Deep Blue Forever (Deep Blue Series)

by Nichols, Amie

  "Well good, because I had Ethan run out and get us something," he says as I crawl off of him. He throws me his t-shirt and I put it on smiling at how well he knows me. I love wearing his t-shirts after him. I inhale his scent as it goes over my face. Ian is chuckling at me when my head emerges. I know I have a giddy grin on my face. "You are so cute," he says, wrinkling his nose leaning his hands on the bed to kiss my nose.

  "Back at you," I mimic his nose wrinkle. He takes a blanket off the bed wrapping around his waist. Then he takes big pillows off of the couch and lays them on the floor. Going to the door, he opens it grabbing a large brown paper bag.

  "Would you like to have a picnic with me?" He asks motioning to the floor.

  "Of course." I scoot off the bed and sit on one of the pillows. He sits across from me and starts digging in the bag.

  "Truffle mac and cheese, fillet mignon with béarnaise, salad, and for dessert chocolate cheese cake," Ian tells me, and it smells heavenly. "I believe these are some of your favorites."

  "They are, you sure do know how to pay attention," I lean over and kiss him, "but geez, I think I've gained five pounds just smelling this food."

  "Good, you need to gain weight. You are too skinny. Don't forget you are eating for two."

  "Don't worry. I'm sure I will be fat soon enough," I say rubbing my belly.

  "You won't be fat. You're pregnant, and you're going to be beautiful," Ian says dishing up my plate. The food is delicious, but after only a few bites of each item I am feeling full. Ian frowns at me as he sees me stop eating.

  "Sorry, but baby steps, baby. I haven't eaten much the past few days, and what I did eat came back out." I take another bite of steak just to appease him. He finishes his and then finishes mine. After sitting for awhile, he clears everything out of the way and gets a serious look on his face. He stands up, taking my hands he brings me to my feet.

  "I want to do this right," he says kneeling in front of me on one knee. "Before you say anything, I want you to know that I have had this ring for awhile. I was always going to propose. I know you, and I know you are going to think I am only going to do this because of the baby. I have the receipt to prove when I bought it if you don't believe me," he says before clearing his throat and opening the velvet ring box. Showing me a huge princess cut diamond with two sapphires on either side set in white gold.

  "Aubrey Elizabeth Jackson, I love you with all my heart and soul. I can't ever imagine my life without you in it. Will you be my wife? Have all my children, that will have our grandchildren? Will you grow old and wrinkly with me?"

  I put my hand up to my mouth as I look at the sapphires that remind me of the color of Ian's eyes. He is staring up at me with those deep blues waiting for me to say something. "You bought this before you knew I was pregnant?"

  "Yes, baby. I knew since the day I met you that you would be my bride. Now can you answer my question before I have a heart attack here?" He smiles up at me as I drop to my knees, and wrap my arms around his neck.

  "Yes, yes, yes! A million times yes."

  Ian puts the ring on my finger and lays me down. We make love, slow and gentle for hours, exploring each other's bodies in every way imaginable. It's so intimate and sexy. I can never imagine myself ever loving someone as much as I love this man, who is going to be my forever.

  Chapter 10

  Ian

  The next day, we are sitting on the couch with my laptop trying to get some work done. There is heavy fog today, so we know we aren't going anywhere by plane. Sam was having Miry fly in today, and we aren't even sure when she should arrive, if even at all today.

  Aubrey is curled up next to me calling Mags. She's telling her about everything that has happened in the past few days. I listen to her tell Mags about Michelle, the letter, finding out she was pregnant, and finally that we are engaged. It was a whole life times worth of stuff, and it all happened in a span of less than a week.

  She calls Rex next. He knew about all the other stuff, but the baby and the engagement was new. I hear Rex tell Aubrey to hold the phone out in front of me.

  "Just so you know, she will always be my baby girl!" Rex yells through the phone. I just roll my eyes. She puts the phone back up to her ear and is laughing. I hear him say. "Did he hear me?"

  "I think all of New York heard you!" She is still laughing, which makes me feel warm inside. I may not like their close friendship, but I do have to say that he can make her laugh. I also know he would die first before he'd let anything happen to my girl. It also helps a little that he is dating a famous super model.

  "How's Heidi?" Aubrey asks Rex.

  "She's good so far. We've been out the past two nights, and I am flying to LA tomorrow to hang out with her for a few days." I can hear him answer. Another thing is for sure, Rex doesn't know about inside voices.

  "That should be fun. I'll let you go now so you can pack," Aubrey says.

  "Baby girl, I'm happy for you. I'll call in a couple days, but you know my number if you need anything. Love you." I hear him say.

  "Love you too," she answers before she hangs up the phone. I hate that part even more. I can't say anything, though. I promised Aubrey that I would never change her relationship with Rex. It is what it is, and to have Aubrey meant you had to put up with Rex.

  "I think I'm ready to see what is in the vault now," Aubrey says fumbling with her phone next to me. I snap the laptop shut and look at her excited. I've been curious as hell as to what could be in the metal monstrosity, but was being patient for Aubrey to be ready. I hop up off the couch grabbing her hand and rush her into the den before she changes her mind. Aubrey is laughing all the way.

  "If you weren't pregnant you would have been over my shoulder," I tell her, which makes her laugh harder.

  "Caveman, open the vault already," she teases, leaning in to kiss me.

  "You're my woman," I tease back talking in low growl.

  The control panel on the door was banged up from Tandi and Matt's attempts to break in. I wasn't sure if it would work. I lean down and punch in Aubrey's birth date and it clicks. Pulling on the lever, I open the door with ease. Lights flicker on revealing metal steps that lead down into it.

  I want to go first, just to make sure it was safe. When I reach the bottom, I look up at Aubrey's waiting eyes. I hold out my hand to her and help her down the steps. She looks around and lets out a single chuckle, then a little laugh, and then a bigger laugh until she was laughing hysterically. In the center of the room is a large, very expensive looking desk with a high top leather chair. There is a single envelope in the center that read Aubrey Jackson.

  Plastered all over the walls are pictures. All of Aubrey from when she was a baby and up through the years. A collage of her whole life made up of hundreds of pictures; from her first birthday, to her riding a tricycle, and then riding a bike with training wheels, her first day of school, all the way to her high school graduation. Pictures taken from afar as she walked the college campus, and pictures of her in her cap and gown as she graduated from college.

  Aubrey is staring at the wall with her hand over her mouth still laughing. I look at her confused wondering what about this is so funny.

  "I was just picturing the look on Tandi's face if she saw this." I must admit that would have been a very funny site.

  "Why is all this in here locked up so tight?" She says now not laughing as she goes to the wall of pictures and studies them.

  "Apparently, you were very precious to him." It makes sense, in a kind of twisted way. William Jackson had everything in the world, and he obviously loved his daughter, but for some reason couldn't be there for her.

  Aubrey picks up the envelope. Opening it, she brings out a folded paper that has a hand written note on it.

  My Dearest Aubrey,

  I want you to know that I have always loved you. At first it was easier to watch from afar, but as time went on, it seemed too late to enter your life. I opened the savings account for you and tried to send your mother mone
y, but she would only put the money in your account.

  I know this is no consolation to the years I missed. I had hoped that when you were an adult you would try to find me, but you didn't. You did it all on your own and I couldn't be more proud of you. I have followed your college career very carefully. I knew all along that you would be a very smart business woman some day. My time on this earth is almost over, and I have the rare opportunity to know when I will die. Leaving you my legacy is the only thing I can give you now. I know that you will do well.

  Please know that since the day you were born there has not been a day that has gone by that I did not think of you. Please forgive me for my absence in your life if you can.

  Love always and forever,

  Your father

  Aubrey reads the letter over and over and doesn't say a word. I knew she said that he had a savings account for her and that it paid for her college. She was able to go through school without having to work. She had told me at first she felt guilty about using the money, but then she knew it was what her mother would have wanted her to do.

  I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist resting my chin on top of her head. "You were a very cute little baby," I say looking at the picture of an Aubrey as a toddler on a big wheel. I can see the determination in that little girl's eyes. The same I see in the grown woman's eyes every day.

  "I would have rather had a father instead of money," Aubrey says angrily placing the letter back in its envelope and returning it to the desk. She turns to leave the vault and I follow.

  "I mean, what the hell is that? He had a million chances to contact me. It was obvious he knew where I was at all times." She bites, staring at the vault as I shut the door.

  "Baby, you need to calm down. Just know that he did love you and he showed you the only way he knew how." I wrap my arms around her to try and comfort her, but the more she thinks about it, the madder she gets. Her cheeks are turning red and her eyes are getting that very mad look.

  She storms out of the room and texts something on her phone. Minutes later, Ethan comes into the house.

  "What's wrong?" He knows instantly that she is mad by the look on her face and by the strumming of her fingernails on the kitchen counter.

  "Put together a proposal. I want to sell my shares in my father's company," she blurts out at Ethan, who gets the same shocked look on his face that I am sure is showing on mine.

  "Aubrey, sweetheart, you need to calm down and think about this," I tell her as I stand across the counter from her searching her angry eyes.

  "NO I don't! I have decided I don't want anything to do with his 'legacy,'" she states using her fingers as quotation marks. Ethan looks thoroughly confused and looks to me for help.

  "You need to think about it. I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you make any rash decisions," I tell her firmly and hold on for the wrath I'm sure I am about to receive, but it doesn't come. Instead, the tears flow. Oh those pregnancy hormones.

  Just like a light switch she went from happy, laughing at everything, to raging mad, to gut wrenching sobs. Ethan looks scared and I am a little bit too.

  I am finally able to convince her that she is not in the mind set to make any big business decisions.

  We decide we will go back to North Carolina for now while my team searches for Michelle.

  Miry's flight was cancelled due to the fog, and there was a huge back up at the airports. Luckily for us, we had our own plane. Aubrey called her pilot and he agreed to fly us since the fog was better. I talked to him, to avoid a repeat of last time. I told him to put in a false flight plan using another company's jet that Aubrey had shares in. We would actually change planes at the last minute.

  I'm bringing bags downstairs when I hear the doorbell ring. Answering the door, there are two men in suits saying they need to talk to an Aubrey Jackson.

  "What is this about?" I stand and cross my arms as they pull out there badges. They tell me they are detectives for the NYPD and introduce themselves as Detective Sharp and Detective Montgomery.

  "We need to ask her a few questions about a homicide," Detective Sharp says still at the door. "Is Ms. Jackson here?" He says stepping in the door about a foot looking around.

  " Excuse me? What homicide?" I step in front of Detective Sharp so he can't enter.

  "We need to speak with Ms. Jackson, Mr......." Detective Montgomery holds out his hand as if waiting for me to introduce myself.

  "Ian Brady, I am Aubrey's fiancé. I need to know what is going on before there will be any type of questioning," I tell them firmly.

  "We are here to question her about the death of one Jim Olsen. He was discovered murdered in his apartment two nights ago," Detective Sharp says. My mouth must hit the ground because they are fast to ask the next question.

  "So you know the history between Ms. Jackson and Mr. Olsen?" Detective Montgomery asks.

  "She dated his son in high school. They are still friends to this day." Someone popped Jim Olsen and they think Aubrey did it. This is not good. Michelle!

  "I think you know that it is not that innocent," Detective Sharp says.

  "Look, can we come in? We really need to question Ms. Jackson. We don't have a warrant, yet, but we assure you we have enough evidence to get one." Detective Montgomery looks sternly at me.

  "I don't know what the hell kind of evidence you have, but I assure you there will be no questioning without her attorney." I state firmly almost shouting, which brings Sam out to investigate what is going on.

  "OK, Mr. Brady. If you agree to bring Ms. Jackson to the station with her attorney, we will not go through with the warrant. But if you don't show this afternoon, we will be back with a warrant and arrest Ms. Jackson as a prime suspect in the murder of Jim Olsen."

  "What?" Aubrey is standing behind me now and her face is as white as a ghost hearing everything the detective just said. She looks like she is about to fall over, but Sam grabs her steadying her on her feet.

  "Ms. Jackson, can we ask you a few questions?" Detective Sharp asks, pushing his way in the door when he sees Aubrey.

  "I told you not without a lawyer!" I bark. "We will come to the station with her attorney." I'm really mad now after seeing Aubrey's worried face. The baby and the stress is all I can think about. They leave handing me a business card, telling me that they will see us soon.

  It takes Ethan, Sam,and I to calm Aubrey down. She starts hyperventilating almost as fast as I had shut the door.

  "Arrest me for murder!" She gets out between deep breaths. I breathe in and out slowly having her watch me so she will do the same thing.

  "Ethan, call Dan Rivers now and have him meet us at the station." I tell Ethan after I give them a quick rundown of what the detectives had just told me.

  "He's been murdered and they think I did it?" She is repeating herself over and over, but at least she is breathing calmer. I set her down at the kitchen table and start to make her a cup of tea.

  "Ethan," I yell and he comes in the kitchen. "Sit with her. I need to talk to Sam. Keep her as calm as you can." I order handing him the hot water and the tea bag.

  "OK," he says with no argument, going to sit by Aubrey. He starts talking to her and I see her smile.

  "You thinking Michelle?" Sam asks right off, and I nod.

  "Aubrey has been with me since she got off the plane, so at least she has an alibi. But they said they have some hard evidence, enough to arrest her." I look at Sam for help.

  "She has an awesome attorney, and she didn't do it. There's no way they can hold her. If they try, she can post bail," Sam says calmly.

  "Right. She needs to avoid stress, you know, with the baby." This is my true concern. I know she didn't do it, and I'm sure whatever evidence they think they have will be thrown out by her attorney.

  On the way to the station I called Rex to fill him in. Even though I just told him his father was murdered, and they had evidence pointing to Aubrey, the only thing that came out of his mouth was how was his baby girl doin
g. He didn't care about anything except Aubrey, and I told him I would let him know what they had found after we knew what was going on.

  "Did they find the tape?" He asked quietly before hanging up.

  "I don't know mate, I don't know," is all I can say to the very guilt stricken sounding Rex Olsen.

  We meet Dan Rivers outside the police station. He was William Jackson's lawyer and had pretty much assumed the role of Aubrey's lawyer also. She liked him and wanted to keep him on retainer.

  "It doesn't look good, Aubrey, I spoke with the DA already. They have the murder weapon. It was a gun registered to your father that would have been kept at the mansion," he says talking in a low voice to both of us on the steps of the New York Police Department.

  "I've never seen a gun there, and I have never even shot a gun." Aubrey spits out going from shocked to pissed. I know when my girl is pissed, everyone needs to watch out.

  "Well that fact will do you no favors. Whoever shot Jim Olsen made it look like it was the first time they had ever fired a gun. It was messy, taking six shots before the lethal blow," Dan says making Aubrey madder.

  "Tandi and Matt were in the house for over three months. They could've taken the gun. What does my father's will say if something happens to me, like going to jail for murder, where does the money go?" Of course just like that, Aubrey is trying to figure out who in the world would have framed her for murder. We already know Michelle has been in contact with Tandi.

  "If something happens to you, Aubrey, all the liquid assets are put into a trust for any children you may have. The shares of the company are absorbed back into the company. Tandi would have no reason to set you up for murder. If you don't have children, the money goes to orphanages around the country. She will never see a dime no matter what the scenario," Dan explains to us.

  "OK, but she hates me. She could have sold the gun to Michelle. Make sure she is questioned, Dan." She orders him, and I have a proud smile on my face.