by A Lexy Beck
I tossed the chicken parmesan in the oven, poured a glass of wine and turned on the satellite radio. After slipping into some nice warm sweats and my comfy slippers I was ready for my evening of packing, but only after a quick check-in with Aimee. I felt terrible about how our date had ended last night, but I didn’t have any spare emotional energy to give her.
“Hey, girl, how are you doing today? You didn’t give in and talk to him, did you?” I was hoping Aimee had stayed strong, especially after the game Carter had played with her.
“Nope. He texted me. I didn’t respond though.”
“Good for you. Stay strong.” I heard the faint laughter of a group in the background. “Are you out partying without me?”
“Hardly. I’m just about to go in to a work dinner. There’s a couple of cute guys, but none as cute as the attorney I met at your office the other day.” Aimee giggled and waited for my response.
“Brice? Really? I mean, he’s good looking but…”
“Let me guess, Jen. Not your type? I remember the old Jen, used to read every guy she’d see…and besides, you have a guy.”
“You’re right, Aimee. He’s all yours.” I laughed. After another five minutes with him she’d see what he was like.
“Listen, I need to run. Talk to you tomorrow, ok?”
“Sure, sounds good.” I hung up the phone and looked around at the mess. “Good for you, Aimee, getting out there and enjoying yourself while I’m here in this hell of a project.”
I grabbed my dinner from the oven and headed into the living room, wine glass and plate in hand. I spent the next hour bouncing between putting things in boxes, taking swigs of wine and bites of chicken. It felt like a bit of an assembly line. It didn’t take long for me to grow tired of the task, but I kept pushing forward until I reached my photo albums. Not many people kept actual albums anymore, everything was stored on phones or computers. I was a bit old fashioned that way, especially when it came to family pictures, when I actually used a camera. I was glad that I hadn’t lost all of my photos when my laptop was stolen earlier in the year.
I opened the album and saw a picture of Dad and I on my fifth birthday. Dad was sporting a terrible mustache, but he somehow felt it made him look younger—at least that’s what he says now. There were pictures of cousins, and friends, and more family. I flipped through pages until I reached some pictures of when I was around thirteen. My awkward, lanky years where I had braces and was just starting to fill out.
My heart sank as turned to the next page. It was Mom and I at my eighth grade dance. It was one of the last good pictures we had together before she died. Tears filled my eyes and made it difficult to see. “Mom! Why did you have to leave me?” I looked up at the ceiling, toward where I thought she should be, expecting her to answer, but there was nothing. A warm salty tear ran down my check and met the corner of my mouth. I turned the page and saw other pictures of us, though not as flattering. At least I didn’t look good. Mom was always attractive and always made sure she was put together. I quickly closed the album and lay back on the couch with my eyes closed.
My phone vibrated on the coffee table and startled me. I picked it up and noticed it was almost an hour later; I must have fallen asleep. Worn out from the day, the memories and the wine. My phone vibrated again with another text from Cain.
Hey Gorgeous! Just wrapping up a meeting and in the car headed to an extended dinner meeting. Can I give you a call in a few hours? Will you be up?
I closed my eyes again and quickly remembered he was with Ashley. It made me mad and I honestly didn’t want to deal with the thought any longer. I fired off a text back.
That’s ok. Working late with Brice on this case. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
“Take that…” I muttered as I tossed my phone onto the coffee table. I wasn’t really mad at him, just jealous of Ashley for some reason. I looked over at my work binder sitting on the chair. “I might as well not lie.” I reached over and pulled out the folders from the binder and began to thumb through them, reading every detail more carefully.
I began talking myself through each step, as if I expected some answers to appear as if by magic from thin air.
“He only had one beer and started to feel sick…she didn’t drink anything other than a sip of his beer and some water. Neither of them ate anything. She was fine and then all of a sudden it hit her. They both were dizzy, both were vomiting, both passed out.”
I flipped back through the notes, remembering the conversation I had with them. “John said he didn’t want to be there at all. Why? Why would they go to a place he didn’t want to be? Why would they go for him to drink a beer, they didn’t eat, they didn’t order, she’s pregnant. She said she thought they had stomach flu.”
I tossed the folder on the couch and pulled out my laptop. I quickly searched for stomach flu symptoms and clicked through to a medical website. “Hmm, nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting. Nothing about dizziness.” I typed in a few more of the symptoms and searched again. “Vertigo. Hmm highly unlikely they both got vertigo at the same time.” I closed my laptop and clumsily tossed it on the couch knocking off the photo album to the floor. The blue leather album split open to a photo of Mom and I.
I stared at the picture and thought about her for a second. I remembered our times together and was instantly pulled to the last few hours before her death. I grabbed the folder with John’s medical report and diagnosis. I looked back at the picture of Mom. She had fallen ill just a few hours before she died. A mystery illness, with the same symptoms, dizziness, vomiting, stomach cramps… It all happened so quickly, and then she was gone.
I grabbed my phone and sent a quick email to Brice.
Brice – We need to find out WHY John and Macie were at that bar. John didn’t want to be there, why? We need to talk to Macie and know more about her symptoms and everything they did leading up to when they got there.
I’ll call you tomorrow
JD
I hit send, put my phone on the table, and pulled the photo of Mom and I out of the album still sitting on the floor. I sat and stared at it as I lay back on the couch, slowly closing my eyes and trying to hold back the tears. Mom, I miss you so much.
Chapter Twelve
Last night was the first time in a long while that I really thought about Mom. I have to admit it was tough at times, growing up without her there, especially when I was a teen, but Dad somehow got me through it. Looking back, it was likely with a lot of help from Cynthia. Now that I was older I really needed her. Now that I was older I really started to wonder more about how she died. When I was thirteen it really hadn’t sank in how, I was more upset about why. Even in college I was angrier that she wasn’t there, and I never really questioned the how. Now, for some reason, it was bothering me.
The eleventh floor offices of Dunning and Associates were just about complete. Next week we would officially be working from them, but today I decided I would try them out. Reese apparently felt the same way, as did our interns. My desire to have some peace and quiet in the office was merely a dream. The only saving grace was that I now had my own office.
I got settled and dug into the folders I had brought from home. I knew today was going to be a shorter day, as the benefit was tonight, and I wanted to get as much accomplished as early as I could.
“Hey, kid, things are coming together here, aren’t they?” Reese seemed much happier here than he ever had been upstairs. I figured it was probably because he was now partially retired and was setting his own schedule.
“They are, slowly. It’s looking good, but there’s still so much to do.” I gazed down at the folder and the picture I had brought from home of Mom and I. “Reese, how much do you know about my mom’s death? I mean, did Dad ever give you the details?”
“That was a long time ago, Jen, my memory is going at this age.” It was obvious Reese was holding back.
“Come on, Reese. Please?” The pitchy sound of my voice definitely came across as a whine.<
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“You probably know as much as I do. I mean, your parents were at a party or a benefit of some sort, it was late in the evening. Your mom started to feel a little sick and so they left. From what your dad has said, she got bad very quickly.” Reese paused for a second staring at the floor. “Why are you asking? You should really be talking to your father about this.”
“I will, but I just wanted to hear what you had to say. To hear how you remember it. I only remember getting the call that they were at the hospital. Grandpa managed to get me up there and I saw her for just a few minutes. Then she…”
“It was difficult for all of us here. Your mom was a big part of the firm. Your dad took it really hard.”
“Did Dad ever tell you why she got sick? Did they ever figure out what caused it?”
“If he did, he didn’t share it with me. I really think your best bet is to talk with him and get your answers. If there are any to be had.” Reese turned back toward the office door. “Jen, be careful. Sometimes it’s best to just remember things the way you do.”
It was eating at me. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to know. I dialed Dad’s number. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to say. I figure it would just come to me.
“Jack Dunning”
“Dad, hey, it’s me.”
“Hey, sweetie, looks like your phones are working. Time to get some work done.” Dad chuckled to himself. I didn’t think it was funny, but I played along.
“Ha, yeah, I guess I need to put away the scrabble board.” I gave him a fake giggle and then transitioned into what I really wanted. “Can I come up for a few minutes, I have something I want to talk to you about. It’s important. It’s about—”
“I wish I had time. I’m actually headed into court for the rest of the day, and then I’m headed to the benefit tonight. Can it wait until later? I can call you on my way to the courthouse?”
As much as I wanted to get answers, this was discussion we needed to have face to face. “No, it can wait. Maybe we can catch up tonight or over the weekend.”
“Great, see you tonight.”
“Good luck in court.” I hung up the phone and felt defeated yet a bit relieved. I still wasn’t sure how I was going to talk to my father about this.
After reading a few more emails and catching up for the day, I decided to bounce some ideas I had about the Doll hit and run case with Reese.
“Health Inspection reports are available to the public, right, Reese?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Planning on eating someplace questionable? Honestly, some of the best places around here probably failed those things.”
“No, but I’ll keep that in mind next time we go to lunch. I’m just wondering if this place that Brice’s client was drinking at has had any issues.”
Reese shook his head. “Jennifer, why are you dwelling so much on this? It’s a hit and run. They hit a college kid on his bike. Open and closed case. His client wasn’t driving, it was his girlfriend. What am I missing here? Help him pick the jury and move on.”
“Just my gut, Reese. Something just isn’t right and I don’t know what. The interview the other day I felt like John was holding back. They wouldn’t admit she was pregnant until she finally broke.”
“I tell you what, I’ll look into it, and if everything is clean as a whistle will you drop it?”
I crossed my fingers underneath the desk and told him what he wanted to hear. “Yes.”
Reese disappeared and I checked my watch. It was mid-morning and after all of my calls and discussions I had accomplished absolutely nothing. The day was a complete bust, until a box arrived with my name on it. The color was an unmistakable turquoise blue. I removed the ribbon and opened the box to reveal a stunning white gold necklace with an exquisite diamond pendant.
Something for tonight - Cain
I picked up my phone to text him. I wasn’t sure whether he would be in a meeting and I didn’t want to disturb him. My text was answered with a call.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s amazing. Cain, you shouldn’t have. It looks so expensive.” I held the necklace up to the sunlight filtering through the window. The diamond sparkled, casting shimmering reflections on my office wall.
“Nothing is too expensive. I wish I could see you before the benefit tonight. I wanted to make sure you were wearing at least one thing I picked out.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Well, later tonight, it may be the only thing I’m wearing.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Chapter Thirteen
I felt a bit scandalous in my dress but I couldn't wait to see Cain's face when he saw me wearing it. Aimee and I did a great job of picking out the perfect dress. My deep blue gown had a fitted, sequined top with a plunging neckline and a lightweight skirt of royal blue fabric that fell at my thighs. I gave it a test spin to make sure the world would not get a glimpse of anything underneath. I felt provocative and sexy, not normally feelings I experience except when I was with Cain.
I stroked my skin with bronzing lotion for some added glow, and my legs looked great. All those stolen hours at the gym recently were paying off. I slid my feet into a pair of strappy heels and adjusted the buckles to get the right fit. I hoped that there would be some dancing and not just the normal stuffy benefit activities of gatherings I had been to with my father growing up.
I opened the blue box that had arrived earlier and placed the gorgeous diamond pendant around my neck. It was a stunning compliment to everything I wore, and I realized how perfectly everything fitted together, including Cain and I.
My phone vibrated with a message that the car was here. He was downstairs waiting for me. I slid some cash, lipstick and my ID in a silver clutch purse and I was ready to go. I walked down the stairs slowly, hoping that Cain was watching and not talking on the phone. I shouldn't have worried—he was definitely watching. With a sexy smile on his face, he hopped out of the car and opened the door for me, beating the driver to the task. He looked gorgeous in a perfectly fitted black tie suit, like an expensive delicious present that I hoped to open later. I could tell by his expression that he approved of my wardrobe choice too.
"Good evening, Miss Dunning.” Cain held the car door open with one hand and pulled me to him with the other. He kissed me and held my hand as I slid into the leather seat. He'd opened a bottle of champagne on the way over and had two glasses ready for pouring. He slid into the seat across from me. “I think we should skip this party and hop on a plane to somewhere tropical where clothing is optional.”
I gave him a teasing smile. “You mean you don't want to see my 'optional clothing' later?” I crossed my legs playfully.
“Well, you did promise.” Cain gave me a sly smile and his electric blue eyes squinted n a playful stare. “You look stunning, Jennifer.”
“Thank you, so do you.” I brushed my long dark hair away from my face and tossed it behind my shoulder.
Going to the salon had been impossible with my schedule, but I had been fortunate enough to skip out of work early today. I know I shouldn’t have, but I needed it. Tonight was work for Cain, but pleasure for me, something long overdue this week.
“I’m glad you two arrived safely from your trip. How was it?”
“It was good, I think things are going to work out…wait, ‘you two’?” Cain’s raised eyebrow enhanced the look of confusion on his face. “Who are you talking about?”
“Ashley. I know she went with you.” I huffed.
“No, she didn’t Jennifer, what makes you think that?”
“She did. When I spoke to her. She made it seem like she was there with you.”
“I’m sure it was just a mix up. She was here, preparing some things for a meeting I have next week. I would have let you know if her and I were traveling together, I promise.” Cain reached over and grabbed my hand.
“Thank you. Maybe I misunderstood her.” I replayed the conversation in my head. I knew there was
nothing to misunderstand, but I didn’t want to ruin the evening thinking about Ashley.
Cain’s driver pulled up to the front of the Bellzini mansion. Adone Bellzini was an extravagant man known for his philanthropy and his huge bottling company. Tonight’s benefit was for an adoption charity he was passionate about. The gathering of fancy sports cars, luxury sedans and limousines parked outside fitted in perfectly with the enormous mansion overlooking the river.
A valet greeted us, opening the door for Cain who then helped me out of the car. I slid my bare arm through Cain’s and together we strolled into the building. The mansion was crowded with local dignitaries and the very well off. Most greeted us like they knew us personally. I smiled and nodded as Cain worked the crowd like a politician. He was “golden” again, the accusations of yesterday forgotten.
This felt all too familiar. Growing up as a teen, Dad had often taken me to benefits he felt were suitable. I always viewed them as stuffy old parties, but I loved looking at the huge houses and fancy places they were held in. Eventually I learned how to socialize and partake in light conversation with adults. It’s also probably how I gained an interest in reading people long before I realized I needed it.
Cain and I stood in the foyer of the enormous mansion making casual small talk when I noticed Dad come in with Cynthia on his arm; I was happy they were stepping out together more often in public places. We greeted each other briefly before he was summoned away to hobnob with the others with deep pockets and big checkbooks.
The warm hand on my arm pulled my attention away from people watching and the deep arrogant voice brought a slight sickness to my stomach. “Wow! How did you know I was a leg man?” I looked up to see Brice, looking dapper in a slim-cut suit and wearing a confident smirk. I felt Cain’s eyes watching me as he made small talk with others, just within earshot of my conversation with Brice.
I started to say something somewhat witty in response, but was cut-off by Cain. “I know. She does look absolutely gorgeous, doesn’t she? Nice to see you again, Brice.” Cain gave Brice a firm handshake, rotating his hand on top, a show of power. I couldn’t help but smile. It was the little things I noticed that sometimes amused me.