When the Heart Lies

Chapter 12





Kinsley tucked Max in with stories, kisses, and hugs. Then she watched him as he fell asleep. Once he was soundly sleeping, she went into the bedroom, locked the door behind her, and reached under the dresser for the bottle she’d taped there. She hadn’t taken any of the pills the doctor had prescribed. There were ninety. A month’s supply or a lethal dose. Lying down on the bed, she held them in her hand, near her heart. She’d leave there, and she didn’t care how. What if Wayde finds them? She jumped up.

In a hurry, she opened a drawer, grabbed one of her socks, and spilled half the pills into it. She stuffed the sock into the pocket of her jacket that was hanging in the closet and re-taped the remainder of the bottle to the underside of the dresser. Max had to be safely home with Nick before she attempted anything.

After three deep breaths, she opened the bedroom door, put on a smile, and walked into the kitchen. “Whew, took a while to get him to sleep tonight. Thank God he sleeps through anything. I’m taking some coffee out onto the porch to get a little fresh air. Would you like to join me Wayde?” If she didn’t invite him, he’d think she was trying to avoid him and would refuse to let her go. Remy would be there soon, and Wayde would expect her to sit there with them. She hoped to slip away alone for a little while until he forced her to socialize.

“Nah, you go ahead, but when Remy comes, I’m gonna want some company.”

“I guess we aren’t company enough for you,” Savannah said, returning to filing her nails.

Kinsley smiled sheepishly in Wayde’s direction, went to the porch, sat in the wobbly, plastic chair, and sipped her coffee. While breathing in the fragrant aroma of the orange trees, she allowed herself the luxury of imagining Jackson’s eyes burning into her and the sensation of his lips as they met hers. She smiled, picturing his head sailing back with laughter after hearing her comment about being a ‘ticket taker in Hell.’ And she nearly laughed aloud at the image of him ducking as her hairbrush flew by him. Memories deepened as she relived the kiss that turned her into goo. However, before long, her smile faded away. She couldn’t do this. She had obligations.

Remy pulled in and came onto the porch. He stopped directly in front of her and stood tall as he stared at her vulgarly.

“Savannah told me you were being all cheery today.” He scoffed at her. “What’s up your sleeve? You may fool them, but you ain’t never gonna get one past me.” He gave her the evil eye, flicked her chin up with his finger, and walked into the kitchen. The three sat talking for a while, and eventually Wayde called her in.

“You want to play cards with us?” he asked. “Have a drink?”

“I’ll watch. A drink sounds good though.” A couple of drinks to get through the next few hours sounded about right. She kept her mind busy, thinking of scenes she would write the next day. As they played, she would occasionally infiltrate the conversation to appear sociable. When Wayde’s glass emptied, she encouraged his drunkenness by pouring at once. If he drank enough, he didn’t bother her too much when bedtime came.





He put up his hand to stop her when she went to pour his next drink. “I don’t want any more of that shit. I got business to take care of tonight.” He tilted his head, grinned, and licked his lips.


~ ~ ~

As Jackson readied himself to go to Olivia’s, he made a list of the next few steps he’d take with the case. Top of the list was to go over to Veda’s tomorrow and find out what she knew. The audio still wasn’t giving him any information; if anything, it sounded like Kinsley submitted without complaint. Short of busting in the house, he wasn’t going to find out jack tonight, so he got ready to go and gave Olivia a call before he left.

“Olivia? Jackson. Did you give my sub all the information he needs to watch Wayde’s house tonight?”

“Hello to you, too.”

“You told him to stay somewhere where he can see the house?”

Her frustrated sigh came through the phone. “The sub’s name is Percy. I told him everything you told me to, Jackson. She’ll be fine. Nothing has ever happened there. I don’t know why Xavier’s even having video put in. I doubt you’re going to be on the case much longer. He called me today and said Nick wants to get Max home soon.”

With the phone to his ear, he stretched his elbow above him, resting his weight against the doorjamb. He dropped his head, shaking it. “Did he actually say the case would end when Max got home? That would be surprising since he seems so concerned about Kinsley.” His free hand swiped through his hair in frustration, and his eyes closed briefly. They had to, for the large breath he was holding to escape. He slammed his fist against the doorjamb, and his tone became harsh. “This has to be one of the most maddening cases I’ve ever worked on! I’ll be there in a few. I have to stop by the store and get a couple things.”

When he arrived at Olivia’s, the lights were low, the candles lit, and the music slow. Olivia leaned into him and attempted to kiss him before the door closed. He backed his head away and gave her only a look. She backed off. He glanced around the room. He had always been honest with her about where they stood. She wasn’t very quick on the uptake.

His thumb slid up the center of his chest as he expelled a soft grunt, which was a habit of his when he was uncomfortable with a situation. “Looks like you went to a lot of trouble. The place looks great. You shouldn’t have.” You really shouldn’t have.

“So when do we get the video in?” he asked.

“Monday. I’m sending someone over when Wayde and Kinsley go to the café. Possibly a phony gas leak to inspect. That’ll get the stripper out. Hopefully, things will go as planned.”

They talked for a long time about the case. As the night went on, Olivia seemed to be getting the message he wasn’t interested and began behaving more like the friend he’d known before their affair. They drank a lot, and he took the couch. He hadn’t planned on staying, but he’d needed the reprieve after being cooped up in the motel.

~ ~ ~

The most dreaded part of Kinsley’s day arrived. Bedtime. She checked on Max and got ready for bed. When she went into the bedroom, Wayde was sitting on the bed. His ogling eyes were like a noonday sun that blistered her skin from having lingered too long.

“Today wasn’t bad,” he said. “Could be that way all the time. Me good to you, you good to me.”

“Ah huh.” She heard herself say without comprehending. She had tunnel vision. All she could see or feel were his eyes leering at her and his perverted grin. Her mind reread the scenes of the last few months as her body relived the touch of his hands.

Wayde stood up from the bed and went to her. “You gonna give me some love tonight, darlin’?” He tilted his head, moved in close, and began kissing her. She stood like a garden gnome, watchful and aware of everything around her yet unable to take part.

With every movement of his mouth, her stomach soured. Her fists clenched as she raised them to his shoulders. She resisted the impulse to push him away, knowing what would happen if she did. It wasn’t the fear of him doing again what he’d already done to her. It was the fear of what he was capable of doing if she resisted that scared her. The problem was, as the fear grew, the adrenaline running through her took over and wiped away every thought, replacing them with anger and aggression.

He grabbed at her breast. She closed her eyes and tried to go somewhere outside herself. But all she sensed was the groping and slobbering that violated her body and her psyche.

He yanked her hand down and pressed it onto his groin. “Touch me. Make me hard.”

She wrenched her hand from his grip. He stepped out of his underwear and returned her hand to his flaccid dick. She imagined squeezing the floppy thing until it popped like a nasty zit. She was gone from him.

He grabbed hold of her wrist with force. “Damn! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Unaware she was squeezing him, his grip brought her back to reality.

“Be careful. Git on your knees an’ blow me.” He put his hand on her shoulder, pushing her downward.

She resisted. Her anger swallowed her voice. “I … I can’t.”

“Like hell you can’t.” He pushed down on her shoulder again. She wouldn’t budge. He twisted and bent down fast, reaching under the bed. When he swiveled back, he held a handgun to her belly. “Now. Tell me what you can’t do.”

All she focused on was this isolated interlude, no future and no past. She’d completely lost reason. She shoved him with every ounce of strength she had as she shouted, “F*ck off! You don’t have the balls to use that.”

Shaken, he grabbed a fist full of her hair, tight and close to the scalp so she couldn’t budge. He wrenched her neck backward, full force, and put the gun to her head. The click of the safety resonated in her ear. She froze.

“Really wanna find that out, darlin’?”

The butt of the gun slammed down hard onto her shoulder, making her fall to her knees. The blow hurt like a motherf*cker, but she didn’t let one tear fall. Her face was inches from his soft nub. She imagined the sensation of stuffing her mouth with marshmallows and gagged.

“Stop your shit. You’re nothing but a whore. His eyes narrowed, and he spoke between clenched teeth. “Do your job. And don’t you dare bite me.”

She looked him dead in the eye, the act more of a challenge than a communication. “Well then you can just let me pull the trigger for you—because I don’t suck dead cock.”

He raised his hand and brought the gun back down hard and fast. She flinched, but maintained eye contact as he hit her. The slamming of the gun onto the side of her head was the last sound she heard.