Page 9 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

‘We need to speak to the Cahills,’ the man said, clearly not wanting to prolong this any further, and with that, the sinking feeling returned.

This wasn’t about Josh, these men were here about Jessa, and it wasn’t to deliver good news.

‘Sure,’ Breton said, starting to walk towards the house. ‘Follow me.’

If she was hurt, the hospital would have called. If something happened, she would have contacted her parents, or maybe even Breton first. But the fact that the police were here, meant that she wasn’t able to deliver the news herself. Something wasn’t right.

I started to pace, and before I knew it, I was behind the garage, channeling my anger into snapping old branches with my hands to make burning it easier. I had lost track of time, my mind racing, trying to convince myself it was about Josh. They had a break, someone confessed, anything but the invading thought that something had happened to Jessa. Various possibilities were attacking my brain.

Matt beat her and she was in the hospital.

There was a car accident.

She fell down the stairs and was unconscious.

She finally snapped and killed Matt then was arrested.

Anything to push the thought that wanted to occupy me. No, I wouldn't go there.

She asked me not to give up on her.

She promised me,“The next time you see me, I’ll be free of him and we can finally be together, as I wish we could have been all along.”

I had to hold on to that. I had to honor her and not give up on her, that she would come back to me and finally be mine like she was always meant to be.

I looked up when I heard two car doors closing and the sound of a car engine turn over. I walked towards the house. Breton hadn’t come out, and the closer I got, the louder the sounds of Colleen’s anguish pierced me.

I shook my head. No, it wasn’t real. Something else happened that had nothing to do with Jessa. I tried to tell myself it was Collen’s parents, her sibling, her friend. However, deep down I already knew. I was a glutton for punishment because I opened the front door and walked into the house. Colleen was sitting at the bottom of the stairs falling apart in Steve’s arms, as tears covered his own face. ‘No,’ he kept repeating.

Breton was facing a wall, his forehead resting against it, one hand on the wall as if needing it there for balance.

I stood in the entranceway of the house, hardly able to move. I’d been welcomed into the family. I wasn’t sure if I’d be welcomed to grieve with them, but if it was true what my heart felt, I’d never needed them more than I do at this moment.

‘She’s...’ Steve looked up to me, pausing to gather the strength before he continued, and by she, I knew he meant Jessa. With that, I started to feel dizzy. ‘Missing.’ I closed my eyes and fell to my knees.

Matt did it; he took her away from me, from all of us.

It was the age-old motive. If he couldn’t have her, no one could.

~

I don’t remember what happened next, but I woke up sometime later in one of the spare rooms upstairs. My work boots were off, and a glass of water with some pills was on the side table next to me. I immediately thought of Jessa, and the pit reformed in my stomach. I felt bile really rising at this point and knew I was going to be physically ill. I hurried to the bathroom I knew was just across the hall and emptied the contents of my stomach.

‘Andrew?’ I heard Steve’s voice from the hallway. I looked over my shoulder to see him standing in the doorway, dressed in a white button-down shirt and a pair of pressed beige dress pants and a casual blue blazer; he had changed from earlier I noticed. ‘Are you okay, son?’

I stood up and rinsed my mouth out with some water from the sink, opening the cabinet to find some mouthwash.

I shook my head because if I spoke, I would be done for.

Steve said quietly, ‘I have a team of people arriving at the house in a few minutes to put together a plan…’

‘Ok, I’ll get out of your way.’ I looked down to the sink.

I felt his hand on my shoulder. ‘No, that’s not what I meant.’ He steadied me, and I looked into his eyes and saw my own pain mirrored there.

‘I need you to go shower, gather your things and bring them into the house. Colleen and I don’t want you out there alone,’ he told me in a caring voice, and I swallowed hard. ‘Breton and Deb will be staying here for a while with us also, they’re just home packing some things.’

I nodded. ‘Ok, thanks.’ My voice cracked, and I knew I needed to get out of here before I completely lost it.

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