by Ann Roberts
She glanced toward the Nelson clan. They were huddled in a corner having a family meeting. At the center was Teddy, and Brian was clearly making a point with her—one she didn’t like.
“I’m up for it, but right now I’m tired of partying. I wish you were here,” she whined.
“Well, I’m sorry I’m missing it too, but I had to meet Rory’s mother.”
She laughed. “The idea of you meeting anyone’s mother is shocking. This is obviously quite serious.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she protested, but Ari could tell she didn’t mean it. She was in love with Rory, the woman she’d met last fall. “Look, just go hide out in Molly’s apartment and wait for the party to end. Then you can have your own fun.”
“Good idea,” she agreed.
They said goodbye and Ari crossed the courtyard, avoiding the pool. Like Drew, Molly lived in a fifties-era garden apartment complex that formed a rectangle, only this complex had a pool in the middle. Since she’d been the acting manager after her stint in rehab, everyone knew her and all the tenants were attending her party. Ari slipped into her apartment, which was unlocked in case anyone needed the restroom.
She hadn’t been in the apartment for over a year. She was pleased to see that Molly had abandoned her slovenly ways. When they’d been a couple they’d spent much of their time at Ari’s place since Molly’s apartment was always a mess. Now even Molly’s baby grand piano was dusted.
She sat on the bench and stroked the wood, remembering all the times she’d found Molly at the piano after they’d made love. She played beautifully and had been composing a song for Ari, one she’d never finished.
She heard voices outside and retreated to the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She texted Molly and told her where she was but encouraged her to stay at the party since she was the guest of honor. She dropped onto the bed, excited about the prospect of a night alone with her. She tried to stay awake but her eyes slowly closed as she imagined Molly’s lips showering her shoulders with butterfly kisses.
Those same lips awoke her, and she focused on Molly holding an orange rectangle with a Velcro spot. Realizing what she was looking at, her eyes widened and she sat up.
“Where did you get this?”
“Yoli gave it to me.” She opened it and pointed to a page. “Here’s the answer to what was pie day. It’s any day Drew goes to the gym. She’d find his car, an old Ford Escort with the peace sign on the bumper, and then she’d follow him.” Ari looked up and said, “He drives an Escort?”
“Yeah.” She flipped several pages back. “Here. She mentions it by make and model. And this is the day he planted the smoke bomb at the Bikini Lounge.”
“Wait a second,” Ari said, taking the book. “There are pages missing.”
She opened the book as wide as she could and they studied the edges of five pages near the middle that had been neatly severed as close to the spine as possible.
“What was the previous section about?” Molly asked.
Ari skimmed the paragraphs. “She’s talking about the VA and Jonny’s claims.”
Molly leaned over her shoulder to see. “And what’s right after the missing pages?”
“Fleetwood Mac lyrics.” She sighed. “I don’t know what to make of this.”
“And more pages are gone in the back,” Ari noted.
“We’re setting this aside,” Molly declared, plucking the notebook from her hand. “We are not spending the rest of my birthday night trying to solve the mystery.” She hopped off the bed and flicked off the light as she disappeared into the living room with the notebook.
Soft jazz wafted into the bedroom and she heard Molly rummaging through the drawers in the kitchen. Maybe she’s looking for candles? Chocolate sauce? This is really happening.
If she thought too much about it, she’d start to cry, so grateful was she for a second chance. She took a deep breath and steadied her emotions. She knew what she wanted and what she wanted to give. She slid out of her shorts and blouse, leaving on her powder-blue cheekini and matching bra. The glow of a vanilla pillar candle preceded Molly’s return. When she saw Ari stretched across the comforter, she nearly dropped the candle. She quickly set it on the closest dresser and perched on the edge of the bed.
“I want to savor every moment of this,” she murmured. She touched her cheek, and when Ari attempted to take her hand she chastised her. “Nuh-uh. Be still. Close your eyes. Try to imagine where I’ll go next.”
Ari did as she was told, anticipating each caress. Molly traced her jawline and made slow circles in the hollow of her neck. She dragged her bra strap from her shoulder and tucked her index finger inside the curve of the cup, almost touching her nipple, but not quite.
She moaned and Molly chuckled. “So soft.”
She stroked the length of her arm and gooseflesh sprouted immediately. In a second she’d popped the hooks on the bra and Ari giggled. Molly was an expert at brassiere removal. She kneaded her buttock, and Ari lifted her torso, providing an opportunity for Molly to rip off the tiny piece of fabric that covered the center of her desire.
Naked and vulnerable she opened her eyes. Molly had magically disrobed and now hovered over her, displaying her amazing new physique.
“Stand up,” Ari commanded.
Molly grinned and hopped off the bed. She laced her fingers behind her head and flexed her muscles so Ari could admire all of her hard work over the last year. Her mind and body were now one.
“I’m so proud of you,” she said with tears in her eyes. She took her hand and pulled her into bed.
Chapter Twenty-Five
They spent all day Sunday deciphering their copied version of Ms. Wonders’s notebook after delivering the original to Detective Flores.
He’d glanced at a few pages and groaned. “Honestly, I hope there’s something in here that makes sense to you because we’re up to our eyeballs with that murder in Maryvale. I don’t know how we’re going to find the time to figure this out.”
By Sunday afternoon they’d analyzed the entire notebook. There had been a few surprises and they could now sing the Fleetwood Mac song “Seven Wonders” by heart. Around four thirty they took a drive to Drew’s apartment complex to confirm some of their theories, and just as they were leaving Molly’s cell phone rang with a blocked call.
“Hello?”
“Molly, it’s Tony. Well, it’s over.”
“Hi, Tony. You’re on speaker with Ari too. What’s over?”
“I lost. There won’t be a renovation of the Bali Hi. The family decided to sell to the other investors, the Hamada Group and TRIO. Lev said he did everything he could, but they’d heard about the trolley bomb and just wanted out. By this time next year that plot of land will be an industrial complex, nothing that will benefit the LGA artists. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am. Anyway, I just wanted you to know. There’s going to be a press conference tomorrow at ten outside the Bali Hi and they’ll announce it officially.”
Molly glanced at Ari. She was seething. “Thanks for letting us know, Tony. I think we’ll try to be at the press conference.” She hung up. “Damn right we’ll be there.”
* * *
When Molly and Ari arrived at LGA the next morning, a crowd of people swarmed the Frontal Lobe Gallery, which had been chosen as the green room for the event. Lorraine met them outside and hustled them past the security detail made necessary by the mayor’s appearance. The destruction of an eyesore such as the Bali Hi was enough positive press for him to tweak his schedule and deliver a speech.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, chica,” Lorraine whispered to Ari.
“We do. Where’s the council?”
“Brooke and Tony are hiding in Tony’s office, sulking about the announcement and the rest are rubbing elbows out here. I’ll pull them together for you.”
Lorraine disappeared in the crowd while they slowly made their way into the office.
“Look at that,” Molly commented.
Ari followed her gaze to Lev, Sebastian and Reverend Glass taking a picture with the mayor. Standing on the other side of the mayor was a handsome, dark-skinned man Molly didn’t recognize.
“Who’s that?”
“I’m guessing that’s Karim Hamada, the Egyptian partner.”
They found Brooke slouched in one of the captain’s chairs and Tony leaning on his desk, playing with a rubber band. Neither of them offered a greeting.
“Lorraine’s grabbing the rest of the council so Ari and I can give you a final report.”
Brooke immediately sat up. “Have you found the killer?”
“Yeah, can you tell us who killed Ms. Wonders?” Tony asked.
“Yes, inquiring minds would like to know,” Sebastian said as he came through the doorway. At the sight of Ari he suddenly stopped and Reverend Glass ran into him. No doubt he remembered their first meeting when she posed as a naïve real estate agent at the Clarendon Hotel.
“Hello, I’m Ari.” She stuck out her hand and he finally shook it. The color in his face shifted to red. He’s remembering he propositioned me.
He headed for a corner of the room, one that was far away from her. When everyone had arrived, including Margaret in a sleek black dress, Molly stepped to the center of the room.
“May I have your attention?” Molly asked. The chatter subsided and Lorraine closed the office door. “I’ll be brief. I want to give my final report regarding the death of Ms. Wonders. Also, I’m sure you’ve read in the press that a member of my security team, Drew Sachs, was poisoned before Third Friday. His death is linked to Ms. Wonders since he was the one who slashed the paintings and placed the smoke bomb in the Bikini Lounge.”
She dramatically opened her messenger bag and pulled out a sheaf of papers. “This is a copy of Ms. Wonders’s journal. The police have the original. Not only does it implicate Drew in the crimes I’ve mentioned, it also details several pranks perpetrated against LGA and RoRo as well as some juicy information that I imagine certain people would like to keep quiet.”
“You’re bluffing,” Sebastian announced. “If there was anything substantial in those pages, the police would’ve already arrived at our respective doorsteps.” He scanned the worried faces and added loudly, “She’s bluffing, folks. This is a feeble attempt to get one or more of us to confess to something, à la Agatha Christie style where all the suspects are rounded up and put in a room.” He paused before he finished with, “Don’t believe her. Don’t say anything. We need to stand united.”
Molly strolled the room, clutching the pages to her chest. Ari felt the tension amidst the council members, and at Sebastian’s command, their lips pursed, ensuring they didn’t accidentally talk. “That is certainly your right, Mr. King,” Molly continued, “but you should also know that your Ferrari was seen parked outside a certain diner at one a.m. on at least ten occasions.”
Brooke gasped and jumped to her feet. “How in the hell did she know that?”
“Despite her mental issues, Ms. Wonders was a very smart person,” Molly replied. She thumbed through the papers and added, “For example, she’s very clear about the date and time that Crosby torched the Bali Hi.” Eyes darted around the room but no one commented. “That doesn’t seem to surprise anybody. But does everyone know Tony started the gang fight?”
“Son of a bitch!” Crosby shouted and started across the room in Tony’s direction. Lev and Reverend Glass stepped in his path and restrained him. “Damn you, Sanchez!”
“No, damn you!” Tony countered. “And I’m not admitting to anything,” he said to Molly.
Lorraine went to Tony and patted his shoulder. She whispered some Spanish in his ear and he nodded.
“No one is blameless but my intent isn’t to produce evidence that suggests the entire council should be arrested. None of it would hold up in court anyway because Ms. Wonders is dead. Someone made sure of it.” She scanned their faces, a mixture of curiosity and fear, before her gaze settled on Margaret. “As I said, no one is blameless, including Margaret.”
She put her hand over her heart. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear.”
Molly assumed a cop stance, her feet apart and her hands behind her back. “Oh, you do. Ms. Wonders documented the secret meetings you held with Drew every Thursday. You know, the ones in the parking lot across from the Treehouse Bakery? You’d pull up just as he arrived for his workout. Ms. Wonders’s saw your new Toyota Corolla and his Ford Escort, both of which had the RoG decal on the bumper. To her the o looked like a pie. She called your meetings ‘pie days.’”
Ari watched Margaret carefully. She seemed to collapse inside herself, staring at nothing in particular.
“What I don’t understand,” Molly continued, “is why you needed to have a meeting place since you live right across from Drew. The manager confirmed you were a reference for him when he applied for the apartment. The manager went on to say he’d seen Drew invite you inside his apartment on several occasions, so you were obviously friendly. Why didn’t you just meet there?”
“You don’t have to answer her, Margaret,” Sebastian warned. “It’s not like she’s the police…anymore,” he added.
Ari felt a rush of anger, but Molly held up a hand. “There’s no need to worry. The police will be here soon enough.”
The council members fidgeted and Tony started pacing behind the desk. Lev stepped forward and asked, “Ms. Nelson, are you suggesting that Margaret poisoned Drew?”
“Yes,” Molly replied. “I think Drew was starting to crumble. He was terribly torn between his loyalty to Margaret who’d become like a mother to him, and the guilt he felt. He knew his real mother would never approve of him slashing artwork or setting off smoke bombs. He must’ve suspected he was in danger. That’s why he made the video.”
The council members’ agitation increased when Detectives Flores and Perkins slipped through the office door. Again it was Lev who spoke. “What did he say on the video? Did he implicate Margaret or one of us?”
“He confessed to his crimes and he said he was hired. He also admitted to planting the bomb on the trolley. He was supposed to be the hero and pull everyone off before the explosion, but his death put those riders’ lives at risk. Fortunately, my associate was able to save everyone before it blew up.” She turned back to Margaret and said, “So whoever killed him is facing multiple counts of attempted murder. And according to Ms. Wonders’s journal, Margaret was the one who hired him.” She gestured at Ari. “And Ari saw you feeding your cats on Friday night, soon after Drew had been poisoned, so you have no alibi.”
Margaret blinked in recognition when she met Ari’s gaze. She quickly looked away.
Tony shook his head and stepped forward. “That can’t be right. Margaret, tell them it’s not true.” Margaret remained completely detached and ignored Tony’s plea. “C’mon, Margaret, tell them this is bullshit. You were pro LGA. You were the one keeping me informed about TRIO and how they wanted the Bali Hi. I was going to show your art when we finished the renovation.” He looked at Molly and said, “She’s really good. Those are her landscapes outside Lev’s office.”
“Well, she’ll have a lot of time to improve her art,” Detective Flores said. “The apartments have cameras in the common areas, and there’s an interesting few minutes on their Friday afternoon tape.” At the mention of videotape Margaret shot him a quick glance but said nothing. “See, the Bellair Apartments where Margaret and Drew live is owned by the Link Corporation. They’re a national multimillion dollar company and when they buy top-shelf security equipment for their various offices across the US, they go ahead and buy the same stuff for their smaller ventures, like the Bellair Apartments.” His gaze strayed to the rest of the council who were hanging on his every word, caught between disbelief and fascination. “There’s a clear shot of Margaret standing at Drew’s front door with a hypodermic needle. She removes the cap and carefully deposits the syringe in the side pocket of her purse, next to her Mentos.�
�� He paused and added, “I told you those cameras were powerful. Then, she knocks on the door, all smiles, until Drew appears and lets her inside.”
“Care to tell us what was in the syringe?” Molly asked.
“Don’t say anything, Margaret,” Sebastian hissed. “Not a word. I’ll call my attorney right now.” He pulled out his cell phone and stepped to a corner.
Ari sidled up to Margaret. “You know, you could listen to Mr. King, or you could explain yourself.” When she said nothing, Ari continued the story. “I’m guessing that Drew confided in you. He trusted you entirely. He was distraught and planned to make a video in case anything happened to him. I’m not sure when you squirted the strychnine into his energy drink, but if he was that nervous, I doubt he was watching you closely. He thought you were his second mother.”
“Why, Margaret?” Tony had tears in his eyes. “How could you do something like that? I thought we were friends. I thought you believed in me and the dream for the Bali Hi.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when Lev appeared at her side and gripped her arm. “I agree with Sebastian, Margaret. You need to be silent until our attorney arrives.”
Margaret looked up into Lev’s eyes and Ari realized what they’d missed. All those years of working for Lev Rosenthal, serving as his faithful servant, giving up weekends and being privy to all of the company’s secrets.
“It’s you,” Ari said.
“What?” Lev asked.
“You’re the reason she betrayed Tony and manipulated Drew. She’s in love with you.”
“That’s preposterous!” Lev shouted, his gaze searching for Lorraine. “She’s a faithful assistant, but we have boundaries, don’t we Margaret?”
Lorraine laughed loudly and everyone turned toward her. “Boundaries? You want to talk about boundaries, Allen?”
Lev’s surprise was obvious but he quickly regained his composure. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
