Framed by Friends: A Senoia Cozy Mystery

by Susan Harper

  “Looks like this is all coming together,” Jack said.

  “Whitney’s scar,” Felicity said. “On her leg. How did she get it? You were there that night, right?”

  “Nick,” Logan said. “Nick tried to jab Jefferson with a lawn sprinkler, and Whitney got in the way trying to break the two of them up. She loved it. The attention and the drama. She thrives off that sort of thing.”

  “And yet you follow that crazy woman around like a lost puppy,” Jack mocked.

  “Not anymore,” Logan said.

  “Good, then you’ll speak out as a witness against Kristopher?” Jack asked, and Logan grew paler.

  “I…I don’t know about that,” he said.

  Felicity chuckled and pulled out her phone. “He already did, Jack.” She had recorded the entire conversation, and she was still recording. “Let’s get down to the station and show this and the information you got from Brittany to your boss.”

  Logan frowned. “Well, I guess I can’t stop you, can I? There’s probably one more thing you should know then.”

  “What?” Jack asked.

  “Whitney’s father owns an unregistered gun that holds a forty-caliber bullet. You should probably get a warrant to search Whitney’s home. I’m pretty sure he never got his gun back after he loaned it to Kristopher,” Logan said and then pushed his way by them, heading up the stairs and out of sight.

  Jack and Felicity didn’t waste any time. They rushed to the station to speak with the police chief, and despite his annoyance with their intrusion, he gave them a chance to speak. They headed into the man’s office, where they first played the recording of their conversation with Logan as well as the video that Dawn had taken of Whitney and Kristopher at the hospital.

  They presented all the information they had gathered: the life insurance policy, the information on Jim Johnson, and Johnson’s relationship with Gregory Lull and his son Kristopher. “So what are you two suggesting happened?” the chief asked.

  “Well,” Felicity began. “We think Whitney wanted to be with Kristopher. We also think that Mister Lull and Kristopher wanted revenge on Nick for having Jim Johnson arrested and for breaking up their drug ring. Plus, it was only a matter of time before Nick found out that Gregory and Kristopher were involved as well, and that would expose them. We think that the three of them have been plotting this for months. Kristopher and Gregory would get their revenge, and Whitney would get money from the life insurance policy and would get to be with Kristopher. They convinced Logan to steal the gun for them, but he panicked and hid it. When he did, Kristopher must have borrowed Gregory’s gun knowing it was unregistered so it wouldn’t be traced back to them. Even though they didn’t use Jefferson’s gun, they hoped that the police would still look at his and Whitney’s history and accuse him.”

  “And we fell for it,” the chief said and shook his head. “If we can find the gun and find evidence that Kristopher and Gregory were involved in the drug trafficking, then it looks like we have our suspects.”

  The chief reached for his desk phone and called a local judge to get a search warrant on both Whitney and Gregory’s homes. When he hung up, he pointed at Jack. “Go on,” the chief said, slipping Jack his badge and gun. “Go to Whitney’s home first and search for that gun. I’ll have another officer head to the Lull house to see what we can dig up on Gregory.”

  “You got warrants for both?” Jack asked.

  “Of course I did, Hudson. Now go, and I’ll make a call to make sure your buddy Jefferson is let go.”

  “Thanks, Chief,” Jack said, and he and Felicity hurried out the door.

  Felicity checked her phone for the time and sighed. “I was supposed to meet Brian for dinner fifteen minutes ago.”

  Chapter 14

  Felicity and Brian sat in the back of Jack’s patrol car as they headed toward Whitney’s house. Brian had been forgiving regarding Felicity forgetting yet again about one of their scheduled date nights, and for that she was very thankful. They had picked him up on their way to Whitney’s.

  “So another officer is headed to the Lull house?” Brian asked as Jack pulled down Whitney’s road.

  “A few,” Jack said. “They have a whole team going there. They’re going to tear the place apart trying to find evidence to connect Gregory to the drug trafficking his old Navy buddy was arrested for. I think they have NCIS going out there too.”

  “So why are they only sending you to Whitney’s?” Brian asked.

  “Searching for just a gun is a little different than trying to find the type of evidence they’ll be looking for at Gregory’s. But Chief is calling in another pair of officers to meet me at Whitney’s,” Jack explained just as they were pulling up into the driveway. Jack opened the car door. “You two stay here.”

  “Your backup isn’t here yet,” Felicity said.

  “It’s just Whitney,” Jack said. “I think I can handle her.”

  Jack headed up toward the house, leaving Felicity and Brian behind. Felicity gazed at the house and watched as Whitney answered the door. She looked very annoyed that Jack had arrived with a warrant, but invited him inside without much fuss apart from an over exaggerated eye-roll.

  “Felicity,” Brian said under his breath, and she looked his way.

  She looked at him cautiously. He seemed troubled. “Everything all right?”

  “There’s something I want to talk to you about,” he said.

  “You’re coming to the New Year’s party?” she asked, and he frowned. Well, that wasn’t it, she thought. “I’m kidding,” she said, though truthfully, she had been hoping.

  “I owe you an apology,” he began. “I haven’t been very honest with you about something, and after spending some time one on one with Jefferson, well, he made me realize I needed to come out in the open about it.”

  “About what, Brian?”

  “I’ve been kind of a jerk to your friends,” Brian said. “To Jack and Jefferson, I mean. I’ve been giving them a hard time and talking down to them pretty much since you first introduced us. I guess I was just a bit intimidated. Jack’s your ex-boyfriend, and you spend so much time with Jefferson. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry.”

  Felicity frowned. “I knew there was some tension between you guys. I assumed it was Jack, though. He’s not exactly one to be in control of his temper or know how to bite his tongue.”

  “No, it has definitely been me,” Brian said. “And I’m sorry.”

  “Well, I don’t know why you’re apologizing to me. Sounds like you should apologize to Jack and Jeffrey,” she said and turned up her nose slightly. “Jealously is flattering to me. You don’t have anything to worry about with those two. Jack is an ex for a reason, and Jefferson and I are just friends. But they are both friends. And I don’t like the idea of you not being able to get along with them. Frankly, Brian, I’ve known them both a lot longer than you. I’m not going to cut them out of my life because it makes you uncomfortable.”

  “I wouldn’t ever ask you to do that,” he said. “I’ll apologize to them both. I promise.”

  “Good,” she said. “Thank you for being honest.” He smiled and leaned in to give her a kiss, but she held her finger to his lips and slowly pushed his face away. “You can apologize to my friends first,” she said, but she smiled slightly at him.

  “You’re still punishing me for the New Year’s Eve party, aren’t you?” he asked.

  “Of course,” she teased, and then they heard a gunshot. “Jack!” she shrieked and went to open the car door.

  “Don’t you dare!” Brian warned her. “You stay right here!”

  He jumped out of the car, but Felicity still followed close behind. They heard Jack’s voice scream, and the sound was followed by loud banging. “Stay back,” Brian warned as they approached the front door. Brian pushed the door open, and they saw Jack at the bottom of the stairwell flat on his back. Felicity glanced up and spotted Kristopher standing at the top of the stairs, and when she made eye contact w
ith him, he bolted down the hall.

  Jack fumbled to his feet; Brian reached down to help him up. “You all right?” Brian asked.

  “He pushed me down the stairs,” Jack groaned as he stood upright. “Felicity, call nine-one-one and have them alert the officers who are arriving on scene. And get out of the house. He’s armed.” With that, Jack ran back up the stairs with his weapon drawn.

  Much to Felicity’s surprise, she watched as Brian hurried up the stairs after him. “You’re crazy!” she shouted, scurrying for her phone.

  Felicity couldn’t resist. As she dialed 911, she hurried up the stairs after Jack and Brian. “Hello, operator?” Felicity said as she reached the top of the stairs. She spat out the address and informed the woman that Officer Jack Hudson was engaged with a hostile.

  As she rounded the corner, she saw Jack with his gun drawn. He was peering around a corner just as Kristopher bolted in his direction with a gun pointed his way. “Jack!” Felicity shrieked just as Brian appeared around the opposing corner as well.

  She heard a gun go off, and Kristopher took off again away from them all. Her jaw dropped as Brian fell to the floor, gripping his shoulder. Jack knelt beside him, keeping an eye out in the event Kristopher returned. “Brian!” she shrieked and then shouted at the operator to send an ambulance. The poor woman on the other line could hardly get a word in at all.

  Felicity hurried to Brian’s side, kneeling beside him. Jack looked at her. “He pushed me out of the way,” Jack said and offered Brian a slight grin. “You’re all right. Felicity’s got an ambulance on the way.” He looked at Felicity with a firm gaze. “You two stop following me. Don’t be stupid. Felicity, put pressure on his wound here. He’s backed himself into the corner of the house. He doesn’t have anywhere to go, so stay here!” Jack got to his feet and hurried after Kristopher before the man had a chance to jump out a window.

  Felicity did as she was told, remaining by Brian and pressing her palm against his bullet wound. “You’re so stupid!” she shouted at him. “You ran at a man with a gun pointed your way!”

  “He had it pointed in Jack’s face,” Brian said.

  “Why in the world are you smiling?” Felicity shrieked. “You just got shot!”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Then why smile?” she asked.

  “Because I was just shot with a Glock Twenty-Two,” he said. “Those take forty-caliber bullets.”

  Felicity rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot,” she said.

  “Felicity!” Brian suddenly shrieked, and Felicity turned to see Whitney lingering over them with a kitchen knife in her hand.

  Felicity jumped to her feet before Whitney had a chance to get too close. “Back off, Whitney,” Felicity warned.

  “My dad just called,” she snarled. “Apparently, the police are swarming his house right now too.” She sighed heavily. “I never had a chance, huh? Mom was a psycho. Dad, a drug dealer.”

  “You had a chance,” Felicity said. “Your sister is doing just fine. You didn’t have to do any of this. What are you going to do, Whitney? Stab me?”

  “Seriously?” Brian muttered from the ground. “Don’t taunt her. What’s wrong with you?”

  “Maybe,” Whitney said.

  “It’s over, Whitney,” Felicity said. “They know Jefferson had nothing to do with this. They’re going to find the evidence they need, and you and your dad and your boyfriend are all going to join your mom in prison.”

  Whitney charged in Felicity’s direction. She side-stepped, pushing Whitney’s right arm—and the knife—aside, then Felicity lunged full force into Whitney’s face, head-butting her. Whitney went down, her face a bloodied mess, and Felicity gripped the top of her own head in pain. “Ow!” she shrieked. She turned to see Brian looking at her with wide eyes and a slight grin.

  “Did you just head-butt her?” he questioned.

  “Ow,” she said again for emphasis.

  “You knocked her out!” Brian shouted; he laughed slightly, then cringed in pain.

  Jack appeared in the hall at the top of the stairs, pushing a handcuffed Kristopher along with him. “Whitney!” Kristopher shrieked.

  “What did I miss?” Jack asked.

  “She knocked her out!” Brian said, still grinning. “She head-butted her!”

  “No,” Jack said as though he didn’t believe it.

  Felicity was still gripping the top of her head. “I need an ice pack,” she said and then slumped down on the floor next to Brian. “Ugh, that was a terrible idea. Nobody wins in a head-butt. I’m going to have a headache until Christmas.”

  “All right, downstairs,” Jack said to Kristopher. “Then I’ll come back for your unconscious girlfriend.”

  Jack ushered Kristopher downstairs and outside just as the first cop car he was supposed to have been waiting on arrived. “Jack is going to get in trouble for letting you get shot,” Felicity said, still rubbing her head.

  “He’ll be fine,” Brian said. “It’s not like I’m going to sue. I’m the one who ran in here after he told me to stay put.” Brian leaned his head back against the wall. “I’m starting to feel a little dizzy.”

  “You and me both,” Felicity groaned.

  “That was kind of hot,” Brian said, and Felicity gently punched his good arm.

  Paramedics arrived and took Brian out on a stretcher. While Whitney, now conscious, and Kristopher were put into the back of a patrol car by other officers, Jack and Felicity stood by the ambulance.

  “He should be fine,” one of the paramedics said. “He’s just dizzy from the blood loss right now.”

  “I’ll meet you at the hospital,” Felicity promised, and Brian nodded approvingly in her direction.

  “Thank you, Brian,” Jack said. “You saved me.”

  Brian could only blink in response. The ambulance drove off, and Felicity smiled. Jack nudged her slightly. “Jefferson missed all the fun this time,” he said. “Just wait until he hears how you knocked out his crazy ex-girlfriend.”

  Felicity laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure he will appreciate that one.”

  Chapter 15

  Felicity gave Jefferson a quick hug and thank-you for showing up early to help get ready for the New Year’s Eve party. He had been exceptionally helpful at the shop lately as his way of showing thanks for clearing his name and doing so in record time. Since Brian was in D.C., Felicity had had to call up Jefferson for some assistance. And since the two of them were party planners, they wanted to make sure they threw a good celebration for their friends.

  Jefferson hooked up a large, borrowed television in Felicity’s living room to give them a great view of the Peach Drop in Atlanta. He set out party hats, and Felicity made an assortment of finger foods that were sure to delight their companions.

  Around nine, the group started to arrive. Everyone had some sort of side dish, and soon the small get-together was underway. Dawn, Monte, Veronica, Jack, and Autumn all arrived in shifts. They listened to music, talked about their accomplishments from the previous year, and of course made New Year’s Resolutions.

  “So what’s the news on the latest goons Felicity put behind bars?” Veronica asked, popping open the champagne.

  “Veronica!” Felicity exclaimed. “That’s for midnight!”

  “I know! I’m just getting it ready,” Veronica said. “You realize it’s only five minutes until midnight, right?” She began pouring glasses.

  Felicity laughed; the time had certainly snuck up on her. Jack addressed the group. “Well, I can tell you this: Kristopher is a little weasel. He is singing like a canary to try to avoid a life sentence. The man turned on both Gregory and Whitney; he’s telling the police everything. And he’s even snitching on Gregory and his father’s entire operation. He knows everyone who was involved who managed to get away with the smuggling, and he’s giving up names. A lot of bad people are going to be put away because of this.”

  “That’s awesome,” Jefferson said, snorting slightly. “So did Kristopher
tell the police exactly how those three pulled this whole thing off?”

  “Yeah,” Jack said. “Gregory and Kristopher started talking a few months back about offing Nick because he was still looking into Kristopher’s father’s operations. They were worried about being busted. Basically, Whitney found out what her father and Kristopher were planning and instead of calling the police or reporting it, she talked to her mother about it. The woman encouraged her to take out a life insurance policy on Nick and to just pretend she didn’t know about a thing.”

  “Is Whitney’s mother going to face any charges?” Felicity asked.

  “Yup,” Jack said. “Not sure exactly what yet, but probably conspiracy to commit murder type thing.”

  “So Whitney wasn’t really that involved at all, apart from choosing not to do anything about it?” Dawn asked.

  “Not exactly,” Jack said. “As it got closer, sounds like Whitney got a lot more involved. It was her idea to throw a big party and try to pin the whole thing on one of the guests, which is why she hired Overton’s Events. When she saw that Jefferson was Felicity’s assistant, they all decided it would be easy to pin the whole thing on him. Kristopher knew from some of my friends at work that you had been going with me to the shooting range. I didn’t even realize he had been the one to set up the plan to go to the shooting range after the party. He mentioned to his friends to invite me along, knowing that I’d invite Jefferson. They just assumed that I knew Kristopher since he mentioned to them to invite me.”

  “And that was how they got Jefferson to bring the gun to the party,” Felicity said. “Then Whitney flirted with Logan to fetch the gun. Logan panicked at the last minute, not knowing why they would be stealing Jefferson’s gun, and stashed it under the bed instead of putting it where he was supposed to.”

  “What’s going to happen to Logan?” Monte asked.

  “He’s cooperating with police,” Jefferson said. “Sounds like he’s going to get some jail time for his involvement, but it shouldn’t be anything too extreme.”