Deadly Valentine

by Jenna Harte

  "True. But it's not your case. I can't talk about it to the police and I certainly can't talk about it to you."

  "We have only Jack's word about this information. And this weird series of connections. If anything it makes us want to look deeper at him, not less."

  There's a surprise, she thought. "You can look as deep as you want, Daniel, as long as you focus on finding truth."

  His eyes flashed with heat. "We need to talk to Jack and Cora."

  "By 'we' you mean Detective Johnson right?"

  "Yes," he said not hiding his exasperation. "It's my family Tess. I can't help but want to stay in the loop. But I'm not investigating. I wouldn't want his defense lawyer to use conflict of interest or suggest the case is tainted at trial."

  Tess ignored his sarcastic tone. She took out one of her business cards and turning it over she wrote down a phone number. "You'll have to have Johnson call this man to arrange it."

  Daniel took the card. "Who's this?"

  "He's Jack's lawyer. Business lawyer, until he hires a defense lawyer. If you want to set something up, communicate with Brad."

  He tried to hide the look of victory, but didn't do a very good job. "I see."

  "I don't think you do. I've got to go."

  "Wait." Daniel put his hand on her arm. Tess jerked it away.

  "I uh… I have some news about my dad." Daniel said.

  Tess wanted to know how Tom was doing, but the anger and pain wouldn't let her listen to Daniel. "I hope he's well." She moved away from him.

  "Hey? Don't you care?"

  Tess rounded on him. "I do care. But right now I'm not feeling very friendly towards my fair-weather friends."

  "What?"

  "Now that I'm not Jack's lawyer, you want to tell me how your dad is doing? I've been worried sick. Afraid for him. But no one would tell me how he was. And now all of a sudden because I don't represent Jack, I'm worthy of the information?" Tess could feel more words bubbling up, but she didn't want to stay and make a scene in front of Daniel's police buddies. She turned and hurried away before he could come after her again.

  When Tess arrived home, her neighbor Allison was at the door with her five year old son Quinn. Tess mustered a cheerful smile. “Hi.”

  “We're sorry to bother you right when you get home, but Quinn was hoping you could help him.”

  “If I can,” Tess said looking down at the boy. She invited them in, thankful for the distraction.

  “I need a pet,” Quinn said as they entered Tess' home.

  “A pet.”

  “My life is hectic enough, I don't need a pet to add to the mix,” Allison said. Tess knew she worked full time and moonlighted on the side to support herself and her young son ever since her husband ran off with someone he'd met on the Internet. “Quinn has a pet show-and-tell at school tomorrow.”

  “Can I bring Buster?” Quinn asked. “I know he's not mine, but he knows me and I'll take real good care of him. I promise.”

  “Sure. He'll probably enjoy the change of scenery,” Tess said.

  “Can I go see him?”

  “He's in the kitchen,” Tess said.

  Once Quinn left the room, Allison made herself comfortable on Tess' couch. Deciding having company was better than being alone with her grief, Tess joined her.

  “So, Tess. I happened to notice that someone other than your cop friend hanging around recently. In fact, the neighborhood is buzzing about his car having been in your drive all night.”

  Tess blushed even with the pain. “It's nothing.”

  Ally's eyes widened. “Good for you girl. Sometimes I wish I could do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Have a one night fling. But with Quinn...”

  “It wasn't a one night thing.” What was it though? A two night thing? “He's an old friend.”

  “Oh.” Tess thought she saw pity in Allison's face. “Well, I guess there's always your cop friend. He seems nice.”

  “He is nice, but I'm not in the market for a man.”

  “I used to think like that. Then I decided that I couldn't let Clay's stupidity hold me back. It was his problem, not mine. I may be a little haggard, but I'm smart, resourceful and my boobs are still north of my belly button.”

  Tess laughed. “I'm sure there are many men who'd be interested in you.”

  “How about that man that was here the other day. Tess, he was gorgeous. Does he like kids?”

  Tess squirmed in her seat. She had no claim to Jack any more, but she wasn't interested in his being with another woman either. “I think so. But he spends most of the time in Northern Virginia.”

  “I suppose he has lots of choices up there.”

  Tess nodded.

  “Oh well. Isn't that how it is? What is they say? All the good men are taken or gay?"

  Tess nodded even though she knew of a good one who wasn't taken or gay.

  "Quinn, we should be going.”

  Tess helped Quinn gather Buster's bowl and food and saw them out. While Buster had never been great company, knowing she was truly alone was more than Tess could bear. Forcing down her bowl of cereal, she retreated to her bed to wallow in her pain.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  "You look like you could use coffee," Regina said when Tess entered the office Monday morning. "In fact, I'll get you the pot."

  Apparently the concealer didn't work, Tess thought as she made her way to her desk. "Can you come in for a minute, Reg?"

  Regina perched herself in a chair waiting for instructions. Tess noticed the cup of hot coffee sitting on her desk. Tess sat in her chair with a resigned sigh. Regina's speed and efficiency was making Tess' chore that morning even more difficult.

  "Are you alright? You don't look so good."

  "Long weekend." Tess took a sip of coffee knowing it was done to prolong the inevitable. "I have something important to discuss with you."

  "Okay."

  "I’m not going to be able to stay in business if things don't turn around quickly. I can't afford the drop in my client base."

  Regina nodded, but didn't seem worried. Surely she understood that without business, Tess wouldn't be able to keep her as an employee.

  "I've tried to … solve the problem. I've called everyone, but it may be too little too late."

  "Mr. Valentine has to be worth more than all those guys," Regina said. No wonder she didn't look worried, she thought Jack was the knight in shining armor who would make it all better.

  "Actually, I don't represent Mr. Valentine anymore."

  "Why?"

  "I…ah…told him I couldn't."

  "You fired the one big client we've got for all the little clients?"

  Put that way, Tess had to agree that it wasn't a smart move. "I know it sounds nuts, but I can't expect to make a living and pay your salary on one big client. You know what they say about putting all your eggs in one basket."

  "Well it explains the dark circles. He didn't take it well I guess."

  "He took it fine. It's when I told him I couldn't associate with him personally that he got upset," Tess hadn't meant to say that much. Regina was her employee, not her confident.

  "By associate you mean date, right?" Regina shook her head. "Why would you do that?"

  "To appease the clients. Save your job."

  "You chose your career over happiness?"

  Tess sighed. Regina had an even more disastrous history with men and yet she still believed in happily ever after.

  "I was happy in my career."

  "You said 'was'. You're not happy now."

  "Right now my career is teetering on the edge of annihilation. If I can get it back on track, then I'll be happy again."

  "Why not choose both?"

  "I can't have both. That's why we're talking. I want you to be aware that I'm committed to saving this business."

  "I'd of chosen the man." Regina sat back in her chair. Tess got the impression that any admiration Regina had for her was gone.

  "You do u
nderstand that if I don't have a business, you don't have a job?"

  Regina shrugged. "Sure."

  "You're not concerned that I'm worried about being able to afford you?"

  Regina shifted in her chair.

  "I need to convince our clients to come back."

  "Why would you want them? Dumping you because of who you date is stupid."

  Idiots is what Jack had called them, but they both were right. "That may be, but those stupid people help pay your bills. I'm going to do everything I can, but if I can't fix this, I want you to know that I've been making inquiries to other firms. I don’t want you to worry."

  "Okay. Thanks."

  Tess frowned. "You don't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation."

  "I'm not worried. There are lots of other people in town who need a lawyer. New people who won't care about the almighty Worthingtons. You should know that. You help a lot of people who wouldn't care about that."

  "Pro bono doesn't pay your bills either," Tess said.

  "So there are still others. There's the ones who stayed."

  Tess determined it was useless to convince Regina that the situation was boarding on dire. "I just wanted to explain the situation. I'm committed to fixing this."

  Regina's eyes widened in what looked like panic. Finally Tess thought, she gets it. "You didn't fire Mr. Valentine just for me did you? For my job?"

  Tess hadn't expected that. "Not specifically."

  "Because I don't want that on me." She waved her hands, her long nails flashing like red rubies. "I won't come between true love."

  Back to that, Tess thought. How exasperating Regina was being."It's not on you."

  "Because I don't need this job-" Regina stopped herself.

  "I see."

  "No. I mean," Regina blew out a breath. "You know how some of your free clients give you gifts as a way to pay?"

  "Yes." It had been such a hassle. So much junk. But she couldn't say no. Her pro bono clients were poor, but proud. She couldn't take away the sense that they'd paid for her services. So she'd accepted their 'gifts' most of which were piled in a closet.

  "Remember how I sold some on eBay?"

  Tess nodded. She'd been surprised that some had sold. And annoyed because it had made her life harder since it had to be considered income. She didn't keep that either though. Although it wasn't much, she'd donated whatever was made back to Legal Aid.

  "I figured if that junk could sell, perhaps some of my junk would sell. And it did!" She sounded surprised by the fact. "So I found other stuff. Kids clothes sell really good."

  "You've been moonlighting on eBay?" Tess asked.

  Regina gave a sheepish smile. "Yes. I've nearly paid all my debt and I'm thinking of saving for a house. But if I had to live on it, I probably could. So if you want Mr. Valentine-"

  "Wait. You're making enough money on eBay to live on?" Tess couldn't believe what she was hearing. For the first time in days, she felt a lightness of spirit. When Tess had met her, Regina was struggling to raise her two girls, take on a deadbeat father, and try to make a living. But in a couple of years, she'd blossomed into a confident, accomplished woman. Tess felt guilty for not noticing sooner.

  "Not quite, but I only do it a few hours a night after the kids are in bed. If I didn't have a job, I'd have more time and could probably make more."

  "So this job is holding you back?"

  "No! No!"

  Tess smiled. "Regina I can't tell you how unbelievably proud I am of you. You're an entrepreneur."

  Regina's smile was tentative. "I am?"

  "Yes. Are you operating as a sole proprietor?"

  "Yes. I was saving to hire you though to help me with a LLC."

  Tess rolled her eyes. "You don't have to hire me."

  "I do."

  "That's silly; you're the one that puts the papers together in the first place."

  "Oh right."

  "Then again, I need the work," Tess said.

  Regina was about to respond, but was interrupted by the phone. "But I still work for you," she said as she stood and picked up the receiver to Tess' phone. "Tess Madison's office." She paused then said. "Please hold and I'll see if she's available." She pressed the hold button with one two-inch long red acrylic nail decorated with pink and white hearts for Valentine's Day. Thinking of Valentine's Day sent another painful pinch to Tess' heart. She wouldn't have her Valentine.

  "It's Brad Chancellor," Regina said.

  Tess swallowed the pain. "I'll take it."

  Regina handed Tess the phone. "Line 1," she said then she left the office.

  "This is Tess Madison."

  "What the hell is wrong with you?"

  Tess pulled the phone away from her ear, looking at the receiver half expecting to see Brad reaching through the phone to throttle her.

  "Excuse me?" she said when she felt her hearing was safe.

  "What. The. Hell. Is. Wrong. With. You?" His clipped voice repeated, but at a lower decibel. "You dumped me because I couldn't give you the fairy tale."

  "I broke it off with you because you don't like women-"

  "And then you have a guy who'll give you all that and more and you dump him too. What's wrong with you?"

  Not wanting to get into it with Brad, Tess said. "Did you call with the name of a new lawyer?"

  "No. I'm calling expecting you tell me that it was a big mistake and that you're on your way right now to beg him to take you back."

  "I can't do that."

  "Sure you can. You plead temporary insanity, grovel if you have to, and then kiss and make up."

  How odd to have her ex-fiancé trying to talk her into getting back together with his boss. If it wasn't painful, it might be funny. "This really isn't your business-"

  "Yes it is! I've got a boss who is in a pisser mood occupying my office to distract himself from the broken heart you gave him. I want my office back, Tess."

  "So this is about you?"

  "It's always about me. But it's about Jack too. Jesus Tess, I think you broke him."

  Tess didn't want to hear that. Couldn't hear it. She'd made her choice and while she regretted hurting Jack, she knew she'd made the right decision. Didn't she? Even if she hadn't broken up with Jack now, eventually he'd move on. Everyone else had. Her father. Brad. Even Daniel and Helen. She'd made the right choice. In the end she was saving them both from greater pain by ending things sooner.

  "Are you there Tess?"

  "Yes. Do you have a new lawyer for him?" She couldn't even bring herself to say his name.

  "Why are you doing this? Jack is a bigger client than all your clients put together."

  So Jack had explained to Brad what had happened. She supposed she wasn't surprised. They'd been friends for a long time. She wondered if Jack had told Cora. Maybe she should lock her doors extra carefully just in case. Cora seemed like the type to take revenge.

  "That's not the point," Tess said.

  "What is the point then? Defending him in a murder case has to be a whole lot more interesting than doing torts or whatever you do there. And it's not like you need the money. You're family has more money-"

  "You know that I don't have any of my family's money."

  "That's because you're pigheaded. None of this makes sense. When you were with me you wanted love and all that garbage. Now you're willing to trash it for a bunch of backwater town clients?"

  "You can't always have what you want. I think you taught me that, Brad."

  "Do you even know what you want Tess?"

  Nope, she thought to herself. "I want you to tell me where to send Jack's files."

  She heard Brad sigh. "How serious is the case against him? Do I need to get Fletcher?"

  Fletcher Bly was a nationally known DC defense attorney famous for getting politicians out of legal trouble. He was probably more fire power than Jack needed at this time, but would definitely intimidate Jefferson Tavern police and the Commonwealth's attorney.

  "The case is weak, but he's a
t the top of the list."

  "You don't really believe he killed-"

  "No, I don't"

  "He said you did."

  "I never said that," Tess said on an exasperated breath. "He thought that up all on his own."

  "Did you tell him otherwise?"

  "Are you going to get Fletcher?" Tess said.

  "I can't believe I need Fletcher. Jack nearly fired me once for kicking in a fire ant hole. That guy cares more about life and earth than is normal. He'd never kill anyone."

  "I know."

  "But your cops down there think he did."

  "I think they hope he did."

  "What? What kind of cops are down there?"

  "They're police detectives and normally good, but this is a big case involving a prominent family."

  "Asa wouldn't give anyone there the time of day, yet they stand by him like he was a saint."

  He was preaching to the choir, but Tess declined to interrupt Brad's rant.

  "Isn't there a crazy ex-wife and greedy kids?"

  "Sort of, but they're family… a distinguished family from a small town. But a good defense lawyer will keep Jack from being arrested unless something more tangible is discovered."

  "I'll call Fletcher today."

  Tess let out a relieved breath that Brad was going to stop harping on her.

  "When he's on board, let me know and I'll send up the files," she said.

  "Can you send it up to us now? I think Derek is coming up in a day or two, maybe he can courier it up?"

  "These are confidential papers," Tess reminded Brad.

  "Jack trusts Derek." Brad paused. "Or you can bring it up personally. I'm sure Jack would like that."

  Tess sighed. Brad was going to have to find another way to get his office back. "Let me know about Derek."

  "Right."

  Tess was about to end the call when Brad said, "Tess, you know I didn't mean to hurt you."

  She really didn't want to get into that again. "I don't think-"

  "Jack, he's not like me. I don't mean he's not gay. I mean-"

  "Brad-"

  "I'm just saying, maybe that fairy tale stuff can be true. We always said it was bunk, but maybe –"

  "I need to go now." Tess could feel her control slipping. Any minute she was going to blurt out that she was on her way to beg on her hands and knees. But what purpose would that serve?