Now that I’m in one I’m starting to understand the appeal. The ornate Second Hartford Episcopalian church is quaint. The beliefs held in this building seem to truly comfort people. I’m envious. I miss the days when I believed in something.
I stand as the pallbearers carry Al’s coffin down the aisle. Next to me Supervisors Bruno and Lee keep stoic. The coffin is a beautiful dark blue and draped in a U. S flag. Hollin's eyes close as Mrs. Moritz is helped down the aisle by a distant grand-nephew.
I try to blink away the tears forming at the edge of my eyes. Al should have never been in that building. He’d been there doing something nice for me. Putting that fucking desk together. We barely knew each other. He must have seen something in me. Mrs. Bruno hands me a Kleenex and takes the moment to glare at Seraphina for not having one ready.
After the burial I stand outside with Bruno, Lee and Hollins as they mildly discuss county business and updates. When I look up from the conversation I see Sera is sitting alone on a bench near the burial site. The other wives seems to consider approaching her but stay in their secluded corner. Everyone seems to keep a wide berth around her.
The rumors about Sera starting the fire were spreading. In a way it worked in her favor. Everyone is so busy accusing Sera of setting the fire-- they are completely missing the crime she’d actually committed. Skylar Day’s car accident had officially been written off as a single-car accident. It would probably stay that way as long as Sky stayed in that coma.
The supervisors all stand to attention. I turn to see Day and Kylie approaching. Father and daughter are holding hands. They are taking it all in---perhaps afraid this may be them in a few weeks if Sky doesn’t pull through
Day had practically been raised in Old Town Hall and had known Al since he was a kid. He’d given a moving eulogy and broke down toward the end.
“Fellas”, Day says embracing everyone including me.
“How’s the old lady?” Bruno asks patting him on the shoulder.
This week they had tried to wake Sky from the induced coma but nothing came of it. Sky is now being monitored by some of the best doctors in Connecticut. Day has started working half-days and every hour he isn’t working, he is by his wife’s side.
With Old Town Hall gone the supervisors have been relocated to The Municipal Complex. The massive government complex is a decent upgrade in accommodations. In addition to town hall--the complex also houses; the main library, community theater, and recreation center. There are people everywhere and constituents love to pop by unexpectedly. There are fewer places to hide secrets. It was no wonder Day and the supervisors had liked their secluded offices in Old Town Hall.
“I miss the view of Old Town Hall”, Mrs. Ginger had said on Monday when I helped her unload her last box of pictures and plants. Our suite had a decent view of the sprawling parking lot, but not much else. If I got in early I would occasionally catch Day jogging over from the rec center. Mrs. Ginger had lost most of her work photos in the fire but she’d dug up some new ones to decorate her desk. She had a big one of her, Al and Mrs. Moritz at a formal event in what must have been the late 70s.
“Al looks pretty good here”, I’d said.
She’d smiled.
“This is Wyatt—Cortland’s grandfather’s inauguration as Lieutenant Governor.”
“His family goes way back.”
“They do. The Days are such a hard working family.”
“I bet Day would do anything to hold up his family’s legacy.”
“He’s already done so much”, Mrs. Ginger had said, “Cortland needs all the support he can get now. I knew something like this would happen…Sky has always been a bit reckless”
“What do you mean?” I’d asked, “Bruno mentioned that before.”
She’d looked around again.
“You didn’t hear it from me but Sky gets upset easily. It’s happened before. Kylie ran away that night and I’m sure all that stress caused Sky to drink and drive. Kylie needs more boundaries. I keep telling Cortland.”
I’d nodded along but Mrs. Ginger’s gossip confirmed something I wasn’t ready to admit. That maybe Day hadn’t set the fire. That he’d actually been looking for his daughter like he said.
Day sighs and gives the group an update on Skylar.
“The doctors say she has to fight her way out. We know Sky’s a fighter. Isn’t that right Paris?” he says as if it’s suddenly okay to joke about his wife shoving mine down the stairs.
Of course my wife put his in a coma so it was possible we were even.
“Oh. Look alive boys.” Bruno says as Sheriff Rainer makes her way over. I imagine her faded black power suit has seen plenty of funerals. She has her badge around her neck, making it clear this isn’t a casual conversation.
“What’s the news Maggie”, Bruno asks deepening his voice. He was trying to be the Alpha in this situation, “Any leads on the son-of-a-bitch that did this to Al.”
“We are still processing the scene”, Rainer says then turns to me, “By the way Mr. Prince the techs in Hartford were able to validate you and your wife’s…alibi.”
That program had been worth every fucking penny. I just nod and Rainer continues;
“So I thought I’d ask why you all are here. Can you think of any reason someone would want to burn down Old Town Hall. Anything at all.”
I feel all the eyes on me. What did they expect me to say? Yes, there-is-that-whole-embezzlement scheme-which-means-one-of-these-people-tried-to-kill-me-and-it-was-probably-the-man-with-the-wife in-the-hospital?
“No”, Day speaks for the group.
“I have to say Day”, Rainer says casually, “This whole thing is going to cause some real trouble for the county. According to the fire marshal the sprinkler system was completely busted and not up to code. It also looks like the suspect came in through a malfunctioning emergency exit. I mean don’t we pay a lot of money to a private company to keep that up? What the hell are they doing?”
Just not existing.
I think to myself.
“We won’t be working with them again.” Day says then inclines his head to a group of men drinking beer near the grave site, “Maybe talk to facilities. They’ve been testy about union stuff. I mean they wouldn’t even put Paris’ desk together.”
“Gentlemen, If you’ll excuse me.”, Rainer says heading over to where the facilities crew members are gathered.
The other supervisors take that as a cue to also disperse. Day and his daughter head back over to Mrs. Moritz. Hollins heads back into the church to find his wife. Bruno and Lee walk off together.
I head back to my car, my eyes scanning for Sera. She has wandered away from the bench and is now standing with Emile, Carver Landow and his wife—Josie. Josie is nervously speaking a mile a minute even though no one is listening. Landow is watching Seraphina. Even at a funeral there is a hint of lust and utter submission in Carver Landow’s eyes when he looks at his Mistress. She’d worn a becoming black pant suit with a floral tie and gold cuff links. Sera must have noticed Landow’s glances—she could probably convince him to pay for one or two extra sessions this week.
“Paris”, Carver says breaking out of his revere, “I was talking to Director Munroe the other day. She caught the speech you gave at the press conference. The DCC is really impressed”
I nod in acknowledgement. Any other day I’d be up for networking with Landow and talking about the director of the Democratic Congressional Committee board. But a funeral wasn’t the place.
“I was just reading what was given to me”, I say taking Sera’s hand.
“Towards the end. That wasn’t copy”, Landow continues, “2020 might have some promising district attorney seats open.”
Emile frowns but keeps quiet.
“Right now I just want to focus on Harrison County.” I say honestly.
“Understood.”
Sera and I say our good-byes to the widow. Sera whispers something to Mrs. Moritz that makes her pull Sera into the tight prolonged embrace.
“What did you say to her?” I ask when we head to the car.
“Just something the nuns told us. They would say love is a gift. It’s beautiful and eternal and will never die. They used to tell us our purity and good acts are what we leave behind. Not ghost. Hmjeu never told you that pray--”
“Rainer bought it…our alibi.”
It takes Sera a moment to catch the sudden change in subject.
“That’s good.”
“It’s not good, Sera. By not telling her the truth we’re impeding an arson investigation.”
Sear sighs and straightens her tie.
“It was your idea. Besides if you told Rainer you were there during the fire what would that change?”
“She’d know it was Day or one of the other who went after me. I could tell her about that beige SUV that followed me.”
Sera shakes her head.
“You don’t know what you saw.”
I know what kind of car I saw. I also know what I heard. That gun. Sera’s gun.
“I know what I saw.”
Sera sighs.
“Why hasn’t anyone come after you again?”
I’d thought about this all week.
“Because I’m keeping quiet. Doing what I’m fucking told.”
“The fire wasn’t your fault, Paris. It won’t be good for anyone if you get blamed for this.”
“Everyone seems convinced you did it, Sera. Where were you that night? Did you even go to the Rapture party?—“
“We aren’t talking about that”
“Sera.”
“I’m trying to protect you, Paris.”
“Tell me something. Anything. Did Sky provoke you?”
“It doesn’t matter. She’ll die in that coma and it won’t matter.”
“How can you be so cold?”
Sera shakes her head and pulls her tie off, “How can you not?”
+++
“Looking good Mr. Prince”
I turn at the sound of the familiar voice. Instead of Al all I see is fire. I’m back in my Old Town Hall office watching the smoke billow in. Except this time there is no left behind Allen wrench. This time it’s Al who gets himself out. This time I inhale smoke until I pass out and float away
A soft thrum outside wakes me up. I roll over and see it’s only midnight. I’d barley gotten two hours of sleep. I expect Sera to be next to me but her side of the bed is empty. Since the funeral I’d found comfort in sticking to our usual routine but Sera had been distracted. She’d cut all her scheduled livestreams short and Sven sent me an e-mail detailing how she wasn’t following the scripts and scenes he helped her come up with.
My salary was modest. Even with her working part-time, the BDSM business was still our biggest source of income. We had to make a few more house payments before Sera could stop working.
“Darling?” I sit up and look for her in the room. The shorts and t-shirt she’d fallen asleep in are on the floor. Her phone is quietly sitting on the charger.
I pad out to the hallway and listen out for her. Suddenly I hear the garage door open and close. Nothing was open this late around here except the Wal-Mart in Lowell County. I go over to the window and see a champagne Ford F-150 backed up to the garage.
It looked just like the car that chased me down. It hadn’t been a beige SUV that chased me. It had been a truck
“What the fuck.”
I hurry downstairs and out the front door. The Ford is an older model with North Carolina plates. The trunk bed is empty. I inspect the front bumper. It’s not damaged. Okay. This wasn’t the car that chased me. So, whose was it? I head back inside and enter the garage from the house.
I find Sera in the garage with her hair in tight bun wearing an old ripped t-shirt and jeans. She is kneeling by her Tesla, which now has a brand new front bumper on it. I look past the car and realize she’s not alone.
“Leon?”
Leon Argos stands perfectly still at the back of the garage. His eyes move from me to Sera.
“Go inside the house, Paris”, Sera says.
I survey the garage and notice Sera’s damaged bumper is on the garage floor. It’s all wrapped up in tarp like a body.
“What are you doing—“
“I said go inside.” Sera says pushing me inside and locking the garage door. I hear Leon’s muffled voice on the other side.
Of course.
Of course she’d done this.
She couldn’t take her car to a service center. They’d notice the blue paint from Sky’s minivan and know the damage was from a car accident. I look out the front door and see Leon getting into his truck. I grab my keys.
“What are you doing”, Sera says as I get into my car.
I ignore her.
“Paris, stop.” She tries to open the car door put steps back when I start to reverse. I back out the garage so fast I hit the trash can and dent the mailbox. Sera curses but I just adjust and follow Leon out the cul-de-sac. I will follow him all the way back to North Carolina if I have to. Leon eventually pulls over at a gas station not far from the interstate.
He doesn’t get out his car so I go to him. It’s a little degrading in my pajamas but I don’t care. I clock Sera’s ruined bumper in his truck bed. He unlocks the door and I hop into the cab.
“Does your family know you’re here?” I ask hitting him low.
He keeps his hands on the wheel and eyes forward. He is military stoic. His U.S Marines shirt is slightly damp and stretched tight over his chest.
“What do you want Paris?” He eventually asks.
“I want to know what Sera said that made you drive across six states to help her fix her car.”
Leon sighs.
“She said she needed a fix under the table. She said money was tight and you were behind on insurance payments. I know a guy who can get parts.”
He swallows.
“Leon. Sera ran my boss’ wife off the road last week. That’s why she needed the fix.”
Leon grips the wheel tighter, “That’s none of my business.”
“She lied to you. Aren’t you mad?”
Leon relaxes, “I’m sure she had her reasons for doing what she did.”
“Well, that same night someone tried to burn me alive. I didn’t die in that fire but someone else did. I think Sera knows way more than she is saying.”
Leon readjusts his seat.
“Didn’t know all that. She said she needed my help…so I came.”
“That’s it?” I say really taking in what he is saying, “She just asks for help and you drive all night to get to her.”
“Yeah. She sent me an actual letter asking me to find the part and bring it. I’m supposed to drop the one in the back off an isolated bridge.”
“What did you guys talk about in the garage?”
“Nothing really. She just said I needed to be gone before you work up. Figured she didn’t want you to know about the bootleg part.”
“She didn’t tell you anything else.” I push.
“…she also mentioned
she’d gotten caught up in something bad. Something you’d never forgive her
for.”
Before I have a chance to process this information Leon’s phone starts ringing. Sera’s name and an old picture of her with her short hair and aviators glows on the screen. She’s smiling and on the hood of his old car in fatigues.
Leon picks it up and puts it on speaker.
“Paris is following you.” Sera begins without a greeting, “Don’t stop for him. Don’t talk to him.”
Leon looks at me and swallows.
“I lost him.”
“Good. I owe you one.”
I hear cabinets opening and closing in the background. She is looking for the alcohol she’s hidden around the house. I’d found and poured it all out days ago. Leon looks at me and reluctantly back at his phone.
“Look, Sera. Whatever you did. I’m sure Paris would forgive you if you just talk to him.”
Sera is quiet for a while then laughs. It had been a while since I’ve heard that cruel slightly warm laugh.
“Are you his friend now? Five minutes ago you said no matter what I did that sniveling little stuck-up asshole would always be ungrateful.”
Leon flushes a little but something about her voice softens Leon’s stoic expression.
“Look Sera…you know me. We’ve been through shit. Did you…hit someone with your car?”
“…Yes. This fucking woman. She’s married to Paris’ boss. She’s not dead if that helps.”
“Was it on purpose?” Leon pushes.
To my surprise Sera’s voice cracks a little.
“It happened so fast. I lost control. I never lose control. Never.”
That was true. Her Dominant side never let her. She always had to be in control.
Why, I mouth to Leon.
“Uh, why did you do it?” Leon asks.
I lean in to listen.
“Because she found out…well she…fuck I can’t talk about this. I’ve got to find Paris before he does something stupid.”
“Okay.”
He hangs up without saying good-bye.
I take a deep breath, “I’m not an asshole. I just believe in dignity, order and doing the right thing.”
“The way I see I you are an asshole because you think you believe that.”
“I for one—“
My phone rings and Leon looks a bit confused to see Sera listed as Darling in my phone. I pick up on the first ring.
“Darling I’m—“
“I don’t know what the fuck you are doing. If you are done making a fool of yourself you can get back here. You have a schedule plus you need to be at work in two hours. What were you thinking? The neighbor’s heard you run into the fucking trash can. I am in charge around here and you--”
I hang up and shut my phone off. Leon squirms a little. He’d probably never heard Sera when she got into demanding Domme mode. It was also clear to me he didn’t have the answers I needed.
“Just be careful around Sera”, I offer, “have a safe trip home.”
He sighs.
“You too.”
+++
I don’t go home
I go straight to work in my pajamas.
I get to the office at 5am and change into a spare suit I keep in my office. At 7am I go to the glass walkway and watch as Sera’s newly refurbished Tesla pulls into the parking lot. She walks to the recreation center with her gym bag slung over her shoulder. She went to the gym every day at the same time. She knew my office was in the same complex but hadn’t stopped by. I tell myself it is because of all the rumors.
The only meeting I have that is worth anything is the task force meeting in response to the fire.
Day hustles into the task force meeting with a cup of instant coffee and a half-eaten bologna sandwich. His shirts haven’t been properly ironed since his wife’s accident and being a single father was taking its toll.
The ‘task force’ really just consists of all the supervisors, Rainer and the Lowell county fire marshal. Harrison County hadn’t had the budget for its own fire marshal in a decade. Bruno and Lee sit on either side of Day. Hollins and I are at the end of the table. The fire marshal and Rainer fill in the remaining seats.
“You guys are way under-staffed”, the marshal says, “My recommendation to mitigate a future fire is to hire more firemen. Volunteers aren’t going to have the same experience.”
Rainer nods in agreement but holds her tongue. The task force’s goal was to mitigate future fires. Not discuss the arson investigation.
“I agree, Ben”, Day says reading over the marshal’s recommendations, “but the budget’s not there.”
“I’ve been looking at the budget. What if we took salary cuts”, I suggest. There is a long silence before Day responds.
“Funds have already been encumbered for this fiscal year, Paris,” Day says not even bothering to look at me.
“I’m taking about a cut not a gain--”
“Not all of us have a rich wife to bankroll us, Paris. We can’t all take a pay cut.”
He says the last part good- naturedly. As a joke. But also a warning. Everyone laughs accordingly. Except for Rainer.
“What if we cut contractors?” I suggest, “We sure do have a lot of contracted services.”
Most of the contractors the county used were fake companies Day and the board had created to siphon money.
“Maybe next year, Paris”, Day says casually, “We lost so much paperwork in the fire.”
“I’m sure we can work something out. I can-“
“Okay”, Day sets his pen down, “Can we have the room for just a minute.”
Everyone immediately files out until it’s just Day and I.
“Paris”, Day says firmly but there is no venom to it, “You are not in law school anymore. You don’t need to prove you are the smartest person in the room anymore. I need you to be a team player.”
“Day can’t you see how stealing that money has impacted this county? We can’t afford a fire department, buildings are not up to code and we haven’t had any funds to cover the security improvements to the high school. All that embezzlement has cost --”
“Are you still on this, Paris? Everything has been destroyed. The audit was cancelled. You need to move on. The developers will make us whole.”
“When?”
“I’m working on a deal. The arson has everyone shaken up.”
“Do you know how bad all that new infrastructure is for the environment? Plus all the noise and visual pollution. Traffic will be-“
“A team player, Paris. I need you to be a team player,” he repeats a little frustrated, “I know that’s new for you. “
“Are you still doing it?” I ask.
“Excuse me?”
“The fake invoices? Pocketing the money. Are. You. Still Doing. It?”
“Let’s talk about this later.” Day says.
That isn’t a no.
“Day, it was real convenient the fire was set the night you asked me to meet you there.”
“It wasn’t me, Paris.” Day stands and gathers his paperwork.
“I’m not stupid, Day.”
“It wasn’t”, he says sharply, “I have responsibilities outside of you and this job. Unlike you my life doesn’t revolve around my career. Skylar and I were searching all night for our daughter. Then Sky got into that accident ….I was focused on my family, not you. When you have a family you’ll understand.”
Day strides out of the conference room. I follow him out but he heads down the stairs before I can catch up. Rainer deflates a little realizing the meeting has been cut short.
“Rainer”, I catch up to her, “Have there been any new leads with the fire. Anything at all.”
“No.”
“Are you sure all the supervisors were accounted for that night?”
This seems to pique her interest.
“Don’t trust your own people?” She asks.
“I just…have a feeling.”
“Well, none of them had alibis as interesting as yours. Lee was at home with his wife, Hollins was with a patient at the weekend dental clinic.”
“And Bruno?”
“At home. But he’s 67 with a bad lung and asthma. He wouldn’t have been able to set the fire and make a quick getaway. The only one on the board who is most capable of setting the fire is you.”
“What? You said you cleared me.”
“I said the tech guys cleared your little stunt. I don’t believe it.”
“You think I’d willingly hand over that Livestream?”
“Yes.”, she says simply, “I did some research on your past. Based on what I’ve learned about your lifestyle and politics—I gather you don’t care if people know about what you get up to behind closed doors.”
She has a point. I have a low tolerance for kink-shaming.
“You have a point.”
Rainer leans in.
“I also remembered when I came to your house that your wife had one earring in. But in the livestream the earring is gone. If I interrupted the livestream where did the earring go?”
Fuck. How did I miss that? When we started filming the fake livestream Sera must have taken it off.
“She probably put it on when we were coming up the stairs. Nervous fiddling. We don’t get a lot of visitors.”
Rainer jots that down.
“I’ll keep that in mind Mr. Prince.”
+++
My first town hall is a somber raucous affair. The Municipal Building auditorium is standing room only. The room is tense as Day goes through the meeting agenda. When he gets to the open floor portion everyone has pointed questions about Al’s death and the arson investigation.
The constituents here were moderately wealthy, they had power and they were used to getting their way. They wanted to feel safe. An arsonist burning down historical buildings just didn’t suit. I could only imagine the additional hellfire they would bring down if they learned about Day embezzling.
The meeting ends with a ‘moment of silence’ for Skylar Day’s recovery. I take the moment to watch Sera sitting in the back with the other wives. Kylie Day is next to Sera on the end of the row, in what I’ve been told was usually Sky’s chair. During the meeting I’d caught bits of conversation being passed between Sera and Kylie. Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Bruno had leaned over to hush Kylie multiple times.
Sera’s eyes close during the moment of silence. Kylie reaches for her hand and Sera folds her hand around hers. Sera had grown up learning to find solace in something bigger than herself. She went to church occasionally and (for reasons I never understood) believed in God. How can she sit there praying next to the daughter of the woman she almost killed?
It was tradition for the supervisors to go out to dinner after a town hall meeting. I didn’t want to go but Day had insisted. I reluctantly followed the caravan to Greenfield’s, a local family-friendly no frills steakhouse.
We file into the restaurant behind Kylie and Day. I’m surprised to see Kylie’s friend Lydia at the hostess stand in a blue and white pinstripe polo. Lydia embraces Kylie in a long hug before escorting us to what I learn is the board’s regular table.
The walls are covered in kitsch and among the items are several photos of the supervisors having dinner at this very table (in the same seating arrangement). Bruno and Lee had been sitting on the board since 1982 and looked so fresh faced in the photos. I recognized Armitage Day in a few photos as well. He looked like a Calvin Klein model. Blonde hair, high cheekbones and sharp blue eyes. A sullen teenaged Day also appeared in some photos.
Sera is hovering next to me. It’s not until I see Day coming over that I realize she was waiting for me to pull out her chair. Day does it instead. I’m a little pissed that she made a slight scene but the fucking entitlement was kind of a turn on.
After the “Leon’ incident things had gotten tense around the Grigori-Prince house and not in a good way. She’d dutifully come with me to my first town hall meeting. I didn’t have it in me to talk her out of wearing a short cold-shoulder sheath dress that strained a little against her growing biceps. She’d spent an hour putting her makeup on and slipped on the six-inch Louboutin’s a client with a shoe fetish had given her for Christmas.
“You don’t have to get so dressed up”, I’d told her.
Then I realized this was an opportunity. I’d gone to my dresser and pulled out the dagger earring I’d found in Day’s bedroom.
“Darling”, I’d said and she looked at my reflection in her vanity, “Why don’t you wear those earrings you like. The dagger shaped ones.”
She’d touched her ear.
“I lost one”, she’d said looking at the sole earring in her jewelry box.
“Are you sure?” I’d asked holding up the one I’d found in Day’s bedroom. I reunited the set and she held her breath for a second.
“W-where did you find this, Paris.”
I’d brushed her hair back and fastened the earring I’d found in Day's bedroom. I picked up the one in her jewelry box and gently put that one in too, “That depends. Where did you lose it?”
“I don’t remember”, She was lying. I could always tell, “Where did you find this, Paris?”
“You know what, Darling? I don’t remember.”
I thought (and a part of me hoped) she was going to slap me for being so glib and defiant. Instead she’d dutifully followed me to the car.
“Those are interesting earrings.” Mrs. Lee now says squinting at the sliver points, “A little morbid for me.”
Sera seems to clock that none of those things are compliments. Once we are all seated Mrs. Bruno makes a point to place a cloth napkin on Sera’s lap.
“They just have a dress code here. Very family-friendly”, she says as if it can’t be helped. Sera casually picks up the napkin, folds it back into a standing triangle and places it back on the table. Lee tries to lighten the mood by blowing out the candle and making a joke about Sera being near fire. No one laughs except his wife.
Bruno, Lee and Day conduct a post-mortem on the town hall. I try to jump in but Day does his usual dismissal of everything I say. It was even more humiliating with everyone’s wives (and Kylie) here to witness it.
“It’s so strange with Sky not being here”, Mrs. Bruno finally says.
“She’ll be back soon, Shannon”, Day says, “Sky’s a fighter.”
“Cortland…was she really…drinking”, Mrs. Bruno whispers that last part, “We just want answers. You understand.”
Kylie looks intently at her napkin.
“They did find some stuff in her car”, Day confirms with an arm around his daughter, “As soon as Sky wakes up I’ll get her help. She’ll be back at this table before you know it.”
Everyone offers sounds of approval just in time for the food to arrive. I hate eating with so many people watching me. The salad seems fine and it looks remarkable like the picture on the menu. The smell of everyone’s steak was making me a bit nauseous. I’m pretty sure Sera ordered her steak rare just to fuck with me because of what I did to the mailbox and trash can.
“I ran track in high school”, Melanie Hollins says out of nowhere. I’m shocked to hear her voice. She didn’t usually get a chance to speak. She was maybe 15 years younger than her husband-- somewhere in her mid-30s.
“…me too”, Day says realizing Melanie is trying to start a table conversation, “Sera you were an athlete in high school too right?”
“Wrestling. Made it to regionals.”
“I can always tell a former athlete”, Melanie says excitedly, “I’m starting an adult intramural kickball league if you’re interested.”
“…Sure. That would be nice.”
“Well”, Mrs. Bruno cuts in, “As long as it doesn’t interfere with Board business. You know how busy these boys get. We have to keep our schedules open.”
Melanie nods in agreement. The men take over the rest of the conversation from there.
After dinner the waitress brings out complimentary lemon cream pie slices and
sparkling wine. I non-discreetly push the artificially colored pie aside. I’d
been too anxious to eat the salad and I certainly wasn’t going to eat this. I’d
probably be able to taste the dye or greasy animal fat in the whipped topping.
“Don’t worry, Paris I don’t think there’s gelatin in that”, Mrs. Lee says, “My daughter is a vegetarian. Too.”
“Oh. I’m actually a vegan. At least on my good days.”
“I think I want to be a vegan.” Kylie says looking up from her phone for the first time. “Like Miley Cyrus. But I really like honey.”
“Take small steps. It’s more of a practice. I make exceptions every now and then.”
Bruno shakes his head, “Can’t understand all that fancy food hipster nonsense you young people are always on about.”
“Well being a vegan is“
“Fuck”, Sera says.
I turn ready to make an apology for Seraphina but I see blood dripping from her mouth. She spits a few piece of glass into her hand along with a chunk of her tooth.
“What the fuck”, she says looking at her pie.
She looks at the dessert again and pushes around the heaps of whipped topping until a piece of paper is visible. She unrolls it and tosses it on the table.
BURN IN HELL
Is scrawled on it.
An echo of the words she said at the cookout. She looks up at the wait staff who all scatter. Lydia dashes over to get a manager.
“The fuck is this?” she says overturning her desert plate and wiping the blood dripping down her mouth, “There was fucking dirty glass in it.”
“Calm down”, I whisper.
Everyone looks at the note on the table. Mrs. Bruno of course speaks up.
“It was a tasteless prank dear. People are emotional right now. Rumors are going around.”
“Like what? You think I burned down that old fucking building? You really think I care that much about this town?” Sera snaps at her.
“It’s not about the building”, I remind her, “A man died and that is the important thing.”
“Which means that she’s probably a murderer too”, Lee adds.
Sera turns to him and he sinks into himself a little
“Is that what you think?” Sera asks rhetorically. She looks around the table wiping the blood from her mouth, “Is that what you all think?”
The silence at the table is deafening.
“I don’t think that”, Kylie offers up and all the adults give her a stern look.
“You haven’t made a good impression”, Mrs. Bruno speaks up again, “That scene at the elementary school. Getting into with Emile of all people. Plus all those awful things you said to Sky and … we all hear things. I for one would I’d like to hear why your little electric car is always parked behind that gas station on Mill Street.”
This rumor again.
Sera zeroes her attention in on Mrs. Bruno. Maybe a few years ago she would have let it go. But now she didn’t like being challenged.
“What? I can’t buy a fucking lottery ticket.”
“Sera”, I say as a quick warning.
“Quite frankly”, Mrs. Bruno begins and I can hear the emotion in her voice, “I don’t know if you’re buying a lottery ticket or selling your wares. We don’t do that here. This isn’t that little backwater town you come from. We make sure we know people here. My P.I. has found plenty on you and we are giving it all to Rainer. Military discharges, associating with criminals and you racked up plenty of arrest but seem to sweet talk your way out of being charged.”
“Wait. You hired a P.I?” I ask Mrs. Bruno.
“We just wanted to know who we were dealing with.” Mrs. Bruno says.
We
I look around the table. No one (except Kylie) seems surprised.
I knew Sera had been arrested for public drunkenness and indecency several times in Boston. Hear early twenties had been rough. She had two bullshit prostitution arrests when we were in New York… but that was a job hazard.
“You don’t know me”, Seraphina says in a threatning whisper to Mrs. Bruno., “You’re just a judgmental bitch--”
“Seraphina”, I stand up, “Apologize. You can be upset but you’re not going to be disrespectful.”
She quickly turns her head to look at me. To look down at me. It was rare for me to make demands of her, but I knew how to wrestle away control in a situation. I’d learned it from watching her. I didn’t break eye contact. I stood my ground.
“Now, Seraphina.” I repeat.
Sera turns to Mrs. Bruno.
“I’m…sorry.”
Mrs. Bruno opens her mouth to respond-- but instead she starts crying. Mrs. Lee rushes over to her while Bruno pats her shoulder. Sera rolls her eyes but luckily no one notices. Sera starts to leave but winces. She pulls a final piece of dirty glass out of her mouth and tosses it on my plate
“I’m fine by the way”, Sera says before turning on her heels and leaving.
“I’ll… talk to the manager”, Day said getting up, “I’m sure Hollins can look at Sera’s mouth…Mel?”
Melanie Hollins pulls out her smartphone and starts scrolling. “I’m checking the appointment calendar. Everyone is all booked up.”
“I’ll take the appointment”, Hollins says. Then to me, “It’s on the house, of course.”
Day heads to the front of the restaurant while Melanie pulls a Hollins Dental appointment card out of her purse.
“How can you be with someone who is so…disrespectful”, Mrs. Bruno asks me.
“I think we’re all stressed. All these rumors aren’t helping. She’s not usually…like that”
“They aren’t rumors. The Campbells live down the street from you and they said she left the day of the fire with suitcases. Did you two fight? Maybe that’s why she set the fire? Maybe she blame us somehow?”
I keep up my smile. How had this woman made herself the center of this?
“No. That’s not it.”
“Well, where was she when the fire was started.”
I don’t fucking know
“At home.” I lie because that was the lie we told Rainer, “We were together. Ask Rainer.”
“I think it might be best she skip our dinners. I just think we’d all be more comfortable.”
The adults nod in agreement. Though I catch Kylie roll her eyes in a perfect imitation of Sera.
“Good news”, Day says coming back to the table, “I got our meal comped. There was a shift change in the kitchen so no clear idea who did it. Paris, if you want to file are report we can get one of Rainer’s guys down here—“
“No. it was probably a prank”, I didn’t need Rainer digging further into Sera and I.
I leave a very generous tip and clean up my wife’s chipped tooth and blood before following the crowd out. The Brunos and Lees leave together for a night cap. The Hollins linger by their car. It looks like they are arguing. I edge back to the restaurant and check my phone. My Uber was still 30 minutes out. I sit on a bench outside replaying the night in my head.
“Paris”, Day strolls out the restaurant with his daughter and the gerbera daisy centerpiece that had been on the table, “Need a ride.”
“I called an Uber.”
He shook his head.
“Those ride-sharing services were such a pain when they came to the county. We lobbied against them to support the local taxi companies. Taking one around town isn’t a good look. I’ll give you a ride home.”
“You’re giving me advice now? After that ‘you’re not in law school anymore be a team player’ crack?”
“I feel like we’ve reached an understanding.”
“Can I drive”, Kylie asks making pleading eyes at her father.
“No, sweetie. I got it.” He says kissing her forehead.
I slide into the passenger seat while Kylie hops in the back and puts on her Beats.
I try not to notice how Day is one of those men who makes driving look attractive. The way he rolls up his sleeves and single-handedly backs out and turns the wheel with ease. I’m sure my attraction to him is because of my humiliation kink-- but I try not to let it cloud my judgement.
“When are you planning on starting a family?” he asks turning the radio to a 90’s station.
“We don’t want kids.”
“I felt the same way”, he says “But Kylie was an unexpected college graduation present. Sky and I got married as soon as we found out.”
He smiles at the memory and checks the rear mirror so he can see Kylie sleeping in the back.
“How has Kylie been?”
“She’s been clingy lately. She told me Mr. Emile is taking her shooting?”
“Oh, yeah. Something he and Sera talked about. I understand if you don’t want—“
“It’s totally fine with me. Sky’s family is from old money so I’ve been hunting once or twice.”
“You don’t think hunting is cruel?”
“Human are natural predators.”
“Predators hunt to eat. There is a grocery store on every corner here. Watching something die for personal fulfillment is needlessly cruel.”
“Are you combative with everyone”, Day says and I realize he wants to have an actual conversation.
“I’ve been called a self-righteous asshole.”
Day laughs so hard his hands briefly leave the steering wheel.
“I used to be like that. When you marry into old money…you learn to keep that part of yourself quiet. ”
“I almost married into old money.”
“I’ve seen your resume. When did you have time?”
“Law school.”
“I thought…”
I can tell he is doing the math in his head.
“Sera and I aren’t monogamous, “I explain. Day raises his eyebrows and I continue, “It didn’t work out.”
I realize Day isn’t talking me back to my subdivision. I’d be more panicked if Kylie wasn’t in the car. I keep an eye on him as he turns off the parkway into the hospital.
“Day.”
“I just want to stop in real quick.”
Day pulls into a reserved spot in front of the hospital that says ‘Reserved For Friends and Family of the Kellermans.’ Day gently wakes Kylie up.
“I’ll stay in the car.” I offer.
“No come up. The doctor said Sky could use more visitors”
I trail behind Day up to the ICU. A nurse leads us down a hallway to where the private rooms are. Sky’s room is decked out like a hotel room. Soft champagne colored bed spread, sturdy oak furniture and plush chairs line the space.
She looks so small laying on the bed. The night of the accident I hadn’t gotten a real good look at her face, she has a gash from hitting the steering wheel. Her hands are all scratched up. She’s hooked up to so many tubes and machines. She has a faint glow to her skin and her hair looks freshly straightened.
Kylie expertly wedges herself into her mother’s bed, close enough to feel her warmth but not too close to the equipment. Day puts the gerbera daises in a vase.
“Losing Al was like losing an uncle. I can’t lose her too.”
I feel sick to my stomach at the memory of Sky in that car. Sky’s family deserved the truth. Days stays for about thirty more minutes. Eventually he has to somberly lead his daughter out of the room.
Day wishes me luck when he drops me off at home. Instead of going inside I get into my car and drive to the Mill Street Gas Station. The 24-hour station that had been refitted to look like a quaint cape cod cottage. There is a tiny market attached to it and a dining room. There are two parking lots. One out front and one in the back that is nearly empty.
I take a deep breath and walked in.
The clerk watches me before turning back to his magazine.
“Hi”, I say approaching, “I don’t know if you know who I am—“
“That new supervisor, right? I skim the headlines sometimes.”
He gestures to the newspapers set up behind him
“I’m trying to get some information for Cortland Day. Is there any way I can see the security cameras for the back lot. I need to see the footage from the 18th.”
“Is this about the fire?”
“No”, I say because I did not need word getting out that I was looking into the fire, “It’s for insurance purposes. Mrs. Day’s accident.”
The clerk calls the manager who agrees to let me back in the room. A customer comes in and I’m left along with the tapes. The system is identical to the one I use for New Aeterna except theirs resets every 15 days.
I go to the 18th and watch the day unfold. No one goes in the back parking lot. I fast forward until 8:30pm and let it track. At 9:10 a blurry silver car pulls into the back lot. It looks just like a Tesla. I see someone get out of the car. I switch to the indoor cameras, they are much clearer and I see Sera in her trench coat walk in.
Something did bring her back to town.
She surveys the beer and wine then talks to the cashier. I make out that she is wearing both of her earrings. She buys a lottery ticket…and a lighter. She goes to sit in her car for ten minutes then she leaves.
I export the video file and save it to my phone.
Then I delete the video from the security system.
+++
I drive home in a daze. I slowly push the door open. Sera is laying on her back among the unpacked boxes. She’d changed into a sports bra and shorts. She is covered in sweat probably back from a late night run.
“Seraphina, everyone in this county is on edge. Between the fire and Sky…you are wrapped up in the middle of it. You can’t blame the wives for thinking you are up to something. This isn’t like you to be so difficult.”
“This is exactly what I’m like”, she says between breathes, “You thought
bitchy demanding Domme was just some act I played for you? I’m not nice Paris.
These people are trying my nerves.”
“Well some of these people want to help”, I toss the appointment card on to her chest, “The Hollins aren’t even going to charge.”
She picks up the card and puts it in her pocket.
“Tell me about the gas station.” I ask.
“There is nothing to tell.”
“Why were you there? Parked in the back? Sera I know money is tight but you can’t—“
“I’m not a hooking”, she says sitting up, “Are you checking up on me too?”
“Don’t act like you haven’t done it once or twice.” I say.
“You don’t know my life was before we were together.”
“Sera, our relationship has always been built on trust. It’s why you’re my wife and my Domme. Sera it’s about trust. What are we if we lose that?”
I run my hand over my ring finger and remember that Seraphina never gave me my wedding ring back. As long as there were secrets between us I could never be hers.
“Seraphina. You could never do anything that I wouldn’t protect you from. Talk to me. We are all we have. Where were you that night?”
She jogs upstairs ending the conversation. I go up to my home office and dig around until I find the invitation for Rapture’s Saints and Sinners party.
I need answers. If Sera isn't going to tell me what she was up to. I’ll find out myself.
A/N
Chapter 16 is split into two parts because I wrote it as one big story and couldn’t find an even break
I wrote like a bunch of AU’s about married Paris and Sera and I think this is the first time I’ve ever hyphenated their last names. I should have done that in the New Aeterna-verse. There is a specific reason their names aren’t hyphenated here…
Also I sort of explained why Paris (Despite being a vegan) sometimes eats dairy.
Next up Paris heads into Manhattan to get answers...