Discovery Pt. 1

Monacco Desert Cottage - Vista Hills

Nico scowled at the bright daylight flooding in through the window in the stairwell as he retreated from Isabella's bedroom. So much for his plans to leave the house undetected; hopefully it was still early enough for him to avoid the paparazzi that still showed up around the neighborhood despite the fact that it was gated. It didn't matter though, in a few days everything would be set and they could leave this mess behind them. The only question was would she be able to hang on for that long.  He heard her soft footsteps slide across the tiles and fall in tandem behind his as they made their way to the front door.  

Gravity

Monacco Desert Cottage – Vista Hills

If she had been asleep, the bright morning sun gleaming through her windows would have easily woken her up, but she hadn’t closed her eyes, even for a moment, all night long. Worry and uncertainty, along with the nagging sense that he might disappear if she blinked, had kept her company instead, while she rotated between watching Nico sleep and pacing.  She hadn’t gotten any closer to an answer to the question that had run circles in her mind: what happens now?

Uninvited

Monacco Desert Cottage - 10:00pm

Isabella had registered the streetlights whizzing by and the shadows of the giant red rocks, off in the distance, that seemed to move past in slow motion by comparison. She had watched the dust clouds kick up on the side of the car as the gritty desert floor encroached on the asphalt the further away they went from the city. She had even gone crossed eyed a few times trying to count the white dotted lines in the middle of the road; any and every distraction was welcome if it meant stopping the horrifying movie playing in her mind.

Scene of the Crime

Monacco Mansion - Vista Glenn, Las Vistas

“Make a right at the next street and then it’s the fourth house on the left,” Isabella instructed.  Blake did as he was told keeping one eye on the road and the other on her, giving special attention to her left knee, which hadn’t stopped shaking since they got into the car.  The closer they got to their destination the more it shook and he began to wonder if he should worry about her stomping a hole in the floor.  It finally came to a halt when he stopped his SUV at the front gate of a structure that looked more like a hotel than a house for any one family. She took and audible breath and pressed a few buttons on a small remote control that she’d fished out of her purse and the large iron gates creaked open allowing him to pull through into the concourse.  Before he could turn off the engine, she hopped out and began charging towards the house. 

Aftermath

Monacco Desert Cottage - Vista Hills

The garbled ring of the telephone echoed through the water as Isabella held her breath under the dissipating bubbles that floated on top: more reporters calling for more statements.  Didn't’ they understand that there wasn’t anything left to say? She was tired of talking about it to the police, to the press, to Lexie. All she wanted to do was forget but with the visions that had been on a continuous loop in her mind, that proved impossible. Whenever she let her thoughts wander all she could see was that big black car coming at her, closer and closer, her heart dropping into her stomach, her feet pinned to the ground, her legs unable to move, and then the suddenness of Blake’s body rushing against hers, dragging her to ground and out of the way just in time.