Read Online Sticks and Stones by Kerrie Dubrock - Free Book Online Page A

she glanced up at him, her lips
thinned in determination. “Grace’s pain will be erased.”
     
    *        *        *
     
              Grace thrashed
around the bed causing Chewy to jump to the floor. When she finally awoke she
brushed the hair from her face with a shaky hand. “Ben’s in trouble,” she
whispered.
     
    *        *        *
              Janice was in
her office when Ben entered the kitchen. He wanted to confront her last night
about the weird shit in her room, but needed to talk to Grace first. He closed
his eyes and moaned. He was suave in the courtroom and could easily sway a
jury. Grace, not so much.
              After speaking
with Max the day before, he told him to continue as if everything was status
quo, to not give Janice any reason to worry. Max never liked the condescending
bitch and was only too happy to represent Ben in his divorce case.
              “Hon? I’m
leaving for work now,” Ben said cheerily, through clenched teeth.
              “Whatever,” she
hissed from behind the office door.
              Ben’s face
snarled at her reply, but he closed the front door gently when he left. No need
to give her fodder.
              Janice watched
as he backed the BMW from driveway. He was working her last nerve! And once she
had Grace’s clients in her back pocket, she’d divorce him and take every last
cent that he owned.
              She tugged on
her ponytail and cackled. Life was good.
     
    *        *        *
              Grace bit her
lip while she pressed several numbers into her phone.
              “Hello?”
              “Ben, we need
to talk.”
     
    *        *        *
              It was a lovely
day in the city of Chicago. Would’ve been lovlier if Blake wasn’t such an
asshat and gave him Grace’s phone number.
              So, the only
thing to do was to drive to her home to see how she was feeling. Right?
     
    *        *        *
              Graced hobbled
to the door. But before opening it, she checked her image in the antique mirror
that hung on the foyer wall. After smoothing a few wayward strands she opened
the door.
              “Ben thanks for
coming,” she murmured. “Please, come in.”
              He nodded; glad
she wanted to see him. “Grace, I don’t know where to begin,” he stammered.
              Chewy flew down
the stairs and hissed when she saw Ben.
              Ben snorted,
“Nice to see you, too, Chewy.”
              Grace led him
to the couch and sat. Chewy leapt onto the back of the couch and kept her eyes
on Ben. He sat a comfortable distance away. “Ben,” she began. “What’s happened
is in the past. We can’t change that, but something is very wrong.”
              He nodded in
agreement. “I made a huge mistake Gracie, but I’m going to fix it. I’ve retained
Max to represent me in my divorce.”
              Grace’s eyes
widened. “Divorce? You just married her!”
              “I know, but
everything about our relationship is wrong!” He rubbed the back of his neck and
paced in the small living room. “I don’t think she’s what she appears.”
              Grace swallowed
hard, nodding. “I don’t think so either. Last night I dreamt she was practicing
black magic.” She shook her head. “Look, as much as you think my beliefs are
odd, you have to trust me and let me help you.”
              He sat next to
her and pulled his phone from his pocket. “I took pictures of her office
yesterday when she was gone. For fuck’s sake Gracie, she has clippings of my
hair and nails! What the fuck does that mean?”
              She gaped at
the photos and frowned. “When did she take an interest in the occult?”
              Ben shrugged,
“I have no