Chapter 26: Chapter 26

CHELSEA

I’m at my computer, typing away.

~His hands, large and firm, yet gentle and soft. His chest, a pair of towering peaks above a valley of abs.~

~Muscles rolling like hills, a belly button nestled tight. A trail of hair leading down to the V of his groin. My heart flutters at the sight of his cock.~

~I take it in both hands, feeling his pulse as it fills with blood, growing larger. I grip it as it swells in my hand. I open my mouth…~

“Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me!” I yell.

“Sorry, baby,” Christopher murmurs.

He’s standing behind me, his right hand cupping my breast while his other hand ventures between my legs, touching my pussy. He kisses my neck and I let out a soft moan.

“I can feel your heart beating,” he whispers.

His fingers slide between my folds as I start to get wet. One finger slips inside, then two. He begins to finger me slowly, all while continuing to kiss my neck.

“Why didn’t…you come…back this afternoon?” I manage to ask between breaths.

“Had something to take care of, but I’m here now,” he replies, giving my right breast a squeeze.

My pussy is on fire. “I want to go swimming. Let’s go swimming,” I suggest.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he counters.

“Why not?” I ask, moving towards the bay window. “It’s gorgeous outside, and I haven’t been swimming since I got here.”

I head to my room and open a drawer, pulling out a bikini. He follows me in and watches as I put it on.

“Why don’t we stay in?” he suggests.

“No, I want to go swimming!”

He comes up behind me and unties my top, letting it fall to the floor. “Then go naked.”

“No, Detrick is out there mowing,” I protest, tying my top back on.

I can see the frustration on his face as I grab a towel and some sunscreen. I head out the back door towards the pond.

I drop my towel on the ground and make my way to the small floating deck. I glance back and see him slowly following. I throw my arms up and dive into the water.

“This feels amazing. You should come in, the water’s perfect,” I call out to him.

He takes a seat next to my towel, wrapping his arms around his knees.

“Come on!” I urge, splashing him with water.

“I don’t like swimming anymore,” he admits.

“What do you mean? You told me you used to swim here all the time,” I remind him, treading water in the middle of the pond.

“I almost drowned when I was a kid. That was the last time I was in the pond,” he confesses.

“Okay, then, why don’t you come sit on the deck and dip your feet in the water?”

“Because I don’t want to!” he snaps.

I raise my hands in a gesture of surrender, signaling him to stop yelling at me.

I continue to swim back and forth, watching Christopher as he sits there, a look of fear on his face. He looks like he’s expecting something bad to happen.

Feeling a bit tired, I get out and walk to my towel. He remains seated, watching my every move.

I spread out my towel and sit next to him. I start applying sunscreen to my legs, then my stomach, and finally the tops of my breasts and both arms.

I lie on my stomach and untie the bottom string of my bikini. I hold up the bottle. “Can you put some on my back?” I ask.

He huffs, stands up, and walks away.

“What the hell, Christopher?” I call after him as he disappears into the woods. “Fuck him,” I mutter, rolling onto my back. I close my eyes and bask in the sun.

LYNN

Dan strolls into the bookstore, a smile on his face. He sits next to me on the couch and leans in for a kiss.

“Detective! Does this mean we’re dating now?”

“I’m sorry. I thought we were,” he replies.

“We’re working on a case together,” I tease, waggling my eyebrows.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he says, raising his hands in surrender. “Didn’t I tell you? Once we have sex, we’re dating and working a case.”

I can’t help but laugh. I pull him in for a kiss. “What did you find?”

“Well, Fesser Publishing had nothing to do with the Stallworth murders,” he reveals.

“You said murders. The articles said murder-suicide.”

“That’s what the police at the time wanted to call it without investigating. They were murdered, and we need to find out why.

“There’s a piece somewhere that explains everything. I personally think the Stallworths had some kind of dirt on somebody at the house. Hell, it might have been Dorothy or someone else.”

“Okay, then, why did the kids sell to Fesser?” I ask.

“Stallworth Publishing was worth millions, but the kids didn’t know that. They lived the simple life. They didn’t know their parents were rich.

“When the parents died, other companies wanted to help the kids with the business. But somebody got to them first. Made the kids think it was no good and made them sell the company.

“Robert Fesser knew nothing about the Stallworths and their net worth. Offered them fifty thousand dollars, and they took it.”

“Who made them sell?” I ask.

“Some guy in his twenties. He had bushy eyebrows with a slender face. He also had eyes the color of coal,” he says.

“What did you just say?”

“Bushy eyebrows and eyes the color of coal. Why?”

I bolt upright and dash to the counter, snatching up the newspaper clippings. I plop back down, spreading out the articles about Dorothy and the groundskeeper. I pick up the magnifying glass and hover it over the photo.

“Holy shit. That’s Detrick!” I exclaim.

“How do you know his name?”

“Because he’s Chelsea’s groundskeeper now.”

“You’re shitting me?” he asks.

I shake my head, just as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out.

“It’s the hospital. Hello. Yes, Mrs. Wynn. Okay, we’re on our way.”

Dan looks at me, questioning.

“That was Brian’s mom. He’s awake. She tried to call Chelsea, but no answer.”

I dial Chelsea’s number, but it goes straight to voicemail. I end the call, knowing leaving a message would be useless.

“She’s got her damn phone off again,” I grumble.

“Come on, we’re going to the hospital,” Dan says.

***

We arrive at the hospital and head straight to Brian’s ICU room. Brian’s mom is sitting next to him, clutching his hand, when she spots me.

He doesn’t smile at me. I embrace his mother, and she returns the hug tightly.

“Where’s Chelsea?” she asks.

“I don’t know. Her phone is off,” I say. I look at Brian and take his hand. “Listen, whatever happened is in the past.” He nods. “I’m not mad at you anymore.”

“Hey, buddy, I’m Detective Adams. Can I ask you a few questions?” Brian nods. “What can you remember before the accident?”

“I went to see Chelsea. I followed Lynn over there and waited for her to leave. When she did, that’s when I decided to go talk to her.

“I wanted to tell her everything about that day. It didn’t feel right, but she was distant like she wanted nothing to do with me at all.

“It felt awful. I would never cheat on her. She was my one and only,” Brian says, tears welling up in his eyes.

I squeeze his hand as he tries to regain his composure.

“When you said you wanted to tell her everything? What did you mean?” Dan asks.

“That day she caught me having sex, that wasn’t me. I mean, yes, my body was, but in my head, something took over. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop. When I saw Chelsea, I freaked out,” Brian admits.

“Who’s Bunny to you?” I ask.

“Just a girl I buy coffee and donuts from, nothing more. I don’t even remember how or what I said to get her in our bed,” he says, more tears spilling over.

His mother wipes the tears away. “They said I tried to commit suicide? Are you freaking kidding me?

“Lynn, you know me. I love my life and love Chelsea even more. I would never think of trying to kill myself. Something went wrong with the car.”

“Tell me about your car?” Dan asks.

“It was weird. As soon as I turned right on 22, my car accelerated to top speed and was heading for the tree.

“I tried to stop the car, but the brakes wouldn’t work. So I tried to turn the wheel, but the car wouldn’t turn. Then I braced myself before impact. Next thing I know, I wake up in here.”

Dan looks at me and nods. “Thank you, Brian. Mrs. Wynn,” Dan says, shaking her hand.

“Bye, Mom,” I say, giving her another hug.

We’re just stepping out of the ICU when I hear his mother call for us.

“Lynn, wait,” she says, meeting us in front of the nurses’ desk.

“That’s a homicide badge. The last time I checked, it meant you investigate murders. My son’s not dead. What’s going on?” she asks, pointing at Dan.

“Mom, it’s a long story, and we think Chelsea’s in danger.”

“From who?”

“The house. That’s all I can say for now. When we figure it out, I promise—look at me,” I say, holding her hand and making her look at me, “I promise to tell you everything.”

She nods as I let her go. We walk back to the parking lot and get in his cruiser, looking at each other.

“We know there’s a connection between the house and that tree. If Dorothy lived there, I’m going to assume she has nothing to do with any of this from the past. Just like Chelsea is at the moment,” Dan says.

“I don’t think Chelsea even knows what’s going on around her,” I say.

Dan’s phone rings in his pocket. He pulls it out.

“Detective Adams,” he says, glancing at me. “Amanda, how are you doing? Sure, I can be there as soon as I can.” He hangs up.

“Who was that?”

“Amanda Fesser. Something strange just showed up at her office.”