Reasonable Doubt

by Carsen Taite

  *

  “Where do you want me to drop you off?”

  Ellery pointed to a side street. “If you turn there, you can circle around and access the back of the building. It’s a loading dock, and hopefully, it’ll be clear.”

  Her dad followed her instructions and Ellery settled back into her seat, desperately trying to calm the sense of dread she had about the night’s events. They were in Leo’s beat-up Plymouth in an effort to hide from the crowd, but after they made one pass around the front of the building, it was clear there would be no way for Ellery to make a quiet entrance. Press had already lined the street and were taking pictures of everyone who entered the building. At least some of the other designers would be getting a lot of publicity for the event.

  Not for the first time, she regretted her decision to come here tonight. It was one thing to hold up ideals, but quite another to see them through, and she feared others might be hurt by her attendance. Karen’s business could take a hit from the protestors who’d lined up across the street with signs decrying terrorism, and coverage of the other designers’ work could be eclipsed by new stories about how the attorney who’d helped terrorists bomb the arena had no shame about appearing in public. She couldn’t win no matter what she did, but at least if she’d stayed home no one else would be smeared by the dirt the public was casting her way.

  “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

  Her dad’s expression was hopeful. She knew he’d prefer it if she asked him to turn the car around and drive as far away from this disaster waiting to happen as possible. He’d probably be happiest if she would abandon this dream entirely and went back to practicing law, and she couldn’t blame him for expecting her to do what he wanted. She’d followed in his footsteps most of her life without ever questioning if it was what she really wanted rather than what he wanted for her. It was expected. It was responsible. It was easy. Until it wasn’t and she’d had to walk away or let it consume her. Now she’d found something that fulfilled her instead of chewed away at her soul. Would she let her chance at a new life slip away?

  “I made a promise to be here, and this is the only place I want to be. You can just drop me off if you don’t want to come in.”

  He nodded, and she detected a glint of respect in his eyes. He might not ever agree with her choices, but maybe someday he could understand that she was surviving her own way. He pulled the car up to the loading dock. As she reached for the door handle, he put his hand on her arm and gave it a light squeeze. “I’ll see you inside.”

  Ellery climbed the stairs and knocked on the back door. Karen’s assistant, Rick, opened the door and ushered her in. He was dressed in a midnight blue tux with a deep purple bow tie and he bent down to kiss her hand.

  “You’re not going to believe the crowd waiting to get in,” he said. “The fire marshal will be paying us a visit for sure, but the show’s going to be a sellout. Champagne?”

  “No, thanks. The last thing I need is to pour alcohol on my already frayed nerves. Where’s Karen?”

  “She’s up front talking to the press. Don’t worry—she’s making it clear all personal questions are off limits or they’ll be escorted off the premises, and she hired some big hunky guys to make sure that happens.”

  “Sounds like she’s thought of everything. Where do you want me?”

  “My entire assignment for the night is to stay by your side. Let’s check out the installation and then figure out the best place for you to hunker down.”

  He reached for her hand and she took it, clasping tightly, but not moving her feet. If she was going to do this, it was time to commit. She took a deep breath and willed her body to go through the motions until her mind could wrap itself around the chaos she was about to dive into. “Let’s go.”

  She had to walk briskly to keep up with Rick as he led her through the showroom, but as they approached the area where her pieces were on display, Ellery slowed her pace. In the cramped space of her studio, she’d had no real concept of the volume of her work. There were close to twenty pieces of furniture crafted from other people’s castoffs, saved from the ruins of time. On display with gallery accents and mood lighting, they were a breathtaking sight.

  “Did we do you justice?”

  Ellery smiled at the sound of Karen’s voice. “I know I was there when you loaded it, but it looks like my furniture had babies since then. Was there really this much?”

  “Spoken like a true artist. You were so busy with each piece you didn’t take the time to look at the big picture.” She pointed at the display. “If you ever had any doubt, this is your true passion. That law gig was nothing more than a J-O-B.”

  It wasn’t that simple, but Ellery didn’t bother trying to explain. She’d been just as passionate about the law even if the choice to pursue that career hadn’t been her own. And she’d been just as good at it, but it was a relief to know now that she had chosen a different path, she had the potential to be just as good at something else. “I guess we’ll know if I’m for real when you see how much is sold at the end of the night.” She gestured toward the door. “Hopefully, the press won’t keep buyers away.”

  “Are you kidding me? I let a few VIPs in for an early viewing.” She looked around. “They’re here somewhere. Don’t you worry about a thing. As gruesome as it may seem, the chance to own an Ellery Durant original is now a collector’s dream.” Karen looked over her shoulder as she delivered the words. “I’m sorry, dear, but I have to check one last thing before the doors open. Rick will take good care of you, and I personally vetted the guest list, so don’t worry.”

  She was gone in an instant, and Ellery stood rooted in place as Karen’s words replayed in her head. If her work sold tonight was it more a factor of her current troubles than a testament to her talent? She didn’t have much time to consider the dilemma before the doors to the showroom opened and the crowd burst into the room. She watched as Karen’s well-trained staff handed out programs and caterers ducked in and out of groups of attendees with loaded trays of champagne and fancy finger foods. She spotted a group of women on the move toward her when she heard a voice over her shoulder.

  “How’s it going?” her dad asked.

  “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

  “Maybe, but you’re here now. Let’s make the most of it.”

  He stepped in front of her to greet the approaching guests. “Hi, I’m Gordon Durant, proud father of the artist. Would you like to meet her before or after you place your orders?”

  Ellery sighed and stepped up to nudge him out of the way. “Sorry, ladies. Anyone else have an overbearing parent?”

  The group laughed nervously, and Ellery knew she only had a second to win them over before they finished their curious assessment of the artist turned criminal. “You all look like you have very good taste. Let me show you one of my favorite pieces.” She didn’t wait for them to respond, but walked across the floor to a rosewood credenza. She launched into a description of how she’d pieced the panels from wood she’d salvaged from a 1950s trailer. After she finished describing the transformation, she leaned in close. “Karen wants to keep this one for herself, but I told her it had to be in the show. Do you like it?”

  As the women nodded their approval, Rick tapped her on the shoulder. When she looked his way, he made a slashing motion across his throat. She lifted her shoulders in a silent question while the women in the group crowded around the credenza, sliding open the panels and pulling open the drawers. “What?” she asked.

  Rick grimaced. “It’s sold.”

  “Let me guess. Karen pulled it.”

  “Nope.” He glanced around the room and pointed out another group of women who were standing a short distance away. “There they are. One of them bought it. They’re friends of Karen and she let them in early. I was heading over here to put up a sold sign when I saw you doing the hard sell.”

  Ellery shouldn’t care about the identity of the buyer. She should just be grateful to sell th
e piece and turn her attention back to the group currently admiring her work, but she locked her gaze on the group across the room because she knew them. She watched while Danny and Ellen each took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and toasted each other, but it wasn’t them that held her gaze. No, it was Sarah Flores, looking both elegant and delicious in a deep red dress, cut to show off her long, toned, gorgeous legs. Ellery sucked in a breath, unable to look away, but sure she should run as fast as she could in the other direction. Torn between desire and danger, she could only watch as Sarah lifted her glass in the air and stared directly into her eyes.

  Chapter Ten

  From the moment they’d walked into the room, the anticipation of seeing Ellery had Sarah on edge. Every time a person headed toward her, her breath hitched and then abated when she realized it was just a stranger and not the woman she was there to observe.

  Observe. You’re only here to observe and report back. Any spark of feeling she might have felt at the coffee shop must be put aside. She would compartmentalize her emotions and do her job tonight.

  “Quit looking so serious,” Danny said. “We invited you so you could have fun.”

  Sarah reached for the glass of champagne Danny offered and took a deep drink, enjoying the tingle of bubbles against her lips. “I’m having a blast,” she said in her driest tone. “Where’s your wife?”

  “She’s staking out her claim. We’ll probably go home with half of this stuff. Why do you think we got in early and got first crack at the expensive bubbly?”

  Sarah nodded. The champagne was topnotch, and she was happy to have it. She took another big swallow and glanced around the room. The gallery owner had gone all out for this show. From the dramatic lighting to the multiple staging areas, each decked out to reflect the style of the designer whose work was being displayed. No detail had been overlooked. Her survey of the room stopped abruptly when her eyes caught a block-lettered sign about thirty feet away: ELLERY DURANT. She finished her sweep of the room, but Ellery was nowhere in sight. Maybe she was going to make a late entrance. Maybe she wouldn’t be here at all. If that were the case, she’d have nothing to report to Trip, but she knew the disappointment she felt had more to do with the prospect of not seeing Ellery, the woman, than the potential of missing a chance to observe her as a suspect.

  A few moments later, Ellen rejoined them. “You two need to see the credenza I just bought. It’s amazing and everyone here is going to be very jealous they weren’t able to get their hands on it first.”

  “I hope you left something for all the other kids,” Danny said.

  Ellen swatted her with her program. “One piece of furniture. That’s it.” She turned to Sarah. “This is married life. You buy your wife an early anniversary present, but by the time you’ve been married for a year, she’s completely ungrateful.”

  “Duly noted,” Sarah said, joining in their laughter. “I can tell you two are totally on the skids.” She watched as Ellen and Danny clinked glasses, took sips of champagne, and acted all googly. All things she wanted, but didn’t have any idea how to achieve. Their happiness was at once intoxicating and painful—she couldn’t decide which so she looked away.

  Through the glass doors she could see the crowd forming. The police outside seemed to have the protestors under control, but in a few minutes the quiet showroom would be overrun with art collectors, press, and voyeurs. She should take the opportunity to look around. Her barren apartment could certainly benefit from an artistic touch. Her gaze swept the room, looking for something to catch her interest, but it was someone, not something that stopped her cold.

  She’d expected to see Ellery here. She’d counted on it, but she hadn’t expected the sudden, visceral reaction that shuddered its way through her body. Ellery was standing next to a credenza, running her hand over the surface, slowly and deliberately. Her mouth was moving, and it appeared she was talking to the women standing next to her, but her eyes were focused on the piece of furniture and all her energy went into the caress. She wore black wool trousers that draped perfectly and a cornflower blue collared shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease. Simple and elegant, she was deliciously handsome. So much so that Sarah couldn’t look away in time to avoid meeting her eyes when Ellery looked her way. Caught staring, she decided to own it and raised her glass in a toast. Ellery held her gaze for a moment and then spoke to the man standing next to her. Sarah watched their exchange, not sure why she was still staring. She started to walk away, turn her back on the distraction that was Ellery, but before she could move, Ellery was striding toward her. She took a deep breath and willed her brain to take over and jump back into work mode. She finished off the glass of champagne and handed it to a passing waiter without taking her eyes off Ellery, and by the time she was within two feet, Sarah was certain her façade of professionalism was firmly fixed.

  “I certainly didn’t expect to see you here,” Ellery said.

  Sarah didn’t rush to reply, instead watching for cues about Ellery’s current state of mind. Although most people probably wouldn’t notice, Sarah could tell by the way she ducked her head and her eyes shifted around the room, Ellery was a touch nervous. Could be she was just anxious about the show and how her work would be received. Of course, it could also be the group of protestors across the street and the police assigned to keep them at bay were an unpleasant reminder of the invasion of law enforcement into her life earlier that day. Whatever had Ellery on edge aroused Sarah’s curiosity. “I guess I could say the same about you. You’ve had a rough day, I hear.”

  Ellery’s laugh with mirthless. “Now that is the understatement of the year. My home was ransacked, my former firm was invaded, my bank accounts, credit cards, all shut down. If I sell anything tonight, I’m going to have to get Karen to pay me in cash if I’m going to be able to afford to eat tomorrow. But you feds don’t care about the very real effects of your actions on those of us who are supposedly innocent until proven guilty, do you?”

  Despite the angry tenor of her words, Ellery delivered them with measured calm. Sarah wondered if she had been as controlled in the courtroom before she made the decision to retire from her practice. Her careful manner suggested genuine thought and reflection, and if she’d projected this same demeanor during trial, she’d probably been an unstoppable force, respected by juries and her opponents alike. Sarah respected her too, but she wasn’t going to rise to the bait. “We feds don’t all work together, but you know that because you’re smart. If you don’t want to talk to me, then I’ll walk away. But I’m here because my good friends asked me to join them, and I hoped to see you.”

  Ellery’s stern expression relaxed a bit. “To tell you the truth, it’s nice to see a friendly face. You look fantastic, by the way.”

  “Like I said, I hoped to see you.” Sarah ducked her head to hide her eyes. The shameless flirting was real, but since it was also designed to disarm Ellery, she didn’t want to give away any hint of duplicity that might be reflected in her gaze. “You look pretty amazing yourself.”

  “Thank goodness none of my clothes were seized,” Ellery said with a wry smile.

  Sarah returned the smile, and for a single moment, forgot why she was really here and just enjoyed the pleasure of Ellery’s company.

  “Can I get you another glass of champagne?” Ellery offered.

  “Are you trying to get me drunk so I’ll furnish my apartment with your work?”

  “Now that would be the perfect revenge, don’t you think?”

  They laughed and Ellery stopped a waiter, picked up a glass from his tray, and handed it to Sarah. She reached to take it and their fingers touched, searing heat as they shared the weight of the glass for just a moment before Sarah broke the connection. When she finally pulled the glass toward her, the arousal she’d felt at their contact remained. She gripped the glass, willing the cold liquid to cool her libido. She was getting distracted and it felt wonderful, but she was here to do a job, not pick up a woman. Especially not thi
s woman.

  A noise sounded behind them, and they both glanced toward the front of the room. A second wave of guests surged into the room. Sarah shot a look at Ellery. Again, she appeared outwardly calm, but her clenching fists, the strain in her neck signaled she would love to run as fast and far as possible in this moment. Instinctively, Sarah reached out and squeezed Ellery’s arm. “It’s going to be fine.”

  Before Ellery could answer, a tall, ruddy middle-aged man appeared at her side. “What’s going to be fine?” he asked.

  Sarah watched as he placed his arm around Ellery’s shoulders, but his eyes were focused on Sarah, fierce and protective. The same eyes, the same stance. Sarah took only a moment to assess his role. It was hard to miss since he and Ellery looked exactly alike. She stuck out her hand. “Gordon Durant, I’m Sarah Flores. Nice to meet you.”

  His eyes bored holes into her, but she could see a glint of mischief in Ellery’s eyes, and he was forced into returning the polite gesture. She held his hand for a second longer than necessary. When she finally released her firm grip, Ellery said, “Just so you know, Dad, this is Special Agent Sarah Flores, FBI.”

  Sarah saw the corner of his mouth twitch just slightly—the only sign her title had had any affect on his composure. He recovered quickly.

  “Well, Special Agent, I think you would know better than to question my daughter without counsel.”

  “I wasn’t aware Ellery had been charged with anything.”

  “As if that’s in doubt after the events of this morning.”

  “That may be, but since Ellery has her own law degree I guess I figured she was capable of deciding whether or not to talk to me on her own.”

  Ellery watched the feisty exchange undecided about who she was rooting for. She waited for Sarah to tell him that she wasn’t here in an official capacity, that she was here with friends for a social event. At least that’s what she’d assumed, but what if she was wrong? What if Sarah’s open flirting was more about getting close to her as a suspect than a potential romantic interest? Had her time away from the law caused her to lose her edge?