“Alright”, Leighton said. He disappeared for a moment to the cellar underneath the house, returning with a dust covered bottle that could have been fifty years old. Esmeralda watched him silently while he placed two glasses on the table, filled them both up and then put the bottle between them.
“That’s better”, Esmeralda said sinking into the hug of the chair. They both drank in silence for a moment, a web of unspoken attraction knotting between them.
“You know, two weeks ago, you would have already bent me over the table.”
Leighton didn’t even waver. “Is that what you came here for?”
“Just saying.”
She watched him stand up to put distance between them. Even leaning casually against a wall he looked as hot as hell. Just stood there doing nothing but turning the glass in his hand he oozed charm and sophistication and fuckability in orders of magnitude normal people had the impossibility to comprehend, and Gods would discuss amongst themselves as exceptions to the rules of creation.
Leighton took a sip of his wine, never once taking his eyes of his volatile, lust-filled PA.
“How long are you here for?” he asked suspiciously.
He was like a broken record, she could see it in him. What the hell did Gracey have that Esmeralda didn’t?
“I came to give you this”, Esmeralda said, pushing the document across the table to him. It was couriered to me with an apology from your late father’s legal team. Apparently, according to the will, it was meant to be given to you at the reading, along with everything else.”
Leighton moved forward to take the document, leaving his wine glass on the table and returning to where he had been standing. It was almost as if he was trying not to get too close to her.
“What is it?” he asked, holding the package suspiciously.
“As far as I know, it’s a letter from your father explaining why he wanted the inheritance to go to you. That’s all they told me.”
Leighton threw it back to Esmeralda and she had to be quick to catch it before it knocked over her wine.
“Fuck”, she shouted at him.
“What does it say, Esmeralda? I know you too well to know you’ve already read it.”
“Just read it”, Esmeralda said quickly, throwing the document back to him and neither confirming or denying his hypothesis. “You’re going to want to know what it says.”
“You couldn’t have summarized it on the phone for me?”
“You’re not pleased to see me?”
Leighton avoided the question.
“Who is looking after things in your absence?”
“It’s under control”, Esmeralda said defensively. “I’d figured you’d need me here. I was being proactive. Who knows how long you plan to stay here after all?”
“I guess we’ll figure that out in the morning.”
Esmeralda reached for the wine bottle to fill her glass.
“What is it you see in her?” she asked, unable to hold herself back now. The plan had been to show no signs of jealousy or bitterness, but it was proving impossible to be civil and understanding. She’d been so close, after waiting so long. Leighton should have been hers. He still should be hers.
“Please don’t do this, Esmeralda. I’ve already had a dozen people evicted from this property today, I’d rather not evict another.”
Esmeralda’s eyes went wide at that. She almost choked on her wine too. The bastard. Here she was doing him a favor and that was the way he treated her. She was by far the better candidate of the two of them, and it didn’t take a genius to see it.
“Is she blackmailing you? Has she got something on you. Some kind of dirt that I don’t even know about?
Leighton laughed at that, and it made Esmeralda laugh too. It was good to break the tension.
“It’s an apology”, Esmeralda said, lifting her eyes to indicate the document. “An explanation. It’s about your mom too. Where she is now.”
“I don’t want to know”, Leighton said flatly.
“You might do after you read it.”
Leighton ignored the comment, using the pause to move forwards and fill his wine glass.
“I’m having the house examined professionally”, Leighton said. “It’s going to be off limits from the day after tomorrow. It was the earliest I could organize it.”
“What if she did it, Leighton?”
“She’s not capable.”
Leighton rounded her to stand on the other side, and Isabella twisted in her chair to make sure she could still see him.
“I’ve seen the stories they’ve been putting out on the news. Leighton Tempest in love with his stepsister, you know how bad that looks? Whatever happens, I think publically you should step back. She’s going to be charged with murder tomorrow. Do you really want to be linked to that?”
Now it was Leighton’s turn to roll his eyes. “She didn’t do it.”
“This is bad for business, however you look at it.”
“You’ll organize a counter campaign. Get a statement released tomorrow. I expect that if you have my best interests at heart, you’ll already be doing it.”
“They have fingerprints on the glass he was poisoned from.”
“Gracey’s fingerprints are all over the house, that’s not too unusual. Plus she admits being with him that evening. She admits to helping him to a drink.”
“It doesn’t look good, especially when they found traces of the poison in her bedroom.”
“Whose side are you on here?” Leighton asked, tired of the accusations.
“I just don’t want to see you fuck up”, Esmeralda admitted.
“Get as much information as you can about the family. One of those girls is responsible for framing us both. That fucking Pandora, she’s a piece of work.”
“I thought you liked that kind of thing.”
“Some girls just can’t hide the fact that they want it.”
Leighton moved closer to Esmeralda.
“Is that right?” Esmeralda said, her face inches away from his now. If she didn’t know better, he was moving in to kiss her. Two weeks ago he might have been doing just that.
“That’s right”, Leighton said and took the wine bottle from the table.
Esmeralda felt shivers trickle down her spine.
“You won’t be able to see her if they don’t grant bail”, Esmeralda said confidently. “It can take a long time to for a trial to get to court, and in this state they don’t offer conjugal visits. How on earth are you going to cope? That big dick of yours is going to need feeding at some point. Sooner rather than later I’d say.”
Leighton laughed. It was a cheap shot, but Esmeralda felt like she was running out of options. If Gracey was denied bail tomorrow then Leighton had every chance of coming back to her. He could see that this girl was somehow special to him, but even the inimitable Leighton Tempest couldn’t go too long without fucking. Maybe that was it, maybe he hadn’t fucked her at all.
“Wait”, Esmeralda said, the thought coming to her. “I mean, you guys have fucked right?”
If it was anyone other than Esmeralda, Leighton would have given them a severe bollocking for talking to him like that. As it was, he knew her well enough to realize exactly what her plan was. It was confidence boosting to know that she still wanted him, even more so to know that he had the power to resist her.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Leighton asked, changing the subject.
“I’m staying until you kick me out”, Esmeralda said, a smile breaking out across her face.
“Good, because I’m absolutely starving. Find a decent restaurant and book us a table. I’m going to go and shower.”
Leighton put down his glass and made for the door before Esmeralda had a chance to respond.
“Oh”, he said, turning to face her. “Make sure Alexander gets fed too, there is meat at the bottom of the fridge for him. I’ve missed you Esmeralda. I’m glad you decided to come here.”
Esmeralda noticed with
annoyance the document that she had brought him, he’d left on the end of the table.
“Bastard”, she said, and drained her glass of wine.
***
“Surely this is against the law”, Gracey complained, already bored to death of waiting. She’d skipped breakfast, picked at lunch and had low expectations for dinner. She’d also expected to have already been released hours ago, and couldn’t understand why Leighton hadn’t come to see her.
“It’s just one more night”, Alex explained. “Your arraignment hearing has been booked for tomorrow, after that we’ll know a little bit more about how to proceed. They won’t release you before then.”
“I’ve been here all day. I’ve counted all the bricks on the wall, I know the distance from the bed to the toilet, which by the way, everyone can hear you use, and I’m sick of it. I didn’t sleep at all last night, and the food they give you, my God, it’s not even food. How can this be legal?”
“I’ll bring you something in, what do you want?”
“Pizza, please bring me pizza.”
“Are you ok apart from that?”
Gracey thought the question a little redundant. “I bet Pandora and Isabella are enjoying this. They’ve always hated me, those two.”
“Your sister’s were here earlier actually, giving statements. In fact your mother was here too. Leighton’s had them evicted.”
Gracey sat up to face him. “Can he do that?”
“It’s not their house anymore. As much as I understand it, it never was.”
“Where are they?” Gracey was concerned for their well being, despite what had happened.
“No idea. A hotel I’d guess. Must have made a bit of money from the story. I think one of the papers are looking after them. They are kind of courting the publicity. Well, Pandora is anyway. I’m not sure about the other one. She seems a little frightened by it all.”
“That doesn’t surprise me”, Gracey said, laying back down. “Pandora’s always had a thing for being centre of attention. She’s the one that should be in here not me.”
“Well she’s adamant that she saw you two together at the house last week. Signed a sworn statement to that effect, Isabella too, not that Detective Foster believes them enough to keep Leighton in.”
“They said they found poison in my bedroom.”
“That’s what they say, but, you know, tests can be inconclusive, misleading.”
“Or just plain wrong”, Gracey said, even though she didn’t believe it.
“That too.” Alex hugged his notebook against his chest. He was a wiry man of about forty five with pock marked skin that looked like a mud road in a drought.
“I don’t want to go to prison”, Gracey said. She’d not cried up until now, but it was getting harder to hold back the tears. She was barely into her twenties. She’d done nothing wrong her whole life and now this. She was the one who sat by his bedside hoping he would wake up. She was the one that forgave him. To be accused of his murder was absolute nonsense.
Alex could see her concern. He’d seen it a thousand other times in suspects throughout his career, both guilty and innocent.
“We’re going to do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ve got the best people behind you, Leighton has made sure of that. You’d know he’d be here if the police’d let him. He’ll be there tomorrow you can count on that. Don’t you worry, Gracey, this’ll be over before you know it.”
“Will I be able to see him?”
“That depends on whether they offer you bail or not. You’ve got to be prepared that they won’t. I’m not going to lie to you. We’ve got a good chance and we are doing everything that we can to make sure they do. Don’t you worry about it.”
But Gracey was worried, and she wasn’t sure at all about it going away. If only she hadn’t got him that drink. If only she’d just left him be, instead of trying to build up a relationship.
“What do you want on it?” Alex asked, and for a moment Gracey didn’t know what he was talking about. When she twigged, it brought a smile to her face.
“As much meat as will fit”, she said, and make it a large. If I don’t finish it tonight, I’ll have it for breakfast in the morning. Anything will be better than that slop they tried to give me today.”
“Alright”, Alex said with a smile.
“Is it legal?” Gracey asked, just before he left. “You know, to keep me in here.”
“You’ll be surprised just what is. You’re lucky to get away with just one day.”
Chapter 30
There were moments during the evening that Esmeralda could have convinced herself that nothing had changed and Leighton was and would always be hers. It was just the same as always, the jokes, the smiles, the comfort in each other’s company. The only difference was that she was waking up alone, frustrated and unfulfilled. She wasn’t the only one. Gracey, Detective Foster, Isabella, Alexis and Leighton all woke up without partners, each one having slept barely a couple of hours. Pandora was the only exception to the rule, having persuaded the muscled photographer from the Baltimore Sun to take her home and help her with her modeling portfolio really only as an excuse to have somewhere decent to stay.
The arraignment hearing had been scheduled for 9am. Gracey was met by Alex at 8.00am for a last minute briefing about what to expect, before being collected from the cells at 8.30am and escorted to the courtroom across town. Leighton waited patiently in the public gallery for them both to arrive, Esmeralda alongside him, her fingers crossed for a personally beneficial conclusion. There were other members of the public present, including a couple of journalists Leighton recognised from yesterday morning, but only Alexis as a representative of Gracey’s family. As she passed Leighton, smelling of stale alcohol and a recently smoked cigarette, she didn’t waste the opportunity to hurl abuse at him.
At ten past nine, the court was called into session and Gracey was brought into the room. Despite everything that had happened, despite two days without sleep and the possibility of not going home at the end of this, when she saw Leighton, she couldn’t help but smile. He knew it wasn’t allowed, but he wasn’t going to let it stop him, even if they decided to chuck him out because of it. He just couldn’t help himself. It was the police officer who broke the embrace, several moments after the prosecutor had ordered it, her gavel slamming repeatedly into the wood to call order.
“I’m here”, was all Leighton had time to say. “I’m not going anywhere until this is done.”
“Mr. Tempest”, the prosecutor said, rising to her feet. She’d followed the news as closely as anyone else and knew exactly who he was. “Anything like that again and you will be removed from this courtroom, do you understand me?”
“Yes”, Leighton said. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re lucky you’re not stood alongside Ms. Logan here. That can be arranged if you’d like me to do so?”
“No, thank you, your honor. That won’t be necessary”, Leighton said, acquiescing back to his seat.
“Right then. Does anyone else want to manhandle the defendant before we begin?”
Alexis’s mutters were just about picked up by the judge.
“Mrs. Logan, do you have something to say?”
“Just get on with it”, Alexis spat, low enough this time for the judge not to pick up on.
“Right”, the judge said, banging her gavel enthusiastically again. “Gracey Logan, good morning, my name is Alicia Cornwell.” She held up the plate in front of her that carried her name.
Gracey looked to Alex before responding to the judge. “Good morning”, she said eventually, the words getting caught as they came out.
“Good. You’ll have to speak up if you want the court to hear you. Detective Foster, good morning.”
Foster nodded a good morning to the judge.
“Spritely as ever. Would you like to tell us all why you’ve brought this young girl in here and got us all out of bed so early.”
“We have reason to believe
that Gracey Logan is responsible for the death of her stepfather, Philip Mandrake De Vries. Philip was poisoned at his home on the sixteenth of September 2015, with digitalis, a poison derived from the Foxglove plant which grows naturally within the grounds of the family estate. After forensic sweeps of the property, we found fingerprints on the glass Philip drank from, and traces of the poison hidden in Gracey’s bedroom. As far as I am concerned, this is a first degree murder charge.”
Alicia nodded thoughtfully. “You have conducted tests? You have the relevant paperwork.”
Benjamin Pope approached the bench to pass a document to Alicia.
“If I may?” he said after returning to stand alongside Detective Foster.
“Please give your name. I haven’t seen you on the TV yet, nor in here.”
Benjamin smiled. “I’m Benjamin Pope”, he said. “I’m a scientist, well lab technician really. The tests we conducted twice, just to make sure. You have everything in the documents. Digitalis was found in the glass Philip had been drinking from, and inside Gracey’s bedroom. It’s fairly conclusive.”
“Was it found anywhere else in the house?”
“No”, Benjamin said, rather enjoying his moment in the spotlight.
“Alex Dibbell?”
“Here, your honor”, Alex said, putting up his hand.
“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure before. It says here that you practice in New York. What on earth are you doing here?”
“I’m on a sabbatical.”
“Is that right? Well let’s see if it’s been worth it then, what have you got?”
“I’m not questioning the veracity of the tests conducted, because I believe they are correct. Gracey’s fingerprints were on the glass Philip drank from and a residue of the digitalis that killed him I believe was found in her room, it just wasn’t put there by Gracey. There is enough doubt in this case, that it should go to trial, but it isn’t Gracey that should be taking the stand.”
Donkey Doubled: A Twin Stepbrother Menage Romance Page 33
