DEADLY HOPE a gripping detective mystery full of twists and turns

by Jack Parker

  I leaned back in my chair and propped my feet on the desk as I decided what I wanted to do. I could have placed rocks along the path, but David would have yelled at me for doing it by myself. I meandered across the Great Hall and finally settled on returning to the dining room to help Berta put breakfast away for the second time that morning. She hadn't returned yet, so I gathered the used plates first, frowning when I realized that Lilly had taken only two or three bites. Perhaps the excitement of the morning had stolen her appetite. I shrugged and stacked the plates and cups on the tray on which they'd been carried and headed for the kitchen.

  "Hey Berta!" I greeted and sat the dishes by the sink. She grunted and stirred at a pot on the stove. "I'm going to bring the stuff from the dining room in. Where do you want me to put it?"

  "By the sink is fine. I'll get you some bowls." She stirred the pot, and I returned to the dining room for two more trays. When I reentered the huge kitchen, three bowls were waiting on the counter near the sink, and I began separating the food.

  "What is it, Girly?" Berta grunted from the stove, back turned to me.

  "What do you mean?" I scraped cantaloupe into the biggest bowl and set the tray in the sink.

  "I mean that you haven't been yourself since you were arrested. What's on your mind?" She tapped the spoon on the side of the pot and then turned towards me.

  "Oh. I'm fine, Berta, really. Better than fine." I smiled as I thought of last night, and a blush crept up my chest.

  "Did Luci talk to you last night?" She took a few steps towards me and then stopped as her eyes flicked across my red cheeks and flushed chest.

  "Something like that." I mumbled.

  "This is no game, Lauren." The use of my name startled me enough to sweep away the thoughts of Luci's hands on my body. "You don't understand what you are playing with." She grabbed the food away from me and retreated to the refrigerator.

  "Then why don't you explain it to me? What is this huge secret you think Luci is hiding from me?" Inexplicable angry flared in my chest at Berta's unvoiced accusation towards Luci.

  "It's too late for you," she muttered and shook her head. She ambled aimlessly around the kitchen for a moment and then muttered something in a foreign language as she shoved me out the door.

  "Berta, what the hell?" She gave my shoulders one last push and then slammed the kitchen door in my face. My head jerked back at the echoing thud, and I stared at the thick wooden door. What the hell just happened? I wrestled with the urge to confront Berta, knowing it would only exacerbate the situation and forced myself away from the kitchen.

  Without Luci here, I felt lost and out of place. We were together always, and even though I had been trained to essentially run the house, I found myself hesitant and meek without her supportive presence. I stood in the middle of the Great Hall and looked around at the high ceilings and the old wood, hoping they would give me an answer to the question I hadn't given voice. I scrubbed my hands across my face in frustration. Lilly's return had thrown everything out of order. I was unbelievably happy to have my sister in my life again, but a nagging dread pulled at the back of my mind. Why now? My life finally felt good, stable. I was perfectly happy without her. Why now after all these years would she want to be involved in my life? The complexity of my emotions burned the back of my throat with the threat of tears, and I moved without thinking as I set my direction towards my special cove.

  David and I had nearly lined the entire path with the blue river stones, but I'd never actually stopped long enough to study the changes. It was beautiful. We'd raked the ground between the two lines of stones until it had become even and would eventually be covered with light multicolored pebbles. Now that the trees had been cleared, sunlight beamed down upon the path. We had yet to place the stone bird baths with similar designs as the mantle in the great hall, but they soon would sit just outside the river rocks every fifteen feet or so. It was a simple design. Any elaborate decorations would have denigrated the natural beauty of the surrounding forest, and I would never have stood for that. Besides that, it had been a great deal of work, even in its simplicity.

  I sighed as the peacefulness of the serene forest calmed my thoughts. When I reached the river, I dangled my legs over the steep edge of the bank across from the clay sand beach and tossed pebbles into the round water hole. The slow trickle of the stream soothed my frayed nerves, and finally I breathed freely once again. A burst of energy surged through my veins, and I smiled at the rejuvenating power of this place. I rounded the bank quickly, pulling my shirt over my head. I tossed it on the ground and unbuttoned my jeans as I used my toes to remove my sneakers.

  The chilly spring water stole my breath momentarily, but I had expected the shaded mountain stream to be cold. The best way to get wet was to dive in and completely immerse yourself without regard to the temperature. My body adjusted quickly, and I swam from one side of the bank to the other several times. When I became winded, I flipped over and floated atop the water. Clouds drifted through the blue sky, and I unsuccessfully attempted to decipher hidden shapes. I'd never been any good at seeing animal shapes in the clouds, but Lilly used to excitedly point and giggle as she shouted out different shapes and creatures when we were children.

  I held my breath and sank below the surface, washing the memory from my thoughts. The cool water cleansed my mind and soul for the moment. My teeth chattered when I climbed the bank, so I spread my shirt and jeans in a small patch of sunshine peeping through the tree canopy and let the rays warm my chilled body. I sat at first but eventually leaned back and basked in the warmth and pureness of nature. I sighed and propped my head on both of my arms and crossed my ankles. I had needed this moment for myself. Between Berta's oddly explosive behavior and Lilly's unexpected return, not to mention the lingering stress of the investigation and Dad's funeral, I'd used up my stores of mental strength and patience; Nature always restored them.

  "Ah, I am thrilled that you have added skinny dipping to your colorful list of attributes." Luci's silky blue and very amused voice floated across the trickling stream to my ears, and a smile pulled at my lips.

  "I wasn't skinny dipping. I have my bra and underwear on, so it was technically like swimming in a bikini. How'd you know I was here? Is Lilly okay?" I half-opened one eye and rolled it in her direction but saw nothing.

  "Mattison saw you heading this way. Lilly is in shock, I believe, but she finalized all of the intricate details of your father's service."

  A splash from the river pulled me upright. Luci's clothes lay a few feet from me on the ground. I crawled to the edge on the bank on my knees and peered over the side. A surprised squeal echoed into the forest as Luci burst from beneath the water and wrapped her arms around my neck. I toppled head first into the icy water, limbs flailing uncontrollably. Luci laughed outright when I surfaced and glared at her. The sound of her genuine laughter stole all of my anger and turned it into pure joy. I flung my body towards her and dunked her head below the water. She pulled away and splashed water in my face when I approached a second time. I inhaled a mouthful and sputtered; she attacked. I wrapped my arms around her neck as our bodies collided and pulled her under with me.

  She resurfaced with me still attached. My feet didn't reach the squashy pebble and clay floor of the river and dangled at her calves. Luci grabbed my thighs and pulled me against her when my body began drifting in the current. I hooked my ankles around her hips and smoothed wet hair from her face. My god, the woman was irresistible. I pressed my lips to hers. The sweet taste of fresh river water met my tongue, and I decided that it complimented Luci's taste perfectly. I'd die happy right now if her lips remained against mine until my last breath.

  I gasped when my bra straps fell loosely around my shoulders and cold water made unhindered contact with my already hardened nipples. Whether the reaction was caused by the water or the woman I was bodily wrapped around, I couldn't be sure. I loosened my arms enough for her to slide the garment from them. Her blue eyes searched mine
, bore into me. Droplets of water stuck to her eyelashes and beaded at her hairline. She was gorgeous this way, more than usual, wild, untamed, free. I'd done that for her, made her feel this way. Pride mixed with arousal in my belly, and I shuddered.

  She flung the soaked fabric onto the bank and then lowered her mouth to my neck. My fingers found purchase in her hair and dug into the flesh of her back. If anyone dared to come looking for Luci right now, I'd hit them with rocks until they went far away for at least an hour. Her fingers slipped beneath the elastic at my hip and jerked on the fabric. The fabric cut into my skin deliciously, and I unwrapped my legs long enough to kick away the remnants of clothing and then slide them around Luci's thin hips once more.

  She was looking at me again with those soulful eyes. I kissed the corner of her mouth and down her jaw line. My shaking fingers played at the clasp behind her back. I needed to see her in the daylight, surrounded by the beauty of this sacred place. She raised her arms after a few failed attempts, and I pulled the black silk over her head and tossed it towards the bank, not bothering to make sure it landed there. My eyes were occupied with the copious amounts of flesh revealed before me. I traced a finger over a scar on her left breast, dipping it below the surface of the water to complete the trail of the thin white line. They seemed to stand out more brightly in the cold water and natural light of the sun.

  I moved my eyes to hers, wanting to see her reaction to the acknowledgement of her imperfections. I read fear in the crystal blue orbs. I leaned down and kissed the top of the scar I'd been tracing and then moved my lips upward to her collarbone, the hollow of her neck, her shoulder, whatever skin I could reach. Her short nails dug into my thighs, and I gasped when she raised one shoulder to slip a hand between us. I loosened my legs slightly and bit into her neck when she slid easily inside of me. I'd never had sex under water before now, but I definitely wanted to try it again. My fingers dug into her back and shoulders as I struggled to remain pressed against her.

  "God, you're perfect, Luci." She froze inside me, and I pulled back to look into her surprised eyes. "Don't ever think otherwise because of your scars."

  She thrust roughly, and my head flew back, clouds and sky and trees filling my vision. It didn't take long before I shuddered and went limp in her arms. I'd never climaxed so fast in my life. She wrapped both arms around my waist and back tightly and planted little kisses along my neck and shoulder. My head fell forward onto her shoulder, and I clung to her as if she were my only lifeline, my only link to this reality, because in my opinion, she was my reality. Tears burned the back of my throat, and I didn't fight them. Luci would hold me together if I fell apart. I trusted her. I'd never trusted anyone before, not like this, and then there was her, so generous and caring. She'd slithered into my heart and soul, and I never wanted her to leave.

  "I love you." The words slipped from my mouth before I could catch them, but when I heard them aloud, I knew they were true. Luci tensed, like she thought I might take them back, but the muscles in her shoulders and back relaxed after a few moments. I raised my forehead from her shoulder and looked into her eyes. They had glazed with tears, and I kissed her. She didn't have to say it back right now. I saw it in her eyes. I pressed my flushed face into her cool neck and hugged her tightly.

  "Don't betray me, Lauren." Her voice had deepened as her throat constricted with tears, and I smiled into her neck. "You're my only hope." I barely heard the whisper over the trickling of the stream and the chirping of the birds and pressed a kiss onto the teeth marks on her neck. She simply held onto me, and I pretended not to notice the hot tear drops trickling over my shoulder.

  "Never." I whispered back and scratched my fingers through her hair over and over in comfort. I wasn't sure how long we held each other in that cold water hole, and quite frankly, I didn't care. I'd freeze to death before I let go of the woman in my arms.

  "Luci?" I asked long after her tears had ceased. The noon sun no longer beamed down from directly above us.

  "Hmm?" She hummed into my throat, and goose flesh rose on my arms.

  "Tell me a secret." Her fingertips tickled my spine, and her breasts pushed into mine as she pulled in a deep breath. I loved the feeling of her against me.

  "What would you like to know, Darling?" Her blue silk purr slipped directly into my brain as her lips brushed against my ear. I shivered.

  "Something you'd never tell anyone else." I answered distractedly, wanting to feel her voice on my skin again. She turned her head towards mine and pressed her lips against my ear as she prepared her thoughts. Her chest pressed into mine again as she took a deep breath.

  "Cindy wasn't dead when I pulled her from the water."

  Luci pressed frantically against Cindy's chest as Mattalyn ran from the docks. She jerked back in surprise when the feeble attempt at CPR actually worked, and Cindy sputtered and coughed the chilly water from her lungs. She held her classmate upright as she recovered from nearly drowning.

  "You're dead, Carver. You and your little girlfriend." She coughed again, and Luci saw red. How dare this spoiled brat threaten her and Mattalyn after they'd just saved her life?

  Before Luci realized what she'd done, she shoved Cindy roughly to the side of the dock again. Her fingers cramped and protested the icy water as she held onto the collar of Cindy's coat. After a few moments, the thrashing stopped, but Luci only pulled the body towards the surface of the water when Mattalyn's panicked voice echoed from the path that lead from the courtyard to the dock. Her muscles protested as she struggled to heft Cindy's body from the frozen lake. Mattalyn's terrified brown eyes met hers as she broke free from the forest, and she knew instantly what Luci had done. She said nothing as Luci used the pure adrenaline humming through her body to pull the deadweight of her classmate from the water. The nurse and headmistress tried in vain to revive Cindy for a second time. Luci held Mattalyn close as they watched the futile effort.

  "Say nothing, Mattalyn. I did this, not you." Luci whispered into her ear, and Mattalyn nodded, too afraid to say anything else. "As far as you know, she slipped on the ice and fell into the water. Do you understand?" Mattalyn nodded. "Let me answer anything other questions." As scared as Luci was at being caught, she'd never felt so aroused in her entire life, and that night, she expressed that feeling with Mattalyn, the person who held her secrets.

  CHAPTER 21

  Luci's thin fingers wrapped around my arm when she finally caught up with my quick steps in the middle of the front yard. I twisted my arm around hers and put pressure on her elbow just like she'd taught me during our self defense lessons. She grunted in surprise but did not struggle. My chest heaved with the emotions flowing through my body. After she'd finished her story, I pushed her away from me and scrambled to the shore as she fell backwards into the water.

  "You murdered her, Luci," I screamed at her face. She flung her body forward in my distraction and jammed the heel of her hand into my ribs. My wet clothes hindered my range of motion, and I jerked at them uselessly.

  "Lauren, lower your voice," she hissed and moved back a few steps in a defensive stance, ready for another attack.

  "In cold blood! For no other reason than the fact that she was going to tell your teacher that you had kissed another girl." I grabbed my temples as a sharp throb began pounding in my head and turned from her. "Who does that?" I whirled again and stared her down, unafraid.

  "It was a different world back then, Lauren. You don't understand. That sort of behavior was not acceptable in any form." I might have believed her if the muscles around her eyes hadn't twitched.

  "No." The fog in my mind cleared, and clarity seeped into my chest. "You killed her because she'd made your friend's life miserable. It was payback." I shook my head in disbelief and turned towards the house once more. Her fingers dug into my arms as she forced my body to face her.

  "So what if I did?" She shook my shoulders painfully. "Is it such a terrible deed to protect the one you love no matter the price? … Or the cost?" She ad
ded the last phrase of her question in a quiet, remorseful voice, and I felt sorry for her. She truly believed that she had done the right thing. She protected Mattalyn the only way she knew how as a terrified 17-year-old girl.

  "What about the cost to Mattalyn? She lost her life to addiction because of what you did. What about the price she paid? How can you justify that?" Her grip loosened, and I pushed her away from me and stepped back before she regained her balance.

  "She let the guilt eat her alive until there was nothing left. She couldn't see what I did was for her own good. Please, Lauren, you must understand," Luci pleaded with her desperate silk and crystal blue eyes.

  "Oh, I understand that you are off your rocker. You can't just go around killing people for no reason, Luci!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation; she flinched.

  "I had plenty of reason, Lauren. Plenty!" I covered my face with my hands, unsure of how to respond to her adamant explanations.

  "You had no reason, Luci!" I grabbed her shoulders and stared up into her eyes, trying to make her think rationally. I would forgive her one day, allow her to touch me again, but not today, not any time soon. How had this happened? I was so happy. For once in my life, I was happy.

  "Do you understand?" Anger flared in her eyes. "Luci, do you understand me? What you did wasn't okay. I know it was years ago, and I know that it felt like you had no option, but you had other options." I shook her shoulders when her gaze wandered from my eyes, like she'd shaken mine only minutes earlier.