Betrayed by You

by Marilyn Williams

  Detective Chance stared at Ava like he was attempting to read her body language. She couldn’t tell if he was waiting for her to say more, or this was the moment he would accuse her of being an accomplice.

  He leaned forward across the table. “You really don’t know do you?” he asked.

  “Know what?”

  “Phillip Ramsey is Justin Harrington’s stepfather.”

  Ava’s eyelids fluttered. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “That’s impossible.”

  He flipped over a page in his legal pad. “Corrine Harrington, Justin’s mother, divorced Christopher Harrington in 2002. Two years later, she married Phillip Ramsey and moved to Atlanta, where they both currently reside.”

  Ava narrowed her eyes at the detective. “Wait… just hold up a minute! Justin’s mother lives here?”

  “Yes. It’s clear that he has kept you in the dark about his past and connection to Mr. Ramsey. As of this moment, he is a person of interest, and I urge you to notified us if he contacts you.”

  “Of course. Am I free to go?”

  “Yes.”

  Ava rose from her chair and marched to Brandon’s office where he sat behind his desk. “Did you know?” She shut the door behind her.

  “Know what?” He placed his pen down and looked up at her.

  “That Phillip is Justin’s stepfather?”

  “I just found out this morning.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because if I had you wouldn’t have believed me. That’s why I wanted you to speak with Chance.”

  Ava sat in the nearest chair and replayed every conversation she had with Justin about his past. Not once did he acknowledge knowing what that man had done or that his mother lived in Atlanta. He always made it seem like he never been to the state of Georgia before.

  “Is it possible he knew? Was this a set-up he and his father cooked up?”

  Brandon shrugged his shoulders. “It’s likely. I got a bad vibe from the guy the second we met. There was something off about him.”

  Ava’s jaw tightened as tears formed. Her heart ached just thinking of Justin’s betrayal. “I shared my deepest fears with him. He knew how that man affected my life. Yet, he said nothing.”

  Brandon handed her a tissue. “I believe I’ve pieced together what happened. We both know Phillip became unhinged when he didn’t obtain the funds to save his business. He blamed you and wanted you to pay. After the court served him with a protection order, he slithered away like snake and went into hiding. I believe he used the time to plot the perfect revenge— his son. The endgame isn’t clear, but obviously, something went wrong. Based on what I’ve learned, a struggle ensued between the two causing Justin to shoot and kill him.”

  “I don’t know if I can agree with you.” She wiped the corner of her eyes with the tissue. “My gut is telling me there’s more to the story.”

  “Ava, after everything you’ve learned, you still believe he’s innocent?”

  “No, but I’ve never gone into details about my stalker with Justin. It’s possible he didn’t know.”

  “How could he not? The anger Phillip had towards you. I’m sure he ranted and raved about the person he believed ruined his business.”

  He handed her another tissue to wipe the steady flow of tears. “Thanks.” She smoothed the tissue over her face and straightened her posture. “I guess, I’m questioning if this was his idea or his stepfather’s.”

  “What difference does it make?”

  “Because I need know if what we shared was real.”

  “How is that possible, Ava? He lied at every turn.”

  “I know just the person to ask.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Brandon.

  “I have no choice.” She proceeded towards the elevator but turned around when she noticed he was following her. “I need you to wait in the lobby. If you go up, she won’t answer my questions.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I won’t be long.” She entered the elevator and fumed the entire way up. When she reached the third floor, she found it unusually quiet and empty. Not a single tap of a keyboard or murmured voices on a call. She marched straight into Nina’s office. “Where is everyone?”

  “Well, hello to you, too,” she said, placing books into a cardboard box. “There’s a department meeting in progress.”

  “Good. What I have to say to you is private.” She closed the door and threw her purse down on a chair.

  “As you can see, I’m quite busy. Today is my last day.”

  “I’ll make this quick by getting straight to the point.”

  “Is this about Justin and the trouble he’s in?”

  “So, you’ve heard.”

  “Can you believe it?” Nina sighed and shook her head. “I will never believe Justin killed Phil. It’s absurd.”

  “You knew about my past, and why I left my last job.” Ava glared at her as she sealed a box with tape and placed it on the floor.

  “I’m aware of your troubles at Quest Bank.”

  Ava snatched the roll of tape from Nina’s hand to force her to look her in the eye. “So, were you in on this? Did you intentionally play cupid as part of his plan?”

  “Plan?” She pushed her black-rimmed glasses up her nose. “I’m not following.”

  “The man you refer to as Phil is the same nut case who turned my life upside down two years ago.”

  She eyes revealed her doubt. “Are you sure?”

  Ava moved closer to her with her finger in her face. “Stop playing games, Nina! I want to know everything.”

  Nina eyed her finger. “Okay, let’s back up and calm down. Have a seat, and I’ll answer whatever questions you have.”

  They sat across from one another with Nina’s desk as the separator. “What do you know about Justin and Phillip’s relationship? Were they really estranged?”

  She paused with a thoughtful look on her face. “Why should I tell you anything? The last time I offered a warning you blabbed to Justin. He was furious when we last spoke.”

  “Because you are the one person who can tell me the truth. You love to rub in my face how long you’ve known him.”

  “Since Junior year of high school.”

  “Well, who better than you to give me the ins and outs of his relationship with his parents.”

  “After Justin’s parents divorced, his father retained custody and Corrine remarried. He visited his mother during the holidays. The visits were always contentious because Phil never cared for Justin, he thought he was an entitled rich kid.”

  “Did his mother lose custody? Is that why he lived with his father?”

  “Corrine is a narcissistic woman who only cares about her social status, appearance, and the amount of money in her bank account. In my opinion, she didn’t want to be a mother. When Justin reached his eighteenth birthday, he stopped visiting her because the tension between him and Phil became worse, and not once did she reach out to him.”

  “The police said his mother lives here. Is that true?”

  “Yes and no. After Phil’s life took a downward spiral, he and Corrine separated. She spends most of her time in LA with some big-shot studio head.”

  “None of this explains why Justin lied. It doesn’t matter how estranged he and his stepfather were. He had to know what he did to me.”

  “How could he, Ava? He had no relationship with Phil. From my understanding, Phil isolated himself after Corrine left. No one could’ve known what he was up to. I knew of your past at Quest, because of what you shared with me. You never once named the person who terrorized you.”

  “It seems you know all there is to know about the Harrington family.”

  She grinned with subtle smugness. “I know enough.”

  “Can you explain why Justin called to meet with Phillip?”

  “I can’t.” She shrugged.

  Ava leaned forward in the chair and glared. “I can. Th
is scheme was a set up between the two. Somehow Phillip convinced Justin to join him in his vendetta.”

  “Now, you’re being ridiculous,” said Nina, throwing her palms up in the air.

  “Am I really?”

  “Yes, you are. Why would he help a man he couldn’t stand?”

  “Not sure. I believe Justin secretly reconciled with Phillip...”

  “To what, Ava? Why would he do that?

  “I wish I knew. Think about it, what’s worse than having me fall for the son of my tormentor?” She stood and placed her purse on her shoulder. “When you speak with Justin, tell him not to bother calling because I want nothing more to do with him.”

  Nina stood and met her gaze. “I understand why you’re upset. This looks bad, and I get that. You should at least hear him out.”

  “I don’t think so. There’s nothing he could say that would justify this level of deceit.”

  “Suit yourself.” She stepped from around her desk. “Perhaps you’re turning on him is for the best.”

  Ava made a face. “What?”

  “I warned him about you, but he didn’t want to listen.”

  “Warn him how?”

  “I told him you were melodramatic, demanding, and somewhat of a whine. However, I’ll admit in the long time I’ve known Justin, I’ve never seen him as happy as he is with you.”

  Ava fought back tears. “It was all an act that fooled even you.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “But I doubt it. Justin checks all the boxes most women want. He’s handsome, wealthy, charming, and the list goes on. But, his issues with his mother runs deep, and it caused him to become closed off and unable to seriously commit to anyone.”

  “Your point?”

  “My point is I witnessed a change in him when he met you.”

  Ava rolled her eyes. She didn’t care about Nina’s analysis of her relationship with Justin.

  “I have to finish packing,” she continued. “Before you go, when are you returning to work?”

  “Next week, why?”

  “They’ve found a person to replace me as Lending Director. However, based on my recommendation, the team would like to extend you an offer.”

  “Not interested.”

  “I asked you to hear them out.”

  “Nina, I don’t need the added stress in my life.”

  She released a sharp breath. “Let’s put the personal shit aside. You are excellent at your job and one of the best loan officers I’ve worked with. Take the meeting, listen to the offer, and decide. If the terms don’t excite you, negotiate.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Ava opened the office door and turned around before leaving. “Good luck in San Diego.”

  ∞∞∞

  “How did it go? Did she tell you anything?” asked Brandon, the moment Ava exited the elevator.

  “She used most of her breath defending him.”

  “Are you sure she’s not entangled in this somehow?”

  Ava has grown tired of talking about Justin, Nina, and the entire situation. “If you don’t mind, can we not talk about any of this.”

  “Yeah, sure. Are you hungry? We can get a bite to eat.”

  “I don’t feel like being around other people.” She rubbed her arms as if she had a sudden chill. “I rather go to your place and order in.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Ava sat quietly on the passenger side and stared out of the window as they rode to his house. Thoughts of Justin invaded her thoughts like a slow-motion movie. It began with their first introduction, carrying over to their first date, and ending when they had first made love. She wiped the tears that began as a slow trickle that soon turned into a river like flow. How could I’ve been so wrong?

  “Here.” Brandon tapped her shoulder and offered her a napkin from the center console. “Don’t waste another tear on him.”

  “Thanks.” She wiped her nose. “I can’t believe how stupid I was.”

  “Don’t speak that way about yourself. He’s the blame, not you.”

  It didn’t matter how much he tried to cheer her up there was no one to blame but herself. When they arrived at Brandon’s he exited the car and ran to the passenger side. He helped her out, and she fell into his arms. She felt a safe comfort in his embrace. Like no more harm would come to her. “Never again will I allow anyone to hurt you. Let’s get inside.”

  Ava entered the sitting room and fell onto the plush brown chair.

  “What do you want? Pizza or Chinese food?” He held two menus in the air.

  “Pizza and beer sound just fine.”

  Brandon scrunched his nose. “Beer? Since when?”

  “Since now. Do you mind if I turn on some music?”

  “Help yourself.” Ava reached for Brandon’s Ipad on the table, opened the app for his streaming service, and within seconds the sounds of the latest pop hits blasted through the living room speakers.

  “It’ll be ready in thirty minutes,” said Brandon when he returned into the room.

  “You still can’t get food delivery out here?”

  “One inconvenience of living in a rural county.”

  “Yeah, but you can’t beat the isolation and tranquility. It’s like being on your own island. No city noise, neighbors are miles apart, and no solicitors coming to your door.”

  “You didn’t feel that way when I first brought you here.”

  “True, but I’m a city girl. Eventually, I came to love it.”

  He smiled. “I gotta leave so we won’t have cold pizza. I’ll stop at the store to pick up a case a beer. Do you need anything else?”

  “No. I’m going to unwind in the tub while you’re gone.”

  After he left, Ava filled the tub in the guest bathroom with hot water. She wiped the condensation from the mirror and took notice of the dark circles that had formed underneath her eyes. A telltale sign of the lack of sleep she’s gotten. She brushed her hair into a messy bun before slipping into the warmth of the tub water. She reclined and closed her eyes. The sound of the music traveled upstairs and played liked a soundtrack to her thoughts. She wondered how she would face everyone when she returned to her normal life. Will they bombard her with questions, or will they awkwardly tiptoe around it? Either way, she wasn’t ready for any of it. But she had to remain strong and carry on.

  Ava continued to relax in the water and hum along to one of many favorite songs. Midway, the music stopped. Her eyes sprung open into complete darkness. She sat upright in the pitch black, suppressing the urge to panic. With her fingers gripped on the edge of the tub, she steadily rose to her feet. Navigating in complete darkness was no easy task. One wet leg at a time, she got out of the tub, careful not to slip on the tiled floor. She extended her hand to reach for the towel folded on the vanity. Ava wrapped the white towel around her body and positioned herself against the door. She used the wall to guide her to the guest bedroom. She swiped her hand back and forth on the nightstand in search of her cellphone. Ava then turned on the flashlight option on her phone and allowed the light to lead her to the staircase. Too afraid to venture downstairs, she called Brandon. “Hello,” he answered on the second ring.

  “Brandon,” she began in a hushed tone.

  “Why are you whispering?”

  “I was in the tub when the lights suddenly went out.” She peered over the stair railing. “I think someone could be in the house.”

  “I’m sorry, I should have told you. I’m dealing with some electrical issues. The breaker keeps tripping.”

  Ava placed her hand over her chest and sharply exhaled. “I’m sorry I freaked.”

  “No apology necessary. I’m fifteen minutes away. I’ll stop in the garage and get the power going.”

  After ending her call, she dried herself off and put on a pair of shorts and an oversized tee. Ava anxiously sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Brandon to return home. After ten minutes, the lights flickered on and the breeze of cool air from the ceiling vents filled the room. She ra
n down the stairs meeting Brandon in the kitchen. “That scared the shit out of me.”

  “It’s my fault. I should have warned you. It’s been a headache for the past week, but I have a guy coming in the morning to replace the entire box.”

  She grabbed two plates from the cupboard. “You know what my first thought was.”

  Brandon placed a slice of pepperoni pizza on each plate. “Phillip?”

  “This situation is like déjà vu.”

  “He’s dead and can no longer hurt you.”

  “That night he showed up at my house was the scariest moment of my life. I’m alone after a long day of work, unwinding with a bottle of wine and a bubble bath when the power goes out. I thought it was one of those moments where the power goes out and within seconds its back on. Then I heard the glass from my window shatter.”

  “That’s when you called me, and I found a brick with the word bitch written across it and the wires to your electrical panel cut.”

  Ava stared at him. She had to ask the question that’s been in the back of her mind for years. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything.”

  “After we moved in together, I never heard a peep from that man again. It was as if he’d disappeared from the face of the earth. What did you do?”

  He returned her stare with an added smirk on his face. “You don’t want to know.”

  “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I know you didn’t kill him, so whatever you did was justified.”

  He leaned against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed. “I followed him. It was easy since I drive an unmarked vehicle. He’d stopped in a parking lot. When he exited his car, I approached him. I convinced him to take a ride with me.”

  “How did you convince him?”

  He shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. I then drove him to an inconspicuous alleyway where I forced him out of the vehicle. I pushed him down onto the ground and placed the barrel of my gun in his mouth.”

  Ava widened her eyes and gasped.

  “I said to him if he ever came near you again, I would blow his fuckin’ head off.”

  Ava stood speechless, not sure how to react.