Bachelor Moon (Princess of Darkness)

Walker Sin

Scarlett felt sick as wave after wave of horror washed over her. "I called the sheriff. He should be here soon." She appalled to hear the quiver in her voice.

Jace took her by the arm and led her to a chair, where she sat and fought back tears. "I was going to take out the trash. I'd only take a couple of steps outside when I saw her. "she fought against a shudder than threatened to consume her body.

"Do you know her?" Jace asked.

"Her name is Christina Walker. She's the divorced daughter of the mayor of Bachelor's Moon. I can't imagine who did this or what she was doing on my property." She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to ward off the cold horror that still swept through her.

"Where is everyone else?" Jace sat in the chair next to her and the scent of her clean, crisp cologne swept over here. It was oddly comforting.

"Clark and Jeff went home right after the dinner, and Matt went out. Surely you don't think any of them had anything to do with this?"

"I was just curious who was in the house. It looks like she was moved here after she was killed, and she's been dead for a while."

"I've never seen somebody like that...dead..murdered." Scarlett felt the burn of tears as a vision of Samantha filled her head.

As Jace sat in the chair next to her, she was overwhelmed by myriad emotions. "I'm so sorry that this has happened," she said. "This isn't business as usual for bed and breakfast."

Jace smiled and once again she was struck by her pogandaness (ey🤙🏻). "I didn't think you arranged this scene strictly for your guests' entertainment," she said

"I just can't believe this is happening." She felt sick, as if she'd never be able to dispel the vision of Christina from her brain.

At the moment a knock came from the front door, and Scarlett steeled herself if not only for the investigation to come but also to deal with Sheriff Ken Thompson, who she thought was a cranky incompetent.

She was grateful for Jace's presence just behind her as she opened the door to let Ken inside.

"I hoped this isn't some sort of wild goose chase" he said as he stepped into the foyer.

"I doubt if the dead woman beneath the tree on the side of the house considers this a wild goose chase," Jace irritable replied.

Ken drew himself up to his banty-rooter height and narrowed his eyes. "And you are?"

"I'm a guest here" Jace replied in cold tone.

Ken's grizzly gray eyebrows pulled together in a frown. 'There's going to be hell to pay with the mayor. Point me in the right direction and let's get this investigation underway."

They were all silent as they walked through the kitchen and Scarlett pointed out the door. Jace followed Ken outside while she remained in the kitchen, the horror of the situation back in the center of her brain.

She sat at the table and closed her eyes, but instead of thinking about poor Christina Walker she found her head filled with thoughts of Jace. Maybe because it was easier to think about how hot she was instead of how dead Christina was. She frowned and rubbed the center of her forehead where a headache attempted to blossom.

She got up from the table, moved to the back door and peered out. Jace and Ken stood to one side. Several other deputies had arrived, along with Dr. Earl Stanton, who in addition to his private practice, also worked as the coroner in the area.

"Who could have done something so terrible to her. Certainly, Christina hadn't been particularly well-liked by a lot of the people in town, but she hadn't deserved this." She muttered.