A Familiar Star (Romance Mystery)

by Waters, JesseAnne

  “You should really rethink what you’re telling me.” He sneered. “I already received a call from Jeffery tonight asking me a lot of questions about the night Leslie’s mother died. He said you’d come up with some very strange ideas. He almost sounded convinced that you knew something.”

  “He knows now. Everyone knows now.” She tried to draw this out, to make him question what he was doing.

  “You’re a very stupid girl.” He dragged her across the room towards the wall where Max was lying. Then he threw her to the ground.

  Through the pain and dizziness Kylie could see the small frame of Mr. Gibbons more clearly. Of course he was the same person in her house that night. Memories flashed across her mind at rapid speed.

  “Why?” She said angrily. “Just tell me why?!” The tears came flooding through as she slumped forward on the cold ground.

  “Is that your last wish?” An unpleasant smile broke across his unattractive middle aged face.

  “Just tell me why and then you could kill us if that’s what you plan on doing.” She tried to draw it out so that maybe Frank would come looking for them. “Were you in love with her?”

  “Who?” He sounded surprised.

  “Leslie’s mother. Is that how it started?”

  “No.” He seemed confused. “I had no love for any of them. They cheated me out of what was rightfully mine.”

  “Oh my God, please don’t tell me this was all over money?” She tried to sound casual to keep the conversation going.

  “It wasn’t just the money dear. It was betrayal.”

  “Oh yeah, how’s that?” She winced as she tried to straighten herself up.

  “I’d come up with an idea. Created the blueprints and just needed the support of my dear friends who had the money to make it all happen but they were too greedy you see. Leslie’s father took my blueprints and began design of the product with his company without ever including me in it. When I found out, we argued about it but he said that we had come up with the idea together and that he would give me a little something on the side. Now do you really think that’s fair?” He hissed.

  “No, not really.” She muttered. Her eyes darted over to Max in the dim light. She couldn’t be sure but she thought she saw him twitch. “So what did you do?”

  “I saw little Leslie coming out from the staircase in the wall one night. She told me no one knew about it so I was not to tell a soul but that wasn’t true. Everyone knew!” He laughed sadistically. “Both families knew about it except for Jeffery, you see, that’s why he’s lived. Up until now.” He added flatly.

  “So you snuck over and killed her why? I don’t get it.”

  “I went over to get the only proof I knew existed. The drawings in the safe. My drawings. She was merely opening the safe for me when I realized she couldn’t live another second longer. So I slit her throat.”

  Kylie felt the horror of what he’d just said in the casual statement. “What about the others?” She gulped.

  “Jeffery’s parents suspected me and I was a mechanic you see. So that was easily taken care of.”

  “Clever. What about Leslie’s father?”

  “I blackmailed him until he had a heart attack. He was a weak man who wanted to protect his daughter. Eventually he signed half the company over to me so I needed to finish off Leslie and her husband, so they couldn’t go to the police when the time came to sell my half and disappear.”

  “Didn’t they ever suspect that it was you who killed Leslie’s mother?”

  “The only one who knew I had motive was Leslie’s father. Leslie’s husband came to talk to me after he died. He’d taken over the business and found out I had a share of the company. The night he confronted me, I killed him.”

  “What about the man who lived across the lake. Mr. Rolland.”

  “He was their accountant. The only other one with the know how to figure things out when the time came.”

  “So changing accountants with someone who didn’t know about the murders protected you.”

  “It covered my tracks a little better. The police asked me about my share in the company but I had the blueprints, my ideas all drawn out on paper and tears in my eyes for my long lost friend. So they had nothing to say.”

  “And how do Max and I fit into the story.” She felt sick to her stomach that they were running out time.

  “Well it’s the final chapter in a story that, you see, has been a long time in the making. And a lot of work I might add.”

  “Work.” Kylie said under her breath, disgusted.

  “Max,” he kicked his foot to rouse him awake, “had no alibi for any of the murders. A pathetic recluse with no life. Conveniently his father knew Leslie’s mother Catherine and was seen going over there a few times. A link. It all worked out so well for me.” He boasted. “So Max will commit the last murder and then kill himself with this revolver that I purchased online in his name. You see when you sell a house you acquire a lot of information about the person if you’re smart enough.” He pulled a small knife out of his pocket.

  “You won’t get away with this!” She slithered towards the wall.

  “Once they think they found the killer they won’t even bother going back in the past. They’ll be more than happy to wrap things up and that will be the end of that. Don’t try to fight me dearest, I don’t really care if Max shoots you or slits your throat.” He sighed as if the conversation had become boring.

  “And when the police find the staircase tonight?”

  “It will just confuse them. There shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “They’ll know it was you!” She pushed herself up against the wall trying not to freeze up as he approached her. She’d have to fight him off. If he shot at her it would just be a chance she’d have to take. She moved ever so slowly as he came towards her.

  “Won’t it be sad when Max wakes up and finds you dead?” He purred.

  Moving his back towards Max who was still lying on the ground, he pointed the gun at her chest and poised the knife in the air. He was within inches of her when he suddenly flew towards the wall, forcing Kylie to rush out of the way.

  “I am awake asshole!” Max murmured and dropped the ax in his hand.

  They both watched as the blood flooded out of Mr.Gibbon’s head onto the ground, picking up the dried earth in a slow stream.

  “Oh my God!” Kylie cried as she grabbed on to Max as tight as she could.

  “Everything is going to be all right.” The beautiful voice cooed. His lips touched her forehead gently. “It’s over.”

  “Thank God.” Kylie sobbed uncontrollably.

  “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” He held her tight.

  “I think my leg is broken.” She laughed.

  “All right, so I didn’t do such a great job but when I needed to, I think I came through.”

  “You did great.” She tried to swallow, her throat as dry as the earth on the basement floor. “Now let’s get out of here.”

  They both limped up the stairs leaving the last abomination behind them.

  Epilogue

  Kylie sat on the front porch. The sun was setting in the sky, the last of the evening colors blended into one another. The valleys that stretched out before her were fading in the long shadows of the mountains, transforming the vista into a work of art with each passing second. It was breathtaking.

  She thought back to the house on the lake and realized it had been almost thirty years since they moved away from there. Things certainly had changed. Those days seemed like a lifetime ago. A place she rarely visited in her mind. But then who had the time. She’d raised three beautiful children, two girls and a boy. She had her first grandchild from her son Collin and her two daughters were finishing university, the youngest in astronomy.

  Kylie was truly blessed. Blessed and happy. But what made her the happiest was her loving husband. Even after all these years she was still tremendously in love with him. Yes, the lake house seemed like a
lifetime ago but it was their beginning. A turbulent time but all the same, magical too.

  Lucy finally fixed Paul up with her assistant at the salon and they married, divorced and then married again. Kylie wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t met Paul. Would it have changed anything? But you couldn’t question life or its reasons. You simply had to accept and do your best with what’s given to you.

  The light was nearly gone now. The vast mountains before her, darkened until they disappeared. Kylie could hear the laughter coming from the observatory. The whole family was home for the weekend and a moonless Saturday night with an upcoming meteor shower was cause for celebration.

  “Come on Mom!” Samantha yelled out the window. “Just turn on the light for Aunt Lucy and get up here. It’s starting!”

  Kylie climbed the three flights of stairs and laughed at her daughter’s exuberance. She was truly her father when it came to the cosmos.

  “There’s your telescope over there next to dads.”

  “Hi Honey.” Max got up and kissed his wife affectionately.

  “Boy, the kids are excited.” Kylie laughed.

  “Aren’t you?” He flashed his still dazzling smile.

  “I’ll be excited when you and I are curled up under the covers.” She whispered in his ear then giggled.

  “Sounds good to me.” Max wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in close. To him she was still the most beautiful woman on the planet.

  “There’s Aunt Lucy’s car!” Samantha screamed.

  A car pulled up the drive and Lucy, Frank and their two children got out.

  “Up here!” Kylie cried out as her sister opened the front door.

  Lucy hadn’t changed very much over the years either. Life had been kind to her. It was another one of God’s blessings, Kylie thought, being able to share her life with her sister and partake in the raising of each other’s children.

  “Oh! I’m so happy you guys are here!” Samantha squealed as the observatory door opened.

  Lucy’s son Haden walked over to Samantha and picked her up off the ground and tossed her in the air.

  “Oh you two, don’t start already. You know I have something to talk to your Aunt Kylie about.” Lucy scolded jokingly.

  Haden put her down and the others turned to face Lucy. Frank stood at her side looking very sober.

  “What is it Lucy?” Kylie asked, turning to look at Max for support.

  “Well, it’s complicated. Do you know Brenda Lewis. She worked at the university where you teach art history?”

  “Yes. I don’t know her well but I know of her.” Kylie answered quietly.

  “Well she was seen with Mr. Matthew’s the other evening in the art department. Then the next morning they found her dead.”

  “Everyone mumbled under their breath except for Kylie and Max.”

  “Did you hear me, Kylie. They think she was murdered!”

  Kylie sat down on Max’s lap and they stared at each other but didn’t say a word. They’d known each other for long enough to know what the other person was thinking.

  “Kylie they were seen in the art department where you work.” Lucy continued.

  “They may need some information from you.” Frank interjected.

  Kylie turned to her best friend and lover and smiled. “If you don’t mind I think I’ll just stay right here and do a little star gazing.”

  Max looked fondly at his wife then back at Lucy and Frank. “What do you think? The sky is calling and it’s a good way of staying out of trouble.”

  Everyone silently agreed. You can’t change what’s written in the stars, so you might as well sit back, relax, and enjoy the good times while they last.