Past Sins Revisited

by Mary Goldberger

  “What are you doing here, Sophie,” Edric asked as his hand clenched around his cell while he stood up from his chair.

  Sophie laughed as she walked over to him slowly making sure that the slit of her dress fell open revealing her shapely legs. “I had to come for a modeling assignment and I thought I would come visit you while I was here.”

  Edric frowned at her as she said softly stopping in front of his desk, “I hope that you don’t mind my stopping by, Ric.”

  Edric kept his sigh to himself as he told her politely, “No, I don’t mind but I have an appointment in about ten minutes.”

  He glanced at his watch on his wrist before he looked up at Sophie giving her a smile before he continued, “Let me walk you out, Sophie, and we will have dinner tonight before you go back home.”

  He didn’t see the smug look on her face as he gathered his things putting them in his briefcase before he walked around the desk and putting a hand on her upper back, he escorted her out of the office.

  “You may take the rest of the day off, Miss Wendell,” he said to the young woman, who smiled at him with a sweep of her lashes, and he merely nodded his head as he and Sophie headed for the elevator.

  He had used the office while he was here, but once he was done with his business he didn’t plan on using this office again.

  Sophie laughed and chatted airily as they headed down to the parking a lot where he helped her into a taxi and watching the car drive away before he went over to his own car, and as his phone rung, he slide behind the wheel.

  “I will be there in ten minutes, Mr. Robertson,” Edric said listening for a few minutes. “See you in a few.”

  After talking to Mr. Robertson on the phone, he had left it alone but after thinking about it for a few days he called him this morning and requested that they meet.

  Tomas would be leaving that evening on a flight back and Edric smiled envy flashing through him as he thought about Tomas being able to see Mariah while he was dying to see Calida.

  He arrived at the restaurant and when the hostess showed him to the table, he kept his shock to himself as he observed the man sitting at the table.

  He nodded his head to the hostess as he asked for a beer before taking his seat.

  “I guess I’m not what you expected, Mr. Walwyn,” he said coughing into his handkerchief.

  “Honestly, no you are not,” Edric admitted leaning back in his seat. “After all, you worked for Jeffery Reseda.”

  The man in front of him laughed outright before he took a sip of the water glass in front of him and Edric took the opportunity to take a closer look at him.

  His eyes looked haggard and the clothes he wore hung loosely on him which hinted to Edric that he was sick. His hands shook as he lit a cigarette and he grimaced as he took a puff before telling Edric, “Don’t tell Calida because if she learns I’m smoking, I won’t hear the end of it.”

  Edric’s eyes narrowed at the remark before he asked slowly, “You still keep in contact with Calida?”

  Mr. Robertson smiled as he took another puff of the cigarette before he said, “Calida keeps in contact monthly calling to see how I’m doing and if I’m still going to my treatment.”

  He took a few more puffs of the cigarette before he put it out and a server came over with his food while Edric leaned back and shaking his head when the server asked him if he wanted anything including refreshing his beer.

  “I did work for Jeffrey Reseda but only for a few months before I realized that he was using me to keep his name good in the papers,” Mr. Robertson flinched at the remembrance as he continued eating. “I met Calida when Jeffrey asked, or more like ordered, me to go and find his sister about a year or so after she moved away. It took me some time to find her, but once I did I followed her for almost a week before I realized what young Miss Reseda was doing.”

  “What was she doing,” Edric asked taking a sip of his beer.

  “Calida was gathering information on her brother,” Mr. Robertson explained taking another sip of his water. “I was told that she was slow and Jeffrey even told me that if I played by cards right with her, then she would probably go to bed with me.”

  Mr. Robertson stopped as he saw the look that flashed in Edric’s eyes but he only smiled as he continued. “So I approached her and Calida seemed just the way her brother described her. I was too arrogant to realize that Calida knew who I was and using me to learn more information about her brother. Imagine my surprise when Calida, one day, called me up when she learned I did a news report on the death of Adella Turner with the misinformation that she had been seeing Jeffrey Reseda.”

  Edric froze at his words before he asked, “She hadn’t been seeing him?”

  Mr. Robertson slowly put his fork down as he sighed and said, “No, and Calida knew it. She asked me where I got those pictures of her and when I informed her that Jeffrey was the one who gave them to me, she cursed and walked away. It seems, unknown to me, that Jeffrey had been following Adella for some time and yet Calida was the one who informed me that her brother had been following the wrong young woman.”

  Edric’s eyes sharpened at that information as he asked sharply, “What do you mean Jeffrey had been following the wrong young woman?”

  Mr. Robertson nodded his head as he reached down and picked up a briefcase which he withdrew some old newspapers handing them over to Edric.

  “From what Calida, and I, learned was that Jeffrey’s intended target had been this woman,” he said pointing to a young woman with dark brown hair and a thin face. “It seems that her brother had made an allegation against Jeffrey while at the same time stealing the woman that he was interested in at the time. Jeffrey learned that he had a sister who was trying to get into his Alma Mater.”

  Edric felt his hands clench around his beer bottle as he thought about his sister who had been applying for the same college.

  “Unfortunately, Jeffrey didn’t do all his research or he would’ve known that ‘this’ Adela, which was the young woman’s name, had decided to take a cruise with some girlfriends before she started college,” Mr. Robertson revealed shaking his head. “I don’t know what happened and Calida didn’t say anything, but I have a feeling that Calida knew more about what happened to that young woman Adella because whenever she mentioned her name, she would always get a sad and guilty look in her eyes. She was the one who told me to contact you with the information I had and even had me send you the pictures. When you didn’t want to talk to me, she merely nodded her head and then I fell sick. Calida helped me to get into the hospital I needed and even helped me to pay for it when my money began to run out. I don’t have to rely on Calida’s help anymore because over the last few years with Calida’s encouragement, I’ve written at least two books and each one while not bestsellers they have sold enough copies to take care of my bills including the hospital bills.”

  Edric swallowed the last of his beer in a gulp before he said, “It sounds that Calida may know what exactly happened to my sister?”

  “I can’t tell you that but I do remember Calida once muttering that she could’ve done more than calling her brother,” Mr. Robertson told him as the server came over with the bill. Once he left, Mr. Robertson turned to Edric seeing the hardness of his face before he told him, “In the last ten years, Mr. Walwyn, I think Calida Reseda has been gathering all the information she can on her brother to right whatever her brother did to that young woman.”

  Edric nodded his head although there was a hard look in his eyes and yet, Mr. Robertson had a feeling that the look was intended for Calida.

  “Mr. Walwyn, a word of advice,” Mr. Robertson said as he reached for the bill which Edric immediately covered with his hand.

  “I will take care of this for you.”

  Mr. Robertson went to argue but the hard look the man threw him had him seating back in his seat when Edric said, “What advice do you want to give me?”

  “Calida may know what happened to your sister, but I can tell you
now that whatever happened ten years ago has haunted her every single day,” he told Edric softly not going to mention that Calida expects to be punished along with her brother for what happened.

  Edric and Mr. Robertson parted ways some time later after Edric dropped him off at his apartment which he had a hired nurse waiting for him.

  “How did your appointment go, sir,” she asked giving him a smile as she opened the door for him.

  He sighed as he took off his coat and headed for his small office where he had been working on his next book. “It went good, but I don’t know if I helped matters, or made them worse.”

  He made a phone call which only lasted a few minutes before he started to work on his book losing himself in the mystery that he had created.

  Edric walked into his hotel room a frown on his face just as Tomas said from the other side of the room, “I’m heading to the airport, Ric, but is there anything you need me to do before I leave?”

  Edric shook his head as he put down his briefcase before he shook his head and said, “If you don’t mind, tell Mariah to get the receipts from Calida about our wedding.”

  Tomas nodded his head although he gave him a narrowed look before he asked, “How did your talk with Mr. Robertson go?”

  “It went…” Edric began before he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You know that information that we got concerning Jeffrey, Tomas?”

  Tomas nodded his head as he said, “According to my investigation, everything in that file sent to you was accurate and up-to-date.”

  “I think I know who sent that information to me,” Edric said walking over to the window looking out as Tomas frowned.

  “Who,” he asked just as the phone rang and he walked over to answer it his eyebrows shooting up as he handed the phone out to Edric.

  “Ric, Sophie is on the phone and wants to know if you two were still on for dinner tonight,” he asked as Edric turned around and nodded his head.

  “Tell her that I will pick her up around eight,” Edric told him as he walked over to a partially opened door and as Tomas relayed the information, Edric walked in and closed it behind him before he walked over to his bed sitting down. He sat there for a second before he opened the drawer to the nightstand next to his bed and pulled out the long thin jewelry case. He opened it and stared down at the chain where Calida’s monkey charm suspended from it.

  He closed his eyes as he heard again the voice from that night on his voice mail, Is this Ric, Adella’s brother? She told me to call you. She’s in trouble and right now at the park on the south side. You need to get here ASAP. I don’t know…

  The voice had cut off there and he had been so angry when he and Matt found Adella in the grove of trees that he never paid attention to the tone of voice. He remembered when he saw her battered face and someone had placed a jacket over her, but underneath she had been naked. Both Edric and Matt had a feeling she had been raped although neither could force themselves to say it waiting for the confirmation from the autopsy report.

  “You were there, weren’t you, Calida,” he said thinking about the look that came into her eyes some times, and then he thought about her nightmare, and how she had cried. He shook his head as he said closing the case, “You’ve suffered along with me even though you didn’t even know me.”

  He replaced the case and pulled out his cell attending to call Calida, but he hesitated before he put the phone to the side. He wanted to speak to Calida in person because there was a lot that they needed to talk about before they got married, and a determined look came across his face as he got up to get ready for his dinner with Sophie.

  As he was putting on his jacket, Tomas knocked on the door and came in the room with a worry look in his eyes.

  “I’m heading for the airport now, Ric,” he told him.

  Edric nodded his head as he fixed his cuffs before lifting his head to look at him. “Call me when you get back, Tomas, and also I want you to check with Calida to see how she is doing with our wedding plans.”

  Tomas nodded his head seeing the weariness on his friend’s face before he asked, “Why don’t you just cancel dinner tonight?”

  “I can’t for the simple reason that Sophie is a close friend, and she has been for years,” Edric told him. “As a friend, I should keep my word to her.”

  “As your friend, Ric, she should understand that you have a lot on your mind,” Tomas countered a hard note in his voice which Edric laughed at shaking his head.

  “You and I both know that Sophie doesn’t see things like that,” Edric told him picking up his wallet and cell from the dresser.

  “I know,” Tomas said with a deep sigh before he stepped back in the living area of the suite. “Well, take care and I will see you in a few days.”

  Edric nodded his head as he walked out reminding Tomas, “Most of my business is done but I have the last meeting tomorrow with almost all of the shareholders for Reseda Electronics, and although we have most of the shares, they asked for this meeting.”

  Tomas nodded his head as they both wondered why, but neither could answer that question until the meeting tomorrow.

  “You enjoy your time with Mariah before my return,” Edric told him with a smile, and Tomas glared at him with eyes that flashed with male satisfaction.

  “You can count on it,” Tomas said with a smug smile before he waved and grabbing his case left the suite.

  Edric smiled although his green eyes were filled with worry before he blanked them heading out of the suite himself to go pick up Sophie for a dinner that he was dreading, and wished he hadn’t mentioned it in the first place.

  “Ric,” Sophie called out as he entered the hotel she used regularly when she stayed there, and he shielded his eyes as he saw the skin-tight dress she had on with sultry eyes that she flashed at him when she walked over to him. “You're right on time, Ric.”

  “So are you, Sophie,” he said helping her into her coat.

  Her laughter was low and seductive before she told him touching a hand to his chest, “I figure I can be on time for you once, Ric.”

  “Thank you,” Edric remarked as he shifted her hand falling from his chest and he turned them toward the door. “Are you ready to eat, Sophie?”

  Sophie’s laughter echoed around the lobby catching attention while one person in the corner took pictures quickly eyes filled with greed, and lust, as Sophie tilted her head up to Edric although Edric’s didn’t even flicker down at her as he escorted her out.

  “What an easy five thousand dollars,” the man muttered as he flipped through the pictures on his digital camera before he whistled and headed up to his room that he didn’t pay for as part of the job.

  Chapter 20

  Calida and Wilma laughed as they arrived home later that evening after having a nice dinner at Mrs. Larina’s restaurant where there was talk about a wedding in the works.

  Calida didn’t say a word especially when someone mentioned Sophie’s name as they were leaving, but Calida didn’t even flinch and yet Wilma saw how the pallor of her face had changed as they got into the car. So Wilma took the conversation into her own hands getting Calida to smile and laugh as they arrived home.

  Wilma and Calida entered the house just as Jake came out of the garage with a smile and called out, “Did you get everything you wanted done?”

  Calida nodded her head as Wilma admitted, “Except for the wedding dress.”

  “Even Edric asked me to wait on that one,” Calida admitted as they entered the house not seeing the look that Jake and Wilma shared at that piece of information.

  Marti was waiting for them with a light dinner which Calida and Wilma had to beg off but they did justice to the dessert that she made as they sat around the living room listening to the radio.

  “I’m going to bed,” Calida said after an hour of sitting and chatting as she got up from her seat. “I will see you all in the morning.”

  They all said ‘goodnight’ as Calida first went to the kitchen to do the s
mall pile of dishes before she headed to her room.

  She got into her night gown but instead of going to sleep, she sat in bed staring at the envelope she had pulled out from the drawer.

  “It is the last piece,” she muttered as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the headboard.

  “I wonder if Edric and Sophie are having a good time,” she wondered aloud before she shook her head opening her eyes to glance down at her engagement ring. She fiddled with it thinking about the man who put it on her finger before she sighed heavily and putting the envelope back, she turned off the light and slipped down into bed closing her eyes as she accepted the return of her nightmare.

  Edric walked Sophie up to her room where she placed her arms around his neck inviting in a husky voice, “Would you like to come in?”

  Edric smiled patiently and unwound her arms from around his neck as he told her, “I’m engaged, Sophie.”

  Sophie frowned as he put her arms next to her sides before she said sharply, “Ric, I know about the revenge plan you and Tomas contrived against Jeffrey Reseda. I also know that you are using Calida to get at her brother not to mention for what happened to Adella.”

  Edric’s jaw tightened as he told her in hard voice, “As I said, Sophie, I’m engaged to be married.”

  “Oh, Ric, you can be honest with me,” she said with a trill laugh only to stop when Edric looked at her steadily before she sighed. “All right, I will let you get away with this right now as you probably don’t want to ruin your plan, but I hope once this business is done you will tell me all about it.”

  She leaned up and gave him a light kiss feeling the tension in his body before she said a subdued ‘goodnight’ as she opened her door and slipped inside closing the door behind her.

  As soon as the door was closed, Edric turned and walked away his jaw clenched tightly in anger as he thought about what Sophie said, and if it wasn’t for the meeting he had tomorrow, he would be going home tonight to have a long talk with Calida.