Devil She Became (Devil's Angels Book 1)

by Autumn Raynne

  Harrison pulled against them. Spying Lisa’s white Range Rover in the driveway, he screamed. “My wife is in there! Did you get her out?”

  “Sir, we just arrived here. You will need to step back. I will have one of the firefighters speak to you.”

  Mike raced up and grabbed Harrison just before he sank to the ground. Coughing from the huge volume of smoke, Harrison allowed Mike to pull him away from the house.

  “Lisa… she’s in there, Mike. I know she is.” Harrison’s eyes burned from the smoke and tears were spilling down his face.

  Mike struggled to pull Harrison a safe distance from the house. “I’m sure they got her out in time, Harrison. It’s okay.”

  Water poured into the house from the huge fire hoses that were attempting to put out the fire. Harrison felt sick. What had Ava done to Lisa? He hoped it had been quick and painless. Seeing this terrible scene unfolding, it sickened him to his core to think he and Reese were responsible for this.

  Two firefighters approached Harrison and Mike. Pulling off their helmets and gloves, they wiped their faces with a cloth.

  “Are you the homeowner, sir?” They asked Harrison.

  He nodded. “I am. I think my wife was in there. Did you find her? Is she okay?” Harrison’s voice was frantic.

  Pausing for a second, they both looked at the ground. “Sir, I’m sorry to inform you that yes, indeed, we found a body, but we aren’t sure who it is.”

  Harrison paled and swallowed hard. “How did this happen?”

  “We are still investigating the cause. From what we can tell, it started downstairs in the kitchen, but we won’t know more until the fire is completely out.”

  “Is it my wife? Can I see her?” Harrison choked.

  Mike’s eyes filled with tears as he embraced Harrison. “Where was she found?”

  “In the master bedroom on the floor. She’s not really in a condition you should see.”

  Harrison lunged forward toward the smoldering house. “I want to see her… I don’t care… she’s my wife!”

  Mike and the firefighters pulled him back. “Sir, if you insist on seeing her, you will have to wait.”

  Harrison gasped for air. “I need to see her.”

  Mike held Harrison. “Harry, do you think that’s wise? I mean, she could be in a pretty bad way… you don’t want to see her like that, do you?”

  Harrison grabbed Mike by the shoulders. “You don’t understand; I have to see her.”

  Reluctantly, the firefighters had Harrison and Mike go speak with the police officer on the scene.

  “I want to see my wife.” Harrison stated firmly, his eyes red and swollen from the smoke.

  “Are you sure, sir?” The police officer backed away from him a bit as he saw how angry Harrison looked.

  “Yes.”

  The police officer nodded. “Alright, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The body’s been taken downtown so we have to go there.”

  Mike and Harrison nodded.

  “Can you drive him?” The officer asked Mike.

  “No problem.” The pair got into Mike’s car and they followed the police car.

  Arriving downtown, Harrison started shaking all over. Taking a deep breath, he followed the police officer into the building then into a large room. An ominous black bag lay in the center of a metal table. Harrison swallowed hard. Mike clutched his shoulder.

  The officer gestured to the medical examiner. “Sir, are you sure you want to see this? It’s pretty awful…”

  “We think it’s his wife.” Mike gripped Harrison’s shoulder.

  The medical examiner nodded. “Well, I hope you have a strong stomach… burnt human flesh is pretty strong. Here, you will need these.”

  The medical examiner handed them both surgical masks.

  Slowly, he unzipped the body bag. Throwing open the sides of the bag, he revealed the partially burned body.

  Harrison gasped as the stench of burnt flesh enveloped him. He choked hard and swallowed the strong urge to vomit. Mike gagged and ran from the room.

  Clutching the mask to his nose, Harrison peered inside the bag to see a most horrific sight. The face was burned badly. There were still fragments of skin clinging to the skull. The upper torso was badly burned as well, but it was obvious the body was female. What flesh remained looked crisp and black, and the hair had been completely singed off. Harrison was reminded of photos of the victims of Nazi concentration camps. He swallowed the vomit that continually arose in his throat.

  “Hard to tell, isn’t it?” The medical examiner asked. “We may need dental records.”

  Harrison kept looking at the burnt body. There, on the fleshless finger, was the melted remains of a four-carat Harry Winston engagement ring. He would know that ring anywhere.

  Harrison shook his head. “No,” he whispered, “it’s her. The ring. It was the engagement ring I gave her.” Sighing heavily, he turned away.

  “Are you certain, sir? It’s pretty melted.” The medical examiner peered at the ring he was referring to.

  Harrison vigorously nodded. “Yes. It’s her. I know it.”

  “Okay. I will make that a positive ID.” The medical examiner zipped the bag up.

  Suddenly, Harrison felt claustrophobic. The room seemed to be closing in on him. He turned and raced out of the room. As soon as he got outside, he deeply inhaled the clean air. He couldn’t get the smell of the burned flesh out of his nose, and he could fight the nausea no longer. His mouth filled with the taste of sour bile, and his stomach heaved violently. Mike was standing outside looking quite pale also.

  “Was it her?”

  Pale and shaking, Harrison attempted to regain control of himself.

  “Yes,” he replied quietly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Get me out of here, Mike… I can’t take it…” Harrison felt suddenly faint. He closed his eyes. This isn’t happening, he thought. Not really. It’s all a dream.

  Mike helped him to stand, and as he walked, Harrison felt as though he were in a stupor. He recalled the flashing lights all around him, the men in their uniforms fighting the blaze, the terrible smell of the burned flesh, Lisa’s face obliterated by the fire, her ring melted on her finger, his neighbors whispering and staring at him… Harrison felt his knees begin to buckle and blackness enveloped him.

  A lone female figure was standing in a field, wildflowers blooming all around her in brilliant, beautiful colors. Her long hair blew in the wind, flowers catching in it. A rainbow of colors twirled around her as she stood there staring at him. “Harrison!” she called. Her mouth didn’t move, but he could hear her voice. “Lisa!” he shouted, trying to run towards her. “I’m sorry!” he called. “Protect the girls! Don’t let her hurt them!” she called, again without moving her mouth. He tried reaching her but found himself stuck to one place. Abruptly, a raven-haired woman appeared and wrapped Lisa in fine, thin white silk. She grabbed her by the throat and turned to smile at Harrison. “Hello, handsome. I told you it was time for me to feed.” Bright-red blood colored everything as Harrison screamed, “NOOOOO!”

  His eyes fluttered open to find flashing lights around him and his brother looking down at him, tears spilling from his eyes onto Harrison’s shirt.

  “What? What happened?” he asked, finding himself in the back seat of Mike’s car.

  “Harry, I’m taking you back to my house.”

  Harrison sat up. “Lisa… she’s dead, isn’t she?”

  Mike swallowed hard and kept driving. “Yes, Harry.”

  Harrison closed his eyes briefly, allowing tears to spill down his face.

  “I don’t understand, Mike… what happened? I just can’t handle this… is she dead, really dead?” Harrison buried his face in his hands.

  Mike nodded, choked up. “Yeah, man. There was a fire. I’m so sorry, Harry. I’m so sorry. I just don’t know what else to say.” Tears flowed from his eyes as he continued driving to his house.

  Harrison panicked. “Oh, my God. The gir
ls… can you get Jessica to pick them up?”

  “Sure, sure, Harry. Anything you need.”

  “Oh, God, the girls, Mike, what do I tell them?” Harrison sobbed as though his heart was breaking.

  Mike was shaking as he called his wife. He then began calling other friends and family and relaying the terrible news to them.

  As they arrived at Mike’s house, a police car was waiting for them. With an extremely heavy heart, Harrison got out of the car and sank to the concrete.

  “Mr. Grantham, we need to get some details about your wife, please.”

  Harrison looked up, nodded. “Call me Harrison.”

  “Would you mind coming down to the station with us? It might be easier to talk there.”

  “Mike, I have to go.”

  “Hold on. Who is he?” The officer gestured to Mike.

  “My younger brother, Michael Grantham.”

  “Well, we need to get a statement from him as well. So you can both come with us.”

  They both nodded. “Does Jessica have the girls?” Harrison asked.

  “Yeah, she picked them up and took them to her mother’s house. She is beside herself. She’s trying to keep strong for them. They are doing fine.”

  Harrison nodded, his eyes nearly swollen shut from crying.

  ********

  “Ok, start from the beginning, Harrison. State your full name.”

  “Harrison Neil Grantham.”

  “Where do you reside?”

  “5755 Oakview.”

  “What’s your occupation?”

  “I am a medical malpractice attorney.”

  “Who is your employer?”

  “I work for myself with my brother. Grantham, Grantham, and Collier.”

  “Address?”

  “1124 N. Michigan Ave. Ste. 750.”

  “Are you married to a Mrs. Lisa Batten Grantham?”

  “Yes.”

  “For how long?”

  “Since August 2004.”

  “Do you have any children together?”

  “Yes, two daughters, Alaina, age eight, and Olivia, age six.”

  “Do you have any reason to believe she would harm herself?”

  His eyes dark-red and heavily rimmed, Harrison jerked his head up abruptly.

  “What are you talking about? There was a fire… what does that have to do with anything?”

  “I am aware of that, however, there is an ongoing investigation as to how that fire started. Your wife was found in the master bedroom, unclothed, with remains of a melted pill bottle next to her.”

  “She had started taking an antidepressant a few months ago… escatoplapram or something like that.”

  “Okay.” The policeman kept writing.

  “Do you have any reason to believe anyone would want to harm your wife?”

  Harrison shook his head vehemently. “No way. Everyone loved her. She was kind, sweet, great with the kids. She was your typical suburban mother. She was a Brownie leader, volunteered all the time at the kids’ school. Her whole life was our kids. Now she’s gone.” Harrison broke down again.

  “I’m very sorry, Harrison, but I have to ask you where you were today between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.?”

  Harrison scratched his neck. “I was on a fishing trip the past couple of days with Mike, my brother. We were coming back today, and we were on our way to get my daughters at school. I was going to surprise them by picking them up early, but I got sick on the way back.”

  “Sick? How?”

  “I asked my brother to pull over so I could vomit. I guess I ate something bad or maybe stomach flu… I don’t know.”

  The officer nodded and continued to write.

  “I think that’s all for now, Harrison. Be assured, we will do everything possible to find out exactly what happened.”

  Harrison stood up to leave. “Is my brother free to go?”

  “Let me check.”

  Harrison leaned against the wall in the interrogation room. It’s so different being on the other side of the table, he thought. He was used to being the one asking the questions. Harrison then thought of Reese and hoped she would be okay. He couldn’t talk to her for a few days.

  Chapter 27

  Hot oil poured down on a lithe, tanned body on a tropical beach. Fragrant flowers and the briny scent of sea filled the air as an ocean breeze whipped Ava’s long black hair around. A tan dark-haired, well-muscled young man rubbed oil over her back. “Ahhh. That’s it, Pablo… very nice.”

  “You like, Miss Ava? I can continue.” Ava smiled and allowed him to rub her with the coconut-scented oil while the sun’s rays poured down upon her well-toned body.

  “Do you mind if I take my top off, Pablo?” Ava rolled over onto her back. “I don’t want strap marks.”

  The handsome young man grinned broadly. “Not at all, Miss Ava. This is your island; I am at your service.”

  Ava continued smiling as she dropped her top to reveal her very beautiful, very firm and full medium-sized breasts.

  Pablo’s eyes widened in appreciation. “You are beautiful, Miss Ava. You like oil up there too?” He gestured to her cleavage.

  “Of course.” He poured the oil onto his hands and began kneading her firm breasts in his strong hands. Her nipples hardened at his touch. Looking down at his tight speedos, she could see he was aroused as well.

  “You can keep going, Pablo. All the way down if you like.”

  Pablo slowly smiled at Ava. He reached up and pulled her tiny bikini bottom off. “Is this what you mean, Miss Ava?”

  She sat up and grabbed his shoulders. “Absolutely.”

  Pablo’s lips tasted salty like the ocean as they kissed. Ava curled her hands into his thick dark hair as she pushed his head downward. Pablo began kissing her all over, mouthing her nipples, probing them with his tongue, tasting the salty-sweet of the coconut oil on her body. He squeezed each of her breasts hard as he traveled downward to her waxed mound. Ava moaned as he slowly lapped at her sex. Pablo groaned as he pressed a finger into her tight wetness, sliding it in and out as he continued to lap at her core.

  “Mmmm… that’s so good!” She cried, digging her long nails into his back. His tongue moved delicately all over her most intimate places, probing and sliding all over. She laid back and groaned with pleasure, rolling her head around. Pablo reached up to tug at her big nipples until they tingled, feeling them hard and rubbery to the touch.

  Finally, Ava couldn’t wait any longer. She grabbed him and pulled him into her. He felt immense inside her, stretching her until she cried out. Pablo continued to ride her, thrusting deeply inside her as the ocean waves crashed in the background.

  “I love it,” Ava cried.

  “You are so beautiful, Miss Ava, so hot.” Pablo moaned as he spurted hot juices forth to warm her insides.

  Immediately, Ava got up and went to her purse. She stuffed several one-hundred-dollar bills in his hand. “Come see me again later, Pablo. You were terrific.” With that she grabbed her discarded bikini and sauntered off naked across the sand, her long black hair swinging behind her.

  Chapter 28

  “It’s been ruled an accident. Faulty wiring.” Harrison tossed the piece of paper down.

  “What?” Mike asked.

  “The fire marshal is ruling it an accident. The wiring in the kitchen shorted out.”

  Mike nodded. “It’s just so awful, Harry. I don’t know how you can take it. If you need us, please let us know. Jessica and I are happy to keep the girls.”

  They embraced. “Mike, I don’t know how to tell the girls. I just don’t. Her parents are devastated. It seems they blame me for the fire.”

  “That’s ridiculous. You didn’t do anything. There is nothing you could’ve done to prevent this.” Mike put his hand on Harrison’s shoulder.

  If only you knew, Harrison thought with a shudder.

  “This has devastated us all.” Mike sat down slowly in a chair.

  Harrison ran his hands
through his hair. He poured himself a shot of whiskey from the bar. He had been staying at Mike’s house since Lisa’s death. He had yet to return to the house.

  “I don’t want anything out of that house. I can’t go back there. Ever. I just can’t take it.” Harrison felt like a dam was about to burst.

  “You don’t have to. You can stay with us as long as you like. The girls are welcome too. We have lots of room.”

  “No. You have a baby and your own lives. The girls and I will find another house. I don’t know… I’m worried that the media is going to get ahold of the story.

  Mike paled a bit. “You think?”

  “Of course. We are quite well known in the community, Mike. Don’t you think the son of a billionaire’s wife’s death under mysterious circumstances might be of interest? Plus, it IS the media.”

  Mike was taken aback by Harrison’s arrogance. “What do you mean mysterious? You said it was bad wiring that caused the fire.”

  Harrison rolled his eyes. “I know that. But some people might think otherwise.”

  “Like who?”

  “I don’t know.” Harrison shrugged. “But people love to talk, and the media loves to listen.”

  Mike found the statement peculiar, but as he thought more, he decided Harrison may be right.

  “Maybe you should have the girls go to New York with mom and dad, or Lisa’s parents.”

  Harrison agreed. “They are flying in tonight. I may just do that. I want them here with me, but if this gets out on TV, I don’t want the girls knowing the gruesome details of her death. Not yet. When they are older…” He trailed off, choking up again.

  Mike threw an arm around him. “Hey, man, take it easy. I know this is awful. Maybe you should get a drink, or go out and get some air or something. Don’t worry about work or anything. Tom and I will take care of everything there. Just do something to make yourself feel better if you can.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Harrison ran his hand over his unshaven face. “I’m going to go clean up first. Then I think I’m going to take a walk on the lakefront.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Let me know if you need anything.”

  As Harrison was showering, he thought of Reese. He needed to call her and tell her to come home. He needed her so much. Allowing his head to fall forward in the shower, the hot water streamed over him. Then in a flash, he had a vision of Lisa burning alive… of Darrell lying face down in a pool of blood… He shivered despite the hot water. Hurriedly, he finished and got out of the bathroom.