by Kari Shuey
Dusk was beginning to fall and the coolness in the air had deepened. The colors in the sunset bled through the sky, stretching as far as the eye could see. The land was surrounded by a tasteful brick wall and plenty of trees provided a semblance of privacy. There appeared to be one story, but when viewing the house at an angle, the visitor could see a lower floor as the property sloped down in the back. The house was set on a hill, following the trend that many of the builders of the larger homes had started.
Exiting the car, Abby took a deep breath and walked up to the entrance of the large home. The doorbell was one of those fancy camera doorbells, and there were some security cameras around the perimeter of the house. Motion sensor lights were also set up but didn’t turn on as dusk hadn’t quite fallen. Abby squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and pushed the doorbell.
The oversized door swung open and a tall man in a dark suit stood before her. His dark hair and dark eyes appeared ominous. He was younger than she expected, and his pictures in the news articles didn’t do him justice. He couldn’t be more than 35 years old, maybe only five years her senior. An aura of exhaustion surrounded him. They stood there staring at each other for a few moments before he seemed to realize he needed to move to allow her entrance into his home.
“Miss Russell, come in.” Moving out of the way, he motioned for her to enter.
Abby hesitated. She peered into the house, hoping to find the person with whom she spoke at the gate. Seeing no one, Abby gingerly stepped past him and stood awkwardly in the foyer as he closed the door behind her.
Holding out his hand, the man introduced himself. “Miss Russell, I’m Gavin Saxe. Thank you for accepting the housekeeper position. I can understand this must be one of the more difficult jobs to accept right now. I want to assure you, you are safe here. I have increased my security and relieved unnecessary staff. You might see my landscaper around, and occasionally I have a delivery man drop off important work documents. My cook has been dismissed… I know it wasn’t in the job description, but – well, if you are comfortable adding meal preparation to your list we can discuss that in more detail later. Essentially, I am hiring you to help me keep the place running. There will be additional job requirements I don’t normally ask of my housekeeper though. In addition to the cleaning, I would like you to accept packages, answer the intercom, and run various errands as needed. Are you up for the extra workload?”
Abby looked around the house. It was smaller than she was expecting which meant less work. It looked like it was kept up well, and with the lack of additional people, she didn’t have to clean up much. This job would likely be less trouble than some of the house cleaning she had been hired for in the past. “I think I can handle that.”
“That’s good to hear.” Mr. Saxe looked like he was on the verge of smiling, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Maybe it was relief Abby read on his lips. He continued to explain the cleaning duties she would be expected to perform. It was all pretty basic. He wanted her to help out with laundry, dusting, windows, and basic deep cleaning. But there was one place he requested she leave as is. “I do not need you to clean my office. The door is normally closed and I ask you to respect my privacy and simply stay out of it. I do my work in there when I don’t go into the office, and I like to keep it a certain way. You will get your own room with an adjoining bathroom. We will, of course, share the kitchen and laundry facilities. Normally, I would have had you stay at the guest house, but that is now the hub for my security team. Will these terms be acceptable to you?”
Abby nodded. “All of that sounds fine to me.”
“I understand you have requested a background check. Here is the file. I requested a copy, but your employer has a duplicate on file at his office.” He handed her a manila folder stuffed with documents. “I’m sure you will find everything satisfactory. That being said, I anticipate we will have you moved in by Monday next week.”
Abby accepted the folder held out to her. He’d gotten the check done in 24 hours. Not only that, but it felt full enough to be a thorough collection of his history. She looked from the folder in her hands to the man standing before her. “If I am comfortable with what I see in the file, I will accept your offer and will be here to help you in whatever way I can,” She said numbly.
“Wonderful. Let me take you on a tour.”
Mr. Saxe motioned for Abby to follow him. He showed her the main living spaces, the bedrooms, her personal space, seeming to intentionally avoid his obvious office space. His home was impressive. Though the house was modest for a person of his wealth, it was still fairly large for a single man. All this square footage for only one person seemed like a waste though. Who needed so much space when you didn’t have a family? Was he simply a workaholic and didn’t have time to look for love? Perhaps he really did have a dark side and the speculations were true.
Abby was so deep in thought she didn’t notice that Mr. Saxe had stopped giving her a tour and was scrutinizing her. He had a suspicious expression on his face and something else she didn’t quite know how to read.
“Miss Russell. I am sure you are aware of the current state of my life. It is all over the news. I don’t feel I need to emphasize the importance of privacy and how much I value it. I will, however, remind you that you are my employee. As such, I require you to act in accordance with my standards. Should anyone approach you and ask you questions pertaining to my personal life, under no circumstances are you to divulge anything. Part of accepting this position requires your utmost discretion. Do I make myself clear?” They stood beside the counter in the kitchen. Another folder rested beneath his fingertips. His fingers tapped quietly on the paper as he waited for her to respond.
Swallowing hard, Abby nodded. She wondered if this would be any different had he not just lost his housekeeper. She looked at the folder that she assumed contained the paperwork for her to sign. He probably wanted her to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement.
“Good. Well, you will need to fill this paperwork out and send it to my assistant as soon as possible.” Gavin slid the folder off the counter and into his hands. Offering Abby the packet, he watched her again, as if trying to read her thoughts. “That being said, I am willing to answer any questions you might have to help you feel more comfortable.” He folded his arms and leaned back against the cabinets behind him.
“Mr. Saxe, it is not my place to judge what was going on before I arrived. I would prefer knowing that there is security provided as long as I am here. But, no, I do not need to know anything besides your preferences for laundry.” And whatever this folder with his life contained, she added to herself. She made a mental note to request Mr. Perkins’ copy so she could assure herself of the validity of it all.
Mr. Saxe appraised her. “I can respect that.” He held out his hand once again and shook hers. His hand was warm and firm. He seemed self-assured and in charge.
Abby could tell he was strong just by the way he carried himself. It wouldn’t take much for him to strangle or attack someone… Shaking her head slightly, Abby berated herself. What was she thinking? She had made herself a promise she wouldn’t judge him. If he was innocent or guilty, it wasn’t her job to find out. She was simply here to keep the house in order.
“Are you okay Miss Russell?”
Startled, Abby released his hand. “Sorry, I got lost in thought.” Embarrassed, she looked away and pushed a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. “You wanted me to start on Monday?”
Nodding, Mr. Saxe headed down the hall to his office. Abby followed, curious to see what would be inside. He slipped into the room and left the door ajar. Through the crack, Abby only saw what anyone would expect in an office. There were built-in bookshelves, a lavish desk, and a computer. There were file drawers as well and it was all kept in order. He wasn’t kidding when he said he liked to keep things just so. Mr. Saxe picked something up off his desk and came back out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He held a small piece of paper. On it was s
cribbled a moving and storage company’s information. She looked up at Mr. Saxe who was probably a good foot taller than she was. Her expression must have shown her confusion.
Mr. Saxe grabbed a credit card from his wallet and held it out to her as he explained. “Here is the card I will have you use when you need to get groceries among other things. Tell the moving company that I sent you and to put the transaction on my account. If you have any trouble, call my assistant. Do you have any questions?”
“No sir. I will be back on Monday.” Abby carefully placed the card and contact information in her purse.
“Actually, if you are able to start sooner, that would be preferred. When do you suppose you could start?”
Surprised, Abby glanced up at the strange man before her. “I suppose I could start tomorrow if you absolutely need me to. But I need to go through a few things before everything is set in stone” She motioned to the folder filled with his history. “I might not be able to get here until late afternoon. I have to pack up the essentials.”
Mr. Saxe gave a curt nod. “Of course. That would be acceptable. I appreciate your willingness to be so flexible. Thank you, Miss Russell.”
“Oh, you can call me Abby. All my clients do.” Abby smiled awkwardly. “I will see you tomorrow then.”
“I will not be here until after work. I have a long couple of days ahead of me to make up for the lost time with all this-” He cut himself off. “You will need the security code. Let me introduce you to my security guy if you have a moment.”
“Of course.” Abby followed Mr. Saxe out into the kitchen and out the back door towards the guest house. The sun had set and the motion flood lights ignited as they moved past them. Abby was surprised to discover the property had a pool as well. She supposed it made sense that a property so large would have an amenity like a pool.
They walked up to the door and Mr. Saxe knocked quietly. Curious why the owner of the property would knock at his own place, Abby waited for the door to open to reveal the interior. A gruff looking man opened the door with a scowl on his face. Wrinkles around his eyes spoke volumes of his experience.
“Miss Russell, this is Windsor. He is an ex-marine and he will be responsible for monitoring the comings and goings on the property. If you have any concerns with security, don’t hesitate to come over here. He will be staying on the property for the unforeseeable future. When he determines there is no longer a threat, he will move out of the guest house and monitor things remotely.” Mr. Saxe and Windsor exchanged glances, a secret kind of code only they understood.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Windsor.” Abby held out her hand to shake his. He glanced down at the gesture and back at Abby. With a slight nod and a grunt, he retreated into the guest house. Abby caught a glimpse of computer monitors and more technology than she could even imagine fitting in such a space.
“Well, as I said, I will see you tomorrow… evening?” Abby clarified.
“Yes, thank you. It will be a pleasure working with you.” Mr. Saxe walked Abby to her car and watched her pull down the driveway to the gate. The motion again triggered the multiple floodlights. Abby waited by the gate, realizing that Windsor must be responsible for activating it. Once open, she quickly left the property. Saxe was a character, albeit paranoid, but he had every right to be.
***
Gavin watched his new housekeeper pull away. The beautiful redhead couldn’t have been more than 5’3”. She looked strong and sure of herself – yet a little too friendly. He was immediately drawn to her but he couldn’t figure out why. It was like she reminded him of home.
Windsor came up beside him. “Do you think this is a good idea, sir? Allowing another woman on the property so soon after…”
“I’m sure it will be fine, Windsor… as long as she follows the rules. Just keep an eye on her.” Gavin turned again to the direction Miss Russell had left. He hoped this hire would have a better outcome.
Chapter 3
Abby watched Mr. Saxe grow smaller in her rearview mirror and the feeling of utter confusion clouded her mind. He seemed like a nice enough guy. He was private and respectful. He was absolutely unwilling to open up unlike most people in this generation. It was likely he would be a strict, no-nonsense kind of boss. The fact that he was so wealthy made her second guess her willingness to take the job. Her best friend had been burned by a wealthy guy back in college. Lori took an internship for her communications degree and spent a semester out of state. She fell for a rich guy who used her and ruined her life. Lori wouldn’t give her all the gory details, but she alluded to the fact that the guy took advantage of her and dropped her when he didn’t have a use for her anymore. Insisting all people in the upper class were entitled pricks, they made a pact to only go for the sensible guys. Granted there didn’t seem to be many these days… but Mr. Saxe definitely didn’t seem to fall into the ‘sensible guy’ category.
Her thoughts returned to her new position. Would she still report to Mr. Perkins? If Mr. Saxe was now paying her directly as his employee, it must mean Mr. Perkins received a finder’s fee. In that case, Abby would not need to check in with her old boss. Supposing she needed to clear that up, she made a mental note to call Mr. Perkins in the morning. Not only would she ask about Mr. Saxe’s references, but she’d get a better idea of how it would be moving forward. There were a lot of people she needed to call and tell about this new job of hers. If something were to happen to her, they all needed to know who to point the finger at. But maybe she wouldn’t tell her mother. The last thing she needed was her over-protective mom calling daily to check in or demand she quit her job.
Pulling into the familiar apartment complex, Abby took a deep breath of relief. Feeling like she had been holding it in since leaving the Saxe property, she didn’t realize just how on edge she was becoming. What would her mother say? Best not to think about that. Perhaps a call to her friend would be a better choice, but she had left town this morning on a business trip. She would likely be pretty busy. Hadn’t Lori said she’d be gone longer this time around? Her best friend was the epitome of a workaholic. Once she latched onto a project, she became obsessive – but that is why her employers loved her. Her drive helped her accomplish anything. Abby would just have to wait a few weeks before reconnecting. Maybe by that time all of this crime drama would be dying down.
Abby climbed the stairs to the second floor of apartments and quietly entered. It was cozy and felt like home. The new place at the Saxe property was going to be a big change; something that would take getting used to. But being the type who was always up for a challenge, Abby was thrilled about the new prospect.
She’d always thought she’d be married by now and living in a house. Most girls in this area were seriously dating or married by the time they hit 30. But not Abby. She couldn’t ever seem to find someone who would stick around. And that was fine. She didn’t want to settle – if she were to settle down, it would be for the right guy. She wondered if the fact that she wasn’t tied down to anything - or anyone - was the reason Mr. Perkins recommended her.
Looking around her apartment, Abby took a deep breath and rolled up her sleeves. She would organize her belongings tonight and call the movers in the morning. They could come pack it up for her and she would just take her clothes and essentials. This will be fine. This will be fine. She repeated in her head.
***
The alarm went off next to Abby’s head and she jumped out of bed, startled. Wincing due to the sharp movement, she tried to remember if her dream had anything to do with why she was startled. A groan escaped her throat and she rubbed her temples. Staying up too late to organize her belongings was a poor decision. She needed to be at the Saxe property within the next couple of hours to get started on her work. Looking at the time, she figured she’d call Lori and give her the interesting news. They may not be able to catch up entirely, but at least they’d have something juicy to look forward to when she got back into town
Reaching for her phone, Abby dialed Lo
ri’s number and listened to it ring. She was prompted to leave a voice message. “Hey Lori, it’s me. I miss your face already! Can’t wait for you to come back and hear me tell you all about my new boss. It’s pretty crazy. So… call me back when you can. P.S. It’s that Saxe guy from the news… but you can’t tell anyone!” She laughed a little as she hung up the phone.
If Abby had to pinpoint a moment when she knew Lori was her best friend, it was back in college when Lori took her internship. Even when they were apart, Lori would talk all about her life as a reporter and the guys she was dating.
Abby was heartbroken when she heard about Lori’s horrible dating experience while she was away, she even tried to get enough information to put the guy in his place. Lori refused to give any additional details. She said he wasn’t worth it and all rich men were pigs. He not only took advantage of her but from the sounds of it he cheated on her too. Then she moved back to the area about two years ago and it was as if she never left.
Her thoughts drifted to her family. Her father had passed away when she was young and her mother worked two jobs to provide for their family. Abby was the oldest and took over the housework. It gave her a sense of purpose, to say the least. And it was a way to help her forget the poverty they endured. While her mother worked, Abby also cared for her little brother, growing up too fast with the additional responsibility. If there was anyone she could talk to about this new situation it would be him.