Love, Lies & The D.A.

by Rohman, Rebecca

  “Jada, I’d like you to meet my daughter Megan. Megan, meet my client Jada.”

  Your daughter… ha. That makes her Jonathan’s sister…

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replies, seemingly unperturbed by my presence.

  I’m starting to wonder if she even remembers who I am.

  “Same here,” I reply while shaking her hand.

  “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Sure, Sweetheart. You know what I like to unwind.”

  “Jada?”

  “Some fruit juice please, if you have any.”

  “Sure,” she replies perkily and then disappears out of the room.

  “How many kids do you have?” I ask as he offers me a seat.

  “Four. Megan’s the baby and the only girl. There were two boys before her, now twenty-six and thirty-one. Jonathan is the eldest.”

  “That’s a big family. It’s just my older brother Bobby and me.”

  I suddenly worry a bit and think to call him so he doesn’t worry, but then I remember he should be on a plane with Val heading to St. Lucia. I’ll call when I get home tonight.

  Megan returns, but beside her is a beautiful blonde woman. Charles’s wife, I guess. I see where Jonathan gets his beautiful piercing greys.

  “Honey.” Charles stands, kissing her on the cheek.

  “Jada, this is my lovely wife Caroline.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Kole,” I respond, shaking her hand.

  “You too. But you must call me Caroline.”

  “It’s a pleasure, Caroline.” I stand corrected.

  “Dinner is almost ready; are you hungry?”

  I haven’t thought about food, but when she asks, I realize I am famished.

  I need to use the washroom. My hands have been all over the place. Megan shows me to the room and explains to me that the dining room is at the end of the hall. I look at myself in the mirror. My hair is slightly messy. I run a comb through it, powder my nose, and then touch up my lipstick. I had better hurry back. I don’t want to keep them waiting. I quickly wrap up and open the door. As I step out into the narrow corridor, Jonathan is standing directly in front of me.

  “Jada.” My name rolls slowly off he lips.

  “Hi,” I reply politely. I’m going to try not to be a smart-ass in his parents’ house.

  “Fancy seeing you here.” He grins at me. “Are you okay? You’re all over the news.”

  I exhale. “I’m fine. Coming back to San Francisco… bad idea.”

  “Are you sure you’re alright? You didn’t look so good.”

  “I’ll be okay. Thanks for asking.”

  “We better head in. Mom doesn’t like it when the food gets cold.”

  “Sure, lead the way,” I reply.

  We enter the grandiose dining room. There are now two new faces at the table. One looks vaguely familiar from that day when Jonathan drove me home from the airport. They’re the other two sons, I assume. They smile when they see me, and Charles introduces them. Daniel and Pierce are their names.

  Jonathan pulls out a chair for me and sits next to me. While dinner is served, I sit and watch the family dynamic unfold. They’re a close-knit family. From what I gather, dinners together happen frequently at their house. It reminds me of the close-knit family I used to have—until Bobby went off to school, and a few years later, I did the same. Then Daddy died.

  The ambience is relaxed. They laugh and fool around with each other about everything. Personally, it’s a pleasure to sit and observe.

  Megan apparently just finished law school and is now doing her internship with her dad. Pierce is an artist and owner of his own gallery in downtown San Francisco, and Daniel, the second and quietest of the lot, is an accountant. Until recently, Caroline was a high school principal but is now retired. She now dedicates her time at the Crisis Center for Abused Women and Children.

  I feel fatigued. I wonder if the reporters are tired of waiting. As soon as I get some rest and I’m able, I’m going to get in that car—Shoot, my car. Damn. Now I have to find a way to pick it up. San Francisco has been so overwhelming. I can’t wait to get back to Lake Tahoe.

  “Hey, you okay?” Jonathan whispers.

  I smile and nod but say nothing.

  My stomach is full, but my headache has gotten worse. Right now, I need a shower, some aspirin, and a bed. I glance at the clock on the wall; it’s almost nine.

  “Tired?” Jonathan asks quietly, his chin leaning on his laced fingers.

  “That obvious?”

  “You’ve had a long day. I can take you home if you like.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I murmur. “We don’t need the DA seen with a murder suspect in a high profile case.” I let the words slip out before I can stop myself and close my eyes, disappointed about my blunder.

  “Maybe you should let me worry about that,” he responds.

  I look at him in resignation and take a glimpse across the room. I notice Charles staring at us. I can’t read his gaze, but I know somewhere in the back of his mind he must be saying something to the effect of ‘you had better not be discussing that case.’ I smile and wiggle my fingers at him. He raises his snifter in reply. I can’t help notice the similarities in his and Jonathan’s mannerisms.

  All Jonathan’s siblings excuse themselves from the table. He is having a very quiet exchange with his mom. I can’t hear a word. I look over at Charles. He too is exhausted. He drifts off to sleep at the opposite end of the table.

  Within minutes, Caroline is on her feet encouraging her husband to go to bed.

  “I have to take Jada home,” he says.

  “We’ve made other arrangements. Now. Bed.”

  “I can’t thank you enough, Charles, for everything.”

  He squeezes my hands tightly. “We’ll chat tomorrow, and please be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to my new favorite client.”

  I thank everyone else and say goodnight, even though at this point, I have no clue how I’m getting home. Jonathan tugs my hand gently, and I assume that means I should follow. Through the kitchen and down a few stairs, we’re in the garage. Two Mercedes Benz vehicles await. We get into the SUV, and after he asks my address, we start the drive home.

  “Thank you… to you and your family.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “So… care to explain what happened between you and Malibu Barbie?”

  “I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep that smart mouth of yours under control for much longer.”

  “Trying to distract me? Why would you make up a story like that?”

  In the back of my mind, I hear Bobby saying, he likes you…

  I blush at my realization.

  “I wanted to get your attention.”

  “Is that so?”

  Perhaps I should end this conversation now before it takes me into unwanted territory.

  “You realize what you’re risking by just being with me, right? Don’t you care about your career? I know ethically you haven’t done anything wrong, but surely in your business you’re smart enough to know that it’s not always about the truth but about how things appear.”

  “You sound like my campaign manager.”

  “Evidently, you weren’t listening very well.”

  “What happened to the sweet quiet woman that was at dinner tonight?”

  “I left her at your parents’ house.”

  He laughs heartily. I think it’s the first time I’ve heard him laugh. I don’t know why, but it makes me smile.

  We drive past his father’s office, and a handful of reporters are still lurking around the garage entrance.

  I guess I won’t be getting my car anytime soon.

  When we get to my condo building, a dozen or so reporters wait outside. Thank God, this garage is secure. I use the remote in my purse to open the door. He drives in, and I immediately close it behind us. No one is in sight.

  “Would you like me to es
cort you to your door?”

  “You know the answer to that. But thank you. I’ll be okay. Once I’m in the elevator, it will take me straight up.”

  “Private access?”

  “Yep…”

  “Please. Still be careful.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  “How will you get your car?”

  “I’ll worry about that when I wake up tomorrow.”

  “I can make arrangements to get it to you if you like.”

  “So can I, thank you very much.”

  He hesitates. I think he wants to ask me something.

  “74-78-97-98,” I say.

  “What?”

  “74-78-97-98. That’s the code you’ll need to get out. Drive carefully.”

  I pause for another moment through an awkward silence, giving him some time to tell me what’s on his mind. He says nothing. It feels like we’re both waiting for the other to make a move.

  “Get home safely,” I say, kiss him on the cheek, and before I know it, the elevator doors are closing in front of me as I wave goodbye. For a day that ended so rough, the night was actually very pleasant. Within fifteen minutes, I’m in bed.

  * * *

  Thank goodness, she’s home and safe. Seeing her practically unconscious on the news tonight, I admit, had me very worried. I was even more surprised when Megan called and told me that she was at the house.

  I told Mom I wouldn’t be coming for dinner because of a motion I was preparing for the next day, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see her with the rest of my family. Now, I’ll have to pay the consequences for that dinner and stay up all night preparing for work tomorrow.

  I got to see the quiet side of Jada tonight, and I wonder if it’s because she wasn’t feeling well, worried about her case, or maybe that’s a side of her that exists but I’ve never gotten the chance to see.

  The more time I spend with her, the more she intrigues me and the more tempted I am to ask her out. Unfortunately, she was the one who reminded me tonight of what I am risking every time we spend time together, no matter how innocent or chance the meeting might be.

  * * *

  My Bobbyphone wakes me early the next morning.

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry,” I answer.

  “Are you sure? You didn’t look so good on that news clip that I saw.”

  “Still checking up on me while on vacation?”

  “Yes. What happened?”

  “I was leaving Charles’s office and all these reporters surrounded me… Let’s not talk about it. I just had a panic attack. How’s the trip going? Did you ask her yet?”

  “It’s going great. Mom loves her, and I am officially engaged.”

  “Yay. Congratulations.”

  “And she loved the ring. You were right.”

  “Great. I am so happy for you.”

  “So how did your meeting with Charles go?”

  “I don’t want to ruin your vacation. We’ll talk about it when you get back.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I’ll give you the highlights. He’s been screwing Koto for almost nine months. He was having an affair with a married woman in Las Vegas. He stole at least ninety grand from our wedding account, and he inflated his monthly expense costs to me by about twenty-five grand a month. There’s more, but let’s leave it at that for now.”

  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”

  “Neither can I.”

  “I usually have good instincts. What the fuck happened this time around.”

  “I feel like such an idiot. I don’t know how it was possible for us to spend that much time together and I never ever suspected a thing.”

  “You trusted him. Next time, I’ll have to do some homework, that’s all.”

  “Go enjoy your vacation. I have to go get my car then I’m heading back to Tahoe. Give Mommy a big hug and a kiss for me, please.”

  “I will. I love you. Be careful on the road.”

  “I will, love you back.”

  Later that morning, I get the company driver to pick up my car and return it to the penthouse. Within an hour of the car arriving, I’m on my way to Lake Tahoe.

  As I drive, my phone rings.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Jada.”

  I immediately recognize the voice, although I don’t know why she’s calling.

  “Koto, what could possibly make you think I would ever be interested in anything you had to say?”

  My instincts tell me to pull over and record our conversation. I use the media voice recorder on my phone and press record. It takes only seconds before I am driving again.

  “I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”

  “You’re not sorry. You’re sorry you got caught.”

  “It was a mistake,” she cries.

  “A mistake?” I laugh sarcastically. “That’s pushing it… A mistake is you and Richard having too many drinks and somehow you end up having a one-night stand. It is most definitely NOT you fucking my fiancé for nine months and going on trips together.”

  She remains silent for a few moments then replies, “How did you find out?”

  “That’s irrelevant.”

  “We were going to end it once you were married.”

  “Oh please. I’m supposed to believe that the two of you had no respect for a supposedly monogamous relationship, but all of a sudden, a piece of paper would make a difference. To top it off, after I caught you two red-handed, you continued to see him. You never had any intention of ending anything.”

  “How do you know I saw him?”

  I completely ignore her question and remain silent.

  “Jada, I’m sorry. It was never my intention for things to get so out of hand.”

  “What were your intentions? Did you not intend to fuck him? Did you not intend to go on trips with him? Did you not intend to ruin a fifteen-year friendship? Or did that just not matter to you?”

  “I didn’t intend to hurt you. I didn’t intend for you to find out about this business.”

  “Ohhh, so what I don’t know won’t hurt me. You’re pathetic. You are a sorry excuse for a human being. Do me a favor and lose my number. I won’t allow you or the memories that you and Richard left me with to continue to hurt me.” I don’t give her a chance to respond. I end the call. I am pissed. The thought that she could call me to tell me this garbage and it should somehow make things better infuriates me further.

  My phone rings immediately after I hang up.

  “What?” I think it’s her calling again.

  “Jada?”

  Charles?

  “Charles, I’m sorry.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Koto just called me. I hung up on her. I thought she was calling back.”

  “What did she say?”

  “I recorded the conversation. I’ll send it to you.”

  “Please keep that information to yourself. It can be illegal.”

  “Really? Shoot. It’s still recording. Hold.”

  I pull over and stop the recording. I immediately email the file to him.

  “Sorry. I emailed it to you.”

  “I was calling to make sure you got in okay last night.”

  You sure? You sure you’re not concerned about me talking to your son about my case?

  “I did. Thank you for last night. I’m on my way back to Lake Tahoe now.”

  “That’s a long drive; be careful on that road.”

  “I will. Thanks for checking in.”

  Over the next few months, as the temperature grows colder, I now spend most of my time at Lake Tahoe, returning to San Francisco once every other week to check on things at the office.

  When I’m not working, I spend my days with my camera on the lake. There is so much beauty to discover here. As the seasons change, it gives me a chance to photograph old scenes in a new light.

  I hate to admit it, but I often feel lonely. There are times when I miss Richard, or the man I thought he was, and
the person I thought was my best friend for years. Bobby I miss all the time, but I realize that he is starting a new life of his own, and I want to respect his space.

  I suppose a few months ago, if Richard had not been murdered, it would be as simple as making new friends. However, I now question everyone and their motives. David and Kat did invite me for dinner twice. They admitted they were aware of my dilemma and my case, but I am still careful not to talk about that part of my life or discuss any details with them.

  The investigators have uncovered new evidence, but more and more Charles warns me that the police seem determined to paint the picture of me as the angry ex who killed her lover for revenge. They have not been exploring any of the many other possibilities that the investigators have uncovered.

  Because of laws in the Cayman Islands, it has been difficult to get more details on who the signatories are on the account there, or any of the account info, but legal channels are being pursued to try to get that information.

  Unfortunately, the time of death was about within an hour of my leaving San Francisco, so it’s close enough for the police to believe I had something to do with his murder.

  When the investigators questioned the other woman, she was tightlipped and refused to talk, so that makes us all believe that she has something to hide.

  It’s been frustrating because I want to move on with my life. Even though I could conceivably do so, I am well aware that this constant ongoing investigation by police would complicate that process. I don’t know that my life will ever be able to go on as usual with this hovering over my head.

  On two occasions while in San Francisco, I’ve been accosted by reporters asking for comments. I think they finally realize that I won’t talk to them, neither do I regard them as my ally, so now they deal mostly with Charles and my PR department. That said, there are still a few persistent reporters that leave weekly messages at my office asking for exclusive interviews.

  I was surprised one day when I was in San Francisco. I received a thank you card from Sally Preston, Richard’s mother. The note inside was most telling. It read:

  I am thankful to you for the flowers,