Still, Forever, Promise

by D. L. Merritt

  ***

  Foxy’s was jam-packed, which was normal for a Friday night. This had been Brianna’s favorite club in high school and on into college. It was one place that hadn’t changed at all. She recognized the bartender and two of the waitresses. The same DJ played a mix of fast and slow songs. A handful of sweaty couples gyrated to the music, waiting for the first set of the band that played on Friday and Saturday night. The crowd seemed restless tonight, or was it just her?

  She scanned the crowd for her friends and saw them through the throng, sitting at one of the tables next to the band platform. The noisy crowd swept her toward the front of the club and her friends.

  A couple bumped into her as they passed, wearing the familiar UV stamp on their wrists. Foxy’s had strict rules for no underage drinking. Her wrist had worn that same mark not so long ago. Now it was replaced with another one.

  As she got closer to the front, she noticed Beverly and Jackie had already ordered a frosty pitcher of margaritas. Their glasses were almost empty.

  Brianna laughed as she joined them. “I see you guys started without me. Did you leave any for me?”

  Jackie and Beverly jumped up to hug Brianna around the neck. All three had been friends since middle school. They were a mismatched threesome, but somehow their friendship had endured throughout the years.

  “Had to get the party started. It’s been awhile,” Jackie said. “It’s good to see you, Bree. You haven’t changed a bit.”

  Jackie was the one who hadn’t changed. She still wore her wavy, light-brown hair in a pixie cut. She hadn’t traded her glasses in for contacts, and she was as slender as she’d been in high school—one of those frustrating women who could eat whatever they wanted and never gain a pound.

  Jackie filled Brianna’s glass. “I was in shock when I got the news about your parents’ accident,” she said. “Did you get the flowers?”

  Brianna nodded. “Yes, thank you. It happened so fast that I think I’m still in shock.”

  “Your parents were the coolest,” Beverly said. “I know you miss them. I wanted to come for the memorial service, but George lost his job, and with the kids . . . well, I couldn’t get away.”

  Beverly had gotten married right out of high school. She had two children, ages four and six. Everyone suspected she was pregnant before graduation, but no one in their circle ever broached the subject. She’d gained a considerable amount of weight with the two pregnancies, and she hadn’t lost it yet. An eccentric who never followed fads or trends, she insisted on living life on her own terms. Beverly was the stereotypical hippie, even though the movement had died long ago.

  Jackie added her condolences. “I wanted to come too, but I was at orientation for my new job when I got the news.”

  “Listen, guys, I understand, and it’s okay. I know you would have been there if you could. Now let’s get off that topic. The night’s young. We have a pitcher of margaritas to drink and some dancing to do.”

  Jackie and Beverly agreed. They ordered appetizers to share and spent the next thirty minutes eating and catching up.

  Beverly’s stories on the latest escapades of her two youngsters, who she affectionately referred to as Seek and Destroy, had them all laughing until tears streamed down their faces. Brianna and Jackie both agreed that Beverly’s stories were the best form of birth control.

  Jackie gave them a rundown on her new job. She’d completed her master’s degree in February. She wanted to gain experience while working on her PhD, and took a part-time job at the addiction recovery center in Morgantown. In her last year of high school, she’d found her father lying dead on the bathroom floor from an overdose of heroin. That was the catalyst for her chosen field of psychology with an emphasis on drug abuse and addiction.

  Jackie and Beverly turned their full attention on Brianna, and she braced herself for the questions that would be coming.

  “Well, how do you like living in Carmel?” Jackie asked.

  “I miss the change in seasons, but I love the warmer weather.”

  “And are you seeing anyone special?” Jackie continued questioning, a speculative look in her eyes.

  “Yes, I am seeing someone, and I’ve recently gotten engaged.”

  The two friends stared at her bare ring finger.

  “It’s in my suitcase. I spent all day cleaning the house, and I took it off so it wouldn’t get dirty or lost. I was in a hurry to get here, and I forgot to put it back on.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, are you going to tell us about him?” Beverly said.

  “And don’t leave out the juicy details,” Jackie added.

  Brianna took Ben’s picture out of her wallet. Her friends seemed impressed. She told them what he did for a living, how they met, and described the day he proposed—the happiest day of her life. She’d come home from working late and found him waiting inside her condo. With his hand in hers, he led her up to the rooftop where he’d draped white lights crisscrossed from all four corners of the roof. A table was set up in the middle and covered with a dark-blue silk tablecloth. Two settings of fine platinum china were placed at opposite ends. In the center of the table, he’d placed an arrangement of white rhododendrons, the state flower of West Virginia, in a crystal vase. Four standing candle lanterns provided the perfect ambiance. A waiter appeared out of nowhere to serve them a catered meal, while a violinist played a mixture of contemporary and classical music. After they’d finished eating, Ben raised his hand and real snow blew from the roof of the adjoining building. The white flakes littered her hair and clothes, evaporating as they hit the ground. He’d remembered her telling him how much she missed the snow in West Virginia, so he’d brought it to her. To her surprise, he got down on one knee, opened a black velvet box to expose a perfect oval-cut diamond engagement ring, and proposed.

  When she’d finished her story, a look passed between Jackie and Beverly. She suspected they considered Ben a rebound romance, and that she wasn’t over her high school sweetheart, Riley Rutland.

  So far, neither one of them brought him up, but that ended when Jackie asked, “Have you heard from Riley since you left Fairmont?”

  Brianna stroked the Celtic knot tattoo on her wrist. Riley had chosen the design, a symbol of their everlasting love. He had the same tattoo above his heart. They’d gotten them in high school, after forging the parental permission slips. Her parents had been furious when they found out and grounded her for a month. For the last two years, she’d toyed with the idea of having it removed, but for some reason, the timing never seemed right.

  “I haven’t seen or spoken to Riley since the day he dumped me.”

  “He didn’t dump you,” Beverly said. “He went away to college, and he didn’t want you to feel obligated to wait for him, that’s all.”

  Brianna rolled her eyes, cursing under her breath.

  Jackie interrupted. “You know Riley’s back.”

  Brianna’s heart fluttered; whether from dread or anticipation, she wasn’t sure.

  Jackie continued. “He was almost killed on his last assignment. He came back here to recuperate, and he’s been helping out at his dad’s hardware store ever since.”

  That’s going to be a problem. She’d planned to use Rutland’s to order her building supplies. Now, she faced the risk of bumping into Riley. I won’t worry about until it happens. “Let’s get off that topic?” Brianna stated. She wasn’t ready to think about Riley, let alone talk about him. To fill the awkward moment, she pretended to listen to the DJ.

  Beverly sipped her margarita and changed the subject. “I’m surprised you bought Monroe Manor. Don’t you know it’s haunted?”

  “That’s the second time I’ve heard that,” Brianna said, “and that’s complete nonsense.”

  “I have a friend who’s lived in the neighborhood all her life,” Beverly said. “She used to tell me stories about that house. The neighborhood kids would dare each other to spend the night there, but no one was brave enough to do it. A new kid moved in, and they
offered him twenty bucks. He took the bet, but didn’t even stay there an hour. Said he saw shadows in every room and heard footsteps stomping down the stairs. When a glowing orb went right through his body, he’d had enough and swore he’d never go back, not for any amount of money.”

  “That’s ridiculous. All abandoned houses get labeled haunted, because they’ve been neglected and look creepy. Once I finish remodeling it, you won’t recognize the place. It’ll be beautiful.”

  Beverly frowned. “Don’t come crying to me when it happens to you, because I’ll be sure to tell you ‘I told you so.’”

  Brianna was relieved when the band came onstage. The loud music prevented any further conversation about haunted houses or Riley. She checked her phone to see if she had any missed calls. There was a message from Lieutenant Holcomb, and her stomach twisted into a knot. “I need to return this call,” Brianna shouted across the table as she pointed at her phone. “I’ll be right back.”

  Jackie gave her a thumbs-up and tugged Beverly toward the dance floor as Brianna stepped outside.

  Patrons were lined up around the building, anxious to get into the club. Three guys tried to flirt with her, and she scurried around them, ignoring the hoots and hollers to move further down the street. After pausing for a moment to gather courage, she dialed the number and prayed Holcomb wouldn’t answer.

  He did, and foregoing the usual pleasantries blurted out, “I know it’s late, Miss Rossi, but I didn’t want you to hear about it on the news.”

  She was curious but let him continue without interrupting.

  “Umm . . . there’s no good way to say this. Your parents’ bodies have been found.”

  “I thought you said their bodies were swept out to sea?”

  “I said it was a possibility.”

  “And you’re sure it’s them?”

  “The coroner identified them through dental records.”

  Dazed and sick to her stomach, she told him she was in West Virginia handling a business matter, but would take the next flight out. She asked if she could have her parents’ bodies picked up for burial.

  He told her as long as the coroner had completed all testing there shouldn’t be a problem. He also let her know he was reopening the case and asked if she would come by the sheriff’s department to answer a few more questions while she was in town.

  She reiterated that she didn’t have anything more to add to what he already knew, but she would come by anyway. “Why are you reopening the case?”

  He paused for a second before responding. “I’ll tell you everything when you get here,” he said, hanging up.

  He didn’t tell me because he wants to see my reaction. If he thinks he’s the only one who’s going to be asking questions, he’s in for a shock.

  She returned to the club and the doorman checked her stamp before waving her through.

  This will put my projects behind schedule. What’ll I tell Beverly and Jackie? Another funeral. How much more can I take?

  The band was on a break when Brianna came back to the table.

  “What was that about? From the look on your face it wasn’t a pleasant conversation,” Jackie said.

  “The lieutenant who investigated my parents’ accident told me they found their bodies.”

  Both women looked shocked. Jackie was the first to recover. “What? Why’d it take so long?”

  “I’ve been wondering that myself. I’ll take the first flight back. This will put me behind on the spa renovations. Mr. Moretti was supposed to start on Monday. I’ll call and reschedule.”

  Beverly covered Brianna’s hand with hers and volunteered to meet with the contractor. Once her kids were at daycare and school, she was free. She would keep an eye on things until Brianna got back. It would give her something to do besides cleaning house and doing laundry.

  Jackie volunteered to help as well. “I’ll stop by on my way home from work. That way Beverly can pick up her kids on time, and I’ll hang out till the workers are done each day.”

  Brianna was overwhelmed by her friends’ kindness. They hadn’t changed that much after all. She handed Beverly the keys, hugged them both, and left the club.

  After checking out of the hotel, she spent the two hour drive to Charleston pondering the possible outcomes of her meeting with Lieutenant Holcomb. She didn’t trust him. He had a calculated reason for wanting to see her.

  The impending sense of doom returned. She thought her parents’ death was behind her. This new development made her wonder if it would ever be over.

  Chapter 10

  “His desk is this way,” the woman deputy stated as she escorted Brianna through the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

  The woman stopped in the middle of the busy room and pointed to a desk toward the back. Brianna swallowed hard, the lump in her throat nearly chocking her as she spied Holcomb, eyes focused on his computer, all but buried behind a stack of file folders.

  She stood there, sweat pooling between her breasts, and fought the urge to run. Her nervousness amplified the sounds in the room, and the buzzing of voices and keyboard clatter made her head swim.

  I can’t do this. I’m out of here.

  She was about to make her escape when Holcomb looked up and waved her over.

  “Oh, you’re here, Miss Rossi. I’m glad you could make it. Have a seat.” He pointed to a gray folding chair opposite his desk.

  Deputy Gray’s desk was diagonal to his superior’s. He wiggled his fingers at her as she passed and went back to scribbling on a piece of paper.

  She sat down on the hard seat, squirming to get comfortable, and addressed the lieutenant with obvious hostility. “I said I’d come.”

  Holcomb looked over her shoulder. “Your fiancé didn’t come with you?”

  “He couldn’t make it. Previous engagement.” She eyed the lieutenant’s desk. It was as fastidious as its occupant. Files lined the right edge in alphabetical order. His coffee cup sat on top of a worn wicker coaster, and she couldn’t see one speck of dust. To her disgust, they had a lot in common.

  The lieutenant’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and held up a finger to her. “This’ll only take a minute,” he said before taking the call.

  Brianna nodded and did her best not to eavesdrop. She took a deep breath and pinched her hands between her knees to keep them from trembling. She could feel Deputy Gray watching her, but every time she glanced over, he averted his eyes. It did nothing to ease her discomfort.

  Relax. Stop worrying. Everything’s going to be fine.

  “Run it again! I don’t care how many times you’ve already run it. Do it until you get an answer!” Holcomb said before slamming down the receiver, his expression intense.

  Brianna jumped.

  “Sorry about that. Now where were we?”

  She scrutinized Holcomb’s face, but he gave nothing away. “You said you’d tell me what happened to my parents when I got here, so . . . what happened?”

  He studied her with dark, suspicious eyes. What she saw reflected there had her stomach churning.

  Stay calm and stare right back. He’s trying to intimidate you. Don’t let him.

  He took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and steepled his fingertips. “The explosion that killed your parents wasn’t an accident. They were murdered.”

  His voice was so calm that his words didn’t register at first. “Murdered? That’s ridiculous. Why . . . what proof do you have?”

  He took a sip of his coffee, sputtered, and set it back on the desk. He met Brianna’s gaze. “Cold.” He reached into his desk, brought out a pack of cinnamon gum, and offered her a piece.

  She declined.

  He removed the foil wrapper and popped a stick in his mouth.

  “You haven’t answered my question,” Brianna said, her eyes shifting from his face to the open file on his desk.

  “We know”—he slapped the folder closed—“because the coroner found a trace amount of alcohol in their system, along with a l
ethal dose of benzodiazepine.”

  “I don’t understand. I’ve never seen them take anything like that. In fact, all I’ve ever seen them take is aspirin or cold medicine. They were in excellent health.”

  “We don’t think they knew they were ingesting the drug.”

  She jumped up to pace in front of his desk.

  “We believe a syringe was used to inject the drug into the corked wine bottles,” Holcomb said, eyeing her.

  “How do you know it was in the wine?”

  “The Coast Guard found the yacht’s refrigerator with a bottle left inside. We had it tested and found it laced with the same drug. That wine’s an expensive brand, apparently your father’s favorite, and he ordered three bottles of it the day before the explosion.”

  She leaned against the file cabinet, shaking her head, unable to believe what he’d said. “You’re telling me someone deliberately killed my parents?”

  “That’s what I’m saying.”

  “But why would anyone want to hurt them?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to find out. Please sit down, Miss Rossi. Maybe together we can figure out who had motive and access to their yacht.”

  Tamping down the mounting dread, she forced herself to sit. He thinks I did it. I know it. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why did it take so long for the Coast Guard to find their bodies?”

  She could swear he blushed.

  “The bodies drifted in the opposite direction than the IOOS data predicted,” he said.

  “So all this time they were looking in the wrong place? How did they eventually find them?”

  “They didn’t. Two jet skiers did, when one of them had engine trouble. They towed the stalled Jet Ski into the cove to see if they could fix it themselves. That’s when they saw something floating in the water. At first they thought it was debris from the recent storm, but . . . well, it wasn’t. As soon as they got back to their cars, they called the authorities in San Luis Obispo. Their coroner contacted us once she realized whose bodies she had.”

  “How is it they didn’t drift with the rest of the wreckage?”

  “This is pure supposition—”