AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, my God, stop!” I cover my ears with both hands. Now she’s bent over in hysterics; tears from laughing so hard roll down her face. “I’m leaving, nympho. Stay out of my room,” I say, picking up my bag. She jumps up, trying to stop from laughing.
I’m not a prude. I’ve just never had a relationship where sex has been that great. I don’t think it’s the guy’s fault. I think it’s me. I need to feel in control with everything I do, even sex. It’s hard for me to let go.
We hug one last time. Syd twists her lips as she narrows her eyes. “I mean it. Stay out of trouble.”
“Well, I mean it. Stay out of my room.” We both laugh.
I throw my suitcase in my rented Honda Civic. Taking a deep breath, I pull out of the driveway and put my car in drive. I took Frankie up on his offer of helping me out. He made me a fake license for my trip. I don’t know what to expect when or if I meet Travis, but I don’t want to have anything identifying who I really am.
The cops told me that they never found my mother’s killer. Even when I had the license plate of the killer. With a small amount of investigating, I found the name of the person who owned the car. Travis Stein. He currently lives in Chicago. And doing a little Google research, I found out a little about him. He’s a powerful businessman; many say there is a lot of criminal activity within his empire, but nobody has ever been able to prove anything. He always has a group of bodyguards with him in all his pictures. But what did he have to do with my mom? Was it a random murder? Was it a hit and they killed the wrong person? I need to find out who Travis Stein is.
It is a long seventeen-hour drive, so I plan on stopping halfway. While driving, I think back to the day that changed my life.
Thirteen years ago
“Mom! What are you cooking? It smells delicious?” I let my nose lead me to the kitchen where a delicious, chocolate smell wafts in the air.
“I’m trying out a new brownie recipe. I think you’re going to love it”
“Um… yeah! I love anything chocolate.” I get up on the barstool.
“Well, since you’re supposed to be home sick from school today, I thought I’d bake you something special to help you feel better.” She comes over and kisses the top of my head, giving me a quick hug.
“Hey, I really didn’t feel good this morning!”
“Okay, dear. So it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that Mike is hanging out with Maddie now and not you?” she asks.
“What! How do you know that? And no, that’s not it.” Rolling my eyes, I sigh.
“Hello, I’m on the PTA. I know a lot of moms. And the one thing moms do is talk about all the gossip going on with their kids. I guess we gossip about gossip.” She giggles. “I was up at the school yesterday afternoon and was talking to Amber’s mom and got all the details. I’m sorry, baby. It’s your first heartbreak. That’s why I didn’t question the whole sick thing.” She looks at me with adoring eyes.
I love her more than anything. She is my world. My father passed away in a car accident when I was one. They weren’t married yet when I was born. They were planning their wedding when the accident happened, which is why my last name is different than my moms. I have always wondered what he was like. They met while my mom was on vacation in Mexico. She said it was love at first sight. It was like a fairytale, only with a tragic ending. But I was the light that kept her going.
She’s gone on the occasional date, but that’s it. I’m her world, too. She is my best friend. I look just like her, except for our eyes and the slight difference in hair color. My hair is a dark blonde, while hers is just a little darker, more like a light brown. Her eyes are brown and mine are a turquoise blue, similar to the Mexico waters she and my father swam in, or so I’ve been told. Other than that, I’m her ‘mini me.’
“So, do you want to talk about it?” she asks.
She takes out the brownies that look as good as they smell. I might enjoy my broken-heart status if she is going to feed me chocolate. I was more irritated than hurt about the Mike thing. I was mad at my supposedly best friend, Maddie, for talking to Mike. My mom places a brownie in front of me and I take one bite and forget all about Mike and Maddie. I guess this is what you do to get over dumb boyfriends and friends… chocolate. Yum.
My mom starts to clean up the plates and the mess she made baking the brownies when we hear a noise at the front door. The mailman’s probably dropping something off. My mom is addicted to Amazon. We both move to the living room to check it out. She tells me to stay back, so I step behind the door.
“Hi, can I help you?” my mom asks as she opens the front door. There’s a small window where I’m standing, but I can’t see the man. I don’t hear him say anything.
BANG!
I cover my ears, watching my mom fall backward. She’s lying lifeless on the floor beside the door, a bullet right between her eyes.
NO!
NO!
NO!
I am trying my hardest not to scream, covering my mouth to stifle any sounds. I have to keep quiet. I don’t want to die, but I want to help my mom. I’m silent, pleading with God. Please let her be alive. I watch the man walk away through the window. He turns around and looks back. I see his face before he gets into the car. It’s a black sedan with tinted windows. I look at the license plate from the window.
I have to remember it.
I have to remember it.
