by Cindy Bell
When Nikki stepped off the elevator she was faced with a few office doors. One was labeled ‘District Attorney Rick Parker’. She stared at it for a moment. This was it. Once she walked through that door there would be no turning back, no undoing what she was about to do. She hesitated and considered turning around and going right back home. Then she recalled Chelsea’s smile, the last morning she’d seen her alive. Her hand grabbed the knob and she pushed the door open with that smile still held snugly in her memory.
On the other side of the door was a small reception area. It had several chairs, a stack of magazines, and a small television in the corner that played the local news. A woman about twice her age sat behind a desk. She looked up at Nikki with some surprise.
“May I help you?”
“I’d like to see the district attorney, please.” Nikki did her best to keep her voice even.
“I wasn’t aware that he had an appointment. What is your name? I’ll just check his schedule.” She turned to her computer.
“I don’t have an appointment. I just need to speak to him.” Nikki frowned.
“I’m sorry, without an appointment that will be impossible. Mr. Parker is just too busy.” She smiled, then tapped on her keyboard. “If you tell me your details, I will see if I can get you an appointment with him next week.”
“No. That won’t work.” Nikki rested her hands on the desk. “I need to see him now, please.” She glanced at the empty chairs around her. “It doesn’t seem like he’s very busy right now.”
“Listen to me, young lady, the district attorney has many responsibilities and—” She was interrupted by the door to Rick Parker’s office opening.
Nikki turned around to see Rick stepping out of his office. She knew this was her chance.
“Excuse me, sir,” Nikki called out. Rick turned towards her.
“You need to leave!” The secretary stood up, her eyes wide as Nikki walked towards the district attorney. “Stop at once!”
“Sir, I need to talk to you, please.” Nikki’s voice rose slightly.
“I don’t have time for this.” He shook his head.
“Sir, I want to speak to you about Chelsea.” Nikki watched his eyes widen. “I just need a few minutes. I know she was your—”
“I’m so sorry, sir, I’ll get her out of here right away. I’ll call security.” The receptionist quickly picked up the phone.
“No, that’s all right.” He waved his hand. “Just give us a few moments. Hold my calls, please.”
“But, sir—”
“Joanna, that will be all.” Rick’s tone became stern as he spoke to her and guided Nikki into his office.
“Yes, sir.” Joanna sat down after one last glare in Nikki’s direction. The district attorney closed the door.
“What’s going on here?” He walked behind his large, wooden desk and stared at her.
“Chelsea, your daughter, was my friend.” Nikki looked into his eyes.
“What is your name?”
“Nikki.” She began to sweat as she realized just what she was doing. She was confronting the district attorney. Would armed guards burst through that door? At the time it had seemed like the right thing to do, but now she wondered what consequences she might face.
“Your full name, young lady.” Rick Parker walked back around to the front of his desk.
“Nikki Green. I want to make sure that your daughter’s murderer is found.”
“My daughter, I don’t have a daughter.” He shook his head, but his eyes never left hers. “You are very confused.”
“I am not confused. I know that Chelsea was your daughter. I think that her murder needs to be investigated thoroughly and that doesn’t seem to be happening, Mr. Parker. I thought that you would want her murder solved as well.”
“You must understand, I can’t have rumors like these spreading.” Rick wiped his hands together, palm against palm. “You must have cared about my daughter to risk being arrested to get your point across.”
“I did. She was my friend. Not for very long, but long enough for me to know what a good person she was. She doesn’t deserve to have her murder swept under the rug.” Nikki took a deep breath. “That’s why I came here, to see if you could get her case reopened. You must care about her to an extent.”
“I do care about her, of course. Chelsea came to me, a couple of weeks ago.” He cleared his throat. “She told me this outlandish story, and honestly.” He took a sharp breath. “I didn’t believe her. I threatened her with my lawyer. It’s not the first time someone has tried to accuse me of fathering a child that wasn’t my own. Each time, the DNA tests have proven that it was a lie.” He lowered his eyes. “I had my adventures when I was a younger man. I let the power go to my head. I thought I was untouchable. I never thought about the consequences. So, when Chelsea showed up in my office, I thought it was just another scam. I never even—” His voice broke.
“You know the truth now, don’t you?” Nikki took a step towards him, despite her better judgment. “You know that she really was your daughter.”
“I didn’t. Not until this morning.” He pivoted towards her, as tears glistened in his eyes. “I honestly didn’t.”
“And that’s why you refused to meet with the detective, because you didn’t want the truth getting out?” Nikki swept her gaze over him. Maybe those were real tears in his eyes, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t trying to con her. She’d known some good actors, and he might just be one.
“No, I didn’t have anything to do with stopping the investigation. You’re wrong about that. I want her killer brought to justice.” Rick sighed as he wiped a hand across his forehead. “It’s possible that someone in the chain of command took it upon themselves to try to protect me, and my image.”
“Possible.” Nikki nodded. “To protect you.”
“Look, what good would it do for the truth to get out now? She’s dead.” He walked back over to his desk. “All I can do is try to put this behind me.”
“Chelsea’s murder needs to be solved.” Nikki walked towards his desk as he did his best to avoid her gaze. “This is your only chance to do something for her. Try and get the case reopened so they can find out who killed her.” When he looked up at her she stared hard into his eyes. She knew that if he was the killer he certainly wouldn’t want the murder thoroughly investigated. “I am sure that the truth about Chelsea will come out either way and when it does everyone will know that you had a strong motive to kill her. If the case is reopened, and the murder properly investigated the real murderer will be found and your reputation will stay intact.”
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do about getting the case reopened and getting more resources on it, but I can’t make any promises. All right?”
“All right.” Nikki nodded.
“I’m calling right now.” He reached over and picked up the phone on his desk. “I’ll do what I can to get Chelsea’s murder solved and in return you have to assure me that you are going to keep the fact that Chelsea is my daughter between us.”
“I’ll do my best.” Nikki nodded as she studied him. “But the truth has its own way of coming out.”
“Yes, it does.” He frowned.
Nikki stepped out of the office. The secretary stood up as she walked past, but Nikki didn’t even glance at her. Her knees shook as she left the building. Had she really just done that? Had she confronted the district attorney? Her heart pounded so hard that she could barely take a full breath. As scary as it was, she didn’t regret it. She just hoped he followed through with what he said he would and then maybe Chelsea would have a chance to get the justice she deserved.
Chapter 10
Minutes later Nikki was back at her apartment. What had she done? She didn’t accuse the district attorney of anything, but she had confronted him. Did Chelsea finding out who her father was, lead to her demise? If it did then what else was he capable of doing? When Nikki heard a knock on the door, she held her breath. There was no reason for a
nyone to be knocking. She hadn’t ordered any packages, and she had no plans to meet up with friends. What if it was the police? She swallowed hard as she stared at the door. What were her options? She could go out the window, but what if there was someone waiting for her there? What if Rick Parker had decided that he would make sure that she could never talk to him again?
The door shook as the person outside pounded harder.
“Nikki?”
She took a sharp breath as she recognized Quinn’s voice. It left her even more anxious. She remained quiet. He had no right to enter her home. If she was silent, he might just leave. The door shook again.
“Nikki, I know you’re in there, I saw you go in!”
Saw me? She shivered. He was watching her? When her cell phone began to ring she knew she was caught. It was Quinn calling from the other side of the door and there was no chance that he did not hear the shrill ringtone where he stood. She licked her lips, took a breath, and reached for the doorknob. She was going to have to face him sometime. As she pulled the door open, she braced herself, not knowing exactly what he wanted. He stood just outside, his familiar face lit up by the sunlight that still beat down from a cloudless sky. His lips didn’t crack into a smile, in fact his expression was impossible to read.
“How did you do it?” He stared hard into her eyes.
“Do what?” Nikki blushed beneath the scrutiny, and took a step back from the door. She couldn’t figure out if he was furious or determined, but either way it made her uneasy.
“Don’t do that.” Quinn sighed as he leaned against the door frame. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“Why not? I don’t.” She shrugged, and looked past him at the parking lot. “Did you find out anything new?”
“Only that the case has been reopened.” Quinn shifted in the doorway from one foot to the other. “It’s hardly been an hour since I told you it was being closed. And somehow, it’s been reopened.”
“That’s great news.” Nikki looked back at him and found that he hadn’t looked away from her. As she met his eyes, her cheeks grew even hotter.
“I knew it.” He straightened up and moved closer to her. “You did this, didn’t you? You found a way to get the case reopened?”
“Does it matter?” Nikki forced a smile to cover up how nervous she was. “It’s open, and that’s all that matters.”
“It does matter.” He swept his gaze along her face. “One second I think I know what you are up to, and the next I feel like I have no idea who you are.”
“Well, you don’t.” Nikki tilted her head to the side as she returned his scrutiny. “You have no idea who I am. Does that solve that mystery?”
“No.” Quinn laughed, and in that moment he was seventeen again, with the wind rippling through his hair. “It only makes you more mysterious. I’ve heard rumors that you stormed the District Attorney’s Office. But that can’t be true, can it?” His smile faded.
“All you need to know is that the case is open again, Quinn. Chelsea’s killer can be caught. Now the question is, are you the person that can make that happen?” Nikki swept her gaze over him. “Or do you want to protect Rick Parker?”
“Ouch.” Quinn rested one hand on the door frame, and leaned a little closer to her. He wasn’t seventeen anymore, he was a grown man, with a badge, and the trained ability to intimidate. “Is that what you really think of me? Do you think I wanted this case closed?”
“If you want me to believe that you aren’t controlled by Parker, then prove it. Show me that you’ll do anything to solve this case.” Nikki returned his gaze, with just as much scrutiny.
“Nikki, from the moment this case landed on my desk my only goal has been to solve it. I don’t know what I might have done to make you doubt that, but there is no reason for you to. I’m going to find out what happened to Chelsea. I never had any intention of stopping the investigation, whether the case was officially open or not. I’ve already set up formal interviews with the Middlesons, including Betty.” He shook his head.
“Good, I want Chelsea’s murder solved.” Nikki lowered her eyes as she tried to hide the tears that threatened.
“So, do I.” Quinn brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes, then seemed a little stunned by the action. As he drew his hand back, he stared at her again. “I still want to figure out why you are so familiar to me.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have one of those faces. I’ve been told that before.” She stepped out the door onto the sidewalk and closed it behind her. “If there’s anything I can do to help with the investigation, all you have to do is tell me.”
“No, there’s nothing. I’m going to see if I can pin down Chelsea’s husband.” Quinn shook his head. “You need to stay out of this.”
“Okay.” Nikki nodded, but she had no intention to. She needed to know what happened. She couldn’t just sit around and wait, she needed to do something to try and help out.
“If you see Mike, make sure you let me know.”
“Sure.” She nodded. “I’ll keep in touch.”
“Good.” Quinn stared at her a moment longer. “Nikki?”
“Yes?” She briefly met his eyes.
“Nobody owns me. All right?”
“All right.” Nikki smiled, but she still wasn’t sure. As she watched him walk away she wished she could believe every word he said. The memory of his fingertip as it brushed against her forehead when he moved the hair away from her eyes made her a love-sick kid again. But she wasn’t a kid, she knew better, and her focus needed to be on Chelsea, nothing else.
As Nikki pushed the door closed she released a long, slow breath. There went Quinn, a man she couldn’t figure out, but a man who had once been the most important person in her life. Could he really be remembering her? She guessed that he’d seen her here and there, but if he noticed who she was he never said a word about it. She doubted that he truly remembered her. Of course, if she reminded him of the event she was certain he would remember the experience, but clearly she had not made much of a personal impression on him. As her emotions flitted from grief, to intrigue, and back again, she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel. Luckily, she had something to occupy her mind. Trying to find out who murdered Chelsea.
Nikki wanted to see if she could find Mike. Then she could let the detective know where he was. She easily found a photo of him from a few years ago by searching Chelsea on social media. She decided to see if maybe someone from the Dahlia Convenience Store had seen him. It wasn’t far from her apartment. Most people who came into town ended up there at one time or another. She also knew the clerk that worked almost every hour the shop was open. Gerald Cutter had been a fixture in her life since she was old enough to take a few dollars down to the shop for some treats.
Nikki drove to the shop and parked a few spaces from the front as the rest were occupied. The parking lot was always a busy one, and rather difficult to navigate. She usually walked as it was so close by, but she might need to check other places in order to try and find Mike, and for that she would need her car.
When Nikki stepped inside the scent of hot dogs and pizza smacked her right in the face. There was always something cooking inside, not always the same thing, but always something. As she approached the front counter she had to push her way through a few people gathered around the soda dispenser. The shop was tiny, so small in fact that many of the shelves were piled high and overflowing, making it difficult to find anything.
“Hey, Nikki!” Gerald grinned from behind the counter. “Good to see you, gorgeous.”
“Oh stop.” She rolled her eyes and dropped a pack of gum down on the counter. A hint of mint wafted up towards her nose. “How are you doing today, Gerald?”
“Oh, you know, a little bit good, a little bit bad.” He punched a few buttons on the cash register. “Is that all you need today?”
“That, and a little information.” Nikki leaned one elbow on the counter and gazed at him.
�
��Information?” Gerald grinned as he swept his gaze over her. “What kind of information?”
Nikki pulled out her phone and navigated to the picture of Mike that she had found on the internet. As she held out her phone, she studied Gerald’s expression.
“Have you seen this man?”
“Oh, that guy? Sure, yeah, I’ve seen him.” He scratched his fingers back through the thin, black hair scattered across the top of his head. “I told the cops already, though. Why are you looking for him?”
“I’d just like to touch base with him on a few things. He gave me his number, but I forgot to save it in my phone, so now it’s gone. I’m hoping to get back in touch with him.”
“Don’t you know who he is?” Gerald’s tone grew sharp as his dark eyes struck hers. “Haven’t you heard why the cops are looking for him?”
“No, I guess I haven’t.” Nikki frowned, then glanced over her shoulder. The people gathered by the soda machine were still there. When she looked back at Gerald he leaned across the counter.
“You need to stay away from him. I hear he had something to do with Chelsea’s murder.”
“Seriously?” Nikki forced her eyes to widen. “Why do they think that?”
“I don’t know, really, but that’s the rumor.” Gerald tipped his head towards the cluster of men as they approached with their full soda cups. “Don’t think I didn’t see you sneaking the iced coffee in those cups. The dollar refills are on the soda fountain drinks only, not on the iced coffee.”
“You’re crazy, I’ve got soda in here.” The man in the front of the group set his cup down hard on the counter. “Don’t give us a hard time, we just want to get back to work.”