by Amy Storm
Ms. Rosa placed Olivia’s boots and coat in the first of many closets in the hallway. Then, she led them down the corridor to where Mr. Boswell was waiting for them. He had been taking a nap with a newspaper folded on his chest. He woke himself up with a loud grunt and stood up from the recliner when he found Clara glaring at him.
He cleared his throat and extended his hand. “Pardon me, it’s been a long week. Hello, Ms. Porter. I’m Samuel Boswell. We’re pleased you could see us so soon.”
She gave him a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Boswell.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Porter.”
They sat in the heated sunroom off the back part of the condo overlooking a yard that was pretty big and private for downtown Boston. There were remnants of a few remaining red leaves left on the branches that managed to hang on after the latest round of storms.
She turned to both of them. “You both have a stunning home, truly beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Clara said.
Ms. Rosa returned and poured hot tea in fine china cups for all three of them. Worried about dropping it, Olivia wrapped both hands around the delicate cup. Ms. Rosa placed a few pieces of lemon and chocolate biscuits onto saucers and placed them on the table in front of them. The aroma of the delicacies mixed with the late morning sunlight warming the room helped Olivia relax a little.
“Anything else for you, Mr. and Mrs. Boswell?” Ms. Rosa asked.
“No, dear. See yourself out,” Clara replied.
Ms. Rosa made her way to the door and slid the large glass doors shut behind her.
Clara did most of the talking. “I’m sure you’ve heard about our case on the news and what happened between our baby girl, Zoe, and Reverend Higgins.”
“Yes, I did see the trial information on the news.”
Samuel Boswell chimed in and was direct with Olivia. “Will you perform an investigation for us on that despicable priest?”
“What exactly happened to Zoe, and what was her relationship with Reverend Higgins prior to the incident?”
Clara explained. “A little over a year ago last May, we found Zoe crying in her room. She told us Reverend Higgins touched her down there." Clara shook her head. "She was so upset and ashamed.”
With his wife telling Olivia what happened, Samuel became infuriated. He turned a deep shade of red and slammed his fists down hard on the table. “We hired one of the best lawyers in Boston, Paul Sturbridge. We think he didn’t do his best. We need justice for our girl. Please help us, Ms. Porter.”
Clara grabbed Samuel’s hand and spoke. “We know Reverend Higgins touched Zoe. He’s a monster.” Her hard polished exterior shell cracked and she began to cry.
Samuel held Clara in his arms as she sobbed and kissed her cheek. “We'll get through this.”
Clara was a beautiful woman. Olivia couldn’t help but gaze at her beautiful glacial blue eyes and high cheekbones. She was still a striking goddess even with tears and makeup running down her face. The Boswells sat back in their chairs after Clara wiped the tears from her reddened cheeks and calmed down.
Samuel looked to Olivia. “There was never enough evidence to convict Reverend Higgins. We believe if he hurt Zoe and got away with it, he may try to hurt another child. Everyone needs to know what he did so no other children have to go through what our Zoe endured. We need any help you can provide us to bring our family justice. Can you investigate Reverend Higgins and help us prove he is a molester so we can make sure he's punished?”
“There are no guarantees I would be able to find any evidence against Reverend Higgins. I’ll investigate to the best of my ability within reason. I’m good at what I do. If he’s continuing to abuse others, I promise I’ll find out.”
Clara faced Olivia with a desperate look. “Olivia, you’re the best shot we have against him. You’re the best private investigator that we found. Believe me, we did our research.”
She smiled at the Boswells humbled by their sincerity. “Okay, let’s get down to business. Are you ready to discuss my fees?” She knew her fees wouldn’t make a dent in their lifestyle.
“This is our baby girl we’re talking about here. Don't worry about finances,” Samuel said. Clara nodded her head in agreement.
“How about we start out day by day? Maybe the investigation won’t take long. This case will be my primary focus. When I’m on a case, I give it my all. I guarantee that. I eat, sleep, and breathe my work.”
“Whatever works for you, Olivia. Remember, money is not a problem. We are grateful you came today to help.”
Olivia opened up a bright blue business folder with the names of Mr. and Mrs. Boswell centered at the top. She pulled out all the necessary sheets of paperwork for them to go over. She turned the papers around to face them and handed them a pen. “Here are the places I need you to initial after you read over our agreement.” She pointed at the six blank lines on the page for them to sign.
Mr. and Mrs. Boswell studied the paperwork breaking down her services and fees in detail. She would try her hardest to prove the reverend’s wrongdoing, but there would have to be enough evidence to prove he was guilty. They needed to understand her role as a private investigator.
They finished reading and Olivia double checked the signatures. “Excellent. Now, let me worry about how to proceed from here.”
Samuel made out a check and handed it to her. “This should help start your investigation.”
“I will document this amount, but the fees will not begin until I start the investigation.”
Clara called for the maid using the intercom. “Ms. Rosa, come show Ms. Porter out.”
Ms. Rosa appeared in a flash out of breath to greet Olivia again. Mr. and Mrs. Boswell shook Olivia’s hand and thanked her.
“I’ll be in touch and call you this afternoon. We will go over the amount of hours and days you would like me to work on the investigation.”
She tried to push in her chair and Ms. Rosa almost tripped taking the chair from her and pushing it in for her. Ms. Rosa cleared off the table littered with the empty cups and saucers and gathered them on her tray. “Please follow me, ma’am.”
She followed Ms. Rosa to the enormous kitchen where Ms. Rosa dropped off the tray of fine china before proceeding to the foyer. Her boots were in front of a beautiful cherry wood bench centered against the wall. She sat down and slipped her boots on. As she stood, Ms. Rosa dressed her in her coat, one arm at a time.
“Don’t forget your gloves ma’am.” Ms. Rosa held the gloves draped across her extended hands like they were as valuable as the china left behind in the kitchen.
Olivia had never received treatment like this before, and she felt absurd. She made good money, but this treatment was beyond what she would ever want for herself. She did not want a maid or someone like Simon fussing over her. She liked being independent. She wanted to be in charge of her own life and not rely on others.
“Thank you, Rosa. Try to take it easy in there.” Olivia gave her a wink, but Ms. Rosa didn’t show any sign of emotion.
“Stay warm Ms. Porter. Goodbye.” Her face remained emotionless like a mundane robot.
Simon met Olivia at the door. He showed her out, as he held open the heavy steel door. “Have a good day ma’am.”
She got into her car and headed home knowing she had her work cut out for her.
Chapter Two
Olivia pulled into the driveway of her small bungalow in Jamaica Plain, a beautiful and eclectic neighborhood in Boston. She never took her lovers back to her house, only to hotels or their place. That was her rule. Her private home was her own personal space that she didn’t share with anyone.
She disarmed the house alarm with her fob device. After locking the door behind her, she took off her clothes. She slipped into a comfortable pair of blue jeans and a white sweatshirt. For lunch, she made a turkey and ham sandwich with veggie chips on the side. She turned on the television and made herself comfortable in the living room while she ate. The cas
e against Reverend Higgins was airing again on TV, so she changed the channel. She needed to approach the investigation with an open mind without any outside influences.
She settled on a reality TV show and poured red wine to unwind before calling Mr. and Mrs. Boswell to discuss a few details. She drifted off on the couch missing the rest of the boring show.
Olivia woke up thirty minutes later due to someone’s car alarm going off. At least she felt more energized and ready to call the Boswells. She stood up stretching her shoulders and back and grabbed a sip of water from the refrigerator to quench her thirst. She snatched a notebook and a pen from the corner of the kitchen counter, and she called the Boswells.
Ms. Rosa answered the phone. “Boswell residence. How may I help you?”
“Hello. This is Ms. Porter calling. I met with Mrs. Boswell and her husband earlier today.”
“Yes, Ms. Porter. I will get Mrs. Boswell for you. One moment. Please hold.”
Clara picked up the phone. “You can hang up now Ms. Rosa.” She cleared her throat. “Hello, Ms. Porter.”
“Hello, Mrs. Boswell. Have you and Mr. Boswell had a chance to discuss how we should proceed?”
“Yes. We would like you to work as many hours as you could to get this over with as soon as possible.”
Olivia laid the pen back down. “Okay. The good news, as we discussed earlier, is you are the only client I will be working for right now. I am devoted to your case. I can start tomorrow morning. I have a plan on how to proceed.”
“Oh, really? What were you thinking about doing?”
“I’ll show up at the church tomorrow and ask if I can do some volunteer work for them.”
“Oh, okay. So, you’ll be doing some undercover investigating? That sounds like a good plan to sneak around the church and collect evidence on Reverend Higgins.”
“That’s my plan.” Olivia told Clara. “I’ll be in touch. I’ll call and let you know how my first day of investigation goes.”
“Remember, Ms. Porter, money is not an issue.”
“I’ll do my best to make it worth your investment. Take care, Mrs. Boswell. I’ll call you tomorrow to touch base.”
“Great. Talk to you tomorrow.”
***
Olivia went through her closet trying to pick out an outfit that wouldn’t draw too much attention. Her plan was to volunteer to help clean the church so she would have access to most areas. She hoped to blend in while investigating Reverend Higgins and anyone else involved. If Reverend Higgins was inappropriate with any other children, she would find out. The thought of him touching Zoe or any other kid made her shudder.
Her closet was full of business attire, sexy outfits, and other expensive clothes she had purchased over the years. She needed a simple pair of pants and a shirt that weren’t too flashy.
After about an hour or so of digging, she found a bag of clothes she had forgotten about from a boutique on the outskirts of town. She found a pair of tan simple pants with cream-colored stripes and a matching cream sweater with three buttons down the center. She paired it with comfortable brown flats tucked behind the rows of sexy high heels. She tried the outfit on, smoothing a few wrinkles with her hands.
“This should work,” she said looking at her reflection in the mirror.
Olivia cleaned up the piles of clothes she had tossed around her room. It looked like a huge wind storm had blown through her bedroom. She checked her watch. It was six o’clock. Her stomach growled, but she didn’t feel like going out tonight. As much as she loved the thrill of having another hot night, she knew she needed a well-rested mind and body for tomorrow. She was anxious to start her day tomorrow morning at the church.
She charged her extra batteries for her small camera. She also had her larger SLR camera if she needed to zoom in outside of the church to sneak in some pics.
She went into her garage and turned on the light to look for cleaning supplies. She couldn’t remember the last time she gave her house a thorough cleaning. Maybe she did need a maid after all. Near the garage door, she found a mop she had never used before with the plastic still covering the head. After swiping the spider webs in the corner, she came across more cleaning supplies. She placed the items in her car and shut off the lights.
She printed fake business cards about a bogus cleaning company to give to the church. They stated she was the owner of a cleaning business in town. A smiling woman holding a dust pan and broom were on the front with a blue and pink background. She used Olivia, but made up a different last name. Years of experience had taught her it was easier to use her first name.
She plucked the Chinese menu off the kitchen counter and placed an order for chicken and cashew nuts with a side of sticky rice. Within twenty minutes her food arrived, and she tipped the teenage boy.
She grabbed a cold beer from the refrigerator and opened up the first white cardboard container. A gush of steam poured out of the top almost burning her. “Shit, that’s hot.”
She emptied the chicken and cashews along with some sticky rice onto a large dinner plate and waited for the steam to subside. The aroma was fantastic. The now gentle steam felt good on her cool face. The night-time temperatures were starting to get lower and lower. It wouldn’t be long before she would snuggle up with a cozy blanket and hot cocoa by the fireplace and watch the snow fall. Maybe one day she would find someone to cuddle with her, but she wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment.
She reached into the carton to add more food to her plate, but she had finished both of the cartons without realizing it. The food was delicious, too good. It was a good thing she ordered the single-serving sizes. It definitely hit the spot, and she felt sleepy after devouring it. She caught up on some old shows from earlier in the week and nursed on a beer until she couldn't hold her eyes open any longer.
Chapter Three
Olivia woke up to headlights shining in her eyes, and she shot up off the couch disoriented. She never made it to her bed last night and was still in her jeans and sweatshirt. According to the clock on the microwave, it was five in the morning. She pulled her phone out and made her way to the bedroom to get more sleep. A pounding headache was her punishment for jumping up so fast. It was too early to be awake. Exhausted, she found her way to her bed with one eye still shut and collapsed above the covers dozing off as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Her back and neck were stiff as she turned over staring at the alarm clock in disbelief. It was already eight o’clock and she wanted to be at the church at ten to start her investigation on Reverend Higgins. A quick jog would help her wake up and get energized. She slipped into a pair of black leggings and a blue hoodie. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and grabbed her sneakers. After a quick sip of water, she headed out the door and sprinted down the block. She needed to get back into her normal exercise routine of her three-mile morning runs, five days a week.
On the way back, a memory surfaced in her mind that she hadn’t thought about in years. Her family always had a big breakfast on Sunday mornings when she was a young girl. It was a Sunday morning tradition right before they would head off to the nine o’clock service at their local church. Her parents were religious, but Olivia lost faith and her belief in God as she became a young adult. Her parents had faith that things would turn out fine as long as they believed in a higher power. Her faith shattered the day someone murdered her parents and changed her life forever. This new investigation resurrected all the anger and bitter resentment she felt towards religion. Today would be her first time going to church since losing her parents twenty-two years ago.
***
A quick shower left her feeling refreshed. Going for a more natural look, she applied foundation and a light red tint for her lipstick. She stared at herself in the mirror and frowned. She didn’t feel comfortable going out with very little makeup. The clock on the shelf beside her showed 9:15. She had about five minutes before she would need to leave to go to church. She grabbed a bagel and butter and poured a tall glas
s of orange juice. She ate about half of her bagel and tossed the rest.
The traffic was light for a Sunday morning. The church was stunning with its gorgeous architecture and beautiful historical red brick. She opened up the heavy black double doors and entered. The church was just as breathtaking on the inside. An older lady with shoulder length hair and thick black glasses walked towards what appeared to be the church office. After the lady sat at the desk, Olivia tapped on the glass.
The lady jumped and then slid the glass window open. “Goodness, you startled me. Can I help you?”
“Yes, I’m interested in doing volunteer work for the church if it’s okay with you or whoever is in charge. I could do some light housekeeping at no cost to the church.” She handed the lady her business card to further verify her intentions. “I just want to lend a hand to the church and help out in any way I can.”
The woman examined the card as Olivia peered through the window. In front of the computer was a name plate that displayed, Mary Miller.
The woman smiled. “Just take a seat on the wooden bench over there.” She pointed across from her office. “Let me call Reverend Higgins and let him know you’re here.”
“Great, thank you.”
A few minutes later, a familiar face approached her. It was Reverend Higgins, the man Zoe accused of molesting her during Sunday school. Olivia knew not to show too much emotion. She needed to act friendly and gain acceptance from Reverend Higgins to be able to pull her investigation off.
“Hi, I’m Father Higgins.” He extended out his right hand to greet her. “Mrs. Miller tells me you would like to volunteer your services to our church. We would be honored to have you here.”
Olivia shook his hand. “Thank you, Father. I would like to do something good for the church. I must admit I saw the report about the scandal on television, such a shame.” She lowered her head.
