The Girl that Fled (Bliss Book 3)
Page 15
Why is he lying for me? She thought as her fingers itched to grab him and tell him that she wasn't innocent! Not in the slightest. She felt uncomfortable as she grazed her thumb over his hand. Adam was an honest man, why was he lying for her?
"No Adam. I killed him, I did it. And I deserve to go to jail for it." He stood up and grasped her arms, her face jerked to meet his. This was possibly the most aggressive he had ever been with her and she couldn't help the sudden fear that filled her. She thought he would slap some sense into her, but when his grip loosened and remorse filled his eyes, she knew to back down.
"No, you didn't." He muttered through gritted teeth. She couldn't tell if he was telling the truth as his grip removed itself from her arm. "You didn't kill him Eleanor." He stared holes into her eyes, an attempt to convince them both. She knew she had done it, unless her timing was perfect with his actual fated time of death- which was unlikely. Hank Carnegie could've lived to be 120 years if he wanted to, he was wealthy enough to live in a frozen ice cube if it came down to it. That man was stubborn, and although his days may have been numbered, he was unwilling to die.
"Now what? Do I just continue hiding as Allison for the rest of my life." Eleanor huffed; Adam glanced at her with warm eyes. She didn't want to come out of hiding and reveal herself to the world. She wanted to go back to being Bree Walker, living in the countryside with Josiah.
They were both frustrated as they sat back on their bed. Adam needed a moment for the feeling to sink in- she was alive and healthy and back where she belonged. Even if she claimed of doing such a demonic task, he couldn't believe her- wouldn't believe her and anticipated she would begin believing she didn't kill Hank as Adam believed as well.
"I need a minute." Adam said, leaving the room. Eleanor sat on the bed. How would this change their relationship, how would this change how the world viewed her. She sat in fear on his bed, thinking back to the night before when all emotions were out in the open and the room was steaming. His hands were so familiar, so perfect, the things he did were so majestic. It made a tingle run down her spine as she thought of it. Her fingers tracing where his had been hours ago. She wanted his touch again, his scent, his whole being.
As time passed, Eleanor began regretting her decision to tell him. He didn't seem surprised at finding out she was Eleanor- he clearly already had a sense of it and her denying it furthered his search. But he did seem shocked that she so openly admitted to murder- especially of his own father, her father-in-law. She got sick of just sitting there, even if the room was a beautiful reminder of how things used to be. She left their room, heading downstairs to see him sitting on the staircase, staring at the giant portraits above it. She had seen the portraits so much that she didn't notice he had still left them hung up.
The good old times before all the craziness. "That was one of the happiest days of my life." Adam said, noticing her presence.
"Oddly enough, mine too." Eleanor sat beside him, "I'm sorry Adam." He held a hand up and she grabbed it.
"Look how far we've come. You know that old saying- about letting a butterfly go and if it loved you, it'll come back?" She nodded, "Eleanor- you're my butterfly." For some reason, those words seemed to clear the mood and suddenly they were leaning in, their lips so close, almost touching. And then the door flew open and someone that neither of them were expecting walked in.
"Bree Walker was Eleanor." Zac blurted, watching the pair, "who is this?" He took a moment to realize, "oh damn bro! You got Allison here, obviously you would. Pleasure to meet you." Zac bowed like they were in a 1950s, sending a wink Adam's way.
"Zac, bro, you're up here and I need you to bring it down here." Adam gestured with his hands. Eleanor looked at their feet as she stifled a laugh. "And yeah, I figured that out already." Adam looked at the obnoxious detective named Zac.
"How did you get this model in your home?" Zac's mouth was agape.
At this, Adam stood up and held his hand out for Eleanor to hold. She grasped it as they walked to Zac. "Zac, meet Eleanor." Adam said as a shocked Eleanor immediately pulled her hand from his.
"I didn't realize you guys were into that role-playing stuff." Zac stared for a minute as Eleanor tried to stop a laugh from escaping. Adam turned to face her, a smile broke out when he saw her, and nodded in her direction. A gesture saying you can trust him.
"No, Zac- I am Eleanor." Eleanor said.
"You have her believing it too? You know I went back to Oklahoma for a bit after I left Massachusetts to see if that doctor- I forget his name, had known anything about her. And you know what, the town said his funeral was last week, apparently an alligator or crocodile or something killed him when he was jogging. So, I did a little more digging and I realized, the same fingerprints from the ring were the same skin cells that had been worn and I wondered- did..." he was quickly cut off by mournful gazes.
"What?" Eleanor was frazzled, her heart racing at the sudden news. "Josiah's dead?" Both her and Adam said in synchrony. Zac held his hands up as if to try to calm them down.
"Why did nobody tell me?" Eleanor whispered.
"You're not exactly Bree anymore." Adam replied. Zac's eyes widened. He looked between them before a lightbulb went off in his head.
"Whoa, she's actually Eleanor." He seemed so immature and unfazed. He stared between the two of them, unsure of what to do.
"Zac could you give us a minute." Adam gave him a sideways glance.
"Yes sir." Zac walked out faster than a rabbit being chased by a cheetah.
Eleanor began to cry; it was frustrating that someone who was so good to her and so helpful to everyone around him- he was a doctor for crying out loud- was gone! Forever!
"Eleanor, are you okay?" Adam hugged her, a few tears slipping from his eyes as well. He had thought Josiah a friend. After a few moments of holding each other as they both cried, Adam stood up.
"Eleanor... did you ever sleep with Doctor Mathews?"
"Adam! Does this look like the time to be asking me that?" She grunted, not wanting to be honest, not wanting to lie. "And if I did, it wouldn't matter because you wouldn't be able to kill a dead man."
"Exactly."
"What?" Eleanor raised her eyebrows, wiping the last few tears from her eyes.
"Eleanor, you tried to kill a dead man. My father had already had the heart attack before you could even poison him with pesticide."
"It wasn't pesticide- and why are you bringing this up again."
"Because, my love," Adam stepped closer, "I want the world to know you're still alive."
Chapter 27: Where Were You
The small town sitting on the edge of a lake was mourning for what felt like ages. Their beloved doctor was gone, and nobody could've done anything to stop it.
Much less, Abbie Ray had lost the only person who could treat her wound- where would she go now. The glumness overwhelmed the population, and everyone cried for fun.
Lavela's bakery has been packed since the moment he passed away- the only comfort people could find was that of his mother. She cried more than they did, her son, the hard-working doctor, had basically wasted so many years of his life to not even live it to the fullest. Years in college, years in medical school, years in residency, years taking care of people- and for what? To die at the ripe age of 29. All were remorseful, they hadn't just lost a hardworking, caring, and compassionate doctor, they'd lost a friend.
The normally bright town of Clearwater Oklahoma was as murky as the waters the crocodile had rested. And now there was a bounty out for whoever could kill that croc. It had been out for two weeks and as time passed, nothing could be found. Aside from one of Josiah's shoes in the lake, nothing else remained from him or the crocodile. It must've been an extremely painful death.
The man who had found him only called for police because while he went to go fishing that Sunday evening, the water was an oddly colored red. Covered to the brim with dead fish afloat on top. It didn't take him long to realize that it was blood and it had filled
the entire lake- diluted and all. All that was left of Dr. Josiah Mathews- was a shoe and a spirit that would live on in the dear sweet town.
Lavela's baking had lost its touch, the sweetness of her sugar cookies was gone and now a bland taste was left behind for all who bought them. The small population of Clearwater seemed to disappear slowly as others sought their medical services- and cookies- elsewhere. Dwindling down to rot. Fewer and fewer people attended mass on Sundays- everyone remained in their home. A giant fear of the crocodile had spread, and everyone feared that if they were bitten, they might a-die or b-get infected and have nobody to treat it because the good doctor was dead.
Everyone was at a loss for words, even the one man who rarely visited Clearwater.
With bright eyes and an ironed tux, Adam stood outside Lavela's bakery. His eyes puffy as he held Eleanor at arm’s length. Ever since her revelation he was in some weird way- afraid to touch her. Afraid to be around his own wife.
His mind wandered back to the day before, when she had yelled at him for being so foolish and wanting the world to know she was still alive.
"Are you insane?!" Eleanor stomped. "You can't do that!"
"Eleanor, wait, it'll be better..." He was cut off with a strict glare. "We can stay married. and..."
"Better? For who!? You're just being selfish Adam! You don't want to commit to Magdalene so you're using me as an excuse instead of talking to her." His blood was boiling as she screeched, flailing her arms in the air wildly.
"Don't talk to me about being selfish Eleanor! You faked your damn death and disappeared. If anyone if selfish here, I think it all points to you."
"Adam, I already apologized for that, you can't keep bringing it up!"
"And why not? Some things you can't just forgive and forget- you made me feel like absolutely nothing when you left me like that! I wasn't planning on annulling our marriage, I wanted to figure out a way to get my father out of the picture without angering him- by going along with his plans so he would think I was on his side. I wanted to do things the proper way Eleanor!"
"You're a coward Adam!"
"Let's not throw names around, Bree... Elena... Allison!" He crossed his arms; she didn't know what to shout back at him.
"Adam! Just forget about them already! Please!" She shouted, if Adam had neighbors, they would've surely been banging on his door to tell them to shut up.
"Forget them? They were all you! And I can't Eleanor! Don't you get it, you're back now- but where were you in the last eight months?!" The anger was infuriating, they had never argued this angrily or this loudly before- or at all. "Where were you when I was crying over your dead body- huh Eleanor- answer me that, where were you when I was about to punch that truck driver- where were you every night when I couldn't sleep, thinking I had lost every single chance at making things right with you." Adam cried, his words falling on deaf ears as he reached for her, attempting to hold her- actually feel that she was really there.
"Look, we need some... space" She said coldly, pulling her arm away from his burning touch, he was a bee and she was a wasp.
A long pause filled the air. They stared at each other silently until Adam looked away. She didn't want to hurt him- she really didn't.
"Okay, I'm going to go to Oklahoma tomorrow- to mourn with the town...." he took a deep breath, "do you want to join me?"
It was crazy how Adam could easily deescalate a situation. Eleanor looked at him.
"Adam, I am your father." Her face transformed into the old man Carnegie as he continued to stare. Her smile quickly turning into a grimace and faded absolutely. "Annul the damn marriage or I will put all my wrath on the Hays Law Firm!"
"But it was your idea!"
"Fine- and now I have another idea."
Adam woke up gasping for air. They were in the airplane on their way to Oklahoma and Eleanor was soundly asleep beside him. He stared at her for a moment, glad that she was alive. One life is so important, even with all the heartache and all the pain- she was the world to him. He wondered if her family knew she was still alive, and how would they react if they found out?
He would respect her wishes though, not tell the world that Anna or whatever her name was changed to- was Eleanor. His love.
And he would cover for her as best as he could, shield her like she was a fragile rose. He feared her withering to nothing. But her will was too strong and he was in an in-between state- unsure of if he could trust her and thinking a billion things all at once.
"We've arrived." The pilot said.
Adam's heart rate was still booming at the dangerous dream, more like a memory replayed. He never wanted to see that happen again. He turned to the sleeping murderer and lightly tapped her shoulder.
"El... Eleanor wake up." Adam whispered, nudging her ever so softly.
"Jase- don't go, I need you. I can't do this on my own." She muttered aloud, her eyes racing back and forth behind closed eyelids.
"Eleanor." Adam spoke at full volume, tapping her cheeks lightly.
"Adam, I don't love you anymore...." she muttered. Adam's jaw tightened, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down his throat as he instead stood up and walked out of the plane, telling the pilot to wake her up. A few moments later, he heard an air horn go off and a yelling Eleanor screeched at the pilot.
"Adam!" She now focused her anger at him, she wasn't usually an angry person, guess that's what experience in the real world brings.
Her muttered words played in his mind; it was like a broken tape on rewind as he watched her from beside her seat. The airplane's seats were made of a beige leather and it was a comfortable design. The plane was in the layout of Adam's jet and only slightly smaller than a commercial airplane. He had designed it himself, with the help of Magdalene of course.
Maybe Magdalene was actually an option now. Maybe divorce or annulment, perhaps it was because he had slept with her when they weren't in love. He had avoided that as best as he could during their marriage, and now, his worst nightmare came to life. He was now just one of her playthings that she would use and toss.
Now they stood at arm’s length, staring at the quaint little town, ready for whatever was going to happen.
This was meant as a one-day trip and then they could leave, but they ended up staying a full month and it was as if Adam Carnegie and Allison "Eleanor Undead" had disappeared off the face of the earth.
Chapter 28: A Master Manipulator
Adam Carnegie, Missing in Action
-M Times Newspaper Article, 2023 Catalogue, Book 3, et. al. Ve.
About a month ago, Mr. Adam Carnegie went on a what-his-fiancé calls a "business trip" with Allison Cooper, the popular Demeter Modeling Co. Association model. They were seen together entering a private jet near Carnegie's home and neither have been spotted since. No one has filed the couple missing, but sources say he is on a rendezvous with this new Eleanor look-alike. So- the question we must ask is, is Adam Carnegie cheating on Magdalene? The esteemed daughter of Mags and Hags' company. More news on that later.
———
Life had become boring. And yet, it was still a mystery to be discovered.
When he looked over his shoulder, Eleanor thought she had actually lost her breath. A gasp so loud escaped her lips that he had to turn around completely and chuckle as she began to now-hiccup. They were so sweet to each other. Were.
And now they couldn't bother to look at one another, forced to live under the same roof because Eleanor couldn't put her checks into a bank since Allison didn't have a social security number- or even exist. Adam paid for it all.
Each morning waking up to the empty bed and having a mini-heart attack like he had done so many times before. This morning, however, he realized it was fine, he was still in love with the wench that lived almost a room away. But how do you fall out of love, one may ask. Space? Time apart? Adam had had all of that- and yet, every time he looked at her, his heart clenched just a bit and he couldn't hide that his heart and slid to his sleeves.
"Adam?" She wiped the sleep from her eyes as he continued to sit and stare at the floor silently. "What are you doing in here?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard her as if she had yelled the words. She sat up, reaching for a muscular arm that was unclenched and not flinching by the time her warm fingers touched it. She was cozy and he was in love.
"Do you remember..." he began, staring into the dark night, "on our first night together- when we were just married- and you refused to sleep in the bed with me because you didn't like the idea of marrying for a business partnership," he chuckled, "you even made an effort to try and sleep in the bathtub until I turned the water on and got you wet." He smiled at the memory. She sighed, her heart rate rising for no apparent reason as the room suddenly felt smaller.
She nodded silently, unsure where he was going with this memory. His back to her and his heart on still lay on his sleeve, Adam continued to sit and stare at the wall. After a few peaceful moments, Eleanor removed her hand from his body, and he turned to face her.
"It never hurt me that much to feel unwanted as it does now." He finally turned, facing her racing heart as their eyes met. The look of shock that overtook Eleanor's face lasted for a slight second before her lips curled into a kind smile.
"You're not unwanted Adam." She muttered, turning on her side and making room for him.
He didn't move as she waited patiently. When she realized he wasn't going to wrap his arms around her and sleep beside her, she pushed the blanket over herself and shut her eyes. They had too many problems- so many that any show of affection wouldn't be able to fix. They could talk it out, but that typically ended up in an argument. As time passed, Eleanor grew dreary.