Deadly Deceit Read online

  Jolene nodded in understanding. The four were quiet for a few minutes, until Jolene noticed Christina’s eyelids beginning to droop.

  “Okay, boys,” she said, stretching as she stood, “time to call it a night. It’s been a long day, and I think it’s time I tuck my beautiful wife into bed.”

  Christina started to protest, mostly out of politeness, but Joseph and Christian readied themselves to leave.

  “Us, too,” Joseph said, mimicking his sister’s stretch, “We didn’t even go into our house when we got home. Get some sleep, ladies.”

  The siblings exchanged hugs, and the women walked the men to the garage door. “Hey, Joe?” Jolene called as the guys stepped into the garage, “If you two are gonna get gross, do it in the living room. Chris’ voice carries, and we want to get at least some sleep tonight.”

  Joseph, Christina, and Jolene laughed, but Christian’s face flamed. “Such a bitch,” he muttered, glowering at his sister-in-law.

  Jolene blew the man a kiss, grinning sweetly as she wiggled her fingers and closed the door.

  “You really are a bitch sometimes, Jo,” Christina chuckled as she and Jolene gathered their luggage from the kitchen floor.

  Jolene flashed a proud smile. “I know,” she said, flicking off the light switch behind her, “But you know he enjoys it. Christie, wait,” she added, reaching for Christina’s arm.

  Christina looked at her in confusion, but paused as she prepared to head toward the stairs. “What?” she asked.

  Jolene held up her hand and tipped her head as she listened. A smile spread over her face, and she held up three fingers. She spoke aloud, dropping her fingers in a countdown. A few seconds after she reached zero, she heard what she’d been waiting for and shook her head.

  The dramatic sounds of staged sexual ecstasy could be heard from next door, causing Christina to snort.

  “You knew he was going to do that,” she accused with a laugh.

  Jolene shrugged and moved toward the stairs, stopping to kiss Christina sweetly as she passed. “Yep, but at least I know they will stay downstairs for a while.”

  “Why do you care if they are upstairs or down?” Christina asked, following Jolene up the stairs.

  Inside their room, Jolene set her suitcase next to the closet and turned to relieve Christina of her burden. “I don’t care where they are,” she said, pulling Christina close, “but it’s our first night in our own bedroom as a married couple. I’d rather not hear my brother-in-law’s pleasure, while I’m trying to bring my wife to orgasm.”

  Christina smiled and leaned in for a passionate kiss. “Gosh, Jo,” she said, her voice soft as Jolene’s arms pulled her firmly against her body, “you sure know how to sweet talk a lady.”

  Jolene smiled against Christina’s lips and turned her toward the bed. “You’re no lady, Christie,” she said softly, easing Christina onto her back, “you’re a Queen, and I’m going to show you exactly how a Queen should be spoken to.”

  Chapter 4

  “Good morning, Marcy,” Christina walked through the office toward her mailbox with a noticeable bounce in her step. She and Jolene had been married for nearly two weeks, and with the school year beginning on Monday, she was excited.

  Marcy Crow, Principal LeRoy Stoddard’s secretary, smiled at the pep in Christina’s voice. Christina Hess was the only teacher, other than Joseph Preston, that always seemed happy to be working on a Friday. Marcy and Christina had been friends since pre-school, and the short, stocky blonde was Christina’s closest confidante. She was also one of only a few people in the whole school that knew which Preston Christina was really married to.

  “I take it you’re enjoying married life?” Marcy asked, noting the glow that seemed to radiate from her friend.

  Christina nodded and sighed with contentment. “I really am,” she said, “It’s so much better than I imagined.” Christina moved over to Marcy’s desk, edging her hip onto the corner as she spoke.

  “I mean, when I was a kid, I had this grand vision of what being married would look like. A house, kids, someone to hug and kiss me just because. But, these past two weeks have been such an eye-opener. Jo is amazing. I don’t ever have to ask for affection, or beg for attention. It’s almost like we are linked telepathically. If I even think I need a hug, there’s Jo; arms open and waiting.”

  Marcy smiled and nodded. She knew exactly what her friend was experiencing; she and her wife had been married for two years, and they still shared the same connection.

  “I mean, we’ve been living together for years, and nothing in our routines has changed, but being married gives me a whole new perspective on it all,” Christina continued, “I can’t speak for Jo, but I can honestly say that I have never been happier.”

  “I’m sure Jo feels the same way, Christie.” Principal Stoddard stepped out of his office and offered his Chemistry teacher a congratulatory pat on the back.

  Startled, Christina turned to acknowledge the man with a smile. “Thanks, Roy,” she said brightly, “Ready for the new year?”

  “For the kids?” LeRoy replied, his excitement unmistakable, “Absolutely. For accepting that you’re off the market, and calling you Mrs. Preston? Not even close.”

  Christina smiled, despite the desire to shudder. She adored LeRoy as a friend and colleague, but he had always been enamored of her and never hid that fact. He knew she was a lesbian, and would protect her secret with his life, but it didn’t stop him from letting his feelings for her be known.

  LeRoy was a good man, a fair and unbiased principal, and was always willing to go to bat for his kids and his teachers. In fact, LeRoy Stoddard was the driving force behind the schoolboard’s policy change regarding homosexual teachers. That was the only reason Christina put up with his forwardness.

  Although it was illegal for a public school to terminate an employee based on their sexual orientation, the Dallas Schools were only partially funded by federal money. While the schools were considered public, the majority of their funding came from a private religious organization.

  Unfortunately, this meant that the Board had a little more leeway when it came to their discriminations.

  A few years earlier, when same-sex marriage became legal nationwide, the resulting uproar from religious entities nearly ended many a teaching career. The Board decided to invoke their right to begin terminating homosexual teachers, claiming that they were violating the religious beliefs of the students and families.

  LeRoy, who didn’t care about sexual preference, stepped in and brought attention to the possible public relations disaster that could arise. He pointed out that while Dallas was a highly conservative city, there would still be enough outcry from the surrounding cities to force the federal government to swoop in and reclaim the schools altogether.

  The idea that they could completely lose all control over the schools, as well as their own jobs, was enough to get the Board to listen as LeRoy presented them with an alternative. Because of the way their funding and classifications were written, the schools could remain public, even with their private funding, so long as the rights and freedoms of the staff and students were not violated.

  Should there be any incidents that violated a person’s rights, the federal government would pull their funding all together, thus forcing the schools to become private. While that typically wouldn’t present a problem for most cities, the fact that Dallas only had one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, made the idea of privatization an unappealing one to the general public.

  Even the haughty school board members knew that being forced to privatize the schools would be a disaster. There simply weren’t enough families within the city that could afford to send their children to a private school. LeRoy’s alternative allowed teachers and staff to remain employed, providing they were not open with the students or families about their preferences.

  He acknowledged the possibilities of accidental outings, and even provided a clause protecting the employment of those who were outed accidentally, or out of revenge by another person. Providing the person didn’t out themselves willingly, their jobs were safe.

  At least, that was how it was supposed to work. Like all devious scoundrels, the Board managed to find loopholes. Several teachers had been terminated over the years, and Christina and Joseph were bound and determined to keep from being one of them.

  “You’ll get used to it,” Christina assured the man with a chuckle, “It will just take time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called myself Christina Hess by mistake since the wedding.”

  LeRoy chuckled and watched as other teachers began to trickle in for their last day of preparations. When his eyes landed on the particularly buxom Algebra teacher, he lowered his voice so only Marcy and Christina could hear.

  “The rest of us will get used to it, but I doubt Staci will even try,” he said, quickly offering the brunette a welcoming smile as she joined them. “Good morning, Ms. Lawson.”

  “Good morning, Principal Stoddard,” Staci greeted, her falsely sweet smile not nearly as welcoming as she liked to think it was. “Good morning, Ms. Hess,” she greeted Christina, “All set for Monday?”

  Christina didn’t even bother to feign manners. “It’s Mrs. Preston,” she corrected firmly, “I got married this summer, and yes, I am more than ready.”

  Staci rolled her eyes. “Sorry,” she replied curtly, “Old habits. How is Joe? Is he excited, too?”

  Just then, Joseph entered the office and spied the group. He groaned internally when he spotted Staci near Christina.

  Staci Lawson had been doggedly pursuing Joseph for years. She was part of the reason that Joseph and Christina had started their charade in the first place. The woman was not used to being rebuffed, and it was
sheer luck that he’d discovered a way to deter her.

  Joseph and Christian had been on a double date with Jolene and Christina, one of the first after the couples got together, when they’d run into Staci. He’d seen the woman before she saw him, and had quickly asked his sister’s girlfriend for help. Knowing what could happen if the woman found out he was gay, Christina gladly stepped in and pretended to be his date for the evening.

  When Staci spotted Joseph, she’d immediately approached him with the intention of flirting. She’d even greeted him with her sultriest voice, hoping to finally get the man to pay attention to her. Unfortunately for Staci, Joseph had introduced Christina as his date, making it clear that he was not single.

  Staci had been flustered and quickly apologized for her actions, stating that had she known he was involved with another woman, she never would have made a move. While the tactic had worked to keep the woman at bay, it had sparked a mutual dislike between her and Christina. Ever since that night, Staci made it her mission to convince others that Christina had stolen Joseph from her.

  “I’m super excited,” Joseph said, stepping between the women to rest his hand on Christina’s back, “I can’t wait to get these kids back into good habits. Most of them probably didn’t do anything even resembling exercise this summer.”

  “You look like you got plenty of exercise this summer,” Staci replied, implication thick in her voice, “I guess she’s got more stamina than I thought.”

  LeRoy, Joseph, and Marcy all stared at Staci in shock. Christina, on the other hand, was used to Staci’s snide comments and barbs.

  “Oh, honey,” Christina said scathingly, “you couldn’t keep up with me, or Joe. You’d be tapping out in no time.”

  Staci’s posture stiffened when the others snorted. As if readying herself for battle, the woman brought herself to her full, intimidating height of five-foot-three. “You’d be amazed at how much stamina I have, Christie. Never had any complaints, yet,” she replied hotly.

  Sensing the sudden tension in the room, LeRoy stepped in to head it off. “Alright, ladies, let’s not get off to a bad start. Why don’t we get to our classrooms and get to work, shall we?”

  “Good idea, Roy,” Christina replied gratefully. Turning to Staci, she couldn’t help but throw one more barb to needle the bothersome woman. “Have a great day, Ms. Lawson,” she said, her voice almost sincere, “Oh! I almost forgot. We’ll be having a slideshow from the wedding at two, if you would like to join. It was gorgeous, and it’s such a shame that more people weren’t able to attend.”

  Staci ground her teeth and glared at the woman, but managed to keep her mouth shut. Without a word, she spun on her heel and marched out of the office. Staci Lawson knew she’d never even made it onto the invitation list.

  A collective sigh of relief sounded from the group, and Joseph dropped his hand from Christina’s back.

  “Gee, I wish my daddy was on the school board,” he said, his voice mocking, “then I could act like my shit don’t stink, too. By the way, no one tell my sister that I had my hands on Christie. She’s been especially selfish about that, lately,” he added with an eye roll.

  “Can’t imagine why,” LeRoy teased good naturedly. He knew about the charade, and while he didn’t necessarily condone the deceit, he couldn’t blame either for their concerns.

  “Me either,” Joseph responded with a scoff, “Alright, I’m off to go over the gear one last time. I’ll see you at two. Can’t wait to show everyone how sexy I looked in my tux,” he added with a wink as he made his way out of the office.

  Christina snorted and shook her head. “Thanks for helping out, by the way,” she said to both of her friends, “I didn’t want all the pictures to be professional. Since we can’t show off our real spouses, I’m glad we will be able to show off something real about that day.”

  LeRoy and Marcy nodded in unison. Both had happily snapped photos of the event, each taking on a different angle. Marcy’s pictures showed the way things really were; Joseph and Christian and Jolene and Christina enjoying themselves with their new spouses. LeRoy’s, on the other hand, showed how things needed to appear to their colleagues.

  The pictures he captured were of Joseph and Christina when they were together. Each of the brides shared a dance with their new brother-in-law. The dance had always been intended as part of the wedding, and LeRoy thought it the perfect chance to capture memories that weren’t completely staged. It helped that those images would be useful to the lie, but they were also legitimate moments that showed the bond the four siblings shared.

  With a quick wave to her friends, Christina left the office and headed toward the chemistry lab. She pulled out her phone and sent Jolene a quick text, wishing her wife a good, safe shift. Her heart fluttered when Jolene immediately replied with a selfie of her and Christian in their patrol car, goofy grins plastered on their faces.

  ***

  “How are you enjoying married life, Preston?” Lieutenant Steve Baxter slapped Jolene on the back in congratulations. He’d known the younger woman for several years, and she reminded him a lot of his sister-in-law.

  Jolene beamed at the Homicide Lieutenant. “I love it. It feels amazing to finally be able to call her my wife, instead of my girlfriend.”

  Steve smiled knowingly and turned to ask the same of Christian.

  “Same as her,” he replied with a shrug, “except for the wife part. Eww.”

  Steve laughed at the younger man’s shudder. “You crack me up, Chris,” he said with a shake of his head, “I’ll see you two later.”

  Jolene and Christian waved as Steve headed out of the building. Shift change was upon the Marilynn Police Department, and the lobby was quickly filling up with officers, of all ranks, reporting for duty.

  “How do you think things went over at the school?” Christian asked, stepping aside to allow a few officers to enter the building. Once they were clear, he and Jolene exited and started down the white stone steps.

  “Well, I didn’t get a call telling me that they’d been fired,” Jolene replied, “so, I’m guessing it went fine. Did Joe say anything to you?”

  Christian shook his head, turning at the bottom of the stairs to follow the sidewalk toward the parking garage. “He just said that he was excited for school to start. He did tell me that Christie almost got into it with Staci Lawson, though.”

  Jolene let out a sound that was somewhere between a scoff and a growl. “God, I hate that woman,” she grumbled. “She goes out of her way to make Christie’s life miserable. I mean, I get it; she thinks Christie and Joe are together, but come on! She should have vamoosed when he made it clear he wasn’t interested.”

  Christian nodded his agreement. “Oh, honey, I agree. I hate hearing about her, and it kills me that she ever thought she might have a chance with him.”

  “Don’t worry, Chris,” Jolene said, unlocking the car and climbing into the driver’s seat, “Eventually she will see that it’s pointless. I mean, she doesn’t have the proper equipment to satisfy my brother.”

  Christian beamed and met her eyes. “Aww, thanks, Jo,” he said, humbled by her compliment.

  “Of course, man,” Jolene replied with a smirk, “There’s no way she could scream the way you do. She doesn’t seem to have the vocal range.”

  Christian’s jaw dropped, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Such a bitch,” he grumbled, eliciting a bark of laughter from his partner.

  “Relax, Chris,” she said, pulling the car out of the garage and onto the street, “We’ll be home in no time, and you can tell my brother how mean I was to you today.”

  Christian turned his head slowly, a wide smile spreading over his face. “Why would I tell your brother?” he asked, his voice tinged with humor, “It would be much more fun to tell my sister that her new wife is being a dick. Have you ever seen Christie when she goes into protective sister mode?”

  Jolene’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t dare,” she said, signaling as she took the exit that led out of Marilynn.

  Christian’s eyes narrowed in challenge. “Try me.”

  Jolene was silent for several moments, trying to gauge whether or not Christina would really be upset with her. Jolene was forever busting Christian’s balls, and sometimes it bothered her new wife. They all knew it was in good fun, but occasionally one of Jolene’s barbs would hit home and hurt Christian’s feelings. That was the fastest way to piss Christina off.