The Shadow Murder

15

Aaron sees her coming and sees how angry she is and hopes that she doesn't want to speak with him. "Open her door, Aaron," his hopes are dashed when she stops in front of Trisha's door and demands that it be opened.

Aaron doesn't waste any time and immediately opens the door. "It's too fucking dark in here," Aaron shrinks away from her as he flips on the light in the cell. Meghan only uses foul language when she's furious. He doesn't want to know what happened to make her that way now.

Trisha is laying huddled on the floor in a broken mess. Her bruises from the interrogation Meghan gave her mottling her alabaster skin. "She reeks," Meghan wrinkles her nose in disgust. The cell is provided with a chemical toilet, there is no reason for the smell of urine to be so strong. "Take her to the showers and scrub her well."

Aaron smirks. Trisha has always been so high and mighty. She would only talk to those in high favor, like Travis. Those on the lowly end like him were always ignored. "And Aaron? Make sure she is thoroughly cleaned, everywhere. Take your time."

"Is she still off limits?" Aaron wants to make sure that he's not crossing any boundaries by what he's hearing and what he thinks she's saying.

"No, have fun. Have her brought back here within the hour though. No need to dress her after the shower." Meghan says that last part as an after thought.

Aaron's eyes light up. He gathers Trisha up and carries her out of the room and to the utilitarian shower room. There he locks the door.

"Was that really necessary, Meg?" Travis asks from behind her.

"She stinks and needs to be cleaned up." Meghan shrugs and turns to leave.

"That doesn't mean she needs to be sexually assaulted." Travis argues.

Meghan looks at him with a puzzled look, "If you still feel something for her then go and tell Aaron to touch only. Otherwise my order stands. She knows something about my mother's death and I'll break her any way I have to. She considers most of the men beneath her," Meghan shrugs, "so I'll let the men have some fun. It's not like she doesn't share with the higher ups on a regular basis. Hell, even when she was with you she was sleeping with Steve."

"What?" Travis says holding her by her shoulders.

"She was fucking Steve the same time she was you. What part of that do you not understand?" Meghan asks confused. "It's why I didn't think it would be a problem kissing you." That last part was more than a little bitter.

"How do you know she was with your uncle?"

"They were outside in the garden. It was late but not so late that I couldn't see faces. They were making out, but their lower halves were completely bare. I may be a virgin, but even I know what it means when they had a rhythm going. Their moans and groans were enough to make me want to puke." Meghan says grimacing at the memory of those two having sex.

"Shit, did you tell your father?" Travis demands.

Meghan shrugs, "He didn't want to hear it. By then he'd already made up his mind to send you away and didn't want to listen to me anymore."

"Did you tell anyone?" Travis asks once more urgently.

"Of course. I told Vee, she was the only one that I could trust after you were sent away."

"Dammit! I think we just found the reason she was killed and they are after you." Travis runs his hands through his hair. He starts pacing as he thinks things through.

"That doesn't make sense though, Steve is in love or was in love with Vee. Why would he have her killed just because I saw him fucking Trisha?" Meghan asks confused. It doesn't make sense to her. Besides that happened months ago.

"I don't know why, but so far it's the only thing tying you two together." Travis says as a voice interrupts them.

"Good you're down here." Joseph looks around, "Where's Trisha?"

"She stinks so I sent Aaron to wash her up. He'll be taking his time about it too." Meghan says coolly.

"I see," Joseph doesn't like how her words are so curt to him.

"Sir, did you know that Trisha was cheating on me with Steve before Meghan kissed me?" Travis thinks he better step in before Joseph loses his cool with Meghan.

"What? No, I didn't. How do you know that?" Joseph asks not really thinking it very important.

"Meghan saw them. That's why she kissed me, she thought we were already broken up."

"Why didn't you tell me, Meghan?" Joseph demands.

Meghan gives a snort, "I tried, but you didn't want to hear anything I had to say at that point. So I told Vee."

The pain in his eyes doubles, "She mentioned she needed to talk to me about something, but I didn't let her. I thought it was just more about not sending Travis away."

"So she hadn't told you?" Travis pushes.

"No, like Meghan said, I didn't want to hear it."

"Only Meghan and Vee knew, sir. It's a connection we can't ignore." Travis tries to get Joseph to understand.

"My own brother? I'm sorry, but I just can't believe it. Not Steve, never and he loves Meghan as if she was his own. There is no way he'd hurt her. Not even by ordering a hit on her."

"I'm sorry sir, but I am only following the clues. Like you said, it might be nothing, but it is a link between the two."

"Break Trisha, see if there is anything to this, Meghan. If she implicates Steve in any way, then I'll bring him down here myself." Joseph's voice becomes hard and cold. So many betrayals are coming to light. It's making him sick and he wonders if there is any loyalty amongst his men at all.

"If she isn't broken when Aaron brings her back I'll let some of the others have a turn."

Travis doesn't hold with rape and turns away from them both. He knows and understands the valuable tool it is to break someone, but he doesn't like it. Especially when it's being used on someone he once cared a lot for.

"Come along you two. Meghan you can play with Trisha later, right now, Caleb is awaiting his play time with us."

"Yes, father," Meghan is still very angry with him and being reminded of Caleb and his betrayal just makes it worse.