Updated: June 18, 2023
Aubrey
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s office was a nondescript brick building. Pretty multicolored flowers were planted around the base of the flag pole out in front. Clay pulled up and parked.
“Bree, how you holding up. honey?” he asked quietly, reaching to hold my hand.
I was fidgeting and could feel my heart skipping beats.
“I’m nervous, but I’m happy you’re here with me. Clay I could never do this without you,” I replied.
“Sugar, you don’t have to do a goddamned thing without me ever again.” He assured me.
This man, how did I get so lucky?
He turned in his seat to face me, his voice deep and comforting. “Listen to me carefully Aubrey. Answer all their questions as best you can. Don’t guess and don’t panic. This is not an interrogation, and you are not a suspect. This is information gathering to assist in their investigation. All the truth as you know it and we’ll be out of here in no time. I’m here as your fiancé, not as your lawyer. If you feel at any time you want a lawyer, we will end the statement and reschedule when you have spoken with counsel.”
“Clay, you can’t lose your job because of this right? Dear God, what kind of position am I putting you in?” My heart sunk. The ramifications of this were starting to pound on me like a Nor’easter.
His smile, bright and beautiful flashed over his face. He leaned over to me and cupped my chin. His voice was soothing and his tone confident.
“No honey, I can’t lose my job over this. These men and women catch the bad guys and I make sure they never make it back out on the street again. They trust me and I trust them. But today, I’m your advocate. At any time, you can stop, and I will get you out of there. You are under no obligation to stay.” He leaned back to look at me, You look real pretty this mornin’ Sugar, gonna melt some hearts up in here today,” he grinned sweetly.
I relaxed and smiled at him. He really had become the center of world already, my heart just melted.
He helped me down from the truck and kissed me, took my hand and we entered the headquarters. As soon as we walked through the glass doors a very large man in full uniform approached us.
“Miss Teller? I’m Sheriff Devon Pritchett we spoke on the phone.” He shook my hand warmly and smiled. He greeted Clay with a hearty handshake and a slap on the back.
“Excellent verdict Clayton, well done, Son.”
They led me back to an office furnished with a long table and ten chairs positioned around it. Clay walked beside me with his hand in mine, women working in the offices were craning their necks to get a glimpse of us.
“Can I get y’all some coffee?” the Sherriff asked. We shook our heads no and both held up our travel mugs from the house indicating we were fine.
“We’re just waiting for the SLED team, and we can start.” He began and held a chair out for me to sit.
“Miss Aubrey, did Clayton explain to you this is not an interrogation? You are not a person of interest, this is merely a fact gathering to aid in the investigation. At any time you are free to leave or seek the advice of counsel.”
“Yes Sir, he did.” I murmured, about to take a seat when the door opened.
Into the room entered two agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division or SLED. They probably had no idea the amount of their work I had reviewed over the years.
They both knew Clay and greeted him warmly, congratulating him on the trial and verdict. He introduced me to them both, “Special Agent, Wallis North and Special Agent Judy Master, I’m honored to introduce y’all to Miss Aubrey Teller, my fiancé.”
The room hushed for a second, this was new information, and it didn’t pass over their heads. They shook my outstretched hand courteously.
“Clayton Hoover you old dog, good for you,” Sherriff Pritchett declared, he shook his hand again, his face beamed with smile.
Clay flushed slightly and nodded in acknowledgement.
“Now I plead your discretion on this matter for the moment as I haven’t spoken to my son yet and I’d hate for him to hear this announcement second hand down at Grubby’ s Kitchen this afternoon,” Clay requested.
They laughed easily and assured him they’d not let it leave the room.
We all sat down, and they began with the formalities. Asking my name and the spelling, my date of birth, address, social security number and I passed across the table, my passport and driver’s license.
Special Agent, Wallis North began the interview. He was a forty something, blonde haired, hazel eyed disarming gentlemen. His voice was soft and thick with the Lowcountry drawl.
“Miss Aubrey, can you tell us when you first came into possession of the property in Saint Helena.”
I sat up straight in the chair and responded. I felt Clay’s hand on my knee.
“Eighteen months ago, my father Rogan Teller passed away. The property originally belonged to his father, my grandfather, Raymond Teller. He died maybe five years prior. I’m not sure of the date as they never spoke to each other, not to my knowledge and not since before I was born. When my grandfather died a lawyer from Beaufort County reached out to inform my Daddy the property had transferred to him. The will also states in the event of my father’s death it would automatically pass into my possession. So eighteen months ago when I began to settle my father’s affairs, the deed was issued to me.”
Special Agent North thanked me and asked his next question.
Clay was taking notes beside me, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. I glanced over at him quickly and he smiled, squeezing my knee.
“Ma’am when is the first time you visited the property?” Special Agent North asked.
“Last week, Monday, March 20. I appeared before orphans court in Beaufort to produce the documents necessary to acquire a short certificate, classifying me as the executrix of my father’s estate and to file the deed in your county clerk’s office to facilitate the sale. After the paperwork was completed the registrar drove me out there to walk through the house and give me the keys. I never went inside. There was a real estate representative there to meet me, explaining the necessary assessments and inspections required to be completed before we could list the house and surrounding land for sale. ” I reached for my coffee cup and took a sip.
Clay was busy taking notes and I noticed he wrote my birthday down on the top of the page.
“Miss Aubrey, you had never been to the property before, correct?” Special Agent North was in charge of the questions, clearly. His partner was watching me closely, her leather folio not even opened.
“No Sir, I didn’t even know of its existence until right before my father died. He told me about his father and the land three weeks before his death. He was under hospice care and trying to tie up all his loose ends before he lost consciousness.”
“Did your father talk about the place? Share any memories of it?”
I shook my head, “Growing up, he’d mysteriously reference it, I had no idea what he was talking about, but before he died, when I understood the situation, the only thing he repeated consistently was that it was dark, a bad place. He never expounded on it, he didn’t like to speak about it, and he warned me to get rid of it as soon as possible. But again, he was under hospice care and a great deal of morphine. I’m not sure of his state of mind at the time.”
“Have you come into any possession belonging to your father with reference to the property?”
“Only the copy of my grandfathers will and the deed which had been registered in my father’s name after his father’s death.”
“And Ma’am did you bring those documents with y’all today? Along with your short certificate?” Asked Special Agent North.
“Yes Sir I did,” I reached for the folder in my bag and slid it across the table to the two SLED Agents. They handed it over to the Sheriff who quickly left the room to presumably make copies before returning the originals to me.
“Do you have knowledge of any other people, your kin or others who might have lived there with your grandfather for any reason or length of time?”
“No Sir, my paternal grandmother was killed in a train derailment about when my father turned eighteen, soon after he joined the Marines and around then, I think is when my grandfather purchased and moved to the Saint Helena property, so they never lived there together.”
“But he knew it was a bad place and never lived there?” the female agent interjected suddenly. I was sensing her distrust of me.
“He visited once after boot camp, stayed a few days, but never returned.” I made direct eye contact with her and quietly gave her my answer.
The two agents exchanged glances and sat back, seemingly finished with the questions.
Special Agent Judy Master flipped through her notebook and began to speak more professionally. She was short, a thin woman with over processed blond hair and difficult skin.
“Miss Teller, currently there are a dozen forensic examiners on the property and have uncovered what looks to be the remains of eleven young women. All the bodies were found on the land. They are certain there are more but have gone twenty-four hours without a new discovery. We have thoroughly processed the house without any trace of evidence. The forensic anthropologist on the scene has preliminarily dated the skeletal remains to forty years ago.”
I gasped, my hand to my mouth. “The USC co-eds? There were thirteen reported missing back then.” I whispered aghast.
They looked up startled, “Yes Ma’am, how did you know about that?”
I sat up again in my chair. “It’s a notorious cold case, I studied about it in college. Dear God, do you think it’s them?” I was stunned, holy hell.
Again they exchanged glances, flipping through the paperwork in front of them, I was sure it was my background check. Apparently they hadn’t read all of it.
“You graduated from the University of Michigan and received your master’s degree in forensic criminal investigation, is that correct?” Agent “bad hair” asked me. They looked astounded, how did they miss this?
“Yes Ma’am,” I replied.
“This is where you learned about the cold case?”
“Yes Ma’am, it’s a case study for forensic students. So many experts tried to create the profile of the killer, but without the bodies it’s a hard stop. There were very few leads and hardly any evidence.”
“Miss Teller, why with a master’s degree in criminal forensic profiling are you a free-lance travel writer?” asked the female agent incredulously.
I had spoken to Dean at length before I left for Charleston, he coached me explicitly on how to answer this question. I took a deep breath and recited the answer.
“I write as a hobby, and for additional income. I also work as a consultant for a company called the Grayson Criminal Investigative Foundation. It’s a private company hired by grieving families who are looking for additional answers into the deaths of loved ones when the trail has gone cold. It’s privately funded, and we review the case files to see if there are any other possibilities which might have led to their family members untimely or accidental deaths.”
“Why isn’t this job listed on your background check or resume?” Special Agent Judy sneered slightly.
“I don’t have a current resume. The last time I applied for a job was in high school. It’s not on my background check because I work on a contract basis.”
What she didn’t know was my expertise in body language and linguistics. Her training could not be as extensive as mine. I sat relaxed, arms open and resting on the table across from them. It’s easier when you have nothing to hide, but I’m trained, and she was trying hard to identify any tells I might have.
They paused and again exchanged glances. I watched their postures relax and knew it was almost over.
Special Agent North spoke next. “Miss Teller, thank you for agreeing to this interview. We’re so sorry to put you through this Ma’am. Knowing what we know about your background, I’m sure the coroner would welcome your professional insight down the line on this matter. Also, the identity of the women has not been confirmed, they are processing the DNA currently, so we’d beg all of your discretion on the likelihood it could be the USC co-eds. We understand you’d like to visit the house again to see if there is anything you would like to take with you for sentimental value, we can approve the visit with our escort.”
“Thank you so much, I’d be so appreciative if that could happen. Is Monday okay for the visit?” I asked humbly.
“That would work out fine, meet us back here Monday morning at 9:30 and we’ll take y’all there or escort your car onto the property.”
They stood up and everyone shook hands. They gave me their business cards and I gave them Clay’s address and my mobile number.
The Sheriff walked us out to the truck and shook our hands, congratulating us on our engagement and thanking us for our cooperation.
Clay started the engine while watching the agents leave with their car and the Sheriff return to his building.
“Bree, what’s in the house?” He asked seriously.
I was lost in thought when he shook me from the reverie.
“I don’t know, but it’s behind a clock and I have to get to it first.” I whispered urgently.
Clay
We drove back toward Saint George in silence. My mind was everywhere and nowhere. The USC co-eds, the biggest cold case in the state for the longest time. If we could close that, it would be monumental.
But I might not prosecute this case, I was officially recused from anything having to do with it currently. My meeting with the Attorney General the afternoon prior solidified it.
I glanced over at Aubrey, she was brewing in her own world. I was worried about her and didn’t know what to say. She looked up at me and tilted her head in inquiry.
“I’m sorry, honey. I’m lost in all this,” I shrugged.
“I’m sorry Clay, sorry this is all happening to you. I know how big this could get and you might not get a chance to put the bad guy away. I feel terrible about that.” She said sadly.
“Who knows anything, Bree? Could be the killer has been dead for a long time. Or in jail already for something else, we don’t know.” I mumbled.
She sighed and turned to face my profile.
“Clay, pull over a second.” She asked.
“Something wrong honey, you need to pee or somethin’?” I asked suddenly. I pulled the truck over and shifted it into park.
“Clay, I’m gonna say something. And you can tell me I’m crazy, but I want to say it out loud to someone I trust with my life.” She began ominously.
I held my hand up to stop her. My heart starting to race.
“Christ on a bike, please don’t tell me you know something. You have to stop talking right now, I can’t have you confess to me, not here, not now.”
She smiled, and the world was a better place for it.
“Baby, there is nothing for me to confess. I don’t know shit about that property or anything else except the clock, my Daddy was mumbling about before he died. A spring latch or something, there is a hidden compartment in it he was going on about. That’s not why I asked you to pull over.”
I exhaled heavily.
“I would never put you in a position where you’d be in a grey area with the law, ever. Please believe that about me. Right now I want to share with you my professional opinion, in hypothetical language of course.”
I caught my breath. She knows. She has a theory.
“Go ahead, honey. Talk to me.” I exhaled and was intrigued.
“Clay I studied this case for weeks in college. I went over everything the state had. Every book ever written about it. No one had a theory, no one ever had a shred of a lead for years. When you tried your case the last few weeks, something I had never known about your defendant came out in court. He was a teacher’s assistant at USC during the few years the girls disappeared. It was quick- a brief mention. But a gong inside me rang. Now I know serial killers, I know how their minds work. And I know, they gradually work up to the big prize. Look at me, in my eyes and tell me you didn’t think this was the first time he killed anyone?”
A wave of something came over me, the entire time I put that case together it gnawed at me I was missing something. It was like peeking at a flawless body of water with the tip of a small rock formation visible, but you knew, in your gut it was just on the surface, what lay beneath was dangerous and deadly.
“Aubrey,” my voice was hoarse and dry. “Yes, I did not, in my gut think this was his first time, but we barely put these murders on him, now we know, if it wasn’t for you asking for the latent prints we could have never placed him at the crime scene. Holy Mother of God, Bree. Do you think?” I ran my hand over my head, Jesus Christ could it be?
She nodded her head. “Listen to me, as difficult as it was to catch him this time, think about his progression. He had to make a mistake. It’s the law of averages. Without the bodies there was nothing for crime scene detectives to process. They never found the crime scenes. But now we have the burial grounds and remains. Ground Zero.”
I ran my hand over my head again. Thinking and feeling the rotors and gears in my brain moving.
“Right but they are dumped there, they found no evidence in the house of any foul play. Unless he took them to the property and killed them onsite before disposing of the bodies and with the tidal tables and the amount of hurricane damage in the years since, most evidence would have long been destroyed or washed away.”
I took a swig from my coffee and shifted the truck back into drive. I headed out of Beaufort still contemplating what she offered.
“Fascinating,” I mumbled to her.
“It’s a possibility right?” she asked.
“Oh honey, its more than that. It’s a genuine theory. But I don’t know where to begin vetting it.”
“If they let me work on this, I’ll get him. I’ve been wanting to solve this since I picked up my first textbook.” She said with anticipation.
“There is no conflict of interest?” I asked.
“Not according to my boss. And you can prosecute this case once I marry you. Spousal privilege. You can’t subpoena me, it’s a conflict of interest. And I can’t testify under your prosecution. I can’t be called in as an expert witness if my husband is the lead prosecutor. But I can support the investigation with subject matter expertise that another expert can present in court. I think the only distinction is I can’t directly discuss with you my findings. You’d have to read what is prepared for your office by my group.”
“You’re right, Alan, the AG and I had this conversation yesterday when we discussed my recusing myself. These were the only parameters he outlined. It can also depend on the grand jury if they are impaneled,” I agreed.
“Clay, this isn’t the only reason you asked me to marry you right?” she asked, her tone wary.
I glanced over at her, a look of genuine bewilderment broke across my face.
“Aubrey I wanted to ask you to marry me Saturday morning when I first woke up beside you. I knew then I was in love with you and couldn’t ever give you up. I tried to slow us down and maybe give it more time logically, but honey, I knew, I knew when I first saw you Friday night my life was going to change. You hit me like a wrecking ball, and I promise you, none of this other nonsense plays into my intentions,”
She smiled again, soft, and glowing. “I knew too, Clay. I knew when you first kissed me. There is a fork stuck in me somewhere, maybe you can find it and announce I’m done.”
We were stopped at a red light, and I leaned over to kiss her. “I’m gonna stick more than a fork into you Sugar. Count on it.”
I brought us both to Grubby’ s Kitchen for lunch. One of my favorite places outside of Beaufort. We sat on the back deck looking out over the water.
We sipped sweet tea and split an enormous Cobb salad. We talked about Tate’s visit the next day. Aubrey wanted to make lunch for him and Katrina at the house. I ran her through all the favorite things my son liked to eat.
“How do you think he’ll take the news?” she asked hesitantly, feeding me a slice of cucumber.
“Sugar, I don’t rightly know. He was asking me to take my time when I told him about you so it would come as a shock to him. Like I’ve told you, he doesn’t comprehend emotional decisions. He has a different brain. He wants to see the math on things. But I watched you melt the ice goddess of the Lowcountry one afternoon on a boat. Livvie. So, my sweet kind hearted boy should be an easy sell. He has to meet you, spend time in your company and he’ll see the math.”
We finished our meal and headed back to Saint George. I wanted to help Aubrey unpack and settle into my bedroom and the office. I cleared out a closet and entire set of drawers for her clothes, emptied the night stand table on her side of the bed and we began to work on the office when the knock came to the door.
I left her sitting at the new desk, organizing her work when I went to answer it.
On my porch, to my great misery, stood my ex-wife Tessa.
Nothing about her attracted me anymore, and for the life of me I couldn’t remember what it had been in the first place. She was pretty enough, I reckon, I was never just about the physical with a woman, even now. For me it was always a feeling, chemistry and I couldn’t recall what that was with this woman, and I spent over twenty years of my life beside her. Still she was pretty enough–nevertheless her internal cruelty shone through and overshadowed it.
Tess was a little over five foot six and had her sandy blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Severe features, sharp nose and chin and close-set brown eyes. I stepped out onto the porch to talk to her, not inviting her in.
“Clay, you’re not going to let me in?” she asked with feigned outrage.
“What are you doing here, Tess?” I was angry and uncomfortable.
“Lord almighty Clay, can’t I drop by? My son has a room here and I wanted to bring some of his things. He told me he and Katrina are fixin’ to stop by here tomorrow and I have most of his vacation clothes at the house.” She held up a worn duffel bag seemingly stuffed with our sons garments.
I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. “Fine, I’ll take them, but you are leaving, now,” I argued.
“Clayton what has gotten into you? Do you still hate me this much? You forgot your manners?” and then it dawned on her. The expression on her face changed to something cold and mean. “She’s here isn’t she? Your little Yankee tartlet?” her voice dripping with vitriol.
“Tess this is none of your business. We call first before we drop by- these were your rules as I recall, I’m just following them is all.” I stood firm to the spot, my arms folded across my chest.
“Oh I want to meet her Clay, if she is going to be here with Tate tomorrow, I want to be introduced to her if she’s being presented to my son,” she spoke through her teeth.
“Your son is nineteen years old, he is not a toddler. Aubrey isn’t going to be babysitting him for the love of God,” I gushed.
“You will let me in there to meet this woman, or I’ll make a scene on this porch, Clay Hoover, one that will get Saint George to nattering for eternity” she seethed.
“Quit bein’ ugly, Tess, you don’t give me any orders. And do not threaten me with a scene. Who do you think you are?” My blood pressure was rocketing, this woman could start a fight in an empty house.
“Clay? Baby, everything alright?” Aubrey came to the door and observed the confrontation. Her voice showered over my internal inferno like a gentle rain. She did it, instantly reset the peace I couldn’t restore on my own.
“Well, well, well here she is, now can I meet her?” In complete contrast, Tessa’s voice dripped with venom as she tried to gape around me through the screen door at Aubrey.
“Honey, go back to the office. I’d rather you not be a part of this.” I asked awkwardly.
Aubrey opened the screen door and strolled out onto the porch. Still dressed from our meeting at Sheriff’s headquarters. Now barefoot in that short, fitted little peach linen dress, every charming curve of her sparked Tess’s own blood pressure to rise. With her husky velvet voice tinged with the north east accent she addressed my ex-wife.
“You must be Tessa, I’m Aubrey. It’s about time we made our acquaintance now isn’t it?” she held her hand out to shake, and Tess just stared her down.
“You won’t shake my hand?” Aubrey asked softly. “I thought you wanted to meet me, isn’t that what you stood out here demanding? What’s the matter, are you chicken? I’m not gonna bite you, not unless you bite first,” she purred.
I have never seen Tess back down, ever. She was rattled and enraged.
“I will not shake your hand. You are an interloper into my family.” She spat angrily.
Aubrey did something I almost kissed her right there for, she laughed. The sound was musical and triggered Tess something fierce.
“What are you laughing about you harlot?” Tess said through her clenched teeth.
Aubrey stood closer, she towered over her and whispered, her tone mocking my ex-wife. “Your family? You don’t have a family, you set it on fire and walked away. And the way I read the story, your landscaper boy toy and husband of one of your longtime friends is the interloper in this scenario. So get your self-righteous, indignant, sorry ass off this porch and crawl back into the hole you slithered out of. You can find me right here if you would like to conduct a civilized conversation and get to know me like an adult. Otherwise, you’d better leave right now, and I’ll let you leave with your teeth. And give me the bag with Tate’s things.” Aubrey stood there, her hands on her delightful hips in a warrior stance. Fucking beautiful, strong, and fierce.
Horrified, Tess dropped the duffle bag onto the step and turned heel and stormed back to her car. We stood there watching her screech dramatically out from the driveway.
“She madder than a wet hen,” I mumbled happily under my breath.
I turned to face Aubrey, my body aflame, “I want to fuck you right now, right here on this porch.” I was hoarse with unprecedented desire.
Aubrey bit down on her bottom lip, her eyes glowed with mischief and lust.
“Know this, if I get one mosquito bite on my naked ass, I’m gonna blame you” she giggled.
I pulled her by the hand back into the house and began to ravage her. I kissed her roughly. My fingers woven into her hair. I sought to consume her, my appetite only to be satisfied by feeding on her body, mind, and soul. I was so turned on I may well detonate.
I growled and grunted, kissing, biting, and sucking her neck and shoulders, her lips, her breasts. Cognizant I was leaving marks and I didn’t care, I wanted to see proof of where my mouth had been for days after this.
We never made it out of the living room. I stripped her dress off, I morphed into some kind of animal, my hands and mouth traveling her body, pawing her underwear out of my way and finally I sunk my throbbing dick inside her. I was out of my mind roused–I couldn’t move fast enough. I held her legs in the air and spread open, my hands holding her ankles as I hammered that sweet fucking pussy like I was drillin’ for oil on an offshore rig.
My anger and pride, my utter rapture-ignited from witnessing her defend me unprompted and with fiery loyalty. What had been restrained within me and submerged for years was breached and unleashed. I didn’t recognize what it had freed, but it was currently filling up the small room, the way a genie is liberated from a bottle.
All this time I existed as a breathing shadow. I survived a half-life; one half of my parents surviving children, half of a marriage, half a parenting duo, half of my manhood the extent lesser women would take before waving me off. That was over, all done. Aubrey brought me into the light, took me completely, grasped me fully and was currently thrashing beneath me roaring with enormous pleasure, and we rocked hard and fast until I burst into flames embedded within her.
I rolled off and onto my back, every one of my nerve endings firing. Seeing that side of Aubrey was a significant aphrodisiac. She handled herself like a true badass and I knew, I’d never let this woman sleep another night without me beside her.
After I caught my breath, I reached for her. I took her into my arms and kissed her softly.
“Wow Clay, who were you just now?” she gasped, her face and body flushed.
I didn’t have words yet, my body was reattaching to my soul as the entire encounter seemed to have separated the two.
“Sugar, you broke me today…Sweet Mother of God, you cracked open an abandoned under sea prison cell. I swear I feel like a free man,” I said, still a little breathless. Fuck, I felt incredible.
She slid her leg between mine, her tender body pressed against my side.
“Well it’s about time, I’ve been jiggling that lock for days,” she teased.
“So is that how y’all won the war?” I laughed happily. I gazed into her glowing violet eyes, I held her face in my hands. I could not stop kissing her. “You make me happier than a dead pig in the sunshine, I do declare.”
She giggled when I used Lowcountry idioms, and I lived to hear her laugh. “Well that’s about the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.” She snorted, running her hand down my chest.
“Clay, I warned you I’d burn the South to the ground to get back to you. And my people have done that before, so I know where the matches are. No one threatens my family. If they do, they do so at their peril.” She whispered gently.
“Marry me Bree, please fucking marry me,” I pleaded, my lips at her ear.
“Counselor–asked and answered,” she smiled up into my eyes.
I started to laugh; my whole body shook with joy. Another one of Jimmy Lee’s famous sound bites, his favorite objection. She really did watch my entire trial.