by Clara Lewis
Bound By Lies
The Dresden Island Series
Book 3 of 4
by Clara Lewis
Copyright © 2021 Clara Lewis – All rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Description
After almost dying at the hands of a mysterious stranger, Olivia prepares to leave Dresden. She wants nothing more to do with the town. Staying longer could be a danger both to her life and her sanity.
That is, until the body of a young woman washes up on the shores of the Dresden lake.
It’s not the first time that someone has drowned in the lake. However, the case is solved immediately.
Olivia is determined not to get involved, but she knows something isn’t right. Why was the case solved quickly and why is everyone keeping quiet about it? Olivia, once again, takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of this case.
With someone out to kill her, and having to deal once more with the residents of Dresden, can Olivia solve this case with no other troubles?
This time, she might just have to do this alone.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 1
For the last week, Olivia had made this hospital room her own. She should have died that day. How she survived was beyond her comprehension.
Olivia looked at her hand. It shook slightly.
Liam felt guilty about the whole situation. He had been the one to pull her out of the water, but he regretted not being able to reach her in time. He had seen her struggling with someone, but by the time he arrived at the pier, Olivia had hit the bottom of the lake.
He visited almost every day to make sure that she was still all right. Despite him acting like an overbearing parent, Olivia’s heart had warmed toward him. All of the Barlowes were terrible people… except for William Barlowe.
Olivia heard a knock on her door. Her head whipped in its direction and for a moment, she was afraid. Olivia curled her hands into fists and cleared her throat. This was probably just Liam coming to make sure she was fine.
“Come in,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t shake.
Instead of Liam’s face, Jordan came through the door. He didn't look happy. After Olivia had almost drowned in the lake, he had been more careful about leaving her alone.
“I didn't go anywhere," Olivia said as a joke.
Jordan’s face only grew grimmer. Olivia’s smile dropped when she saw an envelope in his hands.
“What’s that?” she asked him.
“The results came back this week.”
Olivia had come back to Dresden to solve the mystery of why a body was found on the estate of the town’s most influential family. She was simply there to make sure that the investigation was done quietly. She should have left as soon as the case had been solved.
However, a second body had been found in the exact place where the first body had been. Olivia decided to stay to confirm if the body was her long-lost sister or not.
Jordan wouldn't meet her eye and Olivia felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She reached her hand out and Jordan handed her the envelope without a sound. He sat in a chair far across the room as Olivia tore the envelope open.
With shaking hands, Olivia fought back tears.
“I don't even know why I’m surprised; I always had a feeling the body belonged to Poppy,” she said. “I mean, her locket was found among the remains.”
Jordan looked at the floor.
“I’m really sorry, Olivia.”
Olivia waved her hand.
“You didn't do anything. At the very least, I got the answer to the question I’ve been asking myself all these years.”
Olivia had choked on her last words. She had tried to sound cheerful. She hated showing others her vulnerability, but this time, she couldn't stop the tears coming. Olivia covered her face with her hands and cried.
Jordan rushed to stay by her side, and she allowed him to comfort her.
She had no more reason to stay in Dresden. Olivia had information on Poppy, and she could very well do her investigation away from there.
Days after Olivia had received the results, she finally decided that it was time to leave. She packed her bags and stood at the doorway of her hotel room, making sure she didn't leave anything behind.
Liam offered to get her across the lake, and she agreed. The idea of her being near the lake made her nervous. It brought back memories of her sinking with no one to help. She had asked Jordan to accompany her to the pier though; she would be fine.
Olivia looked at her watch and noticed that Jordan was late. She was in no hurry to leave, but his lack of a response concerned her. She called his number and he picked up after the third ring.
“Sorry, I’ll be a bit late. A situation has come up by the lake.”
Olivia was curious.
“What happened? Can I help?”
“No, no it’s fine, we can handle it.”
As if that ever stopped Olivia. She had recovered well enough to drive, so she made her way to the lake.
Olivia pushed past the nosy residents of the area and stopped when she saw what the “situation” was.
The body of a young woman had washed up on the lakeshore.
Chapter 2
Olivia looked around for Jordan, but she couldn't see him. Other residents had started pushing ahead to see the body for themselves. Their morbid fascination sickened Olivia.
Eventually, Olivia became sick of their attitude. She started to push back.
“This is an official police investigation! Move back! “she yelled.
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse. One of the policemen approached her.
“Thanks for that, it’s quite difficult to do your job when you have a bunch of curious residents breathing down your neck.”
“May I?” she asked as she gestured to the body.
The policeman shrugged.
“Sure, why not? You’ve been a great help since the death of Mrs. DeVos.”
Olivia nodded her head in gratitude as she approached the body of the young woman. Judging from its appearance, the body looked to be about five days old. However, it had not decomposed as much as it shoul
d have. A body in water would have decomposed faster than one on land. If the weather were warmer, it would have decomposed a lot faster. For the first time, Olivia was grateful for the icy weather.
Without touching the body, Olivia searched for any signs of foul play. Although there were no obvious bruises or open wounds that suggested a murder, Olivia was drawn to the woman’s bloody fingernails. Olivia bent over to observe the woman’s hands.
“Olivia!”
Olivia turned her head and made eye contact with Jordan who was accompanied by a few more policemen.
Olivia waved from her position and continued her inspection.
“What are you doing here?” Jordan asked when he reached her.
He did not look happy to see her. Olivia frowned at him.
“I’m here to help," she said matter-of-factly.
Olivia stood up and put her hands on her hips. Her ribs were still bruised, and she winced from the pain. She didn't understand why he was being so irritable. Jordan’s face softened and he apologized.
“Sorry. It’s been a busy week, but we can handle this just fine, Hudson.”
Olivia wasn’t convinced, but it wasn’t her problem anymore. She shrugged and motioned toward her car.
“Will you be able to spare some time to come with me to the pier?”
“Yeah, of course, hold on," Jordan replied.
He called over a policeman and relayed instructions. If she were to hear those instructions or anything relating to the dead woman on the lakeshore, Olivia would have become too curious. And she just might stay a little longer.
Olivia walked ahead and glanced at the body which they had transferred onto a stretcher. Once again, Olivia had to convince herself that this wasn't her case. She quickly got into the passenger seat and scrolled through her contact list.
Jordan took his time and Olivia decided to call Marion.
“How does it feel to be coming home?” Marion greeted.
Olivia sighed in relief.
“I can't wait to get back home. Did you find anything about the car that ran me off the road?”
“Hold on.”
Olivia heard the furious clicking of Marion’s fingers on the keyboard. As Olivia waited, she couldn't help but look over at the crime scene. A car that Olivia couldn't recognize had driven to the lake. Olivia squinted as a well-dressed man stepped out and beckoned Jordan over. It was too far for her to make out any distinguishable features.
Who was that?
“Hello?”
Marion’s voice had broken through Olivia’s thoughts. Shaking her head, Olivia quickly reassured Marion that she was listening.
However, sometime during Marion’s explanation, Olivia’s eyes had drifted over to where the man and Jordan were talking. Whatever the man was saying, Jordan wasn't happy about it. He held his hands up and shook his head. The man grabbed Jordan by the arm and whispered something in his ear.
Jordan’s shoulders slumped but Olivia could see his fists clench by his sides.
“I’ll be back, Marion," Olivia said as she hung up.
As Olivia was about to step out of the car. The man had gotten into his. Olivia stood awkwardly by the side of the car as she met Jordan who walked over to her.
Jordan refused to meet her eyes, but it was evident that he was angry. He motioned for her to get into the car. Olivia could see him grip the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.
Olivia reached out and placed a comforting hand on his arm.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
Jordan didn't say a word but nodded. He took a few deep breaths and finally turned to face Olivia. His carefree smile was back again. This time, Olivia wasn’t sure if it was genuine. She looked at him, determined to find out if he really was all right. Jordan patted her hand in reassurance.
On the way to the pier, Olivia’s phone rang. She couldn't hide the smile on her face when she realized who the caller was. Jordan had raised an eyebrow at her sudden change in demeanor.
Olivia’s smile quickly died when she heard the news.
“Is she all right?” Olivia asked, concerned.
Liam’s voice was tired. He took a deep breath.
“I don’t know, but I’ll have to stay with her for the moment. My brothers might be a bit too much for her to handle.”
Olivia nodded in understanding. Her voice was soft when she replied.
“It’s all right,” she said, “I can wait.”
Even as she said those words, she felt worried. She was excited to go home and so was Marion. Ever since Olivia’s accident, Marion had called her every day.
Jordan tapped Olivia’s arm.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Liam’s mother fainted in the hall today and he’s worried her condition could worsen.”
Olivia sighed as she looked at her packed bags.
“Is it all right if I drive you back to your car? I’ll have to stay here for a bit.”
Jordan didn't reply until Olivia pulled on his sleeve. He hurriedly agreed but his mind seemed elsewhere. The conversation he had with the man from earlier had affected his mood. In an attempt to lift his mood, Olivia insisted he eat a meal with her.
However, during the meal, Jordan was still distant. He picked at his food, a rare occurrence, and in the end he barely ate.
“Hey, you're worrying me,” Olivia finally spoke out, “is everything all right?”
Jordan waved it off and smiled weakly.
“Of course, I’m just tired,” he replied.
By the time they had reached the area where Jordan’s car was parked, it was already dark. Jordan wearily got into his car and waited for Olivia to drive away. As she was pulling out of the lot, she looked in the rearview mirror and found Jordan on the phone with someone.
She guessed it had something to do with the man from earlier.
Fortunately, Olivia was able to get the same room back at the hotel. After a fresh shower, she dialed Marion’s number and called. She picked up immediately.
“I’ll have to stay here for a little bit," Olivia said softly.
“I can list a dozen reasons as to why that isn't ideal," Marion replied.
She was not happy. Before, Olivia could explain, Marion continued. “Olivia, your life is still in danger. There is someone out there who wants you dead. Do you remember that?”
“Well, yes but—”
“I'm sure Liam isn't the only person with a boat,” Marion cut her off, “find someone else to get you across the lake.”
“I can't.”
Marion sighed. Olivia could imagine her pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Why is that, Olivia?”
“How can I be sure they won’t push me overboard?”
“How can you be sure that Liam won’t push you overboard?” Marion countered.
“He was fine taking you across the lake!”
Marion paused.
“Oh yeah, I remember that.”
Eventually Marion agreed to let Olivia stay. She would have gotten Olivia herself if it weren't for the amount of work that swamped her.
“Call me whenever anything out of the ordinary happens and I will get you out of there myself.” Marion reminded her.
It took a while for Olivia to convince Marion that she would be all right. Eventually Marion conceded and encouraged her to rest.
Olivia didn't know how long it would take for Alice Barlowe to get better. She guessed it would take more or less a week. That was a long time and Olivia wasn’t the type of person to enjoy doing nothing. Her mind worked in overdrive and all she could think about was the dead woman by the lake.
The very next morning, Olivia stood in Jordan’s office determined to be a part of the case.
He walked into his office and momentarily paused when he saw Olivia. He looked at his watch and then back up to her.
“It’s really early, Olivia. The other guys aren’t even here yet.”
Olivia shrugged and took
a seat by his desk.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“I’m sure Dresden had enough activities to keep you entertained.”
Olivia shook her head.
“Listen. I want to be a part of the case.”
Jordan inclined his head and stared at her in confusion.
“What case? “he asked.
“The woman on the lakeshore. I want to help you find out who killed her and why.”
Jordan was silent as he booted his computer up.
“Look at this,” he said, positioning the monitor to face Olivia, “the case has been solved; it was a suicide.” Chapter 3
Olivia crossed her arms and leaned into her chair.
“Well, let me see the case notes then. You guys work fast.”
Jordan scratched his head in frustration. He opened his mouth to reply but Olivia cut him off.
“I mean, since you worked this fast, I guess I wasn't even needed here in the first place.”
She didn't believe it. A lone woman washing up on the lakeshore surely pointed to suicide, but something still wasn’t right. Olivia recalled the state of the woman's hands. There may be no external bruises, but those bloody fingernails indicated a struggle of some sort.
“Oh, and the autopsy report. I’d like to see that as well," Olivia added.
“I can’t show you those, this is an official police investigation.”
Olivia glared at him.
“I want to see those reports,” she insisted, “I won't even print them out. I’ll just look at them from here.”
Olivia pointed to the computer screen.
“Come on, it’s still early. No one will know I looked at the reports.”
Olivia could see Jordan crumble.
“There’s no autopsy," he finally said.
Olivia wasn't sure she heard right.
“Repeat that for me please? In a louder voice too.”
“We had ruled it a suicide when we got there. There was no need for an autopsy," Jordan repeated.
“What’s one of the first rules when it comes to an investigation like this?” Olivia suddenly asked.