Fractured

Chapter 53

"Oh my god!" I said, leaning forward and looking at it.  I turned the paper so I could look at it.  I looked up to Luke, smirking. "So we are really getting a pool?" I asked him excited, and with that excitement, I glanced over to Clare, who looked petrified.  Her eyes met mine and I gave her my own smirk and knowing look. "Would you look at this Clare... a pool. But I'm sure you have an issue with that, don't you?"

Luke turned his eyes towards me and raised a brow, confused as he gave me a questioning look.  After all, he had no clue what I was talking about, remember? He 'brushed' it off and looked back to Clare, smiling sweetly to her.  "So... what do you think?"

"Uh... w-well we didn't really discuss this Luke," she said nervously.

"Good excuse, mother," I said, rolling my eyes and I knew remarks like that would just push her to try to act as if this wasn't a problem for her.

"I didn't say that this was a bad idea, Albany," she said to me, moving her eyes and giving me a slight glare before her eyes found Luke's again.  I tried hiding my smile at seeing this heading in a good direction. "I'm just... surprised is all."

"Well, I mean, I brought it up before.  And like I said," he said in an intimate tone, running his thumb over her hand and giving her a suggestive look.  "I would get to see my sexy wife in a bikini.  What could be better than that?"

It was awesome acting on his part that I think really persuaded her to go in the direction on letting this happen.  She chuckled uneasily and blushed a little, making my eyes shine in hope.  However, there was also a good chance she knew what we were doing.  Especially with the little map we drew up.  Her eyes narrowed just slightly on him though when she nodded slowly.  "Okay... well, can I see this picture?" she said, reaching over on the table and grabbing it.  She looked it over and took a deep breath.  Her lips pursed in distress.  But that's all she would give away. 

"Is there a problem mother?" I asked, grinning at her.

"Not at all," she said instantly back.  That look of menace aimed at me looked over to Luke.  It slowly faded... but a knowing look was in her eyes and it made me cringe.  "This is where you want to put it in?" she asked him calmly.  The picture was of the backyard.  With a big circle right in the center of it.  And if Emily's body was anywhere within that circle, she would want the pool moved.  That was the whole point of this.  Trying to find where exactly the body is. 

"Well, this is just an idea.  I wanted to ask you if there was anywhere else you would want it," he put casually.  And if it was anything but casual, it would have been blown for us.  Hell, she might already have a good idea what we were trying to do.  

I kept my mouth shut.  My breath held and I watched her carefully as she was frozen.  A normal expression on her face, I knew her mind was racing.  Either with ways to get out of this or maybe trying to figure out if this was more than just installing a pool.  "Why would there be a problem with where it's placed on the map?" she asked Luke, smiling. 

Luke smiled to her but we knew Emily had to be somewhere, even if partially in that space.  It took up most of the yard.  I think she was trying to play dumb with this.  See if we would push to have it moved.  "That sounds great," he told her.  "No doubt this pool will be put to great use," he said, clearly not acting distressed. 

There was a long moment of silence as I stared at them.  Clare could feel my 'smug' stare but really, my heart was beating fast.  "Well... now that you mention it," she said, looking over the sheet.  "If it was installed to the right a little more, it wouldn't be in the center.  So there would be at least some room in the backyard if we moved it to the right.  But I mean, it's just a suggestion.  It's not needed," she said, her eyes never leaving Luke.  And... to be honest, I was quite shocked.  I thought the result would be her completely dismissing the idea of a pool to begin with.  But she didn't.  And either because she didn't want me to get that satisfaction or because... she had something else planned that wouldn't let this happened.  Even more of a possibility was that she would run away or leave or do something before that time comes.  After all, it was still technically winter.