Loyalty

by Ingrid Thoft

  Inside, she put her ear to Bev’s door and listened for a few moments. She didn’t hear anything, so she knocked and waited. After a full minute had passed with no response, Fina reached into her bag and pulled out her lock picks. It took longer than Dante’s—thanks to better locks and her plaster cast—but she gained access after five minutes and slowly opened the door.

  The condo was empty. Fina went straight to the office, pulled on a pair of gloves as best she could, and began a thorough search—filing cabinets, desk drawers, the underside of furniture, even the air vents. She found what she expected to find: meticulous records for an aboveboard escort service. Most likely, Bev kept two sets of books; one for show and another that reflected the true nature of the business. The books Fina found detailed “client meetings” that identified the clients and escorts by numbers only. There were no references to sexual acts or anything else that could be used for either blackmail purposes or prosecution. And there was no reference to Haley or Rand.

  The kitchen, bathroom, and living room resembled those of a high-end corporate housing unit: floral soaps and fluffy towels, an assortment of tea, and attractive yet durable dishware. The magazines in the living room were women’s titles, including Southern Living, Martha Stewart Living, and Good Housekeeping.

  Fina searched furiously for forty-five minutes and then filled a glass with water in the kitchen. She drank it down, washed the glass, wiped it clean with a dish towel, and sat down in the living room. She hated waiting, but she wanted Bev to take her seriously, and breaking in was an expeditious way to achieve that goal.

  Fifteen minutes after sitting down and struggling to calm her racing mind, there was a sound at the door. It opened, and Bev walked in. She inhaled sharply when she saw Fina.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she spat.

  “Sit down.”

  “I’ll do no such thing. This is private property. I’m calling the police.” Bev reached into her bag, and Fina reached into hers. Bev pulled out a phone and began dialing, and Fina pulled out her gun and laid it on the wide armrest of the club chair. Bev paused mid-dial.

  “You’re going to shoot me?”

  “That’s up to you. Sit down.”

  Bev looked annoyed, but she dropped her phone back into her bag and sat down in the other club chair. She fussed with the hem of her printed floral skirt. On top, she wore a white short-sleeved sweater set and a necklace of chunky whitish stones. The cut and fabrics had an understated elegance that must have been pricey.

  Fina glared at Bev. “Are you using my niece as a hooker?” she asked.

  Bev exhaled loudly. “I’m willing to have this ridiculous conversation with you, but I have an important business meeting in”—she looked at her gold watch—“five minutes. Why don’t we discuss this later?”

  “Answer my question.”

  “I don’t even know who your niece is.”

  “I have it on good authority that she hangs out with your hookers.”

  Bev shook her head in disapproval.

  Fina picked up the gun. “You know what? You don’t have to answer the question. All you have to know is that if you have any contact with her from this moment forward—”

  There was a knock on the door and a voice called out: “Mrs. Duprey?”

  Bev glanced at the door. Fina grasped the gun, stood up, and peered out the peephole.

  She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the door. “Oh, no,” she moaned softly. She tucked the gun into her waistband at the small of her back and opened the door. She stood back and gestured for the visitor to come in.

  Bev closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, Haley was standing there, staring at the two women.

  Fina opened and closed her fist a couple of times. She looked at Bev and then Haley.

  “Have you been working for this woman?” she asked Haley.

  “Oh my God! Are you kidding me?” Haley’s arms fluttered at her sides, like a bird trapped in a room with lots of windows, but no means of escape.

  “Cut the shit, Haley!” Fina yelled. “Tell me the truth.”

  The color was draining out of Haley’s face, and her chin began to tremble.

  Fina grasped her shoulders. “Just tell me the truth. It will be okay. Really, I’ll take care of you, but you have to tell me the truth.”

  Tears rolled down Haley’s cheeks. She glanced at Bev, who stared back at the girl.

  “Yes,” Haley whispered.

  Fina hugged her and glared at Bev over her niece’s shoulder. After a moment, she released Haley and cupped her chin with one hand. “No more. You are never to see this woman again. If she approaches you or threatens you, tell me immediately. If I’m not available, tell Milloy.”

  “You told Milloy?!”

  “No, and you don’t have to tell Milloy anything specific to get his help. You just tell him that this woman”—she looked at Bev—“is bothering you. Okay?” Haley nodded. “Do you understand, Bev?” Fina asked. “You are not to contact her or threaten her.”

  Bev looked off to the side. She looked annoyed. “I wouldn’t dream of bothering her.”

  “Good.” Fina looked at Haley. “I want you to go to Aunt Patty’s and spend the day there. If you want to stay in bed all day, fine. Tell her you don’t feel well. Or spend time with your cousins. But I want you at Scotty and Patty’s until I come find you. Tell your dad you want to be there.” Fina steered her toward the door. She leaned toward her. “Can I trust you to do that?”

  “Are you going to tell my dad about this?”

  Fina raised her palms. “I have no idea, but I’m not going to do anything without talking to you first.”

  “I’ll go to Aunt Patty’s.”

  “Good. I’ll see you later.” Fina gently nudged her out the door and closed it behind her. She leaned against it and studied the ceiling. “I should kill you right now.”

  “That would be ill-advised.”

  “Oh, really? Why’s that? Who’s going to miss you? Your disgraced son or your bedridden husband?”

  Bev leaned forward in her seat. “This is all your family’s fault.”

  “So you go after an underage girl and kill her mother?”

  “I had nothing to do with her mother’s death.”

  Fina walked over and put her hands on the back of the empty chair. “Is that why Melanie contacted you? Because of Haley?”

  Bev tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

  “That would make sense,” Fina ventured. “Rand’s activities would humiliate and piss her off, but it wouldn’t necessarily set her on a rampage. But Haley would. If she thought you were hurting her daughter, she’d come after you.”

  Bev scoffed. “Really? She was such a dedicated mother? So concerned for her daughter’s well-being?”

  “Of course! She wouldn’t want her working as a hooker!”

  “Why do you think girls do this job, Ms. Ludlow?” Bev sneered.

  “Because people like you prey on them.”

  “I know that’s your theory, but even if that were true, I’m never the first to have hurt them.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m just saying that your sister-in-law wasn’t exactly mother-of-the-year material.”

  “No, she wasn’t, but neither are you, despite the sanctimonious bullshit you believe.”

  “You may question my actions, but I’ve never done anything to damage my child. Never.”

  “Every parent damages their child in some way. Why do you think there are so many shrinks in this town? You’re deluded if you think otherwise.”

  Bev stood up and smoothed her skirt. “I will stay away from Haley, but I strongly urge you to stay away from me and my family.”

  Fina was quiet for a moment, then shook her head slowly. “I don’t
know if I can do that.”

  “I have access to powerful resources—friends, business partners—and I promise you, they will not tolerate your interference.”

  “So, what? You’re going to kick me up the food chain?”

  “If necessary. Consider yourself warned: If you meddle with my interests, you’ll be meddling with some very dangerous people.”

  Fina walked over to the door and opened it. “I look forward to it.”

  She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

  That bitch could burn in hell.

  Fina walked to the Public Garden, where she fit right in with the homeless people who were grimacing and talking to themselves. She sat down on a bench and forced herself to breathe deeply for a couple of minutes. Once she’d reclaimed a modicum of calm, she bought a diet soda and a pretzel the size of Big Bird’s hand from a vendor. She returned to the bench and ate, washing down the jagged salt crystals with gulps of soda. When her phone rang, she glanced at the screen, swallowed a mouthful, and hit the answer button.

  “I haven’t killed anyone,” she told Cristian. “That’s what you want to know, right?”

  “That’s good news. What have you been up to?”

  Fina was silent. There was a cluster of elderly people doing tai chi on a patch of grass near the Swan Boats. With their achingly slow, synchronized movements, they looked like a flock of graceful, grounded birds.

  “Fina?”

  “Yeah?” Fina heard shuffling and banging in the background.

  “We should meet.”

  Fina’s stomach tightened. “Why? What now?”

  “Nothing related to Haley, but we need to talk. Where are you?”

  “The Public Garden.”

  “I don’t suppose you want to swing by headquarters?”

  “Ha. I don’t think so.”

  “Well, I don’t have a lot of time. You’re going to have to meet me halfway.”

  “Fine. Meet me in the lobby of the Westin.”

  “I’ll be there in half an hour.”

  “See ya.” Fina dropped her phone into her bag and finished her soda. It wouldn’t take her thirty minutes to walk to the hotel, but she threw out her soda can and napkins and moved in that direction anyway. She was in no mood for the crowds or tight sidewalks of Newbury Street, and instead opted for the less charming thoroughfare of Boylston.

  Since leaving Bev’s office, she’d struggled to ignore all thoughts of Haley, but blocking things out never worked for Fina. Other people, like her mother, just chose to see what they wanted to in the world, but Fina was missing the self-delusion gene. She didn’t know how to block out the unsavory stuff, which might explain her line of work. If you couldn’t put it out of your mind, you might as well jump into the fray.

  Fina couldn’t stop the maelstrom in her head, but she had to focus. She would keep Haley safe and deal with the fallout from her situation later. She would crush whoever had killed Melanie. She would destroy Bev Duprey. It was an exhausting to-do list.

  In the hotel lobby, Fina found an empty seating area and sat down in a chair upholstered in beige microsuede that was too big for one person, but a touch too small for two. Fina felt like Goldilocks as she sank down into the seat. She watched the top of the escalator, and after a few minutes, Cristian’s head appeared. He was wearing jeans, a fitted T-shirt, and a sport coat. The coat was a nod to looking professional, but more importantly, a means of concealing his gun. He wasn’t undercover, but didn’t need to advertise his profession, either.

  Fina scooted over as he approached. “Here.” She patted the empty foot of space on the seat. “Sit next to me.”

  Cristian shook his head and grinned. “I don’t think we’d fit.”

  “Of course we would. We just have to suck it in. What’s the point of these chairs otherwise?”

  “You’re getting loopy. Never a good sign.” Cristian pulled a matching chair close to hers and sat down. “I’m guessing you made another visit to Bev Duprey.”

  “Are you asking me as Pitney’s helper or my friend?”

  Cristian shook his head in frustration. “Enough of that, Fina. I’m asking as someone who wants to solve this case and minimize the damage.”

  “Yes. I paid her a visit.”

  “And?”

  “She’s an uncooperative bitch.”

  “You’re too close to this case.”

  Fina grimaced. “You think?”

  “Did you get any information about Haley?”

  Fina looked at him and then glanced away. She tugged on her lower lip with her free hand.

  “Fuck,” Cristian murmured, and ran his hand through his hair. “I was hoping I was wrong.”

  “So was I, and you cannot tell anyone about this.” Fina gripped his knee. “I mean it. This could ruin her life. She has to be kept out of it. Okay?” Cristian didn’t respond. “Okay?” Fina asked more urgently.

  “I have to do my job.”

  “And your job, in this case, is to protect a fifteen-year-old girl.”

  “Christ, you make life complicated.”

  “Life is complicated; it has nothing to do with me.”

  Cristian’s phone rang, and he glanced at it. The press of a button brought silence, and he slipped the device back into his pocket.

  “So what’s your news?” Fina asked.

  “Bob Webber, the guy who claimed he saw Melanie? He turned up.”

  Fina watched an older man canoodling with his age-inappropriate wife. “What does he have to say for himself?”

  “Nothing. He’s dead.”

  Fina’s gaze snapped to Cristian. “What? Where’d you find him?”

  “An abandoned construction site in Norwood.”

  “Seriously?”

  Cristian didn’t bother answering.

  “What happened?”

  “No idea. You have any theories you’d like to share?”

  Fina studied the couple again. The man was reaching into his wallet and pulled out a stack of bills, which he placed in the woman’s hand. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. His wrinkled skin looked like a time-lapse photo of her smooth, taut complexion.

  Cristian stood up abruptly. “Look, if you’re gonna hold out on me, then I need to spend my time finding out what you won’t tell me.”

  “Cristian, I’m not trying to stonewall you. I’m thinking.”

  “Who put you in touch with Bob Webber?”

  Fina looked at him. “I can’t say just yet.”

  “You’re drifting into obstruction.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry about that. I need twenty-four hours.”

  “For what?”

  “To figure some stuff out.”

  “Do you ever think what would happen if everybody were above the law?”

  Fina peered at him. “What? No, not really.”

  “The only reason your approach works is because most people operate ethically and within the bounds of a civilized society.”

  Fina stood up. “Agreed. What exactly is your point?”

  “That you would hate living in a world of Fina Ludlows,” Cristian said.

  “I do live in a world of Fina Ludlows; why do you think I’m like this? Anyway, I can’t deal with a theoretical discussion right now. You can lecture me later.”

  “Fine. You know where to find me when you’re ready to talk.”

  “Cristian,” Fina implored, “don’t leave pissed. Come on.”

  He waved his hand over his shoulder as he walked away.

  Fina reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She called Emma and fought the urge to hurl her phone across the lobby when she got her flat, monotone voice mail. Fina told her she needed the Costas information ASAP, then clicked over to a call from Patty.

  “What’s going on
with Haley?” her sister-in-law asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s acting weird. She showed up and said she’s supposed to stay with me until you say otherwise.”

  “Those were her marching orders. Sorry. I should have asked you first, but it was kind of an emergency.”

  “I don’t mind, but I’m not sure what to do with her. We’re at the club, and she’s just sitting here on a chaise, staring off into space.”

  Fina looked at her watch. “I’ll stop by for lunch and check on her.”

  “Fina, what’s going on?”

  “I can’t talk about it, Patty. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration, though, to say that you’re playing a critical role in her well-being right now. I really need your help.”

  “And you have it, but you’re going to have to fill me in at some point.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  “Does Scotty know what’s going on?”

  “No!” Fina said vehemently. “And I don’t want him to, not yet. Nobody knows.”

  “This sounds very unwise.”

  “It may be, but it’s the best I can do.”

  The call ended, and Fina’s gaze skipped across the lobby. She wanted to rent a room, take the elevator upstairs, and collapse on a big, freshly laundered bed.

  Instead, she walked to the escalator and stepped on for the ride down.

  Fina pulled into a parking space at the club and reached for her phone. She tapped her finger lightly on the screen while trying to make up her mind. After a moment, she dialed and got Mark Lamont’s voice mail.

  “Mark, hi. It’s Fina Ludlow again. We need to talk. It’s important. Urgent, actually. Call me as soon as you can. Thanks.”

  Mark’s lack of communication was starting to piss her off. She knew she was poking a snake with a stick, but the snake was in her way.

  At the pool, Patty was reading on a chaise, while the boys tried to drown one another and Haley sunned herself. She looked momentarily stricken when Fina showed up, but resumed her tanning position when it became clear that her aunt wasn’t going to mention their earlier meeting.