I took a deep breath. I would love to revisit the ’69 Chateau Margaux, but I didn’t want to lead Jeff on. Now was not the time for a boyfriend.
“Wait, boyfriend?” I said out loud as I put my foot down on the brake, the car stopping in the middle of the street.
A car honked from behind and I pulled to the side as it sped by, the sudden silence focusing me.
Tessa had said she had a boyfriend when I first arrived at Frontier Winery on Friday. Where had this boyfriend been the last few days? Why hadn’t he been helping Tessa this weekend? Especially with her two trips to jail. What was Tessa not telling me?
I looked over my shoulder. The road was empty. I flipped a U-turn and returned to the station.
Dean’s face lit up as I entered through the main door. “Hey, you’re back. Did you forget something?”
“No, the opposite. I remembered something. I need to talk to Tessa again.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. It was a push letting you back there the first time, I can’t do it again.”
“Please. I remembered a comment she said on Friday and I have to ask her about it.”
Dean hesitated. “What is it?”
I looked around. “She said she had a boyfriend.”
“And?”
“And, where is he? Why hasn’t he been there for her this weekend? Please let me see her. It will only take a few minutes.”
Dean shook his head. “Katie, it’s late. I don’t want to feel like you’re taking advantage of me.”
“I’m not, I promise. This is about the case.”
“You have five minutes, no more.”
“Thank you.” I walked through the swinging gate into the offices.
“I’m going to listen as before, you know,” said Dean.
“That’s fine.”
Dean opened the door to the hallway and I walked through to the second cell.
Tessa lay on the green mattress with her eyes closed.
“Tessa, it’s me, I’m back.”
“Already? Does this mean I can go home?” She sat up.
“No, it’s not that, I need to say something.”
“Okay, what?”
I debated how to approach the subject. “Um, when you get out of here tomorrow, as I’m sure you will, can you get a ride from someone else?”
“That’s what you came back in to tell me?” Tessa rolled her eyes. “Really?”
“No, I mean if I have to work, can someone else pick you up? Like your boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend?” The word caught Tessa off guard.
“You know, the one you mentioned on Friday.”
Tessa whipped her head up, her sparkling hazel eyes filling with tears. She blinked twice before covering her face with her hands. “Katie, there’s so much I need to tell you. I couldn’t tell you before and then all this craziness happened.”
“What, Tessa? What are you talking about?”
“The boyfriend I mentioned, it’s complicated,” Tessa said through her sobs. She grabbed the corner of her dress and rubbed her eyes with it. “He’s married.”
I shook my head. “Tessa, we’ve been over this before. You don’t date a married man.”
“I know, but it was different. He really cared for me.”
“Just like Greg who strung you along for six months and then went back to his wife?”
Tessa wiped another tear away. “No, not like that. This guy was going to leave his wife for me. He’s how I got the job at Frontier. I owe him so much.”
“Okay, so where is he now?”
Tessa let out a big sigh. “He’s dead.”
“What?”
“It was Mark. I was having an affair with Mark.”
“Tessa!” I put my hand to my head. “You are in serious trouble. I don’t think I can get you out of this.”
“No, you can. ’Cause I didn’t kill him. I loved him and he was going to leave Vanessa. He needed to make sure she wouldn’t get everything in the divorce, so he had to wait until the timing was right. The winery was his to start with.” Tessa looked up at me. “But he loved me. He really loved me.”
Dean coughed from the corner. “Katie, it’s late. You can come back and talk to Tessa in the morning.”
“Okay, just a second.”
The door slammed as Dean returned to the offices.
Tessa’s face was blank. “Was he listening the whole time?”
I shrugged. “It’s not important. What’s important is to get you out of this whole mess. First, I think Seb blamed you for the money, so I’m going to look into the finances. Because you didn’t steal any, right?”
“No. I didn’t steal any money.” Tessa looked down at her hands. “But now Dean heard all of that and he probably thinks I did.”
“No, but I need to keep Dean involved so that we can get you out of here. He’s on your side.”
“Yeah, right.”
I took a deep breath. “I don’t understand why you’re keeping secrets from me. After this whole weekend, you didn’t think to mention that you were having an affair with Mark?”
“Me keeping secrets?” Tessa stood up. “Me keeping secrets? You’re right,” she said as her face fell empty. “I’ve been keeping secrets for way too long.”
“Tessa, I know I can never repay you, but I’m trying to help.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Her eyes flashed. “Because you feel guilty?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“You know, I wouldn’t even be locked up if it weren’t for you. I wouldn’t even be in this mess.”
I stepped back. “What do you mean?”
“I have a record.” Tessa’s eyes narrowed. “I have a record because of you. Do you think they would be locking me up if this was a first offense?” She folded her arms. “No. They wouldn’t. I’m here because of something I didn’t do back then and something I didn’t do now.”
The words stung and tears formed in my eyes. “Tessa, listen—”
“No. I took the fall for you back then. It was your idea to break into that house. It was you who should have gone to jail. But you had your father, the cop. Couldn’t let him find out what you did. So I covered for you.” Tessa pointed to herself. “Me. Because I didn’t have family, but I had you. You were my family. That’s what you do, you help each other out.”
“Tee, please…”
Tessa threw her hands up. “This is the help I get? I get accused of another crime, another one I didn’t do, and the only reason you’re here is because you feel guilty?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say that.”
“No. You never say anything. You keep your mouth shut and out of trouble. Ever since that night, you’ve been the perfect daughter.” She put her face to the bars, only inches away from me. “You stopped being who you were that night. You used to be wild. You used to be fun. I miss the Katie from twelve years ago. The one who lived life so free. The one who didn’t play by the rules. You became the good one, and I became … me.” Her voice dropped to a guarded whisper. “You’re here because you feel guilty? Let me remove that guilt from you, Katie. I don’t need your help and I don’t want your help. I’m done with being the albatross around your neck. Want to help me? Really want to help me? Then do me a favor and don’t come back. Ever.”
I tried to keep my game face on, but tears streamed down my cheeks. “Tee, please. It’s not like that.”
Tessa walked to the other side of the cell and faced the wall.
“Tee.” My whole body shook as I spoke.
She didn’t move.
“Tessa, please.” My cries were met with silence.
twenty-three
pairing suggestion: carménère—rapel valley, chile
Due to its similar qualities,
this
wine was previously mistaken for Merlot.
-
I wiped my eyes and put on my best game face before walking through the station, relieved that Dean was absent from his desk.
I headed back to San Francisco, no longer worrying about a car trying to run me off the road. In fact, I nearly welcomed it as I drove, but I arrived at my apartment building around ten thirty without incident. All available parking spots were taken but after the events of the night, I wasn’t in the mood to gamble. I drove three blocks down and parked in the expired meters that resumed operation at eight in the morning. I set an alarm on my phone and entered my building, the area silent as I climbed the worn stairs to the second level and down the hallway to my studio apartment.
My four-hundred-square-foot studio seemed darker than ever and my overstuffed couch looked the opposite of appealing.
I tossed myself onto the bed and although my eyes were tired, my mind was wide-awake. Sleep would be a long time coming but I knew it would eventually come, and it did.
My phone alarm woke me at ten to eight, the shrill reminder that tickets, and possibly a tow, were on their way. I dressed in my running clothes and after moving my car to a free space on the street, I set off for a run in Golden Gate Park.
My pace was slower than usual, the three-day break affecting my stride. Two young girls, no more than ten years old, kicked a ball around on the grass, one with blond curls, the other with long brown hair. A pit formed in my stomach, but I quickened my pace and pushed harder, even passing the area of the park where I usually turned to head back to my apartment.
The crisp air felt good on my skin and I could see and think clearly for the first time in days. When I finally returned to my street, my thighs ached and my lungs hurt. I bent down to take a deep breath but I found myself smiling. I hadn’t run that far in years.
By the time I left for Trentino, it was already 10:57, only a few minutes before the tasting group started, and I still needed to stop by a liquor store on my way.
Trentino was half empty, most patrons choosing to go out to dinner rather than for lunch. I opened the door to the private tasting room, the faces of Jackson, Kurt, Darius, and Bill staring up at me from the oblong table. I had never been late to a tasting session in the two years I had been a part of the group, and the surprise on each of their faces was hard to miss.
“About time you got here,” quipped Darius.
“Yeah, sorry. I should have called.” I stared at the table set up with five glasses at each place, only one empty chair remaining, the one on the window side of the room. My chair.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in jeans,” said Kurt. “Not even when we were…” His voice trailed off as he failed to say the word dating.
I shrugged as I looked down at my jeans. “I figured it was time to go comfy.”
Jackson motioned to the empty spot. “Sit down. We’ve only done one wine so far.”
“Oh, thanks, but I’m not staying.”
“Why not?” asked Bill.
“I have to drive to Napa. I have to clear up something I should have done a long time ago.”
“So you’ll be here on Wednesday?”
I took a deep breath and shook my head. “I’ve decided I’m not going to take the next Certified test. I’m going to take a step back and figure some things out. So I won’t be here for a little while.”
“You’re kidding,” said Kurt.
“No, actually I’m not.” I put my bag on the table and pulled out the bottle of fourteen-year-old Scotch whisky. “Darius, as I promised. Here’s your bottle of Oban. Thanks again.”
“Sweet!” he said as he took the bottle. “Anytime.”
Kurt took the bottle out of Darius’s hands. “Wait, you’re giving him Oban? Why?”
“He covered my inventory shift on Saturday. I owe him.”
“You never bought me scotch,” said Kurt. “Call me next time, I’ll cover for you.”
“You don’t work here.”
He shrugged. “Small detail.”
“Anyway, I have to go. Good luck tasting today.”
“Can’t you stay for a few minutes?” Bill raised his eyebrows. “One last tasting before you leave us?”
I hesitated. “No. I can’t.”
“Katie,” said Bill.
“I know, I know,” I interrupted. “The horse thing. Gotta get right back on. And I’ll be back eventually, just not today.”
The door opened behind me and the group turned to look.
Alexis, the hostess, stuck her head in the door. “Hey, Bill?” Her eyes moved to me. “Katie, I didn’t think you were here. There was a phone call for you about ten minutes ago.”
“Oh. From who?”
Alexis moved inside the room. “From a Lisa? At least I think it was for you. She said the call was for ‘Tessa’s little friend.’”
I nodded. “Yeah, that would be Lisa. Did she say what she wanted?”
“It was a quick call, but she said that Vanessa has a case of wine for you, as a thank you for meeting with her.”
“Who’s Vanessa?” asked Jackson.
“The owner of Frontier.” I picked up my bag from the table.
“What? That would be fantastic. A case of Frontier?”
I sighed. “I don’t really want to go back there.”
“Don’t go, I will,” said Jackson. “I’ll pick up the case, but don’t expect me to bring it here. I’m gonna take it home and cook a steak.”
“No, guys, really. I’m done with that place and that wine.”
“But you’re going to Napa right now anyway, right? At least bring the case back here for us,” said Kurt. He winked at me like he used to and my heart softened. It was my only relationship where the guy opened every door, pulled out every chair. I had been the one to break it off after six months, declaring that I needed to study for the exam. That was over a year ago.
“Especially if you’re not going to come to the tasting group anymore,” Kurt continued. “We can all share a bottle of Frontier and toast to you. It could be your way of thanking us for helping with your test.”
“I didn’t pass.”
“Yes, but we did help you,” he added. “Made sacrifices.” Even though we had maintained a friendship, Kurt never missed an opportunity to remind me of the tension that remained between us. The tension that I had caused by running away. Maybe it hadn’t been the test after all. Maybe it was simply the fact that he had gotten too close.
“Even though you didn’t pass, you’re still The Palate. And a very talented taster.” His smile was soft, almost pained.
“If I really go there and pick up this case, will you stop asking me to retake the test? Will you accept the fact that, for now, I’m not going to proceed?”
Jackson looked down at the glass in front of him and shook his head, Bill didn’t respond, and Darius just stared at me.
“Yes, we will,” declared Kurt.
I looked over at Alexis. “Did she leave a number to call her back?”
“No, she said to just come on by.”
“Okay.” I glanced at my watch. “I’ll pick it up and drop it back off here tonight. Sound good? Is that okay, Bill? Can I leave it with you?”
“Of course.” His face was emotionless. “There will always be a place at this table when you’re ready to come back.”
“Thank you.” I opened the door back into the restaurant. An unfinished feeling began to wash over me as I left the glasses of wine on the table, unknown and unidentified.
For the first time ever, my stomach turned as I drove into the Napa boundary. I put all the windows down and breathed in the scent of the vineyards. The calm sensation returned. I was doing the right thing.
I turned into the parking lot of the sheriff’s station and took one step at a time, pulling open the door a
s I took one last breath of the fresh air.
Dean was near the desk when I walked in.
“Hey, you okay? I heard you were upset last night when you left.”
“Me?” I replied with my game face on. “No, I was fine. Listen, is there somewhere where we can go and talk?”
“Katie, I’m working. Can we do this later?”
“No, this is about work. About Tessa.”
His face changed and he motioned me through the gate. “We’ll go to an interrogation room.” He glanced back at me. “Not that I’m going to interrogate you.”
I faked a smile and followed Dean through the station to the small room, empty except for a table and two chairs. I sat down as he closed the door. He took the chair opposite.
“What’s this about, Katie? Do I need to read you your rights?” He smiled but stopped when he noticed the expression on my face. “What’s going on?”
“You know that Tessa was arrested in 2004 for breaking and entering, right?”
“Yes, I’ve seen her file.”
“Tessa didn’t break into the house. I need you to know that it was me, not her. She took the blame for it.”
“Katie, she was tried for that and spent four months in jail. She admitted to that crime. I don’t understand why you’re telling me this. What does this have to do with right now?”
“Won’t the courts be easier on Tessa if they know that she didn’t do that first crime?” The words spilled out of my mouth at a rapid rate. “That she wasn’t guilty then, so this was her first offense? It’s not her second strike and—”
“Katie,” Dean cut me off. “This is sweet what you’re doing for her, but if she really killed Seb, you need to let her take the fall for it. It’s no good trying to cover for her.”
“I’m not covering for her. I don’t know what happened with Seb, but I know what happened when Tessa and I were teenagers. It was me. It was all me.” I closed my eyes and I was back at my house in Los Angeles, my senior year of high school.
I remembered Tessa sitting on the bed across from me in my bedroom, posters lining the walls.
“My mom had this small statue when I was a kid,” said Tessa. “When I would sit in her lap, I couldn’t stop staring at it on her nightstand. She’d had it ever since I was born, or something like that. It was a child playing the piano and I remember wishing that I had a piano to play.” Her voice shifted to a tone above a whisper. “After they both died, most of their stuff was given away. I don’t even know what happened to that statue. I think some aunt got it or something and I’m not going to go back to Ohio to find it.”
Decanting a Murder Page 17
