A Family Affair

by Marilyn McPherson

Chapter Twenty-four

  Chloe watched the door slam, smiled a little, and went back to sit on the couch. She patted her stomach gently, and whispered, “Hello, little baby. I know you are in there.”

  Suddenly there was a footstep in the hallway. A footstep where there should only be quiet. Chloe whipped her head around urgently. She recognised the man instantly. “Hayden,” she said, shocked. “What are you doing here?” Chloe tried to contain her panic. Why was he here? It didn't make any sense. How much had he heard? How did he get in? The questions were unending, and were being fired one after the other into her mind.

  He walked confidently into view, acting as if he owned the apartment.

  Chloe's eyes raced downwards from his face to his hands. What the hell? Her eyes bulged. “Why are you wearing plastic gloves, Hayden?”

  He smiled darkly. “So I don't leave finger prints, Chloe. I don't want anyone knowing that I was here now, do I?”

  “Why are you here? And how did you get in?” Chloe's anger started to kick in. She breathed deeply and relaxed a little. After all, it was just Hayden from the office. “Does Tom know that you like to break into Ellen's apartment?”

  “If you must know, Chloe, I came here looking for evidence of where Ellen could be, when she came in. Tom has been a mess all week and, well, someone has to do something. I didn't buy the break-up story like everyone else did. I didn't want to startle her when she came in, so I stayed in the back bedroom. And then you came home too, and you said all those nasty things to her. Even though she has spent the last week who-knows-where after being kidnapped. You didn’t care. You just sat her down and tried to break her heart by telling lies about you and Tom. She sounded pretty upset, wouldn't you say?”

  “I didn’t tell her any lies. And come to think of it, it's actually none of your business, Hayden.”

  “You'd be surprised.”

  “What does that mean? You know what? Save the explanation. I'd like you to leave now. Right now!” Chloe raised her voice, hoping that her tone would cause him to leave quickly. She had never noticed this in the office, but Hayden was actually quite creepy.

  “Unfortunately, Chloe. You and I have some business to sort out.” Hayden opened his jacket to reveal a gun. Chloe froze as he pointed the gun at her.

  “What do you think you are doing? Are you crazy?”

  Hayden walked towards the balcony and opened the sliding door. “Actually no, Chloe. I’m quite a rational person and therefore will present you with two choices for how this can end.” His voice was cold and unemotional. Hayden removed another object from his jacket. It looked like a silencer, and he started to screw it onto the end of his gun. He did this without looking at the gun, like he had done it a hundred times before. He kept his dark eyes on her the entire time.

  “And they are?” asked Chloe, starting to feel terrified by his every movement.

  “You can jump off the balcony, or you can stay on the couch and I'll shoot you. It's completely up to you.”

  “Hayden,” Chloe said, nervously laughing. “Don't be ridiculous. You've made your point. I'll be nicer to Ellen. I'll move out. Whatever you want.”

  “I'm not laughing, Chloe. I hired someone to take care of Colleen for me of course. But seeing that I’m here and you are here, I must as well take care of you myself.”

  “You killed Colleen?” Chloe asked, feeling shocked and stunned. She had assumed Ted’s letter to Ellen was mistaken in regard to the murder accusation. “Please. Why are you doing this?” Chloe was starting to feel more panicky every moment the gun remained pointed at her.

  Hayden rolled his eyes, as if bored. “The thing about Tom is that he can generate money like nobody else on this planet. And if Tom is making money, then I am making money.”

  “I can give you money,” Chloe offered, in a weaker voice.

  Hayden continued talking, ignoring her offer. “He doesn’t know that I’m here of course. But being here and taking care of you is an important part of the job description. I remove the problems from his life. I keep him focussed on the task at hand. And right now, you are the biggest problem.”

  Chloe shook her head, unable to think of anything to say.

  “So, enough talk, Chloe. Make your choice. Which one is it?”

  “Please, Hayden. I don't want to die. I'm pregnant with Tom's baby.”

  “I doubt that.”

  “I really am. Okay, I admit that he thought it was Ellen at the time. But Tom is not going to want his unborn child to die. I really am pregnant.”

  “You shouldn't be.”

  “Why are you on her side? They are father and daughter. They shouldn't be together. It's wrong. He belongs with me.”

  “Get up, Chloe. Move to the balcony. I'm going to count to ten.”