So she’d waited by the door, looking for his arrival. Who was she kidding? It was her fault. She should have told him, but she wasn’t ready.
Jaynee watched Jordan sleep. She didn’t want to get up, but all that food was downstairs. She wasn’t thinking about dinner when Jordan came home and started giving her ultimatums. She had thought about nothing but him and how she could never live without him.
She was afraid that he’d found out that Brian had contacted her and that was why he was so upset. But when she realized what he was thinking, she couldn’t force herself to be angry at his accusation. She’d just wanted to show him how much she loved him.
Jaynee knew she’d have to explain Brian’s appearance at the coffee shop where she went to study. She always was a creature of habit. Jordan had told her repeatedly not to stick to the same routine.
She thought back to the encounter earlier this morning. Brian had been at the coffee shop reading a paper when she slid into the same booth she did every morning.
“You always were predictable, baby,” he said, his tone mocking.
She started as she recognized the voice, choking on her first sip of coffee. “How did you find me?”
“It wasn’t difficult. I had Kenny checking your grandma’s mail till he saw a letter from North Carolina. It really is amazing that not once did anyone question him. He’d been doing work for several of the neighbors, helping elderly people with their garbage, mail and newspapers since he was in the area anyway doing handyman work. Or, at least that’s what they thought. He even made a little money, so he didn’t complain. You know Kenny; he’s fairly simpleminded. He’s grown rather fond of your grandmother. I wouldn’t be surprised if he kept returning to help her.”
“He’d better not hurt her,” Jaynee hissed, not wanting to make conversation with Brian. Her eyes kept darting to the door. Jordan knew everyone in Stanfield. She could imagine if it got back to him, she was talking with a guy in their favorite coffee shop. Not that anything was happening. He was sitting at a separate table than she, merely two acquaintances talking. So why did she feel so culpable.
Brian waved her comment off. “Relax, Kenny wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Oh yeah, well he didn’t have any problem practically jerking my arm out of socket then shoving me to the ground. If it wasn’t for Jordan, who knows what he would have done to me?”
Anger flared-up in Brian’s eyes. Whether it was her comment about Kenny or Jordan, she wasn’t sure. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that, Caycee. He was only supposed to warn you not to date anyone.”
“Well, that’s what happens when you order alcoholics to do your bidding. Please leave me alone.” She turned her head away, ending the conversation.
He started to stand up, but sat back down. “I’ve changed, baby, honest. I haven’t had a drink or any type of drug in almost six years, and I’m not going to start again. We were good in the beginning, remember?”
She turned and glared at him. “Brian, I’m married—happily married. Jordan is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love him more than life itself.”
“But you’re mine, Caycee, you’ll always be mine. I was your first, and you were mine. That has to count for something,” he pressed.
Jaynee closed her computer, packing it into her satchel. This was ridiculous; she shouldn’t be having this conversation. She stood up with everything in her arms.
He grabbed her arm. “Please don’t go.”
She jerked away from him. “Don’t you ever touch me again; you have no right.” She took a deep breath. “We had six months together, that’s all. The remaining time we were together, you were drunk or high or sleeping with other women. I haven’t loved you since I discovered your infidelity, and truthfully, I don’t think I ever loved you. I was immature and needed to escape my life. As it turned out, I stepped out of the frying pan and into a bonfire. I wanted to help you, but you were beyond help. Please leave and don’t ever come back. I love my husband.” She turned to walk away, but looked back one more time. “And not that it matters…but you weren’t my first.”
After her outburst, she darted out of the restaurant. She would have to tell Jordan, she couldn’t keep this from him. She’d promised never to keep anything from him. It was terrible enough what she’d been doing to him for the past two months.
She’d tell Jordan about Brian showing up at the coffee house tomorrow she decided.
63
Carmen DeSousa
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jaynee stood in the kitchen, feeling wonderful after making loving with Jordan for the first time in two months.
She hated the thought of telling him about Brian, but she knew with the other news she had, he wouldn’t dwell on him.
The book she’d been writing was finished and she would graduate soon, something she’d been working on for the last five years.
She packaged up all the food; she could reheat it tomorrow. She picked up her cell phone out of habit to see if she’d missed any calls. She always kept it on silent; she hated being disturbed when she was writing. Her novel had been just as long of a struggle as school had been. As she neared the end, she found her days eaten up with her need to finish. Jordan didn’t know about the book or the sample chapters she’d sent in for review. She could imagine his surprise when he found out she hadn’t even graduated and someone was interested in publishing her book.
There was a text message from Lorraine requesting she call no matter how late. That was weird. Lorraine and she’d always gotten along, but they weren’t what she would consider friends. There’d always seemed to be a strain in their relationship. She couldn’t be certain, but she sensed Lorraine was interested in Jordan. Jaynee never felt threatened by their working relationship, because Jordan never appeared to have the same feelings. He looked at Lorraine as indifferent as he did his sisters.
Not wanting to wake Jordan, Jaynee picked up her mobile and walked out onto the porch to return Lorraine’s call. Jordan had looked so tired this evening and still had to get up so early; she hoped he would quit soon.
As a last-second precaution, she picked up her gun she always left near the door. She hated walking outside at night without Boomer for protection. They lived deep in the country. Not that there were very large animals, but there was no light in the country, and you never knew what type of two-legged predator could be prowling the neighborhood. Standing on the back porch, directly outside the French doors, she called Lorraine. She didn’t bother closing the door, the cool air felt nice.
Lorraine answered on the first ring, no pleasantries; she simply started speaking. “Jaynee, I need to talk to you. I’m down the street.”
“Oh…okay, Lorraine, come around back. I’m on the porch.”
Jaynee looked out at the starlit sky; it was beautiful. What a strange request for Lorraine to want to speak to her, especially at this hour.
Minutes later, Lorraine stepped onto the porch. She just looked at her for a second.
Jaynee tucked the gun under her arm and gestured for Lorraine to sit on the bench. “Well, this is unusual,” she started.
Lorrain sat down and sighed. “Yeah, but I have to ask you a question. I planned on asking Jordan but then realized you might know, and I had a second question anyway.”
Thoroughly confused, Jaynee waited.
Lorraine turned to her. “Jaynee, you know I do the bookkeeping so I am privy to everything you spend, right?’
“Yeah, so…?” Jaynee asked, already peeved. She did know that, and it bothered her. She’d always asked Jordan to get a personal card, but he put everything through the business.
The woman fidgeted in her seat some more as if she wasn’t sure. “Well, you have always spent the exact amount on your credit card; you visit the salon every other month, you go to the coffee shop almost every day and you drive about the same distance every month. So, I was surprised when your credit-card bill began to escalate.”
Jaynee was mi
ffed. One, this woman knew everything she did or lack thereof and two…she was clearly accusing her of something. “What’s your point, Lorraine?” She didn’t have time to play games. She shouldn’t even be here; she belonged upstairs with her husband.
“I’m going to skip to my second question first, because the first doesn’t matter depending on what you answer to the second.”
“You’re not making any sense, Lorraine,” Jaynee said brusquely.
“Oh it will, Jaynee. Do you love Jordan?” she asked, no hesitation and with deep inference.
Jaynee’s intuition flickered again. It was as she had suspected all along. “I love Jordan more than life itself.”
“Well, that’s what I am afraid of, and quite frankly if I didn’t believe you, I wouldn’t even be relaying this. I would like nothing better than to see you out of the picture, but I know it would kill Jordan.”
Jaynee stared at Lorraine, shocked by the candidness of her statement.
“Jaynee, I don’t need to ask you. I know the charges aren’t from you. They are automatic drafts against your credit card by one of our life insurance companies. It’s a different policy but from the same company we use for our other policies, so it was certain to go unnoticed, because Jordan would never question your statement. He authorized you to spend thousands a month, and your account barely reaches a few hundred. So you could imagine my surprise when your bill suddenly increased.” Lorraine paused a second then stared at her. “I thought I had you. I thought for sure I could prove you were cheating on Jordan. Instead, I found something much more shocking.”
Jaynee shook her head. “What does life insurance have to do with me?”
“I checked into it. Someone took out a huge policy for the company on both you and Jordan. Let me explain. We already have a partner’s insurance policy on Jordan; it’s a common practice. If something were to happen to Jordan, we’d all suffer; the company would suffer. But every one of the partners has a policy that will go back to the company if something happens to them. This is a separate policy though, and since no one knows about it, he—I say he, because it has to be one of his partners, could find a way to sift the money through the company if something happened to you or Jordan.”
“Sorry, Lorraine, I’m afraid I’m still lost.”
Lorraine exhaled, exasperated. “Jaynee, there’s no other way to say this, except spit it out. I think someone might try—” She took in a deep breath, and her eyes actually looked concerned. “I think you might be in danger. The only reason someone would take out that large of a policy is if they planned to kill you. I know Jordan didn’t do it; he doesn’t do any paperwork without me looking it over. And if Jordan died before you, the company would automatically go to you, but if you died first…”
“Then they would kill Jordan next you think?” Jaynee finally understood what Lorrain was implying. “And why didn’t you tell Jordan?” she asked incredulously, amazed at how calmly she could discuss the possibility of her own death. But the thought of someone trying to murder Jordan enraged her.
Lorraine released an awkward huff. “That’s very interesting.”
“What is?” Jaynee insisted, feeling perturbed at Lorraine’s insinuations but then acting so lax.
“You. You said nothing about your own impending death, but the concept of something happening to Jordan, infuriates you. I can see you do love him.” Lorraine took a moment to collect her thoughts and then answered Jaynee’s question. “The reason I didn’t say anything, is because I wanted you to leave. But I never wanted you to die. That’s why I realized I was wrong in not telling Jordan the moment I discovered the policy. He loves you, Jaynee. I see the pain he’s been in these last few weeks and truly wonder if I couldn’t kill you myself.” Lorraine chuckled nervously.
Jaynee nodded her head. “I feel the same way, Lorraine. But I made it right tonight, and I will explain everything to Jordan tomorrow. But he’s fine I assure you.” She thought about his eyes when he kissed her earlier. She’d caused him so much pain. She didn’t realize how much until last night. She should’ve just gone to him then, but she wanted to make certain.
Lorraine stood up. “That’s all I want. I know Jordan could never love me.” Lorraine took another deep breath and then her voice was a whisper. “I attempted to approach Jordan before dropping him off earlier. I’m sorry, but you should know…even drunk he had no interest, and Jordan has never been a good drunk. He loves you, Jaynee, and I do want him to be happy.”
Jaynee stood up too. “I understand.”
“Are we okay then, or are you going to have him dismiss me in the morning?” she asked straightforwardly.
“We’re okay, Lorraine.” She reached out to Lorraine, careful of the revolver still tucked under her arm. She couldn’t bring herself to be angry with her when she knew Lorraine only wanted the best for Jordan. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel tomorrow, however, when the shock registered.
Lorraine leaned back and smiled. “You know, Jaynee, I always liked you, despite the fact you took the man-of-my-dreams.”
Jaynee crinkled her nose. “Thanks, I think.”
Lorraine turned and walked toward the front porch but turned back before she rounded the corner. “Call me in the morning and let me know if you change your mind. I’d rather Jordan not be involved with my leaving. I’ll go if it is what you want but only after we figure out this situation.”
Jaynee nodded her head solemnly in reply. Someone was still trying to murder her husband. She would wait until morning, but then, Jordan and she needed to have a long conversation about numerous things. He would just have to call off work; they could handle a Saturday without him.
***
Brian saw the woman approach Caycee on the deck. Strange time of night to be making house calls, but who was he to judge?
He was camping out in her backyard hoping to get an opportunity to talk again. He had seen her cleaning up the kitchen and had hoped she’d come outside. She always stayed up later than her husband and sometimes walked their dog. But then, the woman walked around the side of the house, so he would have to wait to talk with Caycee. He actually dozed off waiting for the woman to leave.
***
Lorraine was such a busybody. He would deal with her later. Right now, Jaynee was the important one. He’d come too far to stop now. Everything was in place.
Lorraine had stepped around the side of the house and down the front stairs when he crawled from under the deck and strolled up behind Jaynee before she entered the house.
His intention was to strangle her, a victim of her old boyfriend that had been sniffing around. He saw them conversing at the coffee shop earlier today, everything had worked out perfect. He knew she had been up to something.
He startled her when he came up behind her, quickly pulling her in a headlock and proceeding to choke her out. Her arms flailed as she struggled to escape but he had a perfect grip and the jacket he wore was plenty thick that her clawing hand gained no purchase. She was such a tiny thing. For a second he felt a twinge of remorse, but he squashed those feelings. It had to be done, it was the only way to make everything right again. He hadn’t seen the gun she was holding until it discharged. He dropped his grip as she fell lifeless to the deck. He bent over her to assess the damage. She’d ended up shooting herself. He couldn’t have planned it any better.
Slinking back down the steps, he was careful not to tread in any of North Carolina’s famous red clay. It would be like leaving a plastered footprint behind.
***
Brian jumped when he heard a gunshot but couldn’t see anything unusual.
Jaynee was gone and so was the woman. He waited, assuming the shot had come from somewhere else, but he was certain it had been nearby. He wondered if he should check on her, confront her as he’d originally planned. But if it was a gunshot, her husband would hear and come out to investigate—he was a cop after all. How ironic, that she would marry a cop. Brian decided he would wait until morning when her
husband left. He would talk to her then, insist she listen to him and prove to her that he’d changed.
***
Lorraine jumped at the sound. Was it a gunshot?
Jaynee had been holding a pistol…would she have done something stupid? She hadn’t seemed too upset about the news.
It was probably some redneck neighbor shooting at squirrels. Gunfire wasn’t uncommon in the country. She jumped in her car and drove off, hoping Jaynee wouldn’t have Jordan dismiss her in the morning.
63
Carmen DeSousa
Chapter Thirty
Jordan bounded downstairs again to the cafeteria. He needed to find out all Brian knew about the night someone shot his wife.
He could see Williams and Powe through the glass, Brian’s back was to the window. They were all sitting there, leaning back as if they were old friends.
Jordan entered the room, smacking the door open so hard it hit the wall, threatening to slam back against him. “So what’s the story?”
“Well,” Williams began. “It seems your wife’s lover has turned into a regular stalker.” Jordan glared at the detective, and he quickly substituted his words. “Sorry, ex-lover.”
Powe must have discerned his countenance. “Uh…Jordan…why don’t you sit down? Brian’s been cooperating so far; he wants to expose who’s responsible as much as you.”
Jordan seriously doubted that, but he pulled out a chair and sat down on it backward. “I’m listening.”
Williams leaned back in the chair again and pulled his leg up on his knee. “Evidently Brian spoke to your wife on Friday morning, and according to him, she wouldn’t give him the time of day. But he noticed she stayed up later than you and decided he would attempt to talk with her, convince her he changed—that kind of nonsense.”
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