A Lost Love

By Jennis Slaughter

Dawn Lorrayne isn't happy, and she will to make sure that no one else is happy...even if her macabre plan for revenge is the last thing she does.

Laurel Taylor has moved on with her life and has found a new love in Alex James. They are making plans to take the next step in their relationship.

To what lengths will all three go to in order to fulfill their destiny, or will Dawn's violent plan end everything before it really gets started?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennis Slaughter
• Release date: Mar 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224940868

Jennis Slaughter

Jennis Slaughter nació en Florida a finales de los años cincuenta y su madre le dijo que siempre fue demasiado dramática. Cuando Hollywood no la llamó, se dedicó a escribir historias en su cabeza. Una vez que habló con otro autor en línea, se animó a comenzar a escribir por su cuenta y el resto es historia. Prefiere escribir misterios y drama y ha sido llamada "La reina de la angustia" más de una vez. Ella es una firme creyente en los finales felices y el amor verdadero.

Book preview

To my Bethina,

You found me,

You taught me what love means.

You held me,

You soothed my soul.

You offered your hand,

I gave you my heart.

I am yours

THE LISTS:

Things to do today:

Get lavender bundled and priced

Finish making soaps  √

Post new work schedule for Anna

Talk with Erika about advertising

Pick up bracelet for Alexis

MUST GET DONE:

Dig hole

Make coffin to fit hole

Put coffin in hole

Test ventilation system

Test video system

Make chloroform

Clean gun

Load gun

Clean rag

Get Laurel

Bury Laurel

Go to WESH and talk with Alexis

Die

Important things:

Confirm schedule for week off  X

Order airline and cruise tickets  X

Arrange rental car and hotel

Call Laurel and ask to dinner

Get flowers

Make reservation at Avenue Thai & Sushi  X

Damn, it’s hot! the woman thought as she gradually became aware of her surroundings.  She brought up her right hand to wipe her brow, but instead came into contact with something directly above her.  She opened her eyes to see a piece of Plexiglas covered with dirt.  Abruptly, her head popped up, hitting the lid and forcing it back down, but not before she saw that she was inside a coffin. 

There was a small light on the back wall so she carefully picked her head up again, this time to see that the sides and bottom were made of wood, leaving the sight of dirt about six inches above her face.

What had happened?  Her throat was sore and she tasted something metallic, but couldn’t place the source.  Carefully, she felt around and her left hand brushed against a piece of paper and something that felt like thick pencils.  Bringing up one of the ‘pencils’, she saw that it was a glow stick.  She surmised that the available light would not last for long so at least she had backup.

Placing the stick back down, the woman picked up the piece of paper and brought it closer to the light so that she would be able to see it better.

It read: "All I asked was that you love me and be loyal.  You did neither.  I am making sure that you never disappoint anyone else.  I will not be around to tell anyone where you are.  Think back on your mistakes.  You will not be making any others."

* * * * *

It was Laurel Taylor’s favorite time of day.  She walked out of her office and across the courtyard, headed to the warehouse.  She stopped for a few moments and tilted her face towards the sun, closing her eyes to enjoy the warmth.  She loved having this brief moment when it was just her and the sun.

Laurel was the owner of Nature’s Scents, which made soaps, body lotions, massage oils, and lip balms from all natural ingredients.  She had recently signed a contract to supply boutique hotels in Key West, Winter Park, Florida, and Vail, Colorado with personalized products.

For the first time in a very long while, her life was falling into place.  Her health was finally back to normal after she had ended an abusive relationship.  She was now running five miles a day with her good friend Jennifer San Juan and had started taking a Zumba class once a week.  Her body was beginning to fill out again and she was smiling more often.

Another reason she was smiling more often was her new girlfriend, Alexis Alex James.  They had met through Jennifer and had been together for about six months; they had been taking their relationship slow. 

Alex was the reporter for a local news station in Orlando, WHSE, and had met Jennifer when the older woman had helped out at a local LGBT march.  Jennifer had a daughter who had been out for years, but had not had a good relationship with her.  Alex had helped her come to terms with everything and Jennifer, in turn, had introduced her to Laurel.

Sighing, Laurel ended her communion with the sun and entered the warehouse to inspect the first run of the soaps for the hotels.  She made sure that the designs were legible on the soaps and that the wrapped products were up to her standards and the hotel’s specifications.

Pleased with everything, she went in search of her second-in-command and advertising manager, Kate Stone.  After finding her in the back office, they spent the next hour going over contracts and future ads that would be going into publication.

It was almost lunch when Laurel headed back to her office to make some additional phone calls when her cell phone vibrated.  She pulled it out of the side pocket of her painter pants and grinned when she saw Alex’s name.

Opening the phone, she said, Hello, Sunshine...How’s your day going?  She heard Alex lean back in her squeaky office chair.

A lot better now that I am talking with you.  I’ve had to re-edit two stories because of time constraints and need to go out to shoot another one at four a.m. tomorrow morning.  How many people are up at that time of day? Alex grumbled.  Anyway, enough about me.  How’s your day going?

Making her way into her office, Laurel went to stand in front of a window as she answered the question, My day is going great.  We just finished the first run of the soaps and they look perfect, and now I’m talking to a beautiful woman who I happen to like a lot, so I won’t complain.  She ran her hand through her blonde hair as she turned towards her desk.

So you like me a lot, huh?  That’s good because I feel the same about you, Alex purred back.  In fact, I like you so much I called to see if you would care to have dinner with me tonight?  I thought that we could try that restaurant that you heard about in Winter Park.

Laurel sat at her desk and picked up a pencil.  Do you mean Avenue Thai and Sushi?

Yeah, I have to do the six o’clock program and then I’m all yours.  What do you say?  The squeaky chair sounded again as Alex moved around.

I say that we really need to get you some oil for that chair and I would love to go to dinner with you, Laurel smiled as she imagined the taller woman sitting at her desk.  Do you want me to meet you at the station or at the restaurant?

I’ll come and pick you up, if that’s okay.  I was thinking that maybe afterwards we could walk around Lake Eola and talk.

Nodding her head, even though she couldn’t be seen, Laurel agreed, Deal, I’ll see you then.

Great...and Laurel?

Yes... she answered softly while doodling with the pencil.

Alex took a deep breath and quietly said, I more than like you....

Laurel couldn’t prevent herself from smiling as she answered back, I more than like you too.  Neither woman had come out and said that they loved each other, but that was okay.  See you tonight.

Bye....

Bye... Laurel responded and hit end on her phone.  She couldn’t help but smile as she thought about her feelings.  It had been so long since she felt this way.  She felt loved and cherished, and it was great.

As she glanced down at her notepad, she wasn’t at all surprised that she had doodled hearts with hers and Alex’s initials inside.  Biting her bottom lip, she shook her head as she tore the sheet off carefully, folded it up, and put it in her back pocket.

Slipping her phone back into the ruler pocket of her pants, Laurel picked the pencil back up to check off the making of the soaps and advertising on her checklist and just then there was a knock at her door. Checking one more item off, she called out, Come in.

The office door opened and Emma, the young woman that she put in charge of the front shop, stepped just inside the doorway.

Umm...Laurel?

Hey, Emma.  What can I do for you?  And before I forget, we need to talk about your schedule sometime today, Laurel looked up from the list.

Okay, but umm...Dawn Lorrayne is here to see you.  The younger woman shifted from foot to foot.  Do you want me to call the police?

Dawn was Laurel’s ex and she had a restraining order out on her.  She wasn’t allowed within a hundred feet of Laurel, her home, or her place of business.

Immediately, Laurel’s palms became sweaty and her heart began to race.  It had been nine months since she last had any contact with Dawn, but she was determined not to let the woman see that she still had the ability to affect her.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she concentrated on controlling her breathing