HAVIN HOUSE

A story of lust, betrayal and murder.

By: Lorelai Huffman

Would you do anything for your family? This family would. Two weeks every summer Catherine Havin has a family reunion with her children, her sister's family and her brother.

What could go wrong?

All families have secrets, but this family takes the cake. Murder, rape, extortion…lies upon lies. Who wouldn't want to spend the first two weeks of summer next to a beautiful lake with friends and family and college girls in bikinis?

But with this vacation who will get out alive?

Chapter One

Mandy Havin had just finished her first year at Yale. She had invited her roommates to Havin House for the first two weeks of summer before they returned to their parent's homes. She was driving her little red convertible but she had the top up because it was a little cloudy today. Her parents had told her that she could bring anyone she liked to the house because there was plenty of room.

"So Mandy tell us about your cousin Robert, I was reading about him in your Sports Illustrated," Brandi Peterson asked her as she opened another beer.

"Read my ass I caught you masturbating to it!" Ava Campbell yelled from the back seat.

"That article is from forever ago and Rob…is just Rob," Mandy said taking the turn off to the cove.

"Rob is just Rob whatever bitch give the scoop," Brandi said handing Mandy the beer bottle.

Mandy took a drink and handed it back to Brandi. She looked in the mirror at her friend Ava Campbell who was flipping through a magazine and trying to change the subject from masturbating and Mandy asked Ava, "What the hell are you doing back there, sleeping?"

Ava Campbell wanted to be a writer and she agreed to come and hang out with her friends at Havin House instead of heading home because she thought that Havin House would be a great place to write a murder mystery.

"I am reading about Havin House in this magazine," Ava said looking at all the beautiful landscapes.

Brandi grabbed the magazine and threw it out the window.

"You bitch!" Ava screamed.

"Have a drink and shut up," Brandi said handing her the beer bottle. Brandi Peterson pulled her long black hair off her neck and put her painted toenails out the window and the breeze ran across her feet. She yawned and pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes and she lightly flicked her belly button ring and wondered how much longer it was going to take to get there.

"Do we have to stay the entire two weeks?" Colton Havin asked his very pregnant wife Alison.

"Everything is going to be fine, you love Havin House," she said taking a drink of her juice.

"I just really don't want the baby coming way out here," Colton said smiling at her and rubbing her belly.

"Don't miss the turn off," Alison said pointing.

"I don't think I will Al since I have been coming here every summer my entire life," he said with friendly sarcasm. "And I know the baby isn't due for a month, but I still want everything to be perfect. Did you bring a swimsuit?"

Alison frowned and looked at her very pregnant belly, "I tried to reach Omar the tent maker to sew me one together, but he was out of town."

Colt shook his head at his very beautiful and sexy wife. Alison had gotten pregnant once before and had miscarried and Colton was worried about her coming here so late in her pregnancy. Alison's doctor had said it would be ok if she stayed off of her feet. And Colton was sure that his mom would make sure of that since this would be her first grandchild.

Alison Havin took another drink of her juice and smiled at her husband. She loved him with all her heart. So much that she didn't want him to worry about their child who would be born soon.

What she wasn't telling him is that her back was really bothering her and that she had some cramping that morning.

E.J. Havin was standing in front of Havin House. She was watching down over the cliff where she could see the road from the main highway. She could watch her family turn off the main road onto the access road and onto their land. They still had to drive around the mountain and up to the house which would take another forty five minutes, but she could see them and she knew who would be coming.

She had arrived last week to help her mother prepare everything for the summer guests. All the staff had arrived last week to wash and clean and open up the house for the summer. E.J. was excited to see her brothers and sister along with her cousins.

She had been offered a four year all expenses paid scholarship to a private school in Paris so this would be the last time for a while she would get to see them. E.J. didn't need the scholarship because of the Havin money, but she thought it was a good start in becoming independent of her parent's fortune and making a life of her own.

She had seen her sister Amanda's car turn onto the access road and then she had seen her brother Colton's, but she knew it would still be awhile before they could make it around the mountain so she walked out back to check the deck and the pool. She knew when everyone arrived they would be more than ready to start swimming and drinking and partying.

Their pool man Carlos Ortiz had outdone himself and the pool was crystal clear and ready to entertain. Carlos was twenty-five and had worked the last four summers for her family taking care of the pool. When E.J. walked to the back door she saw him standing next to the tennis court talking to Celia, one of the maids. She didn't think anything of it and pushed her sunglasses onto her head and headed in.

Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkness of the foyer when she heard little footsteps running toward her and then right into her.

It was Ryan Armstrong, Celia's eight year old son and he had been running around playing.

"Sorry Miss E.J. I didn't see you," he said with a smile.

"That's ok, just be a little more careful because soon there will be a lot of people walking around," she said smiling and touching his shoulder.

"Have you seen my mom?"

"Yes, she's out by the tennis courts."

"Thanks!" he said and darted for the door.

"Walk!" E.J. called after him.

Victor Morales, the man her mom hired to manage the house had been very busy. He had made sure all the keys were ready for the guests as they arrived and he had helped her mom prepare for Alison's surprise baby shower. They were sharing the handyman Bruce Marshall with the bar down the road called Lagoon, so Victor had even picked up a broom and had run the vacuum this morning.

E.J. was wondering where her parents had gotten to when she wandered into the small dining room just off of the main dining room and her breath was taken away by how beautiful the baby shower decorations were. Her mom had gone all out for Colt and Ali, but she knew her mom had worried because of Ali's miscarriage.

E.J. picked up a small favor of mints wrapped with little mini baby booties and she let one tear come to her eye before wiping it away. She tried not to think about the baby that she had aborted last summer.

"Will you slow down!" Michael Havin yelled to his fiancé Darcy.

"You shouldn't let her drive if she scares you bro," Michael's twin Reggie said from the back seat.

"He had no choice my ride, I drive!" Darcy said speeding down the road and she whizzed by a car and honked and waved.

"Hey, that was Scott and Corrine!" Reggie called out.

"Let me out, I can ride with them and maybe get there alive," Michael said holding on.

"You are such a puss," Reggie said smacking his brother on the back of the head.

"Hey, next time you drive your own dam car," Michael said tossing an empty soda can at his brother.

"I told you mine is in the shop, you would have missed me if I wasn't here!"

"Darcy, don't miss the turn off!" Michael screamed and then closed his eyes.

Darcy Benton was excited to get to meet the entire Havin clan. She and Michael had been engaged since Christmas and the only people she had met were his parents and his twin and she couldn't wait to meet everyone.

Michael couldn't wait to get away from the city for two weeks. He hated being a first year associate, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he would work his way up. One of the senior partners had stopped him in the elevator one night last week and asked how he was doing.

Her name was Sheila Pemberton and she was hot for her age. She had asked Michael if he was willing to work hard to get a real job with the law firm and Michael had smiled at her and said that he was willing to work really-really hard.

The next night they had happened to both be working late again and just happened to meet in the elevator. Sheila was wearing an incredibly short skirt and as the elevator doors closed she pushed Michael against the back wall and pushed herself against them.

"How hard are you willing to work Mick?" she had asked as she took his hand and ran it up her thigh and under her skirt to where she wasn't wearing any underwear. She smiled at him and licked her lips as she led his hand up to her small patch of hair and she moved his hand back and forth.

Then the elevator had reached the ground floor and they both knew there was a guard so she stepped away from him and as she did so she stroked him just once but that was all it took to make Michael Havin very interested in how to get ahead at the firm.

Reggie Havin had called his brother and had asked him to take him to Havin House because his car was in the shop. He claimed that he had hit… a dog.

"Was that your cousin?" Corrine Collins-Buckland asked her husband Scott. As Darcy's truck went roaring by them and Reggie and Mick waved to them out the window.

"Why yes it was," Scott Buckland said laughing at his cousins.

"They are animals," she said as she cracked her window.

"Don't be a prude Corrine."

"I'm not a prude Scott. I just think there are certain ways a person should act."

"You have room to talk," he said tightening his grip on the steering wheel and watching the road.

Scott Buckland had married Corrine Collins 18 months ago and he had truly loved her then. Now he couldn't stand the sight of her and wished that she hadn't insisted on coming to Havin House to try and work things out.

He tried not to think about that day, but that day was all he thought about.

"Corrine this is the fourth time I have called you, I got out of work early and thought we could have an early dinner, but now I am getting worried that I can't find you," Scott said into his cell phone and then threw it on the car seat next to him.

He was driving up to their house and saw her car in the driveway and was relieved that she was safe. He figured her cell battery must have died or something.

Scott pulled up next to Corrine's car and ran inside so he could surprise her by taking her to her favorite restaurant for an early dinner.

He dropped his keys on the table next to the door like he always did and he could see she wasn't in the living room or the kitchen so she must be upstairs in the bedroom maybe putting laundry away or running on the treadmill with her headphones on.

He ran up the stairs and could see the bedroom door was open so he hurried down the hallway. And what he saw had almost stopped his heart.

His wife was laying naked on the foot of their bed spread eagle while a man was kneeling on the floor with his face buried in her. She was moaning and pulling at his hair and had no idea Scott was standing there.

Scott had closed his eyes and prayed to die right there as tears filled his eyes and he couldn't move. He was trembling and tried to turn around and walk out, but his feet wouldn't move.

Corrine pulled hard on the man's hair and whispered, "Fuck me now Tom I love you!" And as 'Tom' and his erect manhood stood up to take Scott's wife he turned and saw Scott standing there.

"Corrine," is all he said and then he turned and walked into the bathroom.

She opened her eyes and saw Scott standing there and jumped up and tried to run toward him full of apologies and I love you's, but Scott pushed her as hard as he could away from him and walked out.

He went to stay with his parents and she called every day ten to fifteen times, but he wouldn't talk to her. Then she started to come over and each time his mother would answer the door and tell her that he wasn't there.

He had taken time off from work so she couldn't catch him there, but one afternoon last week he was having lunch with his sister Carmen and she spotted them and walked up and insisted on talking to him.

Carmen excused herself and told Scott she would see him at their parent's house that night and Corrine sat down.

Scott had sat with his fingers clenched in order to keep from punching her right in the face as she tried to explain why he had found a man prepared to screw her brains out in his bed.

"It was a mistake Scott," she said reaching for his hand.

He angrily pulled his hand back away from her, "Oh yes Corrine he tripped and his dick just happened to slide in!"

"Scott I love you," she said with tears streaming down her face. "I can't lose you… I am your wife."

"Who was he Corrine?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me you lying fucking whore!" he said loud enough for everyone around them to hear.

"No, it doesn't Scott because I love you and only you. I am your wife and I am so sorry and it will never happen again. You have given me everything and… I am so sorry."

Scott went from rage to anger and then he realized he hated her because he loved her so much and she had thrown it away. But he did love her…

Catherine Havin was standing in the front of Havin House when her sister's car came pulling up. Jeremy Ross, the attendant came running out and as William Buckland popped the trunk Jeremy started loading their luggage onto the cart.

"Rachel," Catherine said as she walked over and hugged her sister.

"Hey sis, it has been too long," Rachel said happy to be with her sister again.

Catherine stepped back and then hugged William.

"Are the kids here yet?" he asked her.

"E.J. is here and she said she saw a few cars come onto the access road so they shouldn't be too far behind you."

Rachel smiled at her sister, "Scott and Corrine are on their way and Carmen will be here tonight and Robert will be here tomorrow."

"That sounds perfect. You guys must be starving let's eat," Catherine said to them as they headed inside.

Wayne Simpson was standing on the side of the house trimming the bushes and watching Rachel and William Buckland arrive. He had worked for the Havins for a few years and the two weeks at the beginning of each summer when this family got together was never a dull moment, but even Wayne had no idea this was a vacation that no one would soon forget.

"Oh my god E.J.!" Mandy screamed as she jumped out of the car and ran to hug her sister. "Girl I missed you!" she screamed jumping up and down and squeezing her sister very tight.

"Mandy you look great," she said noticing the strawberry red color that her sister had dyed her hair and the belly button ring glimmering under her tank top.

"These are my roommates Ava and Jami and Brandi."

"Welcome ladies, Jeremy will take your luggage to your rooms and your keys are at the front desk, but most people don't lock their doors unless…well you know. There is food being served by the pool. Make yourselves at home."

"Sounds like fun," Brandi said pulling off her skirt and tossing it into Mandy's car as she walked inside wearing nothing but her swimsuit which didn't cover much.

E.J. watched Brandi walk inside and then said, "The boys are gonna love her."

They laughed and Jeremy led Ava, Mandy and Jami inside so they could change and get to the pool.

E.J. put her sun glasses back down because the clouds had started to break up and the sun was coming out. She was glad because everyone bouncing around the pool in the rain wasn't going to be any fun.

She knew Colton and Alison weren't far behind Mandy so she stood outside and waited.

"E.J."

"Oh Phillip, I'm sorry I didn't see you."

Here is the menu for the next few days. Could you please approve it so I can send someone to the market?" he said handing her the list.

E.J. ran down the list and everything looked great, she trusted Phillip Grey with choosing the food. He came up every summer for the two weeks to cook for them. Last year E.J. stayed on after everyone else left and having to cook for herself was not as much fun as eating the enticing things that Phillip came up with.

"Here you go," she said smiling at him.

"Will everyone be arriving today?"

"Aunt Rachel said that Robert will be arriving tomorrow, but everyone else should be here today."

Phillip nodded and walked away.

Catherine and Rachel came outside to stand with E.J. as they waited for Colton's car to come around the bend. And then there it was.

Colton pulled around to the front of the house and E.J. opened Alison's car door.

"Oh my dear you look beautiful!" Catherine said to Ali.

"I feel like a whale," she said smiling at her mother-in-law.

"Come on let's get you off your feet, Mandy and some of her friends are already out by the pool." Catherine held the hand of her daughter-in-law and they went inside followed by Rachel and Jeremy.

"Now you will always be the favorite," E.J. said elbowing her brother in the ribs.

Colton picked up his sister and started to spin her around and circles, "I have missed you sis." E.J. and Colt had always been close even though he was the oldest and she the youngest. He had always been the protective big brother and had beaten the crap out of anyone who bothered his baby sister.

"Colt can I tell you something?"

"Anything shrimp."

"It is a secret so you can't tell anyone yet."

"Tell me already before I start giving you pink belly!"

As E.J. was telling Colt about the scholarship Darcy's truck came racing up.

"Don't run over my sister Darce!"

"I'm not Mick I had a least..."

"Three inches," Reggie added to the conversation from the back seat.

E.J. and Colton stood there with at least eight feet between them and the front of Darcy's truck and waited for their twin brothers to come out and see them.

Mick hopped out and hugged his sister, "Hey squirt long time no see."

"Hey chump!" E.J. said punching him on the arm.

"Hey Reggie don't forget you still owe me three beers at Lagoon from last summer," Colton called to his brother as he squeezed out of the back seat.

"You're an old man now with a kid on the way you get no beer," Reggie called back to him.

"Come on the pool is open and the drinks are free!" E.J. called as she hugged Reggie and they walked inside together.

Mick offered Darcy his hand to go inside and she smiled at him, "Hey I want to go and shower. It has been a long trip and then I will meet you out by the pool." She leaned over and kissed him and then followed Jeremy inside so she could get the key to her and Michael's room.

Mick thought it was odd that after wanting to meet the family so bad that the first thing Darcy wanted to do was go to the room, but he soon forgot about it when Reggie yelled for him to come to the pool and meet Mandy's girlfriends from Yale.

Chapter Two

Darcy had jumped in the shower and rinsed off. Then had dried herself off and dropped her towel on the floor of the bathroom as she walked out to find something that would impress her future in-laws.

"So you snagged him," a voice said from the corner.

"Oh my God you scared me to death!" Darcy said grabbing a pillow from the bed and putting it in front of herself.

"You never used to hide it why now?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Checking on my investment of course, but you know that now don't you?"

"Curtis you need to go. Their entire family is here," she said walking over and grabbing a top from her suitcase.

"I love what you have done with your hair. It suits you better then the brown."

"Curtis go."

"You better hope the other one doesn't recognize you. Of course he was too stupid to enjoy your talents more than once wasn't he?"

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want girl, I helped you snag the rich Mr. Havin and now I want my cut."

"Curtis, I love him."

"I don't care. We had a deal and if you don't want your new family to find out that you are a gold digging, lying, whore, wanna be who spread them for any guy with a buck then you will make sure I get my cut," he said smiling at her.

"We'll talk ok, but not now Mick is expecting me," she said pulling on her bikini and her shorts.

Darcy went into the bathroom to check her make-up and adjust her swimsuit under her clothes and when she came back out of the bathroom the bedroom was empty.

Corrine had headed right out to the pool to test the waters with the family and see what they knew while Jeremy showed Scott to the room.

Scott changed his clothes and was headed to the bar when he bumped into a girl in a very tiny bikini.

"Hi, I'm Brandi and I was looking for the little girl's room. Can you point me in the right direction?" she said with a 'jump me' smile.

"It's just around the corner Brandi," Scott said pointing and then headed toward the bar.

Nice Ass

Brandi thought as she headed toward the restroom. As she was about to close the door she saw a man who looked like he was sneaking around. He had just come out of one of the bedrooms down the hall. He didn't look like he would belong to a Havin or a Buckland, but maybe he was part of the help. He had big muscles and nice hair definite potential she thought and then she shut the door.

Ava was sitting in the shade with her sunglasses down watching the family. She thought that this house would definitely make a good setting for her first best seller. Everyone was splashing around in the pool except for her, Alison and Brandi.

Alison was sitting under the umbrella drinking a large glass of iced tea and Brandi had went inside. Before she had left she was sunbathing on her stomach with her top untied. The guys were ogling her and she knew it, but everyone was having fun. Colt had pushed E.J. in the pool before she could take off her shorts and shoes so she had tried to hold him under water.

Ava was trying to decide if the murderer in her book should be a man or a woman when Brandi came back outside and hopped into the pool. Ava watched Brandi swim around all the guys like a shark and flirt with them, but she had seen Brandi do that all year so that was nothing new.

She noticed that Mandy's cousin's wife was sitting alone with her feet in the shallow end of the pool. Mandy had told her that Scott and Corrine were getting a divorce. Mandy had talked to her cousin Carmen and Carmen had filled in some of the details. Apparently he had caught her with another guy, in bed, in his own house.

"Hmm, adultery is a good motive for murder," Ava said and made some notes in her notebook. She was sitting there minding her own business and the next thing she knew someone was dripping on her feet.

"You going to sit there with your face in that book all day?" She looked up to see Reggie Havin standing above her in his swim trunks with his thick dark hair dripping wet and his bulging pecks making her mouth water. She didn't say anything so he smiled and said, "Wanna swim?"

She dropped her book on the chair and dropped her shorts and headed with him to the pool.

Scott was having his third Jack and Coke when someone pulled the stool out next to him. Scott just continued to stare into his glass until the bar tender sat a whiskey sour next to him and he looked to find his dad sitting there.

"Welcome," William Buckland said to his son. He hadn't talked to his son for a few days. Not since he had gone back to try and make things work with his wife. William could tell that things weren't going as planned.

"Hey Dad," Scott said taking another drink.

"I know there's no pre-nup Scott, but I can pay her off and make her go away."

"I don't care about the money Dad," he said getting a little red in the face.

"You sharing her bed again?"

"No, I have been sleeping in the guest room."

"You want to make it work?"

"No, I want to choke the life out of her and chop her into little pieces and bury her in the desert."

"Well if you still feel that strongly about her then you still love her Scott."

"I want to hate her Dad."

"She betrayed you Scott. Betrayed your trust and that isn't going to be easy to get over."

Scott nodded and finished his drink and signaled for another.

"You know your mother and I will do whatever you need and we will abide by whatever decision you make, but you can't just sit here. Your sister will be here tonight and Robert will be here tomorrow, but your cousins are all out there in the pool and you love Havin House so go and have a good time and we will deal with Corrine later."

The bartender sat his new drink in front of him and he picked it up and headed toward the door to the pool with it in his hand, "Will do Dad."

Scott walked outside into the bright sunshine and saw his family all laughing and playing around in the water. His mom was sitting under the umbrella with Alison who was looking very uncomfortable. He walked over and kissed his mom on the cheek and sat his drink on the table.

His Aunt Catherine had gone inside to check on some things so he leaned over and held out his hand to Alison, "Mrs. Havin would you be so kind as to join me inside the house?"

Alison smiled at Scott, "Of course Mr. Buckland."

She took Scott's hand and they walked inside into the coolness of the house.

"Victor have a large glass of iced tea and some extra pillows brought to Alison and Colt's room," Scott said leading her down the hallway.

Allison didn't say anything until after Scott pushed open the door of her room.

"How did you know?"

"Because misery can spot other misery I guess," he said as he started moving around the pillows on the bed. Ali sat down and tried to relax as Victor brought in the other pillows and the tea. Scott took the tea from him and handed it to Ali and then he took the extra pillows and placed them under her feet. Scott thanked Victor and then tried to make Ali comfortable.

"You are too good to me Scott."

"You are my cousin's wife and you are carrying their heir and we can't have you out baking in the sun. You are not a chicken in the roaster."

"I was feeling like one."

"You will be fine now," Scott said sitting on the corner of the bed.

"Scott."

"Don't Ali, above everything else I can't take your pity."

Ali sat her tea on the bedside table, "It isn't pity Scott it's concern."

"You don't think I have been playing through all the scenarios on my way up here Al. I could have been married to you and you could be having my child and instead…"

Ali could see that Scott's heart was breaking as he couldn't hold back the tears. She leaned forward a little and touched his shoulder.

"That was a long time ago Scott."

"I know and we made our choice and you ended up with Colt and I am so happy for the two of you and I am just…"

"I know and I am so sorry."

Scott wiped the tears from his face, "I hate her Al."

"Then why is she here Scott?"

"Hey, honey everything ok?" Colt said from the open doorway.

"Everything's great, I was just a little hot," Ali said with a smile and a pain in her side. "I am going to take a nap so if you strong guys could close the door on your way out please."

Scott stood up and walked into the hallway and Colt blew a kiss to his wife and closed the door.

Alison rolled over on her side and took some slow deep breaths, she was determined that this baby was going to stay inside until closer to his or her due date. She hugged the pillow and thought about Scott.

Her uncle had been a close friend to the Bucklands and she would always attend their parties with him.

She would always hang out with them and she had never paid too much attention to Scott Buckland. Then one day she was walking in the Garden at the Buckland estate and she had twisted her ankle. The music from the party was pretty loud so she had sat there about ten minutes before someone had found her. It was Scott Buckland and his lady friend sneaking back to the party.

"Are you ok?" Scott said kneeling down next to her.

"Yes, I'm fine I just twisted my ankle," she said smiling at Scott's date.

He had carried her to the house and sat her down on the sofa, "Let me get you some ice."

Scott had gone with his friend to get the ice, but when he came back he was alone, "Here you go."

"Thanks," Alison said smiling at him.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"Not too much now that I am not trying to walk on it."

Scott took off her shoe and held the ice on and lightly massaged it for her as they talked.

There was a knock at the door, "Ali are you alright?"

Ali rolled over to see Catherine peeking in.

"Yes, Mom I'm fine. I just needed a nap."

"Well I brought you some water and some cookies I will put them here on the table and I will check on you in a little while."

"Thanks Mom."

Catherine smiled at her and then scurried out to put the final touches on the cake for the baby shower.

Mick hopped out of the pool when Darcy came outside and met her by the door, "You ready to meet everyone?"

"Yes," Darcy said smiling. Mick held her hand and walked out onto the deck.

"Everyone this is Darcy, my fiancé"

Everyone was happy to meet Darcy, especially the man who was watching from behind the tool shed.

Carmen Buckland's plane had just landed and she was waiting in line to pick up her rental car so she could drive the half hour to Tardom Lake and then the 45 minutes up the mountain. She had promised her mom that she would come even though she really didn't feel like it. The days of her enjoying the big family Summer vacation at Havin House had really passed for her.

But she had gotten in some trouble and her mom had gotten her out of it without telling her dad so she owed her. But mostly she didn't want to go because a few weeks ago she had headed up to Yale to visit Mandy and wanted to stop at the coffee shop and get a latte. On her way across the street she spotted her uncle Edward sitting at a table, but just as she started to wave to get his attention she noticed that he wasn't alone. He was sitting at the table with a young girl, she had to be younger then Carmen.

So Carmen had skipped the latte and went to see Mandy trying to forget what she had seen. Edward and Catherine had been married for a long time and she believed Aunt Catherine would tear his balls off if she found out.

She missed Robert and she was looking forward to seeing Scott until she found out that Corrine was going to be there with him. She had never really liked Corrine. Corrine was so stuck up and withdrawn. Corrine had really hurt him and even if Scott could forgive her and bring her to the house, Carmen couldn't and it wouldn't take much for Carmen to speak her mind.

Carmen walked up to the door to Scott's old room. Her father had told her what happened between Scott and Corrine earlier that day. She could hear her big brother crying behind the door so she gently pushed it open.

She closed the door behind her and crawled into bed behind him. She wrapped her arms around her brother and he grabbed her arm and pulled it close to him. They didn't say anything for a long time.

"I loved her Car."

"You want me to kick her ass?"

"Yes," he said with a little chuckle as he held his sister tight.

"You want to talk about it?"

"There isn't much to say. I apparently married the biggest whore in town."

There was a knock on the door. Rachel brought in two sandwiches, a fifth of Jack Daniels, a pitcher of ice, a pitcher of coke and two glasses. She sat them down on the foot of the bed, "I didn't figure you would need the coke, but your sister might."

Rachel smiled at her son and daughter and the left the room. She figured Carmen could handle things.

She and Scott got really drunk that night and talked all night. Mom finally turned Scott's phone off because all Corrine's calls were making her crazy. Carmen loved her brother so much, but she didn't understand why he would even speak to Corrine again less long bring her on vacation.

"Carmen, Carmen Buckland!"

Carmen turned around and saw Calvin Mason. He and his sister Kara live down the road from Havin House. They run a fishing and diving business for tourists who come to the lake during the summer. Kara runs a diving school and Calvin takes groups out to fish on the lake.

"Calvin," she said walking over and hugging him.

"You just get in?"

"Yes, I am waiting for my rental car."

"I could ride you up the mountain if you want. I am headed up now and I am sure someone up there will lend you their car if you need to go anywhere. If not call me and I will come a running."

Carmen really didn't want to drive so she agreed. Calvin picked up both her bags and headed toward his truck. Calvin always had a nice tan from working outside all the time and he had really nice blond hair. Carmen couldn't help but notice how tight his jeans were. He held the door open for her and she climbed in. Maybe the summer wasn't going to be a total bust after all.

Reggie and Ava were walking down by the lake, it was getting late in the afternoon and the sun was starting to go down.

"So do you want to be Agatha Christie or Jessica Fletcher?"

"Well for starters Jessica Fletcher is a made up character so I guess I will take Agatha Christie," she said smiling. Ava threw her towel down on the sand and sat on it, "The lake is breathtaking."

"So are you," Reggie said leaning toward her. He gave her a little peck on the lips and she didn't pull away so he gave her an even deeper kiss and slowly pushed her back onto the towel. He was leaning half on her and kissing her with more hunger and he started to pulsate inside his swim trunks.

"Ava time to change for the party!" Jami shouted from the top of the hill.

Ava quickly jumped up and grabbed her towel and ran toward her friend leaving Reggie sitting there wishing Jami had waited five more minutes… maybe six.

Brandi was still relaxing by the pool after everyone else had gone to change for the party.

"How come you're not getting ready for the party?" she heard Scott Buckland say with slurred speech.

She stretched out so that he could see every inch of her young body and smiled, "I will in a few minutes. I need to tan evenly."

"I'm Scott. I'm Mandy's cousin."

"Yes, we met earlier in the hallway."

"Why yes we did," he said taking a drink of his Jack Daniels.

"Where's your wife Scott?"

"Helping Mom and Aunt Catherine with last minute details for the party."

"Well Scott I was getting ready to go and change for the party. I could use some assistance, would you mind helping me?" she said stretching and pulling her bikini tight so you could see her entire backside.

"You are in the room next to Mandy?"

She nodded yes, "See you in a minute."

Scott watched her walk toward the house and go inside. He knew Corrine was in the side dining room with his mom, but he didn't care where she was right now. He turned his glass up and finished his drink and sat the glass on the table and then headed into the house.

As Scott walked down the hall he heard Ava and Jami coming in the door laughing and giggling and they squeezed passed Scott and headed to their rooms on the other side Brandi's room.

After the girls shut their doors he looked behind him and the hallway was empty so he slid into Brandi's room. He could hear the water running in the shower. He took off his shirt and threw it on the bed.

He walked into the bathroom and could see her silhouette behind the curtain. Scott pushed back the curtain and she was standing there. All twenty-one years of her with her large chest all soapy, with her belly button ring glimmering in the light. She was lathering up her chest and touching herself all over as she made eye contact with him.

"Coming in?" she asked as she bent over to lather up her legs. Scott kicked off his shoes and then dropped his swim trunks. Brandi was still bent over when he stepped into the shower and he forcefully grabbed her by the hips and pulled her against him rubbing his throbbing erection against her cheeks.

Brandi stood up and turned around and he kissed her hard on the lips. Brandi sucked on his tongue and then he pushed her hard against the wall. They were both soaked and soapy as she stroked and touched him.

Scott picked her up out of the shower and threw her hard on the bed. She tried to reach up and grab him so she could take him into her mouth, but he pushed her hand away and jumped on top of her reeking of Jack Daniels.

"You want me or not?"

"Shut up," Scott said as he buried himself deep inside her and thrusted as hard as he could over and over again. The bed was banging hard against the wall, but Scott didn't care. He just wanted the pain to stop. If it worked for Corrine maybe it would work for him.

"Everything is ready Catherine," her sister said to her as she placed the last present on the table.

Catherine put her arm around her sister, "My first grandchild Rachel."

"I know sis isn't it wonderful?"

"Yes…very."

"Mom."

"Carmen your here," Rachel said and walked over to hug her little girl.

"Jeremy took my things upstairs, but here is Alison's present. Where is everyone?"

"Mandy and her friends are getting ready, your dad and uncle along with the boys are in the bar and I think Colt went to wake up Alison."

"Where is she?" Carmen asked her mother with a scowl.

"Corrine went to find your brother. Carmen it is his life," Rachel said lowering her voice.

"I didn't say anything, but I'm going to go and change before the party."

"Ok, but hurry we are expecting Ali in twenty minutes. I'm going to go and corral the men.

Carmen kissed her mom on the cheek and headed toward the lobby so she could change.

As she got to the bottom of the steps she saw Scott come around the corner, "Brother!"

"Hey beautiful I was wondering when you were going to get here," Scott said hugging her.

"Wow you smell like Jack and...Jack big brother."

"I had one or two or fifteen today."

Carmen put her hand on her brother's arm, "Scott."

"I don't know Car."

"What?"

"You were going to ask me why she's here and I don't know Car."

"There you are dear," Corrine said walking in the door from outside.

"I have to change," Carmen said to her brother and smiled at him and ran upstairs so that she wouldn't punch her sister-in-law in the face.

Her room was always the last door on the left on the second floor and Scott's room had always been the one across the hall from hers. Jeremy had left her door unlocked and her suitcases were sitting on her bed. Carmen grabbed her purse and closed her door before she went into the bathroom. Carmen took the cocaine out of her purse and carefully placed some on the sink. She separated and did two lines before she put the case back in her purse.

Carmen sat her suitcases on the floor and thought she heard something in the hall. She looked down the hall but it was empty, maybe she had heard someone going into their room. She knew Scott had to change out of his swim trunks.

She changed into her dress and slid into her heels. She liked Alison and she couldn't wait to see Mandy so she ran a brush through her hair and put on her lip gloss. It was going to be a warm evening so she pulled the heavy blanket off her bed and rolled it up and sat it in the chair. Then she turned down her bed. That way when she rolled in all drunk she could just fall face first onto it.

When she pulled back the blanket there was something under the pillow. She could see the edge of it. She reached under the pillow and pulled the box to a movie. There was no cover, it had been removed, but Carmen knew even before she opened the box what was inside. Her heart started to race and her hands were shaking, but she had to know so she slowly opened the box.

Inside was the disc for an independent film called "Hot girls go down." Carmen had thought her mother had gotten rid of all the copies and that it would be their secret forever, but someone knew, someone had placed a copy under her pillow.

"Hey sis you coming? Alison will be there any minute," Scott said from the door. He had thrown on shorts and a shirt.

"Yes," she said putting on her best smile. She dropped the box on the bed and pulled the door closed behind her as she put her arm threw Scott's and they walked down stairs.

"I'm starving," Ali said brushing her hair. "I can't believe I slept all afternoon."

"Well when you are carrying around all that extra weigh….t"

Ali started to tear up.

"Oh Al that isn't what I meant," Colt said kneeling down next to her.

A tear ran down her cheek, "I know, can we go and eat now?"

"Of course my love, Mom said Phillip is cooking and serving in the small dining room." Colt helped her stand and then opened the door for her.

Carmen and Scott walked into the room where everyone was waiting to surprise Alison. She saw Mandy and some women, but she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Scott who are those girls sitting with Mandy?"

"Those are her roommates from college. Didn't you meet them when you went to visit her at Yale?"

"No," Carmen said, but she had seen one of them before. She had seen the girl sitting next to Mandy with her Uncle Edward at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Yale. She was the girl that Carmen assumed her uncle was screwing and now she was here.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled as Colt and Alison came in the room.

Scott sat next to Corrine during dinner and she kept talking to him and he answered her with as few words as possible. They were sitting at the same table with Rachel, William and Carmen. Scott kept directing the conversation to his mother.

Alison and Colt were sitting at the table with Catherine, Edward and E.J. While Mandy sat with her friends and Reggie. Darcy and Mick sat at the table next to them so that Darcy could talk to the girls during dinner.

Everyone complimented Phillip on the dinner. When it was time to open presents Colt had to stay, but the other men excused themselves. Scott and his father took their drinks out on the deck and the other men headed back to the bar.

"Are you going to share a room with her tonight?" William asked his son as he lit a cigar.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Scott send her away before…"

"Before what Dad?"

"Before your sister cuts her into little pieces and feeds her to the fish in the lake."

Scott smiled for the first time in weeks. He could hear Mick, Reggie and Edward coming out the door making a lot of noise. They were each carrying a fifth of whiskey.

"Party time boys!" Reggie yelled to them.

Brandi was sitting next to the window and she could see the men outside having a real party. They were doing shots and laughing and yelling. Then Mick jumped into the pool fully clothed. She was wondering if she would be able to slip out without anyone noticing.

Alison was opening a stroller and Catherine and Corrine were helping her get it out of the box so Brandi took the distraction to sneak out. She leaned over and whispered into Mandy's ear that she was going to get a drink.

When she leaned over to whisper to Mandy if anyone had been looking they would have seen her bright red thong under her very short skirt.

She thought she was going to have to work harder to get some, but she didn't have to do anything but lay there for Scott Buckland. It was over in a minute and she wondered if he even knew she was there. He pounded and climaxed, then threw his clothes on and walked out without a word.

Victor had left for the evening, but he had left his list sitting on the desk so Brandi could see which room everyone was in. She knew that Colt, herself, Mandy, Jami and Ava were on the first floor. Then she saw at the top of the stairs was Catherine, Rachel, E.J. and Carmen on the left and Scott, Mick, Reggie and Robert on the right.

There was a room reserved on the third floor for Teddy just in case he showed up, but now Brandi knew where to find everyone. She was hoping for a little more action then Scott Buckland had provided.

"Shouldn't you be in with the women folk?" Brandi heard Reggie say.

"I needed some air," she said smiling at him.

"I need the john," he said smiling at her and heading down the hall.

Allison was kissing everyone and thanking them for the presents. She had been surprised and she was wondering how they were going to get all of them home.

"Mom, we are going to turn in," Colton said hugging her. "Thank you for everything."

"Mom, thank you for everything."

"Our pleasure my darling," Catherine said kissing Alison on the cheek. Colton kissed everyone in the room while Alison hugged them and then they were off to bed.

The ladies made their way outside with the men. Mick had found a radio and has music blaring and they were all dancing around the deck.

Corrine walked over and took Scott by the hand, "Are you going to talk to me?"

"About what Corrine?" he said with heavy eyes and slurred speech.

"I'm your wife and I am here to make things right between us. Are you going to give me a chance?"

"I don't know Corrine, but what I do know is not tonight. I am here with my family and I am having a good time so have a good time or go the fuck to bed."

Scott pulled his hand away from hers and took another shot of the Jack. Corrine had a frustrated look on her face, but she knew she couldn't talk to him while he was like this so she decided to go for a walk.

E.J. and Carmen helped clean up after the shower while Catherine and Rachel neatly stacked everything in the corner. They were going to have everything shipped to Colton's house so they wouldn't have to worry about anything.

"E.J. I am going to hit the sack I'll see you in the morning," Carmen said to her cousin.

"I won't be far behind you I just want to check on Havins Gone Wild and then I am going up. You want to go shopping in town tomorrow? That jewelry store got in some really beautiful stuff."

"It's a date cousin, see you in the morning," Carmen said and left the room. She was about to head upstairs when she saw Corrine grab her brother's hand and try to talk to him. If Carmen had drank more she might have been in the mood to beat the crap out of her, but after a minute she saw Scott pull away and Corrine stormed away into the back yard.

Tomorrow Carmen would try and find out who had been in her room and who had left the video, but tonight she was too tired to deal with any more drama.

"You have your face in that book again. Don't you know it's summer?" Reggie asked Ava.

"I'm just making notes of the layout of the house and the grounds."

"You want a drink?"

"No, I have had enough. I don't want to spend all day tomorrow tossing my cookies."

"Yeah that wouldn't be too cool," he said smiling. "I was heading up to bed. I guess I will see you in the morning," Reggie said making an invitation without actually saying he was inviting her.

"Ok, I will see you in the morning," Ava said and put her nose back into her notes.

Reggie knew there was always tomorrow so he waved to his family and headed up to bed.

Mick picked Darcy up and tried to throw her in the pool.

"Don't you dare Michael Aaron Havin!" she screamed and kicked.

Mick knew in order to get her in he would have to jump in himself so he did.

Edward and William left the kids to their fun and went to find their wives and see if it was time to turn in.

Chapter Three

Reggie stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a large glass of water and some cookies before heading upstairs. He walked in his room and flipped on the light. And was a little surprised at what he saw.

Brandi was lying on his bed wearing nothing but her little red thong.

"I thought you would never come to bed," she said licking her lips.

"What are you doing in here?" Reggie asked her while shutting his door.

"I thought that I might show you a night that you would never forget," Brandi said slipping off her thong and tossing it to him.

Reggie sat his glass and plate on the top of the dresser. "Why not?" he said jumping on the bed on top of her.

"You ready for bed Ava?" Mandy asked as she and Jami were headed in.

Ava grabbed her book and walked in with them. As they passed the stairs Ava paused for a second and thought about seeing if Reggie was still awake, but Mandy called her name and she followed her down the hall and went into her room.

Mick and Darcy were still swimming around when Scott decided to turn in. He barely made it up the stairs and had to hold the walls to get down the hall. As he passed Reggie's room he could hear the bed springs and wondered if he was banging Corrine. He didn't care really and he didn't want her touching him anyway. He opened the bedroom door and the room was empty.

"Hey maybe it is Corrine," Scott said to himself grabbing a pillow and blanket off the bed. Then he went across the hall and into Carmen's room.

She was already in bed with the light out, but she looked up when she heard the door, "You ok bro?"

"I am. Do you mind if I pull up some floor?"

"Of course not, but there are four empty rooms upstairs."

Scott tripped over Carmen's suitcase and tumbled to the ground. He put his pillow under his head and threw the blanket over himself.

"Never mind," Carmen said and she went back to sleep.

"Wow the place is so peaceful after everyone goes to bed," Darcy said swimming up to Mick.

"I know, but they will all be up early and we will still be snoozing," Mick said pulling her close to him.

"Sounds ok to me."

"You know I think I was conceived in this pool."

Darcy laughed and then Mick pulled her close and kissed her hard on the lips as he lifted her top over her head.

"Are you sure everyone is in bed?"

"What if they're not Darce you afraid of getting caught?" he said with a devilish smile.

"Well…"

Mick undid her shorts and started to push them down.

"Mick don't," she said looking around.

"You are already topless Darce what difference do the pants make?" he said and pulled her to him. He started kissing her really hard and groping at her chest and rubbing her nipples and squeezing her very large breasts as hard as he could.

He wouldn't stop kissing her and she could barely get a breath, "Mick…"

He turned her around and pinned her up against the pool with his body and pulled off her shorts and her underwear along with them.

"I want you Darce," he said spreading her legs apart as he pinned her with his body.

"Let's go upstairs and you can…" she couldn't finish because he was kissing her again as he grabbed her hand and showed her how he wanted to be stroked. Mick was so excited he almost exploded at her touch so he grabbed her hands and pinned them behind her against the pool and thrust himself into her.

He was kissing her so she couldn't talk, but he would say when he came up for air, "See…Darce…I knew…you …would love it!"

And almost everyone was asleep except for Brandi and Reggie. Brandi was holding onto the headboard with Reggie behind her as she looked out the window and down into the pool.

"You like watching?" Reggie asked her as he took her from behind. "You like watching him or you like watching her?" Reggie asked as he pulled her hair back hard against him. "We shared a girl once. She went down on him as I took her from behind. You want that Brandi? You want me and my brother?" he asked with his last few pumps and then he collapsed on the bed exhausted after exploding for the third time.

Within a minute he was sound asleep and Brandi took her clothes and tiptoed down to her room. As she reached the top of the stairs she thought she heard a sound maybe of someone opening their door, but no one came into the hall and besides it was too dark in the hall for them to know it was her…she hoped.

Carmen woke up and looked at the clock. It was five thirty-five and she tried to go back to sleep, but she knew it was going to be impossible now. She leaned up on her elbow and looked at her big brother asleep on the floor in the same clothes he had on last night.

Carmen wanted so bad to grab Corrine by the hair, drag her down the stairs and make her go home so that Scott could enjoy himself without drinking himself into a coma. Of course they were all drinking last night for fun all except Scott.

She had on her pajama bottoms and a tank top which was good enough for the family for the morning. So she brushed her teeth and put her hair in a clip on top her head. Then she made sure Scott was sleeping before she grabbed her case and snuck into the bathroom.

She did her usual two lines of coke and checked her nose. Before she went downstairs she pulled Scott's shoes off and fixed his blanket. Then she quietly closed the door with one last look at her poor brother.

The maids were preparing to get started with their morning routine. There was a big mess out by the pool, but Carmen knew by the time breakfast was ready the area would be spotless along with the rest of the place. The maids had worked for Aunt Catherine for years and knew exactly how she liked things especially when the entire family was there.

"Good Morning Miss Carmen," Victor said to her as he was sitting yesterday's mail on the desk.

"Good Morning Victor."

Carmen headed toward the kitchen. She thought she was going to have to make her own coffee as she pushed the door open. But to her surprise two pots had already been made and she could smell something good baking in the oven.

She tilted down the door and saw cinnamon buns.

"Excuse me Miss, did I say you could check out my buns?"

Carmen smiled and closed the door, "Good morning Phillip."

"Good Morning Carmen. They will be done in just a minute but they have to cool for eight minutes before I can put the icing on them."

"Ok… I'll wait," she said pouring herself a cup of coffee. Phillip pulled Carmen's favorite creamer out of the refrigerator and handed it to her. Carmen blew him a kiss and sat on the stool to wait for the cinnamon buns.

E.J. was in the shower and ready for the day by six o'clock. She knew her parents and her aunt and uncle would be up soon and she wanted to wake up Carmen and get an early start because of the long drive down the mountain. She thought that she would get a large cup of coffee in her and then wake up Carmen.

She grabbed her large hat that she always wore shopping and her purse and headed downstairs.

"Good Morning E.J.," Victor said as he was dusting off the desk.

"Good Morning Victor, anyone stirring yet?"

"Carmen, I believe is still in the kitchen."

"Thanks," she said hurrying into the kitchen,. If Carmen was already up then they could get out early before all the drama started.

"You already had two!" Phillip said trying to keep the tray away from Carmen.

"Am I interrupting?" E.J. said to them as she walked into Phillip holding out the tray with one hand and trying to fight off Carmen with the other.

"Tell Phillip that if you snooze you lose and it is first come first serve," Carmen said laughing.

"I don't know Carm," she said taking the tray from Phillip and sitting it on the counter and then she took a cinnamon bun and took a big bite out of it and then she took another and handed it to Carmen.

Phillip and Carmen laughed and then Phillip said, "Traitor you used to be on my side!"

"Yes, but today I want to shop and I am ready to go and you were stalling my progress."

Phillip stuck his tongue out at Carmen, "Well it's your waist line!"

"Oh! You will pay for that!" Carmen said taking a bite from her cinnamon bun.

Phillip laughed and then the phone in the kitchen rang once and stopped.

Phillip practically ran over to the refrigerator and started pulling out eggs and other breakfast ingredients. Carmen and E.J. looked at eat other as they finished their breakfast.

"If the oven buzzer sounds do you dance?" E.J. asked jokingly.

Phillip looked up from what he was doing and it took him a second to realize what she was saying. Then when he got it he smiled and sat the eggs on the counter next to a large bowl.

"Come on Phil give," Carmen said intrigued.

"That my ladies is a secret signal that you are not supposed to know about, all great chefs have their secrets you know."

They weren't buying it so they stood there and stared at him until he told them the truth.

"Ok-ok when either Mr. or Mrs. Havin comes down the stairs Victor gives me a signal to start breakfast."

"I hope they didn't want cinnamon buns," E.J. said as she stole another one and the ladies ran out so Carmen could get dressed.

Carmen kept going when they hit the lobby, but E.J. saw her mom standing at the door to the deck so she stopped.

"Good morning Mom."

Catherine turned around she was surprised that she wasn't the first one up, "Good morning, why are you up so early?"

"Carm and I are going shopping. She is getting ready now. We wanted to sneak out before everyone started getting up. There's coffee and cinnamon buns in the kitchen and Phillip is starting breakfast."

"Thank you my darling. I will see you when you get back," Catherine said kissing E.J. on the cheek and then she headed toward the kitchen.

Scott was still right where Carmen had left him and she figured he would be for a few more hours. She showered and threw on her comfortable shoes and headed down to meet with her cousin who had probably brought the car around and parked it in the front of the house.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs E.J. was talking to Victor and she saw Corrine coming in the door from the back wearing the same clothes that she had on last night. She tried to head for the front door knowing E.J. would catch up, but Corrine stopped her in the middle of the lobby.

"Carmen, can we talk?"

"No," is all Carmen said and then she headed out the door with E.J. right behind her.

Alison had been watching Colton sleep for about half an hour.She was having trouble getting comfortable, but she didn't want to move too much because she didn't want to wake him. But when he started to stir and to change position he opened his eyes and saw her looking at him.

"Good morning," he said leaning over and kissing the side of her belly.

"Good morning," she said playing with his hair.

"What time is it?"

"Early."

"I'm hungry," he said snuggling up next to her.

"Then let's get dressed and get some food in you."

"Deal," Colt said leaning up and kissing his wife on her cheek. "I love you Al."

Ali smiled and touched his cheek, "I love you Colt."

Catherine was sitting on the deck drinking her coffee. It was already in the lower eighties. The maids had just finished cleaning up the pool area and Carlos was cleaning the pool. She could see Wayne watering the plants at the bottom of the hill so she had seen all her staff this morning except for Jeremy who she knew would be late today because he had to run an errand.

She figured everyone would have been sleeping late, but she had already seen Carmen and E.J. and the door to the house had just opened and Colt and Alison were walking toward her.

Colt pulled out the chair next to his mom for Alison to sit in, "Good morning Mom."

"Good morning Alison."

Colton leaned over and kissed his mom on the cheek, "Good morning Mom."

Catherine smiled at him, "Phillip has breakfast ready. He is making eggs to order if you want to go and tell him how to make yours."

"Sounds perfect," Colton said as he smiled at his two favorite ladies and was off to the kitchen.

"How are you doing today my dear?" Catherine asked sitting her hand on top of Alison's.

"I feel well rested and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful day."

Catherine smiled she was glad to have her family around her. She had missed them with Amanda away at college and Colton working all the time. E.J. tried to come for dinner at least once a week, but sometimes she was just too busy with school. And her twin boys lived in a different city so she hardly ever saw them. The last time she had seen Michael was about a two weeks ago at the law firm where he worked.

"All I'm saying is that Darcy Cooper does not exist," she said sitting the folder down on the desk.

"Mom, a girl can change her name without…"

"Without what Michael being a gold digging tramp?"

"Mom, you just said the word tramp," he said laughing.

"I am going to say a lot more…I can at my age."

Michael hugged his mom, "I am sure there is a logical explanation why Darcy might have changed her name. Maybe she used to be Gertrude Anushopper."

"This is not funny Michael. I want a pre-nup, look at the mess your cousin is in," she said looking at him sternly.

"Mom, I can handle Darcy or whoever she is. Ok?"

Catherine felt defeated that day, but she was keeping an eye on Darcy Cooper. She would play nice because as her son had said it could all be innocent, but she doubted it.

"I don't know Carm. I think if I were you, I would have just punched her right there and then you would feel better," E.J. said taking the turn in the road.

"I wanted to believe me. Where the hell was she all night? Did it look like her eye was black to you? I wanted to just…ugh!"

"You wanted to make her leave so she would stop hurting Scott."

"Yeah."

"But her leaving isn't going to make Scott all better."

"I know and…"

"And you haven't hit her because you know that Scott loves her. No matter how hurt he is right now, she wouldn't be here if he didn't still love her."

"Yeah," Carmen said looking out the window at the beauty of the mountain.

"It's hard Carm, getting over someone you love."

"Are we still talking about Scott?" Carmen asked her cousin who seemed to be miles away.

"Of course dork," E.J. said with her best fake smile.

Edward Havin got a plate for himself and one for his wife. She was sitting on the deck with Colton and Alison drinking her coffee, but he wanted to make sure she ate something. She had been up part of the night with a headache and he was afraid she was coming down with something.

Edward sat the plates down and kissed Catherine and Alison on the cheek and then pulled up his chair. Carlos had just finished with the pool and he was putting away his net and other equipment.

"So what are you kids doing today?" Edward asked them.

"Ali is going to hang around with Mom and I am going with the guys to a barbecue down at Lagoon," Colton said.

"What time is that?"

"I don't know. Sometime around three I think and probably goes all night from there."

"Colton don't get carried away and forget you have a wife here," Edward said.

"I won't Dad, I promise," he said taking Alison's hand and smiling at her as he took a bite of his toast.

Celia was looking at the list Victor kept as to who was up so she knew which beds she could strip and who might need towels replaced as her son played ball in the front of the house. Margo would wash the sheets and pillow cases because she had to wait to run the vacuum until more people were awake. Celia got the laundry cart and the towels and started with Alison and Colt's room.

It was almost seven forty-five before Ava got in the shower. She had been up for an hour making notes about her mystery novel and putting film in her camera so she could get some shots of the house and the lake. She had been making a list of reasons that someone would murder someone else like getting caught cheating, or covering up a secret that you didn't want shared.

But now her stomach was growling and she could smell food so she wanted to eat before she started taking her pictures. She figured Mandy, Brandi and Jami still wouldn't be up for a while because they all slept in on the weekend at school, but she was sure she could find some way to entertain herself.

Ava was rinsing her hair and had her eyes tightly closed so soap wouldn't get in them when she thoughts she heard a noise. She ran her hand quickly down her face to move the soap and she leaned her head out, "Is someone there?"

She listened and no one answered so she thought it must have been her imagination. After all who would sneak in her room to watch her take a shower? Ava got dressed and followed her nose to the kitchen.

"Good morning would you like eggs Miss…?"

"Ava and no thanks, but I will take some of that bacon on some toast."

"Coming right up," Phillip said tossing the bread into the toaster

"So Dad what are you going to do today?"

"Well unlike you young people I thought I might get a few newspapers and sit under a tree and read."

"How…old of you," Colton said laughing at his father.

Edward saw one of Mandy's friends coming out with a camera and something wrapped up in a napkin.

"Which one is that?" he asked his wife.

"Good morning Ava," Catherine said to inform her husband of the girl's name. Ava was wearing white pants that came halfway between her knee and ankle and a white tank top and a large hat. Catherine was impressed that she was wearing more than most of the women who accompanied her family members there.

"Good morning everyone. I am going to explore the lake and take some pictures. When Mandy gets up could you please tell her I have my cell on me?"

"We will dear, but you should know reception is spotty because of the mountain."

"Thank you Mrs. Havin and thanks again for letting me come. I will see everyone in a few hours."

With that she headed off down the hill her camera around her neck, her sandwich in her hand and her notepad in her shoulder bag.

Ali had finished her breakfast and Colton had prepared a lawn chair for her with an umbrella and had grabbed a few magazines from lobby for her to read. He had also asked Victor for his father's newspapers and he set his dad up right next to Alison.

Colt kissed his wife on the cheek, "Is there anything else I can get for you my love?"

"I think that my daughter and my grandchild will be just fine sitting here with the old man Colton so go and have your fun," his dad said with a large smile.

Ali blew him a kiss and winked at him.

"All I'm saying Rachel is that they are full grown adults!" William Buckland said as they were coming down the stairs.

Victor looked down at his paper work and tried not to be noticed.

"That isn't what I'm saying at all. I just think that…"

"That you need to mind your own business," William said giving her a look to let her know they were not alone.

Rachel smiled at Victor, "Victor, would you be a dear and let my sister know that Mr. Buckland and I will be gone for the day?"

"Yes, Mrs. Buckland," he said and then put his head back down until they were out the door because he could still hear them arguing. He imagined they argued all the way around to their car. He could have sworn he heard Mrs. Buckland say something about a totally naked girl in the hallway.

Scott was still asleep on Carmen's bedroom floor. He was restless with the dream he was having.

He was sitting with Alison on the couch of his father's estate during a party and he was holding ice on her ankle as he massaged it gently. Alison Reynolds was very pretty with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She had this little freckle on the side of her nose that you wouldn't even see unless you were looking for it.

Scott remembered that Mary Ellen Schuster had been his date for that party, but she had already given him a blow job in the boat house. On the way back to the party they had seen Alison sitting on the ground rubbing her ankle and he had carried her to the house. He and Mary Ellen had went to get some ice and he had told her to return to the party before her father came looking for her and that he would call her later.

Scott remembered all the women he had 'dated' back then and how he always knew the next one would come along. Right now he remembered he had set his mind to having Alison. But he had been well satisfied by Mary Ellen so he decided to play it cool.

"I think I might be able to walk on it now."

"Let's give it a few more minutes just to make sure," Scott said repositioning the ice.

"You have an incredible house."

"My parent's like it. It is a bit old fashioned for my tastes, but I will have fun auctioning it all off when they are dead," Scott laughed at himself but he remembered that Alison didn't laugh at his joke. He had found out later that her parents had died. They were shot during a robbery because her father wouldn't give up his wallet to the robber.

Alison was supposed to be with them that day, but a girlfriend had invited her to the mountains and she had gone. She now came to all the parties with her aunt and uncle.

"May I see you again Alison?"

"Yes, you may Mr. Buckland, but I have to tell you that I'm not one of those girls."

"I don't know what you mean," Scott said with a devilish smile.

"I think my ankle is alright now and my aunt is probably looking for me."

"Alright then," Scott said standing up and offering her his hand. As she stood up Scott realized that Alison had the most beautiful blue eyes that he had ever seen. He was drawn to them as he leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

Alison let him kiss her for a second and then she turned and headed to find her aunt.

Scott remembered that he had called her the next day and they went horseback riding. The day after that they had seen a movie, but he hadn't tried to kiss her again. She was special and he was going to savor her.

The next day he would relive as the stupidest day of his life. Mary Ellen had stopped by and he had told his father they were going for a walk and of course Scott had headed straight for the boathouse with her.

He had no way of knowing that Alison would stop by looking for him and he had no way of knowing that his father would simply say, "I think he headed toward the boathouse."

Scott was laying back on the arm chair that he had placed in the boat house and Mary Ellen had her top off so he could fondle her as she went down on him.

"That's it," he said with his eyes closed. Mary Ellen was an expert and Scott loved it when she came over. He would control the depth with his hand holding tight against her hair, but she really didn't need his guidance any more. He was almost done, he could barely hold back when he heard something he never thought he would hear…Alison's voice.

"Oh my God!" she screamed.

He hadn't even heard the boathouse door open as he prepared to orgasm, but seeing Alison's face stopped him cold.

"Ali wait!" was all he said as she went running out crying her eyes out.

Scott jumped upright from his dream with his heart racing. Was Corrine payback for how he treated women when he was younger? Had he made women feel the way he felt now? He knew how he had made Ali feel with his betrayal.

He had screwed Brandi trying to make the pain go away, but that hadn't helped either. Ali didn't speak to him again until the day Colton had introduced her to the family as his fiancé.

Scott tried to lift himself off the floor, but he was still so drunk he only made it to the bottom of Carmen's bed before he passed out again.

Edward was sitting next to his daughter-in-law reading the paper when a friend of his walked outside.

"Good morning Edward."

"Good morning Taylor. This is my daughter-in-law Alison."

"Good morning Alison," she said and held her hand out for Alison to shake it. "Is Colton here?" she asked Edward.

"He went for a run down by the lake," Edward told her.

Taylor pulled up a chair next to Alison, "Alison, my name is Taylor Brookes, Doctor Taylor Brookes."

Alison looked over at her father-in-law, "It's alright Alison."

"Edward and Catherine called me last night and asked me to come and talk to you today. They told me about the miscarriage and they told me how much time you spent lying down yesterday. You are due in a month?" Alison nodded. "Alison would you mind going inside with me and let me check you out?"

Ali started to get tears in her eyes, she thought that she had hid her fear but she was wrong. Edward helped her up and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"If Colt comes back," she said to him.

"Then like all pregnant women you had to pee again and he can sit with me and wait for you," Edward said smiling at her.

Edward sat back down at the table and watched Taylor and Ali walk into the house. His son had made an excellent choice in Alison Reynolds. She was sweet and she was good to him.

Edward picked up his paper again but before he got a chance to read he saw Reggie coming up the hill in his swim trunks.

"I thought you were still in bed," Edward called to him.

"No, I was up bright and early. I wanted to do a few laps back and forth across the lake."

"Amanda's friend Ava was headed down to the lake, did you see her?"

"No, I must have just missed her," Reggie said quickly and darted into the house before his father could ask him any more questions.

Amanda Havin was enjoying a nice dream about Brad Pitt when all of the sudden she was hit in the back with a pillow.

"Hey!" she screamed as Jami hit her again.

Mandy grabbed the pillow that had fallen off the bed and swung it and tried to hit Jami but Jami was sitting on her legs and she couldn't turn off her stomach.

"I give-I give," Mandy said pushing her breast back under her night shirt because it has started to poke out.

Jami got off of her and sat on the end of the bed. When Jami started saying something, Mandy grabbed the pillow and hit her hard in the head with it.

Jami tried to fight back but Mandy jumped on top of the pillow and both of them along with the pillow fell on the floor. Mandy was still in her night shirt and panties but right now all she was thinking about was hitting Jami with the pillow.

Jami covered her face with her arms as Mandy straddled her and kept trying to hit her again.

"Ok, I give up," Jami said and Mandy stopped so Jami took that opportunity to start tickling her to try and get the upper hand. Mandy fell back and Jami got up on top and they were fighting for the pillow over their heads with Mandy laying on her back and Jami sitting on top of her.

After a minute they were exhausted and they stopped wrestling and Jami just plopped her head down on Mandy's chest as it heaved up and down and Mandy was laughing and trying to catch her breath.

Jami pushed up onto her hands and was looking into Mandy's eyes, "You are my best friend Mand."

"I know Jami, but get up because you are making me all sweaty."

Jami sat on the end of the bed and Mandy tossed her the pillow. Then she pulled her top over her head as her large firm breasts bounced. She pulled off her panties and tossed them on the bed, "I will only be a minute in the shower and then we can get some breakfast."

Jami watched her naked roommate bend over and turn on the shower and listened to her hum a cheery tune. Mandy Havin had a perfect body. But that was no secret to Mandy. Right now Jami was wishing she could tell her best friend her secret.

Jami listened to Mandy hum and sing in the shower as she lay on her stomach on the bed and hugged the pillow.

"Jami do you see my deodorant out there I can't find it?" Mandy called from the bathroom as she put her toothpaste on her brush.

Jami looked around and saw it between the edge of the chair and Mandy's suitcase. She picked it up and walked into the bathroom where Mandy was brushing her teeth. Her wet towel was on the floor and she was standing on it as water ran out of her hair and down her back and over her curves.

"Do you think I should wear my swimsuit under my shorts?" she asked turning toward Jami and taking the deodorant out of her hand.

"Sure," Jami said not moving from the bathroom.

"The guys are going to a barbecue today at Lagoon. Maybe we can stop by there for a few minutes." "Or we can go diving, getting down deep inside the lake and having all that warmth rushing over you is just magical," Mandy said rinsing her mouth and putting on her deodorant. Then she bent over and picked up the towel and placed it over the shower curtain to dry.

Jami backed out of the bathroom to make room for Mandy to get by.

"I think I will just throw on a shirt and shorts and before we head out I will come back and change again," she said slipping into her Yale t-shirt. Then pulling a clean pair of panties out of her draw she slid them on and then her shorts, "Let's wake up Brandi!"

After checking Ava and Brandi's rooms and being disappointed that they were already up and about, Jami and Mandy headed for the kitchen.

Mick started to kiss Darcy on her shoulder and rub himself against her.

"Stop Mick, I'm still sore from last night," she said pulling the blanket around her neck.

"Come on Darce," he said reaching through her legs.

"Mick, I said no," she said getting a little louder.

He went back to kissing her shoulders, "Come on Darcy it'll be quick."

"That is what you said last night after the pool when you made me get up on the bar."

"You were beautiful in the mirrors Darce."

"Yes Mick, but anyone could have come downstairs or into the bar."

"But no one did. Now I'm asking you for it and you know that no one is coming in here," he said rubbing against her even harder.

"I'm tired."

"You can go back to sleep as soon as I'm done."

"What has gotten into you?"

"I think the better question is what is going to be getting into you," he said as he rolled her over and jumped on top of her.

Mick forced himself between her legs and inserted himself. She struggled for a minute and then she gave in. As Mick was having his way with her he was remembering the envelope that he had opened before they left for Havin House.

There was a knock at the door and when Mick answered it Reggie was standing there holding a pile of mail, "Here's your mail bro, are you ready to go?"

"Everything is packed but Darcy had to run to the store. She will be back in a few minutes."

Reggie plopped down on the couch and turned the television on. Since Reggie was occupying himself Mick figured he should open the mail since he wouldn't be opening any for two weeks. He sat aside the cable bill and an announcement for a close out sale for some store. Then he came to an envelope that had his name on it, but no return address.

He opened it and pulled out two pictures and a piece of paper. The pictures were of a young girl with long dark hair down at Tardom Lake. Mick opened the letter and read it.

Does she look familiar? Her name is Brenda Swanson and she grew up on Tardom Lake. Ask Scott if she looks familiar because when she couldn't trap him as Brenda Swanson she changed her looks and came after your money.

-A concerned friend.

Mick had looked at the picture and the nose and hair were different and the chest was now larger, but he could swear the girl looked just like…"Darcy?"

"Did you say something bro?"

"I…"

"Honey, I'm back you ready to go?" Darcy said coming in the door.

Mick put the note and the pictures in his back pocket and smiled, "Yes."

Then last night as everyone was dancing around having a good time he went over and sat next to Scott as he was taking a long drink straight out of the Jack Daniels bottle.

"Cuz, got a question for ya?" he said sitting next to Scott.

"What?" Scott said with heavy eyes.

"Do you remember a girl named Brenda Swanson?"

"Brenda Swanson," Scott repeated as he tried to dig through the cobwebs of all the alcohol he had been drinking. Then it came to him. "Oh yeah I remember her. I met her at Lagoon and she had said that we had never met, but later I found out she knew exactly who I was." "We hung out for like a week. I remember she liked it on top." Then Scott took another drink of the Jack, "She came to see me like a month later saying she was pregnant with my kid and wanted money. Fuck Mick, if I knew then what I know now I would have just fuckin married her!"

"Thanks cuz," Mick said looking at Darcy dancing around the deck. "Gold digging whore," Mick said almost to himself as he walked over to get another beer.

Darcy was saying something, but Mick wasn't listening as he was finishing. He made his last few thrusts as hard as he could. Then he grabbed some clean clothes and went across the hall to his parent's room to shower and left her laying there.

When he came out of the bathroom in his towel Darcy was sitting on the side of the bed.

"You want more?" he said opening his towel.

"I want to know what's up with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Mick, we have been together for almost a year and you have never been like this."

"Maybe I was holding back. Maybe you don't give it to me like I really want it and now I figured I better show you how I really like it before we get married." She just sat there and said nothing. "Maybe I'm showing you the real me Darcy Cooper," he said as he pushed her down on the bed. "What's wrong Darcy Cooper don't you like the real me?" he said putting his face right into hers.

"Mick, get off of me your mother could walk in at any moment," she said trying to keep her voice calm even though she was afraid.

"You think I have something she hasn't seen? Hell Darce she changed my damn diapers!"

She started to cry so he got off of her and grabbed his clothes and went back in the bathroom and shut the door. As she was leaving the room she heard him yell, "That's what it means to be married to a Havin! You will give it to me whenever I want it and however I want it!"

Darcy went back to her room to get her cell phone. She needed to make a call.

Reggie was sitting on the front step wearing his sun glasses looking out across the mountain. He hadn't made the best decisions lately. He was going to need to go to his dad for help, but he didn't want to lay out all his problems right now and ruin everyone's vacation.

He took a deep breath and thought about early this morning. He slept for an hour or so after Brandi left and then he was restless so he changed into his swimming trunks and was going to do some laps across the lake.

When he got to the banks of the lake he wasn't alone.

"Well-well Miss Corrine what are you doing down here?"

"Fuck off," she said without looking at him.

"My not very nice words to come across the lips, but I hear you have been busy with things coming across those lips."

Corrine stood up to face him, "Let me tell you something you cheap little pathetic excuse for a man…" Before she could finish her sentence he slapped her across the face. "You'll pay for that," she said holding her cheek.

"Really," he said walking toward her. Reggie grabbed her by the arms and threw her on the ground, "Not miss high and mighty now are you?"

"You bastard."

"Well Corrine, I have been called worse" he said walking toward her again.

She tried to get up and run but he grabbed her by her hair and pulled her back down.

"What do you want?" she said lying there on the ground.

He slapped her again across her face, "I want you to not be a whore, I want you to have not destroyed someone in my family, I want you to keep your fuckin mouth and your legs closed!"

"That is between me and my husband!"

"Really Corrine, you mean you don't spread your legs for every man who asks you?" he said fondly her breast. She smacked his hand away. "Come on Corrine I won't tell anyone," he said untying his trunks. "Show me what I'm missing."

"Don't you fucking touch me! Scott will kill you!"

"From what I hear Corrine he wants to kill you. Chop you up and bury you in the desert I think is what he said." Reggie started to push her top up. She started to kick and punch at him. He grabbed her arms and leaned down into her face, "Who do you think he'll believe Corrine you or me?"

Reggie was trying to scare her and make her pay for what she had done to Scott. He had no intention of trying to force himself on her, but she didn't know that.

"Let go of my hands," Corrine said to him.

He let go of her hands and was ready to stand up when Corrine did something that he didn't expect. She kissed him holding his head with one hand and slid the other hand down his shorts.

Reggie had been so startled that he pushed away from her and hit her hard across the face with a closed fist. Then rolled away from her. He expected her to get up and run, but she didn't move. After a minute he turned around, "Corrine?" She wasn't moving, "Corrine!"

She was still breathing but he could never explain taking her back to the house like this. He had just knocked her out, but she was alive. He placed her behind trees next to the tennis courts and he didn't know what to do next so he just started walking and trying to get his mind straight.

"It was her fault," he said to himself. When he had gotten back to the house this morning she was no longer laying there so Reggie was sitting around waiting for the other shoe to drop. Would she tell the family that he raped her down by the lake? Would she tell them that he beat her because he tried to rape her? Who knows, but he had run away from a mess at home to run into another mess here.

"That would be perfect for you," E.J. said to Carmen as she held the gold necklace up in front of the mirror. "Oh and look earrings to match!"

"You really think so?"

"They bring out your eyes," Calvin Mason said from behind her.

"Calvin, it is so good to see you," E.J. said giving him a hug.

"You should buy them Carmen they were made for you," he said smiling.

"Quite a coincidence seeing you two days in a row Calvin."

"Not really Carmen, I live here," he said with a friendly smile. "Can I buy you ladies some lunch?"

"I don't know Calvin this is sort of a girl's day out," Carmen said with a smile.

"Ok, another time then," he said as he nodded and walked away.

"Damn he got buff since last summer," E.J. said watching him walk away.

"Ok, I'm going to buy them!" Carmen said grabbing the matching earrings and heading toward the register.

As Calvin headed toward his truck he stopped and watched Carmen pay for her jewelry. He liked Carmen and was trying to decide if he could get up the nerve to tell her this year.

Chapter Four

Ava was taking pictures of the pier and the boat for story ideas when she heard a voice behind her.

"Good morning,"

She turned around, "Good morning."

"I'm Randy Sanders," he said holding out his hand.

"I am Ava Campbell and it is a pleasure to meet you."

"You vacationing on the lake?"

"Yes, I'm staying with friends up on the hill," she said looking toward Havin House.

"You are a friend of the Havins?"

"Yes, I'm roommates with Amanda at Yale."

"I knew it was getting to be that time of year when I saw all the trucks arrive last week."

"Yes, it is an incredible place. Do you live here?"

"Yes and I work at Lagoon."

"Lagoon…some of the guys are headed there today for a barbecue."

"That's right. I'm headed there now. My friend Calvin asked me to check on his boat before I headed over so here I am."

"Sounds like you are a great friend," Ava said smiling at him.

"Tell me Ava, is E.J. at the house?"

"You are friends with E.J.? She is so nice."

"Yes, we have known each other a long time."

"Phillip said that she went into town with Carmen this morning, but I can tell her you asked about her if you want me to."

"No thanks. I'm sure I will see her during her visit. It was a pleasure to meet you Ava Campbell."

She nodded and went back to her picture taking.

As Randy walked back up to his truck he took a long look toward Havin House.

Reggie was still sitting on the steps when Corrine came outside and sat next to him. She was wearing a yellow sun dress and a large pair of sunglasses, but he could see that there was a bruise next to her eye.

"Corrine."

Corrine turned and looked at Reggie, "I can do one of two things right now Reginald. I can call the sheriff and have you arrested for assault and attempted rape…" He started to shake his head. "Or we can make a deal."

"Like what Corrine, you want to finish what we started last night?" he said with bitter sarcasm.

"No, you are going to help me get my husband back."

Reggie just sat there and looked at her in disbelief. He knew Corrine was self centered and spoiled and a raving bitch, but until now he had no idea she was completely insane.

"What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to work your family magic and convince him that I made a mistake and that he stills loves me."

"Which mistake would that be Corrine, boney some guy in Scott's bed or trying to jerk me off?"

"It would have been an experience you would have never forgotten Reggie…you have two days." She stood up, "Sorry there is no way I can hide my eye from the family, so don't make me add a sob story about how you tried to rape me." Then she walked inside.

"Rape you hell you fuckin bitch I'll kill you," Reggie said under his breath. Then he got up and went to try and find Scott.

Tom Ripken was an architect who was sitting alone on his porch. He was heartbroken because the women that he loved had left him. Unfortunately for Tom the woman he loved was married and he had tried repeatedly to get her to leave her husband. They had been seeing each other for a year and he had gone to her house as he always did to make passionate love to her and once again to try and convince her to leave her husband.

But that day was different from the rest. He had stripped her down and laid her back and was giving her all the pleasure in the world. Then she had said something to him that she had never said before. She had said, "Tom I love you!" He was so excited that he couldn't wait to be inside of her because he knew today would be the day he would convince her to leave her husband.

But as he stood up to take her he saw something that made his heart sink in his chest. He saw her husband standing in the doorway and all he could say was, "Corrine." He didn't know what to do so he went into the bathroom and he could hear the woman he loved begging her husband to forgive her and he just stood there and cried like a child.

She told him to leave and she hadn't answered his calls since.

Now Tom Ripken was sitting on his porch and his phone buzzed with a text message:

I love you. I have changed my mind and I am willing to leave my husband. Come to Tardom Lake and get me and I will be yours forever.

- C.

Tom Ripken changed his clothes and grabbed his wallet and was out the door in less than ten minutes.

Corrine Buckland needed to get the number for her lawyer out of her cell phone, but she couldn't find it anywhere.

"Don't fucking touch me!" Scott said feeling someone touch his shoulder and thinking it was Corrine.

Lying there now half asleep with his eyes closed the last thing Scott expected was for someone to pour a picture of ice water over his head.

"Mother fucker!" he screamed jumping up off the bed ready to swing.

Reggie leaned against the door and was laughing so hard he had to hold his stomach, "Good morning sunshine!"

"Faggot!" Scott said as he picked a piece of ice out of his collar and threw it at his cousin.

"It is time to get up."

"I wasn't planning on getting up today," Scott said as he pulled off his wet shirt.

"Well plans change, besides you don't want to miss the barbecue at Lagoon." Reggie took four Tylenol and a cup of juice off the dresser and handed it to his cousin.

"Thanks," Scott said downing the pills and then the entire cup of juice.

"You look like something the cat threw up."

"Thanks cuz because I don't feel bad enough."

"Well it is time to get the hell up because Carmen might eventually want her room back."

"Where is she?"

"In town with E.J."

"She didn't take me," Scott said trying to clear his cobwebs.

"Well for one thing they have been gone a few hours. For another even though your sister is pretty tough I don't think she could have carried your lifeless body to the car."

"Good point," Scott said with a smirk. "Any food left?"

"I haven't been in the kitchen, but I'm sure Phillip can wrangle up something."

"Where's Corrine?"

"Downstairs."

"Ok," he said pushing himself off the bed. Reggie opened the door and Scott walked across the hall to his room.

Part one done Reggie thought to himself.

Doctor Taylor put her stethoscope around her neck, "The baby's fine Alison."

"Really?" she said with tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to give you some medications to take and I need you to take them exactly how I tell you, but the baby's fine." Alison hugged her. "I don't think that he or she is going to wait four more weeks to make an appearance though so I am putting you on complete rest." Ali frowned. "That doesn't mean to stay locked up in this room. I want you lounging by the pool under an umbrella or even sitting in the dining room playing cards, but no walking around." The doctor handed Ali three medications from her bag, "One other thing Alison."

"You want me to tell Colt."

"It isn't my business where your marriage is concerned, but keeping this from him can cause you undue stress. I have known the Havins for a long time and Colton since he was a child. The baby is going to come while you're here."

"Ok, now that I can tell him everything is fine, it will be a little easier."

"Good girl, now let's get you back out into the sunshine and get your feet propped up." The doctor carried two pillows from the bed with her so that Alison could prop her feet up.

Scott had finished his shower and had only been nauseous once mostly because he was still feeling pretty drunk. He brushed his teeth and threw on a clean pair of shorts and a shirt along with a baseball hat covering his wet, black hair and was ready to face the family.

He looked out his window onto the deck and he could see them out there enjoying the morning. Mandy and Jami were playing tennis. Aunt Catherine and Uncle Edward were sitting under the large umbrella talking. He could see Colt running up the hill with his shirt soaked with sweat. Reggie and Mick were standing by the pool. They both already had a beer in their hand.

He was ready to head downstairs when he saw her walk across the deck and sit down on one of the deck chairs. She had on a yellow sundress and large sunglasses. Her dark hair was blowing in the gentle breeze. She leaned back in the chair and took a book out of her bag.

He had loved Corrine Collins from the first time he had laid eyes on her. Her smile lured him in and he couldn't get enough of her. He had always been a player and he was tired of his father telling him to stop being so wild and to settle down, but when he met Corrine all he wanted to do was settle down and never let her go.

They had only been dating a few months when he had proposed and it had nothing to do with the fact that she refused to have intercourse until she was married. Corrine didn't make him suffer because she had other talents, but he didn't see her completely naked until their wedding night.

After the ceremony they hopped a plane to Hawaii and Scott was bursting out of his pants to have her, but she was making him wait until they checked into their hotel so it would be special. Scott remembered trying to convince her to join him in the restroom several times.

He had carried her over the threshold and then placed her on the bed. Corrine had expected him to rip off his clothes and jump her and was very surprised when he didn't.

Scott sat next to her on the bed and took her hands in his, "Corrine Collins-Buckland you saved me from myself and I am so happy that you agreed to be my wife." "There was always something missing in my life, a hole in my heart, a place that only your love could fill."

"I love you Scott."

"I love you too Corrine, always and forever."

Scott was brought back to reality by the sound of a vacuum being turned on in the room across the hall. Margo must have been waiting all morning to clean up Carmen's room.

"Where's Alison?" Colton asked his parents.

"Here I am sweetie," Ali called coming out the door carrying a large glass of iced tea and two pillows.

"When do you want to hit Lagoon?" Mick asked his brother.

"How about right now," Reggie said as he saw Scott coming out the door.

Scott looked toward Corrine but didn't speak to her. He took the pillows from Alison and carried them to her chair for her.

"Colt, it looks like the boys are getting ready to go so you better shower and change," Ali said kissing him on the cheek.

"Come on boy we don't have all day!" Mick yelled to his brother.

"I love you," Ali said to her husband as he ran toward the house.

He blew her a kiss as he ran through the door. He knew he had to hurry because his brothers would leave without him.

Colt took a quick shower and Ali explained to Catherine and Edward what the doctor had said. Ali took the pillows from the doctor and walked outside by herself after she saw Colton coming onto the deck.

Mick and Reggie downed another beer and Corrine continued to read her book.

"What happened to your eye?" she heard Scott say from behind her. She ignored him and kept reading. He knelt down in front of her chair and softly said, "Corrine, what happened to your eye?"

She looked up from her book and gave him a little smile, "I was walking around late last night and hit it on a low branch...I'm fine."

"Ok," he said and then he saw Colt come out of the house.

Colt kissed Ali and then waved that he was ready to hit the road.

Bobbi Sullivan owned Lagoon. Which is the only bar on Tardom Lake. It was always booming during the summer and mostly locals during the off season. She had one waitress Catalina Flores who worked hard and tried to keep the customers happy as long as they kept their hands to themselves.

She paid handyman Bruce Marshall to help out and clean up, but she had to share him with the Havins whenever they were in town. There usually wasn't any trouble, but just in case she employed Randy Sanders as bouncer and grill man.

She had known the Havin boys all their lives and more than once she had to throw them out so she wondered what today would bring when she saw them walk through the door.

"Oh my goodness if trouble didn't just stroll through my door," Bobbi said to the boys.

"Bobbi Sullivan well don't you look as pretty as ever," Reggie said pulling up a bar stool.

Mick and Scott pulled up stools next to Reggie's and Colton walked over to check out the juke box. Lagoon had a small dance floor to the right of the bar and Bobbi stacked the juke box with everything from Hank Williams Junior to Michael Jackson to Nine Inch Nails.

Colt was looking over the songs when without warning Brandi touched his arm, "Buy me a drink?"

Colt grabbed her fingers and squeezed them hard and looked her in the eye and quietly said, "Don't you ever touch me again." Then he pushed her hand away from him and turned around and walked over to join his family at the bar.

"I know Michael and Reggie want beer and I assume Scott wants a J&C, but how about Colton? You don't have a usual, what can I make for you?" Bobbi said opening two bottles of beer.

"I'll take a beer."

"Coming up."

"So what's new with you boys?" Bobbi asked handing Scott his Jack and Coke.

"Well Bobbi," Scott spoke up, "Colt is going to be a daddy any day now, Mick is engaged, I married a whore and Reggie is the only one lucky enough to still get to bang anything in a skirt."

Bobbi smiled, "Ok then these drinks are on the house because of the new baby, the engagement, the whore and what I can imagine is probably a pretty good lay, too bad I don't wear skirts anymore."

They all laughed and held up their drinks, "Too Bobbi!"

"Where is everyone?" Ava called over to Mandy and Jami as they were finishing their tennis match.

Mandy was taking a drink of her water, "The boys went to Lagoon, E.J. and Carmen are in town and I have no idea where anyone else is."

"I got some really nice shots of the lake and some of the campers."

"Jami and I were going to hop in the pool you game?"

"Sure, I will run up and put on my suit."

The three girls headed to their rooms to change.

Edward Havin was sitting in the bar when he saw them come in and head down the hall. With everyone there he hadn't got a chance to confront her, how dare she come here.

He followed her to her room and went inside.

"You startled me."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"She invited me?"

"And you accepted?"

"What was I going to do everyone else was coming? She would have gotten more suspicious if I would have said no."

"You need to get out of here."

"And if I refuse?"

He grabbed her arm hard, "Let me tell you something little girl no one messes with my family."

"Then we have a problem don't we?"

Mandy picked out her green swimsuit to wear in the pool today. She was pulling her hair up when she thought she heard her father's voice. He must be outside, she thought as she checked her legs to make sure they didn't need to be shaved, but they were still nice and smooth.

She had watched for Brandi all morning because she wanted to take the girls scuba diving. She hadn't seen her but they had two weeks so it didn't matter if they didn't go today. She was planning on hitting Lagoon later, but for now a nice cool dip in the pool sounded awesome. Jami had kicked her butt at tennis, but it was fun.

Mandy planned on doing a lot of shopping and relaxing before she headed back to Yale for the fall. She asked her dad to put in a special request so that her current roommates would be on the same floor with her in the fall. He had given her an odd grin and said he wasn't making any promises, but he would see what he could do.

She stepped out into the hallway, "I'm headed out see you too at the pool!" Mandy headed toward the kitchen before she headed outside because she was a little hungry and wanted a cool drink.

"Good afternoon Miss Amanda,"

"Good afternoon Phillip, what do you have to snack on and what do you have to drink?"

"Well I have some chicken salad made up. I know you love my chicken salad and I could whip you up a pitcher of something nice and refreshing."

"That is why I love you Phillip. I will run in the bar and grab something to add to your refreshing mixture!"

Mandy hit the bar and her dad was taking a seat next to his drink.

"High Daddy," she said giving him a kiss on his cheek. "What are you up to?"

"Just hanging out."

"You want to get in the pool with us?"

"No thank you my dear. I 'm good right here."

"Ok," she said as she pointed to the bottle she wanted and the bar tender handed it to her.

"Love you Daddy!" she shouted heading back to the kitchen.

"Love you pumpkin!" he shouted as Ava and Jami came down the hall together and headed out to the pool.

"Alison can we get you anything?" Ava asked.

"No, I have my tea, my umbrella and my magazines. I think I'm good."

"Alright, but if you need anything let us know."

"Will do," Alison said smiling at the girls. She couldn't wait until she could fit into a bikini again. Not to mention have a nice stiff drink. Of course if she breast fed then she wouldn't be able to drink for a long time.

Ali looked around. She had just noticed that Corrine had gotten up and left. She wanted to talk to her, but really didn't know what to say. Everyone was talking about what a horrible person she was and how they hated her and Ali was just wondering what Corrine had to say for herself. Ali cared for Scott and wanted him to be happy. She was wondering if maybe Corrine had made a mistake Maybe she regretted what she had done and that it would never happen again, she wondered if Corrine was sorry.

"What the fuck is going on here look at all this pussy!" Teddy Richmond said with a slurred voice as he grabbed his package. He was looking at Jami and Ava in their swimsuits while Ali looked from behind her sunglasses. The womanizing, alcoholic Uncle Teddy had arrived.

Catherine had seen him through the dining room window and was headed out the door and opened it just in time to hear his remark.

"Teddy," she called from the door.

"Well if it isn't my big sister," he said in a loud voice.

"We didn't know if we should expect you," Catherine said trying to be cordial.

"Well you invited me and here I am. Where's the beer?"

"At the bar Teddy just like always," she said and then looked at the door as a woman she didn't know came walking out wearing short shorts and a bikini top. She must have been twenty five or twenty six with long blonde hair and a DD chest. She walked over and put her arm through Teddy's.

"Catherine this is my new wife Kitty," he said slapping her ass. "And these are real," he said grabbing Kitty's breast from underneath and pushing it up.

"Nice to meet you… Kitty," Catherine said wishing that she had neglected to invite her brother this year.

"Where the fuck is all the men folk, not that I don't like the eye candy, but I feel outnumbered?"

"Just like you like it Teddy," Edward said from the back door.

Mandy came out with the pitcher that Phillip had prepared for them and saw her uncle.

"Uncle Teddy!" she shouted and ran toward him. She paused long enough to sit down the pitcher and then she gave her uncle a big hug.

"My Mandy you look awesome girl, how is that piece of shit school treating you?"

"Yale is great Uncle Teddy. I'm so glad you are here."

"Amanda, this is Kitty my new wife and Kitty this is my niece Amanda."

"Nice to meet you Kitty," Mandy said holding out her hand.

Kitty shook her hand and Mandy couldn't help, but notice all the rings on Kitty's fingers.

"Teddy join me for a drink?" Edward offered trying to spare the women.

"Will do big man," he said to Edward. He grabbed Kitty by the neck and hauled her in for a kiss and groped her chest before he headed inside to drink with Edward.

"Come on Kitty have a drink with us and get in the pool," Mandy offered.

"You starting a whore house?" Teddy asked Edward as they went inside. He stopped to check the girls one more time before he walked into the bar.

"You think one of them will go upstairs with me and Kitty?"

"What would you like to drink?" Edward asked trying to ignore his brother-on-laws comments.

Brandi sat at the end of the bar by herself and nursed her drink as the boys played darts.

Reggie came over and leaned against her as he sat his empty beer bottle on the bar and whispered, "You want to go out back and give me a blow job?"

"Another one?" Bobbi asked from the other end of the bar holding up a bottle of beer.

Reggie held up two fingers because he knew Mick would need another one soon.

Brandi didn't respond to Reggie so after he grabbed the two beers he said in her ear, "I'm having a really bad day so if you change your mind let me know."

Scott's cell phone started to ring, "Hello."

"Hey big brother you out of bed yet?"

"As a matter of fact I am. I'm at Lagoon with Mick, Reggie and Colt."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"When are you guys coming back to the house?"

"We are going to catch a movie and get dinner in town so not until late tonight. That's why I'm checking on you."

"You came all the way to the lake house to see a movie?"

"I came all the way to the lake house to spend time with the family which includes E.J. so I will see you tonight ok."

"Ok little sister I will see you tonight, love ya."

"Love you too, bye."

"Bye."

"Did your sister kidnap my sister?" Mick asked him.

"Apparently," Scott said laughing and downing his drink.

"You know the Havins?" Bobbi asked Brandi.

"Yes, I'm Amanda Havins roommate at Yale."

"Well then the next drink is on the house," Bobbi said smiling at her. Bobbi watched the boys playing darts. They just didn't seem as happy this year as in years past.

"Foods ready!" Randy called from the grill.

Catalina had covered all the picnic tables with red and white checkered plastic table cloths and had loaded up the condiment table with extra plates and napkins. She didn't mind bouncing back and forth from inside to outside because everyone was pretty good tippers and most of them didn't mind getting their own drinks if she was busy.

She had spent the morning helping Randy get the meat ready and cutting onions and tomatoes. She had moved to Tardom Lake three years ago. She had spent a week there with her friends when she turned 21 and had fallen in love with the place. Bobbi had a help wanted sign out because her last waitress Brenda had moved on to bigger and better.

Catalina was worried about her friend Randy. He was very unhappy at the end of last summer, but seemed better now. She didn't have all the details, but she knew he had been making excuses to spend time at Havin House last summer. Even after most of the family had gone on their way.

She had never seen Randy with E.J. Havin herself, but she knew E.J. had stayed on for a while last year. She also knew that last year Randy was 34 and E.J. Havin was only 17. She just had speculation about what had happened and Randy didn't want to talk about it, but she wondered how he was with the Havins being here.

"Catalina my friend how are you on this fine day?" Scott asked her.

"I don't know Mr. Buckland how are the tips going to be today?" she said laughing.

"Well I tell you what," he said pulling out his wallet. He took out a hundred dollar bill and then ripped it in half. He handed her one half and said, "You keep the drinks full and the food a coming and you get the other half."

She smiled at the group, "If you will excuse me I believe I need to get you fellows another round."

The boys cheered and hollered and then went to the serving line for some grub.

Reggie was standing behind Scott who was scooping a mound of cold slaw on his plate.

"So what happened to Corrine's eye?" he asked him as if he had no clue.

"She was out walking last night and ran into a low limb," Scott said moving on to the baked beans.

"That sucks, does she need to see a doctor?"

"It looked like just a bruise, but if she needs to be seen she can take the car and ride into town. She knows where the keys are."

Reggie knew that everyone's keys hung on the rings just inside the front door in case one of the cars had to be moved for some reason. He knew Corrine would have a smorgasbord of keys to pick from if she wanted them.

Chapter Five

"So Teddy how come you decided to join us this year?" Edward asked as the bartender refilled his drink.

"I have some things to discuss with my family and well it is fucking hard to get everyone together. And well Eddie my boy you seem to be able to work miracles and get them all here to this place each year so here I am."

Edward didn't want to pry into the crazy alcoholics business. He figured he would know what Teddy wanted soon enough. "Your wife is lovely, when was the ceremony?" Edward asked wishing he could boot Theodore Richmond out on his ass.

"Three…no four weeks ago. I took her to Maui and we got married on the beach."

"How long have you known her?"

"Well I guess now that all the lawyer's are paid and Autumn has all her money no harm in saying that I have been boning her since before I got rid of Autumn. She was a waitress at my gentlemen's club and she refused to service any of the men who came to the club, so I put her up in an apartment and paid all her bills and in return she serviced me whenever I called, she even made house calls."

"I have to check on Alison, but you have another," Edward said finishing his drink and standing up.

Edward walked outside and as he did he held the door open for Ava who had broken the strap on her shoe.

"Victor, do you have anything I can use to fix this?" she asked as he sat behind the desk.

The bar was across from the main desk and as soon as Teddy saw Ava he bounded from his chair.

Victor saw Teddy headed toward them so he held up a finger to Ava asking her to wait a second and then he picked up the phone dialed an extension and said, "We need more salt." Then he hung up and took Ava's shoe from her.

"My dear I am Teddy Richmond brother of Catherine and Rachel and who might you be?"

"Hello Mr. Richmond I'm Ava and I'm roommates with Mandy at Yale."

"Well, Miss Ava then…"

"Ava where the hell have you been, you were supposed to help me twenty minutes ago with that project!" Phillip yelled rushing across the lobby at her. She had no idea what he was talking about, but he didn't give her time to speak anyway. "Come on, come on how are we ever going to get it done," he said pushing the one shoed girl toward the kitchen.

"I will get your shoe fixed Miss Ava," Victor called to her as Phillip pushed her into the dining room.

Teddy looked at Victor and grinned and then he noticed Jami putting suntan oil on Kitty and decided he needed to take his drink out on the deck.

Phillip pushed Ava all the way to the kitchen.

"Oh my goodness Phillip have you gone mad?"

"No, but I have worked here for years and sometimes emergencies arise so the staff has worked out certain signals so that the visitors are none the wiser."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you know about Teddy Richmond?"

"He is very wealthy. He is Mandy's uncle and she loves him very much."

"Well what you don't know is that he is a womanizing lecher who uses people and throws them away and you need to avoid being alone with him. I mean it Ava."

"Why Phillip you think I can't take care of myself with a dirty ole man?"

"The problem is that Teddy can turn on the charm when he wants to. He is very good at manipulating people and he makes lots of promises that he doesn't intend to keep," Phillip said with a thoughtful look of disdain. "But once you are alone with him Ava he doesn't take no for an answer."

"Ok, so I have been warned and I appreciate you guys looking at for me, me being new here and all."

"No problem," Phillip said smiling at her.

Ava leaned over quickly and gave Phillip a kiss on the lips that lasted about seven seconds and then she smiled sheepishly and said, "Sorry, I was just wondering what it would be like."

Then she ran off to get another pair of shoes.

Edward sat down with Alison, "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm actually a little tired. I think I will go and lay down," she said smiling at him.

"I will send Catherine in to check on you in a little while," he said helping her stand. She walked over to the door and Victor opened it for her.

"So where are my nephews? I figured they would be here trying to poke some of this fine pussy," Teddy asked Edward as he watched Jami cover Kitty's back with oil.

"Lagoon," Edward said wanting to punch his brother-in-law in the face for being so openly vile.

"Kit, I'm headed out, try not to get into any trouble," he said heading down the hill to walk to Lagoon.

Edward watched his daughter doing laps in the pool, he was very proud of her and all she had accomplished. She had been a straight A student and had been accepted to all the ivy league schools, but she chose Yale because he was an alum.

Edward Havin had many contacts in the business world and he also liked to keep track of his children and what they were doing without them knowing it.

He knew his wife had hired a private detective to investigate Darcy Cooper and that when she found out Darcy was a gold digging whore that she didn't want to tell Mick. So he had gotten photos of Darcy or Brenda and had sent a little note to his son.

He also knew that Reggie's car was in the shop. But interestingly enough on the same night that his son dented his car a man had been struck on highway twenty four just up the road from his son's apartment. The driver had driven away without even stopping to see if the man was still alive.

He knew that Colton had come to the house several times to see his mother and had been very upset that Alison might miscarry again. So he made sure Doctor Taylor would check on her first thing this morning.

And his precious little Ellana Josephine, E.J. was so smart and beautiful. She had her mother's eyes and her smile. But last summer she had stayed on when everyone else had left and that wasn't unusual so Edward didn't question it.

But then he got a call from a mutual friend who worked at the clinic in town. He had informed him that E.J. had been in to have an abortion. He was furious his baby was only 17 and he knew it had to be someone on Tardom Lake. He hadn't been able to find out who last year, but he was determined he would find out this year and that man who used his baby and then threw her away would never be heard from again.

Scott walked inside to buy a round of shots for his cousins and Brandi was still sitting on the end of the bar.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"No, Scott I'm fine," she said with a half smile.

"You know the drinks at the house are free and the other girls are probably lounging around the pool talking about whatever college girls talk about."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because we are all a bunch of asses and you didn't ask to be thrown into the middle of our drama." Brandi smiled. "You want to come outside and join us?"

"Sure, let me pay my tab."

Scott signaled to Bobbi that all Brandi's previous drinks were on him and then he followed her outside.

Reggie saw Scott coming outside with Brandi. Scott stopped Catalina and asked her for something then they came over to the table and sat down.

"You want something to eat Brandi the food is better than sex?" Scott asked her.

"Then you need to find someone else to have sex with!" Colt said finishing his beer.

Catalina brought five shots to the table for them and handed one to each of them.

"To family," Colt said holding up his glass.

"To family!" they all said in unison.

"Fuck family let's drink to money!" a very familiar voice said from the back door of Lagoon.

"I just figured it was going to cost so much to ship everything to Paris that I would just buy new or find a place already furnished." E.J. said to Carmen.

"Your dads going to flip either way when you tell him that he won't see you for four years."

"You know he will make up excuses to come to Paris just to check up on me."

"Well what about me?"

"You don't need excuses you are always welcome. As a matter of fact maybe I can get a two bedroom and then when you need to run away you always have a place to crash."

"Sounds like a plan," Carmen said putting the last of the shopping bags into the car.

"Ok, what movie shall we see?"

"I don't know. Let's head over and check out show times and then we can decide."

"Or we could pick out some hunky men that are alone and see whatever they are seeing!"

"Even better yet!" Carmen said laughing.

Karen Mason came into Lagoon with her hair still wet from swimming after she finished her last scuba lesson of the day.

"Bobbi, large O.J. please."

"Where's Calvin? I haven't seen him all day," Bobbi asked her.

"He had Jeff take over the boat for the day. He had an errand to run in town."

"Errand huh?" Bobbi said smiling at Calvin's sister. "You mean he had a Buckland to stalk?" Karen grabbed her orange juice and was headed outside when Bobbi leaned over the bar, "You might not want to go out there."

"Really?" Karen said intrigued.

"You know karate right?" she said smiling at Karen as she headed outside.

"Then we found this really drunk woman at the bar, apparently she had caught her boyfriend checking out some dish and we convinced her to come upstairs with us. Before I had my belt off her and Kitty were going at it on the bed."

"Oh my god if it isn't Big Teddy Richmond and I do mean big," Karen said holding her juice in one hand and her arm out to hug him with the other.

"Well well if it isn't the only woman ever to turn me down," Teddy said standing up and holding his arms out to Karen.

He hugged her tight and then gave her a big kiss on the lips that she returned. Everyone stood around watching as the one minute turned into two. They were starting to think that the kiss was never going to end.

"I missed you Teddy," she said with a big smile.

"They always do darling they always do. You want to join us?"

Karen sat down at the table with the boys, "I don't believe that I know this lovely lady."

"This is Brandi, she is one of Amanda's roommates from Yale," Reggie said.

"Nice to meet you," Karen said shaking Brandi's hand.

Teddy put his arm around Karen, "This little lady is the only woman to ever tell me to stuff it in my hat." "I offered her a house and a jet and diamonds and she still wouldn't run away with me."

"You are just more man than I can handle Teddy," she said kissing him on the cheek. "I have to get a real drink can I bring you one back?"

"You know what I like darling and thanks," Teddy said smiling at her.

Teddy watched Karen walk back into the bar as he smiled like the cat that ate the canary. After she was inside, he went back to his story. Telling it loud enough for everyone around to hear.

"So then I find myself doing the double finger maneuver because I can't pry them apart in order to get some," Teddy says as he demonstrates in the air with his hands. "Not that I minded watching, but it was my fucking honeymoon after all."

"You are one of a kind Uncle Teddy," Scott said downing his drink.

Someone inside played a song on the jukebox that Teddy really liked so he got up and started dancing around. Karen came out with a tray of drinks because Bobbi knew what everyone was drinking. Teddy took the tray from her and sat it on the table and swept her up in his arms.

They danced around the tables swaying to the music and Teddy twisted and turned Karen.

"Let's go," Scott said holding his hand out to Brandi. She took it and Scott started dancing with her.

Reggie didn't like it. He was supposed to be getting him back together with Corrine and now he was dancing around with Miss Spread Eagle. Scott was smiling however which Reggie hadn't seen him do since he arrived. He wished that he could let his cousin run wild with this little thing, but he had a lot at stake. He had no idea what Corrine would really do if he didn't convince Scott to take her back.

Teddy switched off with Scott and he danced with Brandi as Scott twirled Karen around tables. They were all laughing and having a good time.

Ali woke up with a cramp in her stomach, "Owe, owe." She was breathing hard and trying to subside the pain. She rubbed her stomach and took deep breaths, "Ooh…owe." She tried to push herself off the bed, but doubled over again, "Ooh." "Baby you are being so bad," she said grimacing in pain again.

"Help!" she tried to call out. She couldn't get up to get to the door because of the pain. She started to look around for her cell phone. "Owe!"

"Ok, Alison Louise Reynolds Havin you just need to make it to the door," she said to herself. She rolled off the bed and onto her hands and knees. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe as she moved toward the door. "Owe, owe, owe damn it, just another few feet, come on Alison man up."

Just then a stream of water covered her legs as her water broke. She started to cry, but kept moving and then she could almost reach the door, but she fell in pain grabbing her stomach. The only thing she could do was take one fist and start beating on the door in hopes that someone heard it.

Reggie was headed toward the restroom when he saw Darcy sitting at the bar. When he came out she was standing at the juke box staring into it as if she had lost her best friend.

"Your woman's in there," Reggie said to his brother as he sat back down next to him.

Mick nodded and stood up, but when he reached the door Darcy was standing next to the juke box talking to Curtis Mills.

Mick walked across the room toward her, "Am I interrupting something?"

Darcy turned around to face him, "Of course not."

"We're out here, you going to join us?" Mick asked looking passed her to Curtis as he waited for her answer.

"Sure," she said smiling at Mick and slid her hand into his. As they were walking outside Mick turned around and gave Curtis another look.

"Well fuck me, more quality ass!" Teddy shouted as Mick walked outside with Darcy.

"Uncle Teddy this is my…this is Darcy."

Darcy knew the minute Mick had stopped himself from calling her his fiancé that he knew.

Scott's phone rang.

"Hello… hello… Dad is that you the signal is horrible."

Scott handed the phone to Colt, "I think he wants you."

Colton listened for a few seconds trying to hear and then he hung up the phone, "I gotta go."

Colton took off without explanation running through the bar and up the road. He didn't even take a second to ask Bobbi or someone for a ride, he just started running.

He could hear Alison screaming even before he got to the door. He ran to their room and she was propped up in bed with Catherine sitting behind her and Edward holding her hand.

"Ali!"

"Colton," she said with tears streaming down her face.

"I'm here sweetie."

"Did you call an ambulance?" he asked his mother.

"Yes, dear we did, but there isn't enough time. Her water broke and she is in active labor and it is going to take the ambulance at least 45 minutes to get up the mountain. She is going to have the baby right here and right now."

"Oh my God, it hurts!"

Colton took his wife's hand, "Ali listen to me, I know you can do this, in a few minutes our baby is going to be here."

"I can't! I can't!" she cried hysterically.

Colton kissed her forehead and in a quiet tone said, "I love you Alison Havin and you are the toughest woman that I know and you can do this."

"We have the towels and the water," Mandy said as she, Jami and Ava stood at the door.

"I'm going to step out," Edward said as he smiled at his daughter-in-law.

Mandy came in and took her dad's spot holding Alison's hand.

Kitty came to the door holding a tray, "Mrs. Havin, I can help."

"Mom, who is this?" Colton asked.

"This is Kitty your Uncle Teddy's …wife."

"Colton, I know what to do, you have to let me help," Kitty said quietly looking him in the eye.

"But you are…"

"Colton I am a lot of things that don't matter right now. I can help Alison and you need to let me. Phillip and I sterilized all these items. We can use these to clamp the chord and this knife in case the baby needs more room and these scissors to cut the cord."

"Colton its coming!" Ali screamed.

"You know what you're doing?" he asked Kitty again.

"Your uncle is worth four hundred million dollars and he married me without a pre-nup."

"Go ahead," Colton said as he took Alison's other hand.

Kitty lifted up the blanket and the baby was crowing. "Alison, with this next contraction I want you to push for everything that you are worth."

Mick was dancing with Darcy and Uncle Teddy was dancing with everyone on the deck. Reggie and Scott were drinking and watching.

"Everyone makes mistakes cuz," Reggie said to him.

"I know Reggie… I know."

"Do you still love her?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to take her back?"

"Maybe." Reggie nodded. "Carmen will never forgive me if I do."

"This isn't about Carmen."

"I know."

Scott was watching Brandi dance with some of the other men on the deck.

"She's pretty," Reggie said.

"Very."

"So is Corrine."

"Do you think I will ever trust Corrine again?"

"I think it will take a while for her to earn your trust back, but yes I think she is willing if you are."

Scott turned up his drink and emptied it, "In my house, in my bed Reg."

"Was it the first time?"

"I have no idea."

"Then you have to ask her."

"I can't"

"Why not?"

Scott picked up Colton's drink, "Because dear cousin if she told me that she had screwed that man in my bed, in my house before that day, no one could keep me from breaking her fucking neck." Scott down the rest of Colton's drink.

Scott was not joking and Reggie knew it so he figured he better let it lay for now.

Scott got up and danced with Brandi. It wasn't a particularly slow song, but he held her close as he danced with her.

"What's he doing?" Bobbi asked handing Reggie a tray of drinks and looking at Scott.

"Dancing," Reggie said with a smile.

"Where is his wife?"

"Well Bobbi if I had to guess I would say blowing the pool boy, but who knows."

Bobbi smiled at Reggie and walked away because she had no idea if he was being serious or not, but Scott looked pretty serious with the little honey who had sat at the bar since they opened this morning.

Scott was so drunk he could barely stand but he was still dancing or leaning on Brandi, "Brandi let me ask you something."

"Sure Scott whatever you want."

"Do you think that someone who has been unfaithful could ever be trusted again?"

"Well Scott that would depend on why they were unfaithful."

"I always treated her like she was the most important thing in the world to me. I loved her unconditionally. Anything she wanted I gave to her, especially my time. We have only been married eighteen months. We were still in our honeymoon phase. I would have thought she would have been the last person in the world besides Carmen that would hurt me."

"You have to follow your heart Scott."

Scott touched her face, "You are beautiful…do you know that?" Scott tripped and almost took Brandi down. As he grabbed the table Teddy grabbed him under one arm and Mick grabbed him under the other and they sat him down at the table.

"You are cut off Scott," Catalina said to him.

"I guess the party's over," Scott said smiling at his family.

"We better get you home," Reggie said handing Catalina his credit card to pay the bill.

"You guys stay, Brandi will escort me home," Scott said with slurred speech.

"Let me tell you son, nine out of ten times leaving a place with someone who looks like her is a plus, but not when you have a wife sitting there waiting for you. So we will take you home," Teddy said lifting Scott to his feet.

"Well Bran…di has to come too because we can't leave her alone here."

"Brandi will come with us cuz so let's go," Reggie said taking Scott by the arm.

Mick signed Reggie's name to the credit card slip and retrieved his card. The five of them started the walk around the bend so they could climb the hill to the house. Scott thought that he heard sirens but sounds echoed all through the mountain so they could have been anywhere.

As they approached the house they thought it strange that no one was outside on such a beautiful night. Then they heard sirens and everyone rushed for the door.

They were standing at the counter talking to Victor as the paramedics rushed down the hall. When the paramedics went in Corrine came out and as she reached the lobby another person came through the front door, a man who had followed an ambulance up the hill to claim the woman that he loved.

"Corrine," Tom Ripken said standing in the doorway.

"Tom what the hell are you doing here?" she said just before she heard a commotion behind her and Scott knocked Tom to the ground and sat on top of him and punched him repeatedly in the face until Scott's knuckles bled.

Mick grabbed him under one arm and Reggie the other and they pulled him off the man whose face was badly beaten and his blood had flown all over the floor.

Corrine repeated as she stood there shaking, "Tom what are you doing here?"

"You asked me to come my love," he said looking confused.

Scott pushed his cousins off of him and got Corrine by the neck and pushed her until they reached the wall and the he pinned her by the neck, "You lying fucking whore!" Scott was choking her and it took Reggie and Mick to get him off of her. She fell to the ground gasping and holding her throat. You could already see Scott's hand prints around her neck.

Scott turned to Tom as the boys held him so he couldn't hit anyone else, "Just one question Tom, how many times did you screw my wife in my bed?"

Tom figuring that Corrine's marriage was over anyway and that she would most likely be leaving with him told the truth, "Three days a week for the past year."

Corrine put her head in her hands, she knew she was done.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Catherine Havin asked as she came out ahead of the paramedics who had Alison and her new son. Catherine saw blood all over the floor. Corrine was curled up in a ball weeping. A man she didn't know was on the floor with his face busted open and Scott had blood running from his right hand.

Scott pushed loose from his cousins and held his arms up in the air to show them there would be no more hitting and then he walked out the back door and was gone.

Mick explained to his mother what had happened as they put Ali in the ambulance. She asked them to take Tom Ripken as well because he most likely had a broken nose and a severe concussion.

When Catherine came back into the house Mick, Reggie, Teddy, Edward, Darcy, Ava, Jami, Brandi, Victor, Mandy and Kitty were all in the bar and Corrine was still sitting on the floor.

Catherine took Corrine by the arms and helped her stand, "Corrine, you need to go upstairs and lay down and tomorrow you need to go home. I will get you a car and you can talk to Scott when he returns to the city." Catherine did not leave anything open for discussion and she didn't want to hear anything that Corrine had to say. She had tried to be nice because Scott had invited her here and they were trying to make amends, but this was just too much. She was just glad that Rachel didn't have to see this spectacle.

Corrine went up the stairs and Catherine went into the bar, "Where's Scott?"

"He left mom, went for a walk," Reggie said.

Catherine got tears in her eyes and Reggie hugged her, "I will go and find him."

"Michael, I'm sure that gentlemen came in a car, could you please move it to the side of the house with the others. Please let me know when my sister gets back so I can tell her what has happened."

"Of course mom."

"Phillip has prepared a very nice dinner if any of you are hungry, Edward and I are going to the hospital to be with Colton and Alison and the baby," Catherine said smiling.

"Sis, the baby?" Teddy asked.

"She had a healthy baby boy named Edward Rupert Havin thanks to…" Kitty gave Catherine a nod to please not say that she had helped. "Thanks to everyone who chipped in Alison and the baby are fine. So if you will excuse us we have to get her some things together and head down the mountain."

"Catherine, I will call Rachel and have her and William meet us at the hospital," Edward walking toward the front desk to use the landline.

"Good idea dear. I will get the things Alison will need. And Rachel doesn't need to walk in and be bombarded with all of this."

Chapter Six

Brandi slipped out the back door while no one was paying attention. She was going to look for Scott.

"It was pretty incredible to see my nephew being born," Mandy said trying to break up the silence of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen if you would please adjourn to the dining room Phillip has prepared dinner for everyone," Victor said trying to control this out of control situation.

Mandy headed with everyone else to the dining room. She turned and looked for Brandi because she hadn't seen her all day until a few minutes ago and now she was gone again. The maids had left for the evening so Jeremy grabbed a mop and was attempting to clean the blood from the tiles in front of the main door.

Carmen and E.J. had passed the ambulance going down the mountain and it frightened them. Neither could get a signal so they could reach the house and find out that no one they knew was inside. E.J. raced up the mountain and stopped the car right in the front and they raced up the front stairs. The both were halted quickly by the blood all over the floor.

"What the hell?" Carmen yelled.

Victor walked over to greet them, "Ladies everything is fine, Alison had the baby and no that blood is not hers. The group is in the dining room perhaps you should get details from them."

"Thanks Victor," E.J. said racing toward the dining room.

Carmen went through the door and quickly scanned the group, "Where's my brother?"

Mick sat her and E.J. down and explained everything that they knew.

"That fucking dead whore, I will kill her!" Carmen screamed and tried to leave. Mick grabbed her by the arm and made her sit back down. Carmen sat there with clenched fists and listened to what everyone else had to say for a few minutes and then she said, "I need to go and find Scott."

"I will go with you," E.J. said to her.

"E.J., you and Mick and Mandy need to go to the hospital and be with your brother."

"My brother has enough people headed toward the hospital, let's go and find your brother," she said holding out her hand. The girls headed out the side door in search of Scott.

"What a fucking mess," Teddy said looking around the room.

"It will all work out in the end honey," Kitty said to Teddy and flashed her pearly whites at him.

"I think Kitty and I are going to turn in. If there is any news could someone let me know?" Teddy said looking almost his age for the first time. Worry did not sit well on Teddy's face. Theodore Havin seemed to the outside world to only care about himself, but he did truly love his family.

Mick excused himself and headed for the bar. Everything with Corrine's betrayal was just tearing at his mind. He didn't even see Darcy walk into the room.

She put her hand on his shoulder and he jumped, "What do you want?"

"Is there anything I can do?"

"You can just… Darcy just leave me alone."

"Mick, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Are you serious?" he said hitting his glass so hard on the bar that it shattered.

He stood up and grabbed her hard by the arm and practically drug her up the stairs. She lost a shoe and almost fell three times. He pushed open their door and pushed her in and then slammed the door shut.

"So Darcy what are you willing to do to be a Havin?"

"Mick, I don't understand."

"You don't?"

"Where is all this anger coming from?"

"Anger?" he said pushing her on the bed, but not letting go of her shirt so it ripped as she fell. "Do you want to see anger Darcy, real anger? You didn't answer me Darcy, what would you do to be a Havin? If I said you had to fuck other women and let me watch would you still want to be a Havin? If I said I was going to fuck other women and make you watch how about that, how about in order to be a Havin you had to let me pass you around to all my friends would you still want to be a Havin Darcy?"

She lay there on the bed trembling, but didn't say a word.

"I have a very rich and powerful family Darcy and if we aren't careful we end up with wives who fuck men in our beds three days a week for a fucking year!" he screamed.

"I'm not Corrine," Darcy said in barely a whisper.

"Well Darcy there are whores and there are whores."

"I would never hurt you Michael."

"Really, you would never betray me the way Corrine betrayed Scott?" he asked and got right up inches from her nose.

"No."

"You lying bitch!" he screamed and slapped her hard across the face.

Tears ran down her face, "Mick."

He grabbed her by both arms and lifted her up to face him, "You still haven't answered the question Darcy, what would you do to be a Havin?"

"Anything you want Michael," she whispered. She was shaking so much she could barely stand.

Scott was sitting on the pier when Brandi saw him. She walked down and sat next to him. He was covered in his wife's lovers blood and his knuckles were bleeding onto the pier.

Brandi put her hand on his leg, "I would ask if you're ok, but I know that you aren't."

"That Yale education is paying off," Scott said with a smile. "I want her dead Brandi, I had to leave or I wouldn't have been able to stop myself. I want to beat her to death with my bare hands. I don't deserve this. I never did anything, but love that bitch."

"I know," she said touching his hand with the tips of her fingers.

"I can't go back there right now."

"No one said you had to," she said taking his hand and putting it to her breast.

He grabbed her and rolled her under him on the pier and started to kiss her and pulled her top off and then he ripped her bra trying to get it off of her so he could suck on her nipples. The last time he had her he was angry and took his anger out on her, but this time was different he needed something from her. He needed to feel wanted.

He kissed her and pulled at her long hair, "Brandi tell me that you love me,"

"I love you Scott," she said kissing his neck and trying to unbutton his shorts.

"Brandi, tell me that you would do anything for me," he said pulling down her shorts and throwing them over her head toward the shore.

"Oh Scott, I would do anything for you," she said reaching down into his shorts and stroking him.

He let go of her and stood up and let his shorts drop to the ground. She spread her legs as an invitation to him to take her and she looked into his eyes.

Scott didn't take her as he had done before. He wasn't rough and full of hatred. He entered her gently an inch at a time and each time he would say, "I love you Brandi."

And then finally when she had taken every inch of him and she arched her back to meet his demands she had said again, "I love you Scott."

Hearing those words sent him into a rapture that he hadn't experienced in a long time. Brandi moved under him and met him move for move as he kissed her throat and her lips and then he climaxed as she held onto him with her legs wrapped around him.

He was lying naked and breathless on top of her when he heard a voice that he recognized calling his name, two voices in fact of his sister and his cousin.

They were still on the top of the hill so swiftly and silently he pulled Brandi with him off the edge of the pier and into the water. Even if the girls saw the clothes they wouldn't think anything of it because people skinny dipped in the lake all the time.

Scott supported Brandi against the pylon his naked body against hers as Scott used one hand to make sure they didn't float out where Carmen could see them. Brandi wrapped her legs around Scott again and he could feel himself start to stir and then she kissed him again until she could feel that he was ready to have her again. Scott had one hand on the pier and the other holding her so she wouldn't float away so she had to do all the work.

She grabbed him and inserted him and they renewed the passion once again floating under the pier.

Reggie was coming out of Lagoon as the E.J. and Carmen were walking in and he let them know that Scott had not been back there and on the way back to the house Reggie told them his version of what had happened.

"Ok Darcy, you go get one of Mandy's girlfriends. I will even let you pick which one and you stand there and you touch yourself while I fuck her in front of you."

"What…"

"What makes me think they will do it? Honey I have money and college girls will do anything for money." He grabbed her by the throat, "You don't want to watch me fuck a college girl then how about if I bring my uncle down here and I swap you for Kitty. I know they will be game, they are game to anything." "How about it Darcy would you watch me fuck Kitty while my uncle rides you like a horse in order to become a Havin?"

"Stop it, just stop it!" she screamed as she pushed his hand away from her.

"Stop what Darcy treating you like the gold digging whore that you are?" he said and stormed out of the room.

Scott lifted Brandi out of the water. They were both dripping wet. Scott kissed her one more time and they started to pick up his clothes and put them back on.

Brandi put back on what she could. Scott had broken the zipper on her shorts and had made her bra unwearable.

"Can you make your way back to the house alone?"

"Sure."

He put his fingers under her chin and pulled her eyes up to meet his, "We'll talk tomorrow?"

"Ok Scott."

"You head back up now, go through the garden and there is a little door on the side of the house. It will bring you out by the downstairs bedrooms without having to go through the lobby. I'm going to head the other way and try and find my sister."

"Whatever you say Scott."

Brandi headed toward the house and Scott was off to find his sister. He didn't think it was the best idea to call attention to himself screwing a twenty-one year old girl on the pier. He had to go and find Carmen because he had made her worry longer because he couldn't help himself with Brandi in the water.

She was so young and full of life and willing to do and say anything that he wanted and he couldn't pass that up right now. Neither could the person who had watched from the shadows. He had enjoyed every minute of the action and every minute of Brandi telling Scott that she would do anything for him.

Carmen, E.J. and Reggie were sitting on the deck when Scott came walking up.

"Scott, oh my god are you alright?" Carmen said hugging him. "What happened you are soaking wet?"

"I tripped and fell into the lake."

"Are you hurt?" she asked looking at his knuckles.

"No, sis I'm perfectly fine."

"You want me to have someone get your bag and move it over to my room?"

"No, I'm going to take a room on the third floor and after Corrine leaves tomorrow I will have the room across from you all to myself."

Carmen smiled at her brother, "Ok then."

"I'm really tired sis and I know we will all be getting up early tomorrow to go and see the baby so I'm going to turn in. My night clothes are in my room and these are wet so I will be sleeping in the nude. Fair warning for anyone who wants to come in and disturb me."

"I love you Scott," Carmen said giving him a peck on the cheek. "I would do anything for you."

"I know little sister. Right now just let me get to bed because I think things are going to be improved in the morning." Scott couldn't wait for Corrine to leave.

Carmen waved to Scott as he went in the house and then her phone went off with a new text. It was Robert telling her that he had been delayed and that he would arrive tomorrow instead of tonight.

Reggie saw Mick head out the front door in a hurry, but by the time he caught up with him he was speeding down the road in Darcy's truck and didn't even acknowledge him when he tried to wave him down.

"Well this had been quit a day," Reggie said out loud to himself and then he headed inside. He was going to get his swim trunks and do some laps in the pool because he knew tomorrow Corrine would most likely tell everyone what he did to her. Of course leaving out the fact that she groped him and he would have to face the consequences from his family.

That fucking bitch.

Mandy knocked on Ava's door and then pushed it open when Ava said 'come in'.

"I just wanted to say goodnight and tell you how sorry I am about all this."

"This has been the best vacation of my life, I have so many ideas for stories now that I may never be able to repay you," Ava said smiling at her friend.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight Mandy."

Amanda moved on to Jami's room and knocked. Jami answered her door wearing nothing but her panties, "Oh Mandy it's you. Come on in. I was just getting ready for bed." "I got some juice from the frig. You just have to share it with me, I was going to come to your room, but since you are here that is even more perfect." Jami took the juice from one glass and split it between the two, "I've been a little restless, would you hang out with me for a while?"

"Sure," Mandy said with a smile.

Jami pulled her hair out of its pony tail so it fell down around her shoulders and her naked breasts. She handed Mandy the glass of juice and they toasted and then Mandy drank her juice while Jami looked for a t-shirt to sleep in.

Jami got it caught on her head and couldn't get it down so she asked Mandy to help her. Mandy jumped up and tried to pull down the shirt but Jami was squirming and Mandy had to keep trying to bounce and pull at the shirt to get it down over her friends head.

But finally the t-shirt came down and then Jami pulled it over her breasts that were a little sore from bouncing so much in Mandy's face. Jami handed her the rest of her juice to finish up. Jami climbed into bed and pulled the covers up and offered Mandy the other side of the bed. Mandy crawled in next to Jami and fluffed up the pillows on that side.

Jami laid on Mandy resting her head on Mandy's chest, "Mandy I'm so glad that we are best friends."

"Me too," Mandy said yawning.

Mandy fell asleep and then so did Jami with her head on Mandy's chest and her hand resting between Mandy's knees.

Chapter Seven

The house was peaceful with hopes that tomorrow would have to be better than today until…

At five am…everyone in the house was awakened by screams. Horrible blood curdling screams.

They all rushed from their rooms to find Margo standing in the lobby pointing to the dead body of Corrine Collins-Buckland. Her body was lying at the bottom of the stairs with her neck broken.

Reggie checked for a pulse even though everyone knew there wouldn't be one. Carmen called the sheriff and he told them to all sit in the dining room and not speak to each other.

The sheriff arrived with six deputies and the coroner. They determined time of death to be around three a.m. and cause of death to be a broken neck. Doctors and nurses at the hospital had already vouched that Catherine, Edward, Rachel, William and Colton had been there all night with Alison and the baby.

E.J. called Victor who came in right away and called Phillip to come and fix something while they waited to speak to the sheriff. The sheriff also had men asking question around the lake to vacationers.

The deputies separated everyone and started asking a lot of questions. When they were almost done the sheriff called in Scott who was his prime suspect.

"Did you kill your wife Scott?"

Scott was still drunk and kept running his fingers through his hair, "No."

"Where were you at three this morning?"

He rubbed his face with the palms of his hands trying to get his act together, "Asleep."

"With your wife?"

"No, I was asleep on the third floor."

"Why weren't you in bed with your wife?"

"We had a falling out."

"Really," the sheriff asked. "Did it have anything to do with this man?" he asked pulling photos that must have been taken of Tom Ripken at the emergency room and showing them to Scott. Tom Ripkin's eyes were swollen almost shut and his nose was broken and the sheriff told Scott that Tom Ripkin's cheek was fractured.

Scott stood up and was trying to think clearly.

"How did your wife get those abrasions on her neck Scott?"

"You know damn right well I did them or you wouldn't be asking. Just like I figure you already know that she was screwing that guy in my bed and I was divorcing her."

"So, you admit to assaulting Tom Ripken?" the sheriff said as he indicated Scott's knuckles.

"My marriage was over long before he showed up last night. I was sending her away today I didn't have to kill her."

"Yes, Scott, but you wanted to kill her didn't you?"

Scott sat back down across from the sheriff, "No."

"You didn't say that you wanted to chop her up in little pieces or that you wanted her to die. You didn't say in front of four people at Lagoon that if your wife told you that she had been screwing that guy in your bed that no one could stop you from killing her?"

Scott sat there for a minute with his eyes closed, "I did say those things."

Deputy Hearn stuck his head into the room, "Sheriff there is something that you might want to hear."

The sheriff left the room for a minute and then came back, "Scott don't leave town, we will have more questions."

"What's going on?" Scott asked as he jumped up and followed the sheriff.

His uncle and his father were standing in the lobby with three deputies, Mick, Carmen and Reggie.

"Michael Theodore Havin you are under arrest for the assault, rape and possible murder of Corrine Collins-Buckland," the sheriff put hand cuffs on Mick who stood there bewildered. "We have an eye witness that saw you two nights ago attacking Corrine Buckland at the lake."

"Wait he didn't do it!" Reggie yelled. "I did it!"

"You raped my wife!" Scott screamed and charged Reggie. Scott hit him in the nose and blood flew from it.

"No, wait that isn't what happened!" Reggie screamed holding up his hands.

The sheriff unlocked Mick and Reggie held up his hands so that everyone would listen.

"Mr. Havin, I have a witness that saw you assault Corrine Buckland."

"I did hit her."

Scott started to charge again.

"Wait Scott let me finish," he said holding out his hand. "I wanted to scare her and make her pay for hurting you. I slapped her and threatened to rape her, but then she grabbed me and started feeling me up. I was drunk and appalled that she did it so I hit her again." Reggie took a breath, "She kissed me, I did not rape her or kill her!"

"John, the boy didn't do it," Edward said to the sheriff.

"I threatened to kill her so you should arrest me too," Carmen said holding her wrists out to the sheriff. "I hated her for hurting Scott."

"I did too sheriff, I threatened to cut her up into little pieces," Scott said holding out his hand.

"Well she wasn't chopped into little pieces Scott," the sheriff said.

"John, isn't it possible she just tripped as she came down the stairs?" Edward asked him.

The sheriff stood for a minute and looked around at the Havin and Buckland families, "It is possible that it was an accident, but I need to ask all of you not to leave the county until I find out."

"John, we are on vacation and I can assure you that no one is going anywhere," Edward said looking at his family and then back at the sheriff with a look that the sheriff knew all too well. Mick had called Edward on his cell phone and Edward along with William had beaten the sheriff to the house.

"Alright Edward, I will be back later and I need to ask that no one go into Mrs. Buckland's room because everything in there is evidence and I need for the rest of you not to discuss this amongst yourselves," he said shaking his head.

Reggie was leaning against the wall holding his nose. Scott walked over to him.

"Scott… man…"

"I know what you were trying to do Reggie. You have always had my back. It was a little unconventional, but I appreciate the effort," Scott said as he opened his arms to hug his cousin.

For the longest time no one said anything. They took Corrine's body away to determine cause of death.

The family had been sitting around trying to absorb what had happened.

Everyone wanted to forget about the accidental death of Corrine Collins-Buckland and go and see the baby, but the sheriff had left word with Victor that he was on his way back to Havin House.

This time he put everyone in the same room, the large dining room. Mandy sat at a table with Jami, Brandi, Ava, E.J. and Carmen. Scott sat at a table with Reggie, Mick, Edward, William and Teddy. The third table was occupied by Kitty, Phillip, Jeremy, Victor, Celia and Margo.

The sheriff stood in front of the group and addressed his first question to Scott, "Scott where were you last night?"

"I told you I was asleep in a room on the third floor."

"And before that you had an altercation with Thomas Ripken?"

"If that is the name of the home wrecking ass fuck then yes."

"Well Scott can you tell me what you did in between the time you had the altercation and the time you went to bed because I'm being told that you left the house and no one could find you for quite some time."

"I went for a walk."

"Really where?"

"Down by the lake."

"Alone?"

"Yes, alone."

"Scott tell me if we swab the bed that you slept in would we find any D.N.A. that isn't yours?"

Scott put his head down, "Ok, I wasn't alone."

"Who were you with?"

"I'm not going to say because it has nothing to do with this!"

"What were you doing with this person?"

"You obviously know sheriff or you wouldn't be asking."

"We found a torn bra and a button do they belong to your lady friend?"

"Yes."

"Was it consensual?"

"Of course!" Scott said pounding his hands on the table.

"So Scott you were having intercourse last night with a woman who was not your wife a half mile from where your wife was killed is that accurate?"

"That's enough!" Reggie said. "His wife was just murdered!"

"So Reginald you don't believe that it was an accident?"

"I don't know if it was or not, but she was still his wife have some respect."

"If that's what you want Reggie. We will come back to Scott and ask if Corrine found out about his little fling and perhaps there was an altercation. But Reggie that brings me to you."

"To me? I already told you that I just wanted to scare her."

"Yes, but what you didn't tell us was that she was black mailing you," the sheriff pulled a tape recorder out of his pocket. "We found this in Mrs. Buckland's purse in her room next to her cell phone."

He pushed the button and everyone listened.

"Corrine."

"I can do one of two things right now Reginald, I can call the sheriff and have you arrested for assault and attempted rape or we can make a deal."

"Like what Corrine you want to finish what we started last night?"

"No, you are going to help me get my husband back."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to work your family magic and convince him that I made a mistake and that he stills loves me."

"Which mistake would that be Corrine boney some guy in Scott's bed or trying to jerk me off?"

"It would have been an experience you would have never forgotten Reggie, you have two days. Sorry there is no way I can hide my eye from the family so don't make me add a sob story about how you tried to rape me."

Scott's eyes were full of tears and his face was red, but he was still trying to hold himself together. It was all true, she would have had sex with his cousin on the ground by the lake and she did have sex with Thomas Ripken three days a week in his bed.

Reggie stood against the wall wondering why Corrine would make a tape recording of proof that she was lying.

"John, is there proof that it wasn't an accident?" Edward asked.

"Not yet, but we do have witnesses that put Scott with a woman at the lake and Reggie with Corrine there also."

"What about that man?" Carmen said standing up. "He came here to profess his undying love for the whore of Babylon and she didn't go with him. Maybe he came back last night and tried to convince her again."

"We are questioning Mr. Ripken about his whereabouts after he left the emergency room. But we checked Corrine's cell phone and there was a text from her asking Mr. Ripken to come here saying that she was leaving Scott and wanted him."

"How would I have known that?" Scott asked biting his lip to keep from breaking down.

"Maybe you sent him the text from her phone, maybe you confronted her last night and she told you, maybe she told you that he was better then you and that is why he got three times a week and you only one."

"Sheriff my nephew isn't going to let you bait him into anything so if there is nothing else perhaps you could let us start mourning the accidental loss of one of our family," Teddy said standing up and walking up to the sheriff.

"Edward, can I see you outside?" the sheriff asked not looking away from Teddy Richmond.

Edward walked out to the sheriff's car with him, "Edward you know I have great respect for you and your family, I have known you all my life, but…"

"She was a cancer within my family John, but the fall was an accident. You don't really think that one of my children or my niece or nephew could do this?"

"Maybe not Edward, but if it turns out I can prove that Corrine was murdered then I have to follow the letter of the law."

"I understand that John," Edward said holding out his hand to shake the sheriff's.

The sheriff looked up at the door to the crowd that had followed them out and then he got in his car and headed out followed by his deputies. He knew Edward Havin was a rich and powerful man, but he had a job to do.

He had taken hair samples from everyone in case they found any on Corrine's body. The family gave them up willingly to get the sheriff out of the house as soon as possible.

Everyone stood around looking at the spot where Corrine was found until Teddy spoke up, "Fuck this!" "It was a terrible accident, but there is nothing anyone can do now. I don't know about the rest of you, but I wouldn't mind seeing Kitty in a thong so how about we have lunch by the pool."

Mandy and Jami walked down to their rooms to put on their suits.

"Jami, do you know what happened to my panties? I couldn't find them when I woke up and had to throw on your robe to see what all the screaming was about."

"No worries chick I spilled my juice on you last night and I didn't want it to make you all sticky so I pulled them off of you and tossed them into my hamper."

"Ok," Mandy said pushing her door open and going inside.

Darcy was sitting on the bed in her room when Mick came in.

"You know don't you?" Darcy said with tears in her eyes.

"You mean that you're a lying gold digger?"

"I didn't lie to you."

"Ok… Brenda," Mick said leaning against the door.

"I legally changed my name to Darcy."

"After you tried to extort money from my cousin."

"That part is true, I was a different person Mick and when I got the plastic surgery it was so I could trick you, but then we spent time together and I really fell in love with you."

"Yeah and my family's money."

A tear ran down Darcy's face, "Is there any chance for us Mick, I will sign a pre-nup, I will do whatever you want." "If there isn't a chance Mick just tell me now so I can go home and leave you to your vacation," she said trying to hold back the tears.

"What do you want me to say Darce?"

"I'll go."

"You can't go anywhere because of the murder investigation."

"I can't leave the county so I'll get a hotel room in town."

"There are extra rooms upstairs, I will move up there for now," Mick said rubbing his eyes. "I don't know Darce there is just so much going on around here I just need time, will you give me some time?"

"I will…give you all the time you need," she said with tearing streaming down her face.

Mick gave her half a smile and then he picked up his suitcase and headed upstairs.

Darcy wondered if Mick really broke it off how she would get the money to pay back Curtis and what Curtis would do to her if she couldn't pay him back.

Scott was still sitting in the dining room and Carmen was standing over him with her arms around him as he cried. Carmen held him tight because he could barely make a coherent sentence as the reality of what his wife had done penetrated his heart. And the fact that she was dead haunted him.

Brandi walked into the room and for the first time she didn't look like a tramp. She had on a pair of black pants that came half way between her knee and her ankle and a top that didn't flash her cleavage to all that would look. She looked very nice.

"Scott, can I talk to you a minute?" she asked as he and Carmen looked up at her.

Well Carmen didn't have to guess who her big brother was with last night.

"Car, will you give us a minute please?"

"Sure," she said looking at Brandi and not with kind eyes. "Scott I'm going to see who wants to go and see the baby call me if you need anything. I love you Scott."

Scott nodded to his sister as Brandi took the seat next to his.

Scott was looking down at the table with his hands clenched together and then he took a deep breath and took a hold of Brandi's hands. His bloodshot eyes looked up into her eyes, "Brandi, I need you to tell me the truth…it won't change anything and I won't say anything, but I need to know."

Brandi sat there and looked at him and waited for the question.

"Brandi…did you kill my wife?"

Brandi pulled her hands quickly away from him, "You think I did?"

"You said you would do anything for me. I just thought that you might have…"

"Committed murder for someone I have known for two days? I told you everything you wanted me to tell you last night Scott. You were destroyed and needed someone to hold you, someone to care. If you would have told me to call you the King of Siam I would have you dork."

"Just say the words Brandi please," Scott said closing his eyes.

"I did not kill your wife Scott," she said putting her hand on top of his.

"Am I interrupting something?" William Buckland said standing in the doorway.

Brandi took her hand away from Scott and stood up and walked out the other door without saying a word to the not happy William Buckland.

"Is that the piece of ass you were with last night?"

"Don't be crude Dad, it doesn't become you."

"I talked to the lawyers and they think they should come up."

"I can't deal with lawyers right now Dad."

"Did you do it Scott?" Scott looked up at his father. "I wouldn't blame you, she had it coming."

"Dad enough ok, let's just go outside and get some food and try to make it through this day."

Mandy was sitting on Ava's bed with her and Jami when Brandi came down the hall and stuck her head in, "What you guys doing?"

"We are trying to decide if we should go down and visit Ali, everyone is going to be there and we think we should wait until later or tomorrow so there aren't so many people. Besides I feel that I have been neglecting all of you and that you have had to find your own ways to pass the time."

"Whatever you want Mand we are game for," Jami said.

"Why don't we go down and hang out at the lake today, there should be a lot of hunky guys. I'm sure you guys are tired of hanging out with my family so let's go down there. My friend Ian has a boat and sometimes he lets people water ski off the back of. I think that would be awesome."

"The lake it is," Brandi said heading to her room.

"Can I bring my notes for my novel and my camera?" Ava asked.

"Of course!" Mandy said jumping up to go and get her stuff ready.

Mick and Reggie were in the bar with Edward and Teddy.

"William and I are going back down to the hospital. I want to be with Catherine when she is told about Corrine," Edward said taking another drink.

"E.J. and Carmen want to go with you," Mick said.

"What about you and Darcy?"

"We will go tonight or tomorrow morning, but give Colt my best."

The girls were all sitting around the table chatting and talking about their appointment to go water skiing in an hour when Mick and Reggie came outside and sat down with them.

"So ladies what are we talking about?" Mick asked them.

"We were just talking about the classes we are going to take in the fall, very boring stuff," Mandy said.

"Well boring for you Mandy Moo you don't know what you want to be, but these other lovely ladies may be taking something more interesting," Reggie said smiling.

"So Miss Ava how goes the book?" Mick asked.

"Well I have taken about four hundred pictures all over the lake and the house and I have made a lot of notes on types of characters, but…"

"She feels bad because there was a real murder," Jami said.

"Well as long as she didn't commit the murder then she has no reason to feel bad," Reggie added.

"What about you Jami, what are you majoring in?" Mick asked.

"Audio visual production engineering."

"Wow that sounds like fun. You mean like nanny cams and such?"

"Nothing that exciting, in the fall I have to take three computer courses and two electronics courses."

"What about you Brandi?" Reggie asked.

"I have an automatic scheduler and they mail me the schedule. All I do is show up."

"Sounds…"

"Spoiled," Ava said cutting Reggie off.

Everyone laughed.

"Excuse me I have to use the restroom," Brandi said. She gave Ava a friendly shove on her way by because she called her spoiled.

Brandi walked inside and the lobby was empty. She looked around and Scott was sitting by himself in the bar. She walked up to him and he saw her reflection in the mirror.

He smiled at her reflection, "You want to go for a walk?" Brandi nodded. He took her by the hand and led her out the front door and around the house so no one would see them. They walked down the hill to the lake and sat on the sand.

"Are you alright?" she asked him as he looked out over the lake.

"All I ever wanted was to make my father proud."

"You have made him proud Scott. You are incredible. You have great business sense and you have made millions."

"Says who…my darling little cousin?"

"She speaks very highly of you."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."

"You take it one day at a time."

"Right now I am having trouble taking one hour at a time. I wanted her dead Brandi."

Brandi squeezed his hand, "No, you didn't."

"She fooled me, how could I have been so stupid?"

"She did love you Scott or she would have left. Sometimes people do really stupid things. Sometimes people don't stop and think about the consequences of their actions."

"She loved…"

"Don't Scott. None of this is your fault. And if she really loved that guy then she would have left you for him."

Scott squeezed her hand, "There is more to you than meets the eye."

"Well you would know," she said giggling.

"I was really mean to you."

"No you weren't."

He let out of big sigh, "Brandi."

"Scott, I am a grown woman and I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. If you could have seen the torture in your eyes."

"Well enough about me." He put his hand on her arm, "What are you majoring in?"

"I am going to be a lawyer."

"But, what do you want to be?"

"How do you know I don't want to be a lawyer? I do have a way of convincing men to give me my way you know."

"Because you said that you were going to be a lawyer and not that you want to be a lawyer."

"My father wants me to be a lawyer."

"What do you want to do?"

"Marry rich and sit at home and eat bon bons!" They both laughed. "Scott, I have to tell you something."

"That you slept with Reggie?"

"How did you know?"

"The way he looked at you…anyway…"

"I get it."

"You work fast," he said smiling.

"It's a game."

"You try and see how many men you can get to…"

"I'm just trying to be honest Scott."

"I know… sorry. You look nice today, but I have to say I prefer the other you."

"These clothes are the outfit that I brought to wear home to see my parents as the hard working college student who wouldn't dare drink or do drugs or have sex."

"Is that the real you?"

"I don't know what the real me is anymore. I like to have fun."

"Well I could buy you a Porsche, that's fun. Would you like a Porsche?"

"No Scott I do not want a Porsche and if I did I would ask my father and he would buy me one."

"So you're only twenty-one huh?"

"Twenty-two in five weeks if that helps."

"What would your father say if you brought me home?"

"Hmm let me think. Scott Buckland, son of William and Rachel Buckland, millionaire investment broker… he would be so disappointed," she said smiling.

He smirked, "I meant the age difference."

"I knew what you meant. It isn't like you are going to be collecting social security Scott. You're only twenty-eight."

He stood up and offered her his hand. She took it and he started walking along the beach.

"Scott, should we be seen together…I mean Corrine…"

"Brandi, I didn't kill her and neither did you. She was unfaithful and I was divorcing her. She even went so far as to invite him here. So I don't think walking with you on the beach on this beautiful day will be the end of the world."

Brandi just smiled at him and then they walked down the beach watching all the campers and all the families swimming in the lake.

Chapter Eight

"What are we going to do about this?" Teddy asked Edward as they sat at the bar and watched E.J. and Carmen talking to Victor and Jeremy at the desk while they waited to leave.

"Whatever I have to," Edward said looking at his and Teddy's reflections in the mirror. Edward Havin liked to have control of every situation and know the answers to every question before he asked them. The problem with that is no one can know all the answers.

The members of his staff he trusted to do anything that needed to be done and his children were very intelligent, but very quick to jump into situations that could cause trouble for them. Edward wasn't unhappy that Corrine was dead and if one of his family members did kill her then Edward was prepared to take the blame.

Kitty walked across the lobby and was talking to Carmen as Edward finished his drink.

"Where did you say you met her?"

"Babes are us!" Teddy said joking.

"Give them my best, but I think they just need family there right now," Kitty said to Carmen.

"Kitty you are family," Carmen reminded her.

Kitty smiled.

"Well Mandy and the Rockettes are going water skiing if you want to go with them."

"Thanks Carmen I might."

Carmen walked over to meet her uncle's as they came out of the bar.

"Why is she so nice to me?" Kitty asked E.J.

"Carmen is nice to everyone unless you give her a reason not to be," E.J. said. "Kitty may I ask you a question?"

"Anything love."

"Do you love my uncle?"

"That is an odd question?"

"I know."

"You better hurry it looks like they are waiting for you," Kitty said with a sly smile and then she headed upstairs to her room.

Just as the four of them were about to go out the door Victor called to Carmen, "Miss Carmen you have an envelope here marked confidential. Would you like it now or should I have it placed in your room?"

Carmen got a little knot in her throat, but she smiled and walked over and took the envelope and thanked Victor. She shoved the envelope into her purse and headed out to go and see the new baby. William had brought the large passenger van around so that they could comfortably ride to the hospital.

Darcy walked outside into the warm sun of the day. She was wearing a tank top and shorts over her bikini and a hat to keep the sun off her face. She saw that Mick and Reggie were sitting with Mandy and her friends and that Phillip had made them smoothies.

She took a chair on the other side of the deck and laid her towel down and took a seat. From there she could see the garden and Wayne working in it. She closed her eyes for a second as a breeze blew across her face.

"What do you mean he wouldn't pay?" Curtis asked.

"I went there and I told him I was pregnant and he threw me out. What else is there to say?"

"Brenda that family owes me money and so do you. So you will find a way to get it for me!"

"What do you want me to do Curtis seduce another member of the family?"

Curtis turned his head to look at her, "Why not?"

"Don't you think Scott Buckland will recognize me?"

"We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars Brenda. You will do whatever it takes to…"

Just then Darcy felt something cold on her shoulder. She looked up and Mick was standing there holding a smoothie and touching it to her shoulder.

"You look a little lonely over here," he said looking down at her.

She took the smoothie and sat it on the table next to her, "I'm good."

Mick knelt down beside her chair, "I want to apologize for how I've been treating you. I'm not saying I forgive you, but I should have just confronted you instead of being a lunatic ass. It's just with everything that was going on here, all the trust gone haywire… I was just…"

"You don't have to explain."

"I do, because I do love you Darcy or Brenda or whoever…"

"Darcy."

"I just don't know if I will ever trust you again, but I don't want you spending the next two weeks sitting over here by yourself while I try and work it out so I'm inviting you to go water skiing at the lake with us."

"You sure?"

"I am," he said standing up and holding his hand out to her.

Colton was sleeping in a chair and Alison was sleeping in her hospital bed while Catherine sat in the rocking chair rocking her first grandchild. Rachel had taken her car and was shopping for the new addition even though there was a mountain of things from the baby shower at the house.

Teddy and William went to the cafeteria for some coffee as Edward and the girls headed to Alison's room.

"Oh my goodness," E.J. said as she walked into the room and saw the tiny baby. "Mom he is beautiful."

"I know he looks just like me," she said smiling.

Colton heard the voices and he opened his eyes, "Hey if it isn't the new aunt."

"Hey big brother, good work," she said walking over and hugging him.

"May I?" Carmen asked holding her hands out for the baby.

"Of course," Catherine handed the sleeping baby to her.

"Catherine, will you please walk down to the cafeteria with me?" Edward asked.

"Of course my dear, Colton would you like something?"

"I think I will go down with you," he said standing and trying to stretch out his back muscles.

E.J. and Carmen looked at each other because they knew that the story would just have to be repeated once now.

Carmen sat in the rocking chair and rocked the baby while E.J. sat in the other chair on the other side of Alison.

Randy Sanders pulled up in front of Havin House and with a deep breath put his truck in park. He had spent hours yesterday watching the Havins and hoping E.J. would join them at Lagoon. Randy didn't know if E.J. was avoiding him or not, but he had to talk to her.

"E.J. don't," Randy said as she continued to try and unzip his pants.

"Come on, why did you bring me up to your apartment if not for this?" she said putting her hands on his chest.

Randy's heart was racing at her touch. It had started with just a flirtation over the last few weeks. E.J. Havin was enchanting with her large dark eyes and friendly smile. He had known her family for years. Edward Havin is well known in the area and how would he respond to this thirty-four year old bouncer inviting his seventeen year old daughter upstairs with him.

"E.J. I can't," he said holding her small wrists with one hand.

"Really?" she said leaning toward him. As he tried to take a step back he had hit the edge of the couch and sat down bringing her with him. Randy still had her hands so it was easy for her to straddle his lap as he went down on the couch with him.

"E….J…" he said breathless as she rubbed against him.

He let go of her hands and she leaned down and kissed him on the lips. His lips were on fire almost as much as other parts of him.

"I want you Randy," she said pulling her top over her head. Randy remembered she had on a red lace bra. He remembered how hard her nipples were as he rubbed them with his thumbs as he held her as she sat in his lap licking her lips.

"Hey Randy can I help you with something?" Carlos asked standing at his truck window. Randy had been so deep in his memory that he didn't even see Carlos walk up.

"Hey Carlos, I was looking for E.J."

"She went with Carmen, Mr. Havin, Mr. Buckland and Mr. Richmond to the hospital to see the new baby."

"New baby?"

"Yes, Miss Alison had her baby yesterday and well no one really wants to be around here today because of what happened so they are all out actually."

Randy asked Carlos what happened and he explained to him about Corrine. Leaving out any personal family information because Mr. Havin would fire him if some of the things the sheriff learned got out.

"Is there anywhere on the lake I could get internet service?" Kitty asked Victor.

He looked up from his cross word puzzle and couldn't believe his eyes. Kitty Richmond had been wearing something slutty every minute she had been here with too much makeup on and her bottom hanging out of everything, but this woman didn't even look like her.

She had on a sun dress and a jacket with flats. Her make-up was very tasteful and her long blonde hair was brushed straight and not in the giant pole dancer curls that she usually wore. It took him a second or two to come back to reality and realize that he hadn't answered her question yet.

"I'm not sure Mrs. Richmond. Could you give me a few minutes and I will make some calls and try to find out?"

"Of course," she said smiling at him. "I'll be in my room."

"Yes ma'am."

Kathleen Donner loved New York. She had missed it so much during her time in Africa. She had spent eighteen months with her parents and Doctors Without Borders helping people there. But now she was back in her element and she was sitting in the window of her favorite coffee shop looking out at the city and the newsstand across the street.

She was finishing her coffee when she saw a limo stop at the newsstand and this attractive man hop out of the back and the owner of the stand must have expected this man because he immediately handed him a bundle of several different newspapers. The man nodded and got back in the limo.

Kathleen was curious so she took her window seat with her coffee again the next morning and at exactly the same time as the day before the limo pulled up and the same thing occurred as the day before only this time she got a better look at the man's face. He was even more handsome than she thought and impeccably dressed and the limo didn't hurt either.

She didn't know why she was intrigued by this man, but she was and wanted to know more about him. Maybe she was bored because her hiatus from the Times wasn't up for a few more days or maybe she found herself attracted to this mystery man.

She knew the first step would be to find out who he was and then find a way to meet him. A New York street corner definitely wasn't going to work.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Kitty said.

"Mrs. Richmond I am being told the closest place to the house is in town because of the mountain there is no way to get access up here. I could bring your car around or Phillip is driving down to get some things for a special dinner tonight if you would like to ride with him."

"Yes, please ask Phillip if I can ride with him."

"Yes ma'am."

Kitty grabbed her bag which not only housed her laptop, but her clothes that she would change into before she returned. Her short shorts and tank top which wasn't high enough to cover her cleavage and her make-up bag.

"As I live and breathe Scott Buckland!" Calvin Mason said as he pulled his boat up to the pier.

Scott waved to him and he and Brandi waited for Calvin's passengers to debark.

Before Calvin could get to Scott and shake his hand Ian Trent called to him, "Cal I need you to look at this thing. Mandy Havin and her friends are coming down to water ski and it isn't acting right."

"Well good to see you again Scott but duty calls," he said shaking Scott's hand and nodding at Brandi. Scott knew that Calvin liked Carmen, but that he was being too subtle and his sister didn't do subtle.

"We're going to have company soon." Scott said kissing her on the cheek.

"Sooner than you think," Brandi said pulling her hand quickly out of Scott's when she saw the gang at the top of the hill wearing their swimsuits and carrying towels and two coolers.

"There you are chickee," Mandy said running down the hill and hugging Brandi. "I couldn't find you anywhere. I'm glad that you're here. We're going water skiing and you are doing it too. I'm not taking no for an answer!"

"Hey cuz," Reggie said sitting down the cooler of beer."

"Reg," Scott saying looking at the bruise around Reg's eye from where he had hit him. "Sorry again about the eye."

Reg nodded at him and then raced to his sister and picked her up in the air, "Last one in is a rotten egg!" Reggie carried Mandy in the water with him as she was screaming for him to put her down.

Mick in turn grabbed Ava just barely letting her drop her hat and book as he rushed into the water and dunked her.

"Not safe around here," Jami said to Darcy as she tossed her top on the towel and dropped her shorts revealing her bikini.

Darcy stood there next to Scott and Brandi looking at Calvin and Ian working on the boat. She knew they wouldn't recognize her after the plastic surgery…no one did.

"You getting in?" Scott asked Darcy.

"In a minute," she said smiling at him. He had slept with her and was threatened by her and he didn't even recognize her. But apparently right now he only had eyes for that little girl with the large knockers. "I don't have a suit, but if you don't get in there I might have to throw you in," Scott said joking with her.

"I'm going," she said taking a big drink and then sitting down her water bottle. Then she ran toward the water to join the fun.

"We're going to go and change, we'll be back soon!" Scott yelled to his family. They could barely hear him because Mandy was on Mick's shoulders and she was screaming because she thought he was going to drop her.

"Thank you again Phillip," Kitty said as they drove down the mountain.

"No problem Mrs. Richmond. I was heading down anyway why waste the gas for two cars."

"Please call me Kitty."

"Well then it is no trouble… Kitty."

The house had been buzzing with the stories that Teddy Richmond was telling about his new wife. About the threesome on their wedding night and about the blow job she gave him on the way to the airport.

He was proud that he had pulled up her top at his last party and showed off her breasts to all of his friends. There was also a rumor that he had bragged about offering her to a friend of his for a night in order to seal a business deal and that he had watched and had taken pictures.

Kitty Richmond was beautiful and particularly so today. Phillip didn't understand why she wanted Teddy Richmond and why she let him get away with the things that he did. Phillip knew it wasn't any of his business, but he felt bad for her. He also knew it was Teddy's trend to divorce his wives after they started to lose their youth, but Kitty had a long way to go before that.

No one could deny that Teddy was an attractive man with a hell of a lot of money, but Phillip didn't understand why a man who treated women the way he did could get any woman he wanted.

No one at the house liked Teddy Richmond, but they had to tolerate him because he was related to Mrs. Havin. There had been an incident about nine years back where Teddy had been accused of forcing himself on one of the ladies who worked at the house.

The matter was covered up because of course he was Teddy Richmond and all women wanted him.

He had pushed her into one of the bedrooms and had dropped his pants and tried to force himself into her mouth. When she refused to cooperate he pushed her on the bed and covered her mouth with his hand as he tore off her pants.

"Who do you think you are, you little whore?" he said as he penetrated her. "You know you want it." He was hurting her so bad that she had to relax her body and give in. He took his hand off her mouth, "If you scream I will kill you." He then ran his hands all over her as he thrusted against her and he moaned with pleasure.

After he had climaxed he lay on top of her panting and sweating all over her. When he finally rolled off her said, "You know this was your fault, I always get what I want and from now on when I want it you better spread them or else." "If you say anything to my sister they will never find your body." Then he put his pants back on and walked out of the room.

He had only been back a few times since then and most of the time Autumn was by his side, but when she wasn't the staff went out of their way to keep him away from that poor girl. Phillip wondered if anyone in the family knew it had happened or if was just another horrible secret kept by that house.

Scott and Brandi walked into the empty lobby. Brandi tried to walk down the hall to change, but Scott didn't let go of her hand.

"Mr. Buckland, how am I going to change if you don't let go of my hand?"

He pulled her close to him and held her hands in his, "Come upstairs with me?"

"Scott, what if someone sees?"

"You didn't care about that the other day."

"The other day was different."

"Because my wife could have walked in on us?" he said with smile.

"Not funny."

"Ok, not funny, but we have had angry sex and wild outside crazy sex and hidden under the pier sex, but right now Brandi I want…no I need to make love to you."

Brandi bit her lower lip and looked into his eyes. She didn't know if Scott was using her, or if he was grief stricken or if he had killed his wife, but he was leading her up the stairs passed where his wife's body had been found that morning and she was going with him.

Catherine had called Rachel after they told her what happened and asked Rachel to come back to the hospital. She had joined them in the cafeteria and Catherine told her what happened. She wanted to leave and comfort Scott, but William said she should calm down first.

Colton was sitting with his mom and dad not knowing what to say as Teddy was across the room talking very friendly with a nurse. No one but Colton was paying attention to what Teddy was doing. Colton saw him open his wallet and show the nurse how much money he had inside. The girl couldn't have been any older than twenty three or twenty four, but Teddy walked out of the cafeteria and she followed him out.

"I don't want Ali to know," Colton told them.

Edward's phone rang. He looked at the caller I.D. and saw it was the sheriff's office, "Excuse me please…Yes John?"

"Edward we need to talk, can you come to the station?"

"Yes, I'm at the hospital. I will be there in a few minutes." Edward wondered which of his families' many secrets the sheriff had found out about.

Ava was sitting on the sand making notes in her book when a shadow blocked her light.

"Calvin Mason," Calvin said as he put out his hand for her to shake.

"Ava Campbell," she said looking up into the sun and shaking his hand.

"No water skiing for you?"

"Maybe later," she said taking a drink of her water.

"I don't think I have ever seen you around here before."

"No, I am Mandy's roommate at Yale and this is my first time here."

"Yale huh, then you must be really smart," he said sitting down next to her.

"I try," she said smiling at him.

"The group should come to Lagoon tonight and hang out."

"I will tell them and…"

Before Ava could finish there was a commotion in the water and she and Calvin ran to the edge.

Mick carried Darcy to the sand. She was vomiting profusely.

"Darcy, Darcy can you hear me!" Mick was screaming and shaking her. Her muscles started to twitch and she went into convulsions. "Oh my God call an ambulance!" he screamed. "Darcy! Baby can you hear me?"

Mick tried to pick her up but Ian yelled, "Mick wait bring her here!"

Ian pulled the boat up to the sand and looked at Calvin, "Call the ambulance and tell them to meet us at the access road." Ian knew how long it would take the ambulance to get up the mountain and he knew taking the boat around the lake to the access road would be much faster.

Mick picked up Darcy and jumped in the boat as everyone else stood there on the sand and watched. Calvin used his radio and called the ambulance and they knew exactly where Ian wanted them to meet him.

"Did she get too much sun?" Ava asked.

"I don't know, but she didn't look good," Reggie said sitting down on the blanket.

"They want to know if she takes any medications?" Calvin said to them.

Mandy grabbed Darcy's bag and looked through it, but there was no medication. She shook her head at Calvin and he told the man on the phone that they didn't know if she was or not. Mandy sat Darcy's bag next to the cooler where she had found it…next to where Darcy's water bottle had been sitting.

Darcy had been unconscious for more than a few minutes when they finally arrived at the cove where the ambulance was waiting. On the way to the hospital the paramedics asked Mick a lot of questions as they worked on her.

E.J. was holding the baby when her phone rang, "Here mama I better get that I'm a very important person you know." She handed the baby to Ali and then checked her phone. It was a number she didn't recognize.

"Hello."

"E.J.?"

"Mick is that you?"

Mick had left his phone at the beach and had borrowed one from the paramedic. He explained to his sister what was happening and that the ambulance was only a few minutes away from the hospital.

"I'll tell them," E.J. said hanging up the phone.

"What is it?" Alison asked seeing E.J. turn pale.

"They are bringing in Darcy by ambulance. She collapsed and had some sort of seizure."

"Is she alright?" Carmen asked.

"I'm going to meet the ambulance and find out. I have to get Mom."

"Here we are E.J. what is it?" her mother asked. She was standing at the door with Colton, William and Rachel.

Colton and Carmen stayed with Alison and the baby and Catherine, William and Rachel went to the emergency room with E.J.

The paramedics burst through the door with Darcy on a stretcher they were giving her oxygen.

"Twenty-four year old female, unconscious at the scene, thready, BP 62 over palp!" the paramedic relayed to the doctor waiting at the door.

Mick followed the stretcher in and then he couldn't go back with her so he just leaned against the wall breathing heavy, not even noticing that his family was standing there.

"You're next on the water skis," Mick said to Darcy as Ian was pulling up with Reggie in tow.

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can," he said sliding behind her. "You just hold on tight," he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her. "And if you fall off just don't forget to let go!" he said chuckling and pushing her gently away from him.

He turned to see what Calvin Mason was doing with Ava on the beach and then he heard Darcy call him.

"Mi…ck!"

When he turned around she was holding her stomach and had turned very pale and then she started vomiting and he eyes rolled back in her head. He scooped her up and carried her to the beach as Mandy and Jami were screaming with fear.

"Mick," E.J. said as she laid her hand on his arm.

"I don't know…she wouldn't wake up," he said with his face turning red and tears in his eyes. He hugged E.J. and wouldn't let go.

Edward walked out of the sheriff's office. He was boiling mad and needed to calm down before he went back to the hospital. He had threatened the sheriff to keep what he had learned to himself unless he didn't want to be sheriff any more. As he was walking back to his car an ambulance raced down the road toward the hospital with its sirens blaring.

Kathleen Donner Richmond had just finished her weekly video conference with her parents when she closed her laptop and was going to use the library's ladies room to change her clothes when she heard an ambulance siren racing down the street.

She turned and watched it until it rounded the corner and then she headed toward the ladies room because it wouldn't be long before Phillip would be pulling up to take her back the house.

Randy was parked outside the hospital sitting in his truck trying to get up the nerve to go in and talk to E.J. He didn't want to wait another minute, but he knew that her father was in there and he had no way to explain what he wanted with her.

He heard a siren coming around the corner and the ambulance backed into the bay and the paramedics jumped out and then pulled the stretcher out. Randy took a double take because he would have sworn the man who got out with the stretcher was Michael Havin.

E.J. was sitting with Mick holding his hand as he just stared at the ground. Catherine was sitting across from them very worried about her son.

Rachel took her sister's hand, "Catherine I have to go and check on Scott."

"Of course," she said patting her sister's hand.

Rachel kissed her sister on the cheek and then she kissed her nephew, "I'm sure that she'll be alright Michael." He just nodded without looking up as he squeezed his sister's hand.

William led her to the parking lot so they could head up the mountain and check on their son.

After Teddy's romp with the nurse in an employee bathroom he went to Alison's room looking for everyone and Carmen had directed him to the emergency room. He looked around but his brother-in-law was nowhere to be found. It was just Catherine sitting across from Mick and E.J.

"Mr. Havin."

Mick looked up and saw it was the doctor and then he jumped to his feet, "How is she?"

"She's awake. We put a tube through her nose and pumped everything out of her stomach and then we put in activated charcoal. We gave her a bolus of fluids to try and bring up her blood pressure and anti-seizure medication just in case. I have checked her skin to see if she was stung or bitten by anything and we have given her an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory in case this was an allergic reaction."

E.J. squeezed his hand.

"But, she's pretty out of it."

"So you don't know what caused this?"

"We are running some tests now and won't know for sure until they come back. We are testing her blood and the contents of her stomach."

"What exactly are you testing for?" Mick said getting anxious.

"Mr. Havin, I would rather wait until the tests come back."

"Bull shit you tell this boy right now what the fuck is going on!" Teddy yelled.

"Mr. Havin, even though it could still be several things…your fiancé has all the symptoms of someone who has been poisoned," the doctor said lowering his eyes.

Mick's mind raced as to who would want to hurt Darcy, poisoned there was no way. He couldn't breathe.

"Can he see her?" Catherine asked standing up next to them.

"We really need you to wait until we get the test results back."

"Because you think I poisoned her?"

"Mr. Havin, it isn't for me to say, the sheriff will be here soon," the doctor said and walked away.

The sheriff had almost recuperated from his argument with Edward Havin when the phone rang. It was the hospital asking for him to come over because it looked like someone had been intentionally poisoned Michael Havin's fiancé.

The sheriff wondered if they were just the most unlucky people in the world or if someone was intentionally targeting them.

The sheriff was thrilled that he would have to take on the Havins yet again today.