46

46
Michael

Just like that,  I stormed out of the house and hopped into the red flashy  Range Rover. This new piece of information might finally be the one to save me from all these troubles. 
Maybe my friends aren't so useless after all.
The cloud had shifted and before I knew it,  it began to pour heavily, drowning out the sound of my heartbeat. But it wasn’t fear that made my heart race, rather it was the excitement of finally proving myself to my father.
But you know what made me even more excited? The thought of seeing Betty.
Yes, I was going to reach out to her, she was mature and perfect enough for me to confide in her, and I knew she would know the best thing to do too.
 My phone vibrated on the passenger seat, I glanced at the caller ID, and it was Heather. 

“What the hell does this witch want from me?”I muttered, anger laced in my tone.

I ignored the call. I didn’t care if her world was on fire. She had already done enough damage to my life, and I wasn’t about to waste energy on her today. 
I had other important things occupying my mind, like how to convince Betty to help me again. How do I make her see that I was worthy of her time? I wasn’t pissed she went home with Ethan. He’s her partner, but I really don’t care about him. Right now, I am determined to see her and make this work.

Who knows, it might even bring us closer, both of us, side by side solving this case. 

“Shut up!” I barked at the cellphone like someone who’d just been bitten by a dog. It wouldn’t stop ringing, Heather's name was boldly plastered on the screen.

If I heard that ringtone one more time I might go crazy so I hit the ‘Do Not Disturb Button’
“That should keep you quiet,”

Finally, I got to my destination, Betty’s house. Heaven knows how many times I’ve always wanted to show up at her doorstep but then I stopped myself and told myself I’d wait for the right time and reason.
Now I had one, my wish had come true after all.
The rain drenched me as I stepped out of the car but I didn’t care, I would burn in fire if I had to. I hurried straight to her door.
I knocked on the door and she opened it seconds later, her eyes glowing with surprise.
“Hello professor,” I began my gaze locked on hers, I didn’t even know when the words rolled out of my lips. I just knew she needed some sort of explanation for me showing up unexpectedly at her door.
“I’ve cracked the code, Claire is behind this!”I blurted out, my mouth shaking and my teeth clenched. I could feel the cold seeping into my bones but I didn’t care.
She just stood there, like a statue, speechless, staring like she had just seen a ghost, her wavy black hair was packed up in a ponytail. She was still in her work clothes.
 “I need your help,” I added.

Betty let out a long sigh,  her lips pressed together in a straight thin line, I could tell she wasn’t pleased to see me at her door yet she stepped aside anyway, her arms folded tightly across her chest.
I flanked her as she led me to the living room.

“Take off those wet clothes,” she ordered, her voice bland and emotionless but it stirred something deep inside of me, I misread the command as though she was asking me to strip for her so she could fuck me.
“I want to  put them in the dryer!” She retorted,  this time there was anger laced in her tone.
I nod and begin peeling the soaked fabric from my skin revealing my bare chest. For a fleeting moment her gaze lingered, her lips parted open slightly, she looked thirsty, like she didn’t expect me to look this hot without clothes but when our eyes locked and she turned her head away, her face red with embarrassment.
“Here!” I handed it to her with a smile. She snatched it and disappeared into a room leaving me standing in just my boxers. 

She returned a few minutes later with a cup of cinnamon tea, big tees, and joggers. I wondered who had it, was it her boyfriend Ethan? Was I going to wear his clothes?
“Don’t worry, it’s new!” She added quickly as though she’d sensed my hesitation. 
I slipped into it and savored the hot cup of tea.

“This is really good!”I complimented.

She sat across from me with a frown on her face, “What the hell are you doing here? How did you even know my house? Have  you  been stalking me?”

She had every right to be mad, I was definitely crossing a line, but then this was important.
I tried to ease the tension with a shrug and a smirk. 

“Well, there is social media, your location is on your profile!” I said, I was trying to be funny.

She slanted her eyes in disbelief. “ That’s impossible, Michael! I haven’t been on FaceGram for a decade now!”

I lifted a brow shrugging again, “You’d be surprised what’s out there.”
“Will you just cut to the chase and tell me what you are really here for?”

I set the cup down on the mahogany, leaning forward like I meant serious business. “Well like I said earlier at school, I want you to help me.”
“How exactly should I help you?”

“My father is threatening to disown me, just because of that scandal.”
She let out a long sigh before shaking her head,  “I’m sorry Michael but I cannot help you, that’s not my place. But I can connect you to a professional, maybe a counselor that would give you a strategy or….”
“No! That’s not what I need, I need you!” I cut her off gazing hard into her eyes. “ Claire is behind this, she snapped the picture and deleted the footage!”
She arched her brow. “Who is Claire?”
I paused. Looking for the appropriate word to use.
“She is a worker at my father's home. I used to mess around with her for a while.”
“I see…” Betty's face hardened, disgust written all over. 
“Yeah, I was stupid to trust her, but it’s fine, I  don’t fuck with her anymore.” 
Betty went quiet for a minute before getting up on her feet. “ I’m sorry Michael but I’m not interested in partaking in your personal life, thank heavens you have evidence now, take it to the police or your father, but don’t bring me into this!” She warned before pointing to the door. “It has stopped raining, you can leave now, you’ve already interrupted my routine.”
I stared at her wanting to object or try to change her mind but I could see she was really serious about this, so I stood taking slow steps towards her. I could see the way she swallowed hard, her lashes batting shut as I drew close enough to smell her flowery fragrance.
“I know you want me, Betty,” I whispered. “ I know your body craves for me and sending me away hurts you more than you ever cared to admit.”
Her eyes went open with surprise, “Get out!” She ordered, trying so hard to avoid my gaze. 
“I’m sorry, Betty,” I mumbled under my breath, grabbing my phone and storming out.

She was right, the rain had stopped but my heart was still wet with tears, I won’t stop bleeding from the hurt I felt. 

I got into the car and drove back to the mansion.

Maybe she was right, maybe I had all I needed to prove to my father that  I was innocent after all and it was Claire all along.
But as I drove I kept reminiscing about my brief encounter with Betty. I wished things hadn’t ended the way they did. Maybe, next time, I shouldn't be so forward.
Finally, I reached home and parked in the lot. 
I walked into the foyer only to bump into Claire, the devil herself. She had this smirk on her face like she knew she had been exposed but immediately it was replaced with a look of innocence. What a psycho!
“Michael, I took care of him,” she said, beaming in excitement.

“You did what?” I asked, she parted her lips but I cut her off, “You know what? Save your breath, because you are going to need it soon.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know  what you did, Claire !” I snarled moving closer and an angry look was plastered on my face now. “How could you try to frame me? Do you want friendly advice? Find yourself a good lawyer or your ass is rotting in jail.”

She blinked twice, “ I don’t know what you are talking about, Michael.”

“Don’t play dumb!”

She rolled her eyes, “I know you hate me but I did this for you, for us.”
I was going to respond when I heard someone racing towards us, we turned to see  Heather.
She ran straight into my arms, her face stained with black tears. “Michael….thank God you are here, you have to come with me.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s your father, he collapsed! I’ve been trying to reach you… You didn’t respond to my calls!”
My heart skipped a beat, “What? Where is he?”

She trembled in her hands as she tried to catch her breath. “The doctor is attending to him in the bedroom…. He doesn’t have a pulse…”