Chapter 15 : Moving Day

  Over the next couple of days, Kei comes to a few conclusions.  Ethan's note that she had found tucked under her pillow cinched it for her.  Ethan did not die an accidental death, he was murdered.

  Trust no one but Chaine, he had said.  But Kei knows someone she is sure she can trust.  She called her Dad's buddy from the Police force, the Officer that had spent many hours chasing her down when she was younger, Joe Montelli.  She asked him to come by and pick her up, she had something to talk to him about.

  He pulled up in his new white pickup, and Kei climbed in.

   As they pulled away to go for a drive, Kei turned to the Officer.  "Joe, " she said earnestly.  "I really need your help!  Ethan was not accidentally killed."

    The tension was palatable.  "Oh really?"  Joe glanced at her, but it was long enough for Kei to see something was wrong with his eyes.  They glowed, but not like werewolf eyes.  "Do go on Kei."

  "Uh, well," she faltered.  Her gut instinct was screaming at her to Get Away.  She didn't understand why, Joe was an old family friend.  Surely he could be someone she could trust?  But she had had enough of ignoring her own instincts.  If she hadn't been such a coward, she and Ethan and their family would already be living somewhere else.  Instead, her husband was a pile of ash on her lawn. "I think he might have killed himself." she ad libbed, coming up with a story as she went along. "We were having some problems you know, and, uh, well, I just don't want it to get out, you know?"

  The tension in the cab eased away, just like that.  "Of course Kei.  You know I would do anything for your family.  Your father, he saved my life, you know."  He threw a quick grin at her, but Kei wasn't very reassured.  She thought she saw pointy teeth.  If he wasn't a werewolf, what was he?  And what was going on in her town anyway?  After another half an hour of uncomfortable small talk, Joe brought her back home.  She jumped out of his pickup, thanked him for his time, and then shut the door.  He drove off.

  Kei watched him for a moment, until she was sure he was gone, and then she slowly walked back into the house.  Ethan had been gone for a week now, and the pain of missing him was unbearable.  She had so many regrets.  So many things she would do differently.  She checked in on her babies, they were snuggled in their cribs, snoozing away.  She trudged downstairs to her bed.  She hated the bed.  It was cold.  And lonely.  And way too big for just one person.  She made herself lie down in it though, and close her eyes.  But sleep was a long ways off.

  The next morning, after she fed the twins and changed their diapers, she stepped outside to take a look at the mid morning sky.  She looked high up into the endless blue, wondering if Ethan was any where near.

  
  "Ethan," she said softly.  Wishing for a response back from him, but knowing she would not hear his voice again.  "You knew me so well.  You know how every fiber of my being, wants to stay and fight this and figure it out.  But you made me promise."  She looked at her kids, they were playing with their toys, oblivious to the world around them.  "You made me promise, and so I will do what I promised.  We will leave here, in just a few days time, for that house you bought for us.  My Dad is coming with, to help me with the twins.  Lani and Kale are too young to make it on their own, so they are coming.  Though they are both protesting.  Poulani is coming, she claims there are no eligible men here to date.  Keilani backs her up on that, she just had another baby, but the baby's father is married.  So Keilani and her two children are coming with.  But you also, know, don't you my love?  That I will never settle, until I find your killer.  I may have to wait, for our kids to grow up.  But someday, I will find the person responsible."

  The twins have a birthday before the big moving day.

  Layla:

Kit:

 It takes a fair amount of financial juggling, but the move was made in the pre-dawn hours.  The house stands empty now.  Devoid of life.

  
 "Let's go!"  Kei said.  "Kale, make sure you grab Nova, he's still in the house."  The trip to Moonlight Falls seemed to take forever, but in reality it was only about a days journey away.  They traveled by boat first, and then Kei rented a car for the remainder of the trip.  Kei dropped her sisters and Keilani's kids off at a rental house.  "Are you sure you won't stay with us?"  Kei asked them.

  "No, we're good." they said in unison.

  Then Kei went home.  To their new home.  She drove up to the house, and did a double take.  This was the house that Ethan had bought?  It was a lot---bigger---than she had imagined it would be.

  She agreed with her Dad, it must have cost a pretty penny.  She didn't know how Ethan bought it.  It was just one more puzzle she didn't have an answer to.  They ran up to the door, and Kei tried her key.  It worked.  The door swung open and they got their first look into their new home.

  It could use some furniture and she noticed some of the plants from the outside were growing inside the walls.  But overall, she was speechless at how much room there was inside.

  (Thankfully for sims, they have very large backpacks, so they were able to take all of their stuff from their old house to use in this new house. lol)

 
 Kei wished Ethan could be here.  She wished she wasn't quite so resistant to change.  She made a promise to herself, that she would work on being more flexible.  While the kids ran around the house screaming, "Woowee!  Look at all this space!"  Kei excused herself.  She needed to meet the neighbor.  The one Ethan said she could trust, and if Ethan said so, then she knew it was so.

  The house did not look like a house that would be lived in by an old bachelor friend.  But she knocked on the door anyway.  Maybe the friend lived nearby, not next door.

She walked back down the stairs and took a look around, while she waited for someone to answer the door.  she didn't know what to say when he finally did come out to invite her inside.  "You must be Kei, Ethan's wife?  He described you perfectly.  Come, come on in, so we can have ourselves a little chat."

  This was Chaine?  Ethan's old friend?  She was expecting someone old, and, well, not so good looking.   She followed him into the house nervously.  Nova followed her inside, as well, he was keeping an eye on his human.  Make sure she stayed out of trouble.

  "First of all, Kei, let me just give you my deepest condolences on Ethan's death.  I have lost my best friend, who was as close to me as a brother.  I know the pain I feel, I cannot even imagine your pain."

  His kindness overwhelmed Kei, and she broke into noisy sobs.  Chaine pulled her into a hug, and she sobbed and soaked his shirt with her tears.  "I am so sorry!" she said, as she wiped her eyes quite a bit later.  "I didn't mean to fall all over you like that and drown you in my tears."

   "No problem Kei."  Chaine said gently.  "I was Ethan's friend, and I would count it as an honor to be your friend."

  "I could use a friend."  Kei said.  "Ethan told me a lot of stories about you and he, and some of the scrapes you two would get into.  How Ari would always be the one sent to find out what mischief you two had been up to."

  Chaine smiled, "Yes, those were the days."

  "But other than that, he never talked much, about his upbringing I mean, his childhood.  He never told me where he grew up.  Who is parents were.  If he had any other brothers besides Ari.  He didn't get a chance to tell me why he picked Moonlight Falls to move to, how he was able to buy such a fancy house..."

  Chaine chuckled.  "Yes indeed.  He described you to a T.  And no, I am not going to tell you about his parents, or where he grew up either.  It is not safe.  Oh, such a look!  I do believe I could burst into flames from such a look!  But it will do you no good.  I promised him, and my word is my bond.  But, I will answer some of your questions.  Where best to hide, but in plain sight?  Moonlight Falls is filled with all sorts of peculiarities, no one will pay us any mind here.  We can go about our lives without worry.  As to the house, well, he inherited it, from his great, great grandmother.  She knew he would need it someday.  Gave it to him when he was just a wee little lad, and told him not to tell anyone."

  "But obviously he told you."  Kei pointed out.

  Chaine laughed again.  "Oh indeed he did!  Ran right out and told me within a few minutes of hearing it himself.  Oohwee, was she mad!  Rang such a peal over his head, threatened to turn him into a frog, he was quite frightened!  He listened to her then, and never told anyone else.  She threatened to turn me into a frog if I said a word.  So, I am a smart lad, I kept my mouth shut.  Have you ever seen a person turned into a frog?"  Kei shook her head no.  "Well, let me tell you.  It isn't pretty.  No, not at all.  I did not want to be a frog."

  "A frog indeed."

  "Oh, you will see a few of them around here.  The ones that make the wrong people mad, well, they walk around with such a hideous toad's face, I am glad I was not turned into one.  But Ethan's great, great grandmother, she knew he would need the house someday.  When I saw that the house next door was for sale, I snatched it up.  I figured some day, he would live there, and I could live here, and it could be just like when we were younger."  Chaine smiled sadly.  "And now he is gone.  But, he asked me to help you out, and his cubs.  I can't wait to meet them!"

  "I want to find out who killed him."

  "I'm sure you do."

  "Won't you try to talk me out of it?"

  "Would it do any good?"

  Kei shrugged.  "Probably not.  I am just going to do a little harmless research, you know, until my kids are grown up.  I'm getting my foot in the door, with the criminal underbelly.  At least my past will help me out there.  I have a contact in the Police Department, I will bring the person who murdered my husband to justice."

  Chaine nodded.  "Then I will do my best to help you, and protect you."  Kei started to object.  Chaine shook his head at her.  "Listen Kei, you have no idea the mess you are about to enter.  This is not child's play, and only a fool would do so alone.  You are not a fool, therefore, you will not do this alone."

  Kei frowned at him.  "I don't like it.  You are just lucky I am trying to turn over a new leaf."


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  Kona has almost reached all of his goals.  He only has to repair one more electronic thing, and then he will have successfully met his challenges.

 Kei---I am about half way with her.  She's about half way in the criminal career, and she has half of the half siblings.  lol

  Chaine was made by a friend at TFMs Asylum.  She had posted pics of him, and I asked her if she would upload him, because he is so cute!  He started off life as Branch from Moonlight Shores, but she redid him and made him look amazing!

  If anyone is interested---here is the link to download him: Chaine Szlachta  You have to be registered at that site to see him, but the site is well worth it!  The registration is to keep the spammers and stuff down.  :)


Next: Chapter 16: You Talk Too Much