Buried: Mystery Series (My Murder Mysteries #2) (12 page)

“Want to come over and watch a movie?” He asked. “I’ll put on Pretty Woman.”

Jessica’s eyes lit up.

“Only if we can make up our own dialogue as we watch.”

“Of course.” Devin said, walking Jessica to her car. “See you at my house.”

She took off out of the parking lot and once again Devin was feeling conflicted. He could have kissed her right then too. He wanted to kiss her while she was laughing at his joke that even he thought was hilarious. What was wrong with him? When did Jessica become so perfect? He climbed in his car and left the theater.

“This was a great idea.” Jessica said pulling a blanket around them. “I love to hate this movie.” She sat next to Devin but not too close, crossing her legs Indian style underneath the blanket resting her knee on Devin’s thigh.

“What should we do tomorrow?” Devin asked.

“Hey, we’re getting in Toolbox Murders tomorrow. Remember? There is just something so cool about those old slasher movies from the 1980s. I love it.”

“Yeah, me too. They just don’t have that kind of creativity anymore.”

“You know, how lucky are we that we found each other and can appreciate these finer things in life together?” Jessica said leaning a little closer to Devin. He took her hand and held it up to his lips kissing it quickly. Jessica blushed but didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, she leaned in closer. Closing her eyes she let her lips touch Devin’s and for a brief moment, a few precious seconds, they kissed. Sometimes people talk about seeing fireworks or sparks flying when they talk about kissing someone. But it wasn’t like that for Devin and Jessica. To them it was like slipping into a warm tub. So comfortable and inviting they could relax and stay there forever. It was a kiss they had both been waiting for, wondering if it would ever happen, or should it ever happen. But now that it had they were happy to linger there.

“Devin!” The front door burst open and Kelly began screaming. “Devin!”

He pulled back from Jessica with a start and looked at her, his eyes apologetic even though he said nothing to her. Jessica blushed and bit her lower lip.

“Devin!” She screamed slamming the door shut behind her.

“What? What is the matter with you?” Devin shouted back, throwing off the blankets to stand up.

“I need your help! I’m serious…oh, great! What the hell is she doing here again?” Kelly stomped into the living room only to stop in her tracks as soon as she saw Jessica sitting on the couch, still partially covered by the blanket.

“Don’t start, Kelly. What did you do now?” Devin said having heard this level of desperation in her voice before.

“You need to say I was home with you all night.” Devin was sure he heard her wrong but Jessica was all too aware of what she said. “I was home all night, just watching television.”

“Why would I have to say that Kelly? What’s going on?”

“You just have to promise me if anyone asks you’ll tell them I was home. If you don’t, Devin, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Tears filled his sister’s eyes but Devin was sure he saw the glint of a lie behind them. “I just don’t know what I’ll do.” She looked menacingly at Jessica.

“What did you do, Kelly?” Jessica asked with her eyes fixated on Kelly.

“This doesn’t concern you! This is between family and you aren’t family!”

“I can’t promise anything unless I know what’s going on.” Devin said, stepping in between his sister and Jessica.

Kelly stopped crying instantly and looked at her brother. Her face glowed like a ghoul with the thick black mascara she always wore running down her plump, pale cheeks.

“Then I can’t promise one of you won’t have a bad accident real soon. I can’t promise that won’t happen either.” She said through clenched teeth. “I can’t promise someone won’t jump you after work or after school. I can’t promise that at all.”

Devin studied his sister’s face. Her eyes were so intensely black they seemed to radiate heat as she glared right at him. Was his sister capable of hurting someone intentionally? She slapped her own mother to the floor. What did he think? Looking to his left a little to see Jessica was still there sitting on the edge of the couch he wondered what she was thinking. He wondered if she knew Kelly was talking about hurting
her
, not him.

“Fine. If anyone comes I’ll say you were home.” Devin said.

“Devin, you can’t cover for her. Whatever she did…”

“Shut up, Jessica!”

“Listen, you little delinquent, whatever you’re up to you’re on your own! Don’t drag us down with you!” Jessica yelled back.

“No one was even talking to you! Just shut your mouth!”

“You want to make me, little girl?”

“That’s enough!” Devon shouted over the two girls. “Now everyone just calm down!”

Nothing was said for several seconds as the trio just looked around, breathing heavily, giving each other dirty looks.

DING DONG. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

Jessica watched Kelly swallow hard before she looked up at her brother.

“You promised. Okay? You promised.” She said, nearly begging him as he walked toward the front door.

“Go to your room, Kelly.” Devin said seriously. “Don’t come out until I tell you.”

Not saying a word Kelly nodded her head and for the first time in her life did as she was told. Quietly she walked up the stairs and into her room.

Jessica had gotten off the couch and followed behind them. Now she stood looking at Devin, her eyebrows pursed together and her arms crossed over her chest.

Opening the door Devin was greeted by two policemen.

“Good evening. Does Kelly McGee live here?”

“Yeah, she’s my sister, officer. Anything I can help you with?”

“I’m Officer Schifford. This is my partner Officer Lex. Who are you?”

“Devin McGee, Kelly’s brother.”

“Mr. McGee, we were told that your sister checked into the Washington Motel with a man earlier tonight. That man was found trying to crawl out of the hotel room but died do to loss of blood from the stab wounds.”

Devin’s heart began to race as his eyes bounced from one officer to the other. Officer Schifford looked like he had made this stop at a hundred different residences tonight already and was getting very tired of the routine. His partner was busy looking Devin up and down from underneath shaggy eyebrows, looking past Devin to Jessica, then looking around the inside of the house, making a mental note of everything he was seeing.

“My sister is only sixteen years old.” Devin said trying to sound confident that whatever they were after wasn’t at the McGee home.

“Is she home?”

Feeling Jessica’s eyes on his back Devin turned around for a second to look at her then turned back to face the police officers.

“Yeah. She’s been home with us all night.”

“We’d like to talk to your sister for just a second.” Officer Lex said without the slightest hint of emotion in his voice.

“I think you guys should come back when our mom is home.” Devin said meekly.

“When will that be?” Officer Schifford asked, writing everything down in a little black notebook.

“Who are you?” Officer Lex said, calling down the hallway to Jessica who, with her arms still folded across her chest inched her way forward.

“Jessica Alton. I’m with Devin.” She said, reluctant to offer any more information to the police for fear she’d just spill the beans. The whole situation was surreal and unnerving.

“And you saw his sister Kelly here all night?” Officer Lex asked.

Jessica nodded her head. She looked at the badges on the policeman’s winter jackets that were puffed out even further by the bulletproof vest they had on underneath. Their utility belts were hard to miss as well with their flashlights and holstered guns. Swallowing hard she knew they could tell she was hiding something. She just felt it. Meanwhile, that ungrateful brat was hiding upstairs letting her and Devin get snared in her web.
What
had she done?

Fishing in his vest pocket Officer Schifford pulled out a card and handed it to Devin instructing him to have Mrs. McGee call the station as soon as she could.

They didn’t ask any more questions and turned and headed back to their squad car.

Devin closed the door and waited for the car to back out of the driveway. Before he could stop her Jessica bolted up the stairs and barged into Kelly’s room.

“What have you done?”

http://www.amazon.com/Romantic-Thriller-Wicked-Suspense-Mystery-ebook/dp/B016YGYTUA

***

I hope you enjoyed ‘Buried (Mystery Thriller Suspense novel)’ and would love to know what you thought about it. If you have a moment to spare, I would appreciate it if you could leave a review of this book at Amazon. Your opinion goes a long way in helping others decide if a book is for them.

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H. B. Rae

Author of ‘Buried (Mystery Thriller Suspense novel)’

A list of other mystery thriller suspense books published by H. B. Rae: