UP IN FLAMES

The instant they stepped into the kitchen, Alaric could tell something was wrong. Vanessa stood at the kitchen counter, an open bottle of wine in front of her, a half-full wineglass in her hand. Her dark eyes seemed huge in her pale face.

“What’s going on?” Paul asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“The early news just ended,” Vanessa said, her voice wavering. “They said the FBI is investigating Christopher for campaign violations. Chloe is, according to the news story, cooperating fully. I tried to call her and she wouldn’t take my call.”

Alaric cursed. This was the first he’d heard of that. Usually, his boss made sure he stayed on top of things and kept him fully briefed regarding Christopher’s case.

Though Paul didn’t speak, but judging from his steely glare, he didn’t like the news either. “I knew that lady was bad news,” he said,

“You know she was fully involved.” Alaric said, “She’s selling out her dead boss to try and save her own skin. Though I can’t really blame her, I’m guessing she doesn’t care what an investigation like that will do to you.”

“Obviously not.” Vanessa took a long drink of wine. “I’m dreading when his parents find out.” Looking from Alaric to her Paul, she sighed. “Well, the press is having a field day.” She took another sip of wine. The vulnerability in her eyes tugged at Alaric’s heart.

“Just don’t answer your phone,” Alaric advised. “It’s bad enough you’ve got some guy demanding money and making threats against you, but now this. I’m imagining you’ll be getting calls from all sorts of news outlets.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“I already have.” She pointed toward her phone. “I had to turn it off. They were blowing up my phone. Someone published the number.”

Muttering under his breath, Paul excused himself and took off for the stairs. Alaric and Vanessa silently watched him go.

“He’s probably going to make some calls and try for damage control,” Vanessa said wearily. “Though I think it’s too late for that.”

The doorbell chimed, interrupting whatever else she’d been about to say. Vanessa stiffened. “Surely those reporters aren’t going to start pounding on the door.”

“I’ll go see who it is,” Alaric offered. “Wait right here.”

He checked the peephole first. When he saw Steven and Lois Wesley standing on the doorstep, he winced.

For a few seconds, he debated not answering and pretending no one was home, but he decided not to. He’d no sooner opened the door when Lois Wesley pushed past him, demanding to see Vanessa. Steven reached for her, no doubt intending to try to calm her, but she shoved him away hard.

“Where is she?” Lois strode past him on her way toward the kitchen.

Before Alaric could answer, Vanessa stepped out into the hall. “Lois?”

Lois stopped short, as quickly as if she’d been jerked on a chain. She glared daggers at Vanessa, her complexion mottled with fury. “How could you?” she demanded. “Why on earth are you so intent on ruining my son’s reputation? What did he ever do to you to make you so hateful?”

“Are you talking about the news story?” Vanessa stared right back, clearly undaunted. “Because I don’t honestly know how you could possibly think I had anything to do with that. It was all Chloe.”

“Right,” Steven scoffed. “We know Chloe. She was completely loyal to Christopher. She’d never turn on him like this.”

Looking from one to the other, Alaric had to wonder how much Christopher’s parents knew. Had they possibly been aware that their son had been misusing campaign funds? If so, it seemed likely Chloe would implicate them too.

“Perhaps you should rewatch the news coverage,” Vanessa pointed out gently. “They said Chloe was cooperating with authorities. Of course, I didn’t believe that for one second. But when I called her, she wouldn’t take my call.”

Steven and Lois exchanged glances. Alaric could tell by the shell-shocked expressions on their faces that the possibility had never occurred to them until they’d seen it on the news. Had they just now realized Chloe might have betrayed them?

He saw the moment Vanessa came to the same realiza-tion. “You knew,” she said, the disbelief in her voice matching the shock in her face. “All along, you knew full well what Christopher was doing. Were you in on it with him and Chloe?”

Lois slapped her. Hard enough to send Vanessa reeling. “How dare you,” Lois began,

“Lady, you’d better get a hold of yourself right now,” Alaric ordered, trying to tamp back the fury. “That was uncalled for. Don’t even think about moving one inch closer to her, or touching her again.” He warned, his furious expression and clenched fists a warning.

Even Paul looked very angry. “Touch her again and I won’t be responsible for what happens to you.” He said.

“Threats,” Steven muttered. “Just great. Now we’ve these guys threatening us. Maybe my hunch was right. Did you have something you were holding over my son’s head? Something you used to get him involved in illegal activities?”

Alaric could hardly believe his ears. One hand to her cheek, Vanessa finally spoke up. “You need to leave,” she said, her voice flat. “I want both of you out of this house right this instant.”

No one moved. Alaric wondered if Christopher’s parents would attempt to ignore Vanessa’s order. Not on his watch.

“I’ll escort you to the door,” he said, taking Lois’s arm and turning her forcibly around. “Let’s go.”

“Get your filthy hands off me!” she screamed, slinging herself backward toward her husband. She flailed about, still trying to get to Vanessa. “You cheated on my son and got him killed. I’ll never forgive you for that.”

Steven caught her and held her with one arm, both keeping her close and stopping her from any further hysteria. “Let’s go,” he said, edging them both backward toward the front door. Both Paul and Alaric advanced toward them, which served to hurry them along.

“You’re not welcome here again,” Alaric snarled. “And if you ever lay a hand on Vanessa again, you’ll have me to answer to.”

Steven hustled his wife out the door without another word. Alaric slammed it behind them, turning the lock on the dead bolt. When he and Paul returned to the kitchen, they found Vanessa holding up a bag of frozen peas to her cheek.