by Jaime Maddox
“He wants to reopen the investigation into her death.”
Reese stiffened and turned toward Sophie. The topic still made her nervous. What if the investigators turned something up? Would it implicate her? “I heard that. But why, just to get elected? Is there new evidence or something?” Reese reached for her water, needing it for her suddenly dry mouth.
Sophie shrugged. It wasn’t the reaction Reese would have expected, but then again, what was her own reaction? Mixed. Even though she had her concerns, she wanted Steph’s murderer apprehended. But after all these years, did she dare get her hopes up? Clearly Sophie felt the same way, or maybe other factors were dampening her enthusiasm.
“He’s relatively unknown, so perhaps something like this would generate enough publicity to help his cause.”
“How do you feel about opening those old wounds?”
Sophie looked at Reese and smiled sadly. “Those wounds have never healed, my dear.”
Reese swallowed the retort she would love to have shared, but how could she tell Sophie she’d loved Steph, too? What good would that do? It would only lead to questions and possibly warm the cold case and cast suspicion in her direction. The investigators had considered a boyfriend from the first, and Reese remembered being questioned about who Steph was dating. Everyone was questioned, and everyone provided the same answer: Steph dated casually but hadn’t had a serious boyfriend her entire senior year. Everyone assumed she was focusing on school, getting ready for college.
No one ever considered the possibility that Steph had a girlfriend, and Reese thought it best to keep it that way.
“Between you and me, Reese, the robbery motive has always troubled me.”
Reese swallowed. “Really?” She sipped her drink and cleared her throat. “Why is that?”
“If you were going to rob a house and murder the occupant, wouldn’t you have taken something of value?”
“I thought he did,” Reese responded, confused. The news had reported that jewelry was stolen on the night of the murder.
“Well, the newspaper reported that he’d robbed us, so I could understand why you’d think that. But look at this place.” She nodded toward the house, and Reese immediately understood the implication of her statement. The house was massive, and its grandeur suggested the occupants were wealthy. Extremely wealthy.
Reese nodded, intrigued despite the danger.
“He took my college ring and few chains from a box on my dresser. You remember the thin strands of gold that were popular back then? Hardly worth more than a few hundred dollars. And Steph wasn’t really into anything fancy. She had similar stuff in her jewelry box. But he completely neglected the chest in my closet. It was loaded with gold and diamonds. An emerald necklace, a ruby ring. Lots of treasures. And what about the rest of the house? Everything was intact. It doesn’t appear he searched a single drawer for money. Steve had six rifles in an unlocked gun cabinet in the den. None of them were touched.”
Reese listened to the words and tried to put them all together in a meaningful way. The house was robbed, but not much was taken. What did that indicate? She voiced her thoughts. “Maybe he was just spooked by Steph and ran away after the murder but before he could finish the robbery job.”
“I understand what you’re saying, Reese. And I’ve tried hard to believe it so that I could sleep for the past twenty-five years. But it’s never made sense to me. A burglar walked through my front door. They found no signs of forced entry, and I know the door was locked, because I checked it before leaving. My daughter must have left him in. Then he followed her up the stairs, where she tried to escape from her balcony. He killed her and then stole some worthless jewelry.”
Reese wasn’t a police officer, but it seemed to make sense to her. “Why is that so difficult to believe?”
“I’m glad you asked! I’ve ranted to the police since the shock wore off and I was able to think things through. First, a burglar would have checked out the house. And if he watched for any amount of time, he would have known Steph was home. Every light was on in the house, and her stereo was on, too. Why break in if someone’s home? Second, if you’re going to bother to break in and murder someone, shouldn’t you at least steal something valuable? And think about this—Steph would never have opened the front door for a stranger. Never. If she was still upstairs—that’s where we left her—when she heard the doorbell, she would have gone out onto the terrace overlooking the main entrance to see who was there.”
Reese nodded. That did make sense.
“What if she was downstairs?”
“The door is made of glass. She would have looked to see who was there.”
Now Reese understood Sophie’s concern, and her mouth went so dry she could hardly say the words. “And she wouldn’t have opened it unless she knew the person standing on the other side. Oh, God, Mrs. Gates, I think you’re right. Steph knew her killer.”
Chapter 9: Backyard Barbecue
It was Friday afternoon, and Ella was relaxing in the hammock hung from Pip’s porch when a voice disturbed her quiet reflections.
“Do you have dinner plans? We’re having a cookout, nothing fancy, but it would be nice if you could join us.”
Ella turned to see Sharon Ryan leaning against the fence.
“Hi, neighbor.”
“How’s it going? Would you like to join us for dinner?”
Ella had purchased burgers and hot dogs at the market the day before, with just such a thought in mind. The weather was perfect for it, only she hadn’t planned on company. But her neighbor’s company would be nice. Sharon was funny, her husband Chris sharp, and Cass was a gem. Would Reese be there? She didn’t live with her parents, but Ella noticed her car there nearly every day, so she knew it was possible she might join them. Did it matter? She’d enjoyed her company the week before and even thought about her bright blue eyes a few times. Yes, Reese was definitely attractive, but that didn’t mean Ella was interested in her. But why shouldn’t she be? Unless Reese was straight. That was a possibility.
Why didn’t lesbians come with name tags? Something simple, like “Hello, my name is Reese and I’m a lesbian.”
She’d thought about Reese the night in the park, long after returning home after their walk. “Good to know,” she’d said after Ella came out to her. What did that mean? Was knowing a lesbian like knowing a doctor, who could give free medical advice, or an auto mechanic, who could fix that annoying knock your car made when it hit seventy on the highway? What was so good about knowing a lesbian, unless you were one, which was also quite possible. Reese was her age, in her early forties, and had never been married. Cass had spilled that unsolicited information on one of their walks. As far as she could tell, there was no boyfriend. Did that mean there was a girlfriend? Or the possibility of a girlfriend?
Telling herself it didn’t matter, she answered Sharon. “No plans. I’d love to join you. What can I bring?” She deliberately didn’t ask if Reese would be there.
“How about dessert?”
Ella wasted no time in heading to the kitchen, where she mixed all the ingredients for a chocolate cake and put it in the oven. She showered quickly, changed for the cookout, and emerged in the kitchen just in time to remove two round cake pans from the oven. After setting them out to cool, she went about drying her hair and applying her makeup.
Her hair needed cutting, and she’d made an appointment with Pip’s stylist at Lox Unlimited in Dunmore. The spelling intrigued her, and she liked Pip’s hair, so she figured she’d give it a try. She’d been highlighting it for years, loved the golden hues brought out by her hairdresser so much better than the brown shades nature provided. Her eyes were dark, and she highlighted them with a pencil before applying shimmering shadow. A few wrinkles were starting to appear around the corners, but she wasn’t worried about them. Not yet, anyway.
Smiling at herself, she felt attractive. She knew she was. Many women, and some unwelcome men, had told her so. Yet she took extra care,
knowing she wanted to look good when, and if, she met Reese at the cookout.
When the cake was complete and the clock indicated it was time, Ella carried the heavy glass cake plate and marched across the backyard. What was proper etiquette for entering a neighbor’s yard? Should she knock on the fence, or give a cheerful yell, or just barge on up to the deck and have a seat?
Her angst was quieted when Reese appeared out of nowhere and opened the gate for her. “Can I take that? It looks heavy.”
“Hi,” Ella said as she passed the plate. “Thanks. It is. Very.”
“Hmm. Is it a pound cake?”
She shook her head and tsked. “Lame, Reese. Extraordinarily ordinary.”
Reese took the zing in stride. “Where’s the little fur ball?”
Ella felt her eyes rise in surprise. “Should I bring him? I mean, I’m not sure of neighborly etiquette at all. If you hadn’t opened the gate, I would have just stood there knocking. And bringing your dog along to a cookout? That seems a little too fresh.”
“Not if Cass is around.”
“Should I go get him?”
“I would. Or she’ll just pester you until you do.”
Bijou seemed to know the plan and scrambled out the door toward the gate before Ella had a chance to leash him. When she finally caught him and attached the lead to his collar, Cass was standing at the door waiting.
“Hi, Bijou and Ella. Do you want a hamburger or a hot dog? I have to count them.”
“A burger, please,” Ella said as she made her way toward an old-fashioned picnic table made of wooden slats. It was piled high with plates and cups, bottles of soft drinks, and plastic containers of food. Her cake, on its glass plate, sat in the center.
“Have a seat,” Reese said. “What can I get you to drink? Beer, some sort of cheap, probably deadly white wine, soda, water. You name it.”
“The wine sounds interesting.”
“My mom usually buys whatever’s on sale. Brand and variety matter not. If it’s less than seven bucks, she brings it home.”
“I see. And what would you prefer? The most expensive bottle?”
Reese shook her head. “Nope. I prefer vodka.”
A smile spread across her face. “I didn’t realize that was a choice.”
Reese winked. “Coming right up. How would you like it?”
Ella couldn’t resist a little tease. “Neat.”
Reese’s eyes flew open wide. “I’m running with the big dogs now.”
Ella laughed. “I’m kidding. Tonic and lime, please.”
“Whew. That’s a relief. I would’ve worried about you making it across the yard later on.”
“While you take care of the mixology, is there anything I can do?”
“When the time comes, you can cut the pound cake, but until then, just relax and enjoy. How are you settling in?”
“It’s been a smooth transition, both at work and home.” Ella pursed her lips. “Home. It’s funny to think of Pip’s place as home, but I guess it is, for now.”
“Hold that thought,” Reese said, and she ran into the house. Dressed in faded blue jeans and black, tapered T-shirt, she looked great. And the view of her ass she ran into the house was fabulous as well.
Ella turned her attention to Cass, who was throwing a ball to Bijou. The dog hopped and ran in circles before dropping it at her feet, starting the cycle all over again. The joy on Cass’s face filled Ella with happiness, and she was startled when Reese reappeared with their drinks.
“Thanks,” Ella said.
Raising her glass toward Ella’s, Reese nodded. “To new beginnings.”
“Yes.” Ella sipped the drink and found it to be perfect, then told Reese so.
“I have some experience with mixing drinks. If the ER gig doesn’t work out, I may open a bar. But you were saying this is home for now. Don’t you plan on staying in the mountains? Is this just a step on your career ladder?”
Ella didn’t hesitate. She’d been thinking about that question for weeks, and after just a short time, she knew the answer. “No, the temporary part is about Pip’s place, not the job. I love it here, and unless something horrific happens, I think I’ll spend the rest of my career here. I can visit friends in Philly if I want, see my parents a few times a year in Florida, but I’d like to come home at night to this,” Ella said, waving her free hand around the yard. “To have a little space and a little place that’s calm and peaceful.”
“Hello, Ella,” Sharon said as she made her way across the yard carrying a plate of raw burgers and dogs. Reese jumped up and took the plate from her. “Do you mind cooking, Reese? If we wait for your father, we might be here all night.”
“On it,” she said.
Ella watched as Reese bent to light the grill, inspected her spatula and fork, and then finally the grill itself. When everything seemed to be to her liking, she checked the temperature gauge and joined Ella and her mother at the table, where she took a sip of her drink. Ella watched as she closed her eyes and seemed to savor it for a moment.
When she opened them and caught Ella staring, she smiled. “You’re right. That is perfect.” Turning to her mom, Reese said, “Ella thinks she’d like to stay in the mountains, Mom.”
“Well, that’s wonderful. I think a house is coming up for sale in the next block.” She continued in a near whisper. “Mr. Flowers passed away.”
“He didn’t die in the house, did he?” Ella asked. “That would freak me out.”
Sharon laughed. “Okay, then. Cross that one off the list. Maybe you should wait a while anyway, Ella. What if you don’t like the job? What if you don’t like it here? It snows a lot, you know. Maybe you should wait until the winter’s over before you decide.”
“Lately, I think we’ve had more snow in Philly than you’ve had here.”
“We still get our share, don’t worry,” Reese said before turning back to the grill. After checking the temperature once again, she carefully pulled the plastic wrap from the food and rolled it into a little ball. She made a show of throwing it into the trash. Then she meticulously arranged the burgers in a neat line across the front of the grill before returning to the conversation. Ella appreciated how Reese handled the food and thought Reese must be a great doctor. Attention to detail in medicine was obviously important.
Turning her thoughts back to the conversation, she drank her vodka and tonic. “I’ve spent a lot of time here, mostly in the summer, though.”
“Really?” Reese asked. She didn’t seem surprised. “Doing what?”
She told them about her summers at the lake. As she spoke, she noticed Reese looking away, as if something was drawing her attention. Or as if Ella didn’t have the ability to capture it.
“Reese spent some summers at the lake, too. In high school. She had a dear, dear friend, Stephanie Gates, who lived there.”
At the mention of Steph’s name, Reese turned to Ella and flashed a guilty grin. “Mrs. Gates told me your grandparents lived at the lake. What a small world.”
Ella was speechless. She supposed it shouldn’t have surprised her—after all, they were the same age, but still, what where the chances that she would meet people who’d known Steph? Who still knew her mom?
“Steph was my best friend at the lake. I stopped by to see her mom when I heard what had happened to her.”
Reese surveyed her for a moment before speaking. “I’m sure it made her happy to see you.”
Ella nodded. “I think it did. I wasn’t sure how it would go. I thought it might upset her to see me, you know—all those memories—but she was fine. We’re going to see each other again.”
“Did she serve you lunch?” Reese asked softly.
“Cookies,” Ella said with a nod.
“She still entertains, and I don’t know how she does it. I don’t think I could live in that house, knowing someone murdered my daughter there,” Sharon said.
Ella had been thinking the same thing and told them so.
Reese took a
gulp of her drink. “Where else would she go? All she had of Steph, all her memories are in that house. Why give up seventeen years of good memories because of one bad one?”
“I’ll say it’s a bad one,” Sharon said. “Couldn’t get any worse.”
Reese stood and went to check on the grill, and once again, Ella studied her. Instead of the relaxed posture she’d shown earlier, she now seemed tense, holding herself erect. Talking about Steph hadn’t been good for Reese. It probably hadn’t been good for her, either.
“Well, it is a small world,” Ella said, “even if that is a cliché.”
“It certainly is,” Sharon said, and then she ordered Cass into the house to announce dinner to her father.
Ella had met Chris Ryan on a few occasions since moving into the house beside his, and each time he found a new way to charm her. He talked sports, politics, money, food, and every other topic Ella could ever wish to discuss. He didn’t dominate the conversation, though, just added insightful comments and seemed to direct the exchange among everyone else.
“Perfect timing,” he said. “The Phillies game will be on in half an hour.”
And then, just as he had on the other occasions she’d been with him, he engaged them all in a discussion of baseball. Reese served the burgers and dogs, Bijou rested in the shade of the tree, and the humans dug into their food as they debated Pete Rose’s chances of getting reinstated to major-league baseball. Like everyone else, Reese took part in the conversation, but she seemed distracted. The light mood they’d shared at the beginning of the evening had changed, and Ella wanted more than anything to get it back.
In spite of his earlier claims about watching the game, after their food, Sharon and Chris followed Cass and Bijou to the park, leaving Ella and Reese to clean up. They sat for a moment, looking at each other. “Are you okay?” Ella asked. The sadness in Reese’s eyes was unmistakable.
Ella watched as Reese took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Just tired. I had a busy day at work.”