JEALOUSY IN DEATH

18.

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18. Desiree

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Desiree couldn't hold her smile as Lucas walked out of the door. She felt drunk, and her head was still a bit woozy. Who would have thought he could kiss that expertly? It had been so unexpected, but when he'd pulled her closer to him looking like he could make her climax in minutes, she'd parted her lips in anticipation and he didn't disappoint.

She licked her lips as she wore the glasses he'd left on the counter. His kiss was better than her wildest imagination and the parting words before he left to work made it all real. He didn't regret it and judging by his expression, he liked it as much as she did.

I just kissed my boss, her mind screamed repeated. Hopefully, there'd be no more coldness from him. The ice didn't thaw gradually, it melted completely and she was eagerly looking forward to their time together. She did the chores in a breeze and went to the guest house to relax.

Desiree was still high off the kiss hours later when she went to the main house to get the car key. Lucas had called to remind her to get Bobo from school. She got the key from the living room and stopped at the kitchen to drink water. As she turned from the water dispenser, the kitchen became clouded with smoke and her eyes immediately started to water. Desiree dropped the tumbler in her hand and moved closer to the cooker to check if it was emitting smoke, she found the knobs off. The smoke cleared as she looked away from the cooker and she stood still in confusion. Her mind went back to the night she woke suddenly to see smoke in her room. She knew something was off but she couldn't place it.

Desiree checked the cooker about five times. Everything was intact meaning the smoke didn't come from there. She rubbed her arms and realized she was cold. She'd been so disturbed by the smoke that she didn't notice the temperature in the room had dropped.

"What's happening?" she said under her breath.

How was she to explain to Lucas that she saw smoke and smelt it but couldn't tell where it was coming from? How was she to explain the sudden drop in temperature? She was suddenly wary and uncertain. There had to be a technical malfunction in the main house and the guest house. How else could she explain the strange occurrence?

Desiree shook herself and went to the sink to get the car key but it wasn't where she'd dropped it. She searched the counter and the cooker, even searched under the sink but the key wasn't in any of those places. Desiree went back to the living room and looked at the center table then sofas but the key had mysteriously gone missing.

She started to sweat as she walked back to the kitchen. She checked the time and saw that she was running late, Bobo would be out of his class waiting for her. She got restless as she looked for the key everywhere. When she couldn't find it, she started worrying about what Lucas would think.

Desiree sat on the stool and tried to calm herself so she could retrace her steps.

"I came in, took the key and came to the kitchen for water. I went to the dispenser and dropped the key by the sink then I smelt smoke. I went to investigate and saw the cooker wasn't on then the smoke somehow cleared. I went back to the sink and couldn't find the key," she spoke as she envisioned herself moving around the house.

She decided to do a second search and moved round the kitchen but she turned up empty.

"It was right there, I left it there," she said repeatedly.

She took her phone and dialed Lucas' number.

"Hey," he answered and she could hear his smile.

"Lucas, I'm so sorry to disturb you but I can't find the car key. I dropped it on the sink and it just disappeared."

"Are you saying you've not gotten Bobo back from school?"

She swallowed. "Yes."

"You left my son waiting for one hour, why didn't you call me immediately the key went missing?"

"I was trying to find it."

Lucas ended the call without replying her and Desiree waited for him to call back. She stood aimlessly in the kitchen until she heard the gate open. She was still in the kitchen when Bobo walked in and he rushed to hug her immediately he spotted her.

"How was school today?"

"Fine. Why didn't you come to pick me?"

"I couldn't find the car key."

"I could help you find it."

"After you take off you uniform."

"Okay."

She watched him leave the kitchen to the stairs and turned to Lucas who was back to his grumpy old self. He was making sandwich by the counter and was doing a good job of ignoring her whole existence.

"Lucas?"

Lucas turned to her and dropped the butter knife he was holding. "Just one kiss and you're already slacking. I think we should maintain a strictly professional relationship moving forward."

Desiree nodded without trying to explain herself. He wouldn't understand, she couldn't even explain how the key disappeared without sounding stupid.

"Great. When last did you see the key?" he asked and when he saw her looking confused he further explained. "We still have to find it you know."

"Yes, I know. I dropped it beside the sink and got water from the dispenser then I smelt smoke..."

"You smelt smoke?"

She bit her lips as she realized how ridiculous the story sounded already. "I dropped it by the sink and couldn't find it when I--"

Bobo rushed into the kitchen waving the key. "I found it, I found it," he sang.

The look on Lucas' face as he looked at her had her tugging at her earlobe.

"Where did you find the key, Bobo?" Lucas asked.

"The bowl on the center table."

"Thanks. Go back upstairs."

"But I want to play with Dee."

"Can you help me with my wrist watch? It's on my bed."

"Okay, dad." He ran out of the kitchen eager to obey his dad.

"You were saying?"

Desiree's palms sweated as she tried to make sense of the situation. She'd searched everywhere for the key and Bobo had found it in its rightful position. The key couldn't have placed itself there, someone did and the someone wasn't her. She'd been all alone in the house so who could have taken the key? Lucas was still looking at her waiting for an answer as her brain worked several possibilities.

"I know I didn't put it there. I dropped it by the sink and searched everywhere when I couldn't find it."

"You don't have to keep lying. I get it, you weren't in the mood to pick him up from school or you probably forgot."

"I didn't forget."

Lucas' face said it all. He still thought she was lying and she sighed in frustration.

"You don't believe me, fine. But I didn't put it there."

"You have the nerve to get upset after not only lying but also failing to get my son from school. I could easily fire you for this nonsense."

Desiree wanted to reply him so badly but she didn't want to be fired without the possibility of a recommendation letter again.

"That's what I thought," Lucas said when she remained silent.

"Excuse me." Desiree walked away and went to her side of the house.

She heard a knock as she sat in the living room staring at nothing, when she went to the door, she saw Bobo holding his bag of toys.

"Will you play with me?" he asked.

"Sure." Desiree wasn't in the mood for company but she couldn't turn him away.

Bobo entered the small house and scattered his toys on the living room floor, ready to wreak havoc on her clean space.

"Are you fighting with my dad?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you two yelling."

"We weren't yelling, you were eavesdropping."

Bobo shrugged and continued arranging his toys. She let him be and got a novel from the bedroom to read. When Lucas came to get Bobo for dinner, Desiree waited behind. She knew it was childish to be sulking but she wasn't in the mood for chit chat, so she told Lucas she wasn't feeling well. Of course he knew she was fine but he had to keep the charade in front of Bobo.

Lucas came knocking as she was getting dressed for bed. He had a bowl in his hands and he passed it to her as she opened the door.

"In case you're hungry."

"Thanks, goodnight." Desiree took the bowl and closed the door.

She went to the kitchen and dumped the bowl on the counter then went to bed hungry and angry.