My shelter from the storm

Chapter 3

Anita

Little did Joe know, I moved the contents of my father's safe. The combination to the safe had been my parents wedding anniversary. I head back down to the basement where I had asked Raven's parents to put in a hidden safe in the wall.

I frantically open the safe and take out the entire contents my father kept. Knowing what I was looking for and gathered the information needed, putting the rest back along with the USB that held millions of dollars of my father's work.

I call the detective handling my family's murders. She was a friend of my mother and also skeptical about Joe. Though she's only five years older than me, her mother was friends with mine. When her mother passed away, my mother was the person she turned to for motherly advice.

"Lexi, it's Anita," I choke quietly.

"Everything okay, you sound like you've been crying," she says with concern.

"I discovered something that you need to see. Can you meet me at the neighbors house from my parents house? It's urgent," I say with a wavering tone as nausea hits me.

"I'm on my way," she says softly and moments later I hear knocking on her end of the phone. "Captain, I have new information for that case I started five years ago. I have Anita on the phone now... Thank you Sir."

"Lexi, make sure Joe is at the restaurant before you come here, I'll explain when you get here," I choke quietly, trying to breathe past the nausea.

"Sure and are you okay? You sound out of breath... Are you calling me while Raven is...," she asks in fake disgust.

Before I could respond I had to bolt for the bathroom and get sick. When I finish, I realize Lexi is still on the line, calling for me. I pick up my phone with shaky hands and hear her let out a relieved sigh. "Jesus Anita, if I had to take a guess I'd say you're pregnant or have a hangover at two in the afternoon."

Panic rises and I freak out on the phone, "Lexi, please don't tell anyone. Please?"

"I promise," she coos over the phone.

I shutter a relieved breath and thank her before ending the call. I look up to the doorway and Raven was there with concern in her eyes. She offered me her hand and I take it. She helps me get to my feet and gives me a distracting kiss.

"My mother made you some tea," she says softly, wiping my eyes.

I nod lightly and let her lead me back upstairs. She grabs the files I took from the safe, but doesn't question anything. That's what I love about her. She waits for me to talk when I'm ready. I sit quietly at the table and wrap my hands around the mug of tea.

I guess I spaced out or something because I jump when someone touches my shoulder, making me nearly spill my tea. "It's me," Lexi says in a soothing tone and I notice that Raven and her parents were sitting with worried looks on their faces.

"Where's Amelia," I ask in a panic, moving to get up.

Lexi gently pushes me back in my seat and says, "She's watching a movie in the basement."

I rub my hands nervously on my thighs and ouch she stack of files in front of Lexi. "Proof that Joe is behind everything five years ago," I choke in a scared whisper.

Her eyes widen and starts reading everything. "Shit," she says quietly.

"He knows as long as me or Amelia are alive, he gets nothing. If he finds out I'm pregnant he's going to repeat history. This time he'll target Raven and her parents. I altered Dad's will and added them to it in case something happens to us," I choke quietly and Raven moves next to me.