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The Tessarae Inn |
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Suspicions In Scarlet Repose
CHAPTER 1 “You know something’s about to happen don’t you, Blair?” Blair dragged her gaze away from the whirl of color, Lycra, stretching, bouncing, tumbling and hair flipping that constituted cheerleader practice and glanced over at Todd. She really didn’t want to know if he was staring at the spectacle in front of them as intensely as she was because for some reason that would have a different connotation. For herself, she was just wondering if she had ever in her life been that damn perky or limber. “You know they know you're here, don’t you? Probably usually laying around and eating pizzas this time of day.” “The low rumble. Can you feel it, Blair?” “Are you watching this?” “No, I’m not. I only have eyes for you. Did I answer that right?” “Close enough.” “Good. Besides, I had a private show yesterday.” “You what?” He grinned at her. “Private show. Miss Cheerleader Coordinator came by yesterday to personally run the routine by me. She performed each move with extreme care and precision.” “And her name is something like Bambi or Sugar, right?” “Actually, it’s Honey. Honey Yvonne Gold. Left me her card with her home number on the back.” “I suggest you tell her that from now on your wife is handling such decisions.” “Can’t do that. I’ve already passed the task on to the most qualified person on the staff.” “And that would be?” “Starr. She’s being fitted for her very own cheerleading costume as we speak.” “That’s just cruel.” “Hey, Honey said she wanted my expert input and I can’t think of anyone who’ll give her more input than Starr.” Blair tapped the arm of her chair then took a deep breath. “Okay, what’s worrying you?” “You were listening.” “Just needed a little time to steel myself. Everything’s so perfect…” “That’s what I mean. Too quiet. Too calm.” “Quiet? Calm? That’s only true because you’ve been avoiding RJ and Toni like they have the bubonic plague or something. They have an exclusive option on chaos right now.” “Toni? Even I have my limits, Blair.” “The latest is that Keri’s fiancé’s parents are coming for a visit. Seems they are kind of snotty and insensitive if you ask me. This is not a good time for a visit.” “I really don’t need to know any of this, Blair. Has nothing to do with me.” “Well, Toni said--” “ Not interested. There is serious business going on out on that field that needs my full attention.” Blair stood up and grabbed her briefcase. “Maybe it is better to talk tonight. I need to get back to JStarr. Do you know where our children are?” “Starr’s with me. I’ll bring her home later.” “And where's Jack?” He sighed and sucked his teeth for a minute but then said, “Jack's with Aunty Dorian. She's giving him lessons in how to be a Cramer male.” “Just checking.” “Got that one in the bank, Blair. For every hour I have to even think about Dorian you owe me twenty.” She smiled, put her finger to her lips, kissed it then touched his cheek. “I’ll see you at home in a few hours. Don’t let Starr run totally amuck.” He stood up and moved close to her. “You know I like that word, amuck. I think that’s what I’m going to do to you tonight. Run amuck.” She grinned at him but moved out of his reach. “You need to limit your viewing of that porno show out there. Looks like you're already all lathered up.” He stepped forward and pulled her close to him then kissed her. “Only when you're in my vicinity." "Yeah?" "The male of the species recognizes the display signs of his one true mate from miles away. He's biologically impelled to reach her. No obstacle is too big or small to block him from his task.” “Been watching the Discovery Channel with Starr again, haven’t you?” “Want to see me spread my feathers for you?” “I’m not sure if you can spread them any wider.” “Don’t challenge me, Blair. You know what you’re liable to get.” Blair tried to move back slightly but he held her close. “I’m digging my claws into the ground and kicking up small pebbles and dirt, Blair. Going for the twigs and bits of straw next.” Blair exhaled and tried not to smile too much. Todd caressed her back and then let his hand rest on her buttock. “Ready to hop around in a circle and flap your wings yet?” “I really do have to go,” she whispered because her breathing was getting fast and shallow and he was looking at her that way. “May not be able to allow that right now, Blair. You know how these mating rituals are once they’re activated.” Blair tried to catch her breath but his hands were moving again. He grinned at her. “Got millions of years of biology surging forward. Can’t fight that. There's a sequence to this dance that leads to one inexorable conclusion--” “What’s inexorable?” Blair jumped back and out of Todd's arms. She tugged at her blouse to straighten it. "Starr! What're you doing here?” Starr crossed her arms over her chest and grinned. “Watching the Discovery Channel, I think.”
Todd studied the man for a minute longer. He looked younger than he knew his age had to be. Still he had to wonder about what the appeal was. He was nothing special and seemed to radiate a blah resignation and world weariness that would have sent most people frantically searching for the Exit sign. So how did this suddenly become his problem? He cleared his throat and then fixed the man with a hard stare. The man seemed to be unimpressed. He placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward. “Even if she’s not here, I suspect you know where she is. I’m not leaving until you tell me where I can find my wife.” “Albert, right?” What a dorky ass name. No wonder she ran. “Why would you think I’d know where your wife is?” “Don’t try my patience here, Mr. Manning. I have used up my quota already." Todd scratched the side of his face and just stared at the man. "Look, the others in her group told me what happened. They say she changed after Key West…after meeting with you. Where exactly was it that you met her?” “Delacortes. Ever been there? Nice place. Expensive.” Albert Wright straightened up and took a step back. “I see. You took my wife to a fancy restaurant. One I probably couldn’t afford even if I was willing to waste the money and then what happened?” “We walked on the beach and talked.” “And talked about?” “The past.” “I see. Well, that must have been some talk because she hasn’t returned home since then.” Wait a minute. That didn’t sound right. “That was weeks ago. Are you telling me you haven’t heard from Rebecca in all that time?” Albert shook his head slightly. “Oh, I’ve heard from her…almost everyday day but she hasn't come home. Always some reason to stay away. Even after the last member of her group returned she joined another one and extended her stay on the road. Our time of searching is not meant to encourage extended separations. It's a sacrifice for the common good.” On the road? Sacrifice? Common good? What kind of crap was this really? Maybe he should have paid more attention to what Rebecca said about this group. But then there had been so much going on then. Still if she was in trouble, even running from this dork, she’d have called him, wouldn’t she? I mean that was the one thing that came out of all that talking, wasn't it? She had to know that he had her back and all she had to do was whistle. Todd cleared his throat again. “Well, she obviously has some things to work through. Maybe you should give her the space and time to do that.” “Am I to believe that if your wife was away from you to work out some things you’d just let her be until she wandered on home again?” Todd narrowed his eyes. What had this dork heard? He picked at his finger and then lowered his voice. “I know where my wife is. She's at her office right now but I’m meeting her for a drink in about an hour then we're going home together. We tend not to have things to work out that require one of us running away.” Albert dropped his head slightly then shook his head slightly. “My wife never talked about you. So you can imagine my surprise when I found out she was still carrying a torch for a man from her past.” “A torch? Maybe only a candle or two or three or a couple of dozen, but not a whole torch.” Albert lifted his head slowly and then looked him directly in the eye. “I also suspect that it doesn’t matter to you that I love her with all my heart—that she is my true soul mate, God given. But it’s important to me that you know that. I want my wife back, Mr. Manning, so I'm here to ask you to release whatever hold you have on her.” Todd tried to keep his facial expression neutral but it was too hard and he felt a smirk creep across his face. He never gave up what was his even if only a tiny fraction of the whole belonged to him. Albert Wright was just the latest person to learn that lesson.
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Suspicions In Scarlet Repose FAN FICTION SLIDESHOWS
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