Ava smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her heart was full of joy.
His eyes softened as he stroked the side of her face. “My time here has always been temporary, and I’m unsure what I’ll do when I have to return home. One thing is for sure whatever decision I make will include you.”
That was all the reassurance she needed. He was straightforward without a riddled answer. She expressed her excitement by pulling him into a kiss.
“We can skip dinner and go straight upstairs,” he said pulling away.
“Nice try, but I slaved over that meal. We’re eating.”
“You’re the boss.” He proceeded into the kitchen and moved the warm plates from the stove to the dining room table.
After dinner, Ava moved the dirty dishes to the sink. She squirted lemon-scented dish detergent into the water. She smiled to herself as she watched the bubbles form. He finally said the words she wanted to hear. She replayed the moment in her mind. Lips pressed against her neck brought her out of her trance. “What’s on your mind, beautiful?” asked Justin, dragging his tongue down her neck.
She turned to face him. “Just thinking about you and how happy you’ve made me.”
“Ready to take the celebration upstairs?”
Before she could answer, he swept her up into his arms and brought her upstairs to the bedroom. He placed her down on her feet. They faced each other and engaged in a slow, sensual kiss. Ava took his hand in hers and led him to bed. Justin sat on the edge of the bed as Ava stood before him. She untied her black silk robe, allowing it to slink off her body. He sat mesmerized as she pushed the straps of her chemise off her shoulders, allowing the sheer number to fall to the floor. He reached for her body accented in only a black thong. His hands slowly caressed her back, before he squeezed and played with her breasts. She moved closer allowing him to stroke her nipple with his tongue. Her body ached and yearned for more. He pulled her on top of him. Their passion exploded into a deep kiss. She needed him now. He removed his underwear and instead of allowing him to take control. Ava mounted herself on top and allowed him to fill her with what she desired. She bounced and rocked back and forth in a rhythmic motion. She wrapped strands of his chestnut hair into her fist as he thrust deeper. The couple locked eyes as she softly moaned his name. Ava bucked her body one last time before she shuddered and fell into his arms.
She and Justin laid, breathing heavily in an embrace. She rolled over onto her back fully satisfied. Justin laid beside her with his face rested in his palm. He smiled down on her. “Are you okay?” He wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.
“Never better.” She beamed. “Earlier you said you wanted to be with me and only me. I never told you what I wanted.”
“I believe you have.”
“Well, let me be crystal clear so there aren’t any misunderstandings.”
Justin chuckled. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“There isn’t another man who occupies my thoughts, or who I rather spend my time with. I want to be with you and only you.”
Chapter Eighteen
The incessant knocking on the front door woke Ava from her sleep. She opened her eyes enough to see the time on the clock beside the bed. 8 am? Who in the hell is banging on the door? “Justin… Justin,” she murmured. No answer. As the knocking continued, she turned over and reached for him. The bed was empty. Ava sat up and immediately felt the after-effects of consuming three glasses of wine the night before. She rubbed her forefingers on each temple in hopes the pain would dissipate. Her bare feet touched the cold hardwood floor as her eyes drifted across the room. Where is Justin? She slipped on her robe and descended the stairs, wondering where he had disappeared to. As she reached the front of the house, a voice on the other side yelled, “Police! Open up!”
Police? Ava peeked out the window and saw two uniformed officers on the front porch. What the…?
She turned her head hoping Justin would appear to handle the situation, but there was no sign of him. Ava placed her hand on the doorknob and tentatively crept open the door. “Yes, may I help you?” she said.
“Ma’am, we’re looking for Justin Harrington. Is he here?”
“Um, I’m not sure.” She glanced at the hardened faces of the officers. “What’s this about?”
“And you are?”
“I’m his girlfriend.”
“Do you reside here with Mr. Harrington?”
“No.” She rubbed her head to lessen the pain that had now increased to a vigorous pounding. “I’m here for an overnight visit.”
“Are you okay, ma’am?”
“Yes, it’s just a mild headache. Anyway, Justin must’ve stepped out. I’m sure he’ll return shortly.”
The officers traded a glance. “Have him contact the station when he returns.”
“Can you give me an idea of what you would like to discuss with him?”
“Just tell him there’s a matter that requires his assistance.” They walked away and Ava shut the door. She waited until they had driven off before checking the garage for Justin’s car. It’s gone. Before she could ponder why he would leave without telling her or why the police were looking for him, she made her way to the bathroom to get two aspirins. She next checked her phone for any missed calls and there were none. Ava changed out of her nightclothes and into a pair of jeans and a shirt. She jumped into her car and drove ten minutes to Tess’ house. She anxiously rang the doorbell hoping Tess or Scott could help her figure out what in the hell was happening.
“Hey Scott, can I come in?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, opening the door wide enough for her to enter. “Tess isn’t here.”
“That’s fine. It’s probably best if I speak with you instead.”
“Can I get you something to drink? Water or…”
“No!” She threw her purse and keys down on a chair. “What I need are answers.” She turned and saw the confusion on his face. “I’m sorry, but it’s been a strange morning. I spent the night at Justin’s, and we had a wonderful evening. I wake up, he’s missing, and the police are looking for him.”
“Police? Why do they want to speak to him?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Let’s talk this through from the beginning,” he said.
Scott led her into the living room, and she shared with him all she knew. He asked her to describe the officers who came to the door. Scott then made a call to the station. He offered to find out what he could on her behalf. When he hung up the phone, the grim expression on his face caused her to brace herself for the bad news. “Just give it to me straight. Did something happen to Justin?”
He sat across from her, leaning forward with his palms clasped together. “Apparently a deceased body was found on the property he owns.”
Ava sat up at full attention as a chill spread throughout her body. “A body? Please don’t tell me it’s Justin’s.”
“No, it’s not him.”
Ava closed her eyes as she breathed a sigh of relief. “Then whose is it?”
“They’re still in the process of identifying the victim. They need to speak with Justin because he’s the property owner and to determine what he may know.”
“So, it’s basic questioning, right? They don’t think he actually knows anything about a dead body.”
“Right now, it’s the typical protocol. Nothing out of the norm. Do you have any idea where he might be?”
“None, but I plan to find out.”
Chapter Nineteen
Ava spent the past four days in bed ignoring everything outside the sanctuary her home provided. Tess had come over to check on her but as she stood on the porch Ava sent her text asking to be left alone. After she cried into her pillow for the hundredth time, she attempted to contact Justin but like each time before the call went straight to voicemail.
Feeling confused, distraught, and depressed with the turn of events she thought she would drive to his house hoping he had returned
home. When she’d arrived a swarm of police vehicles lined the street and officers were exiting with brown paper bags, the kind used for evidence.
On the driveway stood an older gentleman speaking with an officer, Ava recognized him as the home’s landlord who she’d met before when he had come over to make repairs. She drove past the scene and returned home. She couldn’t fathom what the police could be searching for, but she’ll never believe Justin is responsible for any of this. When he returned from wherever he was, he would clear this misunderstanding up, and they could resume their life together.
Ava returned home, parked her car in the driveway, and shut the engine off. She allowed her head to fall back onto the headrest. She closed her eyes and thought of the last time she was with Justin. It was the happiest she had felt in a long time. He’d just proclaimed he wanted them to be together, and he saw her in his future. Was it all a lie? Impossible. He had many opportunities to walk away, yet he stayed.
She exited her car, and right as she made it to the front porch, she heard a car door slam behind her. She turned and a police vehicle had parked in front of her house. An officer she didn’t know stood next to the vehicle. The other officer, Trevor Bledsoe a friend of Brandon’s, proceeded up her driveway.
“What’s going on? Why are you here?” she asked.
He frowned. “I’m sure you’re aware of the situation with Justin Harrington.”
“Yeah, the dead body found on his property. What does that have to do with me?”
Trevor glanced at the other officer who remained beside his vehicle. “Ava, you’re wanted for questioning,” he said, lowering his voice.
“Me? Why?”
“Because you were the last person in contact with Mr. Harrington before he fled.”
Ava blinked heavily. “Fled? I… I don’t understand what’s happening here.”
“Just come with me.” He reached for Ava’s arm and she instinctively pulled away causing the other officer to rush forward. Trevor signaled with his hand, and he backed off.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No.”
“Are you the detective working the case?”
“Yes, one of them. I can interview you here if you prefer.”
“No. Give me an hour. I’ll come to the station myself to clear this matter up.”
“I don’t…”
“Trevor, you know me. I’ve had a rough couple of days, and I want time to get myself together. I’ll be there in an hour. Promise.”
He grimaced and shook his head. “One hour.”
Ava rushed inside to called Tess. She picked up on the second ring. “Tess, Trevor was just here to question me.”
“What?! Why?”
“He said something about I was the last person to see Justin before he fled.”
“Fled? Did he use those exact words?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, I don’t know what Justin has gotten you mixed up in, but you need an attorney.”
“An attorney? Tess, no.”
“You have to protect yourself.”
“Look, this whole mess is confusing but one thing I know for sure is Justin is not guilty of anything.”
“Then where is he, Ava? Why did he take off in the middle of the night, and you haven’t heard from him since?”
“I don’t know, but he’s not a killer or whatever they think he did.” Ava ran upstairs with the phone pressed against her ear to grab a change of clothes. “I promised Trevor I would go down to the station in the hour. I’ll call you afterward.” She hung up before Tess could say another word. She took a quick shower and made her way to the police station. When she arrived, she expected to see Trevor, instead, another detective brought her into an interrogation room. “Good Afternoon Miss Sinclair, I’m Detective Lewis Chance, and I have some questions for you. It’s only to tie up a few loose ends.”
Ava sat opposite from him in a chair devoid of any comfort. Her foot tapped nervously on the carpeted floor. “What loose ends?”
“How long have you known Justin Harrington?”
“Four and a half months.”
“And your relationship to him?”
“I’m his girlfriend.”
“Do you know where he is?”
Ava shook her head. “I last saw him five days ago. We had spent the night together, and he was gone when I woke the following morning. I’ve tried calling him several times a day since then, and my calls have gone straight to voicemail.”
The detective wrote on a yellow legal pad. “We recovered his phone at his home.”
Her lower jaw fell, and her eyes glazed over in confusion. “He hasn’t gotten my messages.”
“Mr. Harrington hasn’t tried reaching out any other way?”
“No, I have no idea where he is.”
“Did you two ever discuss Phillip Ramsey?”
A cold chill ran down her spine at the sound of his name. A sick feeling developed in the pit of her stomach. She sat speechless unable to articulate a single word.
“Miss Sinclair, did you and Mr. Harrington ever discuss Phillip Ramsey?”
Ava stared at the white wall before her that had visually turned into a black hole. Her thoughts raced of the man who
put her through pure hell. “May I have water, please?” she croaked, her mouth suddenly dry, lacking any moisture.
“Sure.” Detective Chance left and returned with a bottle of room temperature water. Ava took a sip before speaking. “You are asking about the man who stalked and terrorized me.”
“Yes, I’m aware of your history with Mr. Ramsey. Did you by chance share that history with Mr. Harrington?”
“I touched on it without going into too many details, but I never mentioned his name. Why? Justin knows nothing about him.”
Detective Chance looked her dead in the eyes. “His body was the one found on the empty lot owned by Mr. Harrington.”
Her thoughts raced as she quickly tried to piece the chain of events in her mind. Detective Chance excused himself and exited the room leaving her alone. Tears formed in her eyes. This can’t be happening. She rested her head on the table with her forearm nestled in between as the tears continued to fall. Moments later the door to the room swung open. She lifted her head enough to wipe her eyes. “There’s nothing else I can tell you.”
“Ava, it’s me.”
Her eyes darted upward and there stood Brandon with a sullen look on his face. Happy to see a familiar face, she jumped out of the chair and ran towards him. He placed his arms around her and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “When you leave, meet me at our cafe. Be careful what you say.” He pulled away. “Do you need anything? I can bring you something from the vending machine.”
“No, I just want to get out of here. Any idea how much longer it’ll be?”
“Can’t say. I just wanted to see how you were holding up.” He stroked her arm before exiting. Before she had time to fall apart again the Detective re-entered the room to tell her she was free to go. He advised her they may ask her to return for further questioning. She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. She started her car and drove to where she and Brandon first met.
Chapter Twenty
Ava rushed inside Java Coffee Cafe. She spotted the back of Brandon’s head seated near the window. “Hey.” She slid into the opposite side of the booth.
“How did it go after I left?” he asked.
“Detective Chance released me and said he might have additional questions. How did you know I was there?”
“Bledsoe filled me in when I arrived.”
“I didn’t know what to think when Trevor showed up at my house.”
“Just try to remain calm and remember everyone is only doing their job.”
“I don’t understand why I’m being dragged into this. I’ve been to Justin’s lakeside property once and couldn’t remember how to get there if you asked.”
“It’s because of your relationship with the victim, and it’s normal procedur
e to question anyone that had contact with him.”
“My relationship with the victim?” Her voice raised, grabbing the attention of the other patrons.
Brandon’s almond eyes narrowed. “Ava, you have to remain cool-headed.”
“This is maddening! Phillip Ramsey was no one’s victim. If anyone can claim that title, it’s me. I haven’t heard a peep from him in years. Why now? Was he waiting and watching this whole time? Is that how he knew about Justin?”
“I don’t know the answers to those questions, but we’ll find out.” He reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. “When was the last time you ate? You tend to skip meals when you’re stressed.”
She removed her hand from his. “I probably had half of a piece of toast in the past two days.” She rubbed her tired eyes. “This entire week has been a living nightmare.”
“First you need food and then sleep.”
“No! What I need is Justin. He would never leave and have me deal with this alone.”
“I can’t say if Justin is on the run or something else has happened, but you are not alone. I will help you and together we will sort through this.”
“I can’t ask you to do that. You wanted us to keep our distance, remember?”
“Yeah, but that was before. Everything has changed. You need to surround yourself with friends, and I consider myself to be one of them.”
“Thank you, but I need to get home and sort this out in my head. Can I call you later?”
Brandon stood. “I’ll follow you home.”
She furrowed her brow. “Why?”
“With so many unknowns I want to make sure you’re safe.”
“Do you know something I don’t or are you being overprotective?”
“The latter.”
Ava scooted out of the booth. “Fine.”
“You need something to eat. I can get a salad from next door.”
“That sounds good. I’ll wait in the car.”
When they arrived at her home, Brandon walked her to her door. “Promise me you’ll eat and get some rest.”
“I promise.” She inserted her key into the door’s lock. “I think I’ll make it an early night to catch up on sleep.”
Betrayed by You Page 11
