His Other Wife (A Stella Fall Psychological Suspense Thriller—Book One)

CHAPTER ONE Stella Fall jogged up the worn concrete stairs to her third-floor apartment. Her legs were tired from the eight-mile run, and her dark hair, tied back in a ponytail, was damp with sweat. She’d taken a longer route than she’d planned through the streets of Evanston, needing to push herself, craving the distraction. Now, it was five-thirty p.m. Below the gray veil of cloud, the sun was setting in a crimson haze, and goose bumps prickled her skin as the cool breeze intensified. Five-thirty p.m. meant close of business. Didn’t it? “Let there be an offer. Please,” she said aloud, closing the front door behind her and heading eagerly over to her laptop on the table in the cozy lounge. As she jiggled the mouse, the anxiety that she’d put out of her mind during the run came flooding back. Today was the deadline for the job she wanted most. The junior position as a jury consultant, working for a top legal firm, would be the gateway to a dream career. It was an opportunity she’d never believed would come her way. She’d already had a few impersonal ‘we will not be offering you an interview’ replies to other applications. At the moment, her future felt scarily uncertain, and the tenuous comfort zone she’d settled into seemed as fragile as a spider web. The screen refreshed and Stella looked down, holding her breath. Two more rejections from other companies. Her heart sank. No positive word back from anywhere and no response at all from the law firm. She stared around the apartment with a mixture of longing and panic. In ten days, her lease would be up for renewal, and the landlord had increased the rent. She desperately wanted to stay on here, but to afford it, she needed a full-time job. This was the first place she’d ever lived that felt like home. In the past months, she’d made happy memories here. Nights of studying, nestled up to the heater with hot chocolate and her playlist. Dinners for two with her boyfriend, Vaughn, which were romantic and memorable despite her lack of cooking skills. Intensive sessions working on her master’s thesis with her mentor, Clem. Her phone rang, jolting her out of her worried thoughts. She was pleased to see Clem on the line. “Hey!” she answered. She guessed Clem – a tall, energetic man who looked ten years younger than his age of sixty-seven - would be pacing up and down the balcony of his apartment overlooking the Chicago River. “You were waiting for an answer on a job today. You got it yet?” Clem wasn’t one for small talk. Stella made a disappointed face as she rechecked her inbox once again. How she wished she had positive news for him. “Nothing. They haven’t gotten back to me, although they promised to by the end of the day.” “Which job is it?” he asked. “It’s the jury consultant job. This law firm has their own in-house consulting team that does pre-trial research, jury selection, witness evaluation and preparation, and development of trial strategy.” Stella felt breathless with excitement and nerves as she thought about it. “It sounds fascinating, and there’s so much room for growth.” “So they’ve interviewed you?” “Last week. I think it went well. They said my forensic psychology degree was relevant, and they were definitely impressed by my master’s thesis,” she said, allowing herself a moment of hope. “I was impressed by it, too. It showed great insight. It’s going to redefine the approach and perception of serial killer mentality.” “That’s thanks to your guidance, Clem.” If it hadn’t been for him, Stella knew she would never have graduated summa c*m laude with her master’s degree. “You should be a top candidate for the job then,” he encouraged her. “Not necessarily. Because, as they mentioned in the interview, I don’t have any relevant work experience,” she said. She glanced hopefully at the laptop screen again. Nope, no new emails had arrived during the past thirty seconds. With a sigh, she turned away, and headed to the tiny kitchen to pour some water. Clem refused to be sidetracked. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You have many months of work experience in other fields. I’ve seen how many different jobs you’ve had to juggle to pay your way over the years – waitressing, tutoring, front-desk work, research assistance. You’ve been determined and resourceful, and never once let your employers down.” “I don’t –” she protested, but he continued firmly. “Plus, you have a brilliant mind. Your grades were phenomenal. But you need to work in a place where your talents will be most needed. I still think you should apply to join the FBI. Even if they offer you the job at the legal firm, treat it as a second choice.” Clem himself had retired ten years ago after a stellar career as an FBI profiler. It had taken him around the USA and to many other parts of the world. But she wasn’t Clem. Even though she had always felt drawn to the field of law enforcement – hence the topic she’d chosen for her thesis – she didn’t think she was ready to apply. “Is that really why you aren’t considering the FBI? Or is it because of all the times your mother told you that you weren’t good enough?” the voice of honesty inside her head asked, demanding answers. As she poured a glass of water from the jug in the fridge, Stella knew she couldn’t answer that question. “Or is it because of what happened to your father?” the voice continued. Stella refused to listen to her internal voice a moment longer. Slamming the fridge door, she quickly replied to Clem. “I’d rather have some relevant work mileage first. Plus, I need to start earning, and the jury consultancy salary is excellent.” Clem sighed. “I guess so. Experience in the legal field will be a plus when you approach the FBI. And I get that you need to start earning,” he admitted reluctantly. With nobody to finance her studies or support her, she’d had to pay her way through college herself. But, since meeting the handsome Vaughn four months ago, Stella had cut back on all the part-time work that had been her financial lifeline and prioritized seeing him instead. She’d justified it as a mini vacation, a well-deserved break before getting her final grades and starting the job hunt. Even so, she’d been dismayed by how fast she’d blown through her meager savings. Falling in love had been a whirlwind journey of fun and excitement, but now, the only way of avoiding financial disaster was the lifeline a well-paying job would provide. “I will give serious thought to joining the FBI as the next step. I promise,” she said. “If Gillian was alive, I’d have given her the same advice,” Clem added. “She was like you. Intelligent, brave, and resourceful. Exactly the kind of asset the FBI needs.” Clem’s voice softened as he spoke of his daughter, who’d been killed in a car crash when she was a first-year university student. Stella knew Clem thought of her as his own daughter. His belief in her abilities made her feel more confident about them. “And don’t worry that the law firm hasn’t got back to you yet. End of day for them is probably eight p.m., earliest,” he added with more than a little humor in his voice. “Thank you,” Stella said, smiling as they ended the call. She gulped down her water and set the empty glass on the kitchen counter. At that moment, from the lounge, she heard her laptop ping and rushed to it. A new email had arrived. She tensed, leaning closer as she saw it was from the Chicago law firm. “I don’t believe it!” Stella’s ice-blue eyes widened. She felt breathless with shock as she read and reread the words. A massive, disbelieving grin spread over her face. How she wished she’d stayed on the line with Clem a few moments longer so that she could share the good news with him immediately. She had the job! “Oh, wow,” she whispered. Joy flooded through her as she read the wonderful and positive words. They were impressed by her qualifications and delighted to offer her the position. She could start on the first of May. “I’ve landed my dream role!” She danced around the lounge, waving her hands in the air. Returning to her laptop, she stared at the screen again with her heart soaring. This was everything she’d hoped for. It was a validation of the degree she’d fought so hard to achieve. She’d be employed by one of Chicago’s top law firms! She’d be using all her skills and learning many more. Clem would be so proud. With relief, she realized she’d be able to stay on in the apartment she loved. And it was the best possible outcome for her and Vaughn, too. He’d moved to Chicago from Connecticut to do work experience at a leading finance firm and had mentioned last time they’d seen each other that they’d offered him a full-time job. Vaughn was taking her out tonight and would be arriving in an hour. She couldn’t wait to tell him the good news.