Goodbye Lonely (The Bancrofts: Book 4)

by Barrett, Brenda

  She barely made it home. All the time she was driving, she thought she was driving in rain, but when she reached home, she realized that she had mistaken her tears for rain.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gareth had given Kylie all day yesterday to lick her wounds. He had no clue what made her jump to the conclusion that he was with Jackie, just by Jackie answering the door. That was an overreaction; if ever he had seen one. He would normally be up now, preparing to go on his morning walk with Kylie, but he didn't have the motivation to move now. Kylie had looked him in the eye and told him that it was over. She gave him her blessing to be with Jackie. That was crazy stuff. He had wanted to confront her yesterday but he had had one meeting after the other, and lunch with Jackie where she had revealed that the police findings about the hand were inconclusive. That was a relief because he had feared that it was really Lauren.

  Somebody was trying to frame him for her disappearance though, and he wanted to know who it was. He ran through his mind for the names of people who could possibly want to see him implicated in a crime. He could come up with none.

  His phone buzzed and he reached for it eagerly. Maybe it was Kylie calling to tell him she had a change of heart. He grabbed it and saw that it was Jackie's number and groaned.

  "Jackie, I am not in the mood for your antics! Don't you think you have done enough damage?"

  "Not as badly as Bradley Nelson."

  "Who is Bradley Nelson?"

  "He works for the school paper… final year student. Bachelor's in Journalism. He is the son of two lawyers, which will give me great pleasure when I sue him." Jackie fumed.

  "What are you going on about?" Gareth asked.

  "Check the school paper online," Jackie huffed, "I am going to have to make sure that the article is withdrawn from the Internet immediately and all printed copies are recalled, and ensure that this idiot's exposé is not leaked to the national press.”

  She hung up abruptly, and Gareth got up from the bed alarmed. He grabbed his laptop and signed in to The Mount Faith University's site. He clicked on the Mount Faith Daily link and anxiously waited for it to load. Jackie sounded upset on his behalf. What could Bradley have written?

  He did not have long to wait as the headline came up:

  A Severed Hand, A Leecher and A Missing Girl- Drama at Mount Faith

  Now, I am not one to cast judgment on anyone nor am I the least bit interested in police procedural work, but there are a few mysterious things that are happening on Mount Faith's University campus that need addressing.

  First, a girl is missing. Her name is Lauren James. She was last seen on Monday, May 2, almost a month ago. Lauren had a relationship with a certain lecturer on our campus. I am not going to reveal his name, for legal reasons, but let's refer to him as ‘Leecher’. In the dictionary, ‘leecher’ is defined as someone who takes a lot and does not give anything in return. Our unnamed professor constantly took from this missing girl. He took her passion; he took her love, and he left her empty. According to her journal entries, he is an insatiable beast with an appetite for kinky sex.

  As if seducing students is not enough, a severed hand was recently found in this professor's yard. I think the obvious conclusion is that something is very wrong. I will ask for your thoughts on our site. Do you think that this Leecher: (a) Is storing body parts for food (b) Is a psychotic killer (c) Knows something about Lauren's disappearance.

  Whatever is going on? He should not be allowed to roam free around Mount Faith. He has already started on a friend of mine, broke her heart; maybe her hand is next.

  The university and the police's inability to act on this case is testimony that justice is not equally doled out in this country. Perhaps it's because Leecher has less melanin than the rest of us, and has a foreign accent why no action is being taken?

  Shame on the university! Shame on the police! Females stay far from him.

  Gareth read the whole piece with dismay. This was on the Internet? He groaned and called back Jackie. Her phone rang without an answer and went to voice mail.

  He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at the clock, it was seven o'clock. Hopefully Jackie can get this article removed before the school body woke up and saw this drivel.

  *****

  Kylie had not wanted to be by herself in the evening, so she had gone back to her parent's house that night. Before she could escape to her room, she had to endure her mother's not so subtle enquiries, and her niece's chirpy chatter.

  She headed to her room as soon as it was possible. The room looked the same, except for the clutter of her computer gear. She had lain on the bed and closed her eyes. The next thing she knew it was morning.

  When she stumbled into the kitchen, she saw her father reading the Mount Faith Daily paper. She glanced at the headline and flinched.

  "What's that about?" Kylie asked her father. He lowered the paper. "Bradley Nelson's article," her father frowned. "We have already muzzled him. That Jackie Beecher is a very good lawyer."

  "Do you have another copy?"

  Bancroft shrugged. "No. I usually have it delivered so that I can see what the students are up to. I am hoping that this is the only unclaimed copy lying around. The one on the Internet was already taken down."

  He folded the paper and handed it to her. "Bradley made a reference to you. What do you know about him?"

  "Barely anything." Kylie read through the article with her mouth opened. "I can't believe he wrote this. I was sort of crying yesterday, and he mentioned that he was going to expose Gareth. I had no idea that this was what he was going to do."

  She scanned through the article. "I thought he had better sense than to write stuff like this. He is basically accusing Gareth of murder and cannibalism." Her brows raised in consternation.

  Bancroft sighed. "It is a storm in a tea cup for now. I am going to have a serious talk with the editorial manager in charge of the school's newspaper and suspend Bradley from writing for the near future. In the meantime, stay away from Dr. Leecher. I mean Beecher. See what that kid is making me say?"

  Kylie shrugged, "I don't think you should be calling him that. Gareth is nothing like what Bradley portrayed, and I broke up with him yesterday. So no need to warn me to stay away."

  "Why? Her father steepled his fingers and frowned.

  "I saw him with his shirt off and his ex-wife answered the door with her top down."

  Bancroft raised his brows. "Interesting, tell me the sequence of events."

  Kylie threw up her hands in the air, might as well. She told her father everything and he started laughing.

  "You know. I think the ex-wife tricked you. That sounds like she saw you coming, and faked the whole thing."

  "But she was at the door, what was I supposed to think?"

  Bancroft sobered up. "I don't know, but wait until all of this blows off before you get back with Gareth. This boy Bradley might be on to something. Suppose it's your body part that ends up in his garden next?"

  Kylie snorted in derision. "Somebody is trying to frame Gareth. He is not a murderer, nor did he have a torrid affair with Lauren. This is ridiculous."

  Bancroft leaned his head to one side and looked at her, "Okay."

  "That's it?" Kylie asked heatedly.

  "That's it." Bancroft picked up one of the daily papers." He is not a murderer, nor a seducer. You know him better than I do. You are heart broken because you think he cheated on you and still you are defending his character? It's a contradiction but it's effective in silencing me. To hear about a man's true character from an ex is powerful stuff."

  Kylie shook her head. "So what should I do?"

  "Stay single. It is the path of least pain in this world. No drama, no trauma."

  "Argh," Kylie walked to the fridge and grabbed an apple. "I don't want to be single. I want to be with Gareth."

  Bancroft grunted and continued to read the paper.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gareth was in his office two days after the a
ttempted character assassination. Jackie had reported that the article had gotten twelve views before it was taken down, and all the papers from that day had been recalled and accounted for, bar three.

  In his estimation, that was fifteen persons walking around thinking he was a leecher, a cannibal, and a murderer. He felt like wringing Bradley's neck. What would cause an otherwise sensible journalist to go so far off the deep end and put what was tantamount to gossip on the front page of the school paper?

  He brought up the pictures of the persons on the Mount Faith Daily site and was surprised to see that Bradley Nelson, Supervising Editor, was actually the guy that he saw talking to Kylie a couple months ago. He had been jealous to see her laughing and talking with him that day, and suddenly it all made sense to him. Could it be that she had told Bradley these things? The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He felt light headed and angry.

  "Hey," Jackie knocked on his door. "What's up? I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by to see if my favorite ex-husband wanted to go to lunch."

  Gareth was about to brush her off. He didn't feel like having company right now. He was miserable. The thought of Kylie actually telling Bradley these things was like a slash in the heart. What had he done that was so bad that would have this kind of vitriolic effect?

  "Come on," Jackie said playfully, "I promise, I won't bite. Unless you ask me to."

  "I am not in the mood," he said wearily.

  "But you have to eat. Everybody does it." Jackie advanced into his office and sat down in the chair across from him. She crossed her legs seductively. "Have some lunch; it's good for you."

  He ignored her and asked harshly. "What do you know about Bradley Nelson?"

  "I know I gave him a warning," Jackie said with glee. "I frightened the daylights out of him. I called his parents, who run a law practice together, and I laid it on them thick."

  "I mean what do you know about him as a person?"

  "He is a loser." Jackie grinned and then the thought hit her. In his article, Bradley had written about his friend being seduced. Could it be Kylie? She took a stab in the dark and said slowly. "I saw him kissing Kylie earlier this morning. Seems as if she has moved on from you. Aren't females fickle these days?"

  Gareth stiffened. He felt that statement to his marrow. He could barely move after that. She had moved on to Bradley?

  "Don't lie to me," he gritted out to Jackie.

  "Would I lie?" Jackie placed her hand on her heart innocently. "I was walking through the Business Center courtyard when I saw two lovebirds kissing like they were going to devour each other. To my chagrin, I realized that one of them was your ex-girlfriend. Imagine my shock and utter disgust on your behalf."

  Gareth placed his hand in his head. "I don't want to hear anymore."

  "I understand. You really liked her, didn't you?"

  "I love her." Gareth grated out.

  Jackie flinched. "There was a time when you loved me. Can't we go back to that?"

  "No," Gareth shook his head. "No. Just leave."

  "Is this the thanks I get for saving your reputation?" Jackie asked sourly.

  Gareth sighed. "I am not in the mood right now."

  "Well, you can't stay in here and pine away. Two can play at this game. You should go out and show her that you are over her," Jackie retorted.

  Gareth gritted his teeth. He was grateful to Jackie for seeing the article before he did and acting so swiftly. Maybe there was a reason for her to be here at this time, but the two of them getting back together was not going to happen.

  "Rain check on lunch," he said to her weakly.

  "Okay," she said in exasperation. "I am taking you up on that, but just remember, if you need a shoulder to cry on, I am around."

  Gareth didn't even nod. He watched as she walked out of the office then rubbed his eyes. They felt strained and gritty. He had one class left for the day. Maybe he could get through that, then go to the gym and hit some weights. He would imagine that it was Bradley Nelson's face on the punching bag.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Day Seven. Kylie looked on her calendar accusingly, as if the day was the calendar's fault. Seven days since she had talked to Gareth. He was avoiding her. She couldn't believe it. His behavior indicated that he was well and truly with Jackie. Curiously, she hadn't seen them together since that lunch.

  It was always Gareth alone, with a keep-off sign on his face. She didn't feel bold enough to approach him. He looked as if he was itching for a fight. She wondered if there was trouble in paradise with him and Jackie. Serves them right, she thought gleefully. And then she sobered up.

  They hadn't worked on the project lately and she dearly wanted to run some ideas by him. Last night she was itching to call him so badly that she actually picked up the phone and dialed his number. He was her friend and sounding board, and she deeply missed him.

  She got ready to enter the Computer Science building; she had a class in an hour. What excuse could she contrive to pass by Gareth's office? She slowly walked in through the lobby and passed three of the labs. She passed his office and lingered near his door. Usually, he would leave it open, but now the only indication that he was there was the light under his locked door.

  When the door suddenly flew open, she jumped and told her feet to move but they stubbornly refused to yield to her command. Gareth came out of the office.

  He paused when he saw her. She drank him in. He was in dress pants and a gray shirt that matched his eyes—a bit more formal than his usual jeans and oxford shirt. He looked so good to her, but when she looked closer, she saw that his face was drawn as if he was undergoing some kind of stress or wasn't sleeping properly. If it was Jackie stressing him out, he deserved it, she thought uncharitably.

  "Kylie." He moved out of his paralysis and gave her a smile, which didn't quite reach his eyes.

  Kylie nodded. "Gareth."

  "I have been meaning to call you," he sighed, "let's go into my office."

  Kylie felt a spurt of joy, but she hid it with a tense little nod. If he was going to apologize, she would take it. She would take him back in a heartbeat. She missed him. She didn't care if he still had a soft spot for Jackie. She would work with it.

  Gareth sat around his desk. "I got a call from Jumitsu. My contact there said the purchasing department is excited about your game. They did a market test and are asking you to contact them."

  He rummaged around in his papers. "I had the mail printed and folded here on the desk."

  Kylie's heart fell. He was not going to address their personal lives? She was dying here.

  "That's, er, good news," she said unenthusiastically. What was the point of success if she couldn't share it with him though? The game project was their baby. He had as much right to take credit for it as she did.

  Gareth nodded. "Yeah."

  He looked at her fully for the first time since she entered his office, and his heart melted. This was the woman that he loved. He had been moping about her and Bradley all week when he should have just asked her what was going on.

  His phone rang and he picked it up. He found the paper at the same time and handed it to Kylie.

  "I am on my way over," Jackie said to him joyfully, "I have good news."

  "Jackie, I am in the middle of something."

  "You want to hear my news, trust me. And I expect to be thanked."

  When Kylie heard the name Jackie she jumped up awkwardly with the paper.

  "I have a class," she said, when he put down the phone.

  "We have to talk," Gareth replied quickly.

  "I don't think we have anything much to say to each other," Kylie retorted. She was itching to get out of his office. She felt on the verge of tears. So, he was still with Jackie. She almost knocked over Jackie as she hurried through the corridor toward her office.

  "Watch where you're going," Jackie snarled. When she saw that it was Kylie she laughed. "Oh, it's you. Face scrunched up looking like you are miserable. Did
big bad Gareth shout at you?"

  Kylie stopped; a horrid rage was taking her over. "I hate you," she wanted to shout, but her breath hitched and she had to gulp for air.

  "Why should you hate me?" Jackie asked pleasantly. "I have done nothing wrong."

  "You deliberately broke up me and Gareth," Kylie said, wheezing. Apparently, asthma and hatred did not agree with each other. Her breathing was not corresponding with her vehemence so she sounded like she was whispering.

  "I did no such thing. If you and Gareth are so easy to break up, maybe the two of you were not meant to be together. I just gave you two a nudge in the right direction, that's all. I must, say both of you snapped it up readily."

  Kylie turned her back and scrambled for her inhaler. By the time she reached the office that she was sharing with two other lecturers, she had taken two puffs and had calmed down.

  As much as she hated to admit it, Jackie was right. Why had it been so easy to break up her and Gareth?

  She placed her books on her desk and stalked back to Gareth's office. They really needed to talk.

  "Here I am." Jackie announced when she entered Gareth's office. "The bearer of good news."

  Gareth nodded stiffly. "Let's hear it. I am very much in need of something to cheer my day."

  "Well," Jackie said playfully, "I could striptease for you. That would surely make you happy."

  Gareth shook his head. "I doubt that."

  Jackie smirked, "Kill joy." Just then, she heard Kylie's footsteps coming down the corridor, and she immediately recognized that there was a setup for the perfect storm—the death knell to this crazy relationship between Gareth and Kylie.