by Mary Abshire
She spun on her heels and headed for the bathroom. She’d checked the clock on her phone after she’d woken up and it had showed almost three in the afternoon. She had plenty of time to kill before fixing a meal for Andrew.
After relieving her bladder, she washed her hands on her side of the vanity. She lifted her gaze to the mirror and for a change her bangs didn’t threaten her sight. Earlier in the morning, she’d taken Andrew to a haircut place since he’d said he’d needed one. They’d arrived when the shop had opened, so she’d gotten her locks trimmed too. Now, she didn’t have to fuss with pushing her hair away from her eyes all the time. Maybe she’d color her locks later while he was at work.
Wiping her hands on the towel, she noticed the sunlight spilling into the bathroom from the open door leading to her bedroom. She strolled into the room and gazed out the window. The clouds were breaking up to reveal the blue sky. One of the neighbors jogged by. An idea came to Emily. She didn’t want to wake Andrew since he needed rest for his night shift. And she didn’t want to stir him if she moved through the house. She needed to get back to a workout routine. Since she had time on her hands, the present seemed like a good time to start.
She shut the curtains before she changed into a white tank top and a pair of shorts. When she’d left Chicago, she’d packed the basics and left all her active wear behind. She’d never been a fan of wearing a bra when she exercised, but she didn’t have a choice this time. She made a note to stop later and buy a sports bra and running shorts. After she tied her hair behind her head slipped into sneakers, she strode from the bedroom.
Andrew hadn’t moved since she’d last seen him. She kept her steps quiet as she headed for the kitchen. She’d left her purse and keys on the center island. Seeing them still there, she carefully lifted the keys so they wouldn’t make any noise. As quiet as possible, she left out the front door.
A sense of relief flowed through her as she headed for the sidewalk. Andrew hadn’t brought up the topic he’d wanted to talk about at breakfast. She’d been trying to avoid the subject as much as possible. Fortunately, they’d been busy most of the morning with haircuts and running a few errands. After they’d returned to the house, he’d fallen asleep while watching television, so she’d gone to the bedroom to nap. Discussing sex and her needs with a man she found a strong attraction to would not be easy. When he’d mentioned they could do other things, she didn’t have to be a mind reader to know what he’d been referring to.
She’d had similar thoughts about relieving some built-up sexual tension between them. The problem she feared would be how and when to stop, if they even could. Foreplay would only last so log, and then they’d want more. Since she worked with Andrew and knew him well, cared about him too, a sexual relationship with him would likely complicate their feelings toward each other.
Reaching the sidewalk, she started with a light jog. She held the keys tight in her grasp and arms bent at her sides. The sun felt good on her skin. She figured she’d make it around the entire block once before the heat would get to her.
She reached the end of the street and noticed her heart had begun to work harder. It had been a month since she’d last been to a gym. When she’d been living in Chicago she’d went four times a week to stay in shape. Although she hated sweating and the soreness that sometimes accompanied rigorous exercises, she always felt strong and healthier for her efforts.
Emily ran an entire lap around the neighborhood. Her rapid pulse and steady breathing indicated she had a good rhythm going. Perspiration started rolling down from her head. Her black hair soaked in the rays too much. She definitely needed to dye her hair soon. Feeling good, she decided to keep jogging.
The neighbor at the end of the street was mowing her yard, but the other side of the neighborhood where the demon lived was quiet. Two houses from the demon’s home she noticed the little boy playing in the shade under the tree in the front yard. He held half of a green pool noodle in his hands and was swinging it around. She didn’t see the demon nearby, but assumed she had to be. Parents typically didn’t let their young children play alone outside without some supervision.
Behind her, she heard a car engine approaching. She glanced over her shoulder as the blue Toyota drove by. The demon’s husband sat behind the wheel and the ten-year-old girl sat across from him. Emily slowed her pace as the car turned into the driveway.
A thin man with short hair and glasses stepped out of the car. He called the little boy’s name and Brian waved to his dad. The child turned his attention back to Emily as she strode by on the sidewalk. His face had a reddish splotch and a darker one was on his forearm. Emily waved to the boy and he stared at her. The father called to his son again. Brian took off running toward his dad.
Curiosity pricked at Emily to find out about the marks on the boy. She also wondered what type of person the demon’s husband was. How could he allow his wife to abuse the kids? As Emily neared the driveway, she decided to introduce herself.
“Hello,” she said, walking up the driveway.
The young girl came around the front of the car. Dressed in a blue dress and holding a backpack over her shoulder, she stopped near her father. She had a dark spot on one arm and her other forearm had gauze wrapped around it.
The thin man dressed in khakis and a light-blue plaid button down lifted Brian into his arms. The noodle fell from his grasp and he made a whining sound. The father shifted the little boy to his hip as Emily approached.
“Can I help you?” the man asked.
Emily stopped a few feet away. “I recently moved into the ranch house behind you. My name is Carrie Reynolds. I thought I would introduce myself.”
“Oh, yes. My wife mentioned something before I left for work this morning. Susan said she had a new co-worker living in the house behind us. I’m Mark Williamson. This is Brian and Sara.”
The young girl gave a sheepish smile. The dark smudge on her arm looked like a bruise, as did the spot on Brian’s forearm. Emily wondered what the gauze hid on her other arm. She also noticed thin red marks on Brian’s upper arms and around his small wrists.
“Nice to meet you. My husband’s name is Spencer. We moved here from Chicago.”
“What brought you to Springfield, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“For starters, my parents live here. Spencer got laid off recently, so we talked about leaving Chicago to be closer to my parents. He did some research and saw there were jobs in his field here. We moved here so he could get a job and maybe start a family in the future.”
“Mercy Hospital has been understaffed for as long as Susan has worked there. She complains about it all the time.”
“Yeah, Spencer got a quick interview. Once they confirmed his information, they hired him immediately.”
“Do you work too?”
“I’m self-employed. I work from my laptop.”
“So you’re home a lot?”
She gave a single nod. “If I’m not running errands.”
“I ask because my wife and I work different shifts so one of us can watch the kids. We have a little baby too. Once in a while our shifts overlap and we need a sitter. With three kids, we don’t have much money to pay for a babysitter. Our neighbors have been kind enough to watch them for us until one of us can get home. I know we just met, but I’m guessing you’re decent people since your husband works at a hospital. But if we need a sitter—”
“You can definitely call me. I would be glad to help out.”
“That would be wonderful.” He set the little boy on his feet and then turned to Sara standing nearby. “Could you take him inside? I’m going to get Carrie’s number real quick.”
“Come on, Brian.” Sara offered her hand. The little boy picked up the noodle before he left with her, heading toward the house.
Mark retrieved his cell from a front pocket. “I really appreciate this.” It was an older phone with a flip top. “What’s your number?”
Emily gave her digits to him. By the time
he finished entering it in his cell, the screen door had opened. Susan stepped outside wearing a pink robe over a pair of pajama bottoms. Her hair hung loose on her shoulders. The smug expression on her face gave Emily pause.
“Can I help you?” she asked, staring at Emily.
“My name is Carrie Reynolds. I’m Spencer’s wife. We live on the other side of your property.”
She stopped at Mark’s side. Standing several inches taller and wider than her husband, she raked her gaze down Emily. “You’re a scrawny thing.”
Such a rude greeting failed to bring a smile to Emily’s face. Who walks up to a new neighbor and says something like that? Emily crossed her arms and stared at the bitch.
Mark slid his phone back into his pocket. “She offered to babysit if we need help. I was getting her number in case something comes up.”
“So you’re Spencer’s wife?” Susan asked.
“I am.”
“Is he working tonight?” she asked.
“I believe so.”
“I hope he’s willing to help out more tonight. We really needed extra hands yesterday,” Susan said in a condescending tone.
Emily clenched the keys in her one hand. Her temperature suddenly felt ten degrees hotter. “I’m sure he will be. But he’s new. Still learning his way around.”
Susan shifted her gaze to her husband. Before she did, Emily could’ve sworn she saw the demon wrinkle her nose at Emily. “I have dinner on the stove and it’s almost ready,” Susan said to her husband.
“It was nice to meet you, Carrie,” Mark said.
“You too, Mark. If you need a sitter, give me a call.”
Susan tugged on Mark’s arm. As they headed for the house, Emily headed for the sidewalk. When she reached it, she glanced back at the house. Susan was staring at her as she shut the door.
The woman was a major bitch. Mark didn’t seem anything like her. He’d acted nice and mannerly. How could he see any good qualities in her? She was rude and demanding. Was he afraid of her? And had she been cooking while Brian had been playing in the front yard? Someone could have easily driven up and kidnapped the little boy. It seemed as if she didn’t care what happened to Brian. The bruise and red marks on his arms led Emily to believe Susan had hurt him. Susan likely had hurt Sara too.
Emily resumed jogging at faster than normal rate while she gripped the keys tight in her hand. The metal dug into her palm, but she felt no pain. She couldn’t stand Susan. If she could walk up to the demon and put a bullet in her head, she would. The kids deserved to be treated better.
Emily ran around the block and made it back to her side of the neighborhood. With so much ire flowing through her, she decided to keep running. She needed to calm down before returning home to Andrew. If she went home, found Andrew awake, and he wanted to talk about solving their sexual frustrations, she’d likely climb on top of him. A strong orgasm always relieved any built-up emotions. While very, very tempting, she resisted the urge to partake in foreplay with him. He needed to focus on finding a way to destroy the demon, which meant she’d have to stay back and keep her attention somewhere other than his body. She hoped he would be able to kill Susan soon because Emily’s needs were escalating and she feared her resistance would fall short soon.
Chapter Seventeen
Andrew sat upright on the sofa, facing the television. He rubbed his eyes to clear the sleepiness from them. Silenced filled the house except for the TV. He had no idea what time it was or how long he’d been napping. Exhaustion had overwhelmed him earlier after he’d sat down to relax with Emily. They’d been watching a crime show. He’d closed his eyes and that was all he could remember. The blanket on the cushion next to him had come from his room. He presumed she’d taken it to put over him. Covers didn’t get up and walk on their own.
He grabbed the remote on the coffee table and pressed the power button. The image on flat screen disappeared. Curious to find Emily, he rose from his slumber.
As he strode down the hall he heard the squeal of a vehicle’s breaks from outside. A trace of sunlight spilled out from Emily’s open door. He strolled inside the bedroom and found it empty. Her phone lay on the nightstand, plugged into the charging cord. Her clothes lay on the floor near the dresser. Wherever she’d gone, he doubted she was naked, but the idea did bring a smile to his face. He’d love to catch her in the buff.
The curtains were together except for a small gap in the center. He walked to the window and pushed aside one of the drapes. The bright sun blinded him briefly, but his eyes adjusted. A school bus had stopped two houses down. Movement form the opposite direction caught Andrew’s attention. Emily was jogging on the sidewalk. She had a tense expression on her face. Her ponytail swung behind her head. She continued past the bus.
Andrew grinned as he stepped away from the window. Emily was an incredible woman. He could never tire of looking at her or hearing her soft voice. She’d promise to talk to him about ways to satisfy their needs and he’d meant to bring up the matter earlier, but they’d gotten busy and then he’d fallen asleep. The subject needed to be discussed. He couldn’t hold back his feelings for her much longer and neither should she. The time had come let go and let nature take its course.
After he finished his business in the bathroom, he cleaned up and shaved. He didn’t need to shower again since he’d taken one earlier in the morning. As he wiped up around the sink, he heard the snap of the lock on the front door.
Andrew strode from his room and headed for the kitchen. Emily stood near the counter drinking bottled water.
“Did you get to enjoy your jog?” He stopped a few feet from her.
Perspiration covered her pink-tinted face. She lowered the bottle. “Yeah. I ran a couple of laps around the neighborhood.”
“You look hot. I mean, you always do, but—”
“I met Mark, Susan’s husband,” she said before he could finish what he was going to say.
“Oh. What did he have to say?”
She took a deep breath. “He seemed nice. He pulled up with the girl as I was jogging by, so I introduced myself. The boy was playing outside too. Both kids have bruises on their arms. Sara has a gauze wrapped around one and Brian has these thin red marks on his wrists.”
Disgust rose within Andrew. “I can’t stand that woman.”
“I think he’s afraid of her. She came out and was really rude to me. She pretty much ordered him inside because she’d fixed dinner.”
“He must be a coward. He has to know what his wife is doing. Since he lets her get away with it, he’s just as bad as she is.”
She set the bottle on the counter. “Yeah, well he asked if I could babysit sometime because their work schedules sometimes run into each other. I gave him my number. I’d love to get a chance to talk to the kids. I feel so bad for them.”
Andrew crossed his arms. “Do you think anyone has ever reported anything to the police or someone? Isn’t there a government agency that investigates child abuse?”
“I don’t know. I’d thought about that too. It’s not in our best interest to file a report because I’m sure they would need detailed information and our names, phone numbers, etc. I’d like to avoid the police or anyone with connections to them. And if investigators were looking into the matter, they might keep an eye on Susan, which might make your job more difficult. Once you destroy the demon, all kids will be safe.”
“I’m guessing they might take the kids away, but it wouldn’t really stop her. She could move away, marry again in five years, and adopt more kids to abuse.”
“Exactly.”
He shook his head. “I’ll work as fast as I can to get rid of her.”
“I know you will. She’s just an evil bitch.”
He couldn’t agree more with Emily. The world would be a better place without Susan.
“I need to take a shower.” Emily reclaimed her bottle. She downed the water as she walked past Andrew.
“We still need to talk,” he said, stopping her before
she’d gone too far.
She twisted to face him. “Can we talk later?”
“When?” He strolled toward her.
She shifted her gaze to the patio and hesitated to respond. Andrew sensed her resistance to discuss their needs. He’d waited long enough to chat with her. If he let her go, she’d likely try to delay him longer.
“Tomorrow?” she asked.
“Why not now?” He stopped in front of her.
“I’m hot and sweaty from running.”
“That doesn’t bother me one bit.”
She sighed heavily. “There’s really not much to discuss.”
“But there is.”
“We have needs. We’re adults. I think we can take care of them ourselves.”
“And who is taking care of your needs?”
“I’m handling them.”
A brow rose. “Are you?” He doubted she was since she practically drooled whenever he walked around without a shirt.
“I’m not going to fool around with you.”
“Why?”
“Because you need to focus on killing that bitch and fooling around will lead us to want more. You can’t have sex.”
He shook his head in disappointment. Couldn’t she see the sexual tension between them was causing more harm than good? He could focus better if he were able to kiss and hold her in his arms.
“I think we should test the waters.” He took a step closer to her. “Let me show you how much I can please you.”
She held up her free hand. “No.”
“Why? You want me and I want you.”
“I told you why,” she said in an irritated tone.
“You don’t have to touch me or do anything unless you want to. Let me just—”
“No,” she said stronger.
He gave her a pointed look. While he’d love to have her participate in foreplay, he would be willing to do all the work to please her. Of course, he couldn’t imagine she would let that happen. She was attracted to him. Why couldn’t she open up to him?
