Kissed By A Catalyst (Kissed Series Book 1 of 6)

Chapter 9: Sisters

Sitting on the front porch, waiting for Lance to tell me what they know so far. Talion's news about Bridget is still festering, and my mind is spinning in circles.

They shared his high school sweetheart! I always assumed he was cheating on me with his assistant, Marlow. Was he taking care of both of them? Maybe Bridget got mad and killed off her friend, but why burn down his building?

Looking back at the past few weeks, all that has gone on, I can't help but believe something is going on around here that has been kept from me.

What am I missing?

Rubbing my hands together, they tingle and ache.

Since the family arrived here to live, all of our friends have gone missing or have died. The only person left on the street is Joshua Reed. He has been very helpful to me and is now interested in Lori. Watching Josh and Avery working together in the yard, I am shocked that they are becoming so close. All this time he has never been seen with a woman or talked about one, and now he has chosen Lori, of all people? Yes, she is beautiful, but that is just downright strange. Maybe it is not Lori, but Avery... No, that cannot be right. Jesus, my mind has gone into the gutter today.

Hearing a honk at the gate, my nephew runs over to open it up. Watching to see who it is, and praying it's Dan. The ambulance enters and my hopes are dashed. Lance is alone in the vehicle. Jamie did not come with him, so I guess she must be busy.

Getting out of the ambulance, I watch his actions to feel out what he's going to tell me. Lance sees me and has a slight smile as he walks up the porch steps. Unable to leave the swing, I sit here, trying to control my emotions.

"Morning, Cecelia. Are you feeling better today?" He asks.

I reply, "Well, it depends on what you're about to tell me. Have you found my husband?"

Shaking his head, I breathe easier because that means he was not the man in the building. It must have been the custodian after all.

"No, I'm sorry, but at least he was not in the fire. We figured out who the man was, though. The corner has been working nonstop, and he found it was Jefferson Milford. Does that name mean anything to you?" Lance asks.

Answering him, I say, "Who? No, I've never heard of him. Who is he and why was he in our building?"

Lance adds, "Congressman Milford was a client of your husband and now he's dead. This is far out of our realm to handle. There seems to be a lot more going on, and we have no one to help us. The police are nonexistent at this point. We are on our own and just don't have the authority or manpower to manage all of this, Cecelia."

Looking at him, I ask, "What are you trying to tell me, Lance? Are you giving up on my husband?"

"No, we are not giving up, but it does not look good for Dan's reputation. Think about all of this, Cece. Most of your neighbors are gone, and they were murdered. We have Dan on video fighting with the chief, and then Pat turns up dead right after. Then your building burns down with a congressman inside and a female assistant of your husband. This is just crazy and I'm not sure how to handle it all or where to begin." Lance says as Talion walks up the steps.

"Well, maybe we should put together a makeshift police department. Do you have any military that lives around here? How about some upstanding leaders in the community? Any retired police officers?" Talion asks.

Lance answers, "Yes, but no one wants to get involved. We are alone in this and I'm not sure how to proceed. We can't even locate your black F-150 truck. Jamie and I are not equipped to take this all on, and our firemen are swamped. Houses are burning all over town."