Chapter Thirteen #2
But Kenneth wondered about his own peace of mind while still among the living.
Would the detective continue to hound him, hoping to pin two deaths on him while tarnishing the intent and reputation of the Braison Family?
Or would the investigation veer off in a different direction and Campbell, along with the meddlesome yoga instructor he was bedding, Stefanie Nguyen, leave well enough alone?
So they could finally go about their business and mission as a family without further interference.
Juan interrupted his thoughts by asking scornfully, “So, do you think the detective is going to lay off us?”
“Only when he has good reason to look elsewhere,” Kenneth answered truthfully, rolling his long fingers through this hair.
“But he doesn’t have nearly enough smoke to start a fire.
Otherwise, Campbell would be making arrests.
He’s got nothing…” Or at least not enough substance that Kenneth felt would ultimately hit the mark.
“Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing,” Juan muttered, scratching his head. “They’re looking for scapegoats within the Family—instead of going after outsiders who hate us and must have targeted Jasmine and Mia to make examples out of us.”
“Perhaps…” Kenneth set his jaw. “Gather everyone to meet in front of my house. I need to share with them the unsettling news of Jasmine’s untimely death.
More than that, though—after what’s happened to her and Mia, I think we may need to put more restrictions on coming and going…
And maybe even start instituting drug testing to keep members of the Family from both danger and succumbing to some of the evils of society—”
“I agree.” Juan nodded. “I’ll get on it.”
“Good.” Kenneth patted the shoulder of his most loyal follower, with Siobhan, his current bedmate, a close second. He would need them both while navigating troubled waters in the riverscape.
* * *
THAT AFTERNOON, STEFANIE sat in a booth with Bella at the Reston Hills River Pub on Third Street, as they sipped on mojitos.
“It sucks,” Stefanie admitted, laying her sorrows out, not wanting to hold them in with the tragedy of Jasmine’s death weighing on her.
“I know.” Bella grimaced. “Especially since it seemed like Jasmine had something on her mind when she agreed to meet with you and Campbell. Someone must have wanted to prevent that meeting from ever taking place…”
“Right?” Stefanie sighed. “She was suspicious about Kenneth Braison—if not the entire Braison Family. Yet Jasmine was either too afraid or too brainwashed in the cult to break away altogether.” Stefanie took a drink.
“Isn’t that how it goes with these cults?
” Bella pointed out. “They say all the right things to rope you in—perhaps convince you to give up your life savings and self-respect—then mess up your mind so you lose sight of what’s right and what’s wrong.
If Jasmine—and maybe Mia as well—had decided they had enough of the Braison Family, that might have been the catalyst for Kenneth going after them.
If it turns out that Jasmine, like Mia, died from a drug overdose, this will prove my point. ”
“Mine, too,” Stefanie concurred, thinking about the conditions of which both died.
“Both were without clothing, as if to make some type of morbid statement from their deaths to anyone else who would dare go against the cult…” Would Campbell reach the same conclusion?
Or was there more to the story of the disturbing victimization than met the eye?
Bella tasted her cocktail and commented, “It is a bit bizarre… Just like it was when Lynda Boxleitner was found dead in a similar fashion on Founder’s Day twenty years ago.
It rocked the community and had people whispering and pointing fingers at the Braison Family.
And even though Wendell Braison managed to avoid prosecution for the homicide, many people—including Mason Sawyer—never believed him to be innocent.
The same may be true for his son, Kenneth Braison, who’s fiercely protective of the Braison Family brand, whatever that entailed.
The apple never falls too far from the tree, as the saying goes… ”
“That’s what they say,” Stefanie agreed, though she was striving to keep an open mind as more details unfolded regarding Jasmine’s death. “We’ll just have to see what the investigation uncovers and just how deep within the Braison Family this could go—if anywhere at all.”
Bella nodded. “I’m sure that Campbell and the entire police department are committed to doing their job and reaching the proper conclusions—whatever they happen to be and however long it takes—while giving the citizens of Reston Hills some much needed resolution to this unwelcome drama that they can live with. ”
“You’re right about that,” Stefanie said, offering her a smile of mutual support. “I need to take a step back and give Campbell the space he needs to figure this out.”
“Probably a good idea.” Bella held her hand. “You’re my best friend, Stefanie. The last thing I want is to see you swept up in the Braison Family deeds and misdeeds—putting you in any type of danger.”
Stefanie squeezed her hand, happy to see that she felt that way about her in such a short period of time since taking up residence in Reston Hills. “I feel the same way about you—we’re besties,” she told her.
“Nice to know.” Bella’s eyes lit up and she lifted her glass for a toast. “Cheers.”
“Cheers.” Stefanie grinned. She thought about her feelings for Campbell, which went well beyond camaraderie—and was sure he recognized this and was on the same wavelength.
Beyond that, she would take any real friendship she could get in this new environment.
Even if it meant sharing Bella with anyone she chose to romance, such as her current beau, Russell Kercheval, whom she insisted was only a work-in-progress at the moment.
Bella finished off her drink and said, “Next round’s on me.”
“You’re on,” Stefanie agreed, more than happy to take her thoughts off Jasmine and the sad way she’d ended up—dead in the park.