A Touch of Murder

by Donna Raider

  “I am certain you have relatives that you would like to invite to the wedding, so you will need to go over the invitation list with Jennifer and Sara.”

  “Sara Cross.” Elbert frowned as if recalling something from the depths of his mind. “Isn’t she that research scientist who has done remarkable things with DNA and stem cell research?” He turned to his wife. “Honey, she was that gorgeous blonde doctor they did that documentary on. The one that is going to be working with the World Health Organization.”

  “Is our daughter marrying that Sara Cross?” Rose’s eyes sparkled at the thought of having two internationally renowned doctors in the family.

  “Yes.” Mika nodded. “We’re very proud of Sara and Jennifer. Perhaps you could come to New York by the end of the week. That would give us time to show you around and plan for the wedding too.”

  “Priest Mika Cross, you are the priest who led the movement to do away with celibacy in the Catholic Church.” Elbert’s eyes narrowed as he studied the beautiful woman. His gaze shifted slowly to Leah. “I can see why.” He grinned mischievously.

  Mika blushed, endearing herself to Rose and Leah.

  “I am,” Mika admitted.

  “We were going to talk to Jennifer tonight.” Rose smiled. “We’ll tell her we can be in New York on Friday. Will that give us enough time?”

  “That will be perfect.” Leah smiled, lighting up the room. The alarm went off on her watch. “Oh, I am afraid we must run. Our flight leaves in an hour and a half. We have just enough time to make it.”

  “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Mika held out her hand to Elbert. After shaking hands with the man, she turned to Rose, who threw her arms around her and gave her a big hug. Mika hugged her back.

  Leah wasn’t a hugger, except for her family, but she hugged both Elbert and Rose and told them she was looking forward to spending more time with them.

  As the Jordons walked them to the door talking ninety miles a minute, Mika materialized a black Lexus in their driveway. Mika knew it would look strange if it appeared that she and Leah had just dropped onto their front porch.

  Mika opened the door for her wife, watching as she settled into the front seat, smiling up at Mika like the cat that had eaten the proverbial canary.

  Thirty minutes after they had settled on the sofa in their penthouse, Leah’s phone rang.

  “Of course you may come up,” Leah answered her oldest daughter. “That is wonderful, dear.”

  “It seems the Jordons have changed their mind.” She smiled at Mika. “They will be here Friday.”

  ##

  Jennifer’s parents arrived with a list of over two hundred friends and relatives they hoped could be invited to the wedding. “We don’t care if they come or not,” Rose explained. “We just want them to know who our daughter is marrying.”

  For a week, Leah and Mika gave them the royal treatment, taking them to Broadway shows and famous restaurants. Rose was ecstatic when Leah invited them to watch the filming of Marked for Murder. Leah arranged for a photographer to take photos of the Jordons and the various cast members. Of course, they insisted on several shots of just them with her.

  After the photo session, the actress led them into her dressing room. “Give me a few minutes to change and we will meet Mika and the girls at our favorite restaurant.” She closed the door to her en-suite and changed into something stunning and sexy enough to captivate Mika for the rest of the evening.

  The sound of agitation in Rose’s voice pulled Leah’s thoughts from Mika. She quickly opened the door and stepped into the room with the Jordons.

  “What are you doing here?” Carlie scowled at the couple. “Where is Jennifer?”

  “Rose and Elbert are here as my guests.” Leah glared at the detective. “How can I help you?”

  “You can tell me why Stiles now has Scarlett riding with me instead of you. What the hell is going on, Leah?”

  “He told me he wants Scarlett to take on more of a starring role. He wants to develop her character.” Leah shrugged as she picked up her purse. “I suggested she ride with you. It will give her a better insight into what the police do.”

  “Why are you in New York?” Carlie whirled on the Jordons. “What is going on?

  “They’re getting married, aren’t they?” Carlie’s stare at the Jordons was cold and calculating. “Your daughter is marrying Sara Cross. You hated me for even dating her, yet you are okay with her marrying Leah’s daughter.

  “What is going on here?” Carlie sneered.

  “Nothing that concerns you, dear.” Leah’s cold gaze sent shivers down Carlie’s spine. “We really must be going. We are meeting Mika...”

  “Someone call my name?”

  Leah smiled as she heard Mika’s voice. She had hoped Mika would meet them here instead of the restaurant. Obviously, Mika was as anxious to see her as Leah was to see Mika.

  “Darling, I am so glad you came here.” Leah tilted her head to accept the kiss she knew was waiting for her.

  “I just had James bring me here. He is waiting for us,” she informed Leah. “I thought you might enjoy riding to the restaurant after being on your feet all day.”

  “Carlie, it is good to see you.” Mika nodded to the detective. “Any progress on the murders?”

  “I have a lead,” Carlie mumbled, eying Mika threateningly.

  “Let me know if I can help in any way.” Mika began moving the group toward the door leading from the building. “Have a nice evening.” Mika smiled at the detective as she opened the limo door for her wife and the Jordons, then slipped in beside Leah.

  Leah pressed her leg against Mika as she placed her hand innocently on Mika’s thigh.

  ##

  Sara and Jennifer were dancing when they arrived at Vincent’s. Mika ordered wine for everyone, but Leah automatically received water.

  “You don’t drink wine?” Rose raised an eyebrow after tasting her wine. “This is the finest wine I have ever tasted, and believe me, being from California, I know good wine.”

  “It’s my favorite wine,” Leah said with a smile, “but I never drink when I am carrying Mika’s children.”

  “We’re expecting twins,” Mika joined the conversation as the Jordons stared at her lovely wife. “They are due in November.”

  “Congratulations,” Elbert said. He just sat nodding his head.

  Rose studied Leah for several minutes, doing the math in her head. If the actress had given birth to Sara when she was eighteen, then she would be forty-six now. She looked much younger. “How old are you?” she whispered to Leah.

  “Old enough to know better.” Leah smiled indulgently at her rudeness.

  Rose nodded as if she totally understood.

  Leah fought the smile that played on her lips. The Jordons looked like a couple of bobble-head dolls, just sitting there bobbing their heads up and down.

  “Mom, Dad.” Jennifer smiled happily at her parents as they all settled into their seats. “I am so glad you decided to come for a visit before the wedding.”

  “I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet you.” Sara smiled. “I knew you would be wonderful. After all, you did raise a remarkable daughter.”

  “You two dance beautifully together.” Elbert smiled at his daughter and future daughter-in-law. He truly liked Sara. He was glad Jennifer had found her.

  “Oh, you should see our mothers dance.” Sara laughed. “They will take your breath away.”

  “Yes, they will,” Jennifer nodded. “They dance a tango that will set the room on fire.”

  Joe started the jukebox and “Oh, These Dark Eyes” filled the room. Sara gave her mother a shove. “Go, dance. You know you want to.”

  Mika led Leah to the dance floor, then encircled her slender waist with her arm, pulling Leah tight against her. “I’d really rather make love to you, Priest.” Her warm breath on Mika’s ear made Mika hold her tighter and forget that anyone in the world existed except Leah.

  As promised, the c
ouple danced an incredible exhibition of the tango, raising the room temperature at least ten degrees. Other dancers had moved to the side to watch the graceful and sensual dance. The music ended and the priest caught her wife’s face between her hands and kissed Leah softly. The applause from the other diners and dancers brought Mika back to reality.

  Elbert was loosening his tie, and Rose gawked with her mouth hanging open. Jennifer took a big drink of water, rehydrating her lips and tongue. “Mom, close your mouth,” she whispered to Rose.

  “I am certain there are countries where you two would be stoned for such a dance.” Sara laughed.

  “That would be their loss, dear.” Leah smiled.

  “How in the world can you dance like that in those heels?” Rose asked the question Leah had heard a thousand times.

  “Magic.” She smiled, wrinkling her nose in the cutest way.

  She is so gorgeous, Mika thought.

  Jennifer heard little of the following conversation as she thought about her fiancée’s parents. She decided to study what the priest did that so enchanted her wife. She would do the same things with Sara. She wanted their marriage to be as wonderful as Leah and Mika’s.

  “We hate to leave, but we will be back the week before the wedding,” Rose’s voice pulled her daughter from her thoughts of Sara.

  “You aren’t leaving so soon?” the doctor asked her parents.

  “Yes, dear. We have put you out long enough.” Her parents had insisted on staying at her apartment instead of allowing Leah and Mika to arrange for them.

  “You must dine with our entire family tomorrow night,” Mika insisted. “Adam, Sara’s twin brother, and his fiancée will be home. You must meet the other parties in the double wedding.”

  “Trust me, Mom.” Jennifer smiled. “You will love it.”

  “We would love to,” Rose said graciously.

  “Now, tell me,” Leah said, smiling, “if you could have any meal in the world, what would it be?”

  “Roast duck,” Elbert said immediately, “but it is difficult to prepare properly. It can be a bit greasy if not done right.”

  “Elbert,” Rose admonished her husband. “I am certain that anything you prepare will be wonderful.” She smiled at Leah.

  ##

  Rose watched the ornate iron gate silently slide closed behind them. She sat in silence as Jennifer parked the car next to the entrance of the building. Her eyes bulged as she admired the beauty of the apartment building’s lobby.

  “Dr. Jordon,” a perfectly attired woman in her mid-forties approached them, greeting Jennifer. “Leah has asked that you and your parents join them in their apartment for a drink before dinner. Dinner should be in about thirty minutes. Rachel is on her way.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Worth.” Jennifer smiled as she introduced her parents to the Tower’s manager.

  “Welcome to Cross Tower.” Mrs. Worth smiled. “If you need anything, just let me know.”

  “Cross Tower,” Rose whispered. “They own this building?”

  Jennifer nodded.

  The elevator doors opened, revealing one of the most beautifully decorated rooms Rose had ever seen. The room was the epitome of perfection. It was enhanced by the beautiful children of all ages lounging on the furniture and floor. Upon the Jordons’ arrival, the children rose respectfully and lined up from the oldest to the youngest.

  Rose and Elbert smiled at the children. They were the image of the priest or the actress. Must be some powerful family genes, Rose thought.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Jordon, these are our children.” Leah smiled proudly and began introducing them from the oldest to the youngest. “This is Adam’s fiancée, Amber Stone.” As they were introduced, each child stepped forward and shook hands with the Jordons. Except for the bright emerald eyes, Amber Stone looked like the priest too.

  Jennifer was silently laughing at her parents’ reaction.

  “Please, sit.” Leah motioned to a love seat. “Our other daughter, Rachel will be here soon. She has gotten stuck in traffic.” The children waited for the Jordons to be seated, then returned to their own chairs or the floor.

  “It is a pleasure to meet Jennifer’s parents.” Adam smiled graciously as he served the Jordons their drinks. “Amber and I are so excited to be sharing this wonderful time of happiness with your daughter and our sister.”

  “Aren’t you the young man the terrorist tried to kill?” Elbert queried. “The archaeologist that found Jesus’s DNA?”

  “I am afraid so.” Adam exhaled loudly. “That was the scariest experience of my life.

  “We still haven’t proven it was Christ’s DNA. We need to find Mary or her other children’s DNA to prove it. We are still working on it.”

  “That was the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed,” Rose gasped. “What happened? All that blood. All those headless bodies!”

  “I have no idea.” Adam didn’t lie. At the time, he had no idea his mother had taken things into her own hands. “The Lord moves in mysterious ways.”

  The elevator dinged and ushered in the most uniquely beautiful of all the children. She completed the matching set of Rachel and Jacob. Jacob strode to her, hugging her and introducing her to the Jordons. “My lovely and brilliant sister, Rachel.” He smiled. His dancing blue eyes sparkled.

  Rachel spoke to everyone then hugged her mother and Mika. “Aunt Amber, let me see your ring. Mother says it is glorious.” She laughed as she pulled Amber’s left hand toward her. “Way to go, Bro.” she hugged her brother tightly.

  “Did you just call her ‘aunt’?” Rose frowned. “She’s your aunt?”

  “Of course not.” Rachel smiled, her blue eyes sparkling beneath her dark brows. “She is older than Jacob and me. She has always been a friend of the family and included in everything we do. We have always called her aunt. I assure you there is no incest in this family,” she said, laughing.

  The intercom buzzed, announcing dinner. “I believe dinner is ready.” Leah moved toward the elevator.

  Everyone crowded into the elevator. “You know, darling,” the actress said as she smiled at Mika, gently touching her stomach. “Any more after these two will be over the elevator’s limit.”

  “You really should learn to say no, dear,” Rose advised her. Her suggestion was met with much laughter from the children and a mischievous grin from the priest.

  “And miss out on all these wonderful children?” Leah smiled happily. “I don’t think so.”

  Rose and Elbert found the children to be enthralling. They had never met such a wonderful family. After Mika blessed their dinner, the children began to speak one at a time. Not all at once as most children are prone to do.

  “So, Sis, how is astronaut training going?” Matt asked Rachel as he passed her the vegetable platter.

  “Good,” the dark-haired beauty said, nodding, “but don’t you have something to share with the family?”

  “It can wait.” The smile that played at Matt’s lips looked exactly like the teasing smile that often graced his beautiful mother’s full, sensuous lips.

  The Jordons watched the exchange between the children in awe. They were all so brilliant, so beautiful.

  “Tell us,” Jacob insisted. “I already know. Tell everyone else.”

  “Regina and I will be handling the computer controls for Rachel’s spacecraft.” He smiled broadly at his twin sister.

  “We are developing the software to handle the guidance of an aircraft moving at infinity,” Regina joined her brother in explaining. “Or as the science fiction folks like to say, ‘warp speed.’ Rachel gave us the quantum physics side of it, now we are making it happen with computers.”

  “Like Buzz Lightyear,” five-year-old Luke chimed in.

  “Exactly,” Matt laughed. “We offered our services because we know we can build in security and firewalls no one can decode. We want to make certain our sister is safe from the hacker nuts of the world.”

  “Do you dine with them often?” Rose spoke so
ftly to her daughter.

  “Several times a week.” Jennifer smiled, pleased that her mother was impressed with the Cross family. She squeezed Sara’s hand tightly.

  “What a joy it must be.” Rose smiled. “They seem to be on the cutting edge of everything.”

  “They are all brilliant.” Jennifer nodded in agreement. “I suspect they will be running the world someday.”

  “Mika and Leah,” Rose spoke directly to the children’s parents. “How do you do it? How do you manage to raise such brilliant children?”

  “The same way you did it.” Mika smiled. “We teach them all we know and hope they will learn more than we know.”

  “Just like you did with Jennifer.” Leah nodded.

  Rose blushed slightly. She was pleased the Crosses thought her daughter fit into their family and that she had done a good job of raising her.

  “Luke wants to be a fireman,” Athena informed the diners. Everyone laughed.

  “I’m certain he will be a wonderful fireman,” Mika smiled. “How about you, what do you want to be?”

  “I think a movie star, like Queen Mommy,” blonde Athena declared.

  “Hum, Queen Mommy is a tough act to follow,” Mika said, grinning, “but if anyone could do it, it would be you.”

  Athena laughed at Mika and basked in her approval of her choice of vocations. Mika knew she would change her mind a hundred times before settling into a career.

  The Cross family said their goodbyes since the Jordons were catching an early-morning flight the next day.

  “Call me if I can help in any way,” Rose encouraged Leah.

  “I just have to say, that was the most delicious roast duck I have ever put in my mouth.” Elbert grinned. “Please extend my appreciation to the cook.”

  “Thank you, Elbert.” Leah hugged him. “She will appreciate that.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Whew,” Mika breathed out as she watched her wife get ready for bed. “This has been quite a week.”

  “Yes, I am glad the Jordons got on board with the wedding.” Leah smiled sweetly. “Jennifer was so excited, and Sara was thrilled.”