UP IN FLAMES

Vanessa woke up the next morning feeling numb. She knew that it would be hard enough to simply make it through the day. She had in-laws to deal with and a funeral to finalize. The media would need a statement, as well.

She got a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, intent on losing herself in scrolling through her phone.

When Steven and Lois Wesley strolled in a few minutes later, already dressed and looking ready to go, that was exactly what she was doing. With everyone gathered in the kitchen drinking coffee, she knew she should offer to make something for them to eat, but she couldn’t bring herself to do that.

Eyeing her, Anita must have understood. “I’m going to make a doughnut run,” she announced. “I’ll be right back.”

“Get some sausage rolls too,” Steven told her.

Anita nodded as she went out the door. Fifteen minutes later, she returned with a large box of doughnuts. Everyone grabbed one or two and fell to eating them as if they hadn’t eaten for days. Vanessa stayed back and watched, unable to stomach so much sugar right now. The doorbell rang at 9:00 a. m. sharp. Everyone fell silent.

“I’ll get it,” Vanessa said, sidling away.

Anita detached herself from where she’d been leaning against the counter and went after her. “Wait.” she grabbed her arm. “What if it’s the media?”

“Then I’ll tell them no comment. I haven’t had time to work on a statement to give them.”

“Let me handle it,” she urged.

“Not this time.” Pulling herself free, she marched over to the front door.

When she opened it, Christopher’s assistant and campaign manager, Chloe Davis, let out a loud cry and fell into Vanessa’s arms.

“I can’t believe he’s gone,” she wailed. Her red-rimmed eyes and disheveled platinum hair testified to her sorrow. “Oh, Vanessa, honey. I just don’t understand how anyone could do something like this.”

Leading her inside, Vanessa closed the door. “Christopher’s parents are here,” she said quietly, taking both the younger woman’s hands and willing strength into her. “They’re already understandably upset, so please don’t make things worse.”

Her message appeared to get through. Chloe straightened, pulling a tissue from her designer handbag and blotting at her eyes. “Right, right. I’m sorry.” She peered at Vanessa. “How are you holding up?”

“I made most of the funeral arrangements yesterday,” Vanessa replied, circumventing a direct answer. “And last night someone shot out one of my back windows. The police were here at three in the morning. It’s been rough.”

Chloe’s eyes went wide, her false eyelashes giving her an owlish look. “Do you think it might have been Christopher’s murderer? That’s pretty terrifying.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Vanessa tilted her head, considering the younger woman. “What can I do for you, Chloe?”

“Do for me?” Echoing Vanessa’s words, Chloe’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “I came here to see what I might do for you. I know you said you’d already made most of the funeral arrangements, but if you need my help coordinating anything, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you.” Thinking back to all the decisions Jeremy Blackenstock had said she’d need to make, Vanessa nodded. “I’m probably going to take you up on that.”

“Sounds perfect.” Sniffing, Chloe wiped at her still-streaming eyes. When she caught sight of Anita, she looked her up and down slowly. “Well, hello there.” she said.

With a bored expression, Anita nodded. “Hello.”

“This is Anita,” Vanessa said. “Anita , this is Chloe, Christopher’s assistant and campaign manager.”

She dipped his chin in acknowledgment. Chloe turned back to Vanessa. “Vanessa, honey? Do you mind if I say hello to Steven and Lois? It’s been a little bit since I’ve seen them, though I talk to them several times a week.”

She did? Keeping that thought to herself, Vanessa gestured at Chloe to follow her as she led the way to the kitchen. Chloe patted down her hair, smoothed her pencil skirt and pasted a sympathetic smile on her face.

The instant Lois caught sight of her son’s assistant, she leaped to her feet and held out her arms. “Chloe.”

Hugging, the two women wept, exchanging mostly incoherent phrases about their mutual loss. Vanessa looked on, a bit shocked. She’d had no idea Chloe and Christopher’s mom had been so close. Judging from Anita’s expression, she felt the same way.

Even Steven’s gaze lit up when he spied Chloe, though he waited patiently for Lois to finish hugging her before he held out his arms. Chloe embraced him too. They clung to each other and Steven cried for the first time since arriving, wiping his streaming eyes almost angrily.

Heaven help her. Vanessa tried to ignore the twinge of jealous discomfort, but she was only human. Chloe had worked for Christopher long before he’d met Vanessa, and of course she’d gotten to know his parents. Clearly, they’d become close. Which might be exactly what they needed, even if it seemed odd that they were closer to Christopher’s assistant than his wife. She couldn’t begrudge them whatever comfort they could get, no matter where they found it.

But Lois’s next question made any sympathy Vanessa might have felt vanish.

“Chloe, do you know where Christopher kept his will? I’d like to take a look at it.”

Even Chloe appeared taken aback by the question. “I’m just now starting to go through his papers,” she replied. “Once I find the will, I’ll be contacting the executor to meet with the attorney and get the probate process started.”

Lois nodded, but she wasn’t finished. “But you’ll let me see it first, right?”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

“I’m sorry.” Chloe seemed to choose her words carefully. “But I have strict instructions and I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Though Lois grimaced in disappointment, she didn’t challenge the statement. “Can you at least tell me who is the executor?” she asked.

“I’m not sure.” A hint of firmness had crept into Chloe’s voice now. “I haven’t actually seen the will yet. I know he revised it after his marriage.” She nodded toward Vanessa . “I’m not privy to the details beyond that.”

Neither Steven nor Lois bothered to hide their obvious disappointment. Vanessa wondered if they somehow honestly thought Christopher had left her out of his will..