6. Getting to know Adam better.
1801 Words
Hanna made sure that Adam was comfortable and offered him a cup of coffee.
He sat down in a wicker chair out on the back porch.
She could hear Avery in her bedroom moving boxes and running around.
She frowned at this as she knew that Avery could be messy.
Adam spoke about the night before and said he was interested in finding out more about this Paul Sicarius.
He assured Hanna that she could take as much time off if she needed to recuperate.
Hanna decided this was probably a good idea.
Adam informed her that he also had quite a bit of vacation saved up and planned on taking a few weeks off as well.
She couldn't help but think that Adam was very kind to help her.
She was drawn to him as she had never been drawn to someone in her whole life.
She thought it was strange that she had worked with him all these years in a professional manner and never once had he shown anything but polite kindness to her.
She decided she was going to ask him about this.
Adam said, "I'm not the type of person to cross boundaries and mix personal and professional relationships, it's been difficult with you Hanna- because all I can do is think about you all day.
Especially these last two days, it has been very hard to concentrate."
Hanna nervously laughed at this, as she was feeling the same way.
She had always admired her boss Adam from afar.
The way that he managed the other social workers and staff so strongly.
He always looked so confident in how he dressed, he wore tailored suits that fit like a glove.
She didn't know much about his personal life, so she asked him about his childhood.
She wondered if he had ever been in a serious relationship.
Adam opened up about growing up in Willamette, Oregon and often going fishing with his pops, his grandfather Joe Parker and grandma Anna who raised him.
He had lost his parents to a tragic plane crash, when he was only 4 years old. He couldn' t even remember what they looked like anymore.
His grandma Anna was more of a mother to him. He was sad when he lost her just a few years after his parents died, his pops said she had died of a broken heart.
So much loss. His pops died four years ago at the age of 90, he fell ill and never recovered.
Adam had taken time off from work to care for him while he was on Hospice.
He died in his own bed.
Adam went on to tell Hanna that he had several relationships in the past but he never considered marriage.
Hanna was secretly pleased when he said this, as she also hadn't been married.
She just never thought that it would happen.
Hanna reached her hand out to grab the coffee cup to refill it.
Adam took it as a sign to hold her hand as he interlaced his fingers with hers. She felt butterflies in her tummy.
Adam slowly leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.
After this, he leaned back and looking into her eyes said, "I'm sorry, is this okay? I never thought to ask you, I just needed to kiss you."
Hanna responded by pulling his face closer and with her mouth slightly open kissed him back passionately. Their first kiss, she thought.
When the kiss ended they looked at each other and they both smiled, breathlessly.
They knew that this was something very special.
Avery walked in at the last minute when the kiss had ended, seeing them holding hands.
She sat down between them and said, "Hey, did you guys miss me or what?"
Hanna and Adam both grinned at this intrusion.
They both awkwardly stood up wiping their hands, acting as if nothing happened.
Avery said, "Is it something that I said?" All parties moved into the house.
Hanna's father came out of the kitchen and Henry was actually relieved to see Adam at the home.
He saw Adam as an upright man who could easily take on Hanna's attacker.
He was secretly hoping that Adam would stay a while and become her protector.
He knew his daughter was usually a good judge in character.
He wanted her to have a relationship like he had with his wife Angela.
Avery was happy to see her dad, they made their way back into the kitchen to began to prepare dinner.
Hanna walked into the living room and turned on the TV.
She was searching her streaming service for the podcast that she had been so interested in just a few days.
Adam grew interested in what she was doing and was paying close attention. Mostly looking at her hips swaying.
Hanna pulled up the program and listened for a few minutes before shutting it off.
"Adam," she said, "For some reason I could care less about the Hungry for Murder podcast. Especially since I'm living it!"
This actually gave Adam an idea and he wrote down the contact information for the podcast host.
He decided he was going to step outside and make a call.
Hanna didn't see what he was doing, caught up in her own thoughts.
Adam decided he would contact the podcast host to see if he had any ideas about this murder.
Henry prepared the plates and set the table. He had made mashed potatoes and grilled some vegetables as well as some fresh fish.
He knew Hanna wouldn't eat the fish. He assumed that everyone else would like the fish.
He had been making this dish since he was a young man. It was one of Angela's favorites.
Avery came in and setting out four wine glasses.
She grabbed a bottle of Hanna's red wine and started to open it.
Turning the corkscrew into the bottle, she pulled and pulled and pulled and finally with a jerk the cork popped out( as well as half the bottle of wine)which she spilled all over the borrowed dress she wore.
It was one of Hanna's favorite dresses.
They were about the same size, though Avery was a few inches taller than Hanna, at 5 foot 7.
Hanna didn't notice that this had all transpired as she was still in her own head, sitting in front of the television.
Adam strode back into the room and told her they had an appointment tomorrow that they both had to go.
Thinking that this was worked related, Hanna nodded her head.
Henry informed the family that it was time to eat.
Looking around, Hanna didn't see Avery and wondered where she had gone off to.
Avery quickly changed the wine soaked dress and stuffed it under Hanna's bed.
She didn't want to see Hanna's face when she realized that she had ruined her nice floral, cotton dress.
A dress that she didn't actually ask to borrow.
Avery was always the little sister and borrowing things from Hanna.
She usually got Hanna's hand-me-downs as a child, so she expected this to continue into adulthood.
Henry plated the fish and the potatoes and pulled out a large bowl of fresh greens that he and Hanna had gotten at the farmer's market.
Hanna began to make a salad dressing out of some silken tofu that she had in her refrigerator.
She placed it in her blender and adding some coconut aminos and some spices, she began to blend it.
It came out quite creamy and nobody realized that it wasn't ranch dressing as it tasted so wonderful.
They all ate in silence and sipped on their wine.
Henry began to tell a story about the time he took the girls fishing on the Columbia river.
The sturgeon that Hanna had reeled in was almost bigger than Avery.
Of course he did most of the work.
Hanna jumped up and ran into her room.
After a few minutes she came back with a photo of her and that big fish.
Adam admired it and seeing young Hanna as a young girl made him smile.
When it was time for Adam to leave, Hanna walked him out and shut the door behind them.
Pulling Adam in close, she intended to give him a hug. He grabbed her chin softly and pulled her mouth to his, kissing her once again.
Sealing her mouth with his affection, Adam turned to walk away and got into his Monte Carlo SS.
He started the engine with a roar, he began to drive off.
They both were unaware that they were being watched.
The man that was watching them was sweating profusely in pain as he had a thick bandage covering the wound to his thigh.
He wondered if he might be getting an infection.
He rummaged through the Miller's medicine cabinet looking for some antibiotics or pain killers.
He was very anxious to get back to Hanna. His hand was itching with anticipation.
He held the knife and stroked it lovingly. He thought to himself, she can't be surrounded by people all the time.
He was waiting for his opportunity to take her. He didn't really care if anybody else got hurt in the process.
Hanna turned around once she was in the house and locked the dead bolt, feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
She had a creepy feeling that she was being watched.
She peeked out the window. She didn't see anybody.
Paul Sicarius was actually in the house next door and struggling with his leg wound.
He was breathing hard and gripping the counter top to stay upright.
He had watched her out of the small kitchen window.
Her neighbors, Mr. and Mrs.Miller- a kind, elderly couple were tied up securely in the basement.
He had taken his time with them. Not wanting them to cause any trouble for him, he had gagged them as well.
He turned around and slowly headed towards the stairs.
Limping along as he went, he could hear their muffled cries for help.
Henry went outside to his truck to secure it for the night, an excuse he had given the girls.
Looking around, he also had a hinky feeling -only a feeling a seasoned detective could have.
Locking his truck, he came in to the house and he also locked the house doors securely.
Henry prepared his weapon, he made sure that it was locked and loaded. He knew well how to use it.
He decided he would ask Avery if she would spend the night too.
He needed all the help he could get while he went hunting for a maniac.
He wanted the whole family to be together during this time, he just had a feeling.
- Writer
