by Jenna Harte
Chapter Six
"What's going on? Has Daniel told you anything?" Philip asked as Jack carried Tess into the parlor and placed her on the couch. He shifted her body so she could lie down, but Tess was determined to maintain some dignity.
"I'll sit." She thought he was going to argue, but instead he nodded and sat next to her. Looking to Philip she said, "It's too early to know anything."
"Leave it to Asa. He can't even die without completely inconveniencing everyone," Shelby said.
"Shelby!" Philip hissed.
"What?"
"Who would do such a thing?" the Senator asked from behind the bar.
All eyes were wide as they looked over at him. He gave a short laugh. "I guess there is no shortage of people who wanted Asa dead. But Jesus, in a house full of people? His family?"
Each person in the room looked to everyone else no doubt wondering which one of them was a murderer. The chill that ran up Tess' spine had nothing to do with having the flu.
"Sir?" Walter said as he entered the room with a tray. "I took the liberty of having Agnes make coffee."
"Very good. Thank you, Walter," the Senator said.
Jack declined the coffee that Walter offered, but accepted the whiskey being served by the Senator. He sat on the couch next to Tess placing a pillow at his side and motioning for her to rest against it. Tess, too tired and weary to resist, settled against him. The room was dim, with the blaze of the fire providing the most light.
"They'll go after me," Philip said. He stood by the fire, one arm resting on the mantel the other with the poker he haphazardly cut through the flames. "I've the most to gain."
Shelby let out a snort. "You don't have the balls. Everyone knows that."
Philip glanced over his shoulder at his wife, who was pouring cream in her coffee.
"You do."
She laughed at that. "Yes, but I didn't kill Asa and you didn't either. We were together when it happened."
Tess felt Jack's body jerk as he coughed. He leaned forward, holding his glass out to prevent the contents from spilling on her.
"Wrong pipe?" Tess asked.
"Sir?" An elderly woman appeared in the doorway of the drawing room.
"Yes Agnes?" the Senator said.
"The police asked that Sarah and I wait in here."
"Yes, of course. Have a seat. Walter, you too. Take a break."
Walter nodded and went to sit next to Agnes and Sarah. Although they weren't serving at the moment, there was no denying what they were. They were dressed in black uniforms that made Tess think of an old 1930's movie. Tess knew from Daniel that Agnes had been with the family her entire life as her mother and father had both worked for the Senator's parents. Agnes was about the same age as the Senator who had just turned 80, although he wore his age better than she did. She was a small woman with gray hair pulled back into a bun and a thin, gaunt face. She looked like at any moment she would crumble into a heap of bones.
Walter faired only slightly better. Tess knew the he'd been with the family since he was a child as well because his father had worked for the Senator until his parents' death when Walter was a teenager. The Senator had taken him in, offering him work and a place to live. Walter had worked as a bodyguard and chauffeur until the last ten years when age had begun to slow him down. He now spent nearly all his time overseeing the home.
Sarah was the anomaly of the bunch. She couldn't be much over twenty years old. Tess wondered how a young, pretty woman growing up in the twenty-first century would end up working as a servant. It wasn't something most children aspired to do. While Walter and Agnes clearly knew their place and sat quietly with their heads drawn down, Sarah starred across the room with a look of yearning at Philip. Tess looked to Philip, catching him give Sarah a brief reassuring smile. Shelby was too busy checking her manicure to notice the exchange.
Having grown up with servants, Tess knew they lived in a world in which they were seen and heard only when summoned. When she worked at the public defender's office, she once had a case involving a servant accused of stealing jewelry from the mistress of the mansion. While the police and insurance companies had interviewed all the family members, Tess started with the servants. They were uniquely qualified to offer information since they were able to move through the house unnoticed, and yet saw and heard everything. In a rich family's home, one didn't need the walls to talk, he needed the servants to talk. Sure enough, the jewels had been stolen by the drug addicted nephew. As Tess watched Walter, Agnes and Sarah, she wondered what they had seen or heard. What stories could they tell?
"Maybe Mr. Valentine did it," Shelby said.
Jack apparently didn't feel the need to comment as he didn't say a word.
"He would have least reason of all of us, except maybe Tess," Philip said.
"Why?" Shelby turned her baby blues to Jack. "You were getting pretty hot under the collar at Asa."
"I heard the back door was open," Philip said. "Is that true?"
Tess nodded. "It was open when I found him."
"How convenient." There was no mistaking the accusation in Shelby's tone. "The police usually suspect the ones who find the body too. Or," she said turning her attention back to Philip. "Maybe it was Lauren."
"She wasn't even here," Philip said.
"Did you see her face when Asa threatened to throw her out? If looks could kill he'd have been dead then. And the door was open. She could have snuck in"
"For God sake Shelby, this isn't a game of Clue. Asa is dead. Show a little respect!"
Shelby's eyes widened at the Senator's lashing tone, but she didn't respond. Instead she sulked back in her chair.
"It's probably best if we don't talk about it anyway," Tess said. "That way we only report what we experienced and not what we heard from someone else."
Tess looked up at Jack who was unusually quiet. He looked down at her, his lips giving a faint smile before he turned his gaze back on Shelby.
Tess couldn't blame him really. Shelby was a stunning woman, especially if she kept her mouth shut. But as she watched Jack, she didn't see desire in his eyes. It was more like suspicion. Tess wanted to ask about it, but Sam Collier, Daniel's partner called her to take her statement. With help from Jack, she met with Sam in the foyer, telling him her version of the night's events. When she finished, Sam helped her back to the parlor and called for Jack.
Back in the parlor, Tess could feel her reserves draining. She was able to resist lying down, but she set a pillow on the arm of the couch to rest her head.
~~~~
When her eyes opened, Tess thought she'd been out only a few minutes. Lifting her head, she discovered the room was empty except for the chair across from her where Jack sat, staring into the embers of a nearly dead fire.
"Where is everyone?"
"They were given permission to retire." He turned to look at her then. "We were offered a guest room, but I made an executive decision to decline that offer."
She nodded in agreement. She didn't want to spend the night in the house of murder either. In fact, she'd had enough of the house and whole situation. If only she'd declined Daniel's invitation, she wouldn't be in this situation.
"I've got to get out of here."
"I'd offer to take you home, but your obvious resistance to my earlier offers-”
"I'm not feeling resistant now."
He stared at her for a moment and she wondered if he was going to refuse. "Let's go then."
"We need to clear it with-"
"The hell with the police. It's nearly two in the morning, Tess." He extended a hand to help her up. "I think we've done enough. Can you walk?"
She nodded. They'd likely get stopped on the way out, but she was willing to attempt an escape. They made it to the front door before Daniel stopped them.
"Leaving?"
"Yes. Are you going to shoot me, Dan?" Jack asked.
"I need to go home," Tess said before Daniel could respond. "You can find me there if you need me
."
"I'll be there too," Jack said.
Tess shot him a look. "Jack will be at ... where ever he's staying while in town. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you the address."
Daniel eyes bounced between the two of them. Tess gave him her most pitiful look, which wasn't hard considering how she felt.
"You're free to go. You've been free to go for some time."
Why hadn't anyone woke her up to tell her that, Tess wondered. She could only guess that Daniel was expecting to give her a ride, but had to wait until he was done with the family. Jack probably determined she would rather stay in a house of horrors than accept a ride from him. Her reluctance to spend time with him was strong, but not that strong.
"I'll check on you tomorrow." Daniel said. He leaned to kiss her on the cheek, but missed when Jack's hand pressed against her back nudging her out the door.
"Let's go," he said.
Chapter Seven
Tess didn't like winter in Virginia, but she had to admit that the cool, biting air was refreshing after being cooped up with the Worthingtons. The freezing rain had turned to a cold drizzle, which didn't necessarily mean the roads were safer. But the idea of being home in her own bed made the risk of the drive worth it.
She let Jack guide her to his car.
"Not hugging trees anymore?" She asked as he opened the door to the expensive looking sports car.
"What do you mean?"
"The car. This doesn't look like it runs on corn or whatever."
"It's hundred percent electric."
"You're kidding?" she said as she slid into the leather seat.
"No. I'm still as green as they come."
"Still saving rubber trees?"
"You'd be surprised how bad rubber bands are for the environment." He slid in next to her and put the key in the ignition. "Rubber bands take -"
"I believe you. I haven't bought a rubber band since you first told me how bad they were."
"I'm glad I made an impression."
Jack's one hundred percent electric sports car, which he said was a Tesla, drove nicely. So nicely that she fell asleep and only woke when he lifted her from the car.
"Whoa, what are you doing?"
"I'm taking you to bed."
"What?"
"Not to make love. Not tonight anyway."
Tess felt her jaw drop to her chest.
He laughed. "That's what I love about you, Tess. You're clueless to your own appeal." He shifted her slightly as he slipped her key into the door. "I got your key from your purse."
She wanted to be annoyed. She was a little bit. But a part of her liked being coddled. Being in Jack's arms brought her back to three years earlier. He hadn't carried her then, but he'd held her when her world crumbled. He promised he'd stay with her, help her. He hadn't been able to keep that promise. Remembering the events following that fateful night reminded Tess why she hadn't wanted to see Jack again.
"You don't need to carry me around. I'm not that sick."
"Where's your room?"
She pointed towards the short hallway that led to the one of the bedrooms in her small two-bedroom home. He carried her in, setting her on the bed. "Do you have pajamas or something?"
"Yes I have pajamas! Not that I’m going to let you put them on me."
"I’ll get them for you. I promise not to look."
"You can go now. I can take care of myself." She slipped her hand under her pillow to pull out a pair of faded flannel pajamas. There was nothing like flannel to make a man turn and run, she thought. But Jack stood his ground, determined to keep watch over her.
"Get settled. When I know you're okay-"
“Then you'll leave?" she asked.
"Maybe." He turned his back to her, but didn't leave.
Tess sighed. She was too tired to argue. Her black dress was cut low enough in the back that should could reach the zipper. She slipped the sleeves from her shoulders and stood to let it drop to the floor. As she reached for her pajama top she heard a quick hitch of breath. Looking up, she caught Jack's eyes watching her through the reflection of her dresser mirror.
Her first thought was that she wanted to poke his eyes out with a stick. But then she was struck by how he was looking at her. A woman could live her whole life and not have a man look at her like that. So her second thought was how glad she was that she wore the black Carine Gilson bra with matching panties. Despite her attempts to live a modest life, she hadn't been able to give up her love of fine lingerie. Her third thought was that although Jack wasn't a stranger, after three years apart, he wasn't in a position to be allowed to ogle her, even if the awe in his eyes stirred something inside her she'd thought long dead.
Their eyes caught and she was pleased that he seemed as off guard as she was. She was sure he blushed as he gave her a sheepish smile and stepped to the side effectively cutting off his view of her.
Tess finished putting her pajamas on and tossed her clothes on her treadmill, promising herself she'd hang the up in the morning. She slipped under her covers telling herself that when she had her energy back, she'd get mad at him. For now, she just wanted to rest.
"Okay," she said as she pulled the covers up to her chin.
He turned to her. "I supposed I should apologize."
She shrugged.
"But I'm not sorry." He sat on the side of her bed as if he'd done it a hundred times before. It should have annoyed her, but it didn't. Despite the years apart, there was still a connection. What did bother her was the effect his nearness had on her hormones. Apparently, they weren't as dormant as she'd hoped.
"I'd like to tell you what I'm really thinking, but I don't think you'd appreciate it."
"How unusual for you to hold your tongue."
He grinned. "It's difficult."
"I appreciate your restraint. Are you going now?"
He frowned. "Why is it so disturbing for you to see me again?"
She sighed. That was a topic she didn't want to get into. "It's been a long night. Seeing Asa like that-" she let her words trail off.
He nodded. "It's been a difficult night. But you were upset about seeing me before all that."
"I have a new life now."
"You talk like I'm secret you don't want anyone to know about. Is that why you want me to think you and Deputy Dan are an item?"
"What makes you think we're not. Daniel loves me."
"That's painfully obvious. Poor sap."
"Jack!" She nearly laughed because it was true. But she didn't want to encourage Jack. "I care for him too." That wasn't a lie. She did care for Daniel. He and his parents were like family. They were the only people she connected with at an emotional level. They had been there for her as a teenager and again three years ago when her life unraveled and she needed a safe place to fall.
"Maybe. But you aren't in love with him. Why did you want me to think you were?"
"I never said I was."
He gave her a chastising look. "You didn't correct me when I asked. Why is that?"
What could she say? Because I didn't want you to think I'm available? He hadn't cared when she was available. He would laugh at the idea that she thought maybe his flirtation meant more.
"That part of my life when we knew each other is over. I've moved on."
"Moved on." The tone in which he repeated her words let her know she hurt him. She knew he would have been annoyed at her, but hurt? That didn't make sense. He was the one that pushed her away. He studied her with stormy eyes. "I've missed you." He said it so softly, his eyes shining with sincerity.
She closed her eyes as his confession sent a mixture of pain and guilt. She thought she'd blocked out all memories of her old life. But seeing him again, his affable smile and gorgeous eyes made her realize that she had missed him too. But she couldn't give him the words, which only increased her guilt.
"Well, you may have moved on, Tess, but I haven't." His words clipped out in frustration. "I've waited for this day for three years."
&n
bsp; "Why?" Tess had only wanted to think the question, but wasn't able to prevent it from escaping into the open.
"Did I really mean so little to you?"
"No."
"You meant something to me, Tess. You always have."
She began to wonder if she was sleeping or worse hallucinating. The interlude between her and Jack was just the type of thing she'd have dreamt, but would never have imagined to happen in real life. The reality was that she hadn't meant enough to him. His behavior now made no sense.
He leaned back and gave her a crooked smile. "You look like a deer with your eyes caught in the headlights."
That's how she felt.
"Now isn't the time for this discussion," he said. "You need to rest. We'll talk when you feel better."
Tess was pretty sure she didn't want to have the conversation ever. But since it sounded like he was about to leave, she let it go.
"Is there anything you need? I can get you some pain reliever or something?"
"No, thank you," she said "I just want to sleep."
He nodded but didn't move. "I'll be on the couch if you need anything."
She started to protest, but the look in his eyes told her it would be mute. "There's a blanket in the hall closet."
He grinned, pleased that she'd surrendered the battle. This time she saw the kiss coming and put a hand on his chest to stop him. He took her hand and brought to his lips. The loopy lou it caused in her stomach had nothing to do with the flu. "See you tomorrow," he said
Chapter Eight
Jack shut the door to Tess' room, holding the knob to quiet the latch as it clicked shut. He listened through the door for movement. It would be just like to her to get up and try to make him leave after all. If she did, she'd be disappointed. He wasn't going anywhere. Not now. Not ever if he could help it. Still, he hoped she would get up and check just to give him an excuse to sit with her.
He'd always planned to see her again, although he'd been surprised to find her standing in Asa Worthington's foyer. It was a strange stroke of luck that had him running into her tonight. He'd had enough of Asa and was heading out the door when he saw her primping in the mirror. In some ways it was surprising they hadn't run into each other sooner since he'd bought a home and spent more time in Jefferson Tavern. But he was glad he hadn't. For too long, timing had been an issue for them. But now he was ready. His life was back on track after three years of misery and self-destructive behavior. And there didn't seem to be anyone in her life. At least not anyone she considered to be in her life.