Deadly Deception - By Andrea Johnson Beck Page 0,30

to be honest with her.

“I can’t.”

“Then I will find out on my own.”

Anne clutched the door handle with her free hand. He quickly trapped the one on his thigh.

“Anne, please don’t or you will surely pay the consequences like your friend Sam did.”

The threat sent volts of heat through her. His grip loosened; Anne departed the black vehicle into the downpour. Giving him one last glance before she closed the door, she saw his expression was solemn and hard.

“Goodbye, Adam.”

Anne closed the door and glanced over to where Sam’s casket had become one with the earth as four large men were covering him with dark damp soil. Would she be next—would she be laying there next to Sam while her friends mourned over her? Anne shook the thought and she picked up her pace through the eerie silent paths of Lakewood Cemetery.

CHAPTER 11

Anne exited the main gate of the cemetery through flooded eyes; still feeling Adam’s phantom grip, she rubbed her arm. His words tumbled around in her brain, burning through every cell and nerve ending. Was it a warning or a threat? Adam had never been harsh with her before, but the hurricane named Carter sent him into a desperate tailspin. Heavy emotions suffocated Anne while she drove through thick traffic, heading toward downtown.

She knew Carter had been lurking behind a tree or mausoleum during Sam’s burial and she also knew he caught the show between her and Adam.

The interrogation would commence soon. She tried to search through her vault of memories, attempting a glimpse of false interactions. She never saw herself as naive but apparently she had been. Clouded by infatuation, duped by affectionate words and engaging promises that would never come to pass, she had believed nothing but lies.

Before entering the office suite, Anne stepped in to the restroom to freshen up her make-up and hair. Between the tears and rain, her appearance was dreadful. Running a thick comb through her lengthy blonde locks, she twisted the damp hair into a loose bun that hung just above the nape of her neck. Dusting powder over her face, she tried to hide the lines where the tears had streaked her pale cheeks.

Anne’s black wrap dress was spotted by rain drops that had found their way through the openings of her coat. Shelly’s face donned surprise when she entered the office. Anne needed to stay busy, plus she felt safer having witnesses around.

“Dr. Jamison, I hadn’t expected you in today.”

“I know, but I have some work I need to finish up. Any messages?”

Shelly handed over a stack of pink message slips.

“Is Casey in?” Anne asked, thumbing through the messages.

“She will be in around noon.”

“Thanks, Shelly.”

Anne walked to her office, closing the door behind her. The room had become increasingly unorganized. Green files stacked on her credenza like a tower; dust layered her desk and keyboard. It reminded her of what Rita’s office looked like—completely disheveled.

Anne sat down at her desk, turning on her computer screen. She accessed a database that housed records of every single person ever born in the United States. She typed in Carter Steven Leeds and his birth date. Scrawled across the screen in black and white, the result read:

No records found

Please try your search again

“That’s odd,” Anne said, dumbfounded.

She continued to click the tab that brought her to the medical information page; she entered in Carter’s full name once again. As the screen began to load, there was a knock at the back door of her office. Quickly, she flicked the screen black. Anne stood against the wooden door in apprehension; though her voice was shaky, she asked who was there.

“Anneliese, it’s just me.”

Letting out a sigh, she unlocked and opened the door.

“Why are you knocking on this door?”

Anne asked, closing and locking it behind her.

“I can’t very well stroll in to the waiting room, can I?”

Carter had a point. Without further delay, he placed his lips on hers and enveloped his arms around her waist. His lips were soft and moist. Anne’s mind began to cloud up but she tried to remain focused.

“I’ve missed you. You don’t know how badly I wanted to be at your side this morning.”

Anne touched her lips, moving away from him.

“Yes, well, it was extremely heartbreaking to see his family so devastated. I figured you were keeping your distance somewhere nearby.”

“I was. It pained me to not be there to fully pay my respects.”

The elephant in the room was beginning to grow, smothering them both.

“I know you saw Adam

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