and Janice needed to go out for dinner and talk about

everything. That was after Sandy looked at those records. Suddenly, Sandy’s wonderful morning was only making her more confused. Sandy decided to keep this new relationship to herself for a little while. Really, who is it hurting anyways? It was no one else’s business. It wasn’t like they were a couple of teenagers that had a need to update our relationship status on social media. There was so much that she didn’t know about Christopher and his past. And what about that woman that was at his house and why did he lie about it? What happened to his family, stepdaughter and wife there are too many holes in his life story? She had already caught him in little white lies so does that mean the lies will just get bigger later in their relationship. Could it be the reason that his stepdaughter was taken from him? She used to be able to trust her instincts about people, but she wasn’t so sure anymore. Sandy walked into the office and was shocked to see Janice was there. She thought she was supposed to be off today. “Hey lady, I thought you were off today?” “I am. I just needed to get something from my desk.” Janice didn’t want Sandy to see the file that she had started on Chris the Greek God Fake. “I have a meeting with the insurance company, and I needed a copy of the incident report you filed. And why are you so late coming in this morning. Are the girls okay? Please don’t tell me there was another run in with Chloe?” Janice asked. “No, nothing like that. I just couldn’t get myself to move very quickly this morning.” Sandy answered. Why did she feel the need to lie? She should have been able to tell her best friend about Chris and her and what had happened that morning. But she knew Janice would have been mad. “I could have dropped off the report for you. You should have called. Saved yourself a trip down here. I was thinking that we haven’t gone out together in a long time. And I wanted to know if you wanted to grab something to eat later. I wanted to talk to you about some personal stuff and I am in desperate need of

some good advice. It has been so long since I went out with a girlfriend. What do you say, my treat? Are you up for it tonight? Dinner and some wine? Good conversation and better company.” Sandy was staring at Janice with an intensity that said please don’t say no. “Can I get a rain check? I have a couple of appointments and I already told Jason that he could come over for dinner. He loves my lasagna and we have a lot of catching up to do. How about tomorrow night and it will be my treat?” Janice asked. Janice hoped that she would have all the information on Mr. Wonderful to help end their relationship before she gets hurt again. She was hoping Jason had some good stuff for her. “Sorry, I can’t tomorrow but maybe one day next week. Okay?” Sandy was disappointed but maybe there was a beginning to a story with Janice and her detective friend? “Enjoy your evening with Jason. And I want details tomorrow. Juicy details.” Sandy said. “I’m sorry. I can call and cancel, and we can go instead?” Janice really didn’t want to, but it seemed important to Sandy. “Don’t you dare cancel? You and that detective are hot together. Maybe something will come of it. If you cancel on him, I will kill you.” As much as she needed to talk, Janice needed to have fun. Her life had been hard the last few years and if there is a possibility that Jason could make her happy, she would not stand in the way. “Are you sure? You look upset.” Janice asked. “I am fine. Really. I just want to bounce some ideas off you that is all. Mostly a work dinner anyways. Go, have fun. And don’t forget I love your lasagna too. Bring me leftovers and we can eat them and gossip over lunch tomorrow.” Sandy said. Janice knew she was lying about the reason for dinner, but she needed to know

what Jason had found out about this perfect doctor. “That is a promise. And I am serious about going out for dinner next week.” Janice said. “Sure. It’s a date.” Janice turned and started to walk away. “Are you sure you’re ok Sandy?” “I am fine. Perfectly fine. Now go and get yourself ready for your date. Wear something sexy and maybe you can be dessert.” Sandy teased her friend. Laughing Janice turned to walk away and then suddenly turned back, walked up to Sandy and gave her a big hug. “Be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Janice walked away and Sandy stared after her. She appreciated the hug more now then when it was given to her. Janice turned out to be the best friend a person could ask for.

Chapter 23

C hris wandered into his house with a confident swagger. He thought everything was going to work out perfectly for him here. The perfect PTA mom, smart, pretty enough but not showy, an asset to the community, friendly, career minded without being all consumed by it. Perfect for the time when he finds Amber and is able to bring her home. He knew that he would have to come up with some elaborate story to explain her presence but let’s face it Sandy wasn’t Einstein and being a single middle-aged woman her chances of finding someone as special as he was again were zilch. Besides if his plan worked out the way it was supposed to, he could eliminate Sandy after she completed her part. Sandy was his now; she could take care of Amber for him if he could find her. And he wouldn’t have to deal with her himself. He would get access to all of Amber’s money. Besides, Sandy takes care of her own brats and her ex’s so at least his daughter came with the added bonus of him. Amber creeped him out, the way she looked through him. It was like she, a retard, could read all his secret thoughts. Why couldn’t he have had a normal healthy baby? Chris debated whether to go upstairs and visit his unwelcome guest and relieve himself of the stresses he had to incur today at the hospital. So many needy people. Or should he just go and get ready for his visit to his newest best friend, the crazy lady, aka, Chloe? He decided that he had time for a short visit with Shannon first. Better to deal with Chloe with a calm, clear head. “Shannon, are you ready for me?”

Chris was suddenly very aroused as he walked up the stairs taunting his former sister in law. As he reached the bedroom door, his hand on the doorknob, his cell phone started to ring. Chris looked at the number on his caller ID and was instantly annoyed. “What the hell does he want?” Chris said out loud to nobody. It was his father in law. Taking a deep breath, Chris answered the phone. “Charles, nice to hear from you. What have I done to honour a call from my favourite father in law?” Charles had never liked Chris, but he was usually polite. “Christopher, have you seen either of my daughters? Every time one goes missing your name comes to mind immediately.” The undertone was clear, Charles was pissed. What a pompous ass. “No, I am sorry, but I haven’t heard anything from either one of your beautiful daughters.” Chris said. He was tired of having to deal with this man. And once he got a hold of Cynthia’s money or Amber’s, he would never accept another one of his phone calls. “Are you playing games with Cynthia and I, Charles? I know she has ed you within the last couple of weeks.” Chris said “I can assure you that I am not a game playing type of man Christopher. You know perfectly well that I have not spoken to my daughter in a very long time. You are either hiding her and my granddaughter from me, or you are not allowing them to speak to me. Or you have hurt them or worse yet, they are dead. I have come to the realization that I may never see either of them alive again. I need to know where they are. I don’t care what you have done to them. I just want to, no need to place them at peace. I need to bury them with the rest of

our family. Please if you have any comion in you, you will tell me where to find them. I want my family back Christopher. One way or another they need to come home.” Charles pleaded. Oh, how the great man has fallen. The most powerful man, the man that could make his worst enemies cry was grovelling to Chris like a beggar on the street. “I have not hurt Cynthia or Amber. I promise you. I am respecting my wife’s right of privacy. She asked me not to tell you where she is or how to her. And that is what I am doing. I am sorry Charles, but even if I did know where they were, and I don’t, I would not tell you.” “Are you seriously telling me that you do not know the whereabouts of my daughter and her child?” Charles asked. “That is exactly what I’m telling you. Cynthia left with Amber and did not tell me where she was going or when she was coming back. She has not been acting like herself for a while now. I can assure you she is upsetting me as much as you. I have no access to my daughter, and I miss her. Cynthia isn’t even ing me or answering my calls. I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know where they have gone but I promise the minute I hear from Cynthia I will tell her to you or I will let you know myself.” Chris said “You leave me no choice Christopher but to cut off all financial aid to the two of you. Until I hear from my daughter personally, you will not see another red cent. Let’s see how quickly you will have her me when you have no money available to finance your life of leisure.” Charles was trying very hard to play the money card with him. Now was the time to let him know that he knew that he had no claim over Cynthia’s money. Thank you very much Shannon. “Now Charles you know you don’t have any control over Cynthia’s money. I do realize that we live on a monthly allowance so to speak, but ultimately you have no say over how we spend her money. And I am working and don’t need Cynthia’s money anyhow.” Chris said. Now for the moment of truth. Either Shannon was a liar, or she knew more than he did about their finances.

“I may not have control over her inheritance from her mother, but I do have control over her trust fund. And I can put a hold on it at any time.” Charles didn’t sound as confident as he had a minute ago. “Should I tell your daughter that you are threatening me the next time I talk to her? How do you think she would react to that? We both know you are just blowing smoke up my ass. You don’t like not having control. Do you? I mean the big and powerful man is brought to his knees by a daughter he thought he could always control. But, guess what? I have held my tongue long enough on this subject and I think it is about time that you hear the truth.” Chris paused before he continued. “Cynthia has always told me how she had you wrapped around her finger. She said she could convince you to do whatever she wanted including controlling her own trust from her mother’s estate. And how Shannon’s money was put into your hands to control and hand out to her as you saw fit. Do you know how that must have made Shannon feel? To know all her life that you loved Cynthia best and trusted her judgement more. It is no wonder why you don’t hear from either of your daughters.” Chris said. All was quiet on the other end of the phone. Chris wondered if he had gone too far. “I just want my family back. I need them. They are all that matters to me in this world. Why won’t you tell me where they are? Do you want money? Do you want to open your own practise? Tell me, I will do anything you want. I just want them back.” Charles was a broken man. “I don’t need your money. I have Cynthia’s. And if I wanted to open my own practice, I wouldn’t need your help. I just want to be happy. And be with my wife and daughter. I want to live in peace. And you are making that very hard.” Chris said. Maybe he could think of a way to fake a kidnapping scam. Free money and a way to explain their disappearance. “If I find out that you hurt them, I promise you that you will pay dearly. Your free ride is coming to an end.” Charles said.

The coldness and anger were dripping from the tone in his voice. “I may not be able to control my daughter’s finances, but I know that she trusts my opinion on everything, financial. It’s only a matter of time before she sees that I was right about you and she leaves you for good.” Charles said. “Really, who are you kidding? Cynthia loves me and she proved that when she went against you and married me. You are losing your fist hold on your daughter. You are losing everything Charles.” Chris laughed. How does that feel old man? He took what matters most to Chris, money and he took what matters most to Charles; Cynthia and Amber and maybe Shannon too. He hadn’t decided on that yet. “I love your daughter, my wife, and my daughter very much. I don’t know where they are right now. Maybe on a vacation I really don’t have to tell you. That was even if I did know. I will check with Cynthia, when she s me and see what she wants me to do. I had just gotten home from work when you called so as much as I have enjoyed our little conversation I really must be going. Maybe Cynthia has lost your personal cell number or forgotten it. Do you want to give it to me so that I can give it to her?” Chris asked. If he could get that number, Charles would get a text from the grave with love. “My daughter would not forget my number and you don’t need it. If I never hear from you again it would be too soon for my liking. But if you happen to hear from either of my daughters, I would appreciate it greatly if you would have one of them to me and let me know that they are ok. If that wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience to you and your busy life.” Charles said. “I promise you I will deliver your message. As for Shannon, I doubt we will see her but if we do I will relay your message. What is it that you did to your precious daughter to make her hate you so much that she doesn’t want to talk to you or even see you? You must have done something extraordinary to make Cynthia, the one person in this world that would forgive a mass murderer if you asked her to, what made her so angry with you. So angry in fact that she won’t even speak to me about you, at all.” Chris said. “I have never done anything ill willed to my daughter. I love her too much and you know it. You have done something to them, and I will find out what. Even if

it is the last thing I do before I die. You can’t hide them forever. You got away with murdering your parents, but I won’t let you get away with hurting my daughters or granddaughter.” Charles was angry. Now Charles was playing dirty. “You know I had nothing to do with my parent’s death. I was at work and many people saw me. They weren’t even supposed to be home that night. They didn’t go to the Gala because my mother had a migraine coming on. It was wrong what happened to them. I had nothing to do with their misfortunate deaths.” Chris was upset. “That was your plan all along wasn’t it? They were to be out of the house, break in, rob them and get away clean. You didn’t think anyone was going to be home. Did you at least feel any remorse for what you did? You murdered or had someone murder your parents. By accident or intentionally it doesn’t matter. I guess if you were capable of killing the people that gave you life you are capable of just about anything. Including murdering your wife and child, aren’t you?” Charles said. Charles was trying to get Chris to confess to something, anything. He was desperate. “You are a sick man Charles. I can’t wait to tell Cynthia what you just accused me of. She will be even more disgusted with you than she already is, especially when I turn on the waterworks. Women can’t stand to see a man cry.” Chris said. He was furious with Charles. He was done with this whole family. And he knew who was going to pay for this disrespect. Shannon. “Did I hit a sore spot Christopher? You are guilty and that detective figured it out, didn’t she? What was her name again? Walker, Detective Walker that’s right. That was such a travesty the death of the investigating officer. Detective Walker knew something, and you made sure she went to her grave with your dirty little secret, too didn’t you? It is funny how often women in your life disappear or end up dead. After even a brief encounter with you. That is a very interesting observation. And I may suddenly feel the need to share it with a few of my very close friends of the law and I am sure that they will find it interesting too.” Charles said.

Was that arrogant, stuck up, self-righteous bastard really threatening him with his high society connections? “I don’t appreciate that very much. My life has been filled with tragedies and unfortunate occurrences. And for you to make such rude and unkind statements just makes me understand why Cynthia, no, why both of your daughters want nothing to do with you. It shows me your true character and I find it disturbing. How do I know that you are not responsible for all these disappearances? Are you trying to ruin me? Drive me crazy? Push me away from your daughter? Are you trying to make me look guilty? Maybe this is the type of attitude that is pushing the women in your life away. They all are trying so hard to get away from you. What is wrong with you?” Chris said. Let’s turn the tables on him and make him question all the decisions he had made in his life. “Shannon has always been a wild child. Completely out of control, the boys, drugs, partying, doing God knows what and with whom. Not going to school or obeying curfews. We tried everything, boarding school, military school, we even went so far as homeschooling with private tutors. We tried the best shrinks, institutes you name it. The best that money could buy and still we could never control her self-destructing behaviour, as you well know. Sometimes you just must know when to give up on a lost cause. But, Cynthia, she was the prodigal child. She never caused us any concerns her whole life, always reliable, honest and obedient. Straight A student, no drugs or alcohol. No out of control partying, sure she got crazy from time to time but I blame Shannon for that, daring her to try something. Peer pressure. Cynthia listened to us and was in complete control of her future. That was until you. You turned her into someone I didn’t recognize at all. Defiant, careless, void of all that made her amazing. The only thing you ever did right was create my beautiful, special granddaughter. Amber is the most incredible child. Her insight on people is amazing. She has never been very fond of you though, has she? She could see you for the fraud that you are. For the person you are. What is the saying, children and animals are the best judges of character? I couldn’t agree more. What does it say about a man’s character when his own daughter doesn’t like him?” Charles challenged Chris. How dare he? Amber had no insight on his character. And besides what the hell was he talking about, she loved him. She always wanted to be around him. And go everywhere he went. If that isn’t adoration, then he didn’t know what was.

Chris just couldn’t stand to be around her. He just hated to be seen with her. She embarrassed him. Women looked at him, not with desire but with pity. Instead of seeing him as a sexy, successful doctor they saw Amber and that made them question what was wrong with him. How could he, an amazing looking, successful doctor make such a disgusting creature. He had to show a couple of those women that he was all man and didn’t need or want their pity. They were sorry when he finished with them. He still couldn’t fathom how he and Cynthia could have made such a thing. He knew by all standards she was much more attractive than your average degenerate. But still it was not the looks of jealousy that he wanted from people. He wondered why the world was so unfair. His child should have been given the beauty of a million roses at the peak of their blossoms, by genetics alone. And the intelligence of Freud. Instead, the downcast eyes of people trying not to notice that she was different was what he got. It was not right. It was another example of cosmic humour. Some may say it was his karma, but those people were fools. “I am sorry you feel so negatively about me Charles. I had hoped that one day we could all be friends. That we could get together and have family meals, celebrate holidays together but I don’t see that happening, do you? Did you ever think that maybe Cynthia has had enough of you bad mouthing me to anyone that would listen? And has finally taken my side, her husband’s side against you? You can’t control who Cynthia loves and she loves me. Always has and always will.” Chris said. “If that is true and you both are so happy then can you explain to me why Cynthia ed our family attorney? She never made it to her appointment. And hasn’t been heard from since. It makes one wonder if she was tired of you and wanted a divorce. It would make sense. I know all about your extracurricular activities with the wives, at the country club. I know how you got just a little bit too rough sometimes but never far enough for charges. But close. Maybe Cynthia was tired of being the laughingstock of all her friends. What would you have done if she had made it to that appointment? Was she divorcing you Chris?” Charles asked Chris. Cynthia had ed an attorney. Why? Did she really want a divorce? Or had she changed her will? Making Amber her sole heir? He had to find Amber now more than ever. He just hoped Cynthia hadn’t made a previous appointment and this was a follow up one. Things just got more complicated and time was

running out. “Charles, as much as I have enjoyed our conversation I have plans for this evening and I can’t be held up by you any longer. I will you if I hear from Shannon. And I will relay your message, as well as the rest of our conversation, to Cynthia as soon as I see her or hear from her. But if I were you, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for her to call you. Now, I really need to hang up. I have more pressing matters that require my attention. Good-bye Charles.” Chris hung up. Chris paced the upstairs hallway after he hung up with his father in law. He hated that man. He would eliminate him too if he could find a way to get all his money first. Chris walked over to Shannon’s door. Should he go in and take out his frustrations on Shannon or go and visit Sandy. He decided he was just a little too angry to see Sandy yet. She would sense that something was wrong, and he didn’t want to lose his temper with her. It was too early in their relationship to have her afraid of him. Chris touched the outside of the bedroom door that Shannon was locked in. There really wasn’t enough time to make Shannon feel his anger. But then again what better way to calm down than settling the score. He could make Shannon pay for all the harsh things her father just said to him. Besides, if things went a little too far it was just another body that he could make disappear. He was becoming a pro at it now. Children are always told that they must bear the sins of thy father. Turning the doorknob Chris walked into the bedroom. “Hello Shannon, I just had the most interesting conversation with your father, and I think after we are finished, we will need to discuss it.” Chris said. Chris walked over to the side of Shannon’s bed. “Turn over onto your stomach. I want some ass action tonight.” Chris growled at Shannon. Shannon just rolled over onto her stomach as Chris took off his pants and climbed onto the bed. The sex was painful and rough and over quickly

thankfully. Shannon just kept praying that she would die soon. “That was good. Now we need to talk. I need your advice.” Chris said. Chris sat on the edge of the bed and talked to Shannon as if they were regular lovers. He retold the conversation he had with her father. “And now I need to know what you think. What is my next step? If you help me, I can help you and we both get what we want. Sounds good doesn’t it Shannon?’ Chris said. Shannon only nodded. She knew that she would help him. And when he got what he wanted he would kill her. Her future was sealed the same as Cynthia’s had been. She wasn’t afraid. She was looking forward to the peace that death would bring. It was her only hope at finding any.

Chapter 24

S he heard him on the stairs. She heard his hand on the door. She heard his phone ring. She heard him talking. He was talking to her father. Her father was asking about her. Why it’s not like he loved her. She knew. She had always known. But what was that about Cynthia? Always more concerned about her and her child. Never Shannon. Why! Why could no one love her? Shannon collapsed against the bed frame. She was mentally and physically exhausted. Tired of never mattering to anyone in this frigging world. Wishing that Christopher would come back and finish her off. This life was just way too hard to continue living it alone and angry. There had to be something better. Somewhere better. Shannon drifted off dreaming of rainbows and fairies because she had no great childhood memories to help lift her spirits. Or to help ease her nightmares. She held no happy memories that would take away the pain from her broken body and shattered spirit. She would welcome death with open arms. Finally, after what seemed like forever, in reality it was probably only a few minutes, the door opened and in came Christopher in all his grandeur. She tried to pretend to be asleep, but it didn’t matter; he only wanted to use her body

again. Was this man never satisfied? Had he not humiliated her enough already. Shannon dutifully rolled onto her stomach, as she was told and shut off her mind to whatever Christopher was doing to her body. She let him have his way with her. It didn’t hurt her psychologically, she had shut off her mind to the ugly, dark world surrounding her. Her body endured the abuse in silence. Shannon came back to the world of reality when Christopher had finished with her body and gotten off her. She heard him tell her that she was to help him. Shannon understood that he wanted her help, something involving her father. It was a waste of time. She had no influence over her father, she wasn’t Cynthia. He didn’t care what she said, he wouldn’t listen to her. Nothing she said to her father would make any difference. He didn’t love her, he never had. He wasn’t looking for her, only Cynthia and Amber. Never her. Shannon reflected on the part of Christopher’s conversation with her father that involved her troubled childhood. She knew how difficult she was as a child. She ed the pain, the embarrassment that she caused her parents, but did anyone ever ask her why she was so bad and unruly. Did they ever care to ask her if she needed help? Nope. No one would listen when she tried to tell them about the men from the Country Club. Her father’s friends and business associates. No one wanted to listen to her. Her father’s friends were righteous men. Men of power. No one cared to listen to her lies. She was trouble, untrustworthy. And they were pillars of the community. They made the laws. They were the law. They were above the law. But they were more too. They were the lowest of the low. The scum of the earth. They were child rapists.

She ed it so clearly. It isn’t something you can easily forget. And no one listened when she screamed out for help. Her cries of despair went unanswered. Her childhood was gone before she was eight years old.

Chapter 25

J anice was excited to see Jason. She itted to herself that it was so much more than just seeing an old friend. She was in love with him. Always had been. When they were partners, so long ago, he was her forbidden fruit. She would not even entertain the thought that they could be more than just partners. But now there was nothing stopping them from starting something. Her family would have problems with it. But she had been lonely since both of her parents died. And her extended family didn’t bother to include her in much. There was the occasional phone call, Christmas cards and a family reunion every five years, that wasn’t enough. She deserved to be happy and in love, to grow old with someone, marriage, kids, even the house with the white picket fence. If Jason wanted to start something with her, she was not going to let anyone stop her this time. It was her time to live. Extra care was taken when preparing the lasagna. It had to be perfect. Caesar salad and fresh, warm bread to complete their meal. Candles, for just the right touch. And the wine chilling in the fridge. She knows that you are supposed to serve the right wine with the right entrée. But Jason only likes red wine and it had to be chilled. Who cares about proper dining? He was on his way over and everything needed to be perfect. She was so glad that she went the extra mile, scented bath, make up on and having her hair professionally done and buying a new outfit. She looked hot if she did say so herself. Come on, hurry up Jason. Would you get here already? Janice’s cell phone rang, and she recognized Jason’s number. Please don’t let him be calling to cancel. “Hey Jason, what’s up? Don’t tell me that you are not coming. I’ll kill you. Do you know how long it takes to make a decent lasagna?” Janice was trying to

sound casual, but her heart was in her throat. “Are you kidding me, I have been thinking about your cooking all day. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I just wanted to know if you needed me to stop and get anything. Wine, bread, more wine. I am willing to let you get me a little drunk as long as you promise to take advantage of me.” Jason joked. “You are crazy. How are you going to get home if you get all drunk? I promise you my couch is not that comfortable.” Janice said out loud. But in her head, she finished with, but her bed was. “Okay, I will take your bed and you get the couch then.” Jason was trying to tell her without telling her that he wanted to be with her in her bed. “I don’t know about that. But, if you need to stay because I got you drunk on the wine that you are bringing, maybe we can share the bed, as long as you stay on your side and I stay on mine. How is that for a deal?” Janice said. In her head, she finished with and maybe, she would accidentally roll over in her sleep and land on top of him and who knows what can come from it. The world is built by dreamers. She giggled to herself. “That is a deal. I will be there in about twenty minutes.” Jason said. He was really coming over. Oh my god. Jason was at the door fifteen minutes later. When she opened the door, she saw that he had indeed brought more wine and flowers for her. “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady.” Jason handed her the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. They could have been a bouquet of dandelions and she would have loved them still. “Thank you but you didn’t have to. They smell so good. I haven’t had flowers in my house in forever. And another bottle of wine. I already have two. I don’t know if I will be able to walk after three bottles. You really are planning on staying the night, aren’t you?”

Oh yeah. “I can take my bottle of wine and my lasagna home with me if you don’t want an overnight guest.” Jason said. “Not a chance. Come on in. Supper is ready. Do you want a glass of wine now before I serve the meal?” Sandy asked. “Sure. I would love a glass. It smells incredible in here. I am so hungry. You always were an incredible cook. Do you need any help?” Jason asked. “No, everything is ready. I just have to warm the bread.” She ed him a glass of wine and they clinked glasses. “To long-time friends and new beginnings.” Jason made his toast hoping that she would get the hidden meaning. “To new beginnings.” She heard him loud and clear and it is going to be very different this time. “I found some very interesting stuff on your friend’s new love interest. But I don’t want to go over it before or during dinner. It might ruin this beautiful atmosphere you have created. If I didn’t know better, I would think you are trying to impress me, maybe a little seduction.” Jason said. Janice put down her glass. Jason thought he had gone too far with his little comments. But before he could apologize Janice leaned over and kissed him. It wasn’t a brotherly kiss or a thanks for helping me kiss. It was a blow your mind, I want you now type of kiss. “I have been wanting to do that for so long. And I know if I didn’t do it now then I would lose my nerve. I also didn’t want to wait until later because I didn’t want you to think that I was kissing you because I had too much wine.” Janice told him. Before she could say anymore Jason pulled her close and kissed her gently and then with more and more urgency. The moan that escaped from Janice was all it took for Jason to take her by the hand and lead her to her bedroom. Lasagna could wait. They had waited long enough.

Jason made love to Janice again and again. Forgetting all about the dinner that was waiting for them in the kitchen. The dessert was much better anyhow.

Chapter 26

C hris was still fuming from his phone call with his father in law when he arrived at the hospital. It was probably not the right state of mind to be in when he went to visit with Chloe, but he had to get rid of Mike. And Chloe was the best implement to use. If he could get Chloe better, he would convince her to work things out with Mike for the sake of the child, Mitch or Matt or whatever his name was. And if that didn’t work out, he would need to convince her that Mike was chasing Sandy and that Sandy didn’t want him. Like she would when she had him. And then if it ended in a murder/suicide situation who cares. The kid goes in foster care and Sandy is available to him and will help raise Amber. It works out perfectly. Chris walked up to the nurse’s station on the psych ward. “Well hello there,” Chris took a quick look at the young nurses name tag, “Phoebe. You have a beautiful name to match a beautiful face.” Using his charm, he made the young nurse blush. “I am Dr. Papadopoulos and I would like to know what room Chloe Hamilton is in?” He asked. All women were the same, good looking doctor, smiles at them and they instantly want to screw him. So, they do whatever it takes to make it into his good graces. The nurse was young and homely enough that it would work on her, as he knew it would. “Are you her primary physician?” She asked.

You could tell that she was not used to being complimented often because she couldn’t even make eye with Chris without turning crimson. “No, I am just looking in on her as a favour to her husband, Michael Hamilton. We have known each other for years and he just wants my opinion on her condition and see if my recommendation matches what her doctor is suggesting.” The stupid bitch needed to shut up and tell him Chloe’s room number. “I’m sorry doctor but we aren’t supposed to let anyone in that isn’t on the approved list. What type of doctor are you Dr. Papadopoulos?” She asked Chris. This nurse was being more difficult than she needed to be. What a nosy bitch. Why does she think she has the right to question me? “I am a neurologist. Chloe’s husband, Mike and I are golfing buddies and he has asked me to look in on her and see if there may be more wrong than just a slight mental breakdown. There are a lot of other factors that could be involved with her mental state. Did you hear what she did? That was not a simple breakdown. We, her husband and I, are concerned that there is more going on in her head. Her treatment needs to address the long-term alcohol and drug abuse to see if it may have left some neurological damage that I may be able to help with. But if you need me to come back with Mike, Mr. Hamilton I understand. We just wanted it taken care of quickly because she is being held for only a short period of time and well to be honest, we want to take advantage of having her in a position that she is unable to run from. You understand what I mean don’t you. I just want to help.” He flashed a sympathetic smile. “I guess it would be alright since you and her husband are friends and you are a doctor. Are you a doctor on staff at this hospital?” She asked him. “Yes, I am. I am new. Just started this week. Transferred here to be closer to friends now that my wife ed away.” Chris said. Play the sympathy card. The dead wife works every time. “I think I can make an exception for you, Doctor. Mrs. Hamilton is in room 412.”

The nurse pointed down the hall. “It’s through the double doors and halfway down the corridor on the left. Have a nice day and welcome to the hospital.” She blushed and looked down. “Thank you and I look forward to seeing more of you in the future.” Chris said. Women were all the same. Chris flashed her another smile and walked away from the nurse’s station. She was such a stupid bitch. As if he would waste more time talking to her again. He was the doctor here and she was only a nurse. Don’t question his authority again. That was what Chris truthfully wanted to tell nurse Phoebe. Chris turned back at her as he reached the doors. He knew she would be watching him walk away. “Thank you so much again.” “You’re welcome. Good luck. I hope everything works out for your friend and his family” Phoebe called out to him. “Me too.” With a wink and a dazzling smile, Chris proceeded down to Chloe’s room angrier than when he arrived on the floor. Without knocking Chris pushed open Chloe’s door and walked in to find her sleeping. Here she was a grown woman dressed in a onesie, sucking her thumb with a stuffed bear tucked in the elbow of her arm. This was the crazy ass psycho that everyone was so afraid of, what a laugh. His mother would have had a fit had she ever walked in and found him this way. Everything must always be perfect and never give an opportunity to embarrass the family. It was his mother’s motto and she lived her life by it. Chris ed the time that his mother walked into his bedroom and found him masturbating. Normal human behaviour and it was in the privacy of his bedroom, but she was not ok with it. She went crazy on him. Screaming and yelling at him, telling him what an abomination he was and that he was dirty. Good boys didn’t touch themselves down there. She told him that she was going to have to teach him a lesson about respect. After his lesson he was never going to touch himself again. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t, not with a broken wrist

and three broken fingers. The beating she gave him was enough incentive. She decided that he needed lessons on how to please a woman. She hired prostitutes to teach him and she watched to make sure they were teaching him what she felt he needed to know. She told him it was ok because she was only preparing him for future married life. She was a sick woman. Chris walked over to the side of Chloe’s bed. The sight of her just turned his stomach. She had been beautiful once you could tell but life had not been easy on her. The flabby skin, double chin maybe even triple chin, the ratty, greasy hair. It was disgusting. And she smelled bad. He could understand why Mike wanted to go back to sleeping with Sandy. He wouldn’t want to touch her either. “Chloe, are you awake? It’s me, Dr. Papadopoulos” Chris gave Chloe just the slightest of nudges. Chloe stretched and turned over to look at Chris. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up. “Who are you and what are you doing in my room? If you are another doctor just go away, I don’t want to talk to you.” Chloe went to turn her back on Chris. “You don’t recognize me. I live across the street from Sandy. Your husband’s exwife. I met you on the weekend, well actually the night of the fight.” Chris couldn’t believe that she couldn’t him. “Oh right. You’re her new boyfriend. I don’t get that. You look like you do, dating someone that looks like her. I just don’t get it.” Chloe was sitting up in bed looking at Chris. “What do you want? Did she send you in here to spy on me? Get them to keep me longer. You know she wants to take Mike back, don’t you? She wants to take him from me. She doesn’t really want to be with you. She is just trying to make Mike jealous.” Chloe said. She really was crazy after all. “I just came to talk to you and see how you are doing. See if you needed anything. Make sure everyone is treating you right.” “I guess they are. The food sucks and the nurses are all bitches but yeah, I guess it is ok. I am only here for another day or two and then I am out of here.”

Chloe was convinced that she was going home soon. “Are you sure no one sent you to spy on me?” Now the crazy was starting to show. “No one sent me. Like I said I came to see how you are. I know it is pretty traumatizing, everything that you have been through and I thought you could use a friend to talk to. Nothing more, nothing less.” Chris could see that Chloe had calmed down and wanted to talk but was still guarded. “Mike didn’t send you. He hasn’t been here at all, well except for the first day. To sign papers saying that I needed to stay here for further evaluation. He just wants me out of the way so that he can go after your new girlfriend. You know that, right. He thinks he loves her. It is a joke. He left her for me.” Chloe started to tell Chris. “Mike told me that I was an unfit mother and that I would be lucky if I ever got to see my son again. Mike says he will keep Matthew away from me. I gave birth to him and he belongs to me and I won’t have Sandy raising him. Not a chance. I hate her so much. She is pathetic.” Chloe ranted. “Why don’t you tell me your version of what happened Saturday night? I only came after you were taken away. I don’t know the whole story.” He was trying to win over her trust. “Mike is crazy if he thinks he has a chance with Sandy again. She has you and you look like a God. I don’t get why you want her though. But, whatever each to their own. At least you don’t have to worry about her cheating on you. No one else finds her that attractive. You are the first guy she has been with since the break-up. Did you know that?” Chloe was venting her hatred for Sandy. “I know she told me. But why don’t you tell me about Saturday night. I would very much like to hear your side of it and see if Sandy is lying to me. I don’t trust Mike and I want to know if I am wasting my time with her.” Chris said. “Ok, I’ll tell you, but you won’t like it. They were in the wrong, not me.” Chloe looked as if she was about to start crying. “Well, on Saturday we took those brats of his to dinner and the concert. At dinner Mike decides to flirt with the waitress. She is young, perky tits, tight ass,

cute enough. I wouldn’t kick her out of my bed for eating crackers. But Mike is, in front of his daughters and me flirting with her. So, I was upset as I had the right to be. I was embarrassed. I had a few drinks to calm my nerves and then he started to tell me that I have had enough. And did I really need to get drunk every time we went out. I held my tongue you know, because we are out with his kids and I know they run back and tell their mother everything. I could have started yelling at him in the restaurant, but I didn’t. I just told him I wanted to go. Pay the bill and let’s go. Then I overhear him ask the waitress, little miss perky tits, for her phone number. Well, then I grabbed the bill out of his hand and looked at it to see if she had given him her number and I noticed that he gave her a $50 tip. I was pissed. I stormed out of the restaurant and waited at the car. I didn’t say anything to him when he and his brats got out there and I was silent all the way to the concert.” Chloe took a breath before she continued. “When we got into the concert I had to go to the washroom, and I told Mike and the girls I would meet them at the seats. I did go to the washroom, but I decided that I didn’t want to go and sit with that bunch yet, so I stopped into the bar and had a couple of drinks. I only missed about thirty minutes of the concert and then Mike came storming into the bar, embarrassing me and literally tried to drag me out. I refused to go and sit with him and his brats, so I left. I walked out of the concert hall and tried to flag down a cab when Mike and the girls came out. Mike grabbed my arm and dragged me to the parking lot, screaming at me the whole time. I had had enough by this time, so I told him to drop the girls off and that we needed to talk.” Chloe truly thought she had done nothing wrong. “I wanted to talk about our future. I didn’t want to continue to live in a loveless marriage that was making me miserable. The girls were in the backseat pouting because they missed the rest of their concert. Can you believe that I was fighting for my marriage, for my life and they were upset because they missed a concert. You do know that they are very selfish, spoiled brats, don’t you? Good luck to you if you get seriously involved with Sandy. You are going to hate those kids as much as I do.” Chloe looked at Chris as if she expected him to agree with her. “I can see where you would think that of them. I can promise they will change if I stay around.” Mike said. He needed to make Chloe believe that he was falling for her rendition of the

events that occurred on Saturday evening. “Well of course, when we go to drop off the girls Mike has to go in and make sure that Sandy knows that I ruined the evening. I wasn’t going to let him tell only his side of the story, so I followed him in. She is still in love with him, so she is going to believe his lies. I couldn’t stop myself then and I got mad and said some stuff and then Sandy called me a drunk. And to tell you the truth Chris I don’t know why but I just snapped. I don’t a lot more. The doctor said I blocked it out or blacked out. They don’t know. The next thing I I am being handcuffed to the stretcher and the police are arresting me and charging me with all this stuff. They told me that I hurt Matthew. I never would. I love him. It’s just when I am around Sandy, I get so angry. I hate her so much.” Chloe started to cry, and Chris sat on the edge of her bed and took her into his arms. “It’s ok Chloe, anyone would have lost it. Mike was being mean and disrespectful, and the girls were being selfish. They don’t understand that your world was coming apart at the seams and you needed to fix it.” Chris was reassuring Chloe that she was right, and that everyone was against her. “Do you know what Sandy told me about you and Mike? She told me that she was glad that you took him away from her. They had been bad for years, but she didn’t know how to get out and you came along and saved her from being the bad one.” Chris said. “Mike has been sniffing around lately. Since he had you put in here. And Sandy is getting pissed. She says she doesn’t want him back. But I don’t know what to believe. Do you know he wants her to help raise your son? Mike told Sandy that she was a better mother than you are. And he wants to try and work things out with her and they can raise your boy together as one big happy family. Sandy wants nothing to do with it. She and I are happy together and we are trying to work on starting a strong and healthy relationship. And then he stops over and tries to talk about the past. He even tried to kiss her the other night and Sandy had to push him away. She told him to come and see you and work on your marriage.” Chris could see that he was getting to her and continued. “I know you love Mike, but I am surprised that a woman as beautiful as you would settle for him. You

have so much to offer the right man and it truly surprises me that you choose Mike when you could have had anyone.” He was a good liar, being able to tell this whale of blubber that she was a prize, he should have gotten an Academy Award for his performance. “Thank you. It’s nice of someone to notice and appreciate what I have to offer. I sacrificed so much to be with Mike, and he can’t appreciate that. Sandy was happy that I took Mike away? I always thought that she was mad at me.” Chloe was stunned. Chris wondered if he had gone too far. Maybe, she needed to feel that she took Mike away from Sandy. “You remind me a lot of my wife; she was beautiful and successful too.” Chris told Chloe. Bull shit she reminded him of Cynthia. Cynthia was rich and beautiful and as dumb as a post or so he had thought until recently. Sometimes even women can surprise you. “Maybe it’s about time that we find out who is lying to us. Is it Mike or Sandy? Do they want to be together or not? We need to teach them a lesson and if things don’t work out for us with them then maybe you and I could get to know each other better.” Chris had taken Chloe’s hand in his. “I know if you were my woman, I would never treat you badly.” Was he really hitting on her? She still had it Chloe thought to herself. “I need to try to make my marriage work but thank you it is nice to know that you are attracted to me. And I will keep you in mind if Mike and I don’t work out.” Chloe said. Chloe had fallen for his bullshit. As if he would stoop so low. “I don’t know if I could be with you now anyways, you remind me of my Cynthia so much. And it hasn’t been long since she died. I know that if I was to be with you it would be forever and not just a little bit of fun like Sandy is. I just

can’t see myself with Sandy long term but you, I could. I just don’t know if I am ready for that yet. I do need your help to keep Mike away so that I can have my rebound relationship with Sandy and then settle down with someone as incredible as you. Can you help me out?” Chris asked. “As flattered as I am by your confession of iration, I love Mike, even if he put me in here. My drinking was out of control. I know that now, but I was just so unhappy with the direction that my life was going. You understand, don’t you? And the embarrassment to me by Mike trying to get back with that ex-wife of his. I mean what would people think of me. It would be social suicide. I think we can work together to get what we both want. But I may need your help. We will need a plan to correct the Mike and Sandy situation. Do you have anything in mind?” Chloe said. She was truly falling for his bullshit. She was either a complete idiot or the alcohol had caused a lot of brain damage. “I think so. But I need to work out the details. I am so glad that you are willing to work on this problem with me Chloe. I just wish that I had met you first. I don’t think Mike would have had a chance of keeping you. He should appreciate the amazing woman that he has.” Chris was laying on the crap so thick. “Can I come and visit with you again tomorrow?” Chris asked. Chris gave his sexiest smile and Chloe nodded her head and blushed a little. Chris took Chloe’s hand that he was still holding and gave it a kiss, he then got up off the bed and walked to the door. “Thanks for talking with me Chloe. You are not the monster that Mike made you out to be. I enjoyed our talk and I will see you tomorrow.” Chris turned and walked out of the hospital room with his arrogant strut and smirk. Chris thought all women were stupid and a smart man just needed to remind them who was boss.

Chapter 27

C hloe sat up in her bed and watched the closing door. She still had it. Men just couldn’t help but be attracted to her. Could you blame them? She had always been beautiful, daddy told her that she was the most beautiful baby and that she only got more beautiful as she grew older. She missed her daddy so much. Why did he have to die and leave her alone with her mother and that god-awful sister of hers? They always were jealous of Chloe. She was daddy’s favourite. And he didn’t mind telling everyone. She ed her mom talking to her Auntie one day. She thought Chloe was upstairs in her bedroom but she was hiding around the corner in the kitchen. Her mother said that she thought it was unnatural for a grown man to swoon over his daughter like daddy did. Mother said it was dirty and wrong. Chloe always knew her mother was jealous because he loved her more than he loved his own wife or his other child. Daddy was her biggest fan when she was in the beauty pageant circuit. He never missed a pageant. He would reschedule his work around them. That was what he was doing when his plane crashed. He was trying to get home to see her perform. Mother never forgave her for that. She said it was her fault that he died. Chloe never understood why her mother blamed her. He wanted to be there. She never asked him to be, he insisted. Mother never forgave her. And then she goes and marries that money hungry asshole. He made mother cut her out of their lives. Chloe knew why. So that he could get his hands on Daddy’s money and her mother was so desperate that she let him have whatever he wanted. Even her daughter, not her but Kimmy. Chloe wouldn’t let him touch her. They would have found a dead body first. But Kimmy was so homely and alone that any male attention was welcome. Even her own stepfather, gross. Mother had always known about them, but she didn’t stop it. Not even when Chloe told her what was going on in their own

home. Mother called her a liar and kicked her out. That was ten years ago now and she has never looked back. Kimmy has two little girls of her own now, but no one knows who the father is. Chloe knew. Dear sweet step daddy. But her mother continues to put her head in the sand and not it what was going on right under her nose. She was glad though that daddy set up her trust fund before he died or else she would have had nothing. Mommy dearest never knew. Chloe figured that the weasel her mother married had spent all of daddy’s money by now. Chloe didn’t know how she fit in with the family God gave her. They were such losers. And they would have had nothing if it hadn’t been for Daddy. Chloe in her close-minded way, didn’t realize that she was no better than her mother or sister. She didn’t see the wrong she had done with the affair, drinking, drugs and whatever else she had done in the past. She was the only person without fault. She couldn’t even comprehend why she was in the psych ward. Nothing was wrong with her. It was and always had been the jealous people. Chloe sat there thinking about her present situation and tried to figure out what to do. She could pursue a relationship with Christopher because obviously he was interested in her, as if there was any doubt that he wouldn’t be. But Sandy, she couldn’t let her get away with humiliating her and having her arrested. It didn’t matter if Sandy had convinced Chris that it was all Mike. Chloe knew. Sandy was a sneaky, slimy backstabbing bitch that only wanted one thing, her ex-husband back and that was never going to happen. Even if Chloe didn’t want Mike anymore, Sandy sure as hell was not ever getting her talons back into him. Ever. Maybe Chris was right, they were going to have to figure out a solution to the Mike and Sandy problem. But it would be Sandy that would be taken care of not Mike because Sandy was the pursuer not the other way around and it doesn’t matter what Chris thought. Chloe knew. Sandy had to go, and she needed to take her out. Chloe sat there long into the night thinking of a workable solution to her little problem.

Chapter 28

W ell, what am she going to do with herself tonight? Janice was busy with her hopefully new man. And the girls were with Mike tonight. She didn’t want to go home. She wondered if Chris was available to do anything. She hadn’t seen his car but maybe it was in the garage. She decided she would just run over and see if he was busy or maybe if he wanted to get busy. Sandy started to head out the door when she saw a strange car pull up in front of Christ’ house. She didn’t know cars very well but this one was a very expensive looking piece of metal. Who was that now? Two big fancy cars in this neighbourhood was unusual. Especially when your new boyfriend was being so secretive about the driver of the first car. Sandy stopped and watched as a very distinguished older gentleman got out of this expensive, flashy car and headed up to Chris’ door. You could tell that he was wealthy just by the way he was dressed and carried himself, he had that air of money to him. Maybe, this was Chris’ father. Did he say both of his parents died in that home invasion or was it just his mother? Maybe, she would stop in and visit with Mrs. Miller. It has been awhile, and she hadn’t seen her outside lately. And she did live directly across the street from Chris’ house, so she would have the best view. Yes, that’s what she was going to do, a wellness check on her and who knows maybe she will have some gossip for her on the mystery woman’s coming and going. Sandy walked up to Mrs. Miller’s door and before she could knock the door was pulled open and Mrs. Miller was rushing her inside, slamming the door shut quickly behind her. She was acting very weird. Almost like she was frightened by something. “Hi, Mrs. Miller. I just stopped by to make sure everything was alright. I haven’t seen you outside lately and I was getting a little bit concerned.” She was getting more concerned by the way Mrs. Miller was acting now. Maybe, she was sick.

“What are you doing with that man across the street? He is no good you know.” Mrs. Miller started in right away without acknowledging anything that Sandy had said to her. “He isn’t a bad man. He is a doctor.” Sandy told her. Sandy knew Mrs. Miller liked Mike but her personal life was really none of her neighbour’s business. “I know he is. He came over to see me one day this week. Asking all kinds of questions about you, Mike and the girls. He is too interested in your family life Sandy. And I know in my bones that he is a bad man. I didn’t tell him anything and he got rude with me.” Mrs. Miller was quite shaken up by this. “I don’t understand your concern Mrs. Miller. Mike and I have been divorced for a long time and I’m allowed to move on with my life, Mike has. So, much has happened in the past week that I am not surprised that Chris was questioning you . I don’t blame him at all. I mean I would question getting involved with someone after everything that has happened. What is wrong with his asking you a few questions?” She knew she was starting to sound desperate. “He came to visit me after I saw the two of you talking in his driveway one evening. I tried not to answer the door, but he wouldn’t go away. He just kept knocking and knocking. It was as if he knew I was home. I know I don’t go out very often, but I have been watching him since he moved in and he is stalking you Sandy. And he is scary. Like that time the woman showed up at his house, he lets her in, and she never leaves, he moves her car into his garage and it never leaves. He doesn’t know that I know but I do. I have been watching. He spends a lot of time in that bedroom over the garage, but I know that the master bedroom is in the back of the house, so why is he in there all the time and I heard screaming. A woman screaming the other day, it was a horrible scream and it came from his house. Did you know that he watches your house all the time? He sneaks over there and goes in through the gate to your backyard. Now, I don’t know what he does back there because I can’t see your yard from my house, but he sneaks back, keeping to the shadows, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching him. And now, this is the second time this fancy man has come to his door in the last twenty-four hours. Do you know why? Do you know who he is? Is he going to tell you if you ask him? I don’t trust him. Sandy, he is

trouble.” Mrs. Miller was on the verge of tears. She was almost hysterical. Sandy had never seen Mrs. Miller so upset before. And she really does know everything that goes on in the neighbourhood. Sandy was speechless. She never heard Mrs. Miller speak so badly about someone before and she was acting as if she was afraid of him. And she saw that woman too. And what does she mean she never left. Chris hasn’t even told her that she was there or who she was. And who is this man now? What the hell is going on at Chris’? “Thank you, Mrs. Miller, for looking out for me and my family but Chris is not a bad man. I am going to find out what is going on, ok? I am going to talk to this man before he leaves and ask who he is. Just stay here and I will be back and let you know what I find out. Ok?” Mrs. Miller looked terrified. “Do you know if Chris is home right now?” Sandy asked her. “No, he isn’t. He left a few hours ago and I haven’t seen him since. Be careful Sandy. You and Mike are good people. Stay away from him. He is up to no good.” She was shaking. Sandy left Mrs. Millers and was heading across the street to talk to Chris’ visitor when the distinguished gentleman walked up to her and stopped. “Cynthia.” He said. And went deathly white. “Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry I thought you were someone else. My name is Charles Montgomery St. Clair and I am looking for Christopher Papadopoulos. Do you know which home is his? I was led to believe it was this one, but no one ever seems to be home.” He indicated to Chris’ house. “You are at the right house. He may just be at the hospital and not home. But you definitely have the right house. I am Sandy Hamilton, Mr. St. Clair, it is nice to meet you.” I extended my hand for a handshake. Charles shook Sandy’s hand but held it a little longer than necessary. “Do you know Christopher well?” Sandy asked.

She was fishing for information and the worst thing he could do was to tell her to mind her own business. “Unfortunately, I have the displeasure of knowing him. Are you a friend of Christopher’s?” Mr. St. Clair asked. He had the oddest expression on his face. He kept staring at her. As if he recognized her. “Yes, we have become friendly since Christopher has moved into the neighbourhood.” She was correct in assuming that she should refer to Chris by his proper name. “You will have to excuse my staring, but you remind me so much of my daughter. Christopher’s wife.” Charles released Sandy’s hand. “And I have a little bit of advice for you my dear. You would be wise to stay clear of Christopher. He is a dangerous man. I am his father in law and I am looking for my daughter, Cynthia and my granddaughter, Amber. Do you know if any of them will be home soon? Have you met my daughter Cynthia yet? The resemblance between the two of you is striking. Surely, you would my granddaughter Amber if you had met her. She is such a charming creature even with her special needs.” Charles said. He must have seen the look of confusion come over my face. Mr. St. Clair grabbed her arm. “Are you alright my dear? You look like you were about to faint. You have met my daughter, haven’t you? I am correct in assuming she is here, aren’t I?” Mr. St. Clair looked relieved. “I am confused. I hate to ask you sir, but I need to know. Is your daughter still alive?” All the colour drained from his face and it contorted into a mask of despair. It was heartbreaking. “I most certainly hope so. Do you know something that I don’t? Please, I have been looking for them for a long time and I need answers.” Charles begged Sandy for some answers.

This distinguished powerful man looked very old and feeble suddenly. “I am sorry sir, but I was told that Christopher’s wife was deceased and that he never had kids of his own. He did say that he had a stepdaughter, but she was taken away from him by her biological father.” Sandy said. She felt horrible telling a man that his daughter was dead, and that his granddaughter was gone, who knows where. “No. No. No. It can’t be true. Not my Cynthia. She can’t be dead. No.” Mr. St. Clair sank to his knees clutching to his chest. “Mr. St. Clair, are you alright? Mr. St. Clair. Help somebody. Help. Somebody, I need an ambulance please. Somebody, help me please.” She stood in the middle of the road screaming for help while holding onto a man that she had just given the worst possible news to. And he had just told her information that had changed her life again. What the hell was going on? Mrs. Miller ran out of her door and told Sandy that she had called the ambulance. Mrs. Miller stood behind Sandy as she sat in the middle of the road holding onto a dying man’s hand. “His death will be on that doctor’s hands too. I told you he was bad news.” Mrs. Miller said. The ambulance arrived shortly and took Mr. St. Clair away and within moments Chris pulled up and stopped dead in the middle of the street when he saw the car that his father in law had been driving parked in front of his house. Within a moment he regained his composure and pulled into his driveway, stopped, got out of his car and walked up to Sandy. Mrs. Miller saw him approaching and quickly walked into her house shutting the door without saying another word to anybody. “Sandy, are you ok?” Chris walked up to her and grabbed her elbow. “No, I’m not. I think a man just died in my arms and I am a little freaked out right now.” She didn’t want to, but she started to cry and fell into Chris’ arms.

“What are you talking about? What man?” Chris was cradling her in his arms and stroking her hair. “The man introduced himself as your father in law, Charles Montgomery St. Clair and he asked if I knew where you lived. I told him. And he just collapsed in my arms clutching at his chest.” Sandy said. She didn’t know why she felt the need to keep the rest of their conversation to herself, but she did. “You didn’t say anything else to him? He didn’t say anything else to you. Did he ask you any questions?” Chris asked Sandy. Chris was acting like a scared little kid who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “No. He just fell.” Sandy said. She didn’t know why she felt the need to lie to him, but she did. Something was very wrong and in less than one hour two separate people had warned her about the man that she had just started a relationship with that very morning. Someone she clearly didn’t know at all. Someone that she was suddenly very frightened of. “No, nothing else. Nothing at all. I am going home now. I need a drink. And I think you need to go to the hospital to check on your father in law. You may need to make some arrangements. He didn’t look very good when he left here so prepare yourself for the worst.” She pushed away from Chris and started to turn and walk away. “Sandy, let me take you home and then I will go to the hospital.” Chris started to follow her. “No Christopher, you need to get to the hospital, and I need to be alone. I will see you later” She just needed to be anywhere but where she was. She needed the safety of her home. “Sandy, I love you. You need me now. Let me help you.” Chris sounded so

sincere. But she knew more than she wanted to know about him. Or maybe she knew absolutely nothing about him. She didn’t know. All she knew for certain was that she was afraid of him and wanted to get away from him as quickly as possible. Chris had walked up to her and tried to take her hands in his, but she just brushed them off and walked home. She didn’t look back when she got to her front door. Maybe she should have because she would have seen the look on his face. She may have been able to prepare herself for what was going to happen. But she didn’t and she will have to live with the consequences forever.

Chapter 29

W hat the hell just happened? How the hell did he find him? What have you done Shannon? It has got to be her fault somehow. He knew it. What should he do first; hospital, deal with Sandy or take care of Shannon once and for all? Go to the hospital and see if that meddling miserable old man finally died. That’s what he needed to do first. Everything else could wait a couple of hours. With a look towards Sandy’s house and a shake of his head Chris walked over and got into his car and drove away. Mrs. Miller was watching the whole scene play out from her living room window. She saw the smiling friendly face of Sandy’s turn to terror during her conversation with that elderly man, even before he dropped to the ground in pain. The look of confusion on Chris’ face that turned to fury when Sandy brushed off his arm of comfort and walked away and the long murderous glance, he gave that upstairs window. What was in that bedroom that made him so angry? Maybe an anonymous call to the police station would help clear up any lingering confusion. She was still thinking that the woman that came by the other day was in that house. Maybe being held prisoner or maybe dead. She just knew she was there. Mrs. Miller was convinced that Chris was not beyond holding someone against their will. And if she didn’t do something, well what if he did something to poor Sandy and her girls. She couldn’t live with herself knowing that she could have done something to prevent it. Mrs. Miller walked over to the phone hanging on her kitchen wall and dialled the non-emergency number for the police station.

“Good evening. Glen Haven Police Department, how can I help you?” Officer Dave Kaufman was on desk duty and not happy about it. It wasn’t his fault that his police cruiser was stolen. Ok, so he had forgotten the keys in the ignition at that call but how was he to know someone was going to steal it. Who wants a police cruiser? It landed him on desk for a month but at least it was better than a suspension or being fired. “Hello, I need some help. It’s not an emergency or anything but I am worried about my neighbour. He is an older man and I usually see him every day or other day at least and he hasn’t been outside in more than three days and he isn’t answering his door when I knock or ring the bell. I can’t see inside, and the doors are all locked, but his car is home. I know it must sound like I am just being an old busybody, but I just don’t know what I would do if he was inside hurt and I didn’t do everything possible to help.” Mrs. Miller made herself sound like such a concerned citizen. “I understand your concern Ma’am. You do understand that people can go away without telling their neighbours their travel plans. Right?” Officer Kaufman was pissed now. Another old nosy neighbour call, what next a cat in the tree? “Oh, I understand that young man, but he is old and alone. With no family. He has never gone away without telling me before and we old people are creatures of habit.” Mrs. Miller was getting angry with this snot nosed young police officer. “Well we are very busy tonight so I will get all your information and send a car around to do a wellness check as soon as possible. Is that ok Ma’am?” Officer Kaufman had very little intent on sending someone over to this man’s house to invade his privacy, but he knew if he didn’t there was the possibility that this old lady would call back and get him into more trouble with his superiors. “Thank you so much. I know it seems like I am just being a bother but we old people need to help one another, you know. I’ll keep watching until I see your officers show up. Thank you again.”

Mrs. Miller gave Chris’ address and hung up the phone feeling very confident that when the police arrived that they would find that young woman locked up inside and Mr. Fancy pants doctor will be on his way to jail. Officer Kaufman wrote down the address and meant to send a patrol car around to check on the old guy but then all hell broke loose in the waiting room and the wellness check was quickly forgotten.

Chapter 30

W hat the hell was going on? Her life was supposed to be boring and uneventful. She lived in the suburbs for crying out loud. She should have known something was wrong when this incredible man that seemingly had everything to offer a woman wanted to date her. Her, a single, middle aged mother of two incredible daughters, with an average job and a nice home. Okay, maybe she was not a complete loser but compared to what he was used to what could she offer him? What the hell did he want from her? Charles Montgomery St. Clair, the man’s name alone costs money. It sounded expensive. His car would cost as much as her home and his outfit was close to a year’s salary. She wouldn’t fit into his world. Sandy replayed her conversation with Charles Montgomery St. Clair over and over in her head and she still couldn’t understand it. He thinks his daughter is alive and well and living with Chris. How does he not know that she is dead? Is she dead? How? She wanted to ask Charles so many questions but as soon as he found out about his daughter’s death he collapsed. She never had to catch someone before. It was so scary, and he just kept mumbling about his granddaughter. Sandy wished she had understood what he was saying. Was she really Chris’ biological daughter and not stepdaughter like he told her? Had his wife taken off with her and not told her father that she left her husband. Chris being embarrassed by his situation just said she was dead rather than it she left him? No one was going to question him about it here. And another thing, who is Shannon? She thought his daughter’s name was Cynthia. And what did he mean when he said that she would not forget meeting his granddaughter. How did he word it, that she is a charming creature? What the hell does that mean? Most likely a rich person’s way of saying that she is a rude, spoiled brat. Sandy needed someone to talk to and a stiff drink. She needed to talk to Mike, but she couldn’t talk to him about Chris. What would he say? And she couldn’t interrupt Janice. Or could she? No, she was on that date with Mr. Detective. She needed someone too and hopefully he is good to her. She can’t call her. She decided she would go over and wait for Chris and talk it out with him. What was

the worst thing that could happen? Oh, we break up. It hasn’t even been twentyfour hours yet since he asked her to be his girlfriend. That conversation made her giggle like a schoolgirl. Going steady at their age. Really. Chris is probably innocent in all this and Mr. St. Clair is confused and doesn’t want to accept his daughter’s death. It happens. Sandy finally decided what she was going to do. She was going over and waiting for Chris to come back and have a glass of wine with him and talk all this out and then they could decide what to do about his father in law and his daughter and wife. And she needed to find out about that woman that came by and never left according to Mrs. Miller. So, many questions. It seems like it was going to be a long night. Grabbing a bottle of wine, she headed out the door to go to Chris’ house. She was sure he wasn’t going to be at the hospital long. She would sit on his front porch and wait for him. It was a beautiful night and the fresh air would help clear her head. Just as she was closing the front door the phone started to ring. Did she bother answering it or just let them leave a message? Screw it, she didn’t want to talk to anyone now. It could wait. She would return the call when she got home. Shutting the door Sandy crossed the street to wait on Chris’ front porch.

Chapter 31

J anice hung up the phone. “She isn’t answering her phone Jason and I have tried both home and cell.” After she and Jason had finished having a very late supper, thanks to dessert being the first course. Which was incredible. It was everything and more than Janice had expected. Jason was an experienced lover and ionate and gentle all rolled into this incredibly sexy man. After eating Jason had finally given Janice the file he had compiled on Dr. Christopher Papadopoulos. It was very thick and not pleasant reading material. “Is this what you pulled on our friendly doctor? It’s thick enough to write a book.” Janice was holding the very thick manila folder with a look of puzzlement. She had hoped that he had a wife hidden away somewhere with a dozen kids, speeding tickets, debts, anything like that. Even with all that this folder should not be as thick as it was. “He is bad news. I mean seriously bad news. You need to tell your friend to run for the hills, move, she needs to do whatever she has to do to get away from this guy because he is dirty. He has never been officially charged with anything but has been pulled in for questioning on the home invasion of his parent’s home that resulted in their deaths. He was the sole beneficiary and they were rich. They couldn’t prove that he was directly involved because he did have an alibi, but you know yourself, your gut knows when two and two don’t equal four.” Jason said. Jason was concerned not only for Sandy because she did seem very nice but also for Janice. She didn’t need to have to deal with this scumbag. He was dangerous and he thought he was invincible. “Did you know your mother was the investigating officer on the home invasion? It was the last case she worked on before her death. She had her suspicions on this guy, it’s all in her notes but nothing ever developed from them and then when she died nobody felt the need to look into it again.”

Jason didn’t even realize what he had told Janice caused her blood to turn cold. That was why he looked so familiar; he was at her funeral. Why the hell was he there? Did he have something to do with her death? The case is still unsolved. They couldn’t find the person that gunned her down in the parking lot at the grocery store. Her purse with her wallet and gun were left behind so it was thought that she may have been caught in the crossfire of a drive by. Her death destroyed Janice’s dad. He was so angry and that just added fuel to the cancer growing inside him. Janice felt sick to her stomach. “Janice, are you ok? You haven’t heard anything I’ve said. Sorry about bringing up your mom, it has nothing to do with this guy. I just thought that it was interesting.” Jason was concerned that he had upset her. “He was at her funeral. He was at her funeral Jason. That’s where I recognise him from. Why was he at her funeral?” Janice started to cry, and Jason gathered her into his arms and let her cry out all the years of frustration and anger that had been bottled up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so emotional. It has just been a long week and …” Jason stroked Janice’s tear streaked face and gave her a kiss. “Don’t worry about crying. It is nice to know that you are human. You have bottled so much up inside and have pushed so many people away since your parents’ deaths. You are going to start to heal now and I am not leaving your side during this. I love you Janice Walker and I always have. Your cousin was a mistake, a really big mistake but you wouldn’t go out with me and I get it was a conflict of interest with us being partners and all but I was lonely and she was available and it just happened. But I want you to know that it has always been you. I have always been in love with you.” Jason leaned in and gave Janice the gentlest kiss ever. “Wow. It has been quite a first date, hasn’t it?” Janice was trying to make light of the situation. Trying to change the subject Janice asked Jason if her mother’s notes were included in the file on Chris.

“Yeah, I put everything in the folder for you. Did you want to go over it together and see what’s what?” Enough with the romance for now it was time to get down to business. “Would you mind if we did? I just want to see what he had to do with my mother. It may be nothing but what if it is something? What if he killed her too?” Janice may have been grasping at straws, but she had to know one way or the other. “I don’t think the good doctor would dirty his own hands like that, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have someone do it for him.” Jason said. Jason was willing to help put Janice’s mind at ease, but something told him that he wasn’t going to be surprised when they found out that the good doctor was involved somehow. They spent the next couple of hours going over all the information that he had brought with him on Chris. And what they found out was worse than they had originally only imagined. “Oh my God Jason, this man is a monster. He has gotten away with so much.” Janice said. “Don’t get yourself upset. We will figure something out. He has gotten away with too much. No one ever connected all the dots. He manipulated the system like a pro.” Jason couldn’t get over what this creep had gotten away with. And there were implications that he was directly involved in Janice’s mother’s murder. “He killed my mother and I am going to prove it.” Janice was scared, angry and frightened for her friend, her best friend. “I have to get to Sandy’s, Jason. She could be in real trouble. She has got to know what we found out about Chris. She needs to know so that she can protect herself and her family.” Janice was on the verge of tears again. “There was a lot more in there than either of us suspected. Approach her calmly

and tell her what you have found out. I mean she isn’t going to stop dating him just because you think he is a bad guy. Or because of a suspicion your mother had. You have to be careful and I didn’t exactly get this information the legal way.” Jason didn’t want anything to happen to her friend, but he also didn’t want to get in shit either. “But, read on about his wife and child that might help you convince her quicker. She is a mother, pull at her heartstrings. No one should ever hurt a child. She is dating a guy that has real problems with women. The guy has issues.” Jason said. “I know he told her that his wife died, and it was a stepdaughter and that her biological father took her back and wouldn’t let her see him anymore. So, are you telling me that it isn’t a stepdaughter, it’s really his kid? Why would he lie about it and where is she?” Janice couldn’t grasp why he would lie about it. He hadn’t thought that the child in question was ever coming around again that’s why he was so comfortable with his lie. “Not sure why he would tell that lie. The kid was cute, beautiful actually. Maybe he was embarrassed because she had Down’s. Some people are like that you know.” Jason didn’t understand why people judged anyone that was different. Any child was a blessing. “Oh, I could see him having a problem with that. That wouldn’t work well into his perfect world. That is unless he could benefit from her somehow. Did his wife have money?” Janice was thinking like a cop again. “Do you know the St. Clair name?” Jason asked “Yeah, who doesn’t? They are like money gods. They could pay off the country’s debt and still have money left over. You are not telling me that his wife was one of the St. Clair sisters, are you?” Janice just couldn’t wrap her head around it. Now there was something seriously

wrong with him living in a house that would have classified as servant’s quarters in his world. “One and the same. I can’t figure out why he is here. He could be jetting around the world. Working in a prominent hospital. Well maybe not, not after the malpractice suit that was filed against him. It was settled out of court, but I am sure it cost millions to settle.” Jason had forgotten to tell her about that. “Malpractice suit? What happened?” This guy was getting worse by the minute Janice thought. “Killed a guy on New Year’s Eve. Operated on this guy when he was drunk and the guy died, family sued, hospital fired doctor, case settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. And Dr. Death goes on with his life as if nothing happened. Nice eh?” Jason was only telling the facts as he knew them, but the disgust was evident on his face. “There is no way Sandy knows any of this or she wouldn’t be dating him. She is a better person than that. I know she is.” Janice was confident that Sandy was a better person than that. She wouldn’t tolerate this type of behaviour in a man she was dating and having around her daughters. No way. “I don’t know her but maybe the promise of unlimited income, no money worries, a jet set lifestyle has turned her head a little. It can happen. Maybe she has made peace with his past and is helping him become a better person.” Jason didn’t want to crash Janice’s views of her friend, but he had seen it happen before. “Not Sandy. No way. She is the best type of person. She would help anyone that needed her. She loves her kids and her ex-husband and that says a lot about her because he cheated on her with a crazy ass bitch. She even babysat her exhusband’s kid that he had with his new wife. So no, there is no way she knows his past or she wouldn’t be involved with him. She may try to help him sort out his problems, but she wouldn’t date him.”

Janice was adamant about her conviction. Sandy didn’t know the truth. Not yet but she will. “Well I think you need to read about his wife and kid. Both are missing. Reported by her father not by Doctor Death. It has been awhile since the report. The father says texts and emails stopped about five months ago and he hasn’t seen her in over nine or ten months. He has hired private investigators, but they have all come back with nothing. I think Dr. Death may have been paying the private investigators for their silence. If you know what I mean.” Jason told Janice. “Missing. What do you mean missing?” Janice was getting so upset. This guy was just getting worse and worse by the minute. “They went on vacation to Rio and the father hasn’t heard from her since. No text, no calls, no emails for a long time. Which was unlike her because they were close, and she would him every day. Now, Dr. Death tells Daddy Moneybags that his little girl has grown up and does not want to speak with him. He says she found something out about her father that she isn’t even telling him, but it was so upsetting that she doesn’t want to speak with her father right now. But the thing is she won’t speak to the police either, not here or in Rio. She has essentially fallen off the face of the earth. And, why did Dr. Death come back here without her? Why not stay and live the high life in Rio? They don’t need the money. Dr. Death has money from his parent’s estate, and she has a monthly allowance, so he isn’t working for the money. So, why is he back?” Jason stopped and looked at Janice, “What if he is broke? It can get very expensive paying people for their silence. And what if he can’t touch his wife’s money?” “How can he be broke? You just said he inherited his parent’s estate and they were rich, and she is richer than a small country. So, what are you talking about?” Janice was not getting his train of thought. “Their type of lifestyle is expensive. Very expensive. What if he has spent all his money and Daddy Moneybags has put a hold on the monthly allowance until daughter dearest s him. It would explain the working and the servant’s quarters.” Jason explained.

“It would explain so much. But, why is he bothering with Sandy? She doesn’t have any money.” Janice said. “Well, that is the million-dollar question isn’t it.” Jason didn’t know the answer anymore than Janice did, but they needed to find one before it was too late. “Come on we are going over to Sandy’s. She needs some background info on her new boyfriend, and it isn’t the type of stuff you tell her over the phone. Let’s go.” They grabbed the keys to Jason’s car and took off out the door.

Chapter 32

C hris made it to the hospital just shortly after the ambulance. But he didn’t feel the need to rush to his father in law’s side. Instead he was thinking about Chloe on his way over. He thought it was time to pay another visit to their friendly neighbourhood crazy. Chris watched the nurse’s station to make sure that the same mousy nurse was working but she was just leaving and hadn’t seen him. He was going to have to wait until she came back. When he saw her, he walked up to the station to speak with her. “Hello pretty lady. Just the woman I needed to see today to brighten up my gloomy mood. How are you doing today?” He could tell that she was not used to compliments by the crimson colour her cheeks turned. “Hello doctor. I’m fine thank you, and how are you?” She wouldn’t even look up and meet his eyes. “I’m better now thanks to you. How is our patient today?” Chris leaned on the counter-top and reached over to see if he could find her file. “Mrs. Hamilton is better today. She just got back from a session with her doctor. She is in her room if you would like to go and see her.” Nurse Phoebe handed him the file that he was trying to reach. “I would. Thank you very much. Have an amazing day.” Flashing the nurse one of his most dazzling smiles he turned and walked to Chloe’s room. Knocking on Chloe’s door Chris announced his presence. “Chloe are you here? It’s Chris. I need to speak with you. It is important.” Chloe was propped up in her bed reading a gossip magazine. Chris was not at all surprised by her reading material; anything more in depth would be too

challenging for someone like her. “Hello Christopher. How are you? I am feeling so much better. It is amazing how you can feel good about yourself when you have someone to talk to. Someone who really listens and makes you feel important. I found out that Mike and I have come to a crossroad. He wasn’t listening to me talk and I wasn’t understanding what he was saying. So, my doctor wants us to do some family counselling. And he wants to include Mike’s girls and Sandy. I don’t know why she had to be involved but he feels that it would open the lines of communication. What do you think?” Chloe asked Chris. Chloe was glowing. She looked much more attractive today. She did feel more confident in her relationship with Mike. “I am really glad that your session went so well but I think that there may be family counselling happening, but you and I are not going to be involved.” Chris was planting that seed of doubt into Chloe’s head. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you are getting at. What are you talking about Chris? Why would Mike and Sandy go into family counselling without me? They aren’t together. They aren’t a family anymore. What are you trying to tell me?” Chloe was starting to lose her mind when she realized what Chris was hinting at. Chris walked over to Chloe’s bed and sat on the edge taking her hand in his, “Chloe, I walked into the most disturbing thing this morning and I don’t know how to tell you, but I think you have the right to know.” Chris said. “What happened Chris? Please don’t tell me that Mike and Sandy were sleeping together while I am here. You told me that Sandy didn’t want Mike anymore. You told me that she said she wouldn’t be the other woman. So, what are you telling me now Chris? What?” Chloe was already crying, and Chris was confident that his plan was going to work. “I am so sorry to have to be the one to tell you but, Mike and Sandy spent the night together. I walked in on them in the bedroom together. He was holding her, and she was crying on his shoulder. They jumped apart as soon as they saw me standing there and nothing was happening at that moment. But why was he in

her bedroom and why did they jump apart as if they were caught doing something, it’s not like they were naked and in bed together. But still how would they like to find us like that. How could they do that to us, to you? You are here getting help and me telling Sandy I loved her, and do you know the worst part is? They are insulting our intelligence. Are we really to believe that nothing was going on? Or that nothing would have happened if I hadn’t walked in on them? Sandy and I had only made love the morning before. She tried to tell me that she isn’t a whore. She said she doesn’t sleep around. She didn’t even know me, and yet she slept with me and then with your husband. Two men in one day. That is a whore to me. I’m so sorry to have to be the one to tell you but I didn’t think you deserved to be lied to. I mean really what were they thinking with all the kids in the house. Your son was there too. I am sorry.” Chris got up to leave. “Wait. You saw them together with your own eyes?” Chloe asked Chris. Chris just nodded his head. “And they were in her bedroom together alone?” Chloe asked. Chris just nodded again. Trying so hard to suppress his smile of satisfaction. “I need to get out of here. I need to take care of that cheating son of a bitch I am married too. I am going to kill him. I am going to kill her too. They are dead.” Chloe had thrown back the covers and was climbing out of her hospital bed. Chris walked over to Chloe’s bedside. “Why would you kill Sandy? It would hurt her more if you took care of Mike or her girls. After all it was Mike who cheated on you. You are too beautiful to rot away in a jail cell for the rest of your life. You know what you should do? Take Mike out and Sandy’s daughters and make it look like Mike went crazy because Sandy turned him away and he murders his daughters and kills himself after, out of regret. That way you get revenge on Sandy and get rid of that cheater and then to add salt to the wound we could get together. You know become a power couple and I am pretty sure that it would push Sandy over the edge, and she would take her own life. And then we can live the perfect life together and we both get what we want, and no one goes to jail.” Chris said. Chris sounded pretty convincing to Chloe. Chris took Chloe’ hands in his and kissed her fingertips. “I know we could be

happy together. And we look good together too and I won’t make you have anymore kids. Matthew would be so spoiled, as would you pretty lady.” Chris stroked the side of Chloe’s face. And leaned in to give her a kiss. “Why would I leave that bitch alive? That slut slept with my husband. What if she didn’t take her own life and she got over her depression. Why does she get to live?” Chloe was angry and confused too. Chris had to suppress his amusement. This was too easy. “Because, if you leave Sandy alive, she has to suffer the loss of Mike again and forever this time. And they say that there is no greater loss than that of a child. And then you and I can run away together, and she loses me too. She wouldn’t want to live. She would have nothing to get up for in the morning and women like Sandy need to feel needed. And besides, you and I are better suited for each other anyways. I am rich and you are beautiful. I don’t want kids and you don’t like kids. We could travel the world and have fun. No responsibilities, no worries, just fun. How does that sound? You would really hurt Sandy more if you took care of Mike and left her with no kids to raise. What do you think?” Chris was stroking Chloe’s cheek again. “You want me to run away with you? I thought you were in love with Sandy?” Chloe was warming up to the idea of being with Christopher. “I won’t be with a whore. I want a lady. I want to make a life with you. I knew you were special the very first time I laid eyes on you, but I had met Sandy first and then I found out you were with her ex. So, I thought he was smart enough to keep an amazing woman like you happy and satisfied. Your type of personality and sexiness doesn’t come along very often, and it should be worshipped and spoiled. Pampered and treated like a queen.” Chris kissed Chloe then. “You deserve to be kissed with all the ion of a hundred men.” Chris leaned in and kissed Chloe again with more ion than before. “I have wanted to do this for so long.” Chloe laid back down on her hospital bed. Touching her lips.

“I’m sorry. I got carried away. I see that I have offended you. I’ll go now.” Chris made the gesture of getting up and walking away. Heading to the door for his grand exit. Chloe sat up in the bed “No wait. It’s okay. More than okay actually. It was nice to feel wanted again. Please come back and do it again. I have missed being kissed so much.” Chloe was pleading for the attention that she so needed. Women were so stupid. Chris walked over to where Chloe sat and laid her back onto the bed, kissing her turned into lovemaking. Chris swallowed his disgust at her more than ample body because even though she repulsed him she was quite good. And he had her right where he wanted her. She would do anything for him now. She would be his puppet and he the puppet master. He just had to make sure that she didn’t hurt Sandy before he was done using her. After making love to Chloe, Chris held her in his arms. “That was amazing Chris. You really know what it takes to make a woman feel like a woman.” “Don’t underestimate yourself. You are beautiful. You are incredible.” Chris was only half telling the truth. The sex wasn’t so bad, but the beautiful part was such a laugh. “We really need to plot our revenge on those two. I want to get even and I know you do too, right Chloe? And then we can be together like this forever.” Chris was looking into Chloe’s eyes and he couldn’t read her thoughts as clearly as he would have liked. “I think we should just go away. Right now. Let them have each other. We have a right to be happy and I am very happy right now. Let’s just leave them alone.” Chloe snuggled up to Chris. Chris jumped out of bed and started to get dressed. “You don’t know anything Chloe. Maybe you are not as smart as I thought you were. Maybe you deserve to

be made fun of. Humiliated. Not me. I want to be with a strong, smart woman. A woman who stands up for herself and what is right. Not someone who would let others laugh at her behind her back. I thought you were different. Someone I could be with as an equal. But I guess not. I am going to get revenge on the ones who have tarnished my name and I guess I will do it alone.” “Chris. Stop. I was just enjoying our lovemaking so much that I forgot what they did. I want revenge too. I want to help you. Please don’t leave me too. I want to be with you. Please.” Chloe was clinging to the front of Chris’ shirt crying hysterically. A naked, disgusting slob. “Get dressed then. We need to get you out of here. Come on hurry up. But if you change your mind again, I will leave. Alone. No coming back. Do you understand?” Chris turned it around again in the direction that benefited him. “Yes, I’m sorry. Please wait. I’ll hurry.” Chloe was already out of the bed reaching for the only clothes that she had on hand. Hospital scrubs. They were skin-tight because of her fat ass. The seams straining at the bulk pushed into them. It was a disgusting sight. Chris smiled to himself as Chloe ran around getting dressed. It was easier than he thought to get her. People are so desperate to be loved. “We can’t be seen leaving together so be ready to leave about half an hour after me and I will meet you in the parking garage and we will go to my house and figure everything out.” Chris walked up to Chloe and gave her another ionate kiss. “I can’t wait to tell the world that you are mine Chloe, but for now we have to be careful ok?” Chris asked Chloe to understand. “I understand Chris and I can’t wait either.” Chloe leaned in for another kiss and Chris instead kissed her on the forehead and walked out of Chloe’s room with a new spring in his step. Things do have a way of working themselves out.

Chapter 33

C hloe waited until Chris left to get a quick shower. After all a sexy, successful doctor didn’t want to be seen with an ugly, dirty woman on his arm. Chloe felt like a million bucks when she got out of the shower and dried her hair and put on her makeup. She was feeling pretty and wanted again and almost forgot where she was until that ugly duckling of a nurse came in. “Mrs. Hamilton. I am sorry to disturb you, but Dr. Winston would like you to meet him in the therapy room in about fifteen minutes. He says you need to attend a group therapy session.” Nurse ugly was so intimidated by Chloe she spoke only slightly above a whisper. “You can tell Dr. Winston that I don’t feel like going to group therapy tonight. It will have to wait until tomorrow.” Chloe was not going to let Chris down. She was out of here in ten minutes. “I’m sorry Mrs. Hamilton but Dr. Winston insisted that I escort you to therapy.” “Well I am sorry, but you can tell the doctor that I am tired and am going to bed. I have had a long week and I need my beauty sleep. Tomorrow’s session will have to be good enough. Now get out.” Chloe turned her back on the nurse and walked over and climbed into her bed. “I said get out.” Chloe yelled at the nurse. “Mrs. Hamilton, the doctor is going to want to see you. Can you please come and tell him yourself that you don’t want to go to therapy tonight?” Nurse Phoebe was trying to trick her into going to the therapy room. “No, just tell the doctor yourself. And shut the light off when you leave.” Chloe turned her back on the nurse and pretended to go to sleep. Nurse Phoebe shut the light off and walked out of the room. She was going to

have to tell Dr. Winston that Mrs. Hamilton refused to come, and the doctor was going to give her shit for it. As if she did anything wrong. Oh well, just another day in the wonderful world of nursing. Chloe waited until she heard the door shut and jumped out of bed. She had to hurry up because she didn’t want to keep her future waiting. Chloe opened the room door and checked down the hallway to make sure no one was coming and walked out of her room, across to the elevator, out of the hospital and into the parking garage before anyone could stop her. Nurse Phoebe walked up to Dr. Winston in the therapy room and took a deep breath. “Excuse me Dr. Winston.” “Yes, nurse. What can I help you with?” Dr. Winston was one of the few polite, approachable doctors in this hospital. “Mrs. Hamilton has refused to come to group tonight. She says that tomorrow is soon enough.” “Oh, I see. Well I will go and talk to Mrs. Hamilton myself and make her understand that it is imperative for her to attend therapy if she ever wants to leave here. Can you show me her room please?” Dr. Winston asked. “Of course, Dr. Winston. She is a rather difficult person and she has only gotten worse since that other doctor has stopped in to see her.” Nurse Phoebe said. “What doctor was that? I didn’t give anyone else permission to visit her.” Dr. Winston was upset that his orders had not been followed. “Dr. Papadopoulos is a friend of her husband. The other nurses are all talking about him. He’s new here and a complete dream.” “I don’t care who he is, or how much of a dream he is, he had no right to be in that room with her.” Dr. Winston was mad. “This is her room doctor.” The nurse opened the door and stepped aside to allow the doctor to enter the room.

“Nurse are you sure this is her room? It’s empty. No one is here.” Dr. Winston was looking at the nurse with irritation. “She was here a few minutes ago sir.” The nurse went over to the washroom to check and see if she was in there. “It’s empty.” “Call security. Tell them we have a mentally ill patient missing. And I will have to her husband and put him on the alert for her. I think I know where she is headed.” Dr. Winston said. The nurse ran to the phone and notified security as the doctor notified Chloe’s husband.

Chapter 34

“H urry Jason. We need to get to Sandy’s and warn her before something happens to her too.” Janice was flipping through the information that she had sitting on her lap. Stopping when she came across a picture. “Why do you have a picture of Sandy here Jason? I didn’t ask you to investigate her.” Janice held up a picture she had taken from the folder to show to Jason. “That isn’t a picture of Sandy, that is a picture of Cynthia St. Clair. Dr. Death’s missing wife. But you are right they do look a lot alike. They could for sisters. That’s strange. You don’t think that, that is the reason he wanted to be with your friend, do you?” Jason took the picture from Janice’s hand and studied the picture more closely. Taking the picture back from Jason, Janice said “I don’t know but it keeps getting creepier and creepier by the minute. Can you please hurry? I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen. Something bad. Really bad.” Janice looked out the window and hoped that it wasn’t too late. “Come on babe. I don’t want you to worry anymore. I am sure we are getting there in plenty of time. He doesn’t even know that we are investigating him yet. It is too early in their relationship for Sandy to be losing that moony eyed, love puppy look. So, she isn’t questioning him yet. He is still her knight in shining armour.” Jason took Janice by the hand. “Come on let’s get going. We need to end this before anything else bad happens.” They rushed out the door to tell Sandy everything that they had found out about her new boyfriend. Little did they know it wasn’t going to be in time. Everything was already beginning to erupt.

Chapter 35

“H ow could something like this happen? You don’t know where she is and who this doctor is?” Mike was mad. He knew who the doctor was but didn’t understand what the hell Chris wanted with Chloe. “I am so sorry Mr. Hamilton. The duty nurse thought that he was a friend of yours and that you had asked him to assess your wife. It sounded like you wanted a second opinion. And that happens all the time, so the nurse thought nothing more about it. She listed it on the patient’s charts, but I must have overlooked it during therapy. Again, I can’t say how sorry we are about this mistake and have taken all necessary precautions for your safety and that of your son’s.” Dr. Winston was embarrassed. He had never lost a patient before, not in twentyfive years of work had this ever happened. Heads were going to roll over this and his was not going to be one of them. “If anything happens to my son, daughters or anyone else for that matter you can rest assured that I will file the largest malpractice suit against this hospital, you and any inadequate staff that were responsible for this. I promise you that.” As mad as Mike was, he was more worried that Chloe was going to go after Sandy. Had Chris known that he and Sandy had kissed? He didn’t know how but he wouldn’t put it past him to spy on them. “I have to go, Dr. Winston. I need to warn my ex-wife that her crazed attacker is on the loose again thanks to your incompetence.” Mike hung up the phone and immediately called Sandy’s number. But there was no answer. “Who was that Dad?” Jasmine asked.

“It was the doctor that was taking care of Chloe. She left the hospital tonight without permission and now we don’t know where she is, and I am concerned for your mother. Why don’t I give Mrs. Miller a call and see if you guys could stay at her house with your brother until we find Chloe. Would you be ok with that?” Mike was trying his best to not sound as upset as he was. “Why can’t we just go home?” Jasmine asked her father. “I just don’t know if Chloe would go to your house and try to hurt your mother again. And I really don’t know how mad she is at me and if she would be capable of hurting one of you girls to get even with me. It’s not a chance that I am willing to take. So, can you humour me and stay with Mrs. Miller if I can get a hold of her?” Mike was scared and Jasmine knew it. “Sure dad. I will help Mrs. Miller with the little kids too.” Jasmine said “Thanks honey. I knew I could count on you.” Mike gave Jasmine a kiss on the top of her head and dialed Mrs. Miller’s number to ask her to help them out. Mrs. Miller answered the phone on the third ring. “Hello. Who is this?” “Hi, Mrs. Miller, it’s Mike Hamilton calling. Did I catch you at a bad time?” Mike asked. “No, not at all. What can I do for you Mike?” Mrs. Miller was surprised to receive a call from Mike. They hadn’t been very friendly since the affair. “Well, I know we have some not so great history between us, but I need a favour?” Mike said “And what would that be Mike?” Mrs. Miller was intrigued. “Could you watch the kids for me? All three of them. I can’t find Sandy and Chloe escaped from the hospital and I know you know what happened over the weekend and anyways, I am afraid that Chloe will go after Sandy again. I don’t want the kids at home when or if she does.” Mike was on the verge of hysterics. “Oh my. Of course, Mike. Bring them over. I couldn’t live with myself if something ever happened to those kids.”

Mrs. Miller had never even thought that this crazy woman would have ever hurt the kids but if Mike was worried that was enough to cause her to worry too. “Thank you so much Mrs. Miller and one more thing? Have you seen Sandy? Is her car home?” Mike asked just as Mrs. Miller looked out her front window and saw Sandy walking across the street with a bottle of wine headed for Christopher’s house. “She is on her way over to visit her doctor friend right now as a matter of fact. I just saw her cross the street.” She had left out that Sandy also had a bottle of wine in hand. “Oh. Maybe she will be safer over there rather than at home. At least Chloe won’t go over there to get her. I don’t think anyways.” Why was Sandy going over to Chris’ house, does she not realize that he is not right for her? He was. “See you soon and thanks again Mrs. Miller.” Mike hung up the phone and gathered up the kids.

Chapter 36

M rs. Miller rushed to the door to get Sandy’s attention to tell her about Chloe. “Sandy, Sandy can you come here please.” Sandy made a detour from her path to Chris’ and went to see what her neighbour wanted. “Hi, Mrs. Miller. What is it?” Sandy made it to Mrs. Miller’s front porch just as the elderly lady walked out of her home. “I just got a call from Mike, Sandy and he is worried because he is trying to get a hold of you, and you didn’t answer the phone. I can see why now but I can assure you that the doctor isn’t home Sandy.” She looked down at the bottle of wine that Sandy was carrying. “And with that of all things. Hasn’t there been enough drama around here lately?” Mrs. Miller said. “What did you say? Why would Mike need to get a hold of me? Are the girls alright?” Sandy was getting upset now. Mike rarely bothered her when he had the girls on his own but then again this has been anything but a normal week. “Oh, no the girls are ok.” Mrs. Miller said. “Is it Matthew? Has something happened to him?” Sandy was upset now. “No, nothing like that. That wife of his has gone and left the hospital without medical permission. I don’t know if she could be charged for that, what do you think?” Mrs. Miller asked. But, before Sandy could answer Mrs. Miller went on, “Mike wants to drop the kids off here until they find his wife because he is concerned that something

might happen to you or them.” “I guess that makes sense. He’s right. Thank you for helping. I had better go and call Mike back.” Sandy realized that she must have left her cell phone on the counter in the kitchen. “I think a gun would be more help than that bottle of wine, don’t you?” Mrs. Miller asked Sandy. What the hell did she think she needed a gun for? “I don’t need a gun Mrs. Miller. That’s silly. No one is going to get hurt. Chloe just needs some help and she will be back at the hospital in no time. Thank you again.” Sandy headed towards her home. “Your doctor friend left shortly after the ambulance but not before you got the stare of death. I am glad he isn’t home. I can’t stop you from going over to his house, but it is a mistake. I have been thinking about it and you know I have finally figured it out. That beautiful woman that came to his door that one day, you her because she made a point of going to your house first. It was no accident. She wanted someone to see her in case of her possible misfortune.” Mrs. Miller yelled to Sandy’s back. Sandy stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. “I don’t want to be rude Mrs. Miller but my personal life is none of your business. I am sorry you don’t like Christopher, but I do. And as for that woman that was here, I am sure that there is a logical explanation to her appearance too. I don’t know what it is, but I will find out. I appreciate your help with the kids, I really do but instead of hating on Chris why don’t you try turning, just a little bit of that hate towards the crazy woman that is causing you to watch my children.” And with that Sandy crossed over to her house and walked in the door and slammed it just hard enough that anyone would be able to interpret it as the pissed off message she was trying to relay. How dare she have so much to say about Chris when my kids had to go into hiding because of Mike’s wife. She is the crazy one not Chris. Why couldn’t anyone see that?

Sandy picked up her phone and called Mike’s number. “Sandy, thank God you called back. You need to leave your house. Chloe left the hospital and I am afraid that she is going to be coming for you.” “I am not leaving my home Mike. Thanks for the heads up and I appreciate you dropping the kids off at Mrs. Millers, but I am not being forced to leave my home.” Sandy sounded very calm. She felt very calm. “Sandy, please. I don’t want you to get hurt. You need to get out of there. I know that Chloe will be to your place the second she realizes that Matthew and I aren’t home. She thinks the worst of you, and you know it.” Mike was pleading with Sandy to leave. Why was she being so stubborn? “I will see you later Mike. And thank you for letting me know but I am not leaving.” Sandy hung up the phone. And at that exact moment, Christopher and Chloe pulled up to his house and pulled into the open garage door. “We’re home now Chloe.” Chris leaned over and gave her a kiss. “I am so excited Chris. I just want all of this to be over so that we can be together.” Chloe was happier than she had been in a very long time. “Me too, my love, me too.” Chris said. “Now let’s get to work.” Chris got out of the car and walked over and opened Chloe’s car door. Neither Chris nor Chloe saw Mrs. Miller looking out her living room windows watching them pull into the garage.

Chapter 37

J anice and Jason pulled up in front of Sandy’s house and noticed her car in the driveway. Janice jumped out of Jason’s car before it even came to a complete stop and started yelling. “Sandy are you ok? Sandy, where are you?” Janice had reached Sandy’s front door just as it opened. “What the hell is going on? Are you ok Janice?” Sandy looked over Janice’s shoulder to see who else was there and noticed Jason and she gave him a questioning look. “When you didn’t answer your phone, I got scared and we rushed over to find you and make sure you were alright.” Janice was in tears and hugging Sandy. “I’m confused. Why were you worried about me? Did Mike call you too?” Sandy turned to look at Jason while she was being hugged by Janice. “What is she talking about?” Sandy asked Jason. “I think maybe it would be a good idea for all of us to go inside and talk. What do you think?’ Jason was ushering them towards the door. Janice turned to Jason “Jason, grab that folder out of the car for me please.” “Sure. I’ll meet you inside in a minute.” Jason told them. He headed back to the car to grab the folder of information that they had brought on Christopher. Mrs. Miller was watching everything from inside her home, hidden by the living room curtains.

“What is going on Janice? Why are you here and what is he getting out of the car? Has everybody gone crazy today?” Sandy walked into the foyer and stopped. “Sandy, did something happen before we got here?” Janice and Sandy went to sit in the living room. “No. Why?” Sandy sat in the chair with a puzzled look on her face. “Stay here I’m going to go and get you a glass of water. You may want something stronger later, but water will do for now.” Janice headed out to the kitchen to grab her a glass of water just as Jason came in through the back door. “Why did you come in that way?” Janice asked him. “Just checking to see how easily someone could come through the gate and into the backyard and not be seen. Your friend doesn’t even have a lock on her gate. She has no security measures in place at all. Someone could be watching the house and she would never know. You saw how easily I snuck in here without being noticed. It’s not very hard.” Jason said. “Okay. I wonder if she has figured some stuff out on her own. She hasn’t spoken a word and if you knew her, you would know how out of character that is for her.” Janice was concerned about Sandy’s state of mind. “It’s nice to see you again Jason but I think I am owed some explanations.” Sandy walked into the kitchen. “Sorry, if I was rude or whatever out there but I am so confused as to what the hell is going on. First Mrs. Miller accused Chris of stuff. And Chloe breaking out of the psych ward and you showing up with your date. And the highlight of my day, a man dies in my arms in the middle of my street. Not so sweet and not exactly what I had in mind for a quiet evening at home.” Sandy tried to make light of the whole dramatic scene going on around her. “I guess I owe you some answers. I was just worried about you that’s all.” Janice started to walk over to Sandy with the folder that Jason had just handed her when the front door opened and in came Mike without the kids.

“Okay, here we go again. Where are the kids?” Sandy asked Mike. “The kids are at Mrs. Miller’s, ? I just called you.” Mike said to Sandy. “I know that I just thought you would stop by here first with them that’s all.” Sandy said. Mike noticed Janice and Jason. “Hi, I’m Michael Hamilton, Sandy’s husband.” Mike extended his hand to Jason. “My ex-husband” Sandy corrected him. “Jason. I am a friend of Janice’s.” Jason shook Mike’s hand and chuckled. “It’s nice to meet you Mike Hamilton, ex-husband to our hostess here.” “Janice, beautiful as always.” Mike walked over to Janice and stopped. “Can I hug you or do you still hate me?” Mike asked. “I hate you less, but you are still not my favourite person. How are you Mike?” Janice hugged Mike back. “Ok, now that everyone is acquainted again can we please get on with what this is all about. Please.” Sandy asked. She was so confused and although the atmosphere in the room was all happy right now, she had a feeling it wasn’t going to last. She wanted to know what this was all about. “Why are you all here? In my kitchen. It all seems so cloak and dagger” Sandy was asking all of them together. “First things first, I think your boyfriend may have broken Chloe out of the psych ward. I was told that a doctor friend of mine was visiting her and I only know one doctor. And then next thing I know I am getting a call from her doctor telling me that she wouldn’t go to group therapy and then disappeared. I asked Mrs. Miller to watch the kids because I thought she might come over and hurt you. But, interestingly enough, when I dropped the kids off at Mrs. Miller’s place, she had a lot to say about your new boyfriend.” Mike turned to Sandy.

“I know she doesn’t like him very much and thinks all kinds of weird things about him.” Sandy told everyone. Mike went on to say, “Mrs. Miller says that when the old man was taken away by ambulance and you walked away to our house and left Chris in the middle of the street, he stared at you like he wanted to kill you. Did you know that? And then he stared at the upstairs bedroom window. He couldn’t decide what to do, go after you, go into his house or go with the ambulance. Mrs. Miller is convinced that Chris has some woman, you know that woman that showed up at your door on Sunday, that he has her locked in that bedroom.” Mike was talking to Sandy but hoping that Jason and Janice were paying attention and could help talk Sandy into dumping this guy. “Any doctor with medical morals wouldn’t have hesitated, they would have left with the ambulance but not him, he hesitated. I wouldn’t trust him, Sandy. He is dangerous.” Mike went on to say. “I don’t think he has a woman locked up in a bedroom in his house. That sounds a little too much like a V.C. Andrews’ novel doesn’t it?” Sandy said looking towards Janice for . “And furthermore, Mrs. Miller has always liked you and would never like anyone I dated so are you really surprised that she has a problem with Christopher.” Sandy said. Sandy was trying very hard to believe that Chris was not an evil man, but could Mrs. Miller be right? Could that woman still be there? And where was her car? He wouldn’t be so foolish as to leave it at his house, would he? And why had he not told her about the mystery woman yet? “I don’t know about any of that Sandy, but I wouldn’t be surprised at anything that this man is capable of doing.” Janice said. “I asked Jason to look into Christopher’s past. Totally illegal and he could lose his job over it if anyone found out what he did, but he did it for me anyways.” Janice looked at Jason with iration. “We are not going to help make things better because we have found out a lot of stuff that isn’t very pretty, I’m afraid. It’s about your doctor friend.” Janice

handed the folder to Sandy who took it reluctantly. “What more do I need to know?” Sandy looked exhausted. “Can this wait? I don’t think she can stand much more.” Mike was concerned for Sandy’s mental state. “Afraid not. I don’t trust him, and I think we need to involve the police. There is so much more to all this than we knew at first. We need to talk about a course of action, now.” Janice said. She hated to see her friend look so miserable. “Janice you are talking like it is a matter of life or death. It’s not that serious is it? I mean he didn’t kill anybody. He is a control freak and super jealous but really that goes with being a successful person.” Sandy was grasping at straws now. “Please tell me he didn’t murder anybody Janice, please. He has been in my house, around my girls. He is a doctor for Christ sakes not a murderer.” Sandy was starting to lose it. “I’m sorry Sandy but it looks like he had been investigated about his parent’s murder. And, also his wife and daughter’s disappearances. And I think he may have had something to do with my mother’s murder. I’m really sorry Sandy but he is bad, and I think he is very dangerous.” Janice was watching how Sandy was taking all the news that she had told her. “Your mother was shot in a drive by, how could he possibly be involved with that?” Sandy just looked so defeated and had aged twenty years in the last few minutes. “My mother was the investigation officer on his parent’s murder/home invasion, and she had her suspicions that he was involved somehow. Now I haven’t looked into it further so I don’t have any more information than that, but I will get to the bottom of it, I promise you. I told you I knew him from somewhere but couldn’t place where. Well I only found out myself tonight, he was at my mother’s funeral Sandy. He was mocking her memory by showing up. I couldn’t place him when you introduced us but after I read all the paperwork on him and looked at his picture from back then I ed Sandy. I ed.” Janice was in tears again, but it was a build up of frustration and pure anger.

Sandy walked over and hugged Janice “I am so sorry Janice. I didn’t know.” “I know it’s not your fault, but I will get him. I know he is responsible. But Sandy, there is more. Here look at this.” Janice handed Sandy the picture of Chris’ wife Cynthia. “Who is this?” Sandy asked “It looks like you but doing one of those glamour photo shoots Sandy.” Mike was looking over Sandy’s shoulder. “Who is it really though?” Mike asked Janice but already knew the answer in his heart. “That is Chris’ wife Cynthia. She has been reported missing by her father” Janice told Mike and Sandy both. “Charles Montgomery St. Clair.” Sandy sighed. “Yes, how did you know his name” Janice looked at Sandy and then Jason with surprise. “I met the man today actually. It was he that I sent away in the ambulance. He had a heart attack in my arms right outside in front of Chris’ house. He called me Cynthia by mistake before he introduced himself. Asked if I had met his daughter and granddaughter. I told him that his daughter was dead, and he collapsed right in my arms. I killed him and I didn’t mean to.” Sandy was going into shock. “I need something way stronger than water, please?” Sandy didn’t feel like the sexy young woman that just this morning was making love to her new boyfriend on the kitchen table. “I don’t think that is a good idea Sandy. You need to keep your wits about the situation. What else do you know? What did you find out from Mrs. Miller?” Jason asked Sandy. “Mrs. Miller just told me her suspicions and with Mr. St. Clair collapsing in my

arms. I can’t what else she said.” Sandy told Jason. Mike chimed in, “And then, I said she told me about this woman that had stopped by to see Chris and never left. She feels that this woman is being held prisoner in Chris’ house.” Mike told Janice and Jason the suspicions Mrs. Miller had about the car being in the garage and she was being kept in the upstairs bedroom, the one directly above the garage. “Maybe we should call it in and have a unit check it out? Or at least have some back up. If there is anything going on, we want to make sure that he doesn’t get off on a technicality.” Jason said to Janice. “If she is there, I don’t think there would be time. She could be hurt or dead and if she isn’t already, I think she will be soon. He must be getting a little freaked out by now. Especially with his father in law finding him. We should go over and check it out. Mike you stay here with Sandy and doesn’t let anybody come in. Oh, and if Chris does come by act normal and call me on my cell. Ok?” Janice was acting all cop like. “You were a cop before weren’t you Janice?” Sandy turned to look at her friend. “Yes, I was. It was a lifetime ago.” Janice told Sandy. “Why did you quit? I think that it is the right fit for you.” Sandy asked her friend. “It’s a long story, but the short version is I was shot and I can’t get myself to hold a gun again, so I needed a career change. I’m sorry I never told you before. I just didn’t want to talk about it. Bad memories and all.” Sandy walked up to her friend and hugged her tight. Not saying anything else. “Ok, we should go Janice before Dr. Death comes home.” Jason took Janice by the elbow and turned her towards the front door. “Yeah sure. Right behind you.” Mike told them to be careful as he locked the front door behind them. You can never be too careful.

Chapter 38

“C ome on Chloe we have to get going.” Chris was waiting for her to finish in the washroom. “I need to make Mike regret ever fooling around on me. I need to look perfect.” Chloe said. She did indeed look every pretty as she walked out of the washroom. Her hair was brushed to a shine and hung down her back like a golden ray of sunshine and her face looked like that of an antique porcelain doll with sparkling glass eyes the colour of the bluest tropical water. “You look beautiful. You take my breath away. I can see why you owned every man’s heart. It was well worth the wait.” Chris said. She should look perfect for her last day on earth. Go down in flames and all that jazz. He won’t need her after she takes care of Mike for him. He just needed Sandy. He needs to convince his holier than thou father-in-law that she is really Cynthia. You see after her fall off the cliff, poor Cynthia needed some plastic surgery to reconstruct her face explaining why she doesn’t look quite the same as she did before her accident. It will also explain her absence. Why she couldn’t call him. She didn’t want him to see her looking so ugly and broken. And, she knew that if she talked to him, he would be able to hear the pain in her voice and know something was wrong. It would explain everything except where Amber was. He hadn’t figured that part out yet. Maybe Sandy aka Cynthia would be able to help him out with that part. After all she will want to see her kids live a long and happy life. She is weird like that. He could see a future with Sandy and maybe Jenny but not that Jasmine she was just too much like her father. Too intrusive. Kids are like women they need to be put in line and know their places in this world. And they are of course the property of their father or husband.

“Come my beautiful future wife. We need to take care of some business.” Chris put his arm around Chloe’s waist and guided her out of the bathroom. “Yes, my future husband we most definitely have business to take care of.” Chloe walked proudly down the staircase on the arm of the man she honestly thought was going to take care of her for the rest of her life. While Chris was only intending to keep her alive just long enough to take care of his problem for him. “Let’s go and grab a quick bite to eat so that I can show you off and we can work out a plan. What do you think, pretty lady? Will you accompany me to dinner?” Chris bowed to Chloe making her giggle. “Yes, my handsome man I would be delighted to have dinner with you.” Chloe felt like a schoolgirl. They walked out to Chris’ car and left without anyone ever even knowing that they had been there. Except Mrs. Miller and Shannon.

Chapter 39

J anice and Jason left Sandy’s to investigate the house belonging to Dr. Death with heavy hearts. Janice was concerned about her friend. It had been a hell of a week for her. She met the perfect man and he wanted a relationship with her. Her ex-husband tells her he loves her and wants her back. She finds out that her boyfriend is crazy. She is almost killed by her ex’s new wife. Her best friend is an ex-cop whose mother may have been murdered by her new boyfriend. And he may have had his own parents killed after he robbed their home. She then finds out that she looks like her boyfriend’s dead wife. And a man has a heart attack in her arms. And now she waits to see if her new boyfriend is holding a woman hostage in his home. What else does she need thrown at her this week? That is enough to drive any sane person over the edge. When Jason and Janice reach Chris’ house they agree that looking in the garage for the missing car is the best place to start their investigation. And guess what is inside the garage, none other than the missing car. Not what they were hoping to see but neither are very surprised as they look at one another. “Jason, we have to get in to look at that car. Can you get us into the garage?” Janice asked her old partner, now new type of partner. “Seriously. Look he is that arrogant he didn’t even lock it.” Jason opens the door to the garage and walks in and over to the fancy car. “Nice ride. Sporty, fast and expensive. I would guess it to be $100,000 sitting here in steel and rubber. Good taste.” Jason tries the door of the car and turns to Janice, “Locked” He looks through the window and sees a woman’s coat. “Woman’s coat on the back seat. Reasonable cause. Allows us to check out the house.” He walks up to the connecting door to the house and with his hand on the knob

turns to Janice, “Ready?” Janice just nods. Jason tries the door and finds it unlocked. “Arrogant bastard.” Jason opens the door and steps into the hallway between the kitchen and front entrance. “Pretty small place for a millionaire, isn’t it?” “Not if you are on the run for murder. I think it looks like a palace compared to a jail cell, don’t you?” Janice asked Jason. “Guess you’re right. Where do you want to look, straight upstairs or look around down here first? Or what about the basement. That seems like a more likely spot to hold someone rather than a bedroom. Do you know where the basement door is?” Jason asked Janice. “Over there on the other side of the kitchen, I think. Come on let’s look around there first, you’re right it would make more sense to hide her in the basement. More privacy and easier to keep her quiet.” Janice headed over to the basement door. “You’re the boss. Basement first.” Jason opened the basement door and turned on the light. “Ladies first.” Janice just nodded her head and went to walk past Jason. “I was only kidding it took me too long to get you, do you honestly think I would put you in harm’s way? Step back my fair lady let your knight lead the way.” Jason headed down the stairs with Janice close on his heels. After a quick look around they realized that no one was downstairs and headed back up to look over the main floor before heading upstairs to the bedrooms. But upstairs Shannon heard the footsteps. Why are they back? Shannon was scared. Please let this be over soon. Either way enough is enough. But these voices are different. More than one and neither of them are Chris’. Oh my God has someone coming to look for her. Please. Shannon slowly slid off the bed and started to kick the floor. Please hear me.

“What’s that noise?” Jason stops Janice and looks up to the ceiling. “Someone is upstairs. Come on.” They made a run for the stairs and to the source of the noise, but they weren’t prepared to see what they did when they opened the bedroom door. “Oh, my Sweet God. What has he done to you?” Janice quickly goes over to the woman lying naked on the floor, chained to the bedpost. Janice doesn’t even know how this woman is still alive. Not an inch of skin wasn’t bruised. She had bite marks on her breast and buttocks, her nose was obviously broken as was her arm, her eyes were swollen shut and she must have been laying in her own filth because it was stuck to her hair and dried on her skin. Please don’t let this be a hallucination was all that Shannon could think. “Help me please.” Was all that Shannon could squeak out before she ed out. “Jason, what the hell kind of monster is capable of doing this?” In all her years of working with victims of crime she couldn’t ever seeing someone this beat up. “Come on we need to call for help.” Jason tried to usher Janice out of the room. Shielding her from the violence her eyes were seeing. “You go and call. I can’t leave her. Not like this.” Janice was sitting on the floor holding Shannon in her arms. Jason grabbed Janice by the shoulders and shook her to get her to look at him. “What if that psychopath comes back here and finds you with her. He already hates you, look what he did to your car and your mother. What’s going to stop him from killing you and her? I know it’s hard, but you need to come with me, and we will call for help from Sandy’s.” Jason lifted Shannon gently out of Janice’s arms and laid her down on the floor and was trying to pull Janice to her feet to lead her from the room.

“No, I can’t leave her. I’m staying. Go over to Sandy’s and tell her what has happened here and make your call. I can’t leave her like this. No one deserves to be treated like this. Go please. Make sure Sandy and Mike are safe. I can handle myself. Please.” Janice walked over to where Shannon lay and bent down, taking her broken hand into hers and began whispering to her. “Damn, I was hoping to get rid of her before anyone found her here.” Was all that was heard from behind them. Jason spun around just in time for Chris to plunge the knife into his stomach. Again, and again the knife stabbed into Jason’s stomach. There was so much blood and there was no way that Jason could have stopped it from happening he never even saw it coming. “No, No, No, Jason please, No.” Janice got up and ran across the room to the open doorway where Jason lay with a pool of blood forming under him. “Please Jason, hang on I can’t lose you now please don’t leave me.” Janice cradled Jason as he began to fade into consciousness. “It is ironic isn’t it? First your mother and then your father and now your boyfriend. You seem to kill everything that you care about, don’t you?” Chris was enjoying the pain he was causing her. It was so evident, the raw emotion on her face. Chris just needed Janice to know that he meant business. Respect was earned and he had just earned it in his eyes. He had broken another woman into submission. “What the hell do you know about love? You are a monster. You tear things apart and break people down. What kind of animal is capable of doing that to another human being?” Janice gestured into Shannon’s direction. Janice was furious and scared and angry and every other emotion under the sun. “Don’t you speak to me about my life when yours is so messed up. Do you really

think you are going to get away with this?” “Oh, we will get away with it.” Chloe stepped into the doorway and started to laugh. “We are only here to even the score with those two lying cheating bastards across the street and then we are going to run away together and live happily ever after. Right my love?” Chloe looped her arm through Chris’ looking at him like a love-struck schoolgirl. “You really are as stupid as you look. He is using you. He doesn’t love you. I don’t know how you fit into his scam but when your bit part is done, he will get rid of you too.” Janice couldn’t believe what she was hearing, they were in on this together. It didn’t make sense. “You’re wrong. You are just jealous. Women like you are always jealous of women like me. You are an old, single, average looking waste of space.” Chloe told Janice. “Oh yeah. I am so jealous of stupid women. How long do you think you can ride the bus for free with your looks, honey? I hate to tell you, but your trip is coming to an end. Seriously, what did he promise you that he would run away and marry you if you helped him take care of his little problem over here?” Janice knew she was pushing Chloe and she was already on the brink of crazy, but she had to put that little bit of doubt into this idiot’s brain. “No, not our little problem here. I didn’t even know about her. By the way, who is she?” Chloe asked Chris. Chloe was suddenly aware of Shannon on the floor in the bedroom. “Don’t worry about who she is, I will tell you everything later.” Chris said. “I didn’t know about her but whatever, she probably deserved it. Right baby?” Chloe said. “I’m talking about getting even with Sandy and Mike. Do you know that they have been having an affair? How long has it been going on? Sandy would tell you, after all you are like her only friend.” Chloe asked Janice.

“Don’t let her get into your head my beauty queen. She is just trying to push you away from me so that I can go back to Sandy. She thinks that if her friend is with me, I can introduce her to rich and famous men that might look at her. She is just being Sandy’s friend not yours. I love you and we are going to take care of our little mess here and run away to start a new life together. Ok? You can trust me.” Chris pulled Chloe in his arms and gave her a hug. “You are the only one I want to be with.” Chris told Chloe. “Are you really falling for that load of crap?” Janice was still sitting on the floor cradling Jason’s head on her lap. He was dying and so was she right along with him. She felt she had nothing else to lose. “He is a murderer, you do know that Chloe. Right? He killed his own parents, my mother, his wife and daughter, Jason and whoever that is over there. He is crazy. What do you think he is going to do with you when he doesn’t need your help anymore? Do you think he loves you more than his own parents or child? I know I wouldn’t be able to sleep with my eyes closed.” Janice could see that she was getting to Chloe but so could Chris. “My parents were murdered during a home invasion. I wasn’t even home when it happened. And as for my wife she fell off the side of a cliff in Rio. I had nothing to do with it. I don’t have any kids, so I don’t know what you are talking about.” He was talking to Chloe trying to convince her that he wasn’t as crazy as she was. He still needed her to do his work for him. “I am a doctor, Chloe. I took an oath to help people. Who are you going to believe, me or her? She is trying to get into your head and turn you against me. I didn’t say anything before because I was trying to work on things with Sandy but the first time I met her she was hitting on me and I let it go because she was Sandy’s friend but I think she doesn’t want me to be with you because she wants to be with me herself. You know how sneaky and dirty some women can be.” Chris was sounding very convincing. He was winning her over. Janice had to say something to turn it around. “I never hit on him. I despised him the first time I ever saw him. And besides what about her. Who is she and why is she tied to a bed in his house and looking

like that? Come on Chloe even you can’t be that thick headed.” Janice was trying to distract them so that she could make a run for the stairs and get help before it was too late. Chris argued “How do you know that they didn’t do that to her to try and frame me. People are always jealous of us beautiful people, you know that. They are setting me up. Come on Chloe lets go and take care of our little problem and come back. I need to make love to the most beautiful woman in the world.” He gave her the gentlest kiss. It was so convincing that I almost fell for it. “Come on pretty lady let’s go. Get into the room Janice. I am afraid that I am going to have to tie you up right now. I need to finish what I need to do and then I will figure out what to do with you and the others.” Chris took a step toward Janice, but Janice backed away from him. Pressing herself against the dresser and using it to help herself rise to her feet. “I don’t think so Chris. I’m not staying here so that you can go and hurt more people.” Janice said. Janice was on her feet now and made a lunge at Chris hoping to catch him off guard and knock him out of her way. But Chris had anticipated her move and dodged to the side just in time and grabbed Janice by the hair and dragged her back into the bedroom. “Chloe give me some rope so that I can tie up our little problem here please.” Chloe walked over and gave him the left-over rope that he had used to tie Shannon to the bed. “Thank you beautiful.” He kissed her as he took the rope from her hands. Chloe blushed and backed up out of his way. He tied Janice’s hands behind her back and tied her to the bedpost by her ankle. “Have some bonding time with your friends Janice, at least while you can.” Chris laughed as he stood over her. “We have to go and visit Sandy now. Be good or bad, whatever, you won’t be around long enough to worry about it anyways.”

Chris walked out of the room stepping over Jason’s body where it laid in the doorway. “What are you going to do with him?” Chloe asked Chris. “He’s dead now. We don’t have to worry about him anymore.” Chris kicked Jason’s foot and there was no movement. “It’s a waste, he was kind of cute.” Chloe said as she and Chris turned towards the hallway. Janice heard them laughing as they descended the stairs. “Jason don’t you die on me. I need you.” Janice started to work on the knots at her wrists. They were blood soaked so hopefully she would be able to get out soon. She had to help save her world. Everyone she loved was counting on her getting free.

Chapter 40

S andy and Mike were sitting in the living room patiently waiting to hear something, anything from Janice or Jason. “What could be taking so long Mike? It seems like days since they left.” Sandy got up and started to pace the floor again. “Sandy, they haven’t been gone very long. Be patient. No news is good news, so I’ve been told. Come here and sit with me.” Mike padded the spot beside him on the couch. “I know you are scared but everything is going to be alright. I promise you.” Sandy went and sat down beside Mike and he put his arm around her and pulled her close. Sandy rested her head on his shoulder. “Promise?” Sandy asked. “I promise I will never let anything happen to you or the kids. Not as long as I am alive. I wouldn’t be able to live without you guys. I love you Sandy and I am so sorry that I messed up so badly.” Mike lifted Sandy’s chin and gave her a kiss. “Isn’t this cozy.” Chloe came walking into the living room. Sandy and Mike jumped off the couch like a couple of teenagers caught making out. “What are you doing here Chloe? Why are you not still in the hospital? You need help and we all know it.” Mike was furious. Chloe ignored Mike for the moment and turned to Sandy, “You really should lock your doors Sandy, there are a lot of crazy people in the world you know.” Chloe laughed. Sandy was off the couch and standing beside Mike, “Get out of my house Chloe,

you are not welcome here.” Sandy was mad. Enough was enough. Her whole world was spinning out of control. “I know you don’t want me here Sandy and now I know why. You want my husband. Well guess what? You can have him. I have found someone else.” Chloe was acting weirder than ever. “You met someone while you were in the hospital. What is a fellow patient? That would explain so much. Your equal. Good for you Chloe. Now get out of my house.” “Sorry, I can’t do that right now. I need to even the score first. So, sit down and shut up. I need to speak with Michael.” It was at that moment that Sandy and Mike both noticed the gun in Chloe’s hand. “What do you want Chloe? We can talk but you need to let Sandy go first. She needs to go and check on the kids. Make sure that they don’t come down and interrupt our talk. Okay. Please Chloe, Matthew has seen and been through enough. Don’t you think?” Mike was walking up to Chloe talking calmly. “I don’t think so Mike. I know the kids aren’t here. You wanted alone time with her and besides it is too quiet in here for them to be here. Anyhow, Sandy needs to be here. She needs to understand that you can’t take something that doesn’t belong to you. You belonged to me and I am taking you back. Not because I want you but because I have to. Sandy always gets what she wants, and I am tired of it.” Chloe said. Sandy just laughed. “You have got to be kidding me. He belonged to me first and you took him from me, so I guess I’m just taking back what was rightfully mine in the first place. And as for me getting everything I want, sure whatever you say. You are one crazy bitch.” Sandy couldn’t comprehend what was going on, but she knew at that moment that she was not going to let Chloe hurt Mike. She still was in love with him. “Don’t speak to me. I don’t care what you have to say. You are going to pay Sandy I promise you. Chris and I are going to be so happy together. You can’t

keep any man for long, can you? You are so pathetic.” Chloe just started to laugh at her as she waved the gun around. “What the hell are you talking about Chloe – you and Chris? What delusional world are you living in now? You met him once, Chloe and he thinks you are as crazy as everyone else does. Chris would not have anything to do with the likes of you.” Sandy couldn’t wrap her head around what Chloe was saying. She and Chris as if. “It hurts doesn’t it, Sandy. You lost another man to me.” Chloe was enjoying humiliating Sandy. The look on Sandy’s face was priceless. “I think you are a crazy ass bitch and are so deluded from the real world that you can’t differentiate between reality and fiction. And if Chris wants you, and he doesn’t, have him I don’t want to be with him anyways.” Sandy was confident in her statement. She just needed to look over at Mike to know where her heart belonged. “I don’t need to have you hand him over to me Sandy, I already took him from you. He visited me in the hospital and wants to be with me not you. We are in love. I know it seems very quick but when something is right, it’s right.” Chloe was thinking back to Chris making love to her in the hospital room. Mike took that exact moment to run at Chloe. He almost made it too. The sound was deafening, and the smell of gunfire filled the room. Mike fell to the ground. Chloe looked down at the gun in her hand with bewilderment. “Oh my God Chloe. What have you done?” Sandy ran over to Mike and held her hands over the hole in his chest. “I didn’t shoot him. I didn’t shoot. I don’t know what happened. No Mike. I’m sorry.” Chloe kept repeating herself. Chloe ran over to where Mike lay. “I wasn’t going to shoot him. I don’t know

what happened. I didn’t do this Sandy. I really didn’t.” “Right and I am Mother Theresa. You are the only one in the room with a gun you stupid, stupid woman.” The tears that were swelling up in Sandy’s eyes spilled down her cheeks. “I didn’t do it Sandy. I love him. I only wanted to scare him. Make him realize that he loves me and that you are a mistake. I didn’t shoot him.” Chloe had herself believing that she wasn’t responsible. No one saw Christopher standing in the shadows with a smoking gun in his hand. Chris dropped the gun into the vase in the front entrance and ran into the living room. Chris looked at everyone in the room and turned to Chloe “What have you done Chloe?” Chloe reached out to Chris for . “I did what we planned. I took care of Mike like you said. Now we can be together.” “Chloe, give me the gun. Please before anyone else gets hurt.” Chris reached out and took the gun from Chloe’s hands. Now his fingerprints on the gun could be able to be explained. “I did it for us Chris just like we planned.” Chloe was reaching for him to help back up her story. “I don’t know what you are talking about Chloe. What plan?” Chris was a very good actor. “What are you doing Chris? You said that we would be together if I took care of Mike. Make Sandy live with the pain of losing him. It was your idea.” Chloe was grasping at straws. What was Chris doing? Why was he pretending not to know what was going on? “Chloe, why are you out of the hospital?” Chris asked.

Sandy was still sitting with her hands pressed to the wound in Mike’s chest. “When did she get out? Sandy! Come on you need to go and call for help.” “What are you doing Christopher? We can’t get him help or I’ll go to jail. You need to come with me. We need to leave now before anyone calls the cops. Please Christopher, don’t do this. You said we would be together.” Chloe started to cry. “Sandy, call for help now. It’s his only hope.” Sandy got up and grabbed her cell phone off the end table and dialled 911. She walked towards the window, turning her back to the mess in her living room. “What are you doing Chris? Why didn’t you back me up? I thought we were going to be together?” Chloe was grabbing at the front of Chris’ shirt. “Chloe, stop, Chloe no don’t. Let go of the gun. Please Chloe no one else needs to get hurt. Please Chloe don’t.” Chris grabbed Chloe’s hands and made it look like they were struggling for the gun when it went off suddenly and Chloe crumbled to the floor. Chris jumped back from Chloe and turned to Sandy. “I didn’t mean to. The gun just went off. We were struggling you saw. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t mean to hurt her.” Chris fell to his knees and wept into his hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.” Sandy was still on the phone with 911 but she walked over to where Mike and Chloe lay in puddles of blood and just looked at Christopher. “911. What is your emergency? Hello. Is anyone there? This is 911. Please answer. Do you need emergency help?” Sandy never said a word, she just dropped the phone and walked out of her house. Chris leaned over and hung up the cell phone. It will be a while before they can trace that call. He laughed at his luck. He got up and went after Sandy.

Chapter 41

C hris caught up to Sandy in her bedroom. She was going to lay down on her bed. She was obviously in shock. “Chris, Chloe shot Mike. Can you help him please? He is going to die if you don’t. Help will be here soon. I called 911. I just need to lie down now.” Sandy went to lay down on her bed and Chris sat on the edge of it taking her hand in his. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Chris said. “Why? It doesn’t matter, help will be here soon.” Sandy took her hand out of Chris’ and laid it across her chest. “I’m afraid not. You didn’t complete your call to 911. And we need to talk and work on a mutually beneficial deal. Are you following what I am saying to you Sandy? Because I really don’t have the time to go over it again.” Chris grabbed Sandy’s face and made her look at him. “I told you I don’t play games the first time I met you, but you didn’t listen, did you? I asked you if you wanted to work it out with your ex and you told me no. I didn’t care really, I just needed you, well your face really. I didn’t realize you would be so good in bed. That was a pleasant surprise. But I needed you as a means to an end. You see you resemble my dead wife so very much that I need you to help convince my father in law that you really are Cynthia with extensive plastic surgery done.” Chris had let go of Sandy’s face and was walking around the room as if he was giving a lecture on a surgical procedure instead of threatening to kill somebody. “Why would I lie for you? Did you kill your wife too?” She needed to know what type of person she was dealing with.

“No, I did not kill her. She fell off that cliff. I didn’t do it. But will anybody believe me. I don’t think so. I have made it seem like she just didn’t want to speak with her father. I couldn’t let him know what happened, he would have cut me off financially. I need her money. And when I get my hands on her trust fund, I will be able to move out of this shit hole neighbourhood and into a proper house. I need the proper respect and position in life. You are only as good as people value you as. I wanted to take you with me Sandy on this wonderful new journey. We could have made a great team and milked the old man for everything, but you wouldn’t play nice would you Sandy? You had to complicate things by getting involved with your ex. Well, now you will do as I ask, or you will not see your kids again. Simple as that. You scratch my back and I scratch yours. I would be able to give you a little compensation for helping me out if you would like. We can work out those details later.” Chris just talked like it was a simple business arrangement not people’s lives. “Chris I won’t help you.” Sandy said. “Then your kids will die. I don’t care either way. Little kids are really annoying.” Chris walked towards the bedroom door. “He won’t last much longer. But I could play the hero and bring him back and then just kill him again. Make him and the kids suffer more. I could do that if you really wanted me to.” Chris was heading out of the bedroom door when Sandy jumped off the bed and ran over to him. “Please help him. Don’t torture him. He is a good man. A good father. Please, if he is going to die anyways then let him go peacefully.” Sandy begged. “I didn’t really want to kill him, but you left me no choice. We could have been happy together for a little while, but you had to mess it up. It is your fault that they are both dead you know. If you hadn’t decided to get involved with him again. We could have just started a healthy happy relationship and they could have gone on being miserable. But it wasn’t enough for you. You wanted your old life back. And I can’t understand why. If it was that good, why did he leave you?” Chris was just being cruel. “Well Sandy what is it going to be? Phone call or visit? He is in the hospital

heavily sedated so the story would be more believable to him right now. I have all the details figured out and papers drawn up, they only need his signature. Which he will sign when his little girl explains her absence. Unfortunately, she will have an accident shortly after but I, the grieving husband will summon the courage to go on. Sounds good doesn’t it?” Chris was delusional enough to think this could work. “I’ll go along with your insane plan on one condition. Mike needs help. Get him help and I will do whatever you want.” Sandy told Christopher. “Sorry, no can do. Mike is going to die.” Chris said. “Why? You can save him.” Sandy was desperately trying to save the man she had loved for so long. “I know I could, but you misunderstood me. I could but I won’t. He needs to die. Now, I know you are going to ask me why and it is simple really. I don’t like him.” Chris was crazy. “Chris, if he dies how are you going to explain you shooting Chloe?” Sandy asked him “Simple actually. She was grabbing for the gun to shoot you and I grabbed her arm, we struggled, and the gun went off because I was protecting my girlfriend from a crazy person.” Chris had it all worked out. “Mike is going to die because I said so. As for Chloe she was too stupid to even figure that I was using her for my own benefit. After Mike died or dies whichever, Chloe became a liability to me. She could tell the world what I had planned and we both know that I couldn’t allow that. So, I got rid of one more crazy person. You know the world should thank me for that.” Chris was legit crazy. “Fine, whatever. Chris let’s go now. You win. I give up. I don’t want the kids hurt.” Sandy said. Janice and Jason would be back soon, and she didn’t want to be here when they got here. There has been enough bloodshed Sandy was thinking to herself.

“Are you trying to rush me out of here for some reason?” Chris stopped and smiled at Sandy and then just started to laugh and laugh. “I don’t think we need to worry about the cavalry coming to your rescue anytime soon. You see that nosy friend of yours and her boyfriend got exactly what they deserved. A man’s home is his castle you know, and I do have a right to protect myself against intruders.” Chris continued to laugh. She didn’t want to know what was so funny but the rock in the pit of my stomach told her that something bad had happened to Janice and Jason. The tears streamed down her cheeks quietly as she walked down the stairs behind him.

Chapter 42

J anice had managed to get her hands untied and was working on her ankle when the woman beside her groaned. Shannon looked at Janice through the slits where her eyes should be. “I thought you were a dream. I am so glad you are real. Can you help me? He is crazy.” Shannon said. That little bit of speech had split her lips open again and the blood trickled down her chin. “I was beautiful once. I know I look like a hideous monster now but that is ok. I just want to live. We need to get out of here. Can you get this chain off?” Janice grabbed the chain and noticed the lock, “I don’t have a key. I will call the police as soon as I find my phone and send help back to get you, but I need to get to my friend. She is in danger and I have already lost someone tonight and I can’t lose anyone else important to me. I don’t think I could survive it.” Janice looked over to where Jason lay motionless in a pool of blood. Tears stinging her eyes and blurring her vision. She should go and check for a pulse, but she knew in her heart that she wouldn’t find one and she didn’t think she could ever let him go if she held onto him again. Janice got her leg free and got up a little too quickly because the room swam in front of her eyes. Steading herself she spoke to Shannon. “I need to find my phone. Did you see where it slid when I fell?” “I don’t know. I didn’t see anything. Check under the bed.” But Janice didn’t need to look under the bed; she spotted her phone. Janice’s phone was sitting in the blood by Jason’s head. Hesitantly she walked over to get it, never taking her eyes off the man she loved. Lying there motionless and it was all her fault. Why had she involved him? If she hadn’t called him the other day

for help, he wouldn’t be dead now. Why did everything bad happen to her? Maybe Christopher was right. It was dangerous to love her because you would only end up dead. The tears that she had been holding back came like a flood gate opening. She bent down to pick up her phone. “Oh Jason, why did we wait so long to tell each other how we felt. We could have had years together and not just hours. I am so sorry I got you involved with all this.” She went to brush a stray piece of hair from Jason’s brow when the slightest whisper of breath escaped his lips. “Oh my God you’re alive. I need to get you help. Please don’t leave me. I love you.” Janice picked up her phone and called 911. “911 what is your emergency?” Janice gave the 911 operator the address and told her that an officer was hurt knowing that help would show up faster because one of their own was in need. “I need to go and help my friend now. Please hurry there is a woman chained to the bed upstairs and I can’t find the key.” Janice told the 911 operator that she needed to go and help her friends across the street. “Ma’am can you please just stay where you are. Help is on its way.” Janice just hung up the phone and headed downstairs looking like a scene from Carrie. She needed to get to Sandy’s and quick.

Chapter 43

S hannon heard the 911 call and felt the relief flow through her body. Help was on its way and she was going to be ok. Wait until Daddy finds out everything she knew about Cynthia and Amber. He will be so proud of her. She had finally done something right. “I don’t know if you can hear me or even if you are still alive, but I wanted to thank you and your friend for coming and looking for me. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I think no I know Christopher would have been back and killed me. Thank you. You don’t know me but if you did you would understand that I don’t say thank you ever, so I just want you to know I mean it. I really mean it and when we get out of here, I want to help you and your girlfriend. I don’t care if you need money. I will pay for your recuperation. I will do anything. I just can’t thank you enough.” Shannon was babbling on to Jason as if he could understand everything she was saying. “You know Christopher was married to my sister and they had a daughter, Amber. She has Downs but she is smart and very pretty, and she is special and it’s not because she looks different. But she has this confidence about herself. I mean you knew she was different somehow but after you got to know her a little bit you realized she was different not because of having Down’s Syndrome but because she just was different. It’s hard to explain but if she is still alive and I hope she is, when she grows up, she is going to be someone special, someone amazing. She didn’t like her father and I think that is why he killed them both. He says he didn’t, but he did. Cynthia was in love with him that idiot, she couldn’t see his faults. She would just give him money and forgive his infidelities. I think it was just so that she didn’t have to it that she picked the wrong man. She wouldn’t be quite so perfect in our father’s eyes.” Shannon knew that she was rambling, but she finally had someone to talk to and who had no choice but to listen to her and she was going to take advantage of it. Help was on the way and she was safe and if she kept talking then it would happen sooner.

Chapter 44

“I just called the hospital and they said that the old man is awake and stable.” Chris said as he hung up his cell phone. “So, I am thinking it is time to go. Are you ready? Do you everything I told you to say?” Chris asked Sandy. “Yes, I can we just go already?” Sandy just wanted to get out of this house. Too much blood and too many dead bodies carpeted the floor. “You don’t think you can go looking like that do you? My wife was an extremely beautiful woman with impeccable taste in clothes. She never left the house less than perfect and to make this believable to my father in law you need to at least clean yourself up. Let’s go and see what you have upstairs in your closet. I will choose your clothes and you take a shower.” Chris was acting like it was just any other day and they were getting ready to go on a date. Did he not see the carnage he has left on the living room floor? “Well come on. We don’t have all night. Now, let’s go.” Christopher was getting annoyed at Sandy’s slow pace and lack of enthusiasm. “Upstairs, now.” Sandy headed up the stairs and Christopher followed her to her bedroom. Chris walked over to Sandy’s closet and opened the door to start examining her wardrobe. “You know, I enjoyed being with you. We could have had a good time under different circumstances. You surprised me in bed and that is saying a lot, and for a woman of your age you are quite attractive.” Chris picked out an outfit for Sandy to wear, he walked over and laid it across the bed. “This outfit is nice but if you are going to be playing the role of my wife we will have to go shopping and get you better stuff.” Chris said.

Chris padded the bed beside where he was sitting. “Come here Sandy. I want to say goodbye to you the right way. I want you to me.” “No please Chris. I can’t, I won’t.” Sandy was horrified at the mere thought of his touch. Chris got up and grabbed Sandy by the wrist dragging her over to the bed. “Yes, you can, and you will. Now take off your clothes, nice and slowly I want to enjoy the view as you do a strip tease for me baby.” Sandy slowly started to remove her clothes. “Come on Sandy, show me your sexy side. You know the animal side. The side I saw this morning. Swing your hips and grab yourself. Make it dirty, daddy likes dirty.” Chris was getting so excited about the thought of a lap dance that he had forgotten everything that had happened today. “Christopher please, I can’t.” Sandy started to cry. “Don’t waste your time on crying, I want a dance and you are going to dance. Or maybe someone else will have a little accident. Say Jasmine. I don’t like her very much, too much like her father and well we both know how that ended.” Chris laughed as if it was the funniest thing in the world. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt my kids.” Sandy was scared. She knew what this man was capable of. “Well then my dear you know what I want. Do it.” Chris was getting more excited by her disobedience than he thought he would. Maybe he would be just a little bit rougher with her. He was sure that she would like it. With tears streaming down her face, Sandy started to dance for Christopher as sexy as she could. She envisioned Michael’s face and that was the only way she could go through with it.

When she had finally stripped off the last piece of clothing, she stood there in front of Christopher naked, vulnerable and emotionally empty. Chris grabbed Sandy’s wrist and roughly pulled her towards him. He made her go to her knees in front of him. “You know what I want, and you had better be as good as you were this morning.” Chris grabbed Sandy by her hair and pushed her head down into his lap. Sandy did as she was told to do, even if it was killing her inside to do so. She just wanted to bite down and cause him so much pain. When Chris finally came, he pulled Sandy up into his lap, “You are a very talented woman. I knew you were going to be special. Now it’s your turn.” Chris picked Sandy up and threw her onto the bed. He was as gentle with her now as he had been this morning. He didn’t need to be. Sandy just laid on her back and didn’t participate in the lovemaking at all and this was making Chris very angry. “What’s wrong with you now? You liked it this morning. You couldn’t get enough of it then. Come on you whore you know you like it. If I didn’t have to take you to see your father, I would show you a little bit about respect.” Shannon came to his mind suddenly and Christopher became so aroused. He slammed into Sandy harder and harder making her scream out in pain, not pleasure but Christopher didn’t hear it that way. “So, you like it harder. I knew you did. Playing all sweet and innocent. You just needed a real man to show you what a whore you wanted to be.” Chris came again and flopped down on top of Sandy pinning her to the bed. He began to stroke her hair and trace the tear stains down her cheeks. “Come on baby you know you liked it, you can tell me the truth.” Sandy tried to turn her head away from Chris, but he got angry and pulled it back. “Tell me how much you love me Sandy.” Chris leaned in to kiss Sandy on the mouth.

“I love you Christopher.” Sandy obeyed and said her line. “Do you mean it? Do you really love me Sandy?” Chris was acting all nice and sweet to her. Almost as if he forgot that he just raped her. “Yes, I mean it. I love you Christopher.” Sandy just played along with this crazy man. She didn’t know what else he was capable of. “Do you want to make love again?” Christopher was hard again. “No, please. I’m sore. It has been too much today. It was a long time since I have been with anyone and you have worn me out. I’m sorry. I promise next time I won’t be so bad.” Sandy couldn’t imagine ever having this man touch her again, but he was certifiably crazy. “I understand. Did you like when I talked dirty to you? Did it turn you on? And now that I know you like it rough; we can use toys next time.” Chris was acting like this was the most normal evening. There were dead people downstairs, he just raped her and is blackmailing her to do bad things to his father in law and he is acting like this is normal couple behaviour. He kissed her and got up off the bed. “Thank you, Sandy, that was so pleasurable. You are the most amazing woman. Now, please go and get into the shower. We have wasted enough time.” Sandy crawled off the bed and walked to the washroom door on shaky legs. She glanced over at Chris who was standing at the side of the bed finishing up getting dressed, he looked up and saw that she was looking at him so he smiled that smile that she had thought was so incredible only a short time ago and now it just made her nauseous. Sandy shut the door behind her but didn’t bother to lock it. You can’t keep the devil out once you have already let him in. Chris was the devil. Beautiful on the outside but rotten to the core of his being. Sandy climbed into the shower and turned it on as hot as she could and sat down

with the water burning her skin. She felt so dirty and no matter how long she stayed in there she knew that she would never be clean again. Chris walked into the washroom. “Sandy please don’t be so long in there and hot water is not good for the skin, it causes wrinkles. Cold water is better for your skin. Here. Let me.” Chris reached in and shut the hot water off, leaving the cold running only. But Sandy didn’t feel the cold anymore than she felt the hot. She felt nothing, an emptiness had filled her that left her emotionless. “Come on we have places to be and things to do.” Chris walked over to the vanity and started to fix his hair.

Chapter 45

J anice snuck into Sandy’s house the same way that Chris and Chloe had. Through the unlocked kitchen door. When Janice scanned the main floor, she spotted Mike laying on the floor in a pool of blood and Chloe slumped against the wall, obviously dead. She almost lost her composure but got a hold of herself and walked through the living room picking up the discarded gun from the floor. If ever she needed to get over her fear now was the time. Her friend needed her, and she wanted to kill the murderous son of a bitch. She wanted to be the one to send him back to the blackest pits of hell. Janice took a deep breath and started up the staircase to check for her friend. Time to even the score. “Sandy, can you please hurry up. We really need to get to the hospital. Who knows how long the old man has left? He needs to see you before he dies. Or everything I have done has been for nothing. I want to get out of this place very shortly. Are you sure you won’t change your mind and let me give those kids of yours away, boarding school whatever and you and I can travel the world? Money will never be a problem again. Well not after you go and see your father that is.” Chris had his back to the bedroom door, and he didn’t see Janice walk through it. “I think Sandy has come to her senses and realized that you are a low life, a dirt bag and leave nothing but a path of destruction wherever you go.” Janice held the gun up pointing it between Chris’ eyes. “Well, well, well. What have we here? So, you managed to escape, good for you. But not soon enough I’m afraid. You were not able to stop Chloe from killing Mike and then herself. Murder – Suicide, you know. Jealousy is an awful thing.” Chris began to walk towards Janice oblivious of the gun pointed at him.

“Stop right there. You take one more step and I will put a bullet between your eyes. I have nothing else to lose.” Janice was hoping that Chris didn’t see her hand shaking as she held the gun in front of her. “Where is Sandy? And the kids?” Janice asked Christopher. “I am right here behind you Janice, so please don’t turn around. Don’t take your eyes off that bastard. Please shoot him. He killed Mike and Chloe and has threatened the kids. He raped me, Janice and now he wants me to go and tell his father in law that I am really Cynthia so that he can get his hands on her money.” Sandy explained everything that she knew. Janice never turned around to see Sandy but spoke to her. “He has that woman chained up in a bedroom, beaten to a pulp, I didn’t even know if she was alive or not when I first saw her, and he stabbed Jason.” Janice’s hand quivered more when she spoke Jason’s name. “And he itted to my mother’s murder, his parent deaths, Cynthia’s and his daughter’s. He is one sick son of a bitch.” “I did not kill Cynthia, she fell. I don’t know how many more times I need to say that. And as for Amber I don’t even know where she is. You see Cynthia hid her from me the day that she fell to her death and I haven’t seen her since. So, I am assuming that she is still alive.” So, he may not have killed his wife or daughter, but he is responsible for all the rest. “I’ve called the police Sandy and they are on the way but what do you want me to do about him? Jail or dead. I can make it look like self-defence.” Janice never took her eyes off Chris when she asked Sandy. “He raped me. He murdered Mike and he threatened to kill my kids. He is evil and doesn’t deserve to live.” Sandy walked up to Janice “But, if we kill him then we are no better than he is. Let’s wait for the police. Let him go to jail and be somebody’s bitch. See how he

likes it.” Sandy laid her hand on Janice’s shoulder. Janice was proud of Sandy and her reserve, but she just wasn’t that good a person herself. This sadistic, selfish, son of a bitch was wrong in the head and didn’t deserve a day in court. With his luck he would get off with a plea of temporary insanity because of his wife’s accident and daughters’ disappearance. Janice couldn’t, no she wouldn’t take that chance. He had to be held able for his actions for a change. Janice shot him in the leg and watched him go down. Chris screamed and tried to grab at Janice to reach the gun and pull it from her hands. But Janice shot him again in the arm. Christopher screamed out in pain again. He lay on the floor writhing in pain. “You bitch. What the fuck is wrong with you? Why did you shoot me?” Chris screamed at her as he laid on the bedroom floor for a moment and then struggled to get into a seated position. Dragging himself to rest his back on the bed frame. “You are a fucking bitch and I am glad I killed your mother I just wish I could have given her the fuck of her life before she died. I was tempted to go back and do that after she was dead – curiosity on if it feels differently with a corpse. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” Christopher laughed at his own little joke. “But, people, busy body, nosy people have to get in the way all the time. If that guy hadn’t come out to see what all the noise was about, I promise you she and I would have had a little fun. People really need to stay out of other people’s business, well except for me. Everything is my business, you know. No one helped me when I was a kid. I could have used some help.” Chris was going into shock, he had to be. “Oh, you were abused as a child. Poor little rich kid. What Mommy and Daddy wouldn’t give you a pony for your birthday? My heart bleeds for you.” Janice was not falling for the poor me routine. “No that would be your boyfriend’s heart that’s bleeding.” Chris laughed. “My parents didn’t want me, they just had me. My parents were pieces of work.

I am going to tell you my story while we wait for the police. It is cheaper to tell you than a shrink. I could afford one but why waste good money on stupidity like that. Now, let me tell you about my mother. She was well respected in the community, charitable to a fault by all peoples’ standards but mean as a snake with her own son. Her own flesh and blood, she hated. My mother never wanted children, but she felt pressured by society to have one. She resented me from the day I was conceived. She drank and smoked while pregnant and then after I was born, she just disappeared. I saw her maybe three times a year and I’m sure it was only by accident. I was raised by hired staff that didn’t give a shit about my happiness either. My father was a drinker and he just drank more to help him forget or ignore what was going on right under his nose. He was a violent man and a nasty drunk. I stopped going to him for comfort by the time I was four years old. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. By the time I was thirteen years old I had grown into a very fine piece of male real estate. Tall, attractive, muscular without vulgarity and well Sandy can tell you I’m well endowed. My nickname was horse for a reason. By fifteen years old I was entertaining mother’s society friends. Now you may be thinking that all those women at a horny teenage boy’s disposal would be a good thing, but I can tell you that they weren’t all nice women. But never more than I could handle. And some were very appreciative of a handsome young man’s attention and they were very generous with the gifts. I didn’t need anything. I was rich in my own right, but it made me feel special.” A shadow had come over Christopher’s face and he looked more like a little wounded boy than the monster we knew him to be. “Anyway, this lawyer friend of my mother’s was in for servicing you could say, and I hadn’t heard the door of the pool house open, but my father had arrived home. He wasn’t drunk for the first time ever, and he heard us, when he found me with one of their friends he lost his mind and for the first time in my life my father hit me. He beat me so badly I ended up in the hospital. I was in intensive care for a week. He did a great deal of damage and it was touch and go for the first couple of days. They told the hospital that someone had broken into the pool house and found me sleeping and was trying to rob the place, but I woke up apparently and tried to be a hero and the thief beat me to a pulp. They of course wanted to keep it very hush hush because they didn’t want any type of retaliation from the thief. The hospital istration agreed that the misfortunate accident shouldn’t be recorded in the books because they didn’t want to cause a panic in the community because you see the thief was never caught. So, it was swept

under the carpet and I survived and when I got out, they sent me away. To schools abroad and trips. We were never in the same place together at the same time ever again. So, whenever I got into trouble and it was often, they would simply bail me out and keep their mouths shut because they knew all I had to do was start talking and their perfect life would be in shambles. It would cause a great embarrassment if I ever was truthful about what had happened at home. Not just for them but for many of their close personal friends too.” Christopher laughed a humourless laugh. It was the coldest thing either woman had ever heard in their lives. “Well, I guess you could say that you had a shitty upbringing. That’s if I believe you and I find it very hard to because of all the lies you have told already. For all I know that could have been a scene in a movie you saw or a chapter in a book you read. You don’t have proof and it wouldn’t matter anyways many kids have experienced worse than that. And do they become monsters? Not all, some but not all and you could have gotten therapy, you had all the money and all the resources in the world chose not to, instead you become a mass murderer.” Janice was going to say more but the lights of the cruiser outside the bedroom window caught her attention and for just a second she looked away from Chris but that was all it took. Chris jumped up with all his remaining strength lunged at Janice knocking her over and the gun went flying out of her hand and slid into the open doorway. Fighting to get him off, Janice tried to turn and claw his eyes and knee him in the groin. The sound of the gunshot blasted through the air and blood splashed on Janice’s face. Chris’ body fell limp on top of her, signalling the end of his struggle. Janice looked over towards the doorway and saw Sandy holding the smoking gun. “Sandy, put the gun down please.” Janice told Sandy. Janice could see that her friend was in shock and she didn’t want her to do anything stupid. Janice pushed Chris’ body off her and scrambled over to her friend. “Sandy, can I have the gun please. It’s going to be alright. I promise.” Janice took the gun from Sandy’s hand and laid it on the floor. She turned Sandy

towards the staircase. “Come on honey we need to get you out of here. Let’s go.” Janice put her arm around Sandy’s shoulders and had made it to the top of the staircase just as the young officer arrived at the scene with his gun drawn and pointed at the two women. “Where’s the gun ma’am.” What the hell was with being called ma’am today? Janice thought to herself. Janice pointed to the bedroom floor and kept walking Sandy downstairs.

Chapter 46

I woke up the next day in the hospital, sore and in shock. My body felt like it had been run over by a transport truck and my heart felt heavy. I was hoping that everything that had happened was a bad dream. And I would wake up and be able to shake off all the horrible visions that kept playing over and over in my mind. Had it really happened? Yes. All the horrible details of that night were etched into my mind forever. All the pain and death. The losses that we are going to have to deal with are massive. I just couldn’t hold back the tears and I cried for a long time that morning in my hospital room. After the details were leaked to the press some of Christopher’s parent’s society friends did come forward and itted to being involved with Chris when he was a minor. Who knows what or if anything will become of it? It doesn’t matter anyways it still didn’t allow Christopher the right to do all the bad stuff that he did, but it does explain a little about what formed his character. The police were also able to find the guys responsible for the home invasion. They were in prison for some other crime and they confirmed that Christopher had hired them to burglarize his parents’ home. Christopher had given them a list of what he wanted them to take for him and then they could take whatever else they could carry. But during the break in his parents came home unexpectedly, things escalated, and they hadn’t planned on killing them, but bad things go wrong sometimes. It turns out that they were drug addicts and needed the money for a fix. With mandatory prison drug rehab, they felt it was time to come clean. It may have had to do with the step program they were involved in or it may have helped that all the daytime talk shows were paying top dollar for their stories. I found out that Chris was a bad guy, but also a victim. As much as I hated him, I’ve tried to understand how he had turned out the way he did. He was a tortured,

neglected, abused child and grew into an adult that never knew how to love or how to accept love. It just confirms that all the money in the world couldn’t buy you happiness. Janice’s mom was awarded a medal. Not sure what kind but it had to do with honour. It made Janice so proud and it validated her mother’s memory to her. She told me that she wished that her father had lived long enough to have seen it, but life doesn’t always work out the way we want. Janice thought her mom was a hero and that would never change for as long as she lived. Janice was never charged with any crime with regards to what happened that night. It was a justified shooting or self – defence. I can’t which it was now. I was never charged with anything for killing Christopher. It was self defence. I thought Janice would go back to the police force after surviving this nightmare. But she never did. She went back to work at her old job in the hotel events department with me. Jason made it. He was in intensive care for a long time. Christopher caused a lot of damage and it was touch and go for a while, but he survived. He is retired from the police force and has started his own security firm, thanks to a generous donation by Mr. St. Clair for saving Shannon’s life. In time, I predict that Janice will be working with Jason at his security firm. Jason asked Janice to marry him, but she settled for living together for now. Family issues she says. Chloe didn’t make it. Which is probably a good thing because she was messed up before all the misery that night. She would have had to be institutionalised for the rest of her life if she had made it, in my opinion anyhow. And I would have spent the rest of my life looking over my shoulder afraid that Chloe would be there for some twisted revenge. Shannon survived much to the surprise of every person that saw her that night. She looked horrible. I was told that most of the medical personnel that saw her

the night she was brought in were physically sickened by the massive damage that was done to her body. It would be an understatement to say that there were many days that Shannon wished she hadn’t made it. The pain would have been excruciating. She needed extensive plastic surgery to help reset her nose, cheekbones and even her eye sockets had been broken. The bones in her arm had to be re-broken to be set properly. And thanks to her father she is under a psychiatrist’s care for all the psychological damage that she endured while held captive and from her childhood. Who knows how long that will take to mend her, if ever? Hopefully, they will be able to work on some of their other family issues as well. The last time I saw Shannon, she and her father looked like they were making an effort at getting closer and you could see he obviously loved her. I hope she finally finds the happiness she was looking for. Maybe something good could come out of the misery. Charles Montgomery St. Clair made it through a triple by surgery and is on the mend. He sent his people down to Rio to find his daughter and granddaughter, which he did find his granddaughter Amber. She was living with a family there. She was happy with her foster family. They treated her like one of their own. But she was ready to come home. Amber told her grandfather everything that had happened to her just before her mother disappeared. Amber said her mommy was afraid of her dad and she ed the fight that her parents had the morning that she left to go and live with the Ricardo family. Amber told her grandfather that her father had hit her mom that morning and told her that he was going to finish it someday. Then mommy had screamed some bad stuff back at him and then the door slammed and all Amber ed was hearing her mom crying. Then her mommy came and packed some clothes for her and told her that she was going to go away for a day or two, that Amber needed to stay with the Ricardo’s. And while she was away Amber needed to be a good girl. The assumption was that Cynthia left Amber to meet up with Christopher and she anticipated that it may take longer, she did know his temper. But the most important person to her needed to be safe. We may never know what happened to Cynthia in Rio, only that it cost her, her life in the end. Cynthia’s body never was found. So, the question will go unanswered if she fell or was pushed. I don’t believe Christopher pushed her. I believe that part of his story. Why would he lie about it if he confessed to everything else? But I’ve kept my opinions to myself. Who was going to listen

to me? And what difference did it make in the end? The Ricardo family was so good to Amber. So good in fact that her grandfather thanked them by setting them up with a small business and a new home to make their life easier. Money can say thank you very well. Mike died. And so, did a part of my heart. I wished things had worked out differently. It broke everyone’s heart to say goodbye to such an amazing person. But he will never be forgotten. He will always be in the hearts of the kids. I will never love anyone else as much as I did Mike Hamilton. He was my soulmate. That was the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say. All three kids are living with me now. Matthew calls me Mom just like the girls do. No more Mama Sandy and I it I miss it a little bit. Matthew looks so much like his father that my breath catches sometimes when I look at him and my heart breaks all over again. But he is the sweetest little guy in the world. I am trying to move on with my life and regain my optimistic outlook again, but it is so hard. I know that the sun always comes up in the morning. And it makes the greyest days brighter. That was the philosophy that I’m trying to live my life by. Maybe I need to tell my heart that it needs to find a rainbow or a magic unicorn. Afterall it is a fairy tale. Maybe someday. I warned you in the beginning that this was not going to be a happily ever after story. This Cinderella didn’t get her handsome prince in the end or her castle. She didn’t find the other glass slipper, but she did get to keep her life and that’s more than some of the characters in her storybook got. to love those close to you and always find a reason to smile, because you never know what misery life is going to throw your way.