Chapter 13: Murder In Harmony
Chapter 13 :
“This morning Kay was at the library with her tutor and I was at the office. Mother had a board meeting at the hospital, but it got cancelled because of the big accident on the highway so she came home early. When she went up to her bedroom she found…” Ethan paused, “Father and one of the former maids were having sex in her bed. She’d already fired the woman last year when she caught them together, but apparently Father has still been, uh, seeing her.
They had even been searching through Mother’s things. Father has convinced himself that Mother has some secret she’s hiding and he’s determined to uncover it. Mother was understandably furious, and I don’t know exactly what happened but apparently quite a few breakable objects went flying before Father and this woman wisely chose to escape Mother’s wrath and fled. I believe Father is now in Bermuda waiting for Mother to calm down before he sets foot back in the house.”
“That bastard,” Sam seethed. “I’m sorry Ethan, I know he’s your father but…”
“Don’t worry about me, I may be his son, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel exactly the same way about this. “Ethan sighed. “Mother was gone by the time I got home. She left me a message saying that she was going to New York for the night to do a little shopping and she’d be back in the morning. I overheard one of the maids talking and made them tell me the whole story. I just wish she hadn’t run off like that. I want to do something for her.”
“I’m sure Ivy didn’t want you or Kay finding out about what happened or seeing her upset,” Sheridan suggested, “she probably just needs some time alone to get herself together and then she’ll be back home.”
“I don’t know why she stays married to him.” The more Sam thought about it the more he wanted to kill Julian for hurting Ivy. “He obviously doesn’t care about her at all.”
“I’ve wondered that for a long time,” Ethan said sadly, “they tried to hide it from me when I was younger, but I’ve known for a long time that they don’t love each other. But they must have at one time because my mother has always told me that I was conceived out of true love.”
Sheridan decided it was time to change the subject. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m hungry.”
“Ok, I’ll order the pizzas,” Sam offered pulling out his cell phone, “There’s this place over on Front Street that makes Kay’s favorite.”
Ethan called Kay’s room but got no answer and when he called the main line to the house the maid said she wasn’t in the rest of the house. “I don’t know where Kay is, but mother got her a cell phone a few days ago, so I guess I could try that.” Before Ethan could dial there was a knock at the door.
Sheridan let Kay in. “Hi, I was looking for Ethan. Oh hi Dad. What are you doing here?”
“I just came by to see Sheridan and Luis and we’re ordering pizza for dinner. Why don’t you join us.”
“Sure, pizza sounds great after all this fancy food we usually have around here and Ivy went out of town, so everyone is down here anyway.” The cell phone rang in Kay’s back pocket. “It’s Ivy again, she’s always checking up on me. She’s worse than you Dad.”
“Yeah, well I want your number so I can check up on you too.”
Kay laughed and answered the phone. “Hi Ivy. I’m over at Sheridan’s. Luis and Ethan and my dad are here too. We’re ordering pizza. Yes I did my homework already. Ok, sure. Dad, Ivy wants to talk to you.”
Sam took the phone from Kay. “Hello.”
“Hello Sam,” Ivy said, “I’m sorry I didn’t let you know that I was going to go out of town. It was a last minute thing.”
“It’s ok, I understand.”
“Well, Ethan will be there with Kay and I’m sure Sheridan wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on her if you want.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
There’s also something I wanted to ask you about,” Ivy said hesitantly, “my daughter’s birthday is coming up and I always go and get the girls from boarding school and take them on a special trip when it’s one of their birthdays. I wanted to take Kay with us so she can meet the girls, but only if it’s ok with you.”
“I’m sure it would be alright as long as you let me know where you’ll be.”
“Thank you Sam. I know Kay will have a great time. We’re going to Jamaica and Kay will need her passport.”
“She doesn’t have one, but I’ll take care of it. When will you be back?”
“Sometime tomorrow.”
“Good, we can talk about the details more when you get back?”
“Ok, bye.”
“What did mother want to talk to you about?”
“She wants Kay to go on a trip for your sister’s birthday.”
“Ooo, you’ve been welcomed into the inner sanctum Kay,” Ethan said, “they never let me go on their little birthday trips. It’s just a mother-daughter thing and they always go someplace warm and sunny.”
“We’re going to Jamaica and we’re going to have a great time Kay,” Sheridan added,
“Wait a minute, you’re going too?” Ethan was surprised.
“Your sister invited me. I don’t get to visit the girls often since I moved back to the states and I miss them. They’re growing up so fast.”
“Well you’re going to need your passport so I’ll find your birth certificate and we’ll go get it next week.”
The doorbell rang. “The pizza’s here.” Luis jumped up off the couch and answered the door.
Kay opened one of the pizza boxes and sniffed the fragrant aroma. “Mmm, my favorite.”
“What’s on it?”
“Olive oil and garlic instead of sauce with chicken, mushrooms, and pineapple. How did you know I liked it?”
“You’re dad ordered it for you,” Sheridan said, “and I’m trying some of yours because it sounds much better than Luis’ pepperoni.”
“Kay, I’m not sure I like the idea of you staying up in the house by yourself,” Sam said as they ate.
“I won’t be by myself dad, Ethan will be there.”
“Still, I’d feel better if maybe Sheridan stayed up there for the night too.”
Ethan knew how much it bothered Sheridan to stay up at the mansion so he jumped in. “I think Sheridan and Luis would rather be down here where they can have some privacy, but I have a better idea Sam. Kay and I were planning on having a little horror movie marathon tonight so why don’t you join us and then you can stay the night in one of the guest rooms.”
“Yeah Dad, stay. It’ll be fun to watch horror movies together like we used to. Ethan’s never even seen one before. Plus you haven’t seen my room and it’s all finished now.”
“It’s fine with me if you stay and I’m sure Mother wouldn’t mind. This will give you and Kay a chance to spend some more time together.”
“Ok, I’ll stay. I just have to call home and let your mother know.”
While Kay, Sheridan, and Ethan were in the kitchen taking care of the leftover pizza, empty boxes, and dirty glasses, Sam called Grace.
She wasn’t too happy to hear that Sam wouldn’t be coming home that night because she wanted him to help Charity with her homework. They got into an argument about Grace thinking that Charity was more important that Kay and Sam said he was staying with Kay and hung up the phone.
“She doesn’t want you to stay?” Luis asked.
“I don’t know what her problem is,” Sam growled, “she thinks it’s more important that I come home and help Charity with her homework than to spend time with my daughter. But I don’t want Kay knowing about this.”
When Kay and Ethan came back from the kitchen Sam left with them and went up to the main house where after a long night of horror movies and attempts to scare Ethan they all went to bed.
The next morning Ivy came in early and when she was hanging her coat in the foyer closet she heard something beeping. She noticed Sam’s Harmony PD jacket hanging there and reached in the pocket and pulled out the beeping pager. Puzzled, she peeked in the living room, but it was empty.
“Sally,” she called and waited until the maid appeared.
“Yes Ma’am?”
“Is Chief Bennett here?”
“Yes Mrs. Crane, he’s upstairs sleeping in one of the guest rooms. Mr. Crane and Miss Bennett asked him to stay the night.”
“Which room is he in?”
“I believe he is in the green room ma’am.” All of the staff tended to refer to the guest rooms by color because each room was decorated with one main color in mind.”
“Thank you Sally. I’d better wake Sam, his pager was going off in his jacket.”
Ivy went up the stairs, down the hall, and slowly opened the guest room door.
Sam was lying on his back in the middle of the king-size bed, the emerald green comforter covering him up just past his waist. Ivy watched the rise and fall of Sam’s chest as he slept silently. She sat down on the bed and slid her fingers across his muscled chest before pulling away reluctantly and she longed to touch the body, the man, she had been missing and dreaming of for so long.
She shook his shoulder gently to wake him.
Sam stirred in his sleepy state but didn’t quite wake up. “Mmm, Ivy.” Sam slipped his arm around her back and pulled her down to him, his lips caressing hers in a long sensuous kiss.
To Be Continued…