The Real Werewives of Vampire County - By Alexandra Ivy Page 0,76

them.

My hands were shaking as I grabbed the box of patterns I’d been sorting and pretended to be working. “Yep, I’m here.”

Jon turned the corner.

There he was. So handsome. Strikingly handsome. Was that the face of a killer? Were those dark brown eyes the eyes of a murderer? He smiled at me. The expression looked genuine. He looked happy, as glad to see me as I had been to see him only yesterday. “Hello there. Settling in okay?”

“Yes, I sure am.”

He came closer, too close. I felt my body stiffening, even though I knew that one newspaper article did not mean he was definitely a killer. I hadn’t even had a chance to read the article. Perhaps the headline had been misleading. Perhaps the article’s author had taken liberties with the facts in the case.

Perhaps I was hoping for a miracle.

He bent to kiss me but stopped short. “Is something wrong?” Clearly, the man knew how to read body language.

How to respond to that question?

“I’m just feeling a little ... overwhelmed, I guess.”

He straightened up. His expression was puzzled, not at all hostile or suspicious. “Overwhelmed about what?”

Of course, he had to ask that.

“About ... being a stepmother. About facing this huge change. We don’t know each other as well as we probably should, so there’s that, too.” It was a partial truth, as close as I dared get.

He glanced at the box at my feet then up into my eyes. “I understand.” He motioned to the box. “Can I help you unpack?”

“That’s very sweet, but I think I can handle this. Are you hungry?” I asked, thinking it might be wise to deflect his attention. “Do you want me to make you something to eat?”

“No, that’s okay. I didn’t bring you here to become my live-in waitress. Go ahead and keep working. I can find something.”

“Your neighbors stopped by. They brought muffins and bagels. They’re on the counter.”

Now his expression turned tense. “They did?” Underlying the tension, I sensed a little hint of hostility. I hadn’t seen any of that yesterday. Okay, maybe I had. But I’d assumed that was because they’d interrupted us. “They were here this morning?”

“Yes. Is that a problem? Do you dislike them? I didn’t get that impression yesterday.”

“No, I don’t ‘dislike’ them. Not at all.” As if a switch had been thrown, his expression brightened again. His stop-your-heart smile was back in place and the twinkles I’d always found so charming began twinkling. That shift had alarms ringing in my head. Back in college I’d dated a guy who’d had a bad temper. His moods shifted like that. Hot. Cold. Happy. Furious. Not a good sign. “If I can’t help you, I guess I’ll go upstairs, drag my lazy son out of bed, and get us something to eat.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

He gave me a friendly, chaste kiss on the mouth then stared into my eyes for a handful of heartbeats. I wasn’t the first to look away. I didn’t want him thinking I was hiding something. I didn’t want him knowing I was afraid, or suspicious, or having second and third doubts about the move. More than anything, I didn’t want him suspecting I knew about that newspaper article.

He straightened up. “Shout if you need anything.”

“Will do.” I waited until he had closed the door at the top of the stairs before I turned back to the computer. This time, I was determined to read the whole article. I needed to find out the truth, ugly or not.

The article was dated September 22nd, 2008.

Michelle Stewart, 28, was rushed to University of Michigan Hospital on Saturday, September 20th, 2008. It was thought at the time she had attempted suicide, although that wouldn’t explain all the evidence found at the scene.

Stewart died at the hospital within hours of being admitted and mystery surrounds her death. On September 23rd, less than forty-eight hours after her death, Stewart’s husband, Jonathan Stewart, was brought in for questioning. At this time, no formal charges have been filed.

Authorities admit this case is shrouded in mystery. The Ann Arbor PD is not willing to provide many details in the case. However an informant has come forward to tell me Michelle Stewart had notified Jonathan that she wanted a divorce shortly before her death. At this time, that cannot be confirmed.

An autopsy has been performed but police are not releasing Michelle Stewart’s cause of death. Items removed from the home paint a gruesome picture. Until more details are released, we’re left