Read Online The Lake House Secret, A Romantic Suspense Novel (A Jenessa Jones Mystery) by Debra Burroughs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debra Burroughs
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“I’m not going to kill our baby because it’s the easiest thing to do,” she snapped.
“Then have the thing and put it up for adoption,” he shot back. “Keeping it will only ruin our lives.”
“The thing?” she questioned, her eyes growing wide with anger.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He shook his head and dropped his chin with exasperation. Then his gaze met hers again and he took her by the arm. “Whether it’s a boy or a girl doesn’t matter, it’s just a little blob right now, so get rid of it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Logan. It’s not a blob, it’s a baby—our baby.” She yanked away from his grip. She could no longer hold back the tears and they spilled down her cheeks.
As much as either of them hated the thought of telling their folks, they agreed they had to. Their parents were friends, sort of. Actually, Logan’s father was her dad’s biggest client and they traveled in some of the same social circles.
Fearful and nervous, Jenessa and Logan gathered their parents together in one room, at the Alexanders’ palatial home, and broke the news to all of them at once. Logan’s father and stepmother were furious, Jenessa’s parents were mortified.
Not that any of the adults asked the teenagers’ opinions, but Jenessa made it clear she wanted to keep the baby and suggested they get married. Logan said he wanted her to have an abortion so they could both get on with their lives. In the end, the parents decided it would be best if Jenessa went to live outside of Hidden Valley, have the baby, and put it up for adoption.
It was easier for them to call the baby it so there would be no emotional attachment, they claimed. But no matter what they called her baby, Jenessa knew she would forever have an emotional attachment to the child.
That night, Grey Alexander had offered to pay all of Jenessa’s medical expenses. There was something powerful and dark in the man’s eyes that always made her uncomfortable in his presence, but this particular night it was exponentially worse. Something in her heart told her maybe it was a good thing she wasn’t going to be part of his family.
Her father had stood up to Mr. Alexander and insisted on paying his half, fulfilling his paternal obligation. They were both at fault, he had reasoned, Jenessa and Logan, and the financial burden should be shared equally.
So the final decision was made. For the sake of all concerned, the parents had said, Jenessa would be sent to her grandmother’s home in Santa Rosa until the baby was born and given up for adoption, and Logan would go off to college to play football, as planned.
From that day on, Jenessa’s father never treated her the same.
~*~
The drive home from the crime scene at Jonas Lake was a blur. Before she realized it, Jenessa found herself pulling into the driveway of her parents’ home. She went inside and changed into shorts and a tank top, excited to get started writing her story.
She phoned her boss and told him what she had so far, that she hoped to hear from the detective as to how long the bones had been there, and confirmation that it was a woman’s skeleton.
“I was able to snap a few photos, so I’ll look through them and see if there’s anything we can print,” she said.
He asked her to give him all she had so far and he’d run it in the morning newspaper. “The television news will probably be reporting on it tonight, but the article should give a more in-depth story.”
“I didn’t see any TV news crews there when I left,” she reported, “but it would take them at least a couple of hours to drive there from Sacramento or Fresno.”
“True.”
“They may not even think it’s a big enough story to run with, compared to the expense of sending a crew.”
“I hope you’re right, Jenessa. I’d like the paper to get the scoop on a news story for a change.”
“If the remains turn out to be those of a celebrity or linked to someone important, I’m sure
“Then have the thing and put it up for adoption,” he shot back. “Keeping it will only ruin our lives.”
“The thing?” she questioned, her eyes growing wide with anger.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He shook his head and dropped his chin with exasperation. Then his gaze met hers again and he took her by the arm. “Whether it’s a boy or a girl doesn’t matter, it’s just a little blob right now, so get rid of it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Logan. It’s not a blob, it’s a baby—our baby.” She yanked away from his grip. She could no longer hold back the tears and they spilled down her cheeks.
As much as either of them hated the thought of telling their folks, they agreed they had to. Their parents were friends, sort of. Actually, Logan’s father was her dad’s biggest client and they traveled in some of the same social circles.
Fearful and nervous, Jenessa and Logan gathered their parents together in one room, at the Alexanders’ palatial home, and broke the news to all of them at once. Logan’s father and stepmother were furious, Jenessa’s parents were mortified.
Not that any of the adults asked the teenagers’ opinions, but Jenessa made it clear she wanted to keep the baby and suggested they get married. Logan said he wanted her to have an abortion so they could both get on with their lives. In the end, the parents decided it would be best if Jenessa went to live outside of Hidden Valley, have the baby, and put it up for adoption.
It was easier for them to call the baby it so there would be no emotional attachment, they claimed. But no matter what they called her baby, Jenessa knew she would forever have an emotional attachment to the child.
That night, Grey Alexander had offered to pay all of Jenessa’s medical expenses. There was something powerful and dark in the man’s eyes that always made her uncomfortable in his presence, but this particular night it was exponentially worse. Something in her heart told her maybe it was a good thing she wasn’t going to be part of his family.
Her father had stood up to Mr. Alexander and insisted on paying his half, fulfilling his paternal obligation. They were both at fault, he had reasoned, Jenessa and Logan, and the financial burden should be shared equally.
So the final decision was made. For the sake of all concerned, the parents had said, Jenessa would be sent to her grandmother’s home in Santa Rosa until the baby was born and given up for adoption, and Logan would go off to college to play football, as planned.
From that day on, Jenessa’s father never treated her the same.
~*~
The drive home from the crime scene at Jonas Lake was a blur. Before she realized it, Jenessa found herself pulling into the driveway of her parents’ home. She went inside and changed into shorts and a tank top, excited to get started writing her story.
She phoned her boss and told him what she had so far, that she hoped to hear from the detective as to how long the bones had been there, and confirmation that it was a woman’s skeleton.
“I was able to snap a few photos, so I’ll look through them and see if there’s anything we can print,” she said.
He asked her to give him all she had so far and he’d run it in the morning newspaper. “The television news will probably be reporting on it tonight, but the article should give a more in-depth story.”
“I didn’t see any TV news crews there when I left,” she reported, “but it would take them at least a couple of hours to drive there from Sacramento or Fresno.”
“True.”
“They may not even think it’s a big enough story to run with, compared to the expense of sending a crew.”
“I hope you’re right, Jenessa. I’d like the paper to get the scoop on a news story for a change.”
“If the remains turn out to be those of a celebrity or linked to someone important, I’m sure
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