Love, Lies & The D.A. (26 page)

“Of
course not… Too bad others don’t see things the way you do.”

He
looks at me and holds my hand. He’s present again.

“It
will work out.”

“Did
you hear anything from your friend at the FBI?”

“I don’t
expect to. At least, not right now. They’re more likely to contact you
directly. Try not to worry about it. They may not have contacted you yet, but
trust me, they’re doing their job.”

“Fine.
I’m going to preoccupy myself as a new dog caretaker over the next few days and
try not to worry about my plight.”

“Good,”
he says, pecking my lips. “Now, I have to get going soon. I have a boatload of
work to do before court at nine.”

He
helps me get the dogs, and all that they come with, into the vehicle. He hugs
me goodbye, holding me for an extraordinarily long time. I pull away and look
into his piercing greys.

“You
okay?”

He
looks at me, and I suddenly feel naked, like he’s looking into my soul. He cups
my face into his hands and kisses me gently. I slowly divide my lips, and his
kiss becomes more deep and passionate. We’re leaning against the driver side
door, and I feel him awaking between us. Abruptly, he pulls away.

That
kiss seemed so loaded, as if he was trying to tell me something more.

“I’m
fine. I’ll miss you, that’s all,” he eventually replies.

“I’ll
miss you too. I’m just a phone call or a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. Come
whenever you want.”

“Let
me know when you get in safely,” he says as he opens the door to the vehicle. I
slip in and immediately put down the window.

“Are
you sure everything’s alright?”

“Yes.
I just have a big day ahead of me.”

“Okay,
have a great day… and good luck in court,” I reply.

He
kisses me lightly once more and watches as I back out of the garage.

*     *     *

I
think I’m falling for this woman—hard. After what she’s been through the last
few months and with the attempted break-in and that threat this weekend, it was
difficult for me to let her go. I want her to be mine, but I risk losing her
completely if I try to push her in that direction.

I’m
going to have to learn a lesson in patience, and as much as I want to protect
her right now, I have to trust that she’s smart enough to take care of herself.
I have a feeling that overwhelming her, even in the slightest, might push her
away.

She’s
a completely independent woman. She’s also a very vulnerable woman. I don’t
want to rush her or hurt her in anyway, even if I have my own selfish wants and
desires. I hear my last conversation with Dad ringing in my ears…

It was
difficult when she left last night, then letting her go this morning. I hope
that Maggie and Micky will do a great job of protecting her in my absence…

I can’t
keep this up. I better head to work and occupy my mind in the office; otherwise,
she will drive me crazy with worry.

*     *     *

The
house is perfect, built upon a cliff with two bedrooms, but it has the most
stunning coastal and cliffside views I’ve ever seen. It’s quaint but equipped
with all the comforts I could ever want including a heated pool right outside
my bedroom door.

The
dogs love it. While I unpack, I can’t see them, but I hear them running around
and frolicking in the small fenced area outside. Maggie, I’ve noticed, is the
instigator, the more aggressive of the two. But the love she shows for Micky in
their quieter moments warms my heart. Cleaning his ears and eyes and putting her
paw over him when they sleep, they’ve been a joy to watch.

I
place their beds in front of the windows in the great room overlooking the view
and make sure their bowls are filled with clean fresh water in the kitchen. I’ve
missed owning a dog. Before my dilemma, I never considered getting one because
I travelled so much. Having them with me has made me think that if I get
through this, I’ll get a pair.

My
Bobbyphone
screams inside my bag. After I fish
it out, I eventually answer.

“Hey,
you.”

“Hi.
What’s going on?”

“I
just arrived. I’m unpacking and settling in.”

“Are
you alone?”

“Not
quite. Jonathan’s two Rottweilers are with me. He’ll visit on the weekend.”

“I
guess that’s better than nothing. Is there a security system?”

“Yes.
I’ll remember to activate it.”

“Good.
So you went to Tahoe with him this weekend?”

“Yes.”

“I
sense a romance blooming.”

I
blush. “We’re taking things very, very slowly. I don’t know if I’m ready for a
relationship yet. Right now, we’re getting to know each other as friends.”

“Friends
or friends with benefits?”

I
laugh. “No benefits… okay minimal benefits.”

“You’ve
always been a smart woman, Jada. You’ll make the right decision for you.”

“Except
for when it came to Richard and Koto…”

He
completely ignores my comment.

“So
how are things in the case? Any new developments?”

I want
to tell him about the phone call on Friday, but I don’t trust the phones, so I
keep my mouth shut.

“Well,
I have a team of lawyers as of today. Jonathan’s sister and a more experienced
lawyer named Cooper Hicks will be working together with Joshua on my case.”

“I
know Cooper. I interned at a firm he worked at after I left Stanford.”

“Small
world… I haven’t met him yet. After Charles died, Jonathan didn’t think Joshua
had enough experience to handle the case. That’s why Cooper is leading things
now. He told me Megan asked if she could help. I guess she wants to see through
what her dad started.”

“That’s
great. It looks like everything is going smoothly over there. No more incidents
to report?”

I’d
like to tell him what happened. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I’m not sure that
I can trust any of my phones.

“I saw
Koto yesterday. She confronted me while Jonathan and I were at a restaurant
having dinner.”

“What
did she say?”

“That
she wants my forgiveness… same old garbage. But you want to hear the best
news?”

“What?”

“She’s
pregnant.”

“You’re
joking.”

“I’m
not. I swear to God… and she looks like she’s going to pop in a few months.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Tell
me about it. So when are you coming to visit again?”

“Not
for a while. I’m up to my neck in work.”

“Well,
you should make time soon. I have so much more I’d like to share with you.”

I hope
he takes a hint.

“I
could use a break from this state, but I can’t leave it, so you will have to
come to me.”

“Okay…okay.
I’ll talk to Val and we’ll see how the weeks ahead look.”

“Well,
make it soon.”

“I
will. Gotta go. Love you.”

“Love
you back. Bye.”

It’s
late evening
. I sit with a cup of coffee and pastry on the
verandah taking in the panoramic vistas at sunset. I wonder how Jonathan’s day
went. I call.

“Hi,
Jada,” he answers.

“Hey.
How are you?”

“Stressed.
Today was every DA’s nightmare. I can’t wait to get home.”

“Why?”

“I
found out that two of my three key witnesses are missing in one of my cases.
One, the police suspect, is a man that washed up dead in the bay this morning.
We’re waiting on a DNA match to confirm.”

“I’m
sorry. Does that mean the case is dismissed?”

“Not
yet. But the most serious charges might be thrown out. It was a complete
spectacle in court today. Right now, all I want is a glass of wine and then put
my feet up and relax.”

“Anything
I can do?”

“No.
Tell me about your day. I got your text. You said the house was awesome?”

“It’s
amazing up here… so beautiful. I think you’ll love it. The dogs are having a
blast. I just returned from a walk with them. I spoke to Bobby too, he says—”

“Damn
it!”

“What?
What’s wrong?”

“My
street is covered with reporters. There’s a crowd of them at my—Jada, hold on a
second. Mom’s calling.”

I go
into the kitchen and pour myself a second cup of coffee while I wait.

“I’m
sorry. Mom told me they’re outside her house too.”

“Why
are they there? Is it about this case?”

“Yes.
I glanced at my phone. I got a text. The two other witnesses were found dead.
It’s all over the news, so they’re looking for me to comment.”

“Why
don’t you save yourself the stress? Go to my place for a while. Sleep over if
you want.”

“Jada,
I don’t have keys to your place.”

“Actually,
you do. Everything is coded access, except for the foyer door, which I rarely
lock. You have that code.”

“Thank
you. I think I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“In
the closet in the guest room there are new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and T-shirts,
and feel free to use the services of the concierge. They’ll get you just about anything
you need.”

“Thank
you. It’s too bad you won’t be there.”

“You
know where to find me if you need me. Enjoy the space… Call me when you’ve
settled in.”

Over
the next
few days, as Friday, my deadline day, draws near, I try to
keep myself occupied. I now go through a daily routine of feeding the dogs,
letting them out, a conference call with Ian, and work. Then later in the
evenings, I head down to the beach with the dogs for a few hours.

It’s
Wednesday, and I still have not heard from the FBI. I think I’ll load the dogs
in the vehicle and go for a drive. I need to keep my mind occupied or else I’ll
start pulling my hair out. Perhaps I should have saved that spa trip yesterday
for later during the week. It would help me relax.

I get
onto the highway and head north with no particular destination in mind. My
instincts tell me what to do. The views in this part of California are
gorgeous. At least, I can keep my mind engaged with that. I have my camera with
me, and at various points, I stop to take some photos.

I
drive for miles not seeing a house in sight. It really is secluded down here.
Through meadows, rolling hills, and green pastures I drive, accompanied by
never-ending ocean views. The scenery has changed to woodlands, and for a
while, I see peekaboo views of the ocean. Sometime later, I come across a sign
that reads Carmel-By-The-Sea. I’ve always heard of Carmel, but I’ve never been.
I follow the signs. I’m thinking I might have an early dinner there this afternoon
if I come across a nice restaurant.

I
drive through the town. It’s quaint, heavily wooded with small shops in old
world stone houses. I browse through many stores and art galleries, and I’m
happy when I come across a restaurant that is more than happy to have me and my
pooches relish dinner in their courtyard.

I am
quite amused when the server shows up with two menus and pours Micky, Maggie,
and me water. I giggle when I have a look at the second menu… the doggie menu.

I
enjoy dinner and the dogs practically swallow their treats before we take the
drive back home. As I park the vehicle in the garage, a service van pulls into
the driveway behind me, pinning me in the garage with no way for me to get out.

Oh my
God. Who is that?

I am
not expecting any service calls. My heart erupts in my chest.

In the
rear view mirror, I see two men in overalls getting out of the vehicle. I crack
the window down slightly.

“Who
are you and what do you want?”

“Ms.
McLean. I’m going to approach the vehicle,” one of the men says.

One
approaches me on the driver’s side. The other opens the back door of the van. A
rhythmic pulse breaks out in my chest. I can’t back out of the driveway because
I’m trapped inside the garage. The only thing I can think of doing is using the
dogs to my advantage. How, I’m not sure. I have to think—quickly. This man is
almost by my door.

I call
Maggie to the front seat and she immediately obeys. Micky growls in the back of
the vehicle. Once he sees the man, he barks aggressively. I put the back window
down, and Micky lunges at him. Maggie follows and I nervously dig through my
purse for the pepper spray.

“Ma’am.
Stop the dogs. We’re from the FBI,” the man says.

“Micky,
sit!”

He
obeys but continues to growl.

“Let
me see your badge.”

I exit
the vehicle, and while I hold the leash in my hand, Maggie jumps out beside me.
After I inspect the IDs, I feel comfortable that they are in fact who they say
they are.

“I’m
sorry, but I’m sure you can understand my paranoia.”

“Yes,
ma’am. I’m Agent Douglas White, and this is my partner Phillip Cross.”

Douglas
is mixed-race, probably Asian and African American. He’s clean-shaven,
impeccably dressed, even in his overalls, and very polite. Phillip Cross comes
across as the more rugged type. The complete opposite to Douglas. His overgrown
blonde hair is tucked away in a ponytail behind his head, and his stubble looks
like it might be a few days overdue.

“Can
we talk to you inside? I’d like to discuss that phone call you got,” Agent
Cross says.

“Sure,”
I reply.

My
hands shiver terribly. I can’t seem to stop it. They return to their vehicle,
take out boxes of
pretend
HVAC equipment, and
come into the house.

I let
them inside, both dogs follow me.

After
a few moments alone, I’m finally able to pull myself together.

“Ma’am,
we apologize. We didn’t mean to scare you. We had to take precautions in case
you’re being watched,” Douglas says.

“I
understand…”

I get
us some coffee. We sit at the kitchen island, and they ask me the details of
the call. Both dogs sit at my feet, up and alert.

“Ms.
McLean, that call you got came from the vicinity of the SFPD. The phone has not
been used again since the call to you. We need your help.”

“How?
Do you think someone in the police force is doing this?”

“It’s
possible. We have their phone lines tapped, but they’re police officers, so
they’re not likely to use their office phones unless someone slips.”

“Do
you have any idea of who might be involved in this? Surely you can’t tap all
the lines at the SFPD.”

“We
have some information, but we’re not at liberty to talk about it yet,” Phillip
replies.

“So
you won’t tell me, but you need my help.”

“Ma’am,
that’s because we have no confirmed details as yet. Just suspicions,” Douglas
responds.

“In
any event, a lot of that information is classified,” Phillip interjects.

“So
what do you need me to do? If I pay that ransom and word gets out, everyone
will see me as guilty.”

Phillip
looks at me seriously.

“From
what we’ve found out so far, this case is bigger than you. We know you didn’t
do this, but there’s evidence to suggest this is being pinned on you for the
sole purpose of extorting money out of you.”

“What?”

“We
need you to help us blow this case open,” Douglas continues.

“How?
What exactly do you need me to do?”

“Buy
time, possibly wear wires… it’s hard to make a list right now. We have an idea
of what we think might be going on, but we have no evidence to prove it. We
need time. We need to make sure our evidence will hold up in a court of law.
Remember, we’re dealing with crooked law enforcement officers. They know how to
cover their tracks, so this may take longer to uncover.”

“Okay.”

“We
don’t want you to pay that ransom… What we need you to do is string them along.
Keep them talking so we can try to find out exactly where these calls are
coming from, and who is making them.”

“So
once you find out who it is, you’ll arrest them?”

“No.
Once we find out, we might still need your help. This thing might run deep, and
we think you’re the link to help us uncover it.”

“So
you want to use me as bait? As your booby-trap? Put myself in danger?”

“Yes,”
they respond.

“And
how do I know, when it’s all said and done, that I’m going to be exonerated of
all these charges or even be alive to talk about it?”

“You’re
going to have to trust us.”

I
laugh sarcastically.

“Trust…
The same law enforcement officers that are supposed to protect me are the same
ones trying to blackmail me and pin a murder on me I didn’t commit, and I’m
supposed to just trust you?”

“Yes,”
both agents chorus.

I
sigh. “So how do we move forward?”

“Remember,
this is classified.”

“Really.
Do you operate like the police… anything you say can and will be used against
you in a court of law?”

They
both smile at me.

“Ma’am,
you called us, remember.”

“Yeah,
but it looks like I’m getting a lot more than I bargained for. I’m going to
have to think about this. Come back tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll let you know
my decision.”

“Fair
enough. But remember, this is mutually beneficial.”

“Yeah…
the only problem is, I have to risk my life.”

“We
understand your predicament. We’ll be back at about three tomorrow for your
decision.”

“What
if I say no?”

“We
will continue to investigate… but it will take us longer to uncover what is
going on.”

After
they leave,
my head is spinning. I don’t even know for
sure if I can trust them. I don’t know who I should talk to, and I’m almost
certain by now all my phone lines are tapped.

It’s
almost six o’clock and the only person I can talk to about this is Jonathan.
The only way I can do it, however, is in person. Without hesitation, I get the
dogs in the vehicle, lock up the house, and I head back to San Francisco.

As I
approach the city, I call him and we agree to meet at his house.

When I
arrive, he’s already home. The dogs eagerly run up the stairs when I let them
out of the vehicle. I hear his voice as I pull my bag out of the SUV. Seeing
him is a welcome sight. He’s still wearing a shirt and tie, but his jacket is
gone. I am so happy to be in his arms.

“What’s
going on? Why did you come back?” he asks, holding my hand and walking me to
the sofa. “You want anything?”

I
shake my head. “The FBI paid me a visit today.”

“You
say that like that’s a bad thing.”

“They
want me to work with them on this case.”

“Jada,
I think it was obvious that you’d have to be involved.”

“You
don’t understand… They didn’t tell me what it is, but they say they have
evidence to suggest that there are corrupt officers behind this. They think I’ve
been targeted so they could exploit money out of me.”

“Are
you serious?”

“Yes…
They want to use me as bait. Beyond the call, they want to use me to help blow
this case open.”

He
stands and paces the floors, raking his fingers through his hair with one hand
then he loosens his tie.

“Jada,
you’d be going into very dangerous territory. People get killed doing this sort
of thing.”

“I’m
aware of that, but do I have a choice?”

“You
do. But they wouldn’t be asking for your help unless this was dire.”

“So if
I don’t help, I may end up in prison for the rest of my life, and if I do help,
I might end up dead.”

“I don’t
want you involved in this; it’s too dangerous.”

“Then
what do I do? If I don’t help, any evidence that might help my case in court or
get those charges dropped against me will take months to uncover.”

“I
need to get Cooper over here,” he says, scrolling through the numbers on his
phone.

Twenty
minutes later, a thirty-something-year-old African American man arrives. After
a long discussion, he thinks that assisting the FBI is the best option I have.
With this new information, any evidence the police
say
they have might have been planted and cannot be trusted. This will not only get
me exonerated, it will clear my name and my reputation. It also means I’ll have
my life back.

Jonathan
did not say much while Cooper gave his advice, but as soon as Cooper leaves, he
sits beside me.

“Everything
he said to you was right—from a legal perspective. But I want you to realize
that the flip side to this is how dangerous it can get.”

“I
know how dangerous it can get. But what choice do I have? By the look of
things, these police might have planted evidence against me. What ammunition
other than the FBI do I have to combat that? I don’t want to do this, I don’t
want to be involved, but I really have no choice.”

“I’m
afraid you’ll get hurt or killed.”

“I’m
afraid of that too, but it’s almost the only option that I have.”

I look
up at him and realize that he’s worried.

“Try
not to worry,” I say softly. “Wasn’t it you who told me the FBI knows how to do
their job?”

He
doesn’t respond but pulls me in his arms. As I lay my head against his chest, I
can hear and feel the loud repetitive thump stemming from him. I wish there
were a better way, but this is the most viable option I have.

“Jada,
I just lost my dad. I don’t want to lose you too…”

I’ve
been thinking that I’m the one who’s vulnerable in this relationship, but I’m
starting to realize, in many ways, he is too.

I pull
away and look into his eyes.

“I can
do this. I’m going to have to believe that I can make it through this. I’ve
been through difficult patches in my life and made it through. This is no
different. It’s just another difficult patch.”

I wrap
my arms around him and kiss him lightly on his lips.

“It
will be fine,” I whisper. “Now tell me about your day.”

“My
day was fine. Come, lie with me,” he replies, pulling me to my feet.

He
holds my hand and leads the way up the spiral staircase to his room. Kicking
off his shoes, he pulls away his tie, shirt, and socks and collapses on the
bed. The white T-shirt he wears underneath hugs every inch of his skin.

“Are
you hungry? Can I fix you anything?” I ask.

“No
thanks. Just lie with me,” he replies then he pulls me in his arms.

Within
minutes, he’s asleep, his breathing so deep. He’s exhausted. I turn around to
look at him. He looks so beautiful, so peaceful in his sleep. The locks of his
hair cascade over his handsome face. I am so strongly attracted to this man. As
I look at him, I feel my heart strings tighten. I can’t help myself. I lean
over and kiss him tenderly on his lips.

He
wakes. Enclosing his fingers around my face and into my hair, he returns my
kiss. He’s gentle and caresses my tongue with his. He rolls over so he is above
me, and continues his gentle assault on my lips. I wrap my arms around him and
roam my fingers over his back. I am tempted to caress his ass, but I’m still
not ready to take things beyond the make out level, so I resist.

He
pushes my hair away from my face, looks into my eyes, and curves his lips.

“I don’t
know what you’ve done to me,” he whispers.

“Ditto,”
I reply.

He
continues his onslaught of kisses once more, leaving soft impressions from my ear,
to my neck, and back to my lips. He places one of his hands on my stomach and
bores his fingers into my hips. His kisses become deep and penetrating, and I
feel the desire awakening between us. He pulls away.

“We
better stop.”

“Maybe
I should go home,” I reply. “I can pick up the dogs in the morning and head
back.”

“No.
Stay.”

“You
think we can control ourselves?”

“Of
course. However, I apologize in advance if other parts of my body choose not to
cooperate with my mind.”