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CHAPTER12
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Bridgette, the Davis’ nanny of a few years danced around her room behind closed doors with a secret little smile on her face. After holding out all this time she finally saw her chance. She knew if she played her cards right she could very well become mistress of the house where she’d been nothing more than a servant until now.
She stopped in front of the mirror long enough to admire her youthful beauty. A beauty she was sure could capture the heart of her boss now that his wife was out of the way. She pressed her hands against the sides of her breasts and leaned forward to peer down at her cleavage in the mirror.
She was young and firm, with a supple body that was in much better shape than the other woman’s she was sure, since the late Mrs. Davis had given birth to three children. Although the woman had kept herself in shape when she was alive, there’s no way her old used up body could hold up next to hers.
She had no real feelings about the death of Sonya Davis one-way or the other. No that’s not true, she was glad the woman was finally out of the way since she’d exhausted all her efforts in her bid to get Mr. Davis to notice her. While his wife had been alive she, Bridgette, had been nothing more than a passing thought to him.
But here in the last few days she’d noticed a change in his behavior towards her. She’d played up her care and love for the kids every chance she got when in his presence and it seemed to be working.
She’d correctly deduced that his every thought would be for his children at a time like this and was using that to finagle her way into his heart. She had no qualms about using her charges in this way either. Why should she?
She’d grown up in poverty, watching as others enjoyed the finer things in life. Girls who didn’t possess half her beauty or wit, who were always above her because of their family name and wealth. She’d always been relegated to the background, her beauty being a blessing and a curse because of the hate and jealousy she’d garnered since she became a budding young woman.
Once she’d learned what her beauty stood to gain her she’d made up her mind that she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life the same way she had at birth. There wasn’t much pickings back in her hometown in Ireland so she’d set her sights on distant waters.
Her only purpose in coming here to America was to make her fortune like so many others had done before her. And now, with the untimely death of the mistress of the house, she couldn’t ask for a better chance than this.
Niall had been so in love with his wife when she first came here that she’d almost lost hope. But then there was a period of time almost a year and a half ago when things hadn’t been so good between them. She’d tried then to make her move, but before she knew it things seemed to shift again.
They’d both been acting strange for the better part of a year now and she’d been inclined to believe Mrs. Davis at least had been having an affair. Niall had gone strange as well, keeping odd hours, leaving the house in a haste and always on his phone when he never used to be when he was at home with his family.
It seemed that as soon as Mr. Niall left the house his wife was never too far behind and vice versa and she once again seen her chances fading away. She’d even given thought to leaving and trying her luck elsewhere, but the family was sponsoring her residency and it would’ve made for a sticky situation for herself; something she always avoids at all cost.
But now with Mrs. Davis finally out of the way she wasn’t about to let this chance pass her by. She had no doubt that after a respectable period of time had gone by the vultures would start to swarm. All those unmarried women from moneyed families, or those widows of old friends and who knows what else would come calling.
She wasn’t about to let anyone else take what should be rightfully hers. She’d raised his children after all, these last four years or so, and why shouldn’t she have the life she’d always dreamed of? How were any of those women more deserving than she?
She’d stood at the top of the stairs and listened in when the cops were here earlier. She could read between the lines with the best of them and knew from what little she’d overheard that the cops were leaning towards Mrs. Davis having had an affair, which might have lead to her being murdered.
Now that they’d planted the seed all she need do was give him a little push. It’s no surprise to her that the slut had been cheating. Anyone with eyes could see what was going on. All the secret goings and comings behind her husband’s back. The phone calls at all hours of the day that would send her rushing from the house. And she was sure that she’d smelled sex on the other woman more than once after one of those escapes from the house in the middle of the day.
Yes, all it would take is a few well-placed words at the right time and she’d soon have his grief turned into hate. And since she’d be the one to open his eyes, wouldn’t her turn to her in gratitude? Her spirits rose with her thoughts and she giggled at her reflection.
Now there was only one thing standing in her way. She’d not missed the looks Nettie have been giving her in the past and knew the other woman would not approve, so it was up to her to find a way to get rid of her next.
She stood in the mirror fixing her blouse, pulling it farther down off her shoulders so that more of her cleavage showed. Not too much, she didn’t want to give herself away too soon. He was still deeply grieving after all. But she knew better than most that grief can lead to many things, good things.
Nettie had already retired to her rooms over the garage and would be out of the way until tomorrow morning and the kids were already in bed. She’d had the foresight to take precautions that would ensure they didn’t wake up in the middle of the night like they had the night before by adding a little something to their juice at dinner. That meant it was just her and Niall alone in the house for the rest of the long night.
She took one last look in the mirror, and spritzed herself with some of her favorite perfume before heading out of the room. She had to make the run-in they were about to have seem casual so she didn’t rush her steps.
She was halfway down the stairs when she heard the doorbell ring. She hurried back up again in frustration but didn’t go far. Standing on the landing just out of sight of anyone she cupped her hand behind her ear to listen. She heard the detective’s voice and held her breath so that she could better hear.
* * *
Detective Sparks had gone backto the station with the new evidence which she’d asked to be rushed. She knew it would take at least a couple of weeks to get any DNA results back from the cigarettes and she was hoping the blanket would give them something as well.
In the meantime she wasn’t about to sit at her desk twiddling her thumbs though. With the new evidence and the statements from the widows Connors and Ivory she needed to get the ball rolling. “We’re going back to Niall Davis.”
“He’s going to complain to the mayor again.”
“Let him!” She was always amazed at how afraid her subordinates and others were at just the mention of the mayor’s name. Where she came from people weren’t so deferential to their local politicians; at least not on the surface.
The two of them went over the new evidence and their hopes that it would lead them somewhere. They were both tentatively crossing their fingers that this would be the boost they so badly needed to hold on to their case.
