The Ghosts Of Her Past (A Completed, Steamy Romantic Mystery)

Part One

There are many small towns that surround Cincinnati, several that sit on the edge of the Ohio River.  This would include my hometown of Liberty, Kentucky.  It is just a stone's throw away from the larger, but still small city of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Seattle was never my first choice, but I did what many young women do when they are in love, I followed him. Gray, he was my first love. We met in college and moved here for his residency.  I took a job as a meteorologist for the local news station, and he worked ungodly hours at a hospital close to our apartment.  We met when I was an undergraduate, and he was in medical school.

I loved my job, so when he cheated, I didn't move back home. I stayed right here because I made the best friend I ever had, Lisa Simmons.  At 29, I have tried to move past Gray and had men in and out of my life, but Lisa has always been my constant, my rock, and maybe even more like a sister than a best friend.

She is a receptionist, and I met her on the very first day I started working at WKLP.  When I left Gray, she welcomed me to her home with open arms, and we have been roommates ever since.  Maybe it's the small-town life we have in common, but we grew closer than I have ever been with anyone.  She grew up in Scipio, which is only 15 miles from my home town of Liberty.  We would spend hours talking about Cincinnati, times we have been to each other's hometowns, and she said she even recognized some names of the people back home. 

We hit clubs together, enjoyed many of the same hobbies, and truly enjoyed each other's company.  Just like many things in life, ours changed very rapidly when my contract was ending and there was an opening in Cincinnati for a morning meteorologist. I was offered the job, and it's a great opportunity, but it made for a very hard decision. 

I was sitting on the back patio of our home drinking a glass of wine when Lisa walked out with the entire bottle and an extra glass.  I looked up at her she held the bottle out with a smirk on her face.  She is beautiful with dark hair and similar green eyes to mine, and a smile that could brighten anyone's day.

"Bring it on," I said and we laughed as she topped mine off, then poured her own glass.  My dog Izzy came out and sat at her feet.  It's funny, because she doesn't like dogs, but Izzy just loves Lisa.  She even named him and it must be an inside joke because she had a funny smirk on her face.  He's a Border Terrier and the cutest dog on the planet. 

"What's new, have you made a decision?" She asked, and I shook my head no.

"What are the chances I could get you to move back home with me?" I asked as she sat down next to me.

Lisa always avoids home, which to me is strange.  During our time of friendship, she hasn't visited one time, saying her home life wasn't the best.

"You know my answer, Cora.  I'm happy staying right here, but you can't put your career on hold." She said.

"I know, but I would miss you.  Life won't be the same." I said.

She shrugged.  "I'm only one phone call away, besides you can always visit." She said.

"It doesn't feel right. Who will I stir up trouble with and bail me out of bad dates?"

"I can still bail you out of bad dates, it's just a phone call, and I think we are growing out of the club scene." She smirked like she's joking.

I gave her a nasty look.  "Speak for yourself."

She laughed, knowing I'm only joking. She's actually the wild one in this friendship.  "Someday we will want to settle down anyway.  I think you should go for it, you can't pass up such a great opportunity." She said.

I finished my glass of wine and poured myself another before topping hers off.

"I think you already know your answer." She said.

"You won't be upset?" I asked as I sat back down.

"I'll miss you, but life isn't a one chapter book, you're meant to have many chapters filled with fresh starts." She said.

The next day, I turned in my resignation. Lisa wanted to have one epic last night in Seattle, so a week later, she made plans to create memories that will last us a lifetime.

I walked out of my room in a skin-tight dress and stiletto heels.  She whistled and laughed as I spun around to show off my new wild look.  She looked amazing in a skin-tight dress herself, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders, and I wore my blond hair up with a pair of dangling diamond earrings.  We always tease that we are sisters because our eyes are the same shade of green.  Other than that, we look nothing alike with my blond hair and fair skin.

"You are going to be the talk of the town tonight, Cora." She smiled at me as I put my phone and wallet into my new black clutch that matched my dress.

"Let's hope it doesn't get that out of hand," I said. 

She laughed.  "The last time we did this, we both got lai.."

I cut her off.  "Let's not visit those dark places," I said.  I was really out of control when I left Gray and had memories I would love to leave in the past. 

"We all have pasts, Cora." She said just before there was a knock on the door.

"Who is that?" I asked, and she smiled. 

"Open it and see." She said with a smirk on her face.

I opened our front door, and there was a man in a dark suit and a limo sitting in front of our home.

"Lisa, you didn't." I smiled at her.

"I did, now live it up." She said as she pulled me outside.

This is another thing I always found strange about my best friend.  She owns a beautiful home, spends money like no other, and her salary is only a quarter of what I make in a year.  I always just figured she is some kind of trust fund baby, and when I mention it, she just laughs it off.

"I'm coming." I laughed as she pulled me into the limo.

"It's too early for that." She winked at me and then opened a bottle of champagne.

"That was gross." I crinkled my nose, and she laughed. 

"Let's just hope we both get to say that later tonight." She teased.

"No, I'm not going down that road again.  No more one night stands for this girl." I said.

She rolled her eyes.  "Yeah right, until you run into Gray, and somehow your clothes manage to fall off."

She's not wrong.