Absolutely Unforgivable(63)

When she finished touching up my face she started messing with my hair, still sopping wet from my bath. Maybe that was for the best though. Her constant touching was soothing and helped to distract me from the seriousness of all that was going on around me. I think left to my own accord I might have fallen into a full blown panic attack and been completely unable to speak to anyone.

Even with her help, I had a hard time focusing on what the policemen were saying to me. I just kept remembering the man coming towards me. The look in his eyes would no doubt haunt me in my dreams for a long while to come. I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t understand why he came after me.

Vin stood behind me, ever vigilant, with his arms across his bulky chest. Then one of the younger looking police officers came up to me. “Are you Stacy Keller, Superstar?” When he said it the other policemen in the room gave him a look of disdain. You could tell he regretted asking me by the look of embarrassment on his face, but it was too late. It was out there already.

Vin took a step closer to me and in his deep husky voice said, “Not right now, man.”

The police officer took a look at Vin and took a step back. “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe it’s really you. I just saw your superstar video on YouTube this morning. You’re so awesome.”

Something about his adoring fan boy attitude shook me out of my haze. I turned to Vin and put my hand on top of his which was now resting softly on my shoulder. “No it’s okay. Really.” I turned back towards the policeman and smiled.

“Yes. That’s me. Do you want to take a picture or sign something?”

“You sure you don’t mind?” he asked sheepishly while pulling out his cell phone.

“Of course not. As long as you don’t mind how dreadfully horrible I look right now.”

Billy stepped into the kitchen as the officer said, “Are you kidding? You look amazing.”

I walked over and stood in front of Billy as he put his hands around my waist. He bent down and whispered in my ear, “What’s going on?”

“Just taking a few pictures.”

And before Billy could protest several of the police officers pulled out their cell phones and began snapping pictures of Billy and me, while Billy complained. “What the hell, Trista. There is a dead body in the other room and you are in here playing publicist. Are you f*cking kidding me?”

I turned in to face him and put my hand on his chest. “No, Billy, please. This was my idea. Trista had nothing to do with it.” I stood up on my tippy toes and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. When I did you could hear snap, snap, snap in the background as a few more pictures were taken.

Vin stepped in front of us as Billy squeezed me tightly. “Okay, that’s enough of that. She’s been through an ordeal. Let’s give her some space.”

Billy leaned in to me so that he could whisper in my ear, “Can you and Trista try and behave while I finish up in there?” Billy pointed to the officers with clipboards in hand standing in the foyer near the foot of the stairs.

“I promise.”

He kissed my forehead and went to speak to the men while Vin blocked the door with his body, obstructing my view.

I posed for a few more photos with different officers and then sat down at the table and made small talk with Trista and a few of the officers who remained in the kitchen with me. I did my best not to think about what was going on in the other room that Billy and Vin didn’t want me to see. Instead I just tried to focus on what Trista and the others were talking about.

Before long Billy returned and the rest of the officers started to leave the house. When the last police officer had left, I looked down at the clothes I had on. Billy’s silk boxers were comfortable but still I wanted to put on my own clothes. Without thinking I started heading up the stairs. When I hit the top stair Billy cried out. “No, Stacy! Stop!”

I froze in place, unable to move. Pools of blood were at my feet. I couldn't muster the strength to run away or even scream for help. Billy came up behind me pulling me into him, forcing my face into his chest.

“I ... I just ... I didn’t ...It was just ....”

“Sssh. It’s okay. Let’s get out of here,” he said softly as he led me back down the stairs. When we got back downstairs he put his hand on my chin and gently tilted my face up, so that I had to look at him. “What were you thinking going up there?”

Tears were now streaming down my face. “I just wanted to get my own clothes.” I started sobbing uncontrollably and he pulled me into him tightly.