CHAPTER 15
1350 Words
The steak’s aroma captivated my sense of smell when I descended the stairs. Mother must have requested from the cook to prepare something special for her esteemed guest which was Keith Demakis.
“Hey there, darling. Keith will join us for dinner tonight,” she said smilingly.
Adrianna Anderson must have felt like a teenager when Keith continued to shower her with flowery words. The nerve of this guy! “I had no idea that you’re into young man, Mom.” She furrowed her brows when I asked but instead of being offended, she got back to me with a question.
“What are you talking about? Archie and I are of the same age and that’s what I told you, that he kept me sane, and happy at the same time. I’ll be glad to have him here tonight but he took a rain check at the last minute.”
I realized what my mom was talking about and when I glanced at Keith for confirmation, he shrugged off his shoulders and grinned at me like an i***t. “I thought that Archie’s younger than you,” I said after a moment of silence.
“No, he’s not darling.”
I nodded my head in response and said, “Well, that’s great to know. By the way, the food looks great, did you hire a new cook that I didn’t know about?” I asked as soon as I noticed that the rib-eye steaks were prepared differently. Instead of rice, it was served with perfectly mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
“Keith did it,” she replied.
I glanced at him and he just smiled. I rolled my eyes when I saw his braces once again. The corner of my upper lip lifted in annoyance because I really hate to see it. “You should have it removed if you want me to work with you,” I said in a low voice when my mother didn’t pay attention to us for a moment.
“Hmmm, I’ll think about it. Addy, can I take Cassie out after dinner?”
I scowled at him when he used a ridiculous nickname for my mother’s beautiful name. Addy? What the f**k! I warned my mom to answer carefully but she just nodded her head in agreement. I slumped in my chair and glared at them both. “Shouldn’t you be asking me instead of my mom?”
“She said yes, Cassie.”
“Yeah, but I’m not someone you can just take for a stroll that easily.”
“We’re not going to stroll, we’re going to my house.”
His house? Why should I go to his house? He’s being silly and crazy! “Can you tell me why should I go there? Mom, it’s not safe to visit a man’s house!”
“My mom is there,” he replied.
“Even so!”
“Common Cassie, it’s just for a couple of minutes.”
What did my mother say? Just for a couple of minutes? I’ve been in his house for more than an hour and I wasn’t allowed to go home yet. He reasoned out to wait for his mom for a little while because the woman went out for some unknown reason.
“Care for a drink?”
“No, thank you.” I refused to drink anything especially when I doubted if his mother was really home. I felt that he only tricked me! The house was unusually quiet and I haven’t seen anyone since we arrived. “Do you really think I’m stupid, Keith?”
“No. As far as I can see, you are the smartest woman I’ve ever known. Why don’t you try to familiarize my place, Cassie? After all, we will be spending a lot of time here.”
“What did you say? Why should I be spending a lot of my time here?”
“Because Adrianne will be worried to know that you’re working with me to solve a murder case,” he replied.
“Really? Well, I think that you are just trying to separate me from her. Why? Did you suspect my mom to be behind the murders?”
“Why not? Everyone is a suspect and that includes you,” he replied.
“We have nothing to do with the murder, Keith.”
“Maybe but as of this time, your mother is our number one suspect. However, you can help me find the real culprit behind the killings,” he explained.
I sighed in frustration that no matter what I say, he couldn’t be moved. “Can you show me the photos again?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes! I need to check something,” I replied. Well, I just need to know how they really died then we can start from there.
“Here,” he handed the envelope that contained the gruesome photos of women.
My brows snapped together after checking every photo inside the envelope. “Murder? Have you checked these photos? It’s clearly suicide! They all cut their wrist and bled to die! Why it is murder when they chose to die that way?”
“They were poisoned, Cassie! Did you read the report?”
“Yes! Still, I don’t think it is murder! Let’s say they take the poison before committing suicide,” I explained my side because I didn’t really see the reason why it should be labeled as a murder case and to say that a serial killer is roaming around was baseless!
Keith knitted his brows in frustration but I really didn’t care at all. “You still don’t get it, Cassie! Strychnine is not something you can just get anywhere,” he reasoned out.
“Are you sure? Everything can be bought online including poisons, Keith.” Keith furrowed his brows and stared at me for a moment. “Why? Will you please stop looking at me like that?”
“How did you know I was talking about the poison?”
I swallowed the lump on my throat and tried to look away but Keith was fast! All of a sudden, his strong hands were on my shoulders and I couldn’t move at all. “Let me go! You’re hurting me!”
“You knew about it, don’t you? Was it you mother, Cassie?”
“She’s not a murderer, Keith! For goodness sake, can you stop doing this?” Using all my strength, I tried to get away from him, but he was much stronger than me. I clenched my jaw and balled my fist that he treated me like a criminal already. “This is unfair! If you suspect us for doing it, then you should file a case, you goddamn bastard!”
Keith smirked at me and I glared at him in return. “She has a perfect alibi, and you should help me find the evidence! Don’t you feel bad for those girls?”
“Should I be thinking about those people not related to me? My mother is the suspect so my support will be with her.”
“Do you also think that I’m doing this for nothing, Cassie? My father was notified that the murderer could be living in our subdivision and if the news reached the media, it will definitely hurt our stocks. Can’t you see why I’m doing this? It’s also for my family’s sake!”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Help me find the real culprit,” he replied.
- Writer
