Focused on work, the hours passed. Again, voices from out front caught Cassie's attention although she hadn't heard the door chime. She stepped out into the hall and almost fell over with shock. Sara stood in a small circle with Daniel and Karly. She spoke quietly while holding Karly's hand and resting another on Daniel's arm.They appeared engrossed in whatever she was saying. Nothing about the conversation seemed hostile, so Cassie quietly backed into her office while briefly catching her sister's eye. It looked as though Sara had it handled. Cassie knew it wasn't her business and hoped it would stay that way.A few minutes later, Sara knocked and then entered the office. Cassie noted a sense of peace on Sara's face that could be attributed to the 'cleaning of house'."I've put everything to right, except for Greg," she sniffed as if trying not to cry. "I've tried, but I just can't find the words. And how do I explain my gift or your gift or dad's or all of it?"Cassie shrugg
Margot Woods whipped open the door and beamed before yanking Cassie into a mama-bear hug to beat all hugs. Cassie went limp in her arms as Randy chuckled at the exchange."My sweet girl," Margot cooed as she pulled from her embrace. "I've missed the dickens out of you.""I've missed you too, Mom." Cassie giggled, reached for Randy's hand, and followed Mom inside. They entered the living room where her father was seated, and Mom disappeared into the kitchen. Cassie scanned towards the kitchen and then the dining room, looking for Sara and Greg. She had been dreading this encounter, but Randy forced her to put on her big girl panties and face them. So here she was. Baby steps.Sara's laughter could be heard from outside. Cassie moved to the sliding doors to the backyard and stared out through the glass as Randy moved in behind and kissed the back of her head. The scene before them was like something out of a mushy Hallmark Christmas movie. A young couple laughing and throwing
An invisible force, beyond her control, steered her through the dark, second floor hallway towards their bedroom door. Apprehension mingled sadistically with a hint of terror, and it lingered in the air like a sick stagnant fog. Desperate to catch her breath in protest of the ominous air, she paused outside the sealed door. Her legs quaked, sending tremors to every point in her body. If she didn't get a grip, she'd be taking a knee or worse. Staring at the door, she sucked in one sharp composing breath before delving deep to muster the courage to open it. Intense trepidation had a grip on her mind, making it impossible to be rational. The other side of the door held the reason for her unease, and the impending doom taunted her without mercy. Something horrific waited for her - something that made her stomach clench and her heart ache. Attempting to shake off the uneasy feeling, she rolled her shoulders and stepped forward. Her hand trembled uncontrollably as it reached out but
As a rookie P.I. at Tyler Investigations, Cassie was still in the learning stages but determined to advance in her career. A couple of weeks ago, the client, Jason Schmidt, hired them to keep an eye on his wife, Tricia. Jason believed Tricia was having an affair because he discovered sexy dresses and lingerie that she apparently never wore for him. He believed Tricia's alleged lover was Jack Brady, the karate instructor who taught their son, Chase. For the past two weeks, Cassie had been attending the same karate classes as Chase but nothing unusual was happening there. Tricia was at every class, but there were no questionable interactions between her and Jack. Of course, Jason's suspicions were understandable where Jack Brady was concerned; Jack was exceptionally hot, but his hotness went unnoticed by Tricia. Cassie hadn't seen anything between the two that supported Jason's theory of an affair, but as far as Jason was concerned, Jack was the only possible candidate.Tricia's rec
The white bungalow, across the street, stood oddly out of place in the neighborhood. New windows, shingles, and siding, meshed perfectly with its immaculate yard that was minimally landscaped with rock, grass, and shrubs. An ancient elm tree in the front yard stood half bare as the leaves had begun to fall, but there wasn't a single dead fallen leaf on the ground. There were no flowers or weeds, and the thriving lawn clearly defied the forthcoming winter. The owner obviously took pride in his well-maintained property, or he had OCD. Cassie admired the brick work that cradled juvenile evergreen shrubs in front of a bay window. She scanned to the houses on either side of the white bungalow and shook her head. The rundown shacks with weedy, garbage strewn yards, brought down the white bungalow's property value, and it was a tossup as to whether or not they should be condemned. How anyone could possibly live in them was a mystery.It was as if the rundown houses existed in a separa
Jack tapped on the window, again. "Fuck," Eryn said, nudging Cassie. "You owe me. Stay down." Inhaling nervously, she ruffled her hands through her hair and then flung the passenger door to the van open. She stepped on the frame while leaning on the door and looking over the van at the street. Eryn's momentary silence could only mean that she was assessing Jack. A knowing smile curled Cassie's lips as she stifled a giggle. Glancing to Eryn, she could only assume that Eryn was as affected by Jack as most women. Curious and wanting to watch the scene play out, Cassie lifted her head to peek through the windshield. Her eyes travelled back to Jack, who stood before them looking every bit as beautiful as usual. But tonight, he looked like a god, standing aglow beneath the streetlight that illuminated his magnificently flawless body against the midnight sky. Clearly annoyed, Jack glared expectantly at Eryn with his hands casually stuffed into his jean pockets. His tight, black, Guns
Even though Eryn was unimpressed with the events of the evening, Cassie knew her bestie would be over it by morning. Eryn Miller's greatest fear was losing another loved one, so Cassie accepted and understood her protective ways. It seemed like only yesterday, but it was more like ten years ago, when Eryn's parents were killed in a car accident. Eryn was in her second year of university at the time, but she dropped out to devote herself to the Standardbred farm that she and her older brother Ben inherited. A half-hour away from the city, the massive farm, which was more like a small country, provided Eryn and Ben with a comfortable income. The Standardbred horses used for racing were in Alberta during racing season, and the breeders and babies enjoyed life on the farm. Like Eryn, Ben was a racehorse trainer, but he spent most of his time with their horses, travelling the racing circuit through Alberta. Eryn gave Cassie a decent amount of shit for becoming a private investigato
Cassie pulled onto her street and noticed the bedroom lights were on upstairs at their house. Even though it was late, she was wide awake, giddy with anticipation, and oh so happy that Greg wasn't asleep. As she approached their house, a familiar car parked in the driveway caught her eye. She slowed down to check it out. The giddiness faded."What the hell? Why would she be here this late?" Cassie questioned aloud. A suspicious knot formed in her stomach, and her instincts shot to high alert. She circled the block and then parked on the opposite side of the street, a couple of houses away. Staring at her home with sick apprehension, she tried to sort through the many questions swirling through her mind, but the questions pointed to one disgustingly obvious truth, a truth she couldn't and absolutely didn't want to comprehend.It couldn't be, could it? Reluctantly, she stepped out of the van, sped across the street, and crept along the side of the house to the back door off