Second Bloom

by Sally Handley

  Elena Gomez set up a 9:00 a.m. appointment to meet with Jonathan Grabnick, her mother’s lawyer, the next morning. Holly and Ivy were optimistic as they drove to meet her, armed with the information about Novardo Development.

  Their optimism began to fade when they met Elena in front of a run-down, two-story commercial building. Grabnick’s office was located on the second floor, directly above AAA Bail Bondsman. They had to enter through a door located in a litter-strewn alley.

  Holly led the way through the unswept, poorly lit hallway that had a musty smell. Dust bunnies abounded and a Snickers wrapper lay in the corner. The three women climbed the stairs. At the top they faced a single door with the words “Jonathan Grabnick, Esq., Attorney at Law” printed on it, the “Esq.” partially worn away. Behind Elena, Holly made eye contact with Ivy. Neither said anything.

  Elena knocked on the door. A heavyset, older man with a bad comb-over opened the door.

  “Come in, ladies. I’m Jonathan Grabnick. You must be Holly and Ivy Donnelly,” he said looking past Elena from one sister to the other. “Are you twins?” he asked.

  “No, just sisters,” Holly replied sighing, weary of answering this question, and in no mood for small talk.

  “And you must be Elena Gomez,” Grabnick continued gravely. To Holly’s horror, Grabnick adopted an almost funereal demeanor as he extended his hand to Elena. She feared he was about to offer condolences when he turned abruptly and said, “Won’t you sit down, ladies?”

  Grabnick appeared the opposite of Juan’s lawyer. Holly estimated he was probably in his late sixties. He wore a gray pinstripe suit, shabby, wrinkled, and in need of dry-cleaning. By the looks of it, he did not have much of a practice at this late stage in his career. Holly wondered if he ever had much of a practice. Fighting hard against a sinking feeling, she began.

  “Mr. Grabnick, yesterday we learned some important information that might help Mrs. Gomez’s case. Did you know that Mrs. Hagel refused to sell her property to Novardo Development and that Hagel Paper and Printing is the last piece of property they need to go forward with a $30-million development?”

  Grabnick just looked at her, then at Elena with a woeful expression. “I don’t see how that information can help Mrs. Gomez. I’m very sorry, but the evidence against her is overwhelming. In order to avoid the death penalty, I have to advise her to plead guilty to robbery and voluntary manslaughter.”

  Elena gasped and quickly responded, “But my mother’s not guilty. She could never kill anyone. What kind of lawyer are you?”

  Ivy put her arm around Elena trying to calm her. Grabnick glared at Elena saying, “I assure you, Miss Gomez, that my reputation as a lawyer is impeccable. Why, I …”

  “Mr. Grabnick,” Holly interrupted. “We believe Mrs. Gomez is not guilty. She had no motive. Why would she kill her employer?”

  “Of course, she didn’t plan to do it. The prosecutor is claiming that Mrs. Hagel caught her red-handed stealing her jewelry. In a desperate attempt to stop her from calling the police ...”

  “What?” Holly cut him off again. “In a desperate attempt to stop her from calling the police, she mixed up her medication and ran out to the shed, past a set of butcher knives on the kitchen counter, and looked for a garden tool to come back and stab her with?”

  “No,” Grabnick snapped, caught himself and continued. “Ms. Gomez drugged her first and then decided to frame the gardener by using the garden tool.”

  “And she cleaned her fingerprints off the garden tool, but left them on the jewelry? That makes no sense. And what about the pills? If Mrs. Hagel caught Mrs. Gomez stealing and was about to call the police, would she really stop and take pills? Mr. Grabnick, do you believe Mrs. Gomez is guilty?”

  Grabnick’s cheeks reddened. He looked down grasping the edge of his desk with both his pudgy hands. After a moment he replied, “What I believe is insignificant. I’m telling you what the prosecution is saying.”

  “But can’t you come up with a better defense?” Holly was now sitting on the edge of her chair. “Can’t you poke a hole in the prosecution’s case by asking the questions I just asked you, maybe introduce an element of doubt by suggesting another scenario, like someone else came to the house after Leonelle Gomez left and tried to frame either her or Juan Alvarez? Have you even for one minute considered the fact that someone else killed Mrs. Hagel, someone with a more powerful motive? A $30-million motive?”

  “Ms. Donnelly, in my personal opinion, Mrs. Gomez will avoid a longer jail sentence and the death penalty, if she pleads guilty to the charges I’ve suggested,” Grabnick replied, looking down at the papers on his desk, not making eye contact.

  “Have the police questioned the neighbors about what they may have seen or heard the night of the murder?”

  Grabnick shuffled the papers on his desk, located a file and read, “The police report states that the neighbors to the east and south neither saw nor heard anything. The neighbors to the west left town on vacation the morning the body was discovered and the police have been unable to locate them for questioning.”

  “Don’t you think talking to them would be a good idea?” Holly asked.

  Again Grabnick hesitated, grimacing. Holly couldn’t tell if he was experiencing physical pain or simply refusing to answer. After a moment, he replied.

  “Ms. Donnelly, I am a court appointed lawyer. As you can see, I have no staff. There is no budget for detective work. I have to rely on the police for that.”

  Holly suddenly realized that arguing with Grabnick was futile. She reached her hand across his desk and calmly asked, “Can I see the police report?”

  Grabnick stared at Holly. “You know, you really have no rights here. You’re not even a family member.”

  “But I am,” Elena spoke up. She and Ivy had been silent during Holly and Grabnick’s verbal ping pong match. “Whatever Ms. Donnelly wants, I want you to give it to her.”

  “Only your mother can authorize that.” Grabnick said raising his chin a bit.

  “Seriously?” Holly asked. “You’re actually going to make this difficult for us? You know Mrs. Gomez will give permission for us to have access to whatever we ask for. All we want to do is help her if we can.”

  Grabnick stretched his neck and straightened his tie. “All right,” he relented. “Here it is.” Grabnick handed Holly the report.

  “Can we make a copy?” Holly asked, eyeing a dinosaur of a Xerox machine in the corner.

  Grabnick rolled his eyes, snatched back the report, got up and made the copy.

  “Thank you, Mr. Grabnick,” Holly said as she took the copy he handed her. He didn’t say, “You’re welcome.”

  “Shall we go, ladies?” Holly asked, echoing Grabnick’s earlier use of the word.

  Ivy and Elena rose from their chairs. At the door Elena stopped and turned back, looking directly at Grabnick. “My mother is not guilty, and Ms. Donnelly is going to prove it. You’ll see,” she said with an indignant toss of her head.

  So much for understanding that we probably can’t help her mother.

  19 NOVARDO DEVELOPMENT

  Back home Holly and Ivy sat down at the table on the back patio. Elena left for her Occupational Therapy class right after the meeting with Grabnick. In the parking lot before they parted, Holly once again reminded Elena that she shouldn’t get her hopes up too high. Just because they had the police report didn’t mean they would find anything. Elena said she understood. Holly was certain she did not.

  Holly read the report, then handed it to Ivy. When Ivy finished, she looked up at Holly and frowned. “Gosh, I don’t know. Nothing here jumps out at me. What do you think?”

  “I think we’re at a dead end, and we should drop this, just like we agreed. I’m really heartsick for Elena and Leonelle, but what can we do?” Holly asked.

  “I know you’re right, but every time I think of her and her little brother and sister…”

  “There is one thing,” Holly mused.

  “What?
”

  “I used to know someone who worked at Novardo Development. That was a long time ago, and I don’t know if she’s still there. Even if she is, what do I do? Call her up and ask if she can think of anyone she works with who might have killed Mrs. Hagel?”

  “You could always call Detective Manelli.”

  “Are you kidding me? Do you honestly think he’ll react any differently than Grabnick?”

  “Maybe not, but what can it hurt to at least tell him what you heard?”

  “If you think that’s such a good idea, you call and talk to him.”

  “Are you afraid of him?” Ivy grinned.

  “Shut up!” Holly bared her teeth and waggled her head in Ivy’s direction, her best imitation of a riled grizzly bear. “I’m not afraid of him, but I have no intention of speaking to that cretin and having him patronize me again. No way.”

  Ivy frowned, gazing down at the police report in her lap. “Can it hurt to call your friend?”

  Holly rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Okay. Let me get my laptop and see if I can find her number.”

  She went inside and returned a few minutes later with her laptop and cellphone and launched an Outlook search. “Here it is. Teresa Nowicki. I’ll be surprised if she’s still there.”

  “How do you know her?”

  “When I was Business Development Director at Meadowlands Architecture, we tried to get work from Novardo. I met Teresa at a networking event and she helped me get an appointment for the partners to meet Novardo’s development group. She and I went to lunch and then out for drinks a few times. She was quite a character and very helpful to me. Once I started working in New York though, we just lost touch.”

  “So, you going to call her?”

  Holly grabbed the cell phone and tapped in the number.

  “Hello. May I speak with Teresa Nowicki please?” She looked over at Ivy. “I don’t believe it. She’s still there. They’re transferring me.”

  Ivy gave Holly two thumbs up.

  “Hello. Teresa? This is a voice from your past. I’m hoping you remember me. It’s Holly Donnelly. Yeah. Well, I’m semi-retired now. I closed my marketing consulting business two years ago and I’ve been teaching English composition at Passaic County Community College.” Holly smiled over at Ivy. “That’s right. I can’t believe you’re still there after all these years. I’d love to get together to catch up. I was planning to do some shopping in Paramus this afternoon. Are you free for lunch today? Great. How’s 12:30 sound? Where’s convenient for you? Terrific. See you there.”

  Holly hit the end button on her cell and looked at Ivy, shaking her head. “What did I just do?”

  “Sounds like you made a lunch date.”

  “Listen. I think that maybe I …” Holly hesitated.

  “Should go alone?” Ivy finished. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll make a burger and then Lucky and I will take a long walk. You know how I love to explore the neighborhood and see what’s growing in all the gardens. I really haven’t had a chance to do that since I got here.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

  “Of course.”

  Holly looked at her watch. “I better get moving if I’m going to get to Paramus by 12:30. I should be back by three. I’ll call if I’m going to be any later than that.” She stood up, retrieved her cellphone, but remained standing by the table looking at her sister.

  Ivy made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go already. I’ll be fine. I’m with you one hundred percent.”

  “What if nothing comes of this?”

  “Hey, remember what Dave’s mother said to him right before she died? Do the best you can and let the rest go.”

  “Yeah, but how do we know when to let go?”

  “We’ll know.”

  Holly nodded, picked up her phone and cellphone and went inside.

  As Ivy heard the car pull out of the driveway, she went back inside and climbed the stairs to the guest room. She picked

  up the business card on the dresser, went over to the phone on the nightstand.

  “Hello. Detective Manelli, please.”

  19 TERESA NOWICKI

  Holly perused the Suburban Diner menu as she waited for Teresa. She wanted to select her order before Teresa arrived, so she could focus on their conversation. Pulling the paper end off the straw in her glass, she took a sip of the Diet Coke she’d already ordered, continuing to think over the subtle questions she’d rehearsed in the car to ask Teresa about Novardo’s development plans for Pineland Park.

  Holly looked at her wristwatch. Teresa was late. Taking another sip of soda, she looked toward the door. Was that Teresa? Holly hadn’t seen her in nearly thirty years. Back then, Teresa was an average-sized brunette. The platinum blonde rolling through the door looked only vaguely familiar. Dressed in what appeared to be a black tent, the woman spoke to the hostess, who pointed in Holly’s direction. “Holleee!” Teresa squealed as she ambled over. “I’d recognize you anywhere. You haven’t changed a bit.”

  Holly smiled and braced for an effusive bear hug, unable to reach her arms around the woman embracing her.

  “Hi, Teresa. It’s so good to see you. Glad you were able to meet me on such short notice.”

  “Are you joking? I’d do anything to get out of that friggin’ office,” Teresa quipped. She smiled, dropping into the seat opposite Holly. The Diet Coke swished in the glass. “I can’t wait to hear all about your new life.”

  “It’s pretty good these days. I’m actually off for the summer.”

  “Good for you! What I wouldn’t give to have a summer off. Of course, if I had to stay home with my kids, that’d make me nuts.”

  “How old are they now?”

  “Brad is 28 and Linda is 27.”

  Holly hesitated, surprised and not quite sure what to say in reply.

  “Do you have kids?”

  “No, I never married,” Holly answered.

  “Unbelievable! An attractive woman like you! How did that happen? My kids are half your age and Brad is divorced twice and Linda once.”

  “You know me. Always fell for the wrong guy,” Holly replied.

  “Yep, I do remember that. Those Happy Hours at the Sheraton Sports Bar, you always seemed to pick the bad boys to talk to. What about now though? You still look so good. I know why I don’t meet nobody. I just let myself go.” Teresa’s smile faded. “When my Bill died, I just …I don’t know. I didn’t care no more.”

  “I’m sorry, Teresa. I didn’t know.”

  “How could ya? How long has it been since we’ve seen each other?”

  “I asked myself that same question while I was waiting for you. Can it be twenty-five years?”

  “Unbelievable.”

  A waitress in a starched pink uniform and white apron came and took their order.

  “I’ll have the burger deluxe,” Teresa said without even looking at the menu.

  “Let me have the veggie wrap--no fries,” Holly said.

  As the waitress collected the menus and walked away, Teresa asked, “So the last time I saw you, you went to work for that engineering firm in New York. On the phone, you said you closed your consulting company. You were in business for yourself?”

  Holly recounted her job history for Teresa and how she eventually opened her own marketing consulting firm.

  “What I want to know is how you ended up teaching?” Teresa asked.

  “I ran webinars as part of my business, and after I developed a writing webinar for marketers, I decided I wanted to end my working career teaching again. Besides I was tired of getting on planes and trains. Remember I was an English teacher before I started marketing.”

  “I forgot you started out as a teacher. Yeah, yeah, now it’s coming back to me.”

  The waitress came over with two huge plates. Teresa and Holly ate their meals continuing to reminisce about old times.

  As Teresa dragged the last French fry through a glob of ketchup on her plate, she looked directly at H
olly. “So, it’s pretty clear you don’t need me to help you get appointments. Why’d ya get in touch with me after all these years? What’d ya want?”

  Holly snickered. “Nobody could ever get anything past you, could they, Teresa?”

  “Hell, no. Why d’ya think I’m still at this job with guys who chew up and spit out women just because they can?”

  Holly looked down at her plate, then back up at Teresa. “You never changed. Always the straight shooter. So I’ll be straight with you. Did you read about the murder in Pineland Park?”

  “Yeah. Some old lady got stabbed by her gardener, right?”

  “Not exactly.” Holly told Teresa about how Juan was mistakenly accused of the crime, and eventually freed, and how she and Ivy were now trying to help Leonelle Gomez.

  “That’s some story, but why you telling me all this?”

  “The woman murdered was Edna Hagel of Hagel Printing and Paper.”

  “Oh,” Teresa said, nodding slowly, clearly making the connection between Hagel Printing and Paper and Novardo Development.

  Holly leaned in. “I’m sorry if I’m putting you on the spot, and you can tell me to go to hell, but I don’t believe Leonelle Gomez killed Mrs. Hagel. Her court-appointed lawyer, to borrow one of your famous phrases, ‘couldn’t find his butt in the dark.’ Mrs. Gomez’s daughter has asked Ivy and me for help. I’m just trying to find out if someone else could have had a better motive to kill Mrs. Hagel.”

  Teresa looked down at her empty plate and hesitated before she spoke. “I’ll be honest with you. These guys are guilty of a lot of things. Tony is unethical. Paul can be underhanded and downright nasty. But murder? I don’t think so.” She shrugged and shook her head.

  “Okay. Thanks for that. Your opinion means a lot to me. If murder is a line you think they wouldn’t cross, then I accept that.”

  “I really respect what you’re trying to do, but, like I said, murder’s a stretch, even for these guys.”

  Holly signaled for the waitress to bring the check. She rummaged through her bag for her wallet and got out her credit card. “It’s been great seeing you again, Teresa. I’m sorry to have had an ulterior motive.”