The Scholarship

by Jaime Maddox

  “Ella?” Reese asked, jolting her back to reality.

  “Hi,” she said, suddenly at a loss for words. Where was the soliloquy she’d practiced? Where was her normally sharp tongue? Where was the voice of the woman who felt comfortable asking donors for millions of dollars? Why could she feel at ease in the company of company presidents and bankers and judges and yet suddenly feel so inadequate around a simple woman?

  She supposed it was because, as Reese pointed out, she wasn’t just anyone. Reese was someone special.

  “How are you? Is everything okay?” she asked, and Ella forced herself to focus, as if waking from sleep. She blinked her eyes and shook her head and felt a little better.

  “Yes. Everything’s fine. I’m great. Very well dressed. I have this beautiful golf shirt on my bed, and I was hoping we could get together so I can give it back to you. I even washed it. And ironed it.”

  “Is it on a hanger and wrapped in plastic?”

  “I can arrange that, if you’d like.”

  “You’re sweet.”

  Ella sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, then found her voice. It was low and gravelly, and packed with emotion. “No, Reese. You are.”

  Silence fell between them as Ella let her observation hang, and Reese seemed to weigh its relevance. It was a game changer, or at least it had the potential to be. They’d been acquaintances, nothing more, but Ella was letting Reese know it didn’t have to be that way.

  “You can leave it with my mom. If you want.”

  Fuck! Ella thought. She’d opened the door, and Reese had slammed it in her face. Either Reese was playing hard to get, or she wasn’t interested in Ella. Either way, it wasn’t the response Ella had hoped for.

  She’d give it one more shot before she crawled under a rock and never came back out. “I was hoping we could get together. Just the two of us. Maybe I could buy you dinner, to thank you for your kindness.”

  Reese didn’t hesitate. “I’m having a cookout tomorrow. Around five. Just my family and a few friends. Why don’t you join us?”

  Ella was a bit disappointed. She’d hoped for the opportunity to spend time with Reese one-on-one, not in a group setting. Hell, she still didn’t even know if Reese was attracted to her. Maybe this invitation was just her way of being friendly.

  “I would love to, but…” Ella was about to speak her mind but then held back. If the cookout went well, she could always ask Reese out again. “Never mind. Yes, I’d love to come.”

  Reese felt giddy as she recited the directions to her house and suggested that Ella bring her bathing suit. The image of Ella in practically nothing flashed through her mind, and Reese felt herself blushing. The tantalizing cleavage she’d seen at the golf course was Victoria’s Secret–model quality, and it would be so very nice to see it again. Ella volunteered to bring a cake for dessert, promised to see her at five o’clock, and suddenly, Reese’s small party took on a huge significance.

  Ella was gay. Ella was hot. And Ella was coming to her party!

  The party and seeing Ella were a good distraction. At the golf tournament the day before, they’d mentioned the investigation into Steph’s murder. When she’d gotten home that night, she’d called Karen, under the pretense of discussing her Labor Day party, and casually mentioned what she’d heard.

  Karen had confirmed that everyone who the police had questioned twenty years ago would be interviewed again. That certainly included her. She’d worried about it for an hour after hanging up the phone and then cleaned her appliances to a sparkling shine to work out her frustrations. In the end, she’d told herself she’d done nothing wrong and had no reason for concern. Still, it had been a restless night, and she’d had a headache when the alarm rang at five thirty. Two cups of coffee later, she’d begun to feel human, and not until Ella agreed to come to her party had she felt like the day was salvageable.

  “What’s up with you?” one of the nurses asked as Reese reviewed labs on a patient who’d presented with chest pain.

  “Hmm?” she asked.

  “The ER is a like a battlefield today and you’ve seemed miserable since you walked through the door, but suddenly you’re smiling like you just got laid.”

  Reese chuckled. She hadn’t, not in quite a while. Her last relationship had disintegrated more than a year ago, and she was feeling too old for casual sex. But if things turned out with Ella, maybe she’d change her mind.

  * * *

  Reese was on her deck, rearranging furniture, when she heard Karen’s voice. “Looks like all the work is done. As usual, my timing is perfect.”

  Reese paused, grabbed a handful of ice and water from the tub beside her, and hurled it in Karen’s direction. “It’s a felony to assault an officer of the court, you know.”

  “In that case, I apologize. I’m already under investigation by your office for one crime, so I should probably keep a low profile.”

  The comment was made jokingly, but Reese hoped Karen would water the seed she’d planted. She still needed to know more about the Steph’s case.

  Sure enough, Karen came through. “You’re not under investigation, Reese. Unless you consider the entire class of 1993 suspect.”

  “Well, with this new perspective, isn’t that true?”

  Karen shrugged. “There isn’t one bit of evidence in this case. It’s all posturing on my boss’s part, trying to infuse some energy into Bucky’s campaign. And let’s face it—Bucky needs the support.”

  Reese had to agree. Bucky was smart but a total nerd. He’d lost his hair and found some weight, and some allergy or another prevented him from wearing contact lenses, so he really looked the part with his Coke-bottle glasses. If he was going to win the election, he’d have to overcome his appearance. The sitting DA’s plan to bring attention to Bucky was just the kind of spark his campaign needed. “You’re right. I just can’t imagine it was someone Steph knew. Everyone loved her. Why would anyone want to hurt her? Her letting a stranger into the house that night may not make much sense, but it’s certainly easier to swallow, you know?”

  Reese grabbed two bottles of beer and handed one to Karen, then pulled out a chair. Her guests wouldn’t arrive for another half hour, and thanks to her preparation the night before, she had little left to do.

  Reese watched Karen as she opened the beer and sipped it somewhat conservatively for a hot day. She was being cautious, and Reese wondered why, but she didn’t ask. With Karen leading the investigation, allowing her to give up what she wanted was the only way to maintain their friendship through this ordeal.

  “It could have been someone she knew casually, like the older brother of one of her friends, home from college and hoping to get lucky. Or the janitor at her parents’ shop. Or the mechanic she took her car to. It really makes sense that she would only open the door for someone she knew, but I can understand that it’s hard to accept that possibility.”

  “I keep thinking of all my friends. All of Steph’s friends. The way they acted before the murder, and the way they acted afterward. Nothing was out of the ordinary. We were all excited about graduation, and then we were all devastated by her death. Everyone behaved typically, at least what I think was typical for that situation. And more importantly, everyone I know who was ever questioned in the murder had an alibi. It couldn’t have been one of us.”

  “You’re probably right, Reese. As I said, it could have been someone she knew less intimately, but well enough that she’d open the door for them.”

  “Maybe. I just can’t believe they didn’t think of this sooner,” Reese said between swallows.

  “They did, but there was really no motive. She didn’t have any enemies, she didn’t have a jealous boyfriend—there was nothing. And motive is a big clue to finding suspects. If you know why they wanted her dead, then you know who benefitted from the death. In Steph’s case, no one benefitted. She had no financial assets, and again, she was well liked. Under the circumstances, I think the robbery fit, and Mr. and Mrs. Gates were too
shocked to think straight. By the time they questioned it, the police had already settled into the robber theory.”

  “So what happens next?”

  “We’ll just keep questioning her acquaintances, comparing their responses to the responses from the first investigation, seeing if we can find any inconsistencies.”

  “It really is a needle in a haystack, huh?”

  “It’s worse. At least you know the needle’s in the haystack somewhere. In this case, there may not be any needle at all.”

  They were quiet for a minute before Reese spoke again. “It would be nice to know the truth. Sort of a closure for all of us, especially Steph’s mom.”

  “It would be. Anyway, in case you’re watching your phone, you should be getting a call this week.”

  “Already?”

  “They’ll just be calling to schedule your interview. You might not actually come in for questioning for six weeks.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” Reese said, raising her beer bottle toward Karen.

  “Any time, my friend,” Karen said.

  “I thought there was a party here! Why’s it so quiet?”

  Reese turned toward the sound of her father’s voice, and as she did, her mom and sister rounded the corner of the house. When Cass saw Reese and Karen on the deck, she began waving.

  Reese stood and hugged her parents, then high-fived her sister. As they sat, Reese went into the house and returned a minute later carrying bowls of snacks. She was greeted by a few more friends who’d arrived and forced herself to appear interested in them, rather than the sidewalk that might lead Ella to the deck. She’d said she’d come, and something told Reese that Ella would never be so rude as to stand someone up. Until she arrived, though, she’d keep Reese wondering.

  She didn’t have a moment more to consider the idea before Ella appeared around the corner, wearing a sundress and huge sunglasses, and carrying the same glass cake plate she’d brought to Reese’s parents’ house for their cookout. Ella caught her looking, and a smile spread across her face. Launching herself from the deck, Reese met Ella in the yard and took the cake from her.

  “Hi,” she said. “I was beginning to worry you weren’t coming.”

  “I got lost.”

  “It is sort of remote,” Reese said. “Not many street signs and landmarks to guide you. ‘Turn left at the big tree’ isn’t very helpful out here.”

  “No worries. I found you.”

  Reese felt herself melting at the words. Not “I found it” or “I found the house,” but “I found you.” It didn’t matter where this was heading with Ella. Reese was enjoying the journey, and every moment they spent together seemed to be good.

  “Let me introduce you to everyone,” Reese said, and, nodding in the direction of the deck, she headed that way.

  Ella had been impressed by the house as she drove up the long gravel drive. It was a combination of stone and timber with a tall, sloped roof, chalet style. Shrubs and flowers lined the yard and walkways, and the entire dwelling was surrounded by trees. The backyard had been taken over by a pool, and at one end, a pergola was covered in vines. Hanging baskets of flowers dangled from the corners. Either Reese was a gardener, or she hired a good one, because the place looked fantastic.

  Ten people were gathered at two tables on the deck, and other than Chris Ryan, they were all female. Friends, Ella assumed, because Reese offered no titles along with the introductions. After offering her a vodka and tonic, which she accepted, Reese disappeared into the house to pour it, and Ella took a seat at the end of the larger table, where the Ryans sat.

  “You could have come in our car,” Cass said.

  “I thought you had a ball game today?”

  Cass slapped herself in the forehead. “I did!”

  Everyone at both tables laughed. They were subtly checking her out, Ella noticed, and the woman named Mac took advantage of the opening and began the interrogation Ella was sure would come from a group of friends.

  “Reese says you’re living next to her parents. In Pip’s house.”

  It wasn’t a question, and Ella might have waited for one before responding, but she understood the dynamics of the situation. Since she was the newcomer, everyone was curious about her, and she wanted to make a good impression on Reese’s crowd. Why? she wondered, but didn’t debate the reason for long.

  “Yes, I’m house- and dog-sitting while Pip is in film school.”

  “Watch out for the neighbors,” a woman named Kerry said.

  “Thanks for the warning.”

  “You work at PMU?” Jessica asked. When Ella nodded, she smiled. “Most of us are alums. It’s a great school. Congratulations on the new job.”

  “What do you do?” Mindy asked.

  “I’m in development.”

  “Is that the people who call and ask for money all the time?”

  Reese stepped onto the deck and was about to redirect the conversation, but she noticed that the question didn’t seem to faze Ella. Besides, she hadn’t talked in depth about her job, and she was really curious about what Ella did. Other than attend golf tournaments, of course.

  After thanking Reese and taking a sip of the proffered drink, Ella answered the question. “Directing the phoneathon is part of our student-based fund-raising, but it’s run by someone else in the department, so I’ll never call you and ask you for money.”

  “Whew,” someone said, and the rest of the group laughed.

  “What exactly do you do to raise money?”

  “I meet with people like you, alums who are established, and inform them of opportunities to give back to the school. For instance, we have an upcoming project in the computer science department, so I’ll talk to people in that field, get ideas from them about what they think would be helpful to the students, and then explain how they can help fund a lab or a lecture hall, or perhaps a wing.”

  “So, you ask them for money,” Mac said.

  Reese held her breath. Mac was a detective and could be somewhat…aggressive at times, but the tone didn’t seem to bother Ella. She shrugged. “Yes, but I’m not going to ask you guys for money, so you can all relax.”

  They laughed, and a woman named Rae spoke next. “What’s the biggest donation you’ve ever gotten?”

  Ella immediately thought of Sophie Gates. Would she go through with the scholarship, or would she change her mind? The four million dollars she’d promised would be the third largest gift Ella had orchestrated in nearly twenty years on the job.

  “Ten million dollars.”

  “Holy shit,” the woman beside Rae replied. She introduced herself as Nicole and then asked her own question. “What does someone do that they can afford such a gift?”

  “That particular bequest was from an eye surgeon. He was one of the first to use a laser for cataract extraction, and he opened a few clinics in the Philly area. He hired young docs and trained them on the laser and did very well. The ten million was for a science lab at his collegiate alma mater. He gave a larger gift to his medical school.”

  “I guess I chose the wrong specialty,” Nicole said with a laugh.

  “Are you a physician?” Ella asked.

  “Yes, and one of the few at the table who didn’t go to PMU.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “Scranton.”

  “You can’t beat that,” Ella said. “What’s your specialty?”

  “Emergency medicine.”

  Reese watched Ella’s face brighten. “Oh, like Reese,” she said.

  Feeling comfortable that Ella could handle herself with her group of friends, Reese turned, walked to her grill, and turned on the gas. She’d cleaned it the night before, and it lit on the first try.

  “She seems nice.”

  Reese looked from Karen to Ella and nodded. Her only experiences with Ella were at her parents’ house and at the golf tournament, but it did seem Ella went out of her way to engage others. Her manners were impeccable, which Reese figured was essential to her
job. It could have all been an act, but the way Ella behaved around Cass told Reese that she was genuinely a nice person. “Yeah, I think so, too.”

  “Sooo?”

  Reese could only hope. Winking at Karen, she headed toward the kitchen. “Leave the detecting to Mac. When there’s something to tell, you’ll be the first to know. Come help me with food.”

  Ella watched Reese out of the corner of her eye but then focused on the conversation at the table. It turned out that Rae, a lawyer, was Nicole’s partner. Jess, another ER doctor, was dating Mac. Mindy, Kerry, and another woman named Mary were all single. They all seemed like nice women and were clearly fond of Reese.

  “I’m going in the pool,” Cass said, distracting her. “Are you guys coming in or what?”

  To her surprise, all of the women nodded. “How long until food?” Mac asked as she poked her head through the sliding glass door to the kitchen.

  Ella recognized Reese’s voice. “Twenty minutes.”

  “Perfect time for a dip.”

  It seemed everyone had a suit on under their clothes, and Ella followed Reese’s friends with her eyes from the deck to the pool. Cass was the first to jump in. She emerged from beneath the water with a smile on her face that warmed Ella’s heart.

  “She really loves the water,” Reese said.

  “It appears so.”

  “It was one of the reasons I bought the house. For the pool. Aren’t you going in?”

  “Actually, it looks like your sister has enough sitters. I was going to check with you to see if you need help with anything.”

  Reese smiled. “That’s very sweet, and as much as I would love your company, I think I have it all under control.”

  Ella looked at the cart Reese had wheeled onto the deck. It was made of wicker and was probably meant for bar use, but Reese had it piled with food and grill utensils, paper plates, and napkins. “So it seems. I could just talk to you, though. Find out about the single women at the party.”