Love, Lies & The D.A. (5 page)

“Oh
no. When I entered the address into the GPS, I realized I was just a few houses
away. So I thought I would walk.”

“The
GPS didn’t tell you about the long driveway, did it?” David laughs.

“No,
it did not.”

“Where
exactly are you?” Kat asks.

“After
crossing the bridge, it’s the third house on the left up the hill.”

“Oh, I
know that house—”

The
doorbell interrupts David. After excusing himself, he heads over to the door. I
chat with Maria and Rodolfo about my past trips to Peru. Kat escorts us out to
the terrace while we chat. Brent, the other twin, finally makes an appearance.

“Jonathan,
you remember Jada,” David says behind me.

I turn
and stare at him—I’m sure I feel the hairs on my neck stand on end.

What’s
this, an omen? Three times in one day.

“Yes.
Hi. How could I forget?” he says then greets everyone else. He’s very familiar
with them, especially the adults. The twins, not so much.

I
wonder where his fiancé is. Shouldn’t they be together on their engagement
night?

 Kat
instructs him and me to sit next to each other as we gather round the elegantly
set rustic wood slab table. The candles sparkle against the fine white
dinnerware.

While
the chatter continues among the others, Jonathan mutters, “If I’d known you’d
be here, I would have declined the invitation.”

“Ditto.
You seem in a bad mood,
Ken
. What’s wrong?
Malibu Barbie
declined
your proposal?”

“As a
matter of fact—yes, she did,” he snaps.

“Well,
perhaps she’s smarter than she looks,” I whisper, smiling.

His
temple’s twitching again.

“Oh, I’m
sorry. Did I touch a soft spot?” I ask, my words loaded with sarcasm.

“I don’t
have a soft spot.”

“Big surprise.
Tell me something I didn’t already know.”

“Are
you always this outspoken?”

“With
rude and obnoxious people such as you—yes.”

“And
this judgmental?”

“God.
I hope not,” I reply dramatically, touching my chest.

He
seems so puzzled by my behavior. I realize it’s been that way from the moment
we met.

Everyone
gets comfortable at the table, and soon we are all passing the dishes around
and relishing our meal.

“So,
David, I get the feeling that you and Jonathan didn’t meet for the first time
today?”

“Oh
no,” he laughs. “I’ve known Johnny from the day he was born. His parents and I
have been friends for years. I’m sure you know his dad, Charles Kole?”

“The
attorney from San Francisco?”

“Yes.”

Ahhh,
the hotshot high-profile attorney. No wonder Mr. Asshole feels so entitled.

“Charles
and I, among other things, are business partners as well,” David continues.

That
explains a lot.

“Jonathan,
are you in the family business?” I ask curiously.

“No. I
started a new job about a year ago.”

As
what? Asshole extraordinaire?

“Oh,
stop being so coy,” Kat says. “Jonathan worked at his dad’s law firm for years.
He wanted to serve, so he crossed over to the other side. He’s the new District
Attorney in San Francisco.”

That’s
why his name was so familiar.

“Oh
yeah… You replaced Zack Bernard?”

“Yes I
did. How would you know?” he replies curtly.

More
and more, I’m starting to understand the ‘don’t-you-know-who-I-am,’ thing.
Either way, I don’t care. I can’t stand it when people pull rank.

“I
live there.” I glare at him.

His
eyes widen in surprise at my response.

“What
about you, Jada?” Kat asks. “What do you do?”

“I own
my own business.”

“Now
you’re being coy,” David says. “She owns the Bleu Resorts hotel chain.”

“That’s
amazing. You’re either older than you actually look or you’re very smart.”

“Or
both,” I reply with a wry smile.

Okay,
let’s change this topic… I don’t need them asking questions about my personal
life.

“So
what about you boys? Off to college soon?” I ask.

“Ten
months to be exact,” Brent replies, all smiles.

“Staying
in Cali?”

“Nope.
We’re heading to Europe. France first,” Brad continues.

“
Parfait.
Vous voyagez dans un pays étranger est toujours un excellent moyen d’apprendre
une nouvelle langue
.”

“What’s
that?” Brent asks.

Marie
laughs then replies, “Perfect. Travelling to a foreign country is always a
great way to learn a new language.”

We
enjoy pleasant conversation throughout the rest of the evening. Jonathan and I
manage not to cross each other’s paths.

It’s
almost nine-thirty when we help Kat with the dishes. Then I’m ready to head
home.

“Thank
you so much for inviting me into your home. I had a great night.” I kiss Kat on
both her cheeks.

“You’re
not walking back to that house by yourself,” she replies. “Jonathan can drive
you.”

“That
really is not necessary,” I say, hoping she’ll back off.

“Jada,
do you have any idea how cold it is outside?” David asks. “I’m sure you don’t
mind, do you?” he continues, looking at Jonathan.

“Of
course not,”
he
responds.

We say
our goodbyes and soon we get into his car. I am thankful for the ride. The
temperature has dropped drastically. We sit in silence as he maneuvers the car
to head out the long driveway.

“Where
am I taking you?” he asks politely.

“Turn
left up the hill. My house is the third on the left after the bridge. Thank
you.”

He
follows the directions, and moments later, we’re on my doorstep.

I feel
bad about my
Malibu Barbie being smarter then she looks
comment. I
wonder if I should say anything, apologize, or let it be. He interrupts my
thoughts.

“Nice
house.”

“Thanks.
It’s mine as long as I continue to pay the rent.” I smile.

“What?
A rich broad like you can’t afford to buy it?”

“You
just can’t stop yourself from being an asshole, can you? No wonder she said
no,” I snap.

“Look…
there’s no need for you to make this personal,” he says coolly.

“And
insinuating I’m a bitch isn’t?”

“Don’t
take your frustrations out on me because you drove your boyfriend into your
best friend’s arms.”

I’m at
a loss for words. I’m not sure why I should care, but his words hurt me. My
eyes sting.

“You
know what? You’re a thoroughbred asshole. Thanks for the ride. Perhaps you
should turn your
chariot
around and drive straight to hell.” I get out
of the car, closing the door behind me.

“Jada,
I’m sorry.”

I hear
him shout behind me, but I know I can’t afford to look. I continue through the
freezing air and I open the door. Never do I turn to see if he’s watching me.
By the time I lock the door from the inside, I can see the taillights
disappearing out the driveway, and a single tear trickles down my face.

Why
does he have to be such a jerk? Anyway, good riddance. I hope that I’ll never
have to see that asshole again. I swiftly wipe away the tear and try to put him
out of my mind for the rest of the evening. However, when I go to bed that
night, images of him haunt me in my dreams.

*     *     *

What
the fuck was I thinking? After I find out so much about her, at the end of the
night, I insult her and take low blows at her. I’ve blown any chance I had of
getting to know her.

I feel
like shit. I know my words hurt her. The fact that she wouldn’t even turn to
look at me after my apology tells me that. Sometimes, I need to learn to just
shut the fuck up and not always be so determined to have the last word…

 Furthermore,
I can’t believe she lives in San Francisco. What a coincidence; we vacation and
live in the same place.

She
must be incredibly smart to own a hotel chain at her age. I was hoping she’d
answer when Kat sort of asked her age, but she didn’t. She must be at least
thirty-three or thirty- four. Anyway, I have other ways of finding that out…

What I
really want to know is how she’s accomplished what she has. I don’t get the
sense that she’s any sort of heiress… Everything about her says self-made. She’s
intelligent, beautiful… incredibly beautiful… bilingual; my God, I could listen
to that woman speak French all night long.

She
does know how to push my buttons, though. I swear, if she were a guy, I would
have punched her right across the face for insulting Megan. I suppose, in a way,
she did make up for that, of course at my expense.

Anyway,
all that said, I’m not sure why I’m thinking about her like this. After that
last conversation, I’m certain I’ve burned all my bridges. Talk about a major
screw-up…

*     *     *

When I
wake the following morning, I have almost fifty calls, and it’s just after nine
o’clock. That’s more than the total number of missed calls I had after the
infamous email went out.

What’s
with the sudden upsurge this morning?

What’s
even stranger is that all the calls are between 8:45 and 9:15.

I have
at least five missed calls from Ian and Solace each. I dial Ian’s number.

“Jada.
Oh God. I’ve been so worried about you.”

“Why?
I told you I’d be leaving town for a while. I’m fine. I’ve gotten over breakups
before.”

“You
don’t know, do you?”

“Know
what?”

Jada,
Richard was found dead in his townhouse this morning,” Ian whispers.

I feel
the room spinning around me. My heart is in the pit of my stomach, and before I
know it, I have to sit. For the second time in a matter of days, I’m
dumbfounded.

“Jada?
You still there?”

“Yes,”
I whisper. “How?”

“I don’t
know. It’s all over the news. They’re not saying how he was killed, but they’re
implying he was murdered. The police have been here to look for you, and Solace
is being questioned right now.”

As he
speaks, I can hear my heartbeat and see a pulse emanating from my chest. I pick
up the remote on the bed and switch on the TV. Anxiously, I search for the San
Francisco news channel. I have no idea what I should do.

“Ian.
Let me call you back,” I utter, ending the call.

I hang
up then push my brother’s number on speed dial. He answers.

“Bobby?”

“What’s
wrong, Jada?”

“Richard’s
dead.”

“What!
How?”

“I don’t
know. Apparently, he was found this morning in his townhouse. Ian told me he
doesn’t know how he died, but all the news
reports imply he was murdered.
He said the police are at the office, and they want to speak with me…” I cry,
hysterically cry. “Oh my God, Richard’s dead.”

“Jada…
Jada where are you?”

“Lake
Tahoe.”

“Look,
I’m going to make a few phone calls, and I’ll get back to you. Don’t talk to
the police unless you have a lawyer present. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,”
I mumble.

“Jada!”
he shouts. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes.
Should I go back to San Francisco?”

“Absolutely
not. Look, I’m going to get on the next flight to you. In the meantime, I’m
going to get you a lawyer. If the police call you, have them call me.”

“Okay.”

At
first, I don’t know what to feel. Then suddenly, I feel the need to scream. The
man I loved for over two years, who I was about to marry and who I found
cheating on me with my best friend, is now dead. Thursday afternoon, I hated
him, and now I feel like a piece of me is gone. I watch the images flash by on
the TV screen, and there’s an image of him. Tons of police are outside his
townhouse.

My
phone vibrates minutes later. It’s Bobby.

“Jada.
I got you a lawyer. I’ve spoken with him. His name is Charles Kole.”

“Bobby,
his son is the DA in San Francisco. We had dinner together at the neighbor’s
house last night. Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

“That’s
for the prosecutor to decide. Right now, I don’t care about that. He’s the best
in San Francisco. You speak to him and him alone about this. I’m hopping on a
jet in a while. Hopefully, I’ll be with you by four.”

“Thanks,
Bobby.”

“Text
me the address of where you are.”

“Okay.”

“I’m
going to text you the number for Charles Kole. As soon as you get off the phone
with me, call him.”

“Sure.”

“Sit
tight. I’m on my way, Sis.”

I feel
confused, nervous, and scared as I call the number Bobby sent me. I tremble
violently. I am not sure if I am completely coherent, but I wait for him to
answer, and within seconds, he does.

“Jada.
I’ve been expecting your call.”

“Hi…” I
murmur. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Tears constantly
flow down my face, and I continuously blow my nose.

“Jada.
I can only imagine how you are feeling. I don’t want you to panic. This is an
investigation. The police want to speak to you because they are looking for
answers.”

“My
COO told me all the news networks are implying he was murdered. They’ve
questioned him and my secretary, and he says they’re looking for me. I want to
do the right thing. Should I come home?”

“No.
You shouldn’t be driving like this. You’d be putting yourself in danger if you
do. Jada, I know this is a very difficult time for you. However, I need you to
tell me everything that happened from when you last saw him. Is it okay with
you if I record our conversation?”

“Sure,”
I murmur.

“You
should also know that I have a law reporter present making a record of this.”

“That’s
fine…” I murmur.

“Tell
me.”

“I
arrived at my condo maybe about two on Thursday afternoon. I was surprised when
I saw Richard’s car there. He told me he’d be in a meeting until six. Anyway,
when I got to the penthouse, I thought I heard his voice coming from my office,
so I went in, but as I approached the room, I realized I wasn’t hearing voices,
it was moaning. When I got to the door, I saw him having sex with my best
friend on my desk in my office.” I pause. I need to contain myself. The images
of him slipping in and out of her and her calling out his name overpower my
mind.

“Jada,
I know this is difficult, but I need to know everything that happened.”

“I
remember details. How much do you want?”

“All.”

“He had
her slumped over my desk face front, and he was behind her. I could hear every
time he retracted and reentered her. I’m not sure how long I was watching
before I told them to get the fuck out of my house. They seemed as shocked as I
was.

Koto
was wearing red platform heels with a red thong and bra, and she was getting
dressed while she walked out. I think she also had on a black skirt and a red
shirt.”

“Did
Koto say anything to you?”

“I
remember her crying and saying she was sorry… she said more, but I really didn’t
pay attention.

I
think Richard was dressed in a pale blue shirt with a grey jacket and pants. No
tie. He also wasn’t wearing a condom. While they were straightening their
clothing, I went to the kitchen and called my secretary.”

“In
their presence?”

“Yes.
If I remember correctly, Koto tried to apologize again, and I told both of them
if they didn’t leave, I’d have security come up and throw them out. Anyway, I
turned my back on them and continued talking to Solace.”

“Solace
is your secretary?”

“Yes.
I dictated an email for her to send out to all our wedding guests, and I told
her to use that same email as a press release. In it, I cancelled our wedding.
I also told her to make an appointment for me to see my gynecologist early the
next day, and to call Netjet and let them know I’d be travelling out of the
country the following afternoon. I told her to tell them I’d call them with the
destination early the next morning. I asked her to have Ian, my COO, call me. I
also told her I’d leave some info with the concierge, and I emailed her the
list of things I wanted done. I can forward the email to you.

When I
got off the phone, I realized Richard was still there. He was behind me.

I can’t
remember if it was during the phone call or after I got off the phone, but I
remember him telling me we had to talk about things, and I slapped him across
his cheek.”

“Left
or right?”

“Left.”

“You’re
left-handed?”

“Yes.”

“That’s
an important detail. Go on…”

“I
think I slapped him while I was still on the phone with Solace. Then after I
got off the phone, I told him again to get out or I’d have security throw him
out. I gave the engagement ring and his townhouse keys back to him. When he
wouldn’t leave, I took my phone and walked into my bedroom. He started to
follow me, but I slammed the door in his face and locked the door. I told him
it was over and there was nothing left to discuss. From there, I called
security, and minutes later, I think I heard three guards escorting him down.
That was the last time I saw him.”

“Did
he touch you at all?”

“I
think he did at some point, but I’m not sure when. I remember screaming at him
not to touch me.”

“Why
did you lock your bedroom door? Were you afraid of him?”

“I don’t
think I was afraid. I think it’s because the trust was gone. I had asked him to
leave several times and he hadn’t.

Anyway,
after he left, I was trying to think of where I could go. I needed to get away.
I remember Googling something about destinations in California, and I decided I’d
come here. When I realized it was only three-and-a-half hours away, I decided
to leave that night. Then I remembered my doctor’s appointment. I got her on
her cell phone, and she told me to come see her immediately. I made it to her
pretty quick. I think it was around five, or I left around five. I’m not sure.

She
congratulated me on the wedding and said I must be excited. I told her I was
until I found my boyfriend fucking my best friend. I wanted to be tested for
every STD under the sun. I remember telling her he wasn’t wearing a condom. She
told me I was handling things in a strange way and she thought I should get
counseling, but I didn’t. Soon after, I left. By the time I got back to the
penthouse, there were already reporters in front of the building.

When I
got back to the house, I packed some things. I also put my wedding dress and
accessories in a box in the kitchen, along with some jewelry and gifts Richard
had given me. In the email, I told Solace to return them or sell them. I
finished packing, took a shower, and called the concierge to pack my luggage in
the car. I think it was about eight when I left. On the way, I called Solace
and told her to cancel the jet and the doctor’s appointment.”

“When
did you speak to Ian?”

“I
think it was before I went to the doctor… I’m certain it was. When I got to
Fairfield, I was upset. I stopped along the roadside. I don’t know how long. At
some point, two police troopers came by. They said they’d received numerous
reports of a car unmarked and unattended to. They checked my license and
registration and told me to be careful on the road. I can’t remember what time
that was, but I think it took me about forty-five minutes to get to Sacramento.

I
spent the night at the Hyatt there. I can’t remember the times, but I have
receipts. The following morning, I think I left the Hyatt at about nine or ten
and got to Lake Tahoe about noon. I’ve been here since.”

“Do
you have people that can verify you’ve been in Lake Tahoe?”

“Well,
I only made some friends yesterday. On Friday, I saw a realtor and did some
grocery shopping. On Saturday, I had breakfast at a café, and I took pictures
until maybe about 2pm. I told Bobby I was worried this might be a conflict of
interest, but he told me that it was for the prosecutor to decide—your son and
I had dinner at David’s house last night with Kat and their two friends from
Peru. Jonathan dropped me home.”

“Did
he, now?”

“He
may not have anything positive to say about me. I don’t think we like each
other too much. We said some pretty mean things to each other. I think the last
thing I said to him was that he was an asshole and thanks for the ride home.”

Charles
chuckles at my last comment.

“Just
so we’re clear, the last time you saw Richard was when he was escorted out of
your penthouse?”

“Yes.”

“Have
you had any other communication with him since then?”

“No.
He called, but I did not answer.”

“Okay.
You’ve had a rough few days. I’ll handle the police from over here. You don’t
have to come back here. You’re in California. If they want to question you,
they can come to you. However, they should only question you in my presence.
Right now, the best advice I can give you is to keep your mouth shut. Don’t
speak to the police, the press, no one. Tell them to speak to me if they call
you. Send me the email you sent to your secretary and your wedding guests and
get some rest. If I were you, I wouldn’t pay attention to the news. They almost
always get first accounts wrong.”

“Okay.
Thank you. Do you need to talk to Ian and Solace?”

“Yes.
I do”

“I’ll
send them an email telling them to expect you.”

“I’m
sure there might have been details you forgot—that’s normal. Once you remember,
please let me know.”

After
handling the emails, I lie in bed and mute the TV volume. Soon, I drift.

I wake
to
the sound of the doorbell and my phone vibrating. I leap out of bed and run to
the door. Through the glass, I see Bobby. I open the door. He wraps his arms
around me. I cry. For the first time since walking in on Koto and Richard, I
really let go. He escorts me to the sofa. He holds me in his arms for what
seems like hours. After some time, I guess I run out of tears or I cry myself
to sleep, but I later wake to the scent of food.

“Have
you eaten today?” he asks.