by M. S. Parker
Just as I was reaching out to see if she really had a cubic zirconium pin in the shape of a cougar, she appeared in the door. I jumped back and scowled at her catty smile.
“I was just coming to grab my rings,” April said. “I suppose you can’t wear rings in your line of work, scrubbing toilets and all.”
“Do you need me to clean the bathroom again?” I asked.
“No, no, I’m sure you have a schedule to keep.” She looked down her nose at me. “If I haven’t left anything in the drawers you can just head back down to the big house.”
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck bristle. April was up to something, and I knew from experience I needed a witness and quick. I moved toward the door, but when April refused to move I had to awkwardly squeeze past her, protruding breasts and all. Being so close to her I caught a whiff of her sickeningly sweet perfume.
I trotted down the stairs and continued along the driveway at a brisk pace. This wasn’t the way I wanted to greet Alex this morning, but it seemed April had one more scheme for causing trouble, whatever that would be, and he needed to know right away.
From the curve of the steep driveway I could see the rear view of the main house. The glint of sunlight on water pulled my attention and there was Alex swimming laps in the pool. I stopped and caught my breath in awe at the sight of him. Pulled out of my worries for a moment, I remembered the first time I'd seen him swimming.
Even from the hill I could see the sheen of the water on his skin as he stopped at the end of a lap and looked around. My heart leapt at the thought that he was looking for me. If only I'd made the other choice, I would’ve been in the water with him. I dropped my chin to my chest and stared at the dirt on my work shoes. Instead of being with Alex, I was getting dusty in my rush to get away from April and her latest jealous scheme.
I reminded myself that this wasn't about me. I had Karl to think of. He was my responsibility and I couldn't risk his future, not even for something I wanted so badly.
I started down the driveway again, devising a plan in my head. Once April was gone, I’d talk to Alex and tell him why I'd made the choice I had. I’d simply explain that I needed the money and I wanted to work for it, but I also wanted him. I didn’t expect that we'd still be able to make it work, but I hoped knowing the truth would be enough for him. Maybe then after the summer, after Karl was set up at Rainbow Roads, maybe he could visit…
Too many maybes, I thought and shook my head. Last night was enough, more than enough, for me. It had to be. I couldn't expect anything else.
Suddenly, I heard sirens. The sirens were so different than American squad cars that it didn’t really register that they were police at first. It was like watching a movie scene. They sped up the main drive and skidded to a stop in the circular driveway. Four police officers headed up the steps just as Jamison walked out the door.
I ran the rest of the distance, worried about whatever had prompted the invasion. When I trotted onto the gravel of the circular drive, I saw Jamison look up and I stopped. He waved me away with the slightest nod of his head. I frowned. Unsure of what to do, I slipped into the side garden. I headed straight for the pool, but April had beaten me to it. Still not knowing what was going on, I hung back near the climbing roses. Alex had already wrapped a towel around his waist and was comforting April who was crying carefully choreographed tears.
“I just never thought someone would hate me that much. My father gave it to me. Who would do that?”
“The police are here. Let’s go talk to them,” Alex said. “I’ll just run upstairs and get dressed.”
“No! Send Jamison, don’t leave me.” April burst into fresh tears.
Alex frowned, but nodded as he led April toward the house. I peeked out from behind the trellis. Neither one seemed to notice me as they passed. From the expression on his face, he looked perturbed, and every once in a while he’d flinch, but he didn't push her away. April was dramatically sniffling and he was struggling to keep his towel up as she clung to him in her desperate performance.
At a loss for what to do, I went into the kitchen and filled a carafe with coffee. I took my time, preparing a tray with cups, cream, and sugar, hoping Jamison would come through the kitchen. I was dying to know why the police were here.
When I heard someone coming down the back stairs, I stepped closer to the doorway. It was Jamison carrying a pair of jeans for Alex. I was about to step into the hallway to ask Jamison what on earth was going on when Alex darted into the hallway. I ducked back into the kitchen and leaned against the wall, with my ear turned to the open doorway so I could listen. Hopefully, I'd figure out what happened and how I could help.
“She’s saying it was stolen.” Alex's voice was even, not betraying what he was thinking.
Jamison responded with a sigh of exasperation. “She’s overreacting, as usual. I’ll call the set. It’s probably there.”
“She says she never wore it to set, that it’s too precious to her. But the police asked for the number for her make-up artist anyway, the one that handles all her jewelry,” Alex said.
“Do you think it was the make-up girl?”
“Doubt it. They’ve worked together forever, remember? April made me fire that other poor girl and hire her instead,” Alex said.
Jamison pitched his voice low when he spoke again, “You know what she’s trying to do, don’t you?”
“I do. What the fuck, man? Why is she so goddamn…so fucking wicked all the time?”
I could hear the anger this time and I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed the tray and stepped into the hallway. Alex looked like he was about ready to punch the wall.
Our eyes locked and his gaze drilled into me. I wasn’t sure what to make of the look he was giving me. A tumble of confused thoughts and feelings assailed me as the same sweep of nerves I’d felt earlier in the guest cottage assaulted me again. Before I could say a word, he turned and headed back into the front parlor where April was sobbing to the police.
I felt like an idiot standing there holding a stupid tray of coffee. I turned to Jamison and in a weak voice said, “I made coffee.”
Jamison gave me a sympathetic look and gestured with a sweep of his hand for me to precede him down the hallway. I wanted to riddle him with questions as I squeezed past with the tray, but I had the sinking feeling I knew the answers. April had found a way to cause trouble, and it centered on me.
“Coffee?” I asked as I entered the parlor. I tried to keep my voice cheerful. All four officers turned toward me, and I could tell by the expressions on their faces that this wasn't going to go well.
“Are you Ms. Carerra? Chelsea Carerra?” the officer with a notepad asked.
“Yes,” I gulped, unable to help being intimidated by their four stern faces.
April shot a self-righteous look to the officer standing next to her.
“And have you worked for Mr. Silverhaus for long?” the first officer continued.
“Um…just this summer,” I stammered, my mouth going dry. I reminded myself that I hadn't done anything wrong.
“Is this your first job as a live-in maid?”
“Yes,” I said.
“So you don’t have many references? Any previous employers who can vouch for you?” the officer asked.
April quickly cut in, “References aren’t what people are interested in on that website.”
The officer scribbling in his notepad shot a knowing glance to his partner and then at Alex. Apparently the officers were familiar with the reputation of the site where Alex had found me.
Under their accusing stares, Alex shifted his weight and cleared his throat sharply. “Chelsea has no criminal record, and her work has been excellent.”
“Jealousy can be a strong motivation,” the larger officer near the door said.
“What’s going on?” I asked, wishing my voice was more than a squeak.
Alex looked at me. “April’s tennis bracelet is missing.” He shifted his jaw as if he were
grinding his teeth. “Instead of doing a thorough search for it, she called the police.”
“It was stolen!” April cried. “I was wearing it last night. In fact, you can ask the masseuse you hired, or the manicurist. She commented on how elegant it was.”
April’s face crumpled in practiced despair again, and the police officer standing next to her patted her awkwardly on the back.
“So you had it last night?” the taller officer asked.
“Yes,” April snuffled.
“If the manicurist commented on it, then it’s possible she took it,” Alex said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“But I had it on when she left,” April insisted. “I wore it to bed. I remember, because when I woke up it was imprinted in my skin.”
She rubbed her arm and gave the taller officer a forlorn look. He furrowed his brows and asked, “Did you remove it at all this morning?”
“When I showered,” April said.
“And was anyone else up to the guest cottage this morning?” he asked.
“Yes, Chelsea,” April said.
Shit.
Suddenly all eyes were on me when the taller officer asked, “Is that true?”
“Uh…” I bit my lip, my heart pounding. “Yes.”
He turned to Jamison and asked, “Is that part of the normal schedule?”
Jamison’s face flushed, but he finally had to say, “Well…um…not exactly. That’s much earlier than normal.”
“So you knew Ms. Temple was leaving today and if you were going to steal anything it would have to be early this morning,” the larger officer said.
“Why would I steal from her?” I asked.
“Jealousy,” he said with a shrug.
“There was no need for Chelsea to be jealous of Ms. Temple,” Alex said firmly.
The police officers considered this for a moment. It seemed to take the logic out of my potential motive, opening the field to the other potential culprits. I knew I was innocent, but something still wasn't sitting right with me. It was clear April had called me to the cottage this morning to give me opportunity, but that wouldn't be enough.
“Are you sure it wasn’t the masseuse or manicurist?” the taller officer asked. “We should probably begin there.”
“Or it could have been left on set,” Alex interjected.
“It would be easy to organize a search of the house and grounds,” Jamison joined in. “Besides, April, with all your packing it could easily have slipped inside a suitcase.”
The four officers gathered around Jamison to discuss searching. I took my chance to pour them coffee, wanting to appear willing to help. Alex caught my glance, and nodded for me to look over at April. Instead of sobbing with rage or working herself into a tantrum at the loss of attention, she was sitting quietly examining her manicure. The calm assurance on her face, made my stomach do a sick flip. She wasn’t finished yet.
April waited until the officers were preparing to follow Jamison, then stood, and proclaimed, “She hates me. Even Alex or the butler can’t deny it. Ask them, they’ll tell you. That’s why she stole the bracelet.”
“You don’t know that…” Alex tried to derail her accusations, but she cut him off.
“I know how women like her think,” April said. “She’s jealous of the attention you give me. She’s jealous that you want me over her, and it hurts her. So, she decided to hurt me. She found out my father gave me that tennis bracelet, she waited for the right opportunity, and then she stole it.”
I stood still, my arms and legs too heavy to move. I'd been in this situation before. The first foster home I'd been in, one of the family's biological children had accused me of stealing something, and no matter how much I'd protested, I'd been sent to a group home the next day. People rarely gave the foster kid the benefit of the doubt. And now, all I could do was stand here and wait for what happened next.
Alex made a disgusted sound and stepped between the police officers and me, as if to deflect any more harmful remarks. “I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous. There are some issues here that need to be straightened out, but we certainly don’t need to bother you anymore.”
One of the officers cocked an eyebrow and leaned around Alex to address April. “Without proof, Ms. Temple, there isn’t much we can do.”
“Did you search her?” April spat the words like daggers.
Fuck.
Suddenly, I remembered April standing in the doorway, forcing me to squeeze past her on my way out. It all made sense now. I knew what she'd done, and knew what would happen next.
“Easy enough, Ms. Carerra,” the larger officer said. “Just empty out your pockets.”
I swallowed hard, lifted my chin. Slowly, I reached into my pocket and felt the cool metal I'd known I would find. I pulled the missing tennis bracelet from my uniform pocket, all eyes on it as it sparkled in the palm of my hand. No one saw the slow smile spread across April’s face, except me. When they looked up she was dabbing a tear from the corner of her eye. Then in a grand, dramatic gesture she held out both hands to reclaim the precious bracelet.
I shot a glance to Alex. His jaw was clenched hard and he stared straight ahead as he said, “Now that it’s been found, we can deal with this here. There’s no need to press charges.”
“Oh, no,” April said, tossing her head with a cold, triumphant glare. “I definitely want to press charges. She’s a thief, and I’m not about to let her take advantage of your good nature one moment longer.”
“You will need to come with us,” the larger police officer said to me.
“I didn't do it.” I turned to Alex, wide-eyed. Why didn’t he say something to stop all of this? I could explain to everyone how April tricked me and with Alex and Jamison's support, the story would make sense.
Suddenly, I wondered if Alex believed her story. My stomach twisted. Why had I taken this job? Why had I come here to Holland? I'd thought things would be different in a place where people didn't know my history, but all it had done was show me how I didn't belong in this world. All I wanted to do now was go home, and get away from these manipulative, spoiled, rich players.
Alex spoke quietly, “Chelsea, don’t say anything else. Just go with them. I’ll be right behind you.”
April clasped the bracelet onto her wrist as if all was said and done. “You know, I have no idea how the justice system works here in Holland,” April said with a smile. “All I know is that this looks better on me…and those seem to fit you best.” She gestured to the handcuffs the officer held.
Seriously? Was it really necessary to handcuff a maid over a small piece of jewelry? My heart sank, but I nodded and held out my wrists. I stuck out my chin and straightened my shoulders. I wasn’t about to let April think she’d gotten to me, although on the inside, I was devastated. I'd only wanted to give a better life to my brother, but that seemed like it was going to be as much a dream as everything else I'd ever wanted in my life.
The officer clamped the handcuffs on my wrists and gestured for me to head out the door. He took my arm, and on the way out, I threw a glance over my shoulder, not at April’s smirking face, but at Alex. I’d expected this kind of treatment from her, but as I looked at Alex I felt crushed. He should’ve stopped this. He had the money and the influence to do whatever he wanted.
But maybe that was the thing. Maybe he didn’t want to stop it.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Alex
I was beyond pissed. My blood was boiling, and it felt like something rumbling in the pit of my stomach was about to explode. I couldn’t believe April would go this far. Her heels clicked across the marble floor to the front door and she waved at the four police officers as they loaded Chelsea in the back of a squad car. Then she closed the door, leaned against it like the cat that just swallowed the canary and smiled at me.
“You’re fucking fired,” I seethed.
She simply rolled her eyes and peeled her back off the door, seemingly immune to my pending rage. “Oh, not this
again.”
I caught Jamison’s glance as April tossed her curly blonde hair and slipped past me into the library. Jamison gave me an almost imperceptible nod.
“April, where do you think you’re going?” I threw my hands out and followed her into the library. “You’re no longer welcome here, and you’re off the film.”
She poured two drinks from a crystal decanter and waggled one at me.
“Relax, Alex, dear. I’m sure your little trollop will be fine in jail.” Stepping closer, she offered me a drink. “I’ll keep you company.”
“You’re a fucking piece of work, you know it?” I shook my head in disbelief. “She’s on her way to jail because of you. And that’s reason one on the list of reasons why you’re fired.”
I clenched my fists, and fought the urge to slap the drink from her hand. I stepped back to put some distance between us. She put down the rejected drink all the while sipping at hers.
“You still don’t understand, do you, honey?” she asked.
“Oh, I understand alright. I understand exactly what happened and I’m not going to let you get away with it,” I said.
“No,” she said with another plump smile. “You don’t understand. You can’t fire me.”
I leaned against the wide desk, frustration making me feel heavy and tired. Jamison hovered behind April, wiping up the droplets where her drink had spilled on the silver tray at the side table. She frowned at him, but he nodded politely and added a splash of tonic to her drink. She basked in the attention, and then ignored him as he stood behind her, awaiting her next request.
“Oh, yes, I can and I am firing you,” I repeated.
April swirled her drink and moved a step closer. “How about you call Daddy and ask first?”
Of course, she thought Henry would defend her against me. My father had a weakness for starlets like April, and she’d spent the past year kissing his ass, flirting with him, and probably sucking his dick just to cement her spot in this movie. Like I’d even want to stick my cock in that after my father had.
