Life Bleeding in my Hands (FBI Series Book 1)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 “Oh home sweet home.” Sasha threw herself down on the sofa. Nicholas locked the door and placed the car keys down on the end table near the door. “Oh,” she asked as an afterthought. “Do we have anything to do tonight?”

“Yeah. It seems to be a big deal that this library is opening. Another big fancy party tonight.” Nicholas explained, sitting down on the sofa as well.

“Yeah it’s a big deal, they’ve been building that shit since I was in diapers.” Sasha turned her face to the side and looked at Nicholas. “Do we have to go?” she asked, hopeful the answer was no.

Nicholas smiled at her poutiness. “If we don’t, what are we going to do tonight?” he asked. He was sure if they didn’t go tonight they would both be bored out of their minds. Sasha didn’t want to see her old peers but it was better than being bored with each other.

“I don’t know and I don’t care. We’ll continue the lies of a perfect marriage tomorrow at whatever else this small town is celebrating, tonight we do nothing.” Sasha said and she wasn’t going to change her mind. Seeing her sister and realizing so much had changed between them had put her in a worse mood.

“Fine.” Nicholas said as he raised his hands, surrendering. “I guess we could catch up on some paperwork.” he said voicing his thoughts.

“Yeah you could do that. No ‘we’. I’m done for today.” Sasha said and kicked off her shoes and placed her feet on the coffee table.

Nicholas watched her. “It’s barely noon.”

“So? It’s my day off; you can do whatever you want.” Sasha said as she began to look through a magazine that showed a lot of furniture. It was better than paperwork.

Carolyn Madden-Carson sat at her kitchen table alone. She tapped her foot out of nervousness, her life was getting way out of control. Sasha was in town and she knew it wasn’t simply because she wanted to settle down, there had to be more to it, there had to.

Jim was at edge, deals were falling through and he tried to keep calm but it was getting to him. Caro knew what Jim was getting involved in, he wasn’t simply the Mayor’s assistant, he was more his partner…in crime. She heard the talk around town, it was small but some were gossiping about how ‘deals’ were going on in town, but no one she talked to had details. Caro decided not to question Jim and just stand by his side. It wasn’t not easy.

Jim wanted a child and Caro was sure on some level he blamed her for miscarrying but he never said anything. Things changed at the house once she lost the baby, he became distant, always at work. He also became demanding, he wanted to know where she was going, who she was with. Caro knew he was just making sure she wouldn’t say anything to anyone.

Sasha wasn’t a fool and she never had been. She realized something when she was there, Caro was sure of it. She hoped her little sister was telling the truth and that she wouldn’t start questioning what was happening. Jim left ten minutes after Sasha and her husband.  Jim made sure Carolyn hadn’t said anything in his nicest way of questioning then he left to ‘work’.

Now Caro sat alone, lately she felt very alone. She didn’t want to lie to Sasha but what choice did she have? Jim made it clear in his own way that she was never to speak of what she might have overheard or his business with the Mayor. Sasha being in town didn’t help because Caro wanted to confide in her, Caro wanted to tell her little sister everything.

Sasha left her phone numbers, house and cell. Caro picked up the card and stared hard at her sisters writing, she placed the card down.

“What am I going to do?” Caro softly asked herself as she closed her eyes. She decided to think of something different, something happy. Sasha was in town and that was also a good thing because Caro missed seeing her. She was shocked to see Sasha got married; she never seemed the type to marry. Caro was happy for her and Nicholas seemed like a great guy, he had to be a great guy to put up with Sasha. She looked at the card again.

Sasha stayed on the sofa as Nicholas worked on his laptop in the kitchen. She would glance at him from time to time, she could see clearly into the kitchen from the sofa. She couldn’t believe he was working, he must be really bored, she thought.

Except….

Nicholas wasn’t working, he was researching. Researching Sasha Madden but he wouldn’t let her know what he was doing. He found the site to the MapleOaksHigh School and found a picture of a seventeen year old Sasha, she hasn’t changed much, he quickly saw.

“The science club.” Nicholas said in disbelief as he read it, out loud, he didn’t intend that but the Sasha he knew could be a loner but never would he have called her a geek.

“What?” Sasha had been paying attention to Nicholas while staring at the TV.

“Nothing.” Nicholas quickly said, too quickly.

“What?” Sasha asked again, she saw he was lying, it was all over his face. Nicholas didn’t say anything so she walked over to him but his computer screen was empty, she narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re hiding something.”

“No I’m not.” Nicholas said as he avoided her eyes that were looking down hard at him.

“Come on, let me see.” Sasha said, she mindlessly thought maybe she was the one bored. She was intensely interested in whatever Nicholas was doing.

“No.”

“Ha! Saying no is admitting you’re hiding something.” Sasha pointed out as she crossed her arms; she wasn’t going to let this pass so easily. She wished she would have heard what he said, that would’ve further helped her argument.

“Sasha, go away.” Nicholas said as their eyes met.

“Don’t tell me to go away. We’re partners in this, no secrets isn’t that what you said to me?” Sasha said and noted she was whining, she hated that.

Nicholas smiled at her and the way her mouth seemed full when she pouted. “No.”

“Ok. I give up.” Sasha said as she went back to the living room.

Nicholas watched her, Sasha Madden never gave up, and that was a fact at headquarters. She was planning something, Nicholas realized. They’ve been working together for years; did she honestly believe he wouldn’t figure that out?  He placed his laptop back in its case and put it in the chair beside him, one eye still on Sasha.

Nicholas stood from the chair and headed down the hallway, leaving his laptop.

Sasha sat on the sofa and pretended to watch the TV. It wasn’t her best plan was it was a plan. Nicholas would think she gave up and when he wasn’t looking she’d turn on his laptop and find out what he was doing, she had a feeling it had been about her and because of that she was becoming obsessed at finding out what.  She heard Nicholas stand from his seat and leave to through the hallway.

That was too easy; Sasha thought when she looked at the table. Did he figure out her plan? Maybe, most likely. Oh who cares, Sasha thought as she stood from her seat and made her way to the table. Why did this matter? She wondered as she tiptoed to the table. It mattered because he was keeping it a secret and she wanted to know, that was a good enough answer for her to keep going.

“That’s just sad.” Nicholas said from the doorframe he leaned against.

Sasha was so close to grabbing the damn thing. “I knew you knew!” she looked at him, he was grinning and it couldn’t be more annoying.

“If you would have begged a little harder I would have told you.” Nicholas said, grinning widely.

“You like making me beg huh?” Sasha walked closer to him.

“Just a little.” Nicholas answered. There was a strip of hair along the side of her face and he pushed it back behind her ear. They were standing close and all the humor between them had faded away as their eyes locked.

Nicholas bent down and their lips brushed against each others, their lips touched for a brief second before the house phone rang.