by Jaime Maddox
Reese had knocked on her door later, and they’d sat and talked for a while, which gave Ella hope that they’d be able to work through the stressful time, but she was still sad. Sad that it wasn’t the way it could be with Reese and sad for all the reasons why it wasn’t.
It was almost a relief when her alarm rang on Monday morning. Work would distract her and give her a new reason to focus, and she was grateful for both. At her office, she answered a few calls and emails before turning to the pile of snail-mail in her box.
After scanning the envelopes, her heart beat a little faster when she saw a large one from the university’s in-house attorney. Tearing it open, she was delighted to see it was paperwork for the Stephanie Gates Scholarship. Bucky had finished it and returned it, and now all Ella needed was a check to make it complete.
Ella quickly read through the document, and finding it to be accurate, she set it on her desk and dialed Sophie’s number. It took a few rings, and Ella found herself impatient as she waited for an answer. She was too excited to postpone this announcement.
“Hello, Ella,” she heard when Sophie finally answered.
“It’s ready!”
“Wonderful! What do we do now?”
“You sign the scholarship agreement and make it official.”
“How about dinner Wednesday?”
“Absolutely.”
They finalized their plan, and then Ella dialed Bucky’s number to thank him for his efforts.
“Glad to help,” he said, and they chatted for a few minutes about the party and the attack on Cass.
“You don’t think Reese will be in any trouble, do you, Buck? I think she’s worried.”
“It’s like the threat of malpractice, I would imagine. You try your best and someone dies, and not only do you have to live with that, but you have to worry about getting sued. She’s worried about this. Even though she did nothing wrong, it could still cause her a lot of grief.”
“Maybe you should call her again. Just to reassure her.”
“I don’t think she wants to talk to me, but I will.”
An hour later, a beeping phone drew Ella from the plans for a fund-raising conference she was considering. She had a text from Reese, who was working a day shift in the ER. Her dour mood lifted before she even read Reese’s words.
1. Are you free for dinner?
2. If so, would you like to have dinner with me?
3. I’m sorry about the way you left on Sunday—I think I was just a little stressed.
4. If you give me another chance, I’ll make it up to you.
In spite of her earlier misgivings, Ella didn’t hesitate to reply.
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Understandable.
4. I’m counting on it.
They agreed on the time, and suddenly Ella felt excited again. She and Reese had a sure attraction, on a multitude of levels. If they could get through these hard times, they had a chance to have something really good.
It took several wardrobe and hairstyle changes to get ready for dinner, but when she was ready, she thought the effort worth it. Pulling her hair off her face made her feel elegant, even sexy, and she wore a scooped-neck sweater to show off earrings and a necklace she’d picked up in the islands. She refreshed her makeup and added a dab of perfume before sitting on the couch to stare at the door fifteen minutes early.
Reese didn’t make her wait long. Arriving ten minutes early, and bearing a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers, she looked quite amazing in a tailored, button-down shirt under a blazer, and jeans.
A kiss on the cheek to thank Reese for the flowers turned into a hug, and the hug, at first comforting, turned into something more, until they pulled away and searched each other’s eyes. “This has been a tough week,” Reese said. “But I’m really happy you’re helping me through it.”
Ella nodded. “Glad to be here.”
Once the flowers were taken care of, she and Reese walked hand in hand to Vito’s restaurant overlooking the park. Ella had wanted to check it out since she’d met Vito, but she hadn’t had a chance. Now she would. They talked about food as they walked—Reese wanted to make sure Ella was up for the menu—and they were still discussing their favorite dishes when Vito himself came to the table to offer them both hugs and a fresh salad of tomatoes and mozzarella drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. “I infused the oil with basil from the garden—it’s scrumptious!”
“Everything is scrumptious,” Reese told him, and he beamed.
“Don’t forget, it’s not too late to sign up for my cooking cruise. We sail in less than a month, and you know your sister would love it.”
Reese nodded. “One day, Vito,” she said, and he left them to their food. It was as good as he’d promised, and soon the waitress took their orders, and before she knew it, their dinner arrived. Ella could have lingered for hours, enjoying the conversation and the company.
Instead of dessert they decided on the cookies Ella had made the day before. It wasn’t until they were seated on Pip’s couch, with coffee and cookies in hand, that Reese mentioned a call from Bucky.
“He said what we already know—there’s no evidence of anything, and I shouldn’t be worried.”
“It’s good to hear it, isn’t it?”
“It sure is.”
“Any word on the baseball player?”
“My mom talked to the police today. They have footage from the Everhart Museum’s cameras and also from the hospital’s, but they don’t see him. He must have come into the park from the other side. There are no businesses there. Therefore, no cameras.”
“And no witnesses?”
“No one so far.”
“It’s frustrating. And scary. I mean…what if he’s out to get her?”
“Oh, I know. My parents are on guard, and the police have increased patrols around the park and our house.”
“Good, good,” Ella said as she bit a chewy chocolate-chip cookie and moaned.
Reese laughed. “It’s nice to hear you moan.”
Suddenly Ella felt the enormity of the situation, and she wanted Reese to know she shared her troubles. Putting down the cookie and the coffee, she scooted over on the couch and sat beside her, resting her head on Reese’s shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Reese.”
Feeling the rise and fall of Reese’s chest, Ella knew how worried Reese was, despite her earlier disclaimers. She took Reese’s cup and placed it on the table, then sat in Reese’s lap, her head resting on Reese’s shoulder. Immediately, Reese encircled her and pulled her close, and Ella felt better than she had in days. She’d crawled into Reese’s lap to comfort her, but it seemed she was getting as much comfort as she was giving. Suddenly she knew her earlier proclamation was true. Somehow, some way, it would all be okay.
The warmth and comfort she felt began to stir other feelings, and Ella gently nibbled on Reese’s neck. “Do you think we’re moving too fast?” she asked a moment later.
“It’s a little late to ask that question.”
Ella tickled her. “I mean…should we maybe take a time-out?”
Reese pulled back and searched her eyes. “Is that what you want?”
Ella had always been a woman of conviction. A child of conviction, too. When she made up her mind, no one could make her change it. When she set her mind to a goal or set her hand to a task, she usually didn’t stop until she got what she wanted.
Her attraction to Reese was still as strong as it had been before all this nonsense started. Stronger, perhaps, because they’d shouldered some of the burdens together. “Absolutely not,” she said after a moment.
Reese responded with a smile and then a kiss.
* * *
Before leaving on Monday night, Reese had agreed to accompany Ella to Sophie’s house for dinner on Wednesday. It would make Reese happy to see Sophie and would make the evening drive to the lake much more pleasant for Ella.
Reese showered at her parents’ house after work, and by four
thirty, they were on their way to the lake. Of course, the recent events came up as soon as they got into the car.
“I still don’t know what to think about all of this. Assuming Cass isn’t confused, why would Josh lie about being in Scranton the night Steph died?”
Ella shrugged and then reached across the console to grab Reese’s hand. “Who knows? He was a young kid, hardly experienced in police investigations. He probably panicked. When the police asked him for an alibi, he got nervous, and he lied.”
“But Ella,” Reese said. “That’s just it. Why lie? What was he doing in Nay Aug Park, in Scranton, when his mother was near death in Philadelphia? What was so important that he came home that night, and then why couldn’t he tell anyone about it?”
“I don’t know, Reese. I just don’t know.”
Speculation about Josh Nathan consumed their conversation, and Ella paused to look at Reese when she parked the car in Sophie’s driveway. “Do we say anything to her?”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what the senator has to do with Steph’s murder—but I suspect he knows something. Too many links are pointing to him. But what can we prove? Nothing. Unless she’s in danger, why upset her?”
Reese nodded and frowned. “You’re right. We can speculate all we want, but we can’t prove anything. And without a motive, I’m not even sure I believe Josh did anything wrong. Maybe he really had some reason to be in Scranton and lied because he was scared, and all of this is just a coincidence.”
Ella leaned over and squeezed Reese’s hand. “Maybe. Now let’s go in. And then, if I can take care of business in an expeditious fashion, I can sneak you up to my room later.”
“I don’t have work tomorrow…”
“Then it’s settled. Do you think you’re up for climbing the trellis to my balcony, so Pip won’t know?”
Reese paled, and Ella reached for her. “What?”
“Oh, God. I don’t know…this summer when Sophie and I were talking about the investigation, she told me it always bothered her that there was no forced entry. Steph wouldn’t have opened the door for a stranger. That’s why she always suspected Steph knew her murderer.”
“Yes, so?”
“What if the murderer came up the trellis onto her balcony? Steph might have heard him and opened her sliding door to investigate.”
“Well, that sort of gives credit to the burglar theory again, huh?”
“Except for one thing. When Steph was dating Josh, they were together the summer between junior and senior year. He would drive out to the lake after work to see Steph. He’d park on the road and climb the trellis up to her balcony.”
Ella sucked in a deep breath. “Would she have let him in?”
“Of course. They were friends.”
“Steph wouldn’t have been uncomfortable having her ex show up on her balcony when she was home all alone and expecting you at any moment? Wasn’t she trying to keep your relationship a secret?”
Reese sighed. What would Steph have done? She and Josh were friends. Great friends. They’d never been lovers, though. Josh had pressured her to sleep with him, and the understanding that she had no desire for him had helped clarify the feelings she had for Reese. As they approached the last year of high school, instead of all the joy she’d anticipated, Steph told Reese she’d felt sad, because she didn’t want to be away from her. She thought of her all the time. And when Josh kissed her, she couldn’t help wishing it was Reese’s arms around her and Reese’s lips caressing hers.
Steph’s confession had come on the night of the first football game that fall, and after Reese confessed a similar crush, their relationship had exploded.
But Josh had always been a gentleman, and Steph wouldn’t have feared him. In fact, because of his dad’s death that fall and his mom’s illness a few months later, Steph would have gladly opened the door for Josh, even if he showed up unexpectedly on a dark, rainy night.
Sharing her thoughts, Reese sighed. “See? This case just goes in circles.”
“Then let’s take a break from it. We’ll eat, and go back to my house—no trellis involved—and we’ll talk about something other than this for a little while.”
A smiling Sophie and the delectable aroma of pot roast greeted them at the door.
“It smells divine,” Ella said.
“It’s been cooking all day, and it’s starting to get to me. I can’t wait a moment longer. You two come in and I’ll put the biscuits in the oven and we’ll eat.”
The table was set, and Ella sat as Reese poured water and wine in elegant cut-crystal glasses. “The table looks so beautiful, Mrs. Gates.”
“Thank you,” she said. “It’s a special night, and I wanted it to look good. The food’s pretty basic, but I can still present it properly.”
“Well, you get five stars for the presentation. And if the smell is any indicator, I think I’ll be recommending this place to everyone.”
Sophie pointed a spatula at her. “Don’t you dare tell a soul I fed you pot roast. I used to serve five-course meals—my reputation will be in tatters.”
“The secret is ours.”
“It is a big night, though,” Reese said as she took the old cast-iron roaster and placed it on the pad in the center of the table. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I’m pleased.”
“Ella didn’t give me any details, so I’m looking forward to hearing them from you while we eat.”
Sophie sat and raised her glass to the others. “To Steph. May her memory live on in all those young women who make the world a better place, thanks to the opportunities this scholarship gives them.”
“To Steph,” Reese and Ella said, and they touched glasses at the center of the table.
“So, you’ve decided on a girl for the scholarship?” Reese asked.
“Yes. A girl who shows financial need.” She paused. “I’ve been mulling it all over—all the many options—and I think this is what Steph would have wanted.”
Reese and Ella sipped their drinks and nodded. “Even though she was deserving of the scholarship at PMU, she worried about taking it from Josh. We could afford the tuition, you see, and the Nathans were struggling after Mr. Nathan died.”
Ella felt the sudden rush of the wine as Sophie’s words hit her, and she was sure she’d misheard, so looked at Reese to see her expression. She looked as shocked as Ella felt.
“What?” Reese asked. “Steph had a scholarship at PMU?”
Sipping her wine, she looked at Reese in puzzlement. “Well, of course she did. She was valedictorian. The Prep valedictorian always gets a scholarship to PMU.”
Reese nodded, and Ella could see her measuring her words. “Yes, I understand that. I guess what I mean to say is that Steph was heading to Cornell. She’d turned down the PMU scholarship.”
“No, Reese. She’d changed her mind.”
Taking a big gulp of her wine, Reese sat back, and Ella could see the wheels of her mind turning. Surely, Reese’s thoughts were the same as her own. Surprise at the news, and surprise that Sophie didn’t understand its significance. Suddenly, Josh Nathan had a motive to murder Steph, and it was one of the classics: money.
“I didn’t know that,” Reese said as she studied Sophie. “Wasn’t it too late?”
Sophie shook her head. “You would think so, but apparently not.”
“What happened? Why?” Reese’s senses were all off-kilter, and she put down the wine, exchanging the glass in her hand for water. While this news was a surprise, it really wasn’t. Steph had been questioning her college choice for months before she died, and the night she died, she told Reese she had a surprise for her. Could that have been it? They’d often talked about going away to school together, sharing an apartment, having the freedom to do as they pleased. Yet Steph knew that an apartment wasn’t an option for Reese; unlike Steph’s parents, the Ryans were a middle-class family and were sacrificing just to pay Reese’s tuition. She would never
have asked them to splurge on an apartment, too, when she lived so close to campus.
The timer on the stove beeped, and before Sophie could move, Ella jumped up to check the biscuits. “I’ll get them.” They were just browning on the edges, so Ella pulled on an oven mitt and removed the tray from the oven, then plated them on the dish Sophie had set out.
After carrying them to the table, she sat, but in spite of the fact that Sophie started serving the pot roast, neither Reese nor Ella was interested.
“So,” Reese asked again, fidgeting with her food and trying to appear casual. “Why’d she change her mind about the ivy?”
Sophie chewed, sipped her wine, and wiped her mouth with a crisp linen napkin before answering. “Josh. First his dad died, and then his mom got sick. As you know, Steve and I weren’t young when Steph was born, and she said she realized we weren’t going to be around forever. She said she wanted to go to college here, so she could spend four more years with us.”
Reese nodded, still avoiding the food as she focused on Sophie. “But when Steph took the scholarship, Josh lost it. Did she realize what that meant to him?” Reese’s mouth was so dry she could hardly speak. Didn’t Sophie realize what she was saying? Josh was the only one in the world with a motive to kill her daughter, and she’d kept this news quiet for nearly twenty-five years!
“Of course, and she felt just awful. It was why she debated so long and waited until the last minute, because she wanted to be sure of her decision. And then, after she discussed it with me and Steve, she went to the university and talked to the scholarship people. It was only after they assured her that Josh would still get a scholarship too that she made her final decision to go to PMU and accept the award—what’s it called, Ella? The Cognitio?”
Ella nodded, and Reese looked past her as she added it all up. So, they had another scholarship for Josh. That made sense. He was second in the class, and his father was dead, so Reese was sure that was worth a fortune in scholarship money. And it blew a big fat hole in her motive. Why did she care? Josh was her friend, so why was she so anxious to prove he had something to do with Steph’s death? Was she the one now seeking revenge, since he’d sicced the DA on her?
