OSCAR WINNING DIRECTOR FOUND DEAD AT HIS PENTHOUSE HOME.
“Hell yeah!” Kent shouts jumping up and rushing toward me. He yanks me out of Keanu’s lap, lifting me and swinging me around. “The monster is dead. Now, it’s truly time to celebrate.”
“Put my wife down,” Keanu says, getting up and taking me from Kent’s exuberant arms. “What’s going on?” he asks, pinning that question on his FBI brother, as he pulls me into his chest.
“I’m going in,” Keven says. “I’ll find out more. Until I have official confirmation, don’t go anywhere and make sure the security detail has eyes on you and Selena at all times.”
“Go,” Paul says, approaching Keven. “We’ve got this.”
“I want hourly check-ins,” Keven says.
“You got it.”
“I’ll call you later,” Keven says to Keanu, placing his hand on my shoulder and squeezing it gently.
“Thanks, Kev.” Keanu clamps his hand on Keven’s shoulder. “We owe you so much.”
Keven leaves the room, and Keanu tips my head back with his finger. “You okay, babe?”
“I’m a bit…shell-shocked,” I admit. “What do you think happened?”
“He was a pedophile, and I’m betting he had plenty of enemies, so who knows,” he says, bending down to kiss my mouth. “Try to put it out of your mind. Keven will find out the truth, and then, we can deal.”
* * *
SSA Clement callsus into his office the following day to give us the good news in person. Clive Lawrence is dead in an apparent suicide. The motive is unclear, but CSI technicians and FBI agents are crawling all over his home, and another few teams have been sent to examine the other five properties he has in the US and two homes overseas. The SSA is hopeful they will find some damning evidence they can use to haul some of his known associates in.
But the main point is I’m safe. The threat is over, and we can start living our lives.
The FBI pulls their protection from me, and Keanu cuts the private security detail back to two men. I don’t argue with him. The truth is, it will take me a while to stop looking over my shoulder, and it gives me peace of mind knowing Paul and Ray are shadowing me whenever I leave the condo.
We don’t return to Greece, and Keanu sends someone to pack and ship the things we left behind. I’m sad not to return to the little island we both grew to love, but I’m glad to be back at home. Resuming normal life.
Over the next couple weeks, I start my EMDR therapy. We’d had to postpone it when we left for Greece because the hypnosis therapist explained I’d need to attend sessions two to three times a week for five to six weeks. I’ve had four sessions so far, and it’s going unbelievably well. I’m almost kicking myself that I didn’t explore this years ago except I’ve chosen to not live with regrets anymore.
I spoke to Keanu, and we gave permission to Keven to sit in on the sessions after my first one, because I unlocked lots of memories, and this new intel is proving invaluable to the FBI. They have some strong, fresh leads for the first time in years, and Keven says they are close to cracking Allen’s sex-trafficking-ring wide-open.
Unfortunately, someone has been leaking stuff to the media, and it’s come out about Lawrence’s disgusting past. His show has been canceled amid all the controversy, which shows no sign of dying down.
Lots of stories are doing the rounds.
Including how it connects to me.
Which is why I’m currently locked in what is proving to be our first argument as a married couple.
“Let them speculate,” Keanu says, slamming his mug down on the countertop.
“That will only mean more intrusion,” I protest, reaching across the counter to take his hand. “Those reporters camped outside here will mushroom in the coming days. They’re not going away unless I make them. Telling my side of the story removes the speculation. Removes the power from them and puts me firmly in the driver’s seat.”
“Let’s put an offer in on that house we saw yesterday,” Keanu says, slanting determined eyes at me.
“We already agreed it wasn’t the right house for us.”
We’ve been house hunting since we returned, both of us eager to start married life in our own place. Even though I’ve grown close to Kent and Iwillmiss him.
“It has high walls, a gated entrance, long driveway, and it’s in an enclosed estate, which means it offers us protection from the vultures outside. We can buy it now, and when all this dies down, we’ll sell it and find our dream home.”
I let go of his hand to massage my throbbing temples. “I know you only want to protect me and that you don’t want the population at large to know what I’ve gone through, but this is my life, Keanu.” I slap a hand over my chest. “My story to tell. And I’m not ashamed anymore. I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m in a good place in my life. A place where I can talk about this and I won’t fall apart.”
