Chapter 1
'I've got it!' Lena shouted over her shoulder, while she walked over to the front door. She opened the door and stood face to face with a young woman with fierce red hair. The girl was probably a few years older than her own children. There was something vaguely familiar about her. Lena had this feeling that she had seen the girl before.
‘Hi, how can I help you?', Lena asked. The girl looked at her with great interest and Lena again had the feeling that she knew this girl. Maybe she was one of her old students?
'Well', she said with a small smile. 'I think I am looking for you, that is if you are Stefanie Elkins'.
Lena laughed at her mistaken identity, lots of people assumed that a household only had one woman. 'No, that would be my wife Stef, though it's Adams Foster now instead of Elkins. She is in the backyard. Would you like me to get her?'
'Yes, that would be really great', the girl answered politely. Lena had to admit that the girl did not show any surprise by the fact that she was gay.
Lena led the girl over to the living room and then went to her wife and children in the backyard. Stef immediately came over to her and kissed her on the lips.
Lena quickly explained the situation to her, she was actually quite curious about the girl.
'Okay', Stef dragged out, expressing her surprise about this sudden interruption of her nice calm Sunday afternoon 'What is her name?'
'I don't know, Stef. I just told you I never met her before.'
'Lena, please don't tell me you just let a complete stranger in our house. I know that you like to think the best of people, but this could be dangerous.'
'Well, you better get your sexy ass over to the living room then.' Lena said unimpressed by Stef's scolding, she never felt unsafe when Stef was home.
Stef walked to the living room and saw the young girl. She was looking at some family pictures on the wall, but as far as Stef could tell had not nicked anything. Which was a relief. Because Stef did not trust any strangers walking around in her house and to Stef this girl screamed trouble. She was scarcely clothed, leaving tattooed skin on display and both her bottom lip and her nose was pierced.
Stef took a deep breath, before she walked over to the girl and introduced herself.
'Nice to meet you Stefanie,' the girl said. Lena noticed that she sounded quite businesslike but there was a slight tremble in her voice. 'I am Victoria Burke, I know we haven't met before, but I was hoping you could tell me where to find your father Frank Elkins.'
Stef squinted her eyes suspiciously at the stranger, while Lena tried to be the polite one and motioned to sit down.
'Why would you want to meet my father?' Stef asked, once they were all settled down. She was a bit taken back by Victoria's question; her father's death still was a touchy topic. Victoria also looked a little bit taken back, almost like she did not want to talk about it.
'Well, there is just something I need to ask him', she said vaguely.
'Like what?', Stef snapped, she really did not like the interruption of her Sunday by this stranger and memories about her dad. Also she just did not trust this woman.
'Like, he owns me money, and I want it', the redhead snapped back with just as much attitude.
Stef led out a laugh, she was not sure if it were nerves or disbelief. 'Why would my father own money to a girl, I never even met?'
'Maybe because your father is a grown-up man, who does not need to run everything through his daughter first? Maybe because your father has a part of life, you do not know about!', Victoria replied annoyed.
Stef felt how Lena placed her hand on her leg, and she remembered to take a deep breath before speaking. 'Well Victoria, I am sorry to disappoint you, but Frank Elkins died just over a month ago.'
Victoria looked truly taken back and looked like she was inwardly swearing.
'Must be a lot of money he owned you', Stefanie said surprised at the reaction of Victoria, but she also could not help to let out a mean grin. She did not like the girl, if she had met her while on the job, she would know that this girl could be trouble.
'Shit', Victoria mumbled 'and I am not in his will, or anything?' she asked desperately.
'Honey', Stef said in a patronizing tone 'why would my father mention you in his will, only because he owes you a couple of bucks?'
'Because he is my father too!', Victoria said frustrated.