Humpty Dumpty (Interracial Romance)

Chapter 17: Once Upon a December

Hellooooooo ladies and gentlemen. How are you, I'm good. Didya miss me? So here's the next part. You know the spill

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**

Aimee's POV

This was all my fault. If I was honest with Ian from the beginning, he wouldn't have been staring at me with so much hatred. And now I've lost him.

"Well?" He practically growled at me.

"I-I" I stopped and took a deep breath, "I had been following you for six months." I could tell by the look on his face that maybe that was not the best place to start.

"Why?" He growled again. He was like a beast, fierce, staring me down through perfectly restrained anger.

"Because the police had convinced themselves that my father, Creed, had committed suicide. But I didn't believe that for one second. He loved life and his family. He would have never ended his own life and-"

"WHAT does THAT have to do with ME?!?" I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden raise in volume.

"You were one of the last people to see him alive. He took back his company from you when it was your first big contract, and it quickly became a failure. I thought, that, maybe..." I paused not being able to come right out and say it. Now that I'd realized how wrong I was. Unfortunately it wasn't longer than a moment before he caught on.

"You thought that I killed him? You really think I'm capable of murder?" The sadness in his eyes caused my heart to clench painfully and I couldn't hold his gaze.

"Only at first, but I soon realized I was wrong. Even if he took back his company from you-" he stood up abruptly and began to quickly pace back and forth before snapping his head towards me.

"He didn't take back his company, I gave it back to him. I wanted nothing to do with him." He was breathing deeply trying to calm himself down. And I stopped breathing all together. Why would he just give my father back something he had right fully taken.

"I don't understand Ian. Why would you do that?" He slumped back into his chair and laid his head in his hands slowly rubbing at his temples. I perched on the edge of my seat awaiting his answer.

"Because, his PA was my wife. And they were having an affair."

I gave an audible gasp before assuming the same position as Ian firmly rubbing at my temples.

I can't believe this. So that's who he cried over? Vera. Are you kidding me.

"Does that mean Belle...?" I trailed off knowing he would read my mind.

"I'm not sure. We have a DNA test scheduled but I keep putting it off. I'm afraid of the answer." His voice sounded gruff and my heart broke for all he had gone through. I felt an immense amount of shame for even considering him to be a murderer. "You said only at first?"

His question brought me out of my thoughts.

"What?" My mind was so muddled that I had no idea what he meant.

"You said you only believed me to be the murderer at first. If that's true, why are you still here?"

I just stared at him.

"I already told you earlier Ian," I whispered. His eyes went slightly wide in understanding before his face returned to the same indifferent mask. I sighed and stood up.

"But obviously that doesn't matter now. I-I should go." I walked towards the door, each step another crack in my heart.

"Wait!" I left my hand on the handle and slowly turned around.

"What if I offered to help you?"

My chest expanded with hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, he loved me to.

"Why would you help me Ian?"

"Because, now I want to know the truth."

My face fell and my heart sunk. It wasn't the answer that I wanted, but at least I could spend time with him before we went our separate ways.

**

Ian's POV

I could tell it wasn't the answer she wanted but no way was I telling her how I felt. My heart could not take anymore pain. No man wants to feel vulnerable.

"Okay, I could use your help." She turned back around and sat across from me once more.

"Tell me what made you certain that your father did not commit suicide." I stood up and walked toward my desk grabbing a pad and pen before sitting down again.

" Unfortunately I only have one piece of physical evidence. When they came to examine the scene they found no finger prints on the gun and no gun residue on my fathers fingers. Both of those things would have been present had he been holding the gun at the time of his death."

That was strange. But why not examine the gun further?

"Because I stole it." I didn't even realize I had asked her the question out loud.

Wait. What!

"You stole it. Why would you do that?" How could she do that.

"Because. The detective had already made up his mind about cause of death. He wasn't planning on doing ANYTHING. So I had to take evidence to figure things out on my own." She laid her head back and stared up at the ceiling lost in thought. My anger dissipated as I realized her desperation. Creed may have been a heartless human being. But no one deserved to die.

"Can I see it?"

She snapped her face to mine and gave me a bright smile. I could feel its warmth straight through to my heart. I needed to get rid of these feelings.

"So you don't think I'm crazy?" I could hear the hope in her voice and as much as I wanted to be indifferent I didn't have the heart to crush her anymore.

"Not entirely. Can you show me the weapon please."

She stood up and practically skipped to the door before glancing over her shoulder and staring at me expectantly.

Her curls were falling softly over her shoulder, her lips were turned up at the corners and she was staring at me as if I was her hero. And in that moment I knew I would give anything to see that look again.

But I knew I never would.

**

We brought the gun upstairs and we had been examine it for about fifteen minutes before I noticed something odd. Anna must have noticed my face because she leaned closer to me trying to see what I was looking at. I stepped away from her before her perfume overwhelmed me.

"What is it?" Honestly I had no idea myself. There was a tiny strip of bright blue just in front of the trigger.

"I don't know, but whatever it is its definitely not blood, and its definitely not gun residue. I have a friend who works for the FBI. Maybe he could tell us what it is." I set the gun back on the table mentally running through all the possible things that blue strip could mean.

"What's the agents name?" Anna asked as she examined the strip for herself.

"Mareaux. Liam Mareaux. He's from New Orleans and I met him in college." I smiled thinking about my old buddy. It would be great to see him again.

"Is he any good?"

"Trust me Anna, he's the best."

**

And the male lead for the sequal is introduced. Yay!!!!! So anyone wanna take a guess at what the blue strip is? If someone gets it right ill write the prologue for the sequal "Over the Candlestick" and post it for everyone to see.

Until then hugz and kissez, mwah