Deadly Valentine

by Jenna Harte

  “Because you're wrong about your body. Women have the impression that men like skinny woman, but the truth is we like curves.”

  “Well, I’ve got plenty of those.” Tess took the last gulp of her wine.

  “Yes, you do.”

  When she looked up, his eyes had that predatory look that often preceded his move to kiss her. She prepared to move away and give him her 'this is business' speech. His lips twitched slightly before he broke eye contact and went back to preparing dinner. Tess' first feeling was irritation that he didn't follow through. Then anger at herself for being irritated that he didn't try to seduce her. He was like the perfect bar of chocolate. Smooth and tasty, but bad for her, and yet too good to resist.

  To distract herself, Tess left her barstool to look over Jack's apartment. It hadn't changed much in the three years since she'd last visited. It was still warm and inviting in a manly kind of way. The leather couch and chair looked soft as butter, and books and magazines mostly about environmental issues and business were strewn about. It wasn't messy. It was lived in. A home.

  Tess wandered to the bookcase that held more pictures and knickknacks than books. His entire life was laid out in the pictures on display; from a chubby drooling baby, to Little League champ. From Young Entrepreneur of the Year to more recently an award from an environmental group for his efforts to re-build crumbling neighborhoods with environmentally safe building materials.

  There was a picture of him with her and Brad. She remembered Jack's then girlfriend, Barbie or Candy, took the picture during a boating trip on the Potomac. It was one of the few truly happy memories she held from her old life.

  Another picture showed Jack with a woman who reminded Tess of the granny on the Tweetie Bird cartoons. She had gray hair pulled back into a tiny bun, dark round glasses, and a small wrinkled face. This must be Cora, Tess thought. Tess had never met Cora, but from the stories Jack told about her, Tess wasn't sure she was ready to meet Cora. The next picture looked about thirty years old. It was a young woman with a beautiful smile highlighted with dimples.

  "See something you like?" Jack asked from behind her.

  "Just checking out the doo dads."

  He laughed. "I told you they make a house a home."

  "Who's this woman?" Tess asked pointing to the pretty woman she'd just been viewing.

  "She's Cora's daughter. I don't really know anything about her except that she died a long time ago. Ever since I had to move Cora next door, her stuff is slowly showing up in here."

  "I guess it's good she has you," Tess said.

  "It's good I have her too."

  Tess' heart went out to him. He'd lost his father as a boy and then his mother. Cora was all he had. And even though she wasn't a blood relative, it was enough for Jack. Hadn't she done that too? Created a family from people who were not related to her.

  "So what did you bring me?"

  Tess grabbed her file off the counter. "I don't think I have much more than what we started with. I pulled the obit of Delia Jackson and I was able to get a picture of her. Because she worked for the Senator, she had photo ID." As Tess handed the materials to Jack, she had a sense of déjà vu, as if she'd seen the woman before. She gave herself a shake. She wasn't even born when Delia Jackson died. It was impossible to have seen her.

  "I still don't know her," Jack said looking over the picture.

  "Well, you were barely born when she died." Tess handed him another paper. "I dug a little about the fire that killed her as well. The official cause is a kerosene heater."

  Jack nodded. "Unfortunately that happens a lot in rural areas during the winter."

  "Here's the interesting bit. Delia's body was found, but not the baby's. Officially they think it was burned so bad that they hadn't been able to find it. But they do know it wasn't in the crib."

  "How can they tell that?"

  Tess shrugged. "I guess there was no sign of whatever they look for. Since no one came forward saying they had the baby, they figured he was there, but was missed somehow."

  "There's something really sad about that," he said, his brilliant blue-green eyes showing concern for a lost, nearly forgotten baby that died practically before Jack was born. It was one of those things that made Jack so endearing.

  He handed the picture back to her. "You're staring at me."

  "I am not." She said embarrassed that she'd been caught. She took the picture from him. As she glanced at it again, she had another niggling feeling that she'd seen Delia before. "There's something about this picture."

  "That's not what you were looking at." He moved to her and she could see in his eyes that his intentions had nothing to do with business.

  She took a step back. "No, but it's what I'm thinking about now."

  He continued his pursuit until she found herself backed into the bookcase.

  "I think we should take a break from business." He took another step, close enough to pin her in.

  She held her hands up, one of which still held Delia's picture.

  Jack laughed. "Going to fight me off with the threat of a paper cut? I just want a kiss, Tess. That's all. One little kiss."

  The problem was that nothing was little with Jack. "Isn't your dinner going to burn?"

  "It's not cooking yet."

  "We've got work to do."

  "Come on Tess." He leaned towards her, his lips hovering, teasing her. Tess closed her eyes, willed herself to be strong. The problem was, when he was this close, it was impossible to be strong. Just do it, she willed Jack to follow through.

  "I'll be damned." Jack pulled away taking the picture from Tess' hand.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It took Tess a moment to register the change in Jack. "What?"

  "This picture of Delia looks a lot like Cora's daughter."

  Tess studied the two pictures. "You're right." No wonder she thought she'd seen the woman before. "Is Delia Cora's daughter's name?"

  "I don't know. She doesn't talk about her. And Cora's last name is Peterson, not Jackson. Although the way Cora tells it, she's been married more times than Liz Taylor."

  They studied the pictures a moment longer, then Jack stepped way, his brows knitted in thought.

  "What's the matter?" Tess asked.

  He turned to her. "I've known Cora my whole life. She was my babysitter when my parents went out. She helped me care for my mom when she was ill. We take care of each other now. I don't understand why she didn't tell me."

  "Maybe she doesn't know."

  "I've told her all about this file and Delia Jackson. She had to know. Either that, or these are two different women who look like twins."

  "Why don't you ask her?"

  Jack pondered it a moment longer, then he headed up the hallway and knocked on a door.

  Tess sat in one of the leather chairs and waited. It looked like she was going to meet the infamous Cora after all.

  "You told me not to bother you tonight. I don't know why you think I would. What hanky panky you do is your own business, Jack." The Tweety-bird granny image was right on, except that instead of a dark dress with comfortable pumps, Cora was sporting a purple Mumu with green sneakers.

  "I know, but I want you to meet Tess and we have a question."

  "Why should I meet her? Next week it will be someone else."

  "Down Cora," Jack said giving Tess a wink. "Next week it will still be Tess."

  Tess stood and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you Ms. Peterson."

  Cora walked passed Tess, to sit on the couch."Call me Cora. Everyone else does."

  Tess retracted her hand. "Okay."

  "Do you want some brandy?" Jack asked.

  "Nah. It's Tuesday. I want beer."

  "Do you want more wine?" he asked Tess.

  "No. Thank you."

  Jack left Tess alone with Cora. "Tuesday is beer night?" Tess asked.

  "Huh?"

  Before Tess could clarify her question, Cora said, "Whatever. Listen. Jack is a man's man. Yo
u know what I mean? He needs a real woman to keep him happy. You a real woman, Tess?"

  "Ah…"

  "Yes, she is." Jack said bringing Cora her beer.

  "Oh wait. This is her, isn't it Jack?"

  "Cora." Jack's tone was a warning.

  "You're the one that left. Just ran away. Not even the decency to return a phone call."

  "I told you to be nice." He sat next to Cora and patted her knee.

  "Yes ma'am. I ran away," Tess said.

  "Ma'am!" Cora let out a loud cackle. "I should slap you for that."

  Tess looked to Jack for help.

  "Cora forgets that it’s a sign of respect to refer to old women as ma'am."

  "I didn't mean to imply you were old-"

  "Oh shush. I am old. But don't call me ma'am. Call me Ms. Peterson."

  "You said she could call you Cora," Jack reminded her.

  "That was before."

  Tess supposed that Jack had decided it wasn't a point worth pursuing. Instead he asked, "Cora, what was your daughter's name?"

  Cora's face flashed with pain and suspicion. "Why?"

  "I'm curious."

  "Why?"

  Jack showed her the picture of Delia that Tess found during her research. "Look familiar?"

  "There's a resemblance." Cora stood up. "Can I go back now? Idol is going to be on soon."

  "In a minute." Jack took her hand, encouraging her to sit. "This is Delia Jackson. She looks a lot like your daughter." He put both photos side by side, Cora refused to look.

  "So what?"

  "So the only way it makes sense for Asa to have Delia Jackson's information along with mine, would be if she were your daughter. That would be the only way we'd be connected. Through you."

  Cora shook her head so vehemently that Tess thought the bun would fly off her head. "Not her."

  "Are you sure?" Jack moved to sit across from her on the coffee table. He took her hands in his. "A lot is riding on this."

  "I know my own daughter!"

  "It would be easy enough to verify through birth records," Tess said.

  Cora shot Tess a menacing look. "You stay out of this." Then she turned her eyes, now weepy and pleading on Jack. "Make her stop."

  Jack studied her for a moment, then stood and walked to the bookcase to put the picture of Cora's daughter back.

  "Why is this a secret?" Jack asked as he positioned the picture next to one of Cora.

  "Oh! You believe your one-night lover over me, is that it? The woman who left you broken-hearted? The one who wasn't there when we were losing Lillian-"

  "That's enough!" Tess and Cora jumped at Jack's outburst.

  Cora sulked back into her seat. "So what if she is my daughter? She's gone. Been gone for over 30 years. What's it to you or her? No one cared when she was alive. When she needed help she rightly deserved. So I took care of everything. I did what I had to do to keep us safe after she was gone. But now, this whole mess-"

  "Us?" Tess asked. "Who's us?"

  "None of your damn business!"

  Tess was sure that if looks could kill, she'd be a pile of ash. The fury emanating off of Cora could be felt viscerally.

  "Settle down," Jack said moving back to sit on the coffee table.

  "Don't settle down me, Jacko. You don't know anything about anything."

  His voice was gentle, his eyes soft. "So tell me."

  "No." Cora crossed her arms across her chest and clamped her mouth closed like a child planning to hold her breath.

  "Did she have a baby? Did you lose them both in the fire?" Tess was impressed at the gentle yet direct probing by Jack.

  "Just stop!" The fury was there, but her eyes were filled with tears. As if she couldn't decide which emotion she felt more, rage or grief.

  Jack turned, looking over his shoulder at Tess. "She's upset and there's no reason to think that this is relevant to Asa's murder."

  Tess glanced at Cora who had a look of triumph. "No. But you wanted to know why Asa was poking around in your life. It could have been part of Asa's big announcement. You said yourself that he told you all would be revealed that night. Unfortunately he was killed before he could make his announcement. We can't be sure that wasn't the reason he was killed."

  "Because of Delia Jackson and her baby?" Jack didn't sound convinced.

  "When you consider the timing of the murder, it seems likely someone didn't want him to make his announcement. Otherwise why kill him in a house full of people? Why not wait until he was alone?"

  "But we don't know what that announcement would have been. It could have been nothing about me or this Delia person."

  "Maybe not about the connection with Delia, but I can't believe that you weren't somehow a part of Asa's plan. He made a special effort for you to be there, at a function that was for family only."

  "That part still doesn't make sense." Jack turned back to Cora. "Do you understand it Cora?"

  "No."

  Tess reached for the papers and pictures, studying them again. Then she looked to Cora. "Delia was about 21 when she went to work for Senator Worthington. That puts her at about Asa's age."

  "So?"

  "So I wonder if maybe Delia and Asa were… friendly."

  "My Delia was no slut, not like you!"

  "HEY!" Jack hands whipped out and grabbed Cora's arms giving her a little shake. "I love you Cora, but I won't have you talking to Tess like that."

  "I'm sorry if I implied that, Ms. Peterson. I just thought a beautiful woman like your daughter would have caught Asa's eye."

  Cora's lip snarled. "That snake? Delia was naïve, but she knew a self-serving rat when she met one. Her dad was one."

  "Al?" Jack asked.

  "No. This was Carl Jackson. He left us when she was about ten and we both thought good riddance."

  Tess continued to study the documents. She couldn't rid herself of the feeling that there was something more and that Cora knew exactly what it was. As a secretary, Delia would have spent a great deal of time with Arthur, traveling with him to Washington, D.C. and back, Tess thought. It seemed a cliché, but could Arthur have had an affair with his secretary?

  "What about the Senator?" Tess asked.

  The flash of fear was quickly masked, but Tess saw it, and knew she was on to something.

  "There you go again, ruining my daughter's good name."

  "No, Ms. Peterson. I'm just trying to figure this out. It would be easier if you just told us, because I think you know the answer." Tess knew she'd just issued a challenge, one that Cora would likely ignore. The answer was here. The answer was linked to Cora.

  "It doesn't matter. They're all dead. I'm leaving." Cora stood and made her way towards her apartment.

  Tess studied the papers again, looking for the key to unlock this puzzle. A young mother working for the Senator. A copy of her dead baby's birth certificate and Jack's. She moved the certificates side by side. October 11 and November 10. Nearly a month apart. What did that mean? 10/11 and 11/10. Her eyes narrowed as an idea came to her. She looked at Delia's picture; her dark ink black hair and bluish-green eyes. Tess swore she could hear the final tumbler as it slid into place.

  "Oh my-"

  Cora whipped around. "No! Don't you dare!"

  Her reaction told Tess that she was on the right track. "He needs to know. And he should hear it from you."

  "Hear what?" Jack turned to Cora. "What's she talking about?"

  "Nothing. She's just coming up with crazy ideas that aren't true."

  "What sort of crazy idea?"

  Both women were silent. Jack turned to Tess, frustration growing on his handsome face. "Do you know what she's talking about?"

  "I think so."

  "So tell me."

  "I think Cora should tell you."

  "Dammit!" Jack stood up and glared at both women. "One of you tell me what's going on."

  "Asa learned Cora's secret.".

  "You be quiet!" Cora moved so fast she nearly knocked Jack over on her way
to Tess.

  "Whoa! Hey Cora." Jack wrapped an arm around Cora's waist and hauled her towards him just before her fuchsia nails bit into Tess' face. He held her in place as she cursed in ways Tess had never dreamed of.

  "Look," he said setting Cora down, but holding her to keep her in place. "I'll find out. You know I will. And if it's something I should have heard from your mouth Cora…"

  "You've ruined everything," Cora spat at Tess. But she looked up at Jack and took a deep breath. "Delia Jackson is your mother."

  "What? No. Lillian and Victor Valentine were my parents."

  "Adoptive."

  Jack eyes searched Cora's face for some clue as to what she meant. Tess couldn't determine if he didn't understand or didn't want to understand.

  "Jack, you're the baby. The one not found in the fire. It means that Cora is your grandmother." Tess hoped that it would soften the blow for both of them by reminding them of their blood relation after all.

  He looked away from Cora, his gaze cast out the window overlooking the city. Tess was sure that he wasn't admiring the view.

  "Why the secret?" His voice was calm, yet underneath it was something dark.

  "To keep you safe."

  "From what? Who?" he said whipping his head back towards Cora.

  "Arthur Worthington, of course. He killed my Delia. He killed her just as surely as I'm standing here looking at you."

  "Killed her? The article said the fire was an accident," Tess said.

  "That's what they wanted everyone to believe. But it wasn't. I was there Jack. Helping your mom-"

  "She's not my mom!"

  "I was helping her care for you. She was so young, and you were so little. I told her to get some rest. That all her problems would be over once she got some rest and came home. So she slept and I took you with me to get some groceries. When I got back, the house was in flames and Delia was dead. I knew it was them. They were pressuring her. So I took you and ran. I let them all believe you were killed in the fire."

  Jack shook his head. Tess wasn't sure it was in disbelief or an effort to keep Cora's words from sinking in.

  "The Valentines were such wonderful people and couldn't have children. So they adopted you and agreed to keep you safe." Cora's words tumble out, as if she were desperate for him to understand. And forgive.