Bearly In Control by Kim Fox

house.”
    Grace couldn’t care less about what her father would say but she wanted to wipe that smug look off of the butler’s face.
    “You’re going to show this to my father?” she asked.
    “If I ever see that monster’s face again I will.”
    She paused the footage. Alfred was on top of the counter swinging a spatula.
    “Did you shock him?” she asked.
    He thrust his chin in the air. “He threatened me.”
    Grace didn’t believe that for a second. She rewound the tape and raised the volume. Alfred uncrossed his arms and his mouth dropped open. Apparently he wasn’t aware that there was volume on certain security cameras. Her Dad was always paranoid that the staff was stealing from them so he installed cameras that recorded audio as well.
    “That’s not really necessary,” Alfred said, moving forward.
    Grace raised her hand, stopping him in his tracks.
    Edwin had never threatened him, as she suspected. He hadn’t even said one word.
    Alfred’s panicked voice played through the speakers: “What the flying fuck?!?”
    Grace couldn’t keep herself from chuckling. His British accent was gone. He was as American as a bald eagle shitting in an apple pie. “Holy shit balls,” he screamed. “He just changed into a fucking bear!”
    She paused the video and turned to him. His cheeks were red.
    “Where in England did you say you were from again?” she asked.
    “Berkshire,” he said, laying the English accent on extra thick.
    She hit play again and his screaming American voice came back on. She paused it. “Well unless Berkshire is the name of a street in San Diego…than that would make you a liar.” He was ringing his hands together. A bead of sweat dripped down his temple. “And you know how much my father hates liars. He hired you specifically because you were British.” It made her Dad feel like royalty to have a British butler.
    Alfred gulped.
    “I’m assuming that you weren’t trained to serve the royalty as you claimed?”
    He stared at the floor. “I took an online class,” he said, dropping his phony accent.
    Grace stifled a laugh. “Perhaps we should go show my father together and you can explain why you lied about your citizenship and your credentials. And then you can start looking for a new job.”
    Alfred’s head sprung up. “That’s quite unnecessary Miss Grace.” His fake accent back. “I just wanted to bring it to your attention.”
    “Well consider it brought.”
    He nodded and headed for the door.
    “Alfred,” she called out. He cursed under his breath.
    “Yes Miss Grace.” He turned around with a big smile.
    “Where is Edwin?”
    “Mr Edwin wished to leave,” he said. Grace’s heart sank. “Mr Matthew drove him to the train station.”
    He wished to leave?
    Grace turned back to the monitors as Alfred slipped out the door.
    Why would he leave without saying goodbye? She was going to go find out but first she had to erase this footage.
    She rewound the tape and her half naked stepmom ran onto the screen backwards. She was all over Edwin.
    “What the hell?” she whispered under her breath.
    She felt a swell of pride when she saw how Edwin had resisted her. Daisy was hot and it wasn’t easy for a man to turn down a sexy, naked woman who was throwing herself at him. But Edwin did it.
    “I’m in love with Grace,” he said, as Daisy clawed at his pants.
    She smiled and felt her stomach flutter at hearing him say it. She rewound it and listened to it again.
    Then why would he leave without saying goodbye?
    She had to find out, but first she had to show this part of the video to her Dad.
     
     
     

     
     
     
    Grace found her father in front of the mirror in the living room. “And that is why I am running for the President of the United States of America,” he said to himself, practicing.
    He winked at his reflection. Grace rolled her eyes.
    She had downloaded the footage onto her cellphone. She squeezed it in her hand. Her Dad wasn’t going to take this