Disclaimers: See Chapter One If you have good or bad things to say feel free to email me at henleyac@yahoo.com.
Chapter Seven
Vivian found herself slightly frustrated, and at a distinct disadvantage in being a complete stranger in the city. She had to stop and buy another map for if she wasn't confused before, she was now. In LA there was the ocean to orient oneself; Here Vivian just couldn't find a landmark to center herself. If she knew where the damned lake was, she'd head there. Aggravated, she threw the map in the back seat of the car and picked up the creased papers Harris had given her. There had to be someplace to start.
She had lifted a pen off the counter of the gas station where she bought the map; Vivian gripped it, trying to ignore the teeth marks along its casing, and studied the information carefully. Quin was looking for Jacob O'Malley, who was somehow related to Michael, and this had something to do with the siblings' altercation the previous afternoon. Vivian wrote all the players' names in the margin of the first page. She had a list of names and addresses, and first was Diane O'Malley. Vivian put that name in the margin with a line drawn to Jacob and a question mark. The next name was actually a business. She shuffled through the documents until she found another paper with the business' name at the top. This document was an account summary from a bank, covering withdrawals over a three month period. Vivian's blonde eyebrows drew together, she didn't have a clue what this information held and wondered how it connected to any of the players. A long sigh followed.
Diane O'Malley was her first target. She reached back for the map and found the closest intersection to her. She couldn't tell north from south so she decided to turn one way and see the next street. Vivian marveled at how clear the streets were; She could only imagine the disaster LA would be if it snowed. Pulling over at the next intersection, Vivian found herself on the map. A triumphant smile appeared as she made a little pen mark at her current location. She located Diane O'Malley's street on the map, and finger-traced the quickest route. There was no stopping her now.
Quin drove around Logan Square before parking. There was still no sign of the Jaguar. She sat in her car for a bit, pondering why Jacob would have dealings in this particular neighborhood. She bit her lower lip and fished the little black book from her back pocket. Her cell phone beeped when she turned it on, and she checked the display. She winced as she realized there were seven messages from Vivian. Quin chewed the inside of her cheek, then decided she would listen later. She flipped the black book open, found a number and dialed.
Marco Sandoval had been watching the big Denali drive around Logan Square. The side windows were too darkly tinted for him to see who was driving, and he was this close to walking across the street to confront this ballsy interloper when his cell phone rang.
"Marco." He answered smoothly.
Quin smiled "Where are you? I need some information."
Marco rolled his dark eyes and crossed the street trying to avoid the dirty slush and any deep puddles. He tapped on the window of the Denali and shut off his phone. "Damn McKee you're scaring off all my customers." He said as the window came down.
Quin shook her head, "Get in the damn truck, Marco, before some cop thinks I'm buying."
"You are buying." Marco retorted as he shuffled and slipped his way around the front of the rumbling SUV. He shook off his boots as he stepped up and into the truck, careful not to muddy the expensive interior. "It's damn cold." The door shut with a solid thump.
Quin turned in her seat to look at the thirty something man. "You really need to stop selling and get a real job, Marco."
"Yeah, yeah." He waved off the brunette. "Two more years and I can retire. My customers are becoming more affluent."
Quin nodded sadly. It was too true. It didn't matter what the neighborhood looked like or how many yuppies moved in, there was always a market for exactly what Marco was selling, which was anything you wanted. "Have you seen a silver blue Jag around here lately?" Quin thought for a moment. "Last three weeks or so."
"Yeah. I've seen one. Young kid driving, sharp looking. He's doing business with Crane."
Quin frowned. "Crane is back?" Her heart skipped a beat. Brandon Crane was the lowest form of criminal. He used others for his own gain, never getting his own hands dirty. If Jacob was mixed up with Crane then this was going to get very messy very fast.
"He's been back for about three months."
"Where was he?" Quin already thought she knew the answer but needed confirmation.
"Word is he was in LA."
Quin growled. "Shit."
Vivian Walsh took a deep breath and extended her finger toward the doorbell of the lovely two story red brick home. She had gotten lost three times finding her way to Diane O'Malley's house, and it was getting late. She checked her watch, grimacing as it was approaching five pm. The sky was darkening quickly. She rang the bell again and rubbed her arms to warm the muscles that shook from the cold. "I really need to buy a coat." She said aloud just as the door opened. To her surprise Michael O'Malley stood staring back at her. "Uh…"
Michael frowned and looked behind the tall blonde. His sister was not present. "Are you lost?"
Vivian chuckled. "You don't know the half of it."
Michael's frown deepened. "Ms. Walsh, I find myself confused."
Vivian was about to reply when a feminine voice came from behind Quin's oldest brother.
"Who is it Michael?" Di poked her head around his shoulder. She didn't recognize the tall woman on the porch.
Michael scratched the side of his face. "This is Quin's new…." He searched for a proper word, "Friend?" He flinched.
Di blinked then smiled wide as she reached by Michael and drew the blonde into her house. "That little fink didn't say anything about you!"
Vivian was literally dragged into the warm house by the beautiful black woman, only faintly hearing Michael's 'Good grief' as the door was shut behind her. She was whisked into a sitting room and pushed into an over stuffed chair close to a fire, where Vivian warmed instantly. Soon she was looking into a set of the darkest eyes she had ever seen as the woman pulled up an ottoman and sat facing her.
"Name?" Di asked as she rubbed her hands together like a child ready to steal a hot cookie.
"Vivian Walsh. And you are?"
"Di."
Michael came to stand behind Di and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Vivian looked at the two of them together. "Diane O'Malley?" The dark woman nodded and smiled. Vivian nearly swooned. She looked up at Quin's brother who also was obviously under this beautiful woman's spell. Then it clicked. "You're married to Michael?"
"Divorced." Michael said quietly. He was desperately trying to figure out why this woman was at Di's house.
"Ah." Vivian settled back into the chair. That figured. What little she knew of Clara O'Malley dictated she wouldn't have approved of her son marrying a black woman no matter how stunningly gorgeous she was.
"So start talking, Vivian Walsh." Di instructed.
Vivian held up a finger, "Actually, I had a few questions for you."
"Just tell us why you're here." Michael ground out between clenched teeth.
Vivian scowled at the man, "I'm looking for Quin. Why are you here?" Fair was fair.
"None of your damn business." Michael retorted.
Di stood and gently took Michael's hand. "I'll be back in just a minute." She said to the blonde.
Vivian watched the couple as they moved back into the hall. She extended her still chilled arms toward the fire. There was an exchange of words in the hall that ended with the front door opening and then closing rather loudly. Soon the woman was back. "I'm sorry if I have ruined your evening." Vivian offered.
Di shook her head, "He's being an ass. He'll come back after he's had time to think about it and cool off. Now how can I help you?"
"Who is Jacob?" Vivian sat up a bit and pulled her small bundle of papers and the pen from her back pocket.
"Our son."
Vivian stopped a moment, processing that tidbit., "I'll bet Clara was thrilled."
Di laughed "She was not pleased." Di cocked her head to the side, "So you and Quin huh?" She let a visual play in her mind. "Yum."
Vivian blushed to her toes.
"Oh sorry." Di apologized. "I can't help myself from wondering what it would be like."
Vivian tried to control her body's reaction to this woman's frank perusal. "I think we've fallen off track."
"You maybe have, but I'm right where I want to be." Di scooted her makeshift seat closer to the blonde. "Is she good? Grace never would say, she was sort of shy about stuff like that. Which was weird because of what she did before she met Quin." Di grinned, hungrily. "Just between us girls, does Quin McKee rock your world?"
Vivian blushed harder, if possible, and covered her face with her hands.
"Maybe it's a lesbian thing. You just don't kiss and tell, is that it?" Di was teasing now.
Vivian looked through her fingers. "Have you seen Quin today?" She squeaked out.
"Oh fine. Yes I saw Quin. We had lunch. She's trying to track down Jacob."
Vivian sighed and dropped her hands. "Any idea where she was going?"
Di shook her head, "No idea. We had lunch, talked about Jacob and what might be going on with him. Did she ditch you at Grams?" She received an affirmative nod from the blonde "She would only do that if she thought she was going to run into trouble Vivian. I'm sure she doesn't want anything to happen to you."
"I'm a cop." Vivian frowned, "I'm an ex-cop. I can take care of myself. She's not in top physical shape and someone should be with her, watching her back."
Di appraised the woman in front of her. If she overlooked the surface, which happened to be a pretty nice package, she could definitely see the power the woman obviously projected. "To Quin, though, you're someone who should be spared harm, even the possibility of harm." Di spoke thoughtfully. "She definitely doesn't want a repeat of what happened to Grace. If Quin has included you in her life she's going to do everything she can to protect you and keep you safe."
Vivian's shoulders dropped. "She is a stubborn ass."
"It's a family trait." Di responded, glancing toward the hall. "Do you have someplace to stay tonight?"
"I'd thought a hotel."
"Nonsense, you'll stay here. I'll tell you everything I can, maybe you can catch up with the little fink. In the mean time, we can get to know each other. Don't worry about Michael, he's probably gone home to mother. He hates when I point out his short comings." Di stood and extended her hand down to Vivian. "I'm sure Michael has some jammies here you can borrow.
Vivian took her new ally's offered hand and rose gracefully from the chair. Watching slyly, Di could not help but be impressed. "My, but you're a tall girl." Di commented, letting another visual play in her mind and smiling. "Yum, yum."
Vivian blushed again. How in the world had this woman ended up with Michael O'Malley?
Quin was back in her office seeking information on Brandon Crane. There were still a few people running around the place so she enlisted their help. Sometimes It was good to be the boss. The PI sat back in her chair as information began to flow in. Whatever Jacob was involved in went way beyond drug use and theft.
Then there was the matter of clearing Michael's name with the IRS. The Feds were accusing him of embezzlement and tax evasion. The recent activity of his personal and business accounts certainly pointed to someone taking liberties with the company's funds. His board members were calling for his resignation, and his stock holders were calling for his arrest. Jacob would have to own up to some things to take the heat off his dad.
Quin's phone beeped signaling another message. \ Pulling out the phone, she checked the number, already knowing it was Vivian. Quin replaced the phone; She'd call her in the morning.
Sally entered Quin's office with a stack of files and flopped them onto the already overflowing desk. "Some courier from some nameless government agency dropped these off for you." She informed, slumping into one of three chairs opposite the big mahogany desk. "I'd really like to know how you get this kind of information on people."
Quin grinned, "A lot of people would like to know."
"Start with me and get it all off your chest." Sally encouraged.
Quin smiled and shook her head no. "Nope. Not gonna tell."
"Fine." Sally pushed her curls behind her ears. "Please be careful with Crane. He's not some two bit thug."
Quin leaned forward and grabbed the top file off the stack. "He's messing with my family."
"Just be careful." Sally's phone rang from her hip. She flipped it opened. "Usher."
Something told Quin it was Vivian on the other end. She glanced at her assistant and received an extended middle finger as confirmation. Quin drew back in her chair and held the file a bit higher to hide.
"I'm sorry Vivian, but no one has been able to contact her today. I'm sure she'll call you soon." Sally hated lying to this particular person. She stared daggers at her boss. "Vivian. I'll personally tell Quin McKee to call you when I see her next. I understand your concern." Pain in my ass that Quin is, Sally thought. Her eyes widened at the next bit of conversation. "Oh really?… Okay." Interesting. "Yes, good night to you too." She flipped the phone shut loudly and stood. She reached across the wide desk and firmly lowered the file Quin was pretending to read. "I will not lie to that woman again. I'll quit first."
Quin sighed, "Sally, I just don't want her to get hurt."
"Bullshit! You don't want her to see you break a hundred different laws!"
Quin slammed the file shut and shot out of her chair. "She's a good person! I don't want anything to change that. I don't want anything to happen to her. And YES! I don't want her see me break the fucking law!" Quin was shaking as she tried to control her anger.
Sally softened her voice. "Quin, she loves you. She will understand that sometimes you have to skirt the law to get the bad guy. She did work with you in LA, didn't she? And she ended up with you anyway."
"Damn it, Sally." Quin deflated and sank into her chair. "I'm in love with her and I don't think I can take it if she left me."
Ahhh! The truth! Sally thought. "You're going to have to risk it Quin. You've been lucky so far. Some people haven't had it as good as you. So what if she leaves? People change and sometimes move on. Sometimes people don't have a choice in leaving. If she leaves, you decide whether or not to put yourself out there. You took this chance when you got involved with her in the first place. So suck it up, McKee, this is how life is lived. Take your chances with the rest of us."
Quin sighed. "I hate you."
"Yeah, well, you're not the most lovable person sometimes either. God only knows why Vivian Walsh fell for you." Sally made her way to the door. "I'm going home. By the way, Vivian is on to you. She's spending the night at Di's tonight."
Quin gaped at the woman's retreating back. "Fuck. Me." She banged her fist on the table as her head fell to the desk top with a thud. "I'm in deep shit."
Day Four
Diane O'Malley was bent over staring at the coffee maker on the counter. The clear glass pot was filling up way too slowly for her liking. She mentally urged it to fill faster.
She and Vivian had stayed up till all hours the night before. She got the whole story of what had happened to Quin in Los Angeles. There was a lot more involved than Quin's condensed version of 'some trouble'. "Drip faster, you sadistic bastard." She mumbled at the coffee maker.
"Talking to inanimate objects could be considered a sign of senility." Vivian said as she walked into the kitchen.
Di squinted over her shoulder and growled, "I've got to have caffeine. This is non-negotiable. And this damned machine is seriously impeding my intake of said caffeine."
Vivian chuckled. "I'll take a cup, black, when it finishes." She pulled out a wooden stool and sat at the marble breakfast bar.
"Did you get a hold of her last night?"
Vivian shook her head. "No. I talked to Sally."
"Sally is a good bean, but she'll cover for Quin."
"I figured as much. I appreciate all your help." Vivian wasn't sure if she was going to continue looking for Quin. It could prove futile. If she were to change course and look for Jacob instead she could just happen upon Quin. She looked toward the woman stooped over at the counter. There was no way she was able to believe Di was in any way capable of loving Michael O'Malley. How was it possible?
Both women's heads popped up and turned toward the hallway at the sound of the front door closing. A few moments passed before Michael appeared in the kitchen doorway.
He smiled at his ex-wife's position at the counter. That's where she always was first thing in the morning. Michael had offered time and again to replace her old coffee maker with a timed system but she always refused. He personally believed she enjoyed the wait. His smile faded as he noticed the woman sitting at the counter in his pajamas.
Vivian watched the play of emotions on the man's face, obviously he was still very much in love with Di. Equally as obvious, the man did not much care for her. Vivian squared her shoulders. She was no stranger to hate.
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting." Michael said as he walked up behind his wife. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry about last night."
"Don't apologize to me." Di retorted.
Michael looked over at the woman at the counter. Di had a way of putting him in his place; She always had. He sighed. "Please forgive my behavior last evening, Ms. Walsh."
Di shook her head and mumbled "Pathetic." She pulled the pot from the coffee maker and poured herself and Vivian steaming cups.
"S'okay Di." Vivian accepted her cup as Di also took a seat at the counter. "He's probably done the best he can with that."
Michael folded his arms across his chest.
"He's being an ass." Di stated as she cocked her head at her ex-husband. "I think he's upset."
"Damn right I'm upset." Michael was happy for the opportunity to have his say. "I'm put out of my house in the middle of the night, only to return the next morning to find my wife with my sister's…." Michael floundered in his tirade.
"Lover." Vivian supplied
Michael only growled, "In my clothes, having…" He stalled again.
"Coffee." Di held up her cup.
"Damn it, I'm talking here!" Michael stomped his foot causing the two women to look at each other and then break up, giggling.
Gaining control and stifling a smile, Di sighed, "Honey, please sit down." She patted the stool next to her. "Come on. Sit." She gently urged.
Michael stood for a moment more in defiance. Di beckoned to him with a curling finger; unable to resist, he took a seat on the stool.
Di took his hand and gently squeezed it. "First, this is my house. Has been since I took you to the cleaners eighteen years ago. Second, it's ex-wife. Refer to my first point if you need further clarification." She smiled at the proud man next to her. "Now what's the real problem here. Surely you don't think I slept, in the biblical sense, with Vivian?"
Michael pressed his lips together in a thin line. "I…" He looked at the two women sitting together. "No."
"Is it that Vivian knows your sister in the biblical sense?" Di questioned and could nearly feel the heat of Vivian's blush radiating off the woman beside her. Michael blushed right along with the blonde. His silence was all that Di needed. "Honey, you need to get over it. Vivian isn't a threat to you. What she and Quin do together isn't your concern so just take that off your shoulders, honey. They're just another couple. The sooner you can see them in that light the sooner you can accept them and the sooner you can come back to my bed."
Michael cringed at the threat. He took a deep breath and looked past his ex-wife. There sat his sister's lover. Vivian smiled back at him and waved her fingers. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, Vivian. I have been an ass." He was rewarded with a warm kiss to his lips.
Vivian smiled back at him giving him a little wave
"Now wasn't that easy?" Di smiled, squeezing his hand.
Vivian raised her cup in Michael's direction. "Apology accepted!" She took a sip of her coffee. Maybe I've been too judgmental of Mr. O'Malley, she thought. "Now Michael, want to tell me what you told your sister?" As long as we're being friendly…
End Chapter Seven