Uncorked

by Rebecca Rohman

  “Detective? It’s Mitch. What’s so urgent?”

  “The fact that you’re asking me that tells me you’re not in San Diego.”

  “No, we’re not. We’re out of the country. We’re on our way back home now, but we won’t be arriving until tomorrow.”

  “Jade is dead.”

  “What?”

  “It’s all over the news, and it’s caused discussions about Ms. Noon’s case to hit the national media.”

  “How was she killed?”

  “It’s under investigation. Possible suicide.”

  “How did this get on the news? I’m sure prisoners die every day.”

  “Someone obviously leaked the information. With the cross-section of people who would know this information, it’s hard to say who.”

  “Unbelievable. So what happens next?”

  “An autopsy will be conducted within the next couple of days. Hopefully, we’ll know more then.”

  “Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Just be aware—there are reporters outside both your offices. They haven’t yet figured out where Ms. Noon lives.”

  “Thanks for the warning.”

  Seconds after he ended the call, Chella returned.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I was just thinking. Maybe we should get off on our layover in L.A. I’d like to see Emily. I have to travel sometime next week; I’d like to see her before I leave for an extended period of time. Besides that, I don’t want to leave you alone right now.”

  “Sure. I’m not sure whether or not I should see her, though.”

  “We can discuss that when we get there. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay with that.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “By the way, the magazine is out. They made you their cover story.”

  “Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. I’m not sure I wanted that much publicity.”

  He held her hand, pulling her to sit close to him. “We might need it.”

  “Why? You say that like something’s wrong.”

  “Sweetheart, Jade is dead.”

  “What?”

  “She was killed in prison. They’re not sure yet if it was a homicide or a suicide, but she’s dead. Someone leaked the information to the press. Her story, and yours, is all over the news.”

  “Oh, God,” she replied burying her face in her hands. “When will they have more information?”

  “The autopsy will be within the next couple of days.”

  “Mitch, if this is a murder, this is getting more serious by the second.”

  “Don’t get carried away with your thoughts. If we have to deal with that possibility, let’s do it when we have the facts.”

  They arrived in L.A. by late evening. After settling into a hotel, Mitch called Charlotte and his mother to let them know he was in town.

  The following day after a long discussion, Mitch convinced Chella to go horseback riding with Charlotte and her family, or at least to go for the beautiful scenic drive. She wasn’t sure Dr. Suarez would approve of the activity. She brought along a book so she could read while he went riding with the kids.

  When Emily saw Chella, the little girl ran toward her and wrapped her arms around her neck in a warm embrace.

  “Chella, I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’m happy to see you, too.”

  “Here… I made this for you.” She said, pulling a necklace made of frosted glass from her pocket.

  “Wow, it’s beautiful. You did a wonderful job.”

  “Micky and I loved your Christmas present. We’ve made so many things together,” she said, slipping the necklace over Chella’s head.

  “I was hoping the two of you would spend lots of time together making fun stuff.”

  “We did.”

  “So you feel better? Back to normal?”

  “Yes. Do you want to feel the bump on my head from the operation?”

  “No, Sweetie,” Chella replied, smiling at her. “Why don’t you run along and meet the rest so you can go riding.”

  “You’re not coming?”

  “No, Sweetheart. I’m not feeling too well, but I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Aren’t you going to be bored?”

  “I have all these beautiful views to look at and a great book to read, so I’ll see you when you get back. Okay?”

  “Okay, Chella. Have fun.”

  Chella curled up with a blanket on a few stacks of hay and read her book. Ten minutes later, she was interrupted by Charlotte’s voice.

  “Hey, Chella. Care to join me for drinks at the restaurant?”

  “Sure. I didn’t even know there was a restaurant here.”

  “The views there are even better than over here,” Charlotte said as they walked. “It’s nice to see you again, Chella. I’m glad you and Mitch were able to work things out.”

  “Thanks. It was really great seeing Emily again.”

  As they were seated, Charlotte said, “Chella, I know about the photos. I’m so sorry.”

  “How did you find out?”

  “I was out of town a couple days ago. I had a layover in San Diego and saw the story you did with that magazine.”

  “I guess it’s just a matter of time before everyone knows.”

  “It took guts to do that interview.”

  “I’d like to take responsibility for that, but I didn’t feel like I had a choice. It was either that or let them make up their own stories.”

  “In my practice, I represent mostly women. I know that wasn’t an easy decision. So many women in your position would have left.”

  “Trust me, that crossed my mind.”

  “The point is you stayed, and you’re fighting this.”

  Chella smiled at her. “Thanks for your support. I never expected you and I would share this type of a relationship.”

  “I think you’re a great person.”

  “That’s a kind thing to say, Charlotte. So why are you sitting with me instead of riding with your family?”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Charlotte’s words were a lead cloak to Chella’s spirit. She wanted to congratulate her, but her body was consumed with raw emotion and jealousy. Tears stung her eyes and nose.

  “Chella, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Congratulations. You must be so excited.” Finally able to get words out, it took every amount of strength within Chella to smile.

  “Chella, I can tell when something wrong. I’m trained to read people’s body language.”

  After a deep breath, Chella responded shakily, “I… I had a miscarriage a week ago.”

  Charlotte closed her eyes as she gasped. “Chella, I’m so sorry. If I had known—”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m sorry for the way I reacted. I didn’t expect to feel this way.”

  “George and I lost a baby about two years ago. I know how it feels.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s why I’m avoiding riding. I know this is hard right now, but trust me when I tell you you’ll get through this.”

  That night, Liz invited them for dinner. She had been beyond polite to Chella, and Chella was starting to feel that maybe Liz was being honest. Perhaps her apology had been sincere.

  Emily said a lovely prayer before the meal. Liz and Emily immediately got into deep conversation about her day riding, but Chella and Mitch sat in a comfortable silence while they ate.

  Chella couldn’t help but think about her conversation with Charlotte earlier. She had been really stressed out with the loss of their baby, Jade’s death and everything surrounding it, and it bothered her that she couldn’t get over feeling like a failure.

  She had never felt insecure before. Mitch never gave her reason to, but old, familiar fears crept back, and she questioned whether Mitch would still want to be with her because she couldn’t carry a child to term. Her eyes welled up with tears. All she could think was, God, please don’t let them fall.... Please don’t let
them fall...

  Mitch looked at Chella across the table. Apart from one or two bites she had eaten, she was mostly pushing food around her plate. She seemed to be in another world, completely absent from what was going on at the table.

  He reached over and put his hand on hers. As their eyes met, a single tear plummeted down her face. He didn’t want to draw everyone’s attention to her, so he gave a supportive squeeze and said nothing. She quietly excused herself from the table. A few minutes later, he knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Chell, Sweetheart, open the door. They’re out by the pool. We’re alone.”

  Chella hesitated for a few minutes, making sure there was no trace of her crying. She opened the door and he embraced her. Her hand in his, he led the way to a chaise in the living room.

  “Sweetheart, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m okay. I’m just letting my thoughts get the better of me.”

  “Come on, Chell. You have to talk to me. Tell me.”

  “I’m a little overwhelmed.”

  Leaning over and taking her in his arms, he kissed her head and said, “Chella, you know you can tell me anything, right? Trust me.”

  “I’m feeling a little bit insecure and inadequate right now,” she said sadly, overcome by the moment and the events of the last few weeks. “It’s not your fault. I let some negative thoughts get to me, that’s all.”

  “Is this about the baby?”

  “It’s about everything—the baby, Aaron, Jade, Charlotte. In so many ways, I feel like such a failure.”

  “Chella, you’re far from a failure. None of this is your fault.”

  “I know that. Right now, I’m an emotional basket case. It’s easy to let negative thoughts get the better of you when a lot of things are going wrong.”

  “Everything works out the way it’s supposed to. As much as I’d like us to have a child someday, if I found out this second we’d never be able to have a child, I’d still want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you.”

  “I love you, too. I don’t want you to worry about me. I need to work on myself.”

  “Chell, I’ll always worry about you. Just promise me that you won’t shut me out.”

  “I won’t. I promise,” she replied as he reassured her with a big hug.

  It concerned Mitch that Chella was still bleeding up until now, and she still occasionally had cramps. He knew in the coming weeks, he’d have to delicately balance being there for Chella, being there for his daughter and spending time in Sacramento on the development he was working on. Chella would always tell him she was okay, even if she was dying inside, and she’d always convince him to be there for Emily, but he was determined to make this work somehow.

  As he helped his mom clear the dishes, Detective Carter called.

  “I have some information, but I can’t talk over the phone. When can we meet?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “What was it? How did Jade die?” Mitch asked Detective Carter after he arrived at Chella’s place the next day.

  “Suicide.”

  “Didn’t she leave a letter that might have indicated it was suicide when she was found?”

  “She did, but she swallowed it. During the autopsy, three letters were found in her stomach. They were all wrapped in plastic wrap.”

  “Three?” Mitch asked.

  “One to her mother, one to the police, and one to you, Ms. Noon.”

  “Me? What did it say?”

  “I’ve made you a copy so you can see for yourself,” he said, handing her the sheet of paper.

  “Why would she swallow it?” Chella asked, glancing at the paper. She decided to read it when she had privacy.

  “I guess she wanted to ensure we got it. One of the letters suggested that Aaron didn’t want her to testify. Maybe she was afraid he would hurt her or have her killed. In all honesty, there is enough evidence to convict him without her testimony. In her letter, she said she’d rather die than spend another day in jail.”

  “Did they reveal anything new?” Chella asked.

  “They’re all being vetted right now. She gave details about everything. Your parents’ death, too. The El Salvadorian police found the driver of the truck that killed your parents and are questioning him now.”

  “Was Aaron responsible for their death?”

  “More and more, it’s looking that way. I have to get the FBI and Internal Affairs involved because the cover up of your parents’ death went beyond his brother.”

  “Won’t the officers involved target you? By going to the FBI and Internal Affairs, doesn’t that put you in danger?”

  “It could, but most of the people involved are retired now.”

  “What do you need us to do?” Mitch asked.

  “Keep this information to yourselves. I have to handle this carefully.”

  “Is Aaron going to pay for this?” asked Chella. “Because I have to tell you, I don’t trust Samantha Marlow anymore. The last time we spoke, she seemed so nonchalant. It was almost as if she didn’t care. She thought Jade agreeing to a plea of twenty years was a great deal.”

  “I can’t comment on that, but I can’t see how it’s possible now, with all the evidence we have, that Aaron Stewart could spend another day of his life out of jail.”

  “We hope you’re right, Detective,” Mitch said. “Thanks for taking the time to come by.”

  After the detective left, Chella sat next to Mitch on the sofa and read Jade’s letter.

  Chella

  For years, I loved Aaron. For years, I had to hear him obsess over you. When this all started, I was doing this because I hoped if I showed him how much I loved him, he’d love me back. After a time, I realized that I was doing this for me, too. I hated you. You were the one who took him away from me. I thought if I finally got rid of you, he would see me. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him. I was never you… Then after, when he was arrested, he offered me money. I had to help. For two years, I’ve been helping my mother battle cancer, and I needed the money.

  You were never the problem. You were always good to me, but I couldn’t see beyond my hatred for you.

  For that, I am sorry.

  Jade

  “I can’t believe she hated me that much,” Chella finally said.

  “Jealousy can drive people to do crazy things.”

  “Her mother must be devastated. She never told me anything about her family or her mother’s health. Maybe I could have helped her. Maybe I still could.”

  “You’d do that? After all her daughter has done?”

  “She’s not responsible for Jade’s actions. Things might have been different if Jade had said something. It’s sad that she hated me that much. That being said, it looks like she’s the one who’s going to help the police solve my parent’s case and put Aaron behind bars for good.”

  “You continue to amaze me, Chella Noon.”

  After the news of Jade’s suicide sank in, Mitch and Chella now had to deal with the press. The distractions helped take her mind off the miscarriage, but it wasn’t like these issues were rosy to deal with, either. Their lawyers crafted a press release and sent it out to the media. By afternoon, all the reporters had left Mitch’s office.

  Late evening came and Chella had the guts to turn on her cell phone and open her email. She was shocked at the number of emails and messages of support she had received from friends, acquaintances and business associates. Through all this adversity, she had managed to get some idea of where her life was heading.

  A week later, she received a letter from Samantha Marlow informing her a court date for the trial was set. In two weeks, Chella was due in court. She was the state’s star witness.

  The weekend before the trial, Mitch and Chella spent a quiet weekend together, lounging by her pool. They even went out to watch a movie. On Saturday evening, they made a quick appearance at a cocktail party hosted by one of Mitch’s clients. Many people approached her, including people she didn’t know
. They had read her story and offered words of encouragement.

  By Sunday night, Chella had become so nervous about the beginning of the trial, she was sick to her stomach. She had already thrown up twice that night before bed. She was extremely restless, and after only a couple of hours of sleep, she was in the bathroom again.

  Mitch awoke to the sounds of Chella vomiting again in the bathroom. However, this time, it was accompanied by trembling and sweating. After checking on Chella, Mitch ran her a hot bubble bath and turned on the fireplace in the bathroom. It was a little chillier than usual that night, but he knew her trembling had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with the trial the following morning. He made her a cup of lavender tea to help calm her. Within half an hour, she appeared to have relaxed quite a bit. He helped her get dressed and put her to bed.

  The following morning, Chella was still nervous but without any obvious physical reactions. Before they left the house, Mitch convinced her to eat half of a croissant cheese sandwich and drink some fruit juice.

  Whether it was the fact that Chella was going to face Aaron, or the fact that personal issues about her life were going to be exposed, or the fact that she was the star witness in the trial, or that the man who would be sitting a few feet from her had concocted her death, she was having a hard time getting rid of the horrific feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  Chella and Mitch drove in silence to the courthouse. Mitch looked into her eyes and could tell how scared she was. He held her hand.

  “Sweetheart, this is all going to work out. You’re going to be fine. No matter what happens, I promise I’m going to be there for you.”

  She smiled softly but said nothing. He held her hand as they walked into the courthouse. At the courtroom, Miss Marlow and two other state lawyers were already there.

  When Miss Marlow saw them, she introduced them to the other attorneys. They exchanged pleasantries. Soon after, their lawyers reviewed with Chella and Mitch what they’d discussed while prepping her for the proceedings.