Chapter 70
HAYDEN
Just like me, Sebastian also didn't think that Melissa had murdered the detective.
What would he be her motive for murdering, even so, why would she leave her car so closed by, therefore leaving behind evidence that would lead to her?
I knew her well to be smarter than that unless she wanted me to think exactly the way I was doing right now.
There were so many gaps that needed to be filled and there wasn't enough time, I so damn needed to get to the bottom of it.
I pushed the door open surprised to find the lights still on, she ought to have been asleep.
I found her bend over the bed, she appeared to be in search of something.
"Why aren't you asleep yet? "
She jerked at my words and whirled around sharply to face me.
I notice her gaze wasn't focused on me, it was on something else.
Shit.
The blood.
I had forgotten about it
"You're hurt.. " her gaze was wide with alarm, probably searching the source of the wound.
She hurried over to me, her features filled with concerned, she touched my shoulders and face gently.
"Where are you hurt? Do you have to see a doctor? "
"It's not mine"
The moment the words left my mouth, her gaze widened a fraction as she snatched her hands away and took two successive steps backward.
She didn't meet my gaze,I found myself missing the feel of her touch on me, also the concern I had seen in her gaze
I snatched her retracted hand back to my face until she looked at me once again.
"I didn't kill anyone ........today if that's what you're probably thinking "
She nodded quickly as she fumbled for words.
"It's not that, for a moment I was just worried that you're hurt, that's all" She tried at a smile but it came out shakily.
Fuck.
I could curse myself a thousand times for appearing like this and unsettling her, even though she tried to cover it I could still tell that she had been shaken.
"I'll take a shower " I murmured kissing the sides of her lips.
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GRACIE
He came out of the bathroom, then lay down beside me, he kissed my forehead but that was all.
I knew without a doubt that he was stressed, he appeared too tense even as he lay beside me, I kept feeling like he was avoiding my gaze.
I didn't like it.
Just the way he hated when I keep things from him, I also disliked it when he was distancing himself from me emotionally like he was doing right now.
"Are you alright? " I slowly reached my fingers to touched his tensed shoulders and his gaze snapped open.
He stared at me silently, his gaze flickered slightly before he snapped them back shut, much to my disappointment.
"We'll be leaving here soon Gracie " he spoke quietly after a moment.
I knew very well that he was averting my question, he didn't want to tell me and there wasn't much I could do to persuade him.
I had waited up for him hours after putting Hazel to bed. Everything had been quiet alright before he left but now...
Did he perhaps find out that I hadn't been completely honest with him? The thought spiked up my heartbeat
No, had that been the case he would have confronted me about it for sure.
Shawn had said he would find a way to speak to me, but since then I haven't heard anything from him, worse was that I couldn't find my cellphone, I had searched around for it for hours, that was what I had been doing when Hayden entered.
I had been alarmed when he walked inside, bloodstain and all.
It had been a great relief to find out it wasn't his, even though I knew very well that it had to belong to another person.
What does this make me?
A bad person?.
Although his eyes were shut I knew he hadn't fallen asleep yet, maybe tomorrow I would be able to find out what was wrong with him and help him get through it.
I scooted closer towards him and placed my head on his chest, I knew very well how much he loves it, perhaps it would let him know that I was here with him, and I was willing to share whatever situation it was with him.
A loud purr rumbled from his chest as his hands wrapped around my waist possessively
"You know I love you right? Damn much, I'll always be there, you won't need anyone else " he murmured against the top of my hair.
It didn't feel like other times he told me he loved me, sure he spoke it in the same possessive way.
It gnawed on me that something was wrong.
But what?
*
*
Hazel and I ate lunch slowly, Hayden had mentioned us leaving soon, although he hadn't specified the soon I couldn't help but feel impatient about it.
During the time we spent in his penthouse, I felt he'd belonged to me then, although, In the beginning, the attention had been unwanted.
He'd left in the middle of lunch to answer what I deemed to be a very important call, leaving me alone with Hazel.
Robert, Melissa's father had also arrived earlier. Along with Hayden's father, they went outside to play golf.
I had forgotten about Melissa until her father came by today.
Something about him made me felt the creeps running through my spine, I knew I had seen recognition in his gaze just like the first time he came here. I couldn't have imagined it both times and the thought just unsettled me.
My thoughts were interrupted when the housekeeper came over, she was a petite middle-aged woman who dropped by every weekend.
"I found this among his clothes "
It was my cellphone, I listened to her short explanation as I accepted it from her hand muttering my thanks.
He was with it all along? I had been looking all over for it.
I didn't give much thought to it as I wiped off the corners of Hazel's mouth with a napkin.
"I want water," she said
I scanned around the table briefly with my gaze no notice the glass had been emptied.
"I'll get it " I straightened up to my feet and began paddling my way to the kitchen.
I hummed silently as I poured the water into a glass, I was just about to leave when something caught my attention.
It was the morning paper just on top of the counter, I remember Mr. McAndrews had been going through it this morning.
It wasn't about the papers, it was the picture just below the headlines that I couldn't tear my gaze away from.
Shawn?
I read through the headline slowly and the glass slipped from my hand, splintering into pieces, giving a loud shattering sound.
The blood drained out of my face and I found myself chanting in disbelief.
No. No. No...
Cop? Found dead?
My knuckles turned white, threatening to rip the papers into shreds.
Dead?
It wasn't true, I couldn't believe this, I saw him just yesterday, maybe there was some mistake.
I didn't realize my whole body was trembling, tears of shock, disbelief, and pain were rolling down my eyes.
This was wrong, it had to be.
Somehow I have to confirm this news or my heart would never be at rest, I made my way upstairs in search of Hayden, I should probably tell him everything, he still doesn't know that I had met Shawn yesterday whom I had simply referred to as an "Old friend ".
The door was ajar, so I didn't have to push it open. He stood with his back faced to me, he was still on the phone, totally unaware of my presence.
I should wait until he's done.
"What about the dead cop? Do you have the information I wanted about him? "
My blood froze.
His words sent my heart hammering hard in a wave of shock, my feet were iced to the ground beneath me.
Dead cop?
Shawn?
Why would he be inquiring about Shawn?
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