Cross Your Heart

By Lorine S Thomas

Some say that pranks are just harmless fun. But no one ever said anything about them turning your life as you know it upside down. What was originally thought of as a harmless stunt would later turn out to be the catalyst for a series of events that would shake their worlds to the foundation.

When one of their closest friends is found brutally murdered, one by one their lives are then turned into a living nightmare. The remaining friends struggle to try and keep a long hidden secret in the past. But reality breaks through in a heartbeat as they too are slowly being picked off one by one. A pact made long ago that then seemed innocent has now come back to have severe and deadly consequences.

With a killer bent on extracting his own brand of justice and seemingly one step ahead of the police, danger lurks around every corner. Not sure who they can trust, they lean harder on one another. Thrust into a dangerous situation, secrets are exposed and a long forgotten love is rekindled.

The twists and turns only get crazier as time passes by and gives a whole new meaning to that old saying: Cross your heart and hope to die.....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lorine S Thomas
• Release date: May 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311316905

Lorine S Thomas

Lorine S. Thomas is the author of the read worthy crime thrillers, “Cross Your Heart”, and "Beauty and Bloodshed". She is currently working on book 3 of the series.Lorine’s early childhood was filled with a passion of reading just about anything that caught her attention and captured her imagination. She read things between the Sweet Valley High series to anything by V.C. Andrews. She soon found that along with reading, she developed a talent for storytelling and writing, specifically the form of poetry.It wasn’t until she was in her adult years when she dove into her first thriller, “The Switch” by Sandra Brown, and that got her hooked on that genre. She soon found herself enthralled in the books by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown, just to name a few. She marveled at how they were able to write such captivating stories and characters and often wondered what their secret was.She would soon find that out, when in 2006, she came up with the crazy idea of seeing if she had what it took to put pen to paper and write a full length story. At first not quite sure where to start, she looked for ideas everywhere but nothing seemed to light the inspiration bulb. And then after weeks of nothing, the idea just came to her in the middle of one winter’s cold night.Between the late hours at her full-time job, long spans of writer’s block and then finally a damaged beyond repair computer, she didn’t think that she would ever complete the first draft. But soon, the block lifted and her husband gifted her with a brand new laptop for Christmas. And that was all the motivation she needed to finish her greatest challenge. It was hard work and very tiring but she persevered and in February of 2015, she published the finish project.Lorine currently resides in North Carolina with her loving husband of fifteen years and the love and support of her five wonderful step-children and three spirited grandchildren.

Book preview

Prologue

1992 Hofstra University

Senior year was coming to an end, and the students couldn’t have been happier. Graduation day was just three months away, and the last bit of finals were just around the corner. While a lot of the students were happy about finally leaving school behind them, there were many that would greatly miss the experiences and the friends that they had made. Plans were being made for after college regarding what kind of job to get, where to live and whether or not to go on to graduate school. Most of them were surrounded by indifference, but there was one plan that a few of the students were eagerly looking forward to.

Five years ago, in the tradition of pulling off a senior prank before graduation, something had gone wrong, and a student had been seriously injured during the escapade. The parents had wanted action taken against the parties responsible, but there had been no indications as to who was involved and no one ever came forward to claim responsibility. As a result of that incident, the dean had forbidden any student from organizing, or participating in any kind of prank. If any student were caught, there would be disciplinary actions taken; that student would not graduate, and would face expulsion from the university. Those rules instilled fear into the students, and nobody dared to go against the dean. That was until this year.

One night after a party, a couple of friends got together and decided they would leave a lasting impression on the school by coordinating a prank. They agreed to meet, a couple of days before the prank, to go over any final details that may have needed to change. When the evening came, the six made their way across the campus to the dean’s building, one carrying the items needed in a backpack. When they reached the building, they set their plan into motion.

Twenty minutes later, fully ablaze, a message was written in the grass with gasoline that read, Dean Calloway, This One Is for You. The orange and red glow was so bright it could be seen from across the campus. The fire department was called immediately in hopes of trying to contain the blaze before it spread. Completely unaware of what was occurring, a student coming out of the adjoining library stumbled upon the scene. He tried, in vain, to out the fire but couldn’t due to the rapid spread of the flames. It spread to the bushes in front of the wall, igniting the building in a blaze of fire. Noticing an empty bottle and a book of matches laying on the ground, he absentmindedly picked them up. Just then, the dean burst through the door, startling the student, who spilled the contents of the bottle on his clothes. Dean Calloway saw the student standing there with the incriminating evidence. Though he denied setting the fire, the fact that he was found with the items was enough to take action against him.

Kicked out of school and disowned by his family, the student found that he had no place to go when he was released from prison. He eventually got in touch with a friend from high school who agreed to take him in until he found a place of his own. The two rapidly reconnected and became closer than before. The subject of the fire came up only once, and when he denied being involved, his friend seemingly believed him and never brought it up again.

After the fire, he was frequently asked, If you didn’t do it, then who did and why you did take the blame? He spent eighteen months in jail and was let out on probation, all for a crime that he didn’t commit. He always denied knowing who was responsible and hated himself for lying every day. But at that point, they had gone on with their lives, and he didn’t see any sense in saying anything now. He knew exactly who were involved but kept quiet because he thought, just maybe, they would appreciate what he had done for them and bring him into their fold; but, he was wrong.

He remembered that day of ‘92 as clear as if it had happened yesterday. He was sitting alone at the table next to them in the cafeteria as they discussed their plan; they hadn’t realized he was there. They never really noticed or paid much attention to him, and any time he approached any of them, they never got his name right. So he took the fall for the prank, to finally impress them, to finally get noticed. He even thought one of them would come forward to exonerate him, but none of them had. No one even came to apologize to him after he was expelled. They were too busy being popular and having fun to notice that he destroyed his life for them. In the end, he should have known better than to put his faith in a bunch of brats but he was just so sure that things would have turned out differently.

Three years later, he sat down and wrote a long letter to the dean. After keeping quiet for all that time, he just couldn’t keep it inside any longer; it was eating away at his soul. The former student revealed who was actually responsible the fire. He realized that no matter how much he had wanted it, the six of them would never be his friends. He’d spent the last several years protecting people that never gave a damn about him. He was the one still suffering the ramifications, not them. He informed the dean that his life was never the same after the incident; he had a tough time finding a job, and everywhere he went there were people whispering behind his back and giving him funny looks. A couple of bold people even said terrible things to his face. He put his heart and soul into that letter; he held nothing back.

Two weeks later, Dean Calloway received a letter with no name or address. Dismissing it, he placed it on his desk and carried on with his daily schedule. After lunch, he returned to his office; the letter still there. Curious, he opened it and began reading it, and immediately wished he hadn’t.

Opening that letter was like opening Pandora’s Box. Some of the things Dean Calloway read he just was not prepared to deal with. He had punished the wrong man. To find out that several of the students he had considered his children had not only done something criminal, but also let someone else take the blame; he just couldn’t believe. The dean recalled seeing them after the fire, and they never said a word to him, not once. Because of their actions, he had ruined a completely innocent man’s life. The letter was signed Brandon Smith.

There was something familiar about that name. Looking at the signature on the letter, Dean Calloway remembered hearing, or reading, something regarding that name about a week ago but he couldn’t recall what it was. He decided to get the newspaper from the library to jog his memory.

As he walked, the dean tried to conjure up the memory in his mind, but he couldn’t grasp it. Giving up, he went straight for the periodical section once inside the library building. Finding the copy he needed, Dean Calloway made his way back to his office. Sitting at his desk, he opened the newspaper and thumbed through it until he found the page he wanted. On page six there was the article, House Fires Claims Life. Apparently, a fire in an apartment building raged out of control and claimed the life of an innocent man.

According to preliminary reports, the man died of asphyxiation. He made it out of his bedroom; his charred body was found just feet from his door. His body was burned well beyond recognition, but the remains of a wallet found on what was left of a dresser had a driver’s license issued to a Brandon Smith at that address.

There was speculation that the fire had been set intentionally. After CSU went through the remains of the apartment that suspicion was confirmed when traces of acetone was found on the skeleton and by the bedroom door. The article went on to talk about his life, his family, and friends. When the article mentioned the part about it being ironic that a man who once started a fire would now be killed by a fire, the dean knew that his feeling had been right. The man in the article was indeed the same man who had written him the letter.

Checking the postmark on the envelope, Dean Calloway noticed that it was stamped four days before the apartment fire had occurred. He could have read it sooner if he hadn’t been out with the flu, but it still would have been too late to do anything about it. The guilt of prosecuting an innocent man suddenly felt ten times worse. If only he had listened to Brandon years ago, he might still be alive. However, at that time, what else was he to do. He thought he had caught Brandon red-handed with the evidence, and he never mentioned who was really behind the fire. He shouldn’t have had to go through the ridicule and shame for something he had nothing to do with.

Thinking back to the days after the fire, the dean remembered feeling that something just hadn’t been right. Every time he talked to Brandon, he denied setting the fire; but, Brandon never, not once told him he had known who did. Why had he lied for them? Why had he taken the fall for people who had obviously not cared for him? More importantly, why hadn’t Brandon just told him who done it? There were so many questions left unanswered. But, the fact still remained that Dean Calloway felt responsible for ruining that man’s life, and ultimately, he was responsible for that man’s death.

Sitting locked in his office for hours, Dean Calloway thought long and hard about the effect this news had on both his professional and personal life. Brandon Smith would forever haunt him, but the dean would, at least, make sure that mistake never happened again.

Opening the top drawer of his desk, the dean pulled out a sheet of his stationary and wrote his resignation letter. He had been contemplating the idea of resigning for a while, and it seemed like the letter was the sign he had been waiting for. After the letter was completed, he took out his briefcase and packed his things for the end of the day. Once he was done, he walked to the president’s office and dropped off the letter. Back in his office, he closed the door. Approaching his desk, he noticed that his things were not the way he had left them. Papers were scattered all over, and it wasn’t until he began reorganizing things that he realized some of his papers were missing. He searched all over his office for them, but they were nowhere to be found. Someone had obviously come into his office while he was gone. The dean couldn’t understand why someone had taken those papers.

Across the lawn, a shadowy figure was slowly making its way to the other side of the campus. Nothing drew any unwanted attention to the figure. With the dean’s papers tucked into a back jean pocket, the shadowy figure disappeared around the corner, out of sight.

Chapter One

Damn it.

Shania’s foot slammed on the brake with a hard jerk. She had been so deep in thought that she almost ran the red light. Today was her meeting with the president of Austin Media, and everything had to go smoothly so her business could take off the way she wanted. Even though her advertising company, S & S, was well-known in the city, she wanted to take on bigger clientele. And Austin Media was the company to make that happen.

It had been purely by chance that she had received the information that Austin Media were looking for a new agency to work with. One of her designers had gone out for her lunch break and overheard a couple of employees from another agency discussing it. So, Shania had thrown together a portfolio and a proposal and sent it to Austin’s office. Now, the meeting of her life was ten minutes away.

The drive to the office was just the time she needed to compose herself. With the spring weather so perfect, she rolled down her car windows and let the cool, crisp air energize her. She hoped that after the meeting she would have a few moments to relax in the park before heading back into the office. As she approached the building, she admired the beautiful structure. The black and chrome gave the building a sleek, upscale appearance. Once she parked her car in the underground garage, she quickly made her way into the elevator and pushed the button for the seventeenth floor.

Shania Phillips for Mr. Austin, she told the receptionist as she stepped off the elevator.

The waiting room had the same sleek, upscale look like the outside of the building. The chairs, made of a rich, wine-colored plush, felt as comfortable as they looked. The room was painted a light red that succeeded in giving it a cozy feeling. The soft sound of light jazz flowed over throughout the air. As the receptionist buzzed Mr. Austin’s office, Shania briefly went over her outline. Soon, she was told that Mr. Austin was ready for her. He was seated with his chair facing the windows, seemingly admiring the city view, as she walked into his office.

Mr. Austin, I am glad that you took time out of your busy schedule to grant me this meeting. I have worked very hard to ensure that I have the right ad that you are looking for, and I hope, the one you will find satisfactory.

I know that you are a smart and intelligent woman who knows her business, and who knows how to get the job done, and I believe that I will love any idea that you have, Ms. Phillips.

Something about his voice made her blood turn icy. A vague familiarity that made her extremely uncomfortable. Mr. Austin swung his chair around, and it came to Shania in a rush. With recognition came an immediate shock to her system; Shania struggled to breathe, and she felt as though someone had suddenly sucked the air out the room. She thought of herself as someone who could handle just about any situation, but she knew she wasn’t ready to handle this. Mr. Austin was none other than Patrick Austin, her former college flame.

All the blood seemed to drain from her body as she stood there in complete silence. This was the man she spent the majority of her college nights dreaming about. This was the man who made her life a living hell. This was also the same man who, in the end, shattered her heart into a million pieces. Now, Patrick stood in front of Shania with her career in the palm of his hands.

It’s been a long time hasn’t it, Shania?

Yes, a very long time, if my memory serves me correctly Patrick, she replied, after finally finding her voice. When I saw the name P. Riley Austin, I never in a million years thought that it was you. I would ask you how the years have treated you, but I guess I already know the answer to that, don’t I?

Yes, I have done very well, but I can see that I am not the only successful one here.

Business has been good and with any luck it will get better, and that’s why I’m here today. So, as much as I would love to play catch up with you, we both have other pressing matters. Why don’t we sit and get this meeting started.

They closed the door and got down to business. As they went over the details, Shania tried but couldn’t keep her mind focused. It had been sixteen years since they last saw each other, and Patrick looked the same as he did in college. He was still as handsome as she remembered. His rugged, yet gentle, chocolate face was set off by the most beautiful pair of brown eyes ever to grace a face. Eyes that looked as though they could pierce the deepest part of your soul. His simple dress shirt and slacks highlighted his muscular frame and made his shoulders and arms look appealing and inviting. Just the thought of being wrapped up in those arms made Shania’s pulse race more than it already was. The remainder of the meeting seemed to fly by in a hurry, and Shania was very thankful when it was over.

The drive back to S & S was an absolute blur for Shania. Her heart was still pounding. She couldn’t believe what just happened. Through all the research she had done on the company and its president, never once had she found the slightest indication that the President of Austin Media was Patrick. If she had known that bit of information beforehand, she doubted that she would have even set up the meeting. As much as she wanted that huge contract, she wanted nothing to do with him. Shania knew it was wrong to put personal feelings ahead of professional needs, but she thought that sometimes that rule was meant to be broken.

What really ticked Shania off was that Patrick was much better looking now than he had been in college. As much as Shania hated to admit it, she still carried a small torch for Patrick. Though they hadn’t seen each other in years, the love that she felt for him so long ago had not died, despite her best efforts. Shania still found Patrick attractive; yet, as much as she yearned for his touch, she promised herself a long time ago that she would never be caught in his web again.

When Shania pulled her car into the underground garage in the building where her office was housed, she spotted Stephanie’s car in its usual spot. Not only was Stephanie her business partner, but she was also one of Shania’s best friends. Grateful that Stephanie was already upstairs, Shania quickly made her way to their office.

Shania and Stephanie had known each other since the beginning of freshman year of college. If you had never seen them together, you would never imagine that they were best friends. Everyone had known Stephanie Rockwell. She had been co-captain of the cheerleading squad and drop-dead gorgeous. Tall, with blue eyes, blonde hair, and a killer body, she had been the typical California girl. There was hardly a party that she had not gone to or an event that she hadn’t participated in. What some people failed to realize about her was that she was as sharp as a tack, and often they jumped to the conclusion that she was one of those dumb blondes. While Stephanie was popular and outgoing, Shania was the complete opposite.

Shania had been reserved. She preferred to stay to herself and she had, only rarely, gone out or attended many parties. While she hadn’t been unattractive, she hadn’t exactly been the supermodel type either. While she had been of average height and build, it had been her spiraling curls that were her signature mark; they framed her small, brown face. Yet, the two of them had been the best of friends. They often thought of themselves as the other’s half. Stephanie had been Shania’s wild side while Shania had been Stephanie’s reserved side.

They met at freshman orientation while standing in line to sign up for classes. Shania dropped her bag. Stephanie had bent down to help her when they bumped heads. They laughed and struck up a conversation and became instant friends. A few years after they had graduated, they decided to pool their collective talents and start their own advertising business, and thus, S & S was born.

The moment Shania got off the elevator, she stopped by the office of John Hurst, their graphic designer. John wasn’t there, so Shania left him a note about the new client and the