Six hours later, armed with new blood-red fingernails and toenails and a bronze body from lying by the pool all day, I got back into my car.
Despite Dante’s orders, I didn’t feel like staying over. I was restless. I wanted to get back to the city and try to find who was setting me up. I wasn’t going to be able to do that from Marin County. If James and Dante and my attorney wanted me out of town, I was coming back. I wasn’t doing a damn bit of good here at Darling’s house.
“You sure you don’t want to stay, baby.”
Darling had changed into a flowy African-style dress that she wore with four-inch high slides.
“I’m good. Let’s talk soon,” I said. “It’s been amazing to see you.”
“Mmmhhhmm. Like we never were apart.”
I hugged her and was enveloped by her soft warmth.
She wasn’t that much older than me, and was more like a sister than a mother, but something about her made me feel safe like when my mama hugged me as a little girl.
I watched her in my rearview mirror as she waved goodbye.
About halfway back to San Francisco my phone dinged.
The car played back the message for me over the speakers. It was from Dante.
“They’re going to issue an arrest warrant.”
Twenty-Seven
I pulled over to the gravel shoulder. The road was steep and windy behind me, and anyone coming around the sharp curve a little too loosely might rear-end me because the shoulder wasn’t very wide. I decided I wouldn’t park there for long.
“They can’t do that.”
“Oh, they can,” Dante said. “It sounds like you’re driving. Where are you? You were supposed to stay with Darling.” His annoyance was plain in his voice.
“I never do what I’m supposed to, Dante. You should know that about me by now,” I said. “Run this by me again, and make it quick, I’m perched on the edge of a cliff on Witch Mountain.”
I squinted into the rearview mirror. A huge black Ram truck came around the corner. My heart raced, but the driver must’ve seen me and quickly moved into the opposite lane.
Right behind him, a little sports car came zipping around the corner, but this driver was hugging the curve at the white line, giving me plenty of room.
“Huh? Witch Mountain?” Dante said.
“James called me, and he was super sketchy sounding,” Dante said. “He wanted to know where you were. I didn’t tell him.”
I paused. Fuck.
“Don’t come back. Not until I speak to your attorney and figure out what he wants us to do.”
“Bye,” I said and hung up.
I cranked the stereo for the rest of my drive back to the city.
Before she disappeared, Rose had gotten me hooked on hip hop, which was something that I hadn’t paid much attention to in the past. I knew it was slightly ridiculous for a woman my age to be singing along at the top of her lungs to Kanye West’s song “Monster,” but something about Nicki Minaj’s badass rapping and animalistic growls in the song sent chills through me. She was magnetic. Listening to loud music made the drive back go quickly.
By the time I got back to my hotel room, I was ready to fall into bed and sleep for ten hours. I was ignoring the fact that the police wanted to arrest me for murder. I just couldn’t deal with it right then. I’d get a good night sleep and figure out what to do in the morning. They weren’t ready to arrest me yet. At least I hoped not.
The next morning, I woke to brilliant sunlight streaming in through the skylight above the bed. I yawned and did some stretches and then some sit-ups and pushups.
They hurt. I was incredibly out of shape.
But that would change. I decided that, rather than sit around and wait for the cops to arrest me, I was going to go about my normal life until the attorney told me not to. That meant to continue the plans I’d already made.
Part of my plans involved catching up with all my old friends. This morning, I was visiting my good friend and sensei Kato. He would kick my ass back into shape quickly.
Besides, I needed a distraction from worrying about a possible murder rap. After my workout, I’d go visit Danny again. See if he had any luck with the Deepfake video of me.
I couldn’t wait to see Kato.
Many years before, when I was just a kid who had moved to the big city and was drowning my grief over my parent’s death with booze, sex, and other unsavory behavior, Budo Karate via Kato, had saved my life.
I tugged on some leggings, a hoodie, and my sneakers and ate some hard-boiled eggs I’d ordered from room service. I left the hotel incognito, with dark sunglasses and my hoodie pulled up over my head, and ran to Chinatown, arriving sweaty and breathless at the door to the Dojo.
I leaned down, putting my palms on my knees to catch my breath before I rang the doorbell.
“Looks like we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The familiar voice brought a smile to my face.
Standing up, I saw Kato there before me, holding the keys to the Dojo.
He still wore his sleek, black hair longer in the back, and his toned and fit body would still put Michelangelo’s David to shame
I squealed and grabbed him in a bear hug. He was a little stiff, but that was his nature.
“Gia San, it’s been a long time, my friend,” he said.
“Kato! I can’t fucking believe it. You haven’t aged a day, you bastard.”
“Nice to see you too,” he said and chuckled as he unlocked the door. “When did you get back to the States?”
“Just the other day,” I said, grinning. “How’s Susie and the kids?”
He shook his head. “Susie is the same. My princess. The kids? Oh boy. Teenagers are hell on earth.”
“That’s a fact,” I said, following up the stairs to the main room of the Dojo.
“Let’s get right to work,” he said as we entered the room and he dumped a water bottle and duffel bag on a small table. “My first class is in an hour. We can catch up over lunch or something soon.”
I smiled. I didn’t tell him I was a murder suspect and could end up in jail any second. Still in denial, I guess.
We spent the next hour working out and catching up during pauses. His youngest son had just graduated from high school and was getting ready to start his freshman year at college. His oldest had just graduated from college.
“I can’t imagine them as anything but little kids,” I said, shaking my head.
His eyes met mine. “You’ve been gone a long time.”
I frowned. He was right. Sometimes my former life in San Francisco felt like a dream and other times, like seeing Kato again, it felt like yesterday.
Hair damp around my face from my sweaty workout, I grabbed my hoodie and headed for the door.
“I expect you here tomorrow at six.”
“At night?”
“Ha ha, Gia. A.M.”
I nodded. “Deal. Only if you let me take you and Susie out to dinner soon.”
“Deal,” he said and smiled back. Just then, a half dozen students rushed past me, coming up the stairs into the Dojo. They were all speaking at once. I gave Kato a salute and jogged down the stairs, even though my thighs were killing me.
My phone dinged.
Dante.
“Your attorney called. It’s not good. Thank god you’re staying at Darling’s place for a few days.”
Oh fuck.
“Um, I’m actually back in the city.”
“Jesus.”
I cringed.
“You need to turn around and go back there right now.”
“I was just at the dojo with Kato. My car’s at the hotel.”
“Don’t go back to the hotel. They just had a squad parked out front. I’m pretty damn sure it’s for you.”
Alarm zinged through me. “So, there is an arrest warrant?”
“Not yet. They called your attorney. They want you to stay in town. And he thinks they want to pick you up and put some more pressure on you. K
eep you for as long as they can without actually arresting you. Squeeze you. Try to get you to confess.”
“Good fucking luck.”
“Unless you want to spend the next twenty-four hours in a little interview room, I suggest you call Tony and ask him to drive you back to Marin County. After you call him, turn off your phone. Call me from Darling’s landline when you get there.”
Motherfucker.
Twenty-Eight
I hated to run back to Darlings, but I also didn’t want to get picked up and questioned again. Especially not for hours at a time. So for once, I did what Dante said.
Tony didn’t seem to mind the drive.
“Good to get away a bit on the open road,” he said.
I made a face. “Are you sure? You’re not just saying that?”
“Scout’s honor.”
We made it to Darling’s in record time.
“You need me to wait for you?”
I leaned over and kissed his grizzled cheek. “I’m good. Drive home safe, my friend. Thank you.”
He actually turned red.
“I got you, Gia.”
“I know.”
Then I was at the front door, knocking instead of ringing Darling’s doorbell. I didn’t want to wake the whole house if she was still asleep. She did like to sleep in.
She answered the door herself, dressed in a long, silky robe with a fur collar and hem. But her makeup was flawless.
“Good Lordie, it’s early Gia. Didn’t you just leave here anyway?”
“Dante’s being paranoid. Told me to come back here and then call him from your landline.”
“Looks like little Gia is all grown up. There once was a time you didn’t listen to another damn soul. Now you’re getting smarter. You know we all boss you around for your own good.”
I decided not to tell her that he hadn’t wanted me to go back to the city in the first place.
“Ha ha,” I said and followed her in.
“I’m having my tea in the sunroom. There’s fresh coffee, too. Grab a mug and meet me in the sunroom. I have a phone in there,” she turned. “Unless you need some privacy.”
“I just barged into your home. I think you can listen to the reason why.”
She laughed.
I poured a cup of coffee in her giant kitchen and then made my way into the sunroom where her dogs were curled up on giant plush cushions.
“Some watchdogs they are,” I said. “They didn’t even notice me come in.”
“Ring the damn doorbell, and you’ll have another experience altogether.”
“Note to self.”
I gulped half of my coffee and dialed Dante.
“Yo.”
One of the dogs came over and sat right on my foot. I made a face.
“That means she loves you,” Darling said.
I reached down and scratched the dog’s ears. I had to admit I liked the attention from the dog. I missed owning a dog more than I could say.
“Detective Stone called your attorney and said that you need to stay in town. We told him it was too late and you were already out of town.”
“Good.”
“I don’t know what else is going on. Keep your phone off. For now. I think the best strategy until we find out more is to have you unavailable. That way you aren’t breaking any laws or disregarding orders from the detective. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how else to handle it.”
“So, does this mean I can skip the gala?”
The gala was in two nights.
“We’ll see.”
Darling raised her eyebrow.
“Darling says hello,” I said. ‘You’re on speakerphone.”
“Hey beautiful,” he said.
Darling’s face spread into a huge smile.
“Dante, I do love you, you know.”
“The feeling’s mutual sweetie.”
She took a sip of her tea and batted her eyelashes even though nobody could see her. Such a diva.
“Enough of your love fest,” I said, rolling my eyes. “What do you think they have on me? Besides that video of a woman who clearly is not me. I would never wear those shoes with that outfit.”
“That’s what I said,” Dante said. “I told James that.”
I was quiet for a few seconds. “What did he say?”
“He was the one who brought it up. He said he didn’t think you’d wear them.”
Somebody was trying to imitate me but had failed. I didn’t think I needed to be too worried about a real murder charge sticking.
“What else, that fake-ass video?”
“I told you, that’s what we’re going to find out. Sit tight. Don’t turn on your phone. I don’t want anyone to be able to reach you. I’ll call you there tomorrow morning.”
I swallowed. “Dante? Should I be worried?”
He didn’t answer for a few seconds. Then he cleared his throat.
“I really don’t know.”
Darling and I stayed up late with our feet curled up under us on her plush velvet couches, drinking red wine, eating chocolate, and reminiscing about the good old days when she owned the most popular hair salon in San Francisco.
It was a small community unto itself, and she had been the queen.
She had a back office where she ran her “other” business.
Women in abusive relationships would knock on her door in the back room and plead their cases. Darling provided them with new identities and falsified documents such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, social security cards so they could start a new life away from their abusers. She also gave them some seed money to get started.
It wasn’t long before she had more money than she knew what to do with, and she invested in property around the Bay Area. A few years back, she sold her salon to the daughter of a good friend, turned over her false ID business to the woman, as well, and moved permanently to her Marin County home.
Here, she set up shop as an angel investor, working to help women and minorities flourish. But she was like the people on Shark Tank—you had to have a damn good business plan or a really hard luck case along with the drive and conviction to convince her to back you.
If she thought you were scrappy, she’d help you get your business idea off the ground.
I loved her for this.
After catching up on all the years we’d been apart, we both went to bed in the early hours of the morning.
When I woke, I rolled over to check my phone but remembered that Dante was going to call me on the landline. I pulled a soft sweater over my silk camisole and shorts and then padded into the kitchen in my socks.
All was quiet.
I found a pot of coffee in a stainless steel carafe and a note from Darling saying she was in town until early afternoon and to make myself at home.
I took my coffee out to the pool. It faced the east and was bathed in warm sunlight.
As soon as I’d settled into the lounge chair I heard the phone ring in the house. Damn it!
I sprinted inside and grabbed it. “Darling’s place.”
“It’s me.”
Dante. Thank God.
“I spoke to the attorney. He doesn’t think they have enough to arrest you, so you should be safe to come back to the city. He said if they want you to come in, he’ll accompany you, but it can’t be until tomorrow. He’s in court today.”
“What if I don’t want to talk to them tomorrow either?” I asked. I began opening cupboards, looking for something to eat. For a woman with Darling’s healthy appetites, there was very little edible in her cupboards. Some weird protein powder canisters and Kombucha jars and some funky-ass Scandinavian crackers. I plucked a cracker out and stuck it in my mouth. I spit it out. It had the consistency of cardboard and tasted worse.
“You can talk to him about that. You two have a meeting at ten tomorrow morning. He’ll come to the hotel.”
“Fine,” I said. This was all such a pain in the ass. I opened the refrigerator door. The inside looked more promi
sing.
“I just picked up your dress.”
“Say what?” I said, grabbing a bag of onion bagels out of the refrigerator. Score. If I could find some lox, cream cheese, and capers...
“For the gala.”
“Oh fuck.” I’d tried to forget about the gala.
“I couldn’t decide between black velvet, red silk, or white satin.”
He paused dramatically. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m holding my breath,” I said sarcastically.
“At first, I thought the red silk,” he said triumphantly. “With your black hair? Mama mia!”
“Isn’t red a little, I don’t know, flashy?” I had searched every inch of the refrigerator and there was no cream cheese. Ridiculous.
“It’s a gala, Gia. Flashy is good. All the other women are going to be wearing as fancy as they can. They’ll probably break out all the family jewels. That’s why you’re not wearing any.”
“No jewelry? Cool.” I honestly could give a fuck. I hated to admit it, but I wondered what that opera diva was going to wear. The woman James was going to marry. Ugh.
“But I decided against the red and against the jewels.”
“Do tell,” I said and stuck the bagel slices in a toaster I found on a bottom shelf in a cupboard.
“You are going to wear a black velvet dress.”
“K,” I said. I took out some butter thinking, What kind of house has bagels without cream cheese?
“You’ll wear it with your Louboutin stilettos and no jewelry except the ring that Nico gave you.”
“Perfect,” I said, eyeing the toaster oven as my stomach grumbled.
“But you are going to wear the reddest lipstick I can find,” he said. “That will be the final touch.”
“I’m down for that,” I said.
“You might not want to eat today.”
“Fuck that,” I said watching the bagel turn brown through the oven’s little window.
“The velvet dress is formfitting and backless. It’s simple, sexy, and elegant.”
“I love you, Dante.”
“I know.”
“You just love me because I’m your real life dress-up Italian Barbie.”
Dark Justice Page 13
