Seams of Destruction (10 page)

“You stay close. Don’t let her out of your sight. It’s most important that she be protected.”

Mitch nodded his agreement.

“Anything else?”

“I need to ask you for permission to go to my brother’s wedding in Colorado. I’ll take Jade with me.”

“As long as you take her with you and don’t let her out of your sight, I don’t have a problem with that. But don’t let anyone at Sorrento’s know you’re leaving town, not even Giovanni. For some reason, there’s a leak there. Someone appears to be aware of every move you make.”

“What difference does it make if she tells Giovanni? Whoever is following us is going to follow us to the airport. He’ll know we’re leaving town.”

“Yes, but he won’t know where you’re going and when you’re returning.”

“True.” Mitch was thoughtful for a minute. “Jade’s going to want to know about this meeting and what’s been decided.”

“I have every confidence that you’ll think of some way to get out of telling her what we’ve discussed today and what I’ve decided.”

“She’s going to be upset.”

“Is that a problem for you?” Castillo glanced quizzically at Mitch.

“Not really.”

“Sure you’re not falling for her? She’s an awfully sweet girl.”

“I’m sure,” Mitch said, not bothering to tell the Chief he had
already
fallen for the beautiful model.

Jade looked up as Mitch walked out with Grant Castillo.

“Jade, how are you?” Castillo asked as he reached out to shake her hand.

She stood and took his hand.

“Mitch,” he said, turning to look at the other man. “You and Jade have a good time at the wedding. Jade, I understand you’re from Denver. Will you be seeing your parents on this trip?”

Jade was puzzled. Why hadn’t Castillo said anything about what had gone on in their meeting? It was as though nothing more important than the trip to Colorado had been discussed.

“Mitch just found out about his brother’s wedding this morning,” she said. “With all that’s happened today, I haven’t had a chance to talk to my parents yet.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Mitch,” the Chief said. “I have a call I need to make. Stay in touch and let me know when you return from Colorado.”

“Are you allowed to tell me what you and the Chief talked about?” Jade asked as they walked down the hall toward the elevator.

“No,” Mitch said abruptly, not offering any explanation. “But he does want us to move over to your apartment. He’s worried about the break-in at my house.”

She sighed. “Is that all you can tell me?”

“’Fraid so.”

Jade tried not to let her disappointment show. She hadn’t realized she had put so much hope on the meeting between Mitch and the Chief of Police.

She was silent as they drove back to Mitch’s house in order to pick up her things and the clothes Mitch would need since they would be staying at her apartment.

“At least Castillo has given his permission for me to go to Colorado for my brother’s wedding if you go along,” Mitch said.

Jade knew he was trying to cheer her up.

“Yes, I need to call my parents,” she said. “I would like to go a day early so we can spend one night with them before going up to Boulder for your brother’s wedding. Did he by chance say when the wedding was going to be?”

“No, he said to give him a call tonight and he would have all the particulars for me. I’ll call him and get all the information. Then you can call your parents.” 

Jade began to feel better as she thought of the trip to Colorado. It had been a year since she had seen her parents and she was anxious to see them again. She was looking forward to meeting Mitch’s brother and his fiancé, Amanda. Remembering how good it had felt to be in Italy with Mitch, she was glad to think about getting away from LA once again.

“By the way,” Mitch said, “Castillo doesn’t want anything said to Giovanni about going to Colorado.”

“I have to tell him. What if he needs me for a fitting?”

“Isn’t there any way you can get by without telling him?”

“I guess I could say I would like a few days’ vacation and he won’t be able to get in touch with me.”

“That could work. After I find out when the wedding’s going to be, you can tell him with all the stress of Reannan’s murder, you need some vacation time. Be vague about where you’re going and when you’ll return.”

Jade couldn’t help wondering what that was all about but she had a feeling Mitch wouldn’t tell her even if she asked. Didn’t he realize it was her life and she hated all the secrecy?

They stopped by Mitch’s house and picked up not only their clothes, but bagged up some groceries they had recently purchased and his coffee maker and grinder, along with coffee beans.

She dreaded going back to her apartment with its memories of David and Reannan. But she had to admit to herself that she was more worried about the break-in.

They loaded everything into the car and as they drove away, she noticed Mitch kept looking up into the rear view mirror. She turned to see what he might find so interesting, but all she saw was a gray car some distance back.

After they had made a couple of turns, she saw him glancing into his rear view mirror again. She looked back to see what he could be looking at and realized the same gray car was following them.

She didn’t say anything until they reached her apartment and drove down into the underground parking. She saw the same car drive on by.

“Are we being followed?” she asked.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Mitch, something is going on and I want to know what it is. The same car followed us from your house to my apartment. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it parked down the street from your house.”

“I think someone might be following us,” he admitted. “I’ve told Castillo about it. We think that same person must have seen us go out jogging this morning and knew it would be safe to break into my house and search it.”

“This is making me nervous. Why would anyone be following us?”

She could tell he was reluctant to say anything.

“Please, Mitch, I need to know what’s going on.”

“All right,” he said impatiently. “Castillo and I think whoever murdered Reannan believes you saw him the night you went to the warehouse and found Reannan’s body.”

“But I didn’t see anyone. Only heard them.”

“We know that, but the murderer may not.”

“How long has this being going on?”

“Since the first day I met you.”

“Do you think I’m in danger?”

Chapter 10

“I need to go shopping,” Jade said when they returned the next day from their early morning run.

“What kind of shopping?” Mitch asked.

“I need a dress for your brother’s wedding.”

“Can’t you get something from Sorrento’s?”

“I’m tired of all their fashions. I want something different. Please . . .”

Mitch could never resist Jade when she looked at him the way she was looking at him now.

“When?”

“How about today? The wedding’s just five days away and it might take me more than one day to find a dress. Besides we have to spend one of those days flying to Denver.”

“I’ll take you one time. If you don’t find a dress today, you’ll have to wear one you already have or get something from Sorrento’s.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he grinned.

If she only knew he would do anything for her. Even if it meant taking her shopping three or four days, but he wasn’t about to tell her that.

After their breakfast, they both showered and prepared to go to the Los Cerritos Center. Mitch noticed they had their usual tail.

After parking in the large parking lot, which was located near Macys, they went into the big retailer and Jade started browsing through the dresses.

After looking for twenty minutes, she said, “I don’t see anything here. Let’s go to Nordstrom’s.”

Mitch followed her out of the store, past American Eagle Outfitters and California Pizza Kitchen. When they walked into Nordstrom’s, he stopped abruptly, his gut clenching so hard, it just about doubled him over.

“What is it?” Jade asked.

“Lisa.”

She turned and saw a beautiful blond woman coming toward them.

“Hello, Mitch,” Lisa said. “It’s been a long time.”

He would have walked on by without saying a word, but Lisa stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” she asked.

Angrily, he jerked his arm away from her hand.

“I don’t think you’re anyone she would want to know.” He took Jade’s hand and tried to step around Lisa.

“Please, Mitch, you don’t know how much I’ve suffered since that night. I’ve paid for what I did.”

“So did Chase. With his life.”

“I don’t know how you can blame the war on me.”

“War or not, he didn’t have to die. But after he caught you with that man, he lost his will to live and he took risks he would never have done otherwise. He was the best thing that ever happened to you, and you blew it. Now get out of my way or I will take great pleasure in removing you from this store. We want to shop here and I don’t want to be in the same building with you.”

Holding her head high, Lisa stepped around him and exited the store. He stared after her, his whole being filled with hatred. One of the worst memories he had was of the night they had found her in bed with some strange man.

The recollection of the following days were some of the most devastating he had ever experienced. He had watched his friend sink deeper and deeper into depression. He remembered the following months in Afghanistan when Chase began taking incredible risks. Their assignment to go behind the lines and check out the building where some Taliban were reported to be in hiding. Chase going in alone to check it out before anyone could stop him. The explosion. He flinched as though he still heard the terrible blast. He never saw his friend again.

He had forgotten about Jade until she said, “Would you rather go home instead of shopping?”

“No, it doesn’t make any difference now. We’ve already seen her. Let’s find you a dress.” He tried to shake off the memories.

Jade slipped a hand in his and led him toward the department where she was hoping to find something for the wedding. She started flipping through the racks, slowly looking at each dress.

“How about this one? It looks like your size,” Mitch said, standing by another rack, holding up a dress that was almost the same color as her eyes. “I love you in green.”

“Only in green?” she teased.

He wondered if she was serious.

Did she know how he felt about her? Did she feel anything for him?

He wished he dared ask her. But he had a feeling it wasn’t the right time. He couldn’t talk to her while the murder was hanging over her head. It would somehow color any happiness they might find together.

Jade took the dress and went to try it on. He stood outside the dressing room and in a few minutes she opened the door.

“What do you think?” she asked, pirouetting in front of him, the full skirt flaring out around her legs.

“Ravishing,” he said.

“I love it. I’m going to take it.”

She stepped back into the dressing room and when she emerged, she was holding the dress over her arm. Walking to a nearby counter, she laid it next to the register.

“Let me get this,” Mitch said, pulling out his wallet.

“That’s not necessary.”

“I know it’s not necessary but you wouldn’t need it if you weren’t going to my brother’s wedding.”

The clerk took the cash he held out to her, rang up the dress, and handed him back the change. Picking up the bag with the dress inside, Jade stood on tip toe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Startled, Mitch looked down at her. “What was that for?”

“Just for being you.”

He didn’t quite know what to say, so he asked, “Need any jewelry or shoes to go with this?”

“I don’t think so. Since I wear so much of this shade of green, I believe I have everything I need at home.”

“Shopping has made me hungry. Let’s go find something to eat.”

“That’s all you think about,” she teased.

“Hey, I’m a growing boy.”

She laughed.

“Where do you want to eat?”

“Let’s go to the California Pizza Kitchen. You probably don’t want pizza, but you can get a salad.”

She followed him out of the store. They walked in the direction of the Pizza Kitchen and Mitch prayed they wouldn’t see Lisa again. He hadn’t yet gotten over the nightmares of the building blowing up with Chase in it. Although he had to admit, he hadn’t had one since the night of the fireworks in Italy when Jade had awakened him and then slept beside him for the rest of the night.

They entered the restaurant and were led to a table. After they had time to look over the menu, the waiter came back to take their order.

“I’ll have a salad and a bottled water,” Jade said.

Mitch gave his order of pizza and a Coke.

“Don’t you get tired of always watching what you eat so you don’t gain weight?” Mitch asked.

“Sometimes, but it won’t be forever?”

“How’s that?”

“Someday I’ll be too old to model?”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not particularly. I always wanted to get married and have children. If I ever get pregnant I will give up modeling and eat normally.”

Mitch said nothing. He didn’t like the thought of her getting married. At least, not to anyone but him.

Jade was sorry they had run into Lisa. Being reminded of his friend who had died in Afghanistan must have been very painful for Mitch.

Remembering the story he had told about Chase and him finding Lisa in bed with a strange man, brought back her own memories of finding David in bed with Reannan. She was surprised when she realized the memory didn’t bother her anymore. She no longer felt one bit of anger.

Had she gotten so use to being with David, her feelings for him were not what they had been originally?

As she and Mitch sat down to eat their lunch, she tried to analyze her state of mind regarding David.

“What’s with the serious face?” Mitch asked.

“Trying to figure something out.”

“Can I help?”

“Actually, I was wondering why the thought of catching David in bed with Reannan doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m not even angry. I have no feelings about it, whatsoever. I’ve just about decided, he had become a habit after all those years of being together. I wonder now if I ever really loved him. Maybe it was just that he was comfortable to be with.”

“Maybe you don’t know what love is. Maybe you’ve never felt it before.”

“No, I’ve felt it.”

Mitch gave her a questioning look, but she didn’t respond.

He began to eat his pizza and didn’t try to question her further. She was glad. She didn’t want to explain her statement to him. Tell him she
loved
him. That would have to wait until she would be found innocent and the real murderer caught. She gave all her attention to her salad.

Jade was excited at the thought of flying to Colorado with Mitch to his brother’s wedding. The day they flew in they were going to go directly to her parent’s house where they would have dinner and spend the night with them.

The wedding would be two days later, which would give them an opportunity to spend a little time with Matt and Amanda and attend the rehearsal dinner the evening before the wedding. She knew Mitch was going to be his best man. Matt had made arrangements for him to rent a tuxedo in Boulder.

“I’m looking forward to meeting your brother and his fiancé and I’m anxious for you to meet my parents,” she said, as she finished her salad.

“You’ll like Matt,” Mitch told her.

“I know you’re going to be the best man, but who’s going to be the maid of honor?”

“Her name is Charlotte. Everyone calls her Charlie. Her husband is Amanda’s attorney. She owns a store across the mall from Amanda. I believe it’s a women’s dress shop called Bare Threads. Now that’s where you should shop for a dress. I understand from Matt that her taste in clothes is impeccable. In fact, she picked out and ordered Amanda’s wedding dress. She has a service where women come in and consult with her and she helps them select the colors and styles that look best on them.”

“I’ve got to see her store. Maybe I’ll find a dress that we like better than the one from Nordstrom’s.”

He took the last bite of his pizza and washed it down with coke.

“Since you’re in the fashion business, you’ll probably have a lot in common with her.”

“What kind of store does Amanda have?”

“A few years ago she started a store which sells the products of local artists. Photography, oil paintings, jewelry, etcetera.”

“Can we go visit both stores while we’re in Boulder?”

“I don’t see why not. I’m sure we’ll have time.”

“I’ll look forward to that. You know how I like to shop, especially for clothes.”

“Ready to go home?”

She nodded and picking up her shopping bag from Nordstrom’s, she stood up. They walked through the mall and went to Mitch’s car.

“Let’s go to Disneyland,” Jade said the next morning after they had eaten breakfast.

Mitch stared at her. “Are you kidding?”

“I love Disneyland and if I get thrown into prison, who knows when I’ll get to go again.”

“You’re not going to be thrown into prison,” he said emphatically.

“Do you know something I don’t know?”

He ignored her question as he got up to put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher. After he started it, he went into his bedroom and began straightening the room. He knew Jade was still worrying about being found guilty and he wish he could tell her Grant Castillo was going to get the charges dropped.

“Please,” Jade said from the doorway.

He wished she wouldn’t do that. He could never resist her even when he didn’t want to do what she was asking.

“All right, I’ll take you,” he said begrudgingly.

“I’ll love you forever,” she said.

“Is that a promise?”

“Of course.” She smiled and went to get her handbag.

They drove to Anaheim and parked in the Disneyland parking lot. Since it was late in September, it wasn’t crowded because the children were back in school. They walked to the gate and Mitch bought their admission tickets.

“Where do you want to go first?” Mitch asked as they went through the gate.

“Let’s go to Frontierland. I want to ride the Thunder Mountain Railroad. You get a few thrills on that ride.”

“Is thrills what you’re looking for?”

“But of course, aren’t you?”

“Disneyland hasn’t been my thing since I was a kid,” Mitch said. “But I have to admit that was what I was looking for when I was young.”

As they walked to Frontierland, Jade slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him, her eyes shining with excitement.

“I absolutely love Disneyland,” she said.

Mitch was glad he could do something with her to make her so happy.

“When I was young and lived in Denver, we were only able to come twice,” Jade said. “Now I believe they have rides that they didn’t have then.”

“Do you mean to tell me, you haven’t been here since you were young?”

“After I moved to LA, I could never seem to find someone who wanted to come with me.”

“How about David?”

“He wouldn’t have come here if his life had depended on it.”

They reached Frontierland and got in the line for Thunder Mountain. It was one of the longer lines they had passed and mostly comprised of adults with a few teenagers.

When they finally were allowed to step into a car and the ride began, Jade held on to his arm and screamed with excitement. Mitch had to smile. Although it wasn’t one of the higher roller coasters, he could tell Jade enjoyed it.

The ride ended and Jade pulled him toward another one, Mark Twain Riverboat. This ride was nothing like the previous one, but Mitch enjoyed it. It was a pleasure just to watch Jade’s face. Even with sunglasses on, he saw a lot of people looking at her with admiring glances.