by E L Bossert
“Would you mind if I run next door and see what Miss Miriam wants?” María asked as she set the groceries on the kitchen counter.
“No, go ahead. I’ll put these away.” Isabella blew María a kiss.
María hopped down the steps and hurried to her neighbor’s front door.
“What can I help you with tonight, Miss Miriam?”
“I thought you should know someone was lookin’ for you about an hour ago. Her name was Erin O’Donnell, a cop. Didn’t say she was a cop but made sure I saw the badge. Nice looking. About your age, honey. Red hair. I’ll bet she’s Irish. Drove a black car.”
“Did she say what she wanted to talk to me about?”
“She asked me to give you a note, but when I said something about your wife, Isabella, she took the note back and added the part about the ex right here.” Miss Miriam produced the note and pointed to the addition of ex- above spouse. “She acted real strange about it.”
“Thanks.” María was not surprised by Miss Miriam reading the note but had no intention of discussing her marital status with the neighbor. “Now, what do you need my help with?”
“I just promised I would give this to you the minute you came home. You go on now.” It was clear to Miss Miriam that María would not be offering any information about the note or the visit by a cop.
María returned home, shaking her head as she walked into the kitchen where Isabella had settled with a cup of tea.
“We have a problem,” María declared as she showed Isabella the note and repeated what Miss Miriam had said.
They grabbed a computer tablet, quickly finding Erin O’Donnell’s name listed as an employee of a federal law enforcement agency. Apprehension gripped them both.
“What are we going to do? Why are they looking for Jirafa?” Isabella was near tears.
“I have no idea. Now the feds think you and I are married. That does not look good at all. We need to sign these papers and file them as soon as possible. And, I need to warn Jirafa the feds were here. I don’t want her in trouble. We did not do anything wrong, but I don’t want to talk to anyone until she and I are on the same page.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s out on a job. Not due back until next week. I’ve called her a couple of times and texted her, but no response. I assumed she was off the grid, but then I saw a picture of her online. I’m positive it’s her. She was with Jamie Jordan, the actor, at an art gallery. I’ll find it.” María searched for the picture to show Isabella. “It’s definitely her, right?”
“If it’s not, then she has an identical twin. A much better dressed twin. That’s definitely her dimple. Hair’s shorter than the last time I saw her, but that’s not unusual for her. What’s she doing holding hands with Jamie Jordan at an art show?”
“Right? I don’t know, but she finds herself in some pretty interesting situations with her job. Anyway, I need to talk to her before anything else happens.”
María spent the next hour making phone calls and sending texts to mutual friends and Jirafa’s work colleagues. Finally, a colleague texted back explaining he dropped Jirafa at a diner just north of Crestwood three weeks prior. The plan was for her to meet up with a ride to a remote field study site. He heard no more so he figured she made it and was out of touch for a while. Unfortunately, he could not remember the name of the person picking her up.
“What do you think I should do?” María asked Isabella.
“This gallery is in Crestwood. Why would she still be there?”
“Why doesn’t she answer her phone or texts? None of it makes sense. And now the feds seem to be looking for her, through me.” María found a map of Crestwood on her phone app. “Depending on traffic and construction, it’s about a day’s drive.”
“Do you want to try to find her? I don’t think I can take off from work.” Isabella implicitly gave María permission to conduct a search for Jirafa.
“I’ll start out early in the morning.” María took Isabella’s hands in hers and kissed Isabella softly on the lips. “Thanks, babe, I appreciate your support. We need to clear this up.”
“It’s my future, too. Plus, now we’ll worry about her until we find out what the heck is going on.”
Isabella grabbed a suitcase from the hall closet and followed María upstairs. The cats sniffed the bag as the couple made quick work of packing clothes and essentials. María looked with deep affection at her partner of nearly two years. They had moved to their new home two months prior and María looked forward to starting a family with this beautiful, gentle woman. There was just one small detail to take care of first—finalizing her divorce from Jirafa.
Jirafa was part of the package deal when Isabella met María. While liking your partner’s wife might seem strange to other people, in this case it was the way to María’s heart. Besides, Isabella enjoyed Jirafa’s company, and Jirafa had been nothing but kind, thoughtful, and generous to her.
María pulled Isabella into her arms, instigating a long, slow kiss. There was no urgency, but there was an intention.
“Mi alma...mmmm.” María nuzzled Isabella’s neck as she lay her partner gently onto the bed. “I’ll finish packing later.”
CHIEF CALLED JAMIE late in the evening. With Max was already in bed, Jamie put Chief on speaker phone.
“Erin says this María Garcia is married, apparently not to Boo. If you are divorced, Boo, this may still be her. Otherwise, it’s not our gal. Hopefully she’ll call Erin either way. In the meantime, we’ll follow up tomorrow on some of Shon’s other leads. I’m sorry I don’t have better news.”
“Thanks, Chief. I really appreciate you trying.” Boo’s shoulders sank and her head drooped.
“Thanks, Chief. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Jamie ended the call and moved closer to Boo on the sofa. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m sure we’ll find her. I’m just confused. The address sounded familiar.” Tears of frustration filled Boo’s eyes.
Jamie stroked Boo’s head and rubbed her muscled arm until Boo finally gave in and laid her head in Jamie’s lap.
“Boo, look at me. Please?” Jamie lifted Boo’s head until their eyes made contact. “Come with me?”
Boo understood she was being invited into Jamie’s bed. She realized this was the only thing Jamie could think of at this point to comfort Boo and make sure she did not feel alone. Resisting the urge to kiss Jamie had become a daily challenge. This invitation presented the ultimate test of her self-restraint.
Seeing the conflict on Boo’s face, Jamie addressed the unspoken.
“Boo, I’m not expecting you to have sex with me. I just don’t want you to be alone tonight, and, truth be told, I don’t want to be alone tonight either. I want to hold you. Please let me?” Jamie expressed her own vulnerability in hopes Boo would stop resisting.
“Okay,” was the only word Boo could manage as she stood to follow Jamie.
Once in the bedroom, Jamie disappeared into the bathroom to wash her face and change into pajamas. When she emerged, Boo was lying, fully clothed, on top of the bed covers. Jamie lay down on the bed allowing Boo to snuggle next to her. Placing one arm under Boo’s head, Jamie pulled Boo close.
Neither woman was sure how much she would sleep. The closeness provided the comfort each sought, but also kindled the flames of attraction igniting between them.
Chapter Twenty
THE ALARM BUZZED AT four-thirty in the morning, but María was already awake and preparing to leave. Isabella made breakfast and packed a lunch, including several snack bars and homemade cookies. They shared the goodbye kiss lovers share when one must go on an unexpected journey, alone.
“I’ll call you. Te amo.” María kissed Isabella one more time and began her trip.
“I love you too,” Isabella called out as she lingered at the door.
JAMIE FELT BOO’S LIPS press against hers. Very softly at first, then with more pressure. Boo’s lips were much softer than Jamie had imagined. And she had imagined this
kiss many times. The first kiss was a sweet surprise Jamie wanted burned into her memory. It was almost as if Boo’s lips and hers were melting together.
Jamie’s eyes flew open. The time on the clock was much later than she expected. Boo was still in her arms. An overwhelming urge to wake Boo by kissing her threatened to make the dream into a reality. A deep sigh strengthened Jamie’s resolve—stealing a kiss was not an option. It would violate the trust she built with Boo. Plus, it was clear where a kiss would lead—to more kisses. And that would lead to...Jamie was trying to decide if what would follow would be tender love-making or urgent sex when Boo stirred, opening her eyes.
“Good morning,” Jamie spoke first, sounding far more casual than her aroused body felt.
“Good morning.” Boo blinked a couple of times to clear the sleep from her eyes.
Neither woman wanted to leave their embrace. Both were content to linger in the moment. Max had other plans as he entered his mother’s bedroom without knocking.
“Mom,” he whined, half asleep, “breakfast.” Max crawled into bed, snuggling against Jamie’s free side. His eyes soon settled on Boo, causing him to smile sweetly at her.
“Come on, tigre, I’ll make us something.” Boo reached across Jamie’s torso to tousle Max’s hair. She then rolled out of bed, gently lifted Max up into her arms, and walked toward the kitchen. Max reached up to run his hand through Boo’s hair as she kissed his forehead.
Jamie watched the display of obvious affection between the two. Her heart was lost. She was falling deeper in love as the scenes of perfectly ordinary, yet joyful domesticity played out each day with Boo.
Jamie forced herself out of bed and followed the sounds of breakfast preparations. The morning routine had begun. This ritual would end sooner or later, one way or another, but for now it enveloped them in the comfort of knowing what happens next.
“I need to spend some time in the office today,” Jamie jump started the conversation. “I have to start thinking about what my next project will be.”
Boo stared into her cereal bowl, uninterested in its contents. It seemed that everyone else’s life was moving forward except hers. A feeling of being adrift washed over her.
Picking up on Boo’s mood, Jamie devised an impromptu plan for the day.
“Boo, I was wondering if you would do me a big favor? Mom and Dad are headed to Fairfield later this morning for a couple of meetings. Max really likes the children’s museum there. How would you feel about taking Max there today? If you’re up for it. It can be loud and chaotic.”
“Really?” Boo perked up.
“Max, would you like to go to the children’s museum in Fairfield today?”
“Yes!”
“I don’t think we can disappoint him now.” Jamie shrugged innocently. “I’ll call Mom and Dad. I really appreciate this. And Max does too. Right, Max?”
“Yes!”
Boo looked at Jamie for a moment. Jamie was obviously doing her a favor, not the other way around. “Are you sure? I mean, what do I do if someone recognizes him as your kid or something happens?”
“Boo—number one, Max doesn’t get recognized unless he is with me or someone in the family. Otherwise, he looks just like every other kid. In this case, everyone will assume he’s your child or you’re a relative. Number two, I trust you. It’s very clear you and I feel the same about Max—we’d give our life to protect him. Number three, if you need help, there are a lot of staff at the museum, and Mom and Dad will be a phone call away. I am totally comfortable with this.”
Jamie dialed her phone, making arrangements with her parents to pick up Boo and Max in an hour. Jamie would meet them in Crestwood in the late afternoon for dinner. It was the perfect plan. After ending the call, Jamie walked around the kitchen table to kiss Max on the head. Lifting Max’s face, she zeroed in on him with stern eyes.
“Max, you need to stay with Boo today. You must not run off for any reason. If you need to go somewhere, you must take Boo with you. I am trusting you to bring Boo back home to me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mom, I’ll bring Boo home. I promise.”
“Okay, now go find some clothes and let me see them before you put them on. And bring me your backpack so we can put some stuff in it.” Jamie sent Max off to his room with a pat on his butt.
Boo was amused by the way Jamie handled Max until Jamie turned on her.
Jamie walked around the table and kissed Boo on the head. She lifted Boo’s face, eyes zeroed in on her target.
“Boo, you need to stay with Max and you must not run off for any reason. I am trusting both of you to come back home to me. Do you understand?” Jamie wanted to seal the lecture with a kiss on Boo’s lips but resisted.
“Yes, ma’am. I promise we will both come home to you.”
“Good. I love you both and I need you both here with me at the end of the day.” The word love escaped Jamie’s lips before she could censor herself, but she realized she did not want to take it back. Although the sentiment was safer linked as it was to Max, the feeling was one she wanted to express to Boo.
“We love you, too, and we will not fail in our mission.” Boo’s mischievous look deepened her dimple. “I will find some clothes. Do you want to see them before I put them on?”
Jamie’s internal response was, I want to see you putting them on and then take them off of you. Her external response was deadpan.
“I trust you, but please do not mix paisley with plaid. And put a hat on. Apparently that is all you need to disguise yourself.”
As Boo passed, Jamie patted her on the butt, too. After Boo left the room, Jamie exhaled, realizing she needed to watch herself more closely. She was acting more and more flirty with someone else’s wife. She would not want another woman flirting with Boo if Boo were her wife. And, while Jamie was trying to keep it all in good fun, there was intention behind the words she passed off as joking.
MARÍA SPENT PART OF her drive on the phone calling people who Jirafa was likely to be in contact with. No one had heard from her in several weeks but that was typical when Jirafa was out in the field working. Jirafa often traveled to remote locations, plus she would take off on back country hikes for several days at a time. She was not reckless, just out of contact for long stretches of time.
María finally reached someone from the field site where Jirafa was supposed to arrive three weeks prior. Jirafa had not shown up, but no one thought much of it, assuming she had been delayed or was at another job site. The person María talked with did not remember who was scheduled to pick up Jirafa in Crestwood.
“So we know she does not have her truck, she was dropped off in Crestwood, but we don’t know who was supposed to pick her up,” María said, filling Isabella in on the day’s conversations. “We know she has a job she should be working on, but we don’t know why she has not shown up. And we don’t know why she seems to still be in Crestwood.”
“We do know she’s still alive and apparently she’s done some clothes shopping.” Isabella was always looking on the bright side. “Maybe she met somebody, fell in love, and decided to stay in Crestwood.”
“Yea, right,” María couldn’t help but adopt a somewhat sarcastic tone, “that would be totally out of character for her to just give up her work. She’s not independently wealthy, and I’m not sure there’s a woman who could compete with her passion for her work.” María had firsthand knowledge of how dedicated Jirafa was to her work, often to the detriment of personal relationships. Even though it was long past, María could still be cautious in her relationship with Isabella because of her experience with Jirafa.
“That’s true.” Isabella understood María’s tone. “I guess when you find her you’ll find out what happened. The more important thing is to find her before the feds do, just in case.”
“I’m still a couple of hours away. I’ll check at the diner where she was dropped off. I guess I could try to contact Jamie Jordan, but I doubt her phone number is listed. And it’s not like I
can go to the cops and file a missing person report when her picture is posted online. We know where she is, we just don’t know why she’s out of touch.”
“Okay, text me when you get there. Anda con cuidado, mi amor.”
“COULDN’T SHE HAVE MARRIED someone named Oriwennla Xaelvette Zuriaria?” Shon’s search for the elusive María Garcia resulted in an exasperated tone.
“You better search and make sure you’re not making fun of someone’s real name.” Jamie felt a similar, but more aching frustration.
“I can’t believe she wasn’t the right one. She’s the closest match we have. I sent some other possibilities to Chief, but none of them look good enough to follow up on. Do you think Boo just forgot about being divorced?” Shon sat back in their chair to think.
“Anything is possible, but she seems sure she’s still married. And the comment online indicated an expectation to see Boo next week, so we assume someone is expecting her to be somewhere. Have there been any more comments?” Jamie asked.
“Not that I have seen but there are tens of thousands of comments. There’s no way to read them all. I searched for phrases. Plus, things are re-posted all over. We’ll never see most of the things people post.”
“Take a break, Shon. We need to be patient. Next week, we will do another appearance.”
“It might start to look like you two are really an item.” Shon unconvincingly attempted to conceal a grin.
Jamie ignored Shon’s comment to avoid denying it. She was busy making a list of issues she wanted to speak with her agent about, and Boo was not on the list. Jamie had submitted a short read on video for one of the meetings she cancelled earlier in the week. Her agent was working on the endorsement deal. Finally, there was a film project she was intrigued by, but she wanted more information about the production team and who would be directing before she expressed interest.
