A Grand Plan

by Ann Roberts

  She glared at him. He was suggesting that Lorraine’s personal relationship with Lev Rosenthal had swayed the council to adopt LGA. Molly would never say it to Lorraine’s face, but he was probably correct since Lev had cast several deciding votes to support LGA along the way, including the one to hire Nelson Security.

  “Can we please stick to the topic?” Sebastian King growled. “These are truly the most unproductive meetings I attend.”

  He directed the comment to Lev, the president. Molly knew King was a developer who owned several properties between Roosevelt and LGA, most recently the Roosevelt Apartments.

  The rest of the council started to speak at once. Molly bit her lip and glanced at Yoli who seemed unfazed by the commotion. She’s pulled people out of combat situations. This corporate squabble probably isn’t raising her blood pressure a single point. She found herself calmed just by watching her.

  A shrill whistle silenced them and they turned to Lev. He said nothing but offered a warm smile in her direction. She was beginning to understand why Lorraine liked him so much.

  “As you can see, our council has some differing opinions about the Lower Grand Avenue area. However, I know we all agree that stabbings and murder are not crimes we would wish on anyone regardless of where they occurred. As I mentioned earlier, we are trying to be proactive.”

  “Ms. Nelson, why should we hire you?” Reverend Glass asked, his voice like a deflating balloon.

  She focused on a swirl in the rich cherry wood conference table before she raised her eyes and said, “The police will conduct their own investigation and it will be serious and thorough because it’s a murder. From the perspective of law enforcement, only minimal resources can be expended for victimless crimes like vandalized artwork and broken storefront windows. And a stabbing between known gang members with a history of violence will be viewed as an isolated incident.”

  “That fight cleared out RoRo. Thousands of dollars were lost. I don’t call that victimless,” Crosby argued.

  “Crosby,” Brooke scolded. “Even I recognize that there’s a big difference between losing money and killing someone.”

  “It’s true,” Molly agreed, “but I understand your point of view, Mr. Brunell. We also need to remember that this investigation is one of many the assigned detectives will manage. It may take time to catch the perpetrator. You need to hire me because you don’t have the luxury of time. The situation is escalating and now that the police are involved, more attention will be given to RoRo and LGA. That will be a good thing because of the investigation but it could also draw the media.”

  She felt as if she might disintegrate into a pile of dust. Rarely had she ever spoken to anyone with such strength, except to her fellow detectives when she was adamant about evidence in a case. Yoli gave her knee a squeeze and she was reinvigorated.

  “So you’re saying the investigation could harm our attendance,” Brooke said. “And it follows that if people are afraid to come to First and Third Fridays, the residents will lose their primary income.”

  “We need a parallel investigation,” Lev concluded.

  “Exactly,” Molly said. “That’s what I intend to do, if you retain me as a PI I’ll conduct my own investigation of these incidents and on First and Third Fridays, Nelson Security will be a presence.”

  She looked around the table to gauge their reactions. They were clearly divided. Three members, Lorraine, Brooke Brown and Tony Sanchez favored supporting the growth of LGA while Crosby Brunell, Reverend Glass and Sebastian King opposed it. Lev Rosenthal was often the swing vote, and since he was currently dating Lorraine, Molly imagined support for LGA would continue.

  Molly was convinced all the crime was related to the ongoing feud between RoRo and LGA. Possibly Ms. Wonders knew something or saw something that made her a threat, and someone killed her before she could share the information. Each one of them, with the exception of Lorraine, was a suspect. They were the most influential and powerful people from the two communities and they had the most to gain or lose. They would all need to be screened—carefully, tactfully—for alibis.

  “Is there any more discussion?” Lev asked. The council members looked at each other but no one spoke. His gaze returned to Molly and Yoli. “Normally I would excuse you at this time and we would take a vote, but as you have noted, time is not on our side. All those in favor of hiring Ms. Nelson as a PI raise your hand.”

  Lorraine’s, Brooke’s and Tony’s hands shot in the air. Reverend Glass slowly lifted his hand as well. Sebastian and Crosby glanced at each other. They would be the holdouts.

  Lev raised his own hand and said, “By a vote of five to two, the motion passes. Ms. Nelson, I look forward to a report from you in the very near future.”

  “Thank you for the opportunity.” She scanned their faces and added, “I promise results.”

  As they headed out, she made a point of asking Margaret to validate her parking, and she was offered a glowing smile in return. She handed her ticket back, now stamped with RoG. Molly noticed the “o” was a peace sign and wasn’t surprised since the CEO sported an earring.

  Margaret whispered, “I’m glad they hired you.”

  “Thank you,” she said sweetly.

  They got on the elevator and she turned to Yoli. “Well? How do you think it went?”

  “You were great,” she said. The edges of her mouth slightly upturned, and Molly refrained from cheering. Yoli rarely smiled.

  “Do you want to get some breakfast or something?” Yoli asked, glancing at her watch. “It’s only nine. We could get some burritos and go back to my place.”

  “That sounds great, but I really should get started on the investigation.” She was due to meet Ari at ten.

  “Fine.”

  They walked to the parking garage, the clop of their dress shoes the only conversation between them. Without a word, Yoli veered right for the stairs. She always parked on the top level as an additional safety measure.

  Molly climbed into her truck and lit a cigarette, completely conflicted in her feelings. Yoli’s one word reply told her everything. Yoli thought she was brushing her off. She could become quite judgmental of people, instantly believing you were for her or against her. It was a very black and white way to view humankind, but Molly assumed fighting in a war was often life or death and she came by her views deservedly.

  Connecting with her had been completely unexpected. It had happened over the holidays when Molly was attending AA meetings almost on a daily basis. She’d realized AA was the fastest and easiest way to learn someone’s life story. She’d been so impressed with Yoli, who’d faced all of her demons, demonstrated extraordinary bravery during her military career and shown fierce loyalty to friends and those she considered family.

  She’d started drinking at ten when her stepfather fed her booze before he molested her every Saturday night. Eventually she was always thirsty for Jack Daniels and its numbing effects. She joined the army the day after high school graduation and got sober at twenty-five during her second tour. She’d made a mistake that almost cost another soldier his life. She wouldn’t discuss it beyond the bald fact, and fortunately for her the army brass had never learned of it.

  Before AA meetings they’d held an ongoing dialogue about the bad coffee served in the church rectory, and when Molly mentioned her Keurig made a great espresso, Yoli asked for a cup.

  She chuckled, remembering the exchange. After years of smooth pickup lines and one-night stands, she should’ve recognized a come-on when she heard it, but she’d innocently walked back to her apartment with Yoli, talking about her past and her relationship with Ari. Yoli had said little as she made the espresso and they moved to the couch to enjoy it.

  When the little cups had been emptied and discarded on the old trunk that served as her coffee table, Yoli reached over and put her index finger on Molly’s lips to silence her. Apparently she’d been talking incessantly to hide her nervousness. Yoli moved closer, tracing her lips, coaxing her m
outh open and preparing her for a kiss that she hadn’t realized she wanted so much.

  Later she’d joked that Yoli took advantage of her that night, but Yoli always replied, “Baby, you were practically wearing an Enter Here sign. I was just following directions.”

  Wittiness was another of Yoli’s strengths.

  The memory made her wet and horny as it always did. She fished out her cell phone from the jacket. The call went to voice mail immediately. “Hey, I’m going to be a couple hours late. How about we meet at twelve at home, okay?”

  She lit another cigarette and went in search of a breakfast burrito, a peace offering guaranteed to get her laid.

  * * *

  Two hours later Molly was sexually satisfied but guilt gnawed at her. She should be working. She stood over the sink and splashed some water on her face before returning to the bedroom.

  “I think you left some avocado in my belly button,” Yoli joked.

  Molly rejoined her in bed and wrapped them in the sheet. “Then I’ll get it out when we take a shower.” She kissed her shoulder and tried to cuddle with her but she pulled away. “I wish you’d snuggle with me. I think you’d learn to like it.”

  Yoli sighed and sat up. “I already told you that wasn’t happening. Too many bad memories of confined places like the inside of a tank. I feel suffocated.” She grabbed her smokes from the nightstand and lit one for each of them. They lay in bed smoking and staring at the ceiling. When Molly reached for her hand, she let her take it.

  “So, what’s on your agenda today before First Friday?” Yoli said quietly. “How about a trip to the gym?” It was one of their routines and Yoli had become her personal trainer, never allowing her to quit and always pushing her to do more. In addition to her sobriety, she credited Yoli and her brother Brian for putting her in the best shape of her life.

  She closed her eyes. If this relationship stood a chance, she needed to be honest. “I’m meeting Ari and she’s going to help me with the investigation.”

  Yoli slowly turned her head, her deep green eyes ablaze. “What?”

  “She’s the one who found the body and she took some pictures for me. She’s the best person to give me a lead on this case, so I need her help. We’re going to review the evidence. You could come along, too, if you want.”

  Yoli snorted and got up to retrieve her clothes. Molly loved watching the taut muscles ripple as she bent and stretched. Her small breasts were perfectly round. And those nipples, always erect, always ready for me to taste.

  As if she understood the effect she had on Molly, she threw her T-shirt on the bed and faced her, half naked. “What’s going on with you guys?”

  Molly looked away, unable to talk about Ari while her lust for Yoli was simmering at the boiling point. “I don’t know how she fits in my life. You’re my girlfriend,” she added quickly, “but I need to know if we can still be friends.”

  “Exes can’t be friends.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “How would you know, Molly? You’re certainly not speaking from personal experience. You told me that before you met Ari you were a one-night stand kinda girl, and the few breakups you’ve had were horrible. I remember a woman broke the door when she slammed it shut as she walked out on you.” She paused, then said, “I’m telling you, exes check out or they slip back in. Whether you like it or not, it’ll be one way or the other. And for the record, I have a very strong opinion on the subject.”

  Chapter Four

  By twelve thirty Ari was pissed. Molly had rescheduled their meeting and now she was late. She glanced out the conference room window again. She thought about the other things she could be doing such as showing the McConleys their dream home. They’d called her at eight, excited about a property they’d seen, but she’d told them she couldn’t meet until two thirty, estimating her meeting with Molly could take several hours. They had grudgingly agreed to the delay, worried they might lose the house in the interim.

  She’d planned her day perfectly, balancing morning and afternoon activities. Molly’s call meant her afternoon would be rushed. After strategizing with Molly, she’d hurry to meet the McConleys and then hustle over to RoRo. Her best friend, Jane Frank, had recently bought a townhouse on Roosevelt. She was participating in a performance art exhibit on LGA during First Friday. She looked at her watch again and tempered her growing anger.

  Ari knew Molly had met with the council and she’d spoken to Lorraine, who’d said Molly and Yoli had left around nine. Yoli. She hoped Molly had rescheduled because she was working on the case, but she was rather certain Molly was engaged in a different type of work. That’s why I’m angry. It’s not that she’s late. It’s why she’s late.

  She needed to forget about Yoli. She flexed her muscles and stood on tiptoe, stretching her arms over her head. Then she settled on the floor in lotus position. She created a visual focal point: a lily.

  She pictured Molly coming home with lilies in her arms just because it was Friday, or January twelfth or Arbor Day. That had happened often and they’d discussed Ari’s love of flowers over coffee last Sunday. On their way to the parking lot, Molly had joked about how much of her paycheck had been spent on something so temporary as flowers. She’d never understood why receiving flowers was such a big deal. They’d argued and laughed for several minutes in front of Ari’s SUV.

  Then the kiss had happened. Ari initiated it but Molly’s head was cocked to the side, a wry smile on her face. She hadn’t pushed her away. In fact, she’d taken Ari’s cheeks between her hands and caressed her jawbone while their lips remembered what to do, what each one liked.

  It had been the look of confusion on Molly’s face afterward that had caused Ari to say, “I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

  “It’s okay,” Molly replied.

  Ari said goodbye quickly before disappearing down another row to her SUV.

  There had been no follow-up phone call or text, and Molly hadn’t mentioned it when she’d called yesterday. Of course a murder had just been committed so there were more pressing things to think about, but her impression was that Molly wished the kiss had never occurred.

  She glanced at the stack of photos and documents on the table, wondering if she should leave. Molly was the one with the private investigator’s license, not her. This was only going to get more complicated. She grabbed a pen and started to compose a note, explaining what she’d brought. Then her phone chimed.

  Soooo sorry I’m late. Be there in ten. I’m so grateful you’re helping me! Attached to the text was a lily emoticon.

  She put the note aside and thumbed through the pictures. This was about more than her love life. “I’m probably going to regret this,” she muttered, grabbing the tape.

  She grouped the photos by theme, pictures of the body, the layout of the room, Care’s photos and the objects on the desk. Then she taped each group to the wall. She’d just put up the last photo when she heard Molly’s truck pull into the driveway not ten but thirty minutes later. By then she was angry again.

  “Sorry I’m so late.” She barreled into the room with her laptop, the charger a tangled mess on top. Ari said nothing and stared at the photos. There was something she was missing.

  Ari snuck a glance at Molly while she set up her computer. She was dressed in khakis and a royal blue polo with Nelson Security embroidered on the front, and Ari could see the muscles rippling in her forearms. Her curly blond hair was styled in a blunt cut, but the most noticeable change was her physique. She would never be petite, her bone structure wasn’t designed that way, but the extra pounds of flab she’d carried for so many years as a result of heavy drinking were gone.

  “Okay, so where are we?” Molly asked, clapping her hands together and meeting Ari’s gaze.

  Ari felt her face flush momentarily. She remembered how angry she’d been just a few moments before. “You need to tell me what you want to know. I have about an hour before I need to leave.”

  Molly’s face fell and it p
leased her immensely. “You have to go? I thought we were going to work.”

  “Well, I was ready to work on this at ten. I have to go do real work at two thirty and it’s a fifteen-minute drive. So let’s not waste any more time. I’ll walk you through the pictures and what we’ve learned about the victim, Carol Susan Kendricks.”

  “She goes by Ms. Wonders,” Molly said. “That’s her street name.”

  Ari took a breath to control her anger. “Good to know.”

  She started with the layout of the room and moved through the themes she’d established on the wall. Molly periodically asked questions but mainly listened and scribbled notes on a yellow pad, the idea of typing on her computer quickly abandoned.

  Ari tapped her chin. “I know I’m missing something.” She was pointing at the close-ups she’d taken of the objects on the desk. “There’s something else.” She looked at Molly, hoping she would see it. That’s how it had gone during their relationship. When Molly had a case, she shared everything with her and together they filled the holes.

  Molly stepped in front of the photos as if she were in a gallery. She finally said, “Sorry, it’s not coming to me. Let’s keep moving and maybe one of us will figure it out. What did you learn from the documents? Can we piece together her life?”

  “Her partner was Jonelle Humphreys, also known as Jonny. She received a general discharge from the army, and I’m thinking it might have been because someone found out she was a lesbian. She and Care had both enlisted in the late seventies, so they were career military, but Jonny was forced out.”

  “Do you think it was because of her?”

  “Maybe. The notations on the back of the photos indicate they were taken over a two decade span and while Jonny was discharged in ninety-seven, Care didn’t leave the service until two thousand and three.”

  “So they may have been together, but they didn’t leave the army at the same time.”

  “Correct, but I’ve read that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell wasn’t fairly invoked. If you had a job the military needed, you weren’t automatically discharged. Maybe that explains the different dates, or maybe the military never learned they were partners.”