“After twelve hours in that crappy mall, I hate Christmas already.” TJ threw her coat aside and walked into his embrace, loving the comforting feel of him.
“Babe, I know you aren’t a big fan of the holidays, so I took it upon myself and did the decorating so you wouldn’t have to. JR helped me pick out the tree.”
“You actually went out in the stores today?”
“The hardware store in the village was selling artificial trees at half price until eleven a.m. We got a real bargain. And the tree has its own lights, so there are no strings to fight with every year.”
She noticed her one-year-old son asleep in his net-enclosed playpen, which was parked near the other side of the tree. She stepped out of Richard’s embrace. “Wait a minute. What’s JR doin’ sleepin’ in his playpen?”
“I was going to tell you about that.”
“I bet you were.” She grinned and leaned into the playpen to kiss her son’s cheek. “Can that story wait until I have a hot shower and a glass of wine in hand?”
He kissed her and went back to the recliner.
When TJ came out of the shower in a fluffy white robe, he was waiting for her with two flutes of bubbly liquid. She reached for a glass of champagne. “What’s the occasion?”
“I thought since we didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving together, we could celebrate tonight.” Because of the last-minute mall duty, TJ hadn’t been able to go to Chicago with Richard and JR to spend Thanksgiving with his parents.
“Hope that twinkle in your eye doesn’t mean you think I got energy for anything more strenuous than raisin’ this glass.” They touched glasses. She grinned and took a sip, savoring the feel of the tart, tingly liquid in her mouth. “Thanks, this is great.”
“Don’t worry—no strings attached. I’m as beat as you are. JR and I have been busy as you can see.” He sunk into the sofa and pulled her next to him.
“So what’s with the sleepin’ quarters next to the tree?”
“Our son loves the lights. Once I plugged them in, he was totally mesmerized. I couldn’t get him out of sight of them, even for supper. We ate in here on TV trays.”
“Don’t tell me that’s the only way you could get him to go to bed.”
“Yeah . . . Wish I didn’t have to tell you that.”
“Haven’t you been a parent long enough to know you created a real pain in the ass for us?”
“I didn’t create it, TJ. It just happened. JR loves Christmas.”
“Yeah, right. Like he even knows what it’s all about. Guess I don’t care about it much cause me and Janine didn’t get any of it when we were kids.”
He gave her a sympathetic hug. “I took him to the Catholic Church over on seventy-sixth, they have the Nativity scene out. I told JR all about the true meaning of Christmas.”
“You did? You never used to give a crap about all that, either.”
“It’s different now that we have JR, don’t you think? I want our son to experience all of the traditions.”
Being a father brought out something in Richard that TJ had never seen before, and she decided JR sleeping in the living room wasn’t worth arguing about. For the time being, the boy was happy. Before she’d gotten the bad news about working the mall, they had planned for today, the day after Thanksgiving, to be a family day and to make it special for JR. Richard had done that for their son without her help.
“Gotta tell you about somethin’ that happened today at the mall.”
“Something other than nabbing shoplifters?”
“Yeah, there were plenty of those. No, somethin’ weird happened.” She told him about Rina Petretti and her niece, spinning it to make herself seem less like a PI trying to suck up to a possible client and more like a Good Samaritan.
“Wow.” Richard rubbed his face and poured them more champagne. “You have a way of finding trouble, don’t you?”
“What do you mean, trouble? Petretti is strictly legit now. She could be a good client or maybe a contact for me.”
“Just because she hasn’t gone down for anything doesn’t mean she’s on the straight and narrow. You know that her name’s come up now and then in relation to organized crime in this city.”
TJ thought she should have expected that reaction from Richard, who was a Milwaukee police detective. That was how they’d met, back when TJ was a cop. Back then, she’d never heard anything untoward about Petretti’s business dealings. Granted that was years before, but the woman was related to people who were offenders, so she was a prime target for gossip. And TJ might never hear from Petretti, so why fight about it? “Made me wonder, though, you know? Somethin’ bad happened to that girl and her aunt didn’t want it reported.”
“It’s probably just what it looks like, Babe. The girl is on drugs. Of course Petretti would want to keep it quiet and not have her or her family linked to anything drug related.”
“But why the hospital gown? If she was in rehab somewhere she’d be in street clothes.”
“Unless Petretti reports a crime, there isn’t much we can do about it, is there?” He took the empty champagne flute from her hand. “Let’s go to bed while we can still get a decent night’s sleep. I’ve got the baby monitor by the tree.”
“Better turn off those lights now.” She turned to walk to the bedroom.
“I forgot to show you—watch this.” Richard reached toward the electrical outlet powering the Christmas tree lights. The twinkling bulbs slowly dimmed to tiny, barely-noticeable points of light. “If our boy wakes up, he’ll see lights.”
TJ rolled her eyes, too tired to opine on how ridiculous she found all the Christmas rituals.
4
By the following Monday, Lisa had talked to Eric about Bart Kosik’s article, and they agreed it was best to ignore it. At the end of her afternoon as a volunteer counselor at the Women’s Center, Lisa was finishing her paperwork and mentally planning the dinner menu when her cell phone rang.
“You in Oconomowoc or in town?” TJ asked.
“They needed me in town today. Why?”
“Can you be at my office by five?”
“I can, but what’s up?”
“I got a new client coming in. She wants you to be there, too.”
“Me. Why?”
“Long story. Woulda told you about it before but didn’t think anything would come of it. If you can get here early, I’ll fill you in.”
“I’m intrigued. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
They met in the conference room of TJ’s office where a carafe of coffee and a plate of freshly baked chocolate cookies were set out. TJ’s cheeks were pink in her mocha complexion from the heat of the oven. Her mother’s second husband, TJ’s father, had been both Hispanic and Asian, which combined with her mother’s African American background, had given TJ her exotic looks. No one knew how she’d inherited her lovely purple-blue eyes, but TJ had told Lisa she suspected her mother’s own gene pool hadn’t been all that pure. TJ’s sister Janine, the product of their mother’s first marriage, reflected more traditional African American characteristics, dark eyes and a chocolate complexion.
“This must be an important client if you’re serving refreshments,” Lisa said.
“Could be very important, but Richard’s not real happy about it. We aren’t exactly on the same page about her.”
“Who is it?” Lisa couldn’t imagine whom TJ’s detective husband would object to.
TJ explained about finding the girl in the mall and her encounter with Rina Petretti and Dr. Worthington. “I figure she wants me to find out what happened to the girl.”
“Doesn’t her niece remember what happened to her?”
“She didn’t say, but what else could it be? The girl must have been missing for a while. Richard checked it out for me; Petretti never filed a missing-persons report.”
“I wonder why she wants me to be here.” The only possibility that made sense to Lisa was if the woman felt her niece needed therapy after a traumatic event.
>
“Kid must need a shrink,” TJ said.
“How old did you say the girl was?”
“Nineteen. She’s a student at Madison, second year.”
When, minutes later, they heard footsteps in the outer office, Lisa waited for TJ to bring Petretti into the conference room.
The woman had a force of presence like no one Lisa had ever met. Rina Petretti walked like a queen waiting for her subjects to curtsy—or kiss her ring. Her posture carried her tall frame with nearly military precision although there was nothing remotely masculine about her. Her shiny, off-black hair was pulled back from her face and clipped at the crown of her head, the back loose to her shoulder blades. Her age could have been anywhere from forty to sixty.
TJ made the introductions. As soon as they were all seated and refreshments offered, Petretti said, “I don’t believe in small talk, so I’ll get right to the purpose of my visit. I want to hire you, both of you. You are exactly who I need to help me out right now.”
Lisa couldn’t help admiring Petretti’s outfit. She wore a short cape of camel cashmere edged with soft fringe over a cream-colored ribbed turtleneck. A black pencil skirt reached to the middle of a pair of polished-leather mahogany boots. She said, “If you think we’re what you need because of our part in solving that missing-women case last year, we need to explain to you that was a one-time thing.”
A disapproving frown gathered on TJ’s face.
“That may be true,” Rina replied, “but you managed to do something the police could not; you brought to light what happened to those poor women. I can only imagine how hard you must have had to work to get the police departments on your side. I want to know what happened to Kelsey. I believe that is something you could do for me and for my niece.” Petretti met TJ’s gaze. “ She was missing for nearly three days. Find out who took her and what they did to her.”
“What did your doctor say? Lisa asked. “Was she drugged?”
“He believes she was anesthetized. For what purpose, he has no idea. She is in good health apparently and appears not to have been abused in any way, but she is no longer the same girl who left for school in September.”
“Can’t she tell you what happened?” TJ asked.
“Kelsey has no idea where she was during that time or have any recollection of what happened to her. The last thing she remembers is being in her apartment on Tuesday, studying for final exams. I had no idea she was missing until you called me. I’m worried that she may still be in danger and cannot let her go back to Madison without knowing she will be safe.”
“She wants to go back?” Lisa asked.
“Yes. You know how young people are. They give little thought to their mortality. Kelsey does not want to think about what happened. She feels that if she doesn’t remember it, then we should let it go. She refuses to miss school. She is an ambitious girl but naive.”
“Surely the school would let her finish her exams from home. There couldn’t be much left of the semester.”
“She only missed one final exam. They are making arrangements for her to take it this week, but I don’t want her returning to that apartment. I want someone to accompany her for the test and see that she comes right home.”
“She gonna be okay with that?” TJ asked.
Petretti shrugged. “I cannot let her be on her own until I am sure there is no longer a threat. I have a security service I use. They were supposed to be keeping an eye on her and they let me down. I want you to find out what happened to my niece.”
“I can do that,” TJ said. “When do you want me to start?”
“As soon as possible. You’ll want to talk to Kelsey so I will bring her to you in the morning.”
She turned to Lisa. “And I want you to talk with her. My niece is not accepting that something is wrong. She is changed. I want my girl back the way she was, happy and enjoying her life.”
“Maybe she just needs more time,” Lisa suggested.
“I do not want to wait and find out later that I missed an opportunity to make her whole again. Talk to her. Find out what she needs to get back to being herself.”
“Is she agreeable to working with a therapist?” Lisa asked.
“Yes,” Rina said, her chin firm.
Lisa had a sudden impression of a girl who had been protected and indulged by a loving but domineering aunt. “I can’t do anything for Kelsey if she doesn’t want my help.”
“I’ve read about you. You work with women who are abused. I know about these women. My sister, Kelsey’s mother, is one of them. I imagine you work with many women who think they are ‘not ready’ for your help. I believe you can get through to her.”
Lisa didn’t share her confidence. “If you can convince her to come in to see me, I’ll talk to her. But when I do, Kelsey will be my patient with all that comes with it, namely, confidentiality.”
“I know how therapy works, Ms. Rayburn.” Rina rose from her chair. “Then it is settled. I’ll bring Kelsey in to talk to you tomorrow also.” She opened a tan Coach bag, pulled out a check and laid it on the table in front of TJ. “A retainer. That should cover your initial expenses. Bill me when you need more.”
When the door closed behind Rina, Lisa asked, “Sure you want to do this?”
“Size o’ this retainer?” She waved the check. “Spot on. An’ you know I love this kinda stuff. Think we should talk to the girl together the first time?”
“No. Kelsey needs to feel that whatever she tells me is in confidence.”
“Right. I’ll have to tell you everything and you won’t be able to give me squat.”
“That’s about it. But I plan to discuss that with her and try to get her to give me permission to talk to you about anything that I think may help find out what happened to her. She’ll have to sign a Release of Information form.” Lisa paused a second.
“TJ, have you considered that the girl may know what happened to her but not want to reveal it for some reason?”
5
The resemblance between Kelsey Blasko and her Aunt Rina ended with their long, dark-brown hair. Her demeanor not only lacked the confidence exhibited by the older woman, but Kelsey had a lack of affect that Lisa found troubling. She offered the young woman tea or coffee, and then led her to the twin chairs in front of the bay window facing Pewaukee Lake.
“My aunt wanted me to see you,” Kelsey said. “She thinks I need therapy.”
“And you don’t agree with her?” Lisa asked.
“She thinks you can make me remember things that I would rather stay forgotten. I mean, whatever happened to me . . . It can’t be good, can it?”
“Kelsey, what is the last thing you do remember before you were returned to your aunt?”
Kelsey lifted her teacup and sipped. “Everyone keeps asking me that.”
“That’s because your last memory is a good starting point.”
“The answer is rather boring. I was home by myself on Tuesday. Nothing foreboding happened, and there was no hint that something untoward was about to occur.”
“Go on,” Lisa encouraged.
“I share an apartment in Madison with another woman. Whitney works nights as a waitress at a restaurant downtown, that one next to the new hotel. I’m a student, so I’m able to study at night without interruptions. That’s what I was doing that day, studying for my last final.”
“And you don’t remember going out?”
“No. I only remember being home that day, sitting at my desk. Whitney wasn’t around.”
“What is your field of study?”
“I’m going to be a veterinarian, specializing in large animals. Horses, mostly.”
“I understand you’re quite an accomplished equestrian.”
A small smile graced her pale lips. “Yes. My aunt raises show horses. Saddlebreds. I cover the show circuit with her in the summer. She has a wonderful stable and an excellent collection of horses. I handle most of the horses’ care. Of course, we have a regular veterinarian that comes
around once a month or if there’s an emergency.”
“Your love of horses is a wonderful thing for you and your aunt to share.” Since the girl appeared more relaxed, Lisa asked, “Do you remember anything unusual happening recently?”
“Not really.”
“How about your health? Any changes?”
She shrugged. “I haven’t been feeling real good, but this semester is high stress for me because a lot is riding on it. Not everyone gets accepted into the vet program. It’s popular now so you practically need the same grades as a med student to get into a good school. I don’t have much of a life other than studying.”
“When you say you weren’t feeling well, what was going on?”
“Just tired, I guess.”
What Kelsey described was nothing that a tough semester couldn’t explain. “And now that you’re back home how do you feel?”
“Still stressed. I have to take that last exam.”
“You have it scheduled though, right?”
“Yes, I’ll be taking it this week.”
“Kelsey, your aunt feels that you’ve changed, that you don’t seem like yourself since coming home. Do you agree with her?”
“Rina doesn’t see me very often when I’m at school. This is what I’m like. She doesn’t understand how much pressure I’m under. I’m not one of those students who can be out partying every night and still keep up her grades. I’m basically a B student who has to make A grades in order to make the cut.”
Lisa noticed Kelsey hadn’t really answered the question. “So you don’t feel any different?”
She shrugged. “Actually, I feel better than I have in a while. I even had enough energy to go out for a run this morning.”
If the girl hadn’t been exercising, it didn’t show on her lean frame. She stood about five foot seven inches and couldn’t have weighed much more than one hundred ten pounds.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No, no boyfriend. The only men I have much to do with are the ones in my study group. And they’re just as serious about their studies as I am.”
Girl Undone (TJ Peacock & Lisa Rayburn Mysteries Book 3) Page 2