by Cindy Bell
“Hi Lucy.” Jacqueline smiled at her as she ran through the door.
“Can’t talk now, Mom, I’m in a rush.”
“Okay, is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, I just…I need a minute.”
“Okay, I’ll check on the macarons in the back.”
Once she was gone Lucy looked for a hiding place. She didn’t want anyone else to know where the phone was just in case Alice came looking for it. The only place she could think of was the statue. She’d caused a crack in it when she struck the stomach with her head. There was enough of a gap to get the phone inside. She heard it fall through the hollow space and land in a foot. Certain that no one would look for it there she rushed back out the door.
“Bye Mom!”
“Lucy? Bye! Call me if you need anything, sweetie.”
“Thanks!”
Lucy returned to the gym just in time to pick up Greg. Once again she placed a call to Annaliese and once again she didn’t pick up the phone. She and Greg shared lunch, and then a movie. The entire time her thoughts spun with what to do about the phone. The pictures still didn’t prove anything, but they did imply that Derek knew something about Sharon, something she didn’t want him to know. Why would Alice have Derek’s phone?
As Lucy and Greg returned to the house she noticed that her sister’s car was in the driveway. She opened the door and found Chantelle on the couch in the living room.
“Chantelle, what are you doing back so early?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She shook her head.
“Oh sweetie.” She sat down beside her as Greg went to his room. “What happened?”
“It’s more like what didn’t happen. I never should have let myself believe that he was going to propose. It was silly of me.”
“It’s not silly. I thought he would, too. Did you two fight?”
“I guess I was dropping hints, and he said that it just wasn’t something he wanted to do.”
“Chantelle, there’s something you should know about Noah’s past.”
“What?” Her eyes widened.
“He’s been arrested.”
“Oh, I know.” She waved her hand. “He was just a kid.”
“You knew about it?”
“Sure. Noah doesn’t keep secrets from me. He told me about it when we were first dating.”
“And it didn’t bother you?”
“He was arrested for assault because he defended a woman that was being attacked by her boyfriend. The woman denied it, the boyfriend pressed charges, and Noah ended up in handcuffs. I’m not going to hold that against him.”
“Oh.”
“Lucy, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed. I’m sorry the weekend wasn’t what you hoped for.”
“Thanks. I know I should just be happy I have a man as wonderful as Noah, but I guess it still hurt my feelings.”
“Where is he now?”
“He went to the gym.” She rolled her eyes. “It seems like that’s all he ever does lately. Like I said, he’s acting strange.”
“Try not to worry.”
“I’m trying.” She forced a smile. “Thanks for listening, Lucy, I know you have a lot on your plate.”
“I’m always here, Chantelle. No matter what.” She hugged her.
“I’m just going to spend some time with Greg and hopefully when Noah gets home we can work all of this out.”
“All right, I’ll leave you two alone. See you in the morning?”
“Bright and early.” Chantelle nodded.
Chapter 16
When Lucy left her sister’s house she drove straight towards the patisserie. She didn’t want to wait any longer. Annaliese wasn’t calling her back, so she’d just take the cell phone straight to the police station.
She stepped inside the patisserie and closed the door behind her. As she began to walk towards the counter, an intense weight coursed through her body. It made her feel as if she couldn’t take another step. A quick fear accompanied the sensation that caused her heart to pound. Tendrils of shadows seemed to reach out for her from all corners. All she needed was the evidence to turn over to the police, but she experienced a deep sense of trepidation. She stood in silence as several seconds slid by. Then she heard a slight scuff against the floor. Her heart skipped. She wasn’t alone. There was someone else in the darkness with her, hiding. As her stomach twisted she took a step back towards the door.
“I’m calling the police!” Lucy reached for her phone. Behind the counter someone scrambled towards the back room. Frozen by fear she tried to convince herself to chase after the person, but she couldn’t move a step. Just when she was sure whoever it was would flee out through the back door, she heard footsteps returning. The back door was dead bolted. It took a key to open it. She’d forgotten about that. Which meant that the intruder was trapped in the patisserie with her. As fear swirled through her she rushed back towards the front door. Just as she grabbed the knob the person was on top of her. A hand closed over her mouth as a strong arm wrapped around her arms and pinned them to her waist. She squirmed in the person’s grip, but it was like fighting against a vice. The more she moved the more the grip tightened.
“Where is the phone?”
Her mind screamed with panic which distorted the voice that breathed in her ear. She fought to be free again, but there was no way to get free of the person that held her. “Tell me now, or you’re going to pay a very high price.” The hand around her mouth pulled away enough that she could speak.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have anything. Please let me go. There’s nothing of value here.” The hand clamped back over her mouth, tighter, and fingers also pinched her nose shut.
“Wrong answer. I gave you a chance, now I’m going to have to find it myself.”
As she was deprived of oxygen her mind swam with thoughts of who her attacker might be. When darkness washed over her, she still had no idea who eased her to the floor.
A distant scream startled her. She forced her eyes open and saw a ceiling above her. But her bed was not beneath her back. Something hard and cold was. Her body was stiff as she tried to move it.
“Lucy! Oh no, Lucy!” Chantelle’s familiar presence filled her senses as she leaned over her.
“What happened?” She blinked and took a deep breath. “Chantelle, it’s not safe, someone’s here with us.”
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” She crouched down beside her sister. “An ambulance is on its way, and the police.”
“An ambulance? For what?” Lucy sat up all the way and saw Noah walk through the door of the patisserie. “Noah, why is Noah here?”
“He drove me to work this morning.”
“This morning? I’ve been out all night?”
“Lucy, are you okay? Chantelle, what happened here?” Noah looked around the patisserie. Only then did Lucy notice that everything in the patisserie was strewn about. Her mother’s new statue was torn to pieces on the floor. Whoever attacked her had the phone.
“Lucy, who did this to you? Do you know who hurt you?” Chantelle gazed into her sister’s eyes.
“I don’t.” Her voice shook. She suspected it was Alice because she had the phone. Or maybe it was Sharon because the last photos on the phone were of her. But she still had no proof. If she accused someone again and it didn’t lead to anything she could get into real trouble. “I’m so confused.” Lucy grimaced and rubbed her hand across her forehead. “Someone was here last night when I stopped in.”
“Who?” Annaliese walked through the door with her brother at her side. “Can you describe who did this to you?”
Lucy flushed the moment she saw Jack. She looked away and bit into her bottom lip. She was so confused that she was ready to burst into tears.
“I don’t know. I didn’t see who it was.”
“What about a voice?” Annaliese touched her arm and waited for her to meet her eyes. �
�Did the person say anything to you?”
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “But I couldn’t really hear the voice.”
“Was it a man?” Jack stepped forward.
“Jack.” Annaliese looked in his direction.
“Sorry.” He took a slight step back to where Chantelle and Noah stood.
“I don’t know, I just don’t know. I was so scared, I just wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Do you know what they were looking for? It sure seems they were searching for something.”
Lucy held her breath. Could she tell Annaliese that she’d stolen a phone from Alice’s locker that was now missing? That only made her look worse.
“I don’t know.” She whispered.
“I got the test results from that glass you turned in. It was the same protein powder that was found in the large jar. But there’s something I need to tell you about it. The jar was from Derek’s house?”
“Yes, but he didn’t drink that stuff. Someone else must have put it there.”
“Well, whoever it was is taking illegal drugs.”
“What?” Her chest tightened. She looked over at Noah, then back at Annaliese. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, both the powder in the jar and on the glass tested positive for street steroids. So who does the glass belong to?”
Lucy held her breath again.
“Lucy, she asked you a question.” Chantelle patted her arm.
“No, I don’t know.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Where did you get the glass, Lucy? If we find that person we might just find Derek’s killer.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. Noah? Was he the one who came in the night before and knocked her out? Was he the one who killed Derek? It was impossible. Alice had the phone, so why would Noah come looking for it? Were they in it together?
“I can’t remember. I can’t remember right now.”
“Okay, maybe after you’ve calmed down some. But I need to know as soon as possible.”
“I understand.”
As the paramedics evaluated her, Lucy couldn’t help but stare at Noah. He had no idea she took his glass. But he would if she told the police and they arrested him. That was an accusation she could never take back. Once she was cleared, Chantelle hugged her again.
“I’m going to take you home.”
“I’ll come with.” Noah nodded.
“No.” Lucy met his eyes. “No thanks. I’d rather just be with my sister.”
“Okay.” He frowned. “I’ll clean up here then. Jacqueline is on her way.”
“Thanks, honey.” Chantelle kissed him. Lucy’s stomach flipped. She forced herself to look away.
Chapter 17
Once Lucy was in her sister’s car, Chantelle started to drive towards her house.
“No.”
“No?” Chantelle looked over at her.
“I need to go to Sharon’s house.”
“Sharon’s house, why?”
“Because I need to know once and for all who did this.” Even though Lucy had found the cell phone in Alice’s locker the last pictures taken were of Sharon. Even if she wasn’t the murderer she felt that Sharon must know more about Derek’s death than she had admitted.
“You do know more than you’re telling the police don’t you?”
“Yes. But I can’t tell you yet. You’re the only person I trust, Chantelle. I need you to drive me to Sharon’s house.”
“Okay, let’s go.” Chantelle drove in the direction of Sharon’s house. Lucy had visited it a few times with Derek for get-togethers.
“Park a few houses away.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to go talk to her. I want to take her by surprise.”
“Lucy, you can’t.”
“I am. She is more likely to talk to me if I am alone, so I need you to stay here Chantelle please. Promise me?”
“I promise, but Lucy, this is a bad idea.”
“I’ll be okay. I need to trust my instincts.” She smiled at her sister then slipped out of the car.
As she approached the house she noticed that Sharon’s car was in the driveway along with Lance’s. The side window on the house was wide open. She crept up to it and listened to the conversation.
“I don’t care what you say, Sharon, there’s no excuse for it. I just don’t understand how you could do this.”
“You know it had to happen. He threatened my career.”
“So you killed him? I can’t believe you would do this! Why wouldn’t you just change careers? It’s not as if he was lying.”
“No, he wasn’t lying, but that doesn’t matter. I needed to get rid of the two people who knew the truth about my success, and that was Derek as well as you, Lance.”
“I told you, I will never tell the truth about how you won the competition last year or any year. Your secret is safe with me.”
“That’s what I expect. But I can tell you this, Lance, he never should have turned me down. If he had just recognized what we had between us then there wouldn’t have been an issue.”
“Sharon, he was in love with Lucy and you know it.”
“But he broke up with her, and you know it.”
“Because she wasn’t in love with him. If you two weren’t together then why did he have your necklace?”
“I realized I was wearing it when I was about to train so he offered to keep it in his locker for me.”
“Why did you want Derek? Why couldn’t I be good enough? I love you, Sharon.”
“You don’t have a clue what real love is.”
“I’m here aren’t I? But now that I know the truth, I could never be with you. You killed an innocent man.”
Lucy peeked through the window as the two stood in close proximity to each other. Sharon was the one who murdered Derek?
“I’m sorry for this, Lance, but I can’t risk you telling the truth.”
“Sharon, you can’t kill me.”
“You think I can’t?” She laughed. “Derek was much tougher than you could ever be. I cared about Derek and I had no problem killing him for the sake of my career.”
“The only reason you were able to kill Derek is because he trusted you. I don’t know how you killed him so easily, but you must have taken him by surprise.”
“Why? Because I’m a woman? That’s rich, Lance. I can bench more than you could ever dream.”
“Listen to yourself. You’re a murderer, Sharon. You killed a good man all because you couldn’t take his rejection.”
“It had nothing to do with that. Yes, I was disappointed that he couldn’t see that we were meant to be together. But then he threatened my career. He was going to turn me in for mixing enhancers in my protein powder. I would have been ruined. I couldn’t let him take everything from me, could I?”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have cheated in the first place. If you weren’t so busy doping…”
“Oh please! You have no idea how difficult it is to be a woman and a weightlifter. So I use a little something to enhance my natural strength, so do a lot of other people. If Derek hadn’t made such a big deal out of it, maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation. Maybe I wouldn’t have to do this.” She swung a dumbbell through the air and Lance dodged it by leaping back over the couch. Sharon advanced on him. Lucy’s heart raced, she couldn’t watch her murder him. She climbed through the window and charged at Sharon from behind.
“Put down the dumbbell, Sharon!”
“Lucy stay back, she’s crazy. She’ll kill you!”
“Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.” Sharon shook her head as she spun around and glared. “It’s always Lucy. Every single time I tried to get Derek’s attention he was focused on you instead. Honestly, I have no idea what he saw in you. Not a muscle to show on your body, and a diet full of sugar and chemicals. But no, he wouldn’t listen to me. Then he tried to turn the tables on me, and turn me in for a little doping. So I taught him a lesson about what a strong woman is capable of. He invited me into his home to talk about
the protein powder. I managed to kill him so easily, then I staged everything, the shower, the alcohol. I taught him how strong I am, just like I’m going to teach you how strong I am.”
“The police are on their way.”
“Well, then I guess they will discover that Lance attacked you, and then took his own life.”
“No, that isn’t what’s going to happen here. You have one last chance to put the dumbbell down.” Lucy straightened her shoulders and stared hard at the woman before her. “I may not have as much muscle as you, but I have one thing you never will.”
“Oh what? Your special sense?” She laughed. “Derek mentioned that to me. Just as I warned him, you’re a nutcase.”
“No. A sister!”
Just then Chantelle brought down a lamp on the top of Sharon’s head. Sharon’s eyes spread wide with shock, then her body crumpled to the floor. Lance lunged forward to wrench the dumbbell from her hand.
“Don’t you touch it, Lance!”
“What, are you afraid of me, Lucy?”
“You’re in love with her. You’d do anything to cover for her.”
“No.” He shook his head as he picked up the dumbbell. “I won’t do this. I wouldn’t kill anyone. I’m sorry about what happened to Derek I had no idea she would be capable of this.”
Sirens wailed up to the house.