by Gerri Hill
Paige felt a blush coming to her face but was unable to stop it. She picked up her glass, hoping CJ wouldn’t notice but knowing that she would.
“Paige?”
Paige cleared her throat. “They don’t...well, I’ve never mentioned it.”
CJ stared at her. “You’re in the closet?”
“I guess you could say that.”
CJ met her eyes, her own widening. She stood quickly, pushing her chair back, her head cocked to the side thoughtfully.
“Okay, wait a minute.” She turned away from Paige for a second, then looked back around quickly. “What are you saying exactly?”
“What do—”
“You weren’t—”
“What?”
“I mean, with me, God, it wasn’t your first time?” CJ’s eyes widened. “Jesus, was it?”
Paige raised her eyebrows. “Oh, come on. Really?”
“Granted, you knew what you were doing,” CJ murmured, almost to herself. “No. Couldn’t be. You were too—” She glared at Paige. “Right?”
“Please sit down. You’re overreacting,” she said. “And as if I’d have been the first virgin you’d ever slept with,” she added.
CJ again had a panicked look on her face. “Paige, seriously. I wasn’t the first woman you’d been with, right?”
Paige frowned. “Where is this coming from? Was I that bad that you thought it was my first time?”
“No. God, no. You were fantas—” She paused. “That’s not—” CJ sat down again. “I’m sorry. Of course it wasn’t your first time.” She tried to grin. “What was I thinking?”
Paige stared at her. “What is wrong with you?”
CJ shook her head. “Nothing. I’m sorry. I just don’t like to be anybody’s first. It’s scary.” She took a big gulp from her wine. “So you’re in the closet? Wow. I mean, with everyone?”
“Obviously not with you.”
It was CJ’s turn to frown. “Paige, the guys—Ice and Billy—I mean, we flirt all the time.”
“Yes. And that’s expected now. I play along with it, as do you.”
“But you know they think you’re gay. Right? I mean, they know, they don’t think. Well, they think they know. Christ—”
Paige laughed. “While I haven’t brought my personal life to the job—ever—I don’t doubt that they assume, simply from the lack of me mentioning a boyfriend.”
“And you don’t think your parents assume the same?”
Paige smiled, hoping it reached her eyes. “I’m very busy. I don’t have time to date,” she stated.
“Oh my God,” CJ murmured. “There’s not some guy, is there? I mean, that your family is holding out hope for?”
Paige looked away. Crap. She sighed. “Seth Buchanan.”
CJ stared at her. “Come on. Seriously?”
She stood, picking up both of their plates. “Seriously.” She had hoped that would be the end of it, but CJ followed her into the kitchen, bringing their wineglasses with her.
“So how often do you see this Seth person?”
Paige took the glass CJ held out to her. “Family get-togethers, that sort of thing,” she said evasively.
“And how often is that?”
“Not too often. My family is in Dallas, remember.” She set her glass down. “Why so curious?”
“Are you kidding me? You drop the I’m in the closet bombshell and you think I’m not curious?” CJ arched an eyebrow. “Are you sleeping with him?”
“Of course I’m not sleeping with him,” she snapped.
“Does he know you’re gay?”
Paige sighed, wishing this conversation would come to an end. “He does not. At least he has not said anything to me.”
“Yet you date?”
“We don’t date, CJ. He’s much like you. He likes to play the field,” she said, wondering if that was really how she would describe CJ. “He has no more interest in me than I do in him.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Look, when we’re around the family, we’re . . . friendly with each other. That’s it. Enough to make my parents think we see each other and enough to make his parents stop worrying about his playboy ways.” She didn’t add that it would be much easier to pretend if Seth wasn’t such an ostentatious ass.
“So where did you meet this guy?”
“I’ve known him most of my life. We went to law school together. He works for the firm that represents my father’s company.”
CJ studied her, and Paige had to steel herself from shifting nervously beside her. She knew, of course, what the next question would be.
“So have you ever slept with him?”
Knowing the question didn’t make it any easier to answer. But she wouldn’t lie about it. “We slept together in law school. I was still...confused,” she said.
CJ laughed. “Confused? You obviously hadn’t slept with a woman yet. You know what they say, once you go chick, you never go—”
Paige covered CJ’s mouth with her hand, smiling too. “Please don’t say it.”
“So when did you sleep with your first woman?”
“That’s a little personal, don’t you think?”
“It was obviously after Seth.” CJ reached for the wine bottle, adding a bit to both of their glasses.
Paige thought back to those awkward days, days when she was terrified of her attraction to women, terrified of what her family would say if they knew. She actually slept with Seth in the hopes that it would chase away those attractions. In reality, it only reinforced them.
“It was before Seth, actually,” she said. “Seth was my last attempt at normalcy.” She smiled. “It didn’t work.”
“So why not just tell your parents then?”
“Because it doesn’t work that way,” she said. She moved away, ending the conversation. “Did you talk to Ice today?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Yes. There’s nothing new. I asked him to act like a historian and get some background on Hoganville. Maybe something will turn up.”
Paige eyed the dirty dishes. “Your turn,” she said, heading off to the bedroom and her laptop.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CJ stood at the window, staring absently into the woods. She heard Paige in the kitchen and soon smelled bacon, but she wasn’t really interested this morning. She felt restless. She blew out a breath. Okay, she was bored. This sleepy little assignment was boring her to tears.
“What’s wrong?”
She turned, accepting the cup of coffee Paige offered her.
“Wrong? Everything,” she said. “What the hell are we doing here? I mean, I feel like we’re wasting our time. We’re not really investigating anything, you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
“I’m sitting in a classroom full of goddamn juvenile delinquents—literally—and doing what? Babysitting them? You’re teaching a gym class, for God’s sake. We haven’t even met Fiona, who is at least a person of interest. I just feel like we should be doing something,” she said. “This has got to be the most boring, waste-of-time assignment I’ve ever had.”
Paige went back to the kitchen, flipping the bacon. CJ could see the wheels turning in her head. Finally she looked up, only to shrug.
“I agree, CJ.”
“That’s it? I agree?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. Something,” she said as she turned back to the window. “We don’t even know if Hoganville is just a creepy little place or what. I’d like to feel like there’s a reason we’re here and not just that we drew the short end of the stick.”
“Hoganville threw up red flags, that’s why we’re here. You know that. But you’re right. We don’t know if Hoganville is the center of the disappearance or not. A long shot at best, considering there is no evidence pointing to it. But I have a feeling something is happening here. Just being at the café, seeing them all like that. There’s something weird going on.”
“Weird, yes.
Whether it’s criminal in nature is yet to be determined.” CJ let out a deep breath, finally turning from the window. “You need some help?” she offered, pointing to the stove.
“You can set the table, please,” she said.
CJ went to the cabinets, finding amusement in the mismatched plates. “Are you going to be able to eat off of these for six months?”
Paige glanced at her and smiled. “I’m not a snob, you know. But really, how hard would it have been to buy a matching set?” She set the spatula down. “Okay, I’ll admit, it’s driving me crazy. And on our next trip to San Augustine, I’m buying new ones.”
CJ laughed. “Yeah. Can you buy a TV too? Howley said no on my request.”
“You’re kidding? He really expects us to stay here for possibly months without one?”
“He said the budget was too tight for frivolous purchases.”
Paige put her hands on her hips, staring at her. “Frivolous? Does he know where we are? The closest entertainment is forty-five minutes away and most people wouldn’t even call that entertainment. I’d like to see him stuck out here for a few months.” She turned back to the stove, then paused again. “And if this were Ice and Billy, they’d have whined enough by now that he’d have had one delivered. I swear,” she mumbled. “Men.”
“You don’t really seem the TV type,” CJ said.
“I’m not. But if we don’t get one soon, you’re going to drive me insane.”
***
Fiona sat up, her head pounding. It was cold in the chamber, and the lone torch above the bed was blinding. She turned away from it. Her thoughts were muddled, drifting back and forth, leaving her not knowing what was real and what was a dream. She finally opened her eyes, daring to lift the covers. She gasped, quickly letting them fall. She leaned her head back, stretching out her legs, expecting there to be shooting pain. Surprisingly, she felt nothing. All that blood and she felt nothing. What had happened to her?
She jumped when she heard footsteps. Mother Hogan seemed surprised as she came closer.
“You’re awake, Fiona.” It was a statement, almost accusatory.
“Yes.”
“How do you feel?”
“My head hurts.”
“Yes. It will stop soon.” She handed her a cup. “Here. Some broth. You haven’t had much to eat this week.”
This week? “What day is it?”
“It’s Sunday, dear.” Mother Hogan smiled. “Tonight you may return to the school. Will you be up for it?”
Fiona frowned. She’d lost a whole week. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can drive.”
“The broth will help your head. As soon as it is dark, we’ll prepare your bath. I’ve summoned your mother to assist.”
“There’s...there’s blood,” she said quietly.
Mother Hogan smiled. “Yes. Unfortunate. Antel was...beastly with you, I’m afraid. The bath will help.” She stood. “Lay back now. Belden will come get you when it’s time.”
Fiona did as instructed, too tired to protest. She saw the hulk of a shadow behind Mother Hogan, then it was gone. Instinctively, she reached down and covered her belly, her pulse racing. Was she with child? Had Antel succeeded? She tried to remember what had happened during the week. She had no memory of Antel except on the first night in the chambers. The rest was blurry. All she could recall were cold hands, a shadowy figure...and darkness.
She rolled her head to the side, away from the entry to the chambers. She was anxious to return to the school. There, at least, she felt like she had some control.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“That smells good,” CJ said, but Paige slapped her hand away as she tried to swipe a taste.
“Don’t you dare.”
“I’m surprised you can cook,” she said. “I mean, growing up like you did. You had servants, cooks. Right?”
Paige looked away, and CJ noticed the nearly embarrassed expression on her face. “We did. That doesn’t mean I didn’t learn from them,” Paige said. “I enjoy cooking. Something my mother has not done a day in her life.”
There were so many things CJ could say to that but she kept quiet. Paige didn’t share much about her upbringing, but that little statement spoke volumes. She couldn’t help but be impressed with Paige. Here was a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth, yet she nearly shunned it, slumming at a job with the FBI instead. CJ believed Paige when she said she wanted to help people. After all, that was the reason CJ became a cop. To help people...kids.
They walked next door to Suzette and Becca’s place as soon as they saw another couple arrive. CJ had no qualms about being first, but Paige had given her a look to indicate that it was just wrong to be the first at a party. Today’s theme was Mexican food and CJ brought Coronas and lime for them to drink. Paige had made a casserole that was bubbling with cheese. Another one of her vegetarian dishes, nonetheless, it looked delicious.
Valerie and her partner, Ella, were there ahead of them, and they both greeted them warmly. CJ was hoping to get Valerie alone. Paige had shared Gayla’s hint about Valerie’s trip to the local grocery store. CJ wanted to question her about it. At least she’d feel like she was working then.
“Oh, that looks scrumptious, Paige.”
“Thanks.”
“What makes you think I didn’t make it?” CJ asked with a grin.
“Sorry, dear. I just assumed Paige was the cook in your family,” Suzette said, taking the dish from Paige and setting it on the table that would later serve as a buffet.
“That’s okay.” CJ flicked her eyes to Paige. “My sweetheart won’t let me in her kitchen except to do the dishes.”
“Can’t say I blame her,” Becca said. “Suzette has two left feet when it comes to cooking. I’d just as soon she stay out as well.”
Suzette laughed. “Which is fine by me. I hate to cook.”
CJ kept a smile on her face, mentally rolling her eyes. She was already bored, and they had the whole afternoon ahead of them. She spied the lawn chairs that had been set up in the shade, noting with amusement the two oscillating fans that were brought out to help chase away the summer heat. She grabbed Paige’s hand, pulling her along. She chose a lounge chair, sitting down and drawing Paige after her, making room for her between her legs.
“We should share,” CJ said.
Paige sat stiffly, her hand digging into CJ’s arm in warning. “I think there’s plenty,” she said. When she saw no one was watching, she turned, glaring at CJ. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Now behave, sweetheart,” CJ said, a smile playing on her lips. “I just can’t get enough of you,” she murmured.
“You will pay for this,” Paige hissed, then forced a quick smile as Valerie came over.
“You two are so cute,” Valerie said as she pulled up a chair. “When Ella and I first got together, we didn’t leave the house for the first six weeks,” she said with a laugh.
“You mean this feeling will stop?” CJ asked as she let her fingers rub gently against Paige’s stomach.
“Well, if you’re in love, I guess it doesn’t stop, it just tempers a bit.”
Paige linked her fingers with CJ’s, effectively stopping her caresses. With her other hand, hidden from Valerie, she pinched CJ hard on her leg. CJ had to bite her lip to stop from grimacing, then nearly choked as laughter threatened.
“I think CJ sometimes forgets that we’re not alone.” Paige smiled sweetly at her. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”
“Maybe I just can’t keep my hands off of you.”
“Maybe you should try,” Paige murmured.
CJ cleared her throat, not releasing Paige’s hand. “So, Valerie, I hear you had an experience at the grocery store in Hoganville. Paige and I tried to go there last weekend, but it was closed.”
Valerie shook her head. “No, don’t do it. That’s one creepy place.”
“That’s what we thought about the café,” Paige said. “We went there yesterday.”
“Wow. Yo
u actually got inside?” Valerie asked. “What was it like?”
Paige turned slightly and CJ met her eyes, both with identical questions. They hadn’t discussed how much to share with the others. CJ took the lead.
“It was pretty weird,” she said. “We sat down, but the coffee lady wouldn’t serve us. The others in there turned away and wouldn’t look at us. Then some older woman showed up, Ester Hogan, and she said they were closed, that they were having a private party.”
Valerie nodded. “Yeah. That’s kinda what happened at the grocery store. I went in. All I needed was flour. I was having a craving for banana bread and I didn’t have any flour,” she said with a smile. “There were maybe five or six people in there. They literally scattered when I went inside. I mean, like ran. But it was like they just disappeared,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Not a sign of them anywhere. I mean, the store is not that big. So I’m standing there, wondering if I should look for the flour and just leave money or what, when this woman—Ester Hogan—just appeared out of nowhere. Scared me half to death.” She laughed.
“I knocked over a whole shelf of canned goods, ending up on my ass with this very scary woman standing over me.” Her smile faded. “Then it got cold. Really, really cold. And there was this... I’m not sure how to describe it. It was like a shadow, a presence, something. Then I couldn’t breathe, like someone was choking me.” She shivered, and CJ felt Paige’s fingers tighten against her hand. “The woman picked me up like I was a doll. She said her store was not for outsiders. I think I blacked out or something because that’s the last I remember. Next thing, I’m sitting in my car.” She paused. “That’s weird and all, but what was really weird, there was a bag of flour on the seat.” She tried to smile, but CJ could tell it was forced. “How did she know I went into the store for flour?”
“Wow,” Paige said. “We went in for breakfast. They wouldn’t serve us, but Ester Hogan sent us home with a basket of eggs, bacon and a loaf of homemade bread.” Paige laughed. “So did you make the banana bread or what?”