White Offerings (23 page)

She knew she’d failed when Jane pulled up to her building and left the engine running. No doubt her intention was to dump her and find someone who would take her home. Ari opened the door, eager for them to be apart. She loved Jane dearly, but it was conversations like these that reminded her of their clear differences.

Jane caught her arm. “Hey, I know you’re only looking out for me, but you don’t need to worry. I’m fine.” Ari nodded, wordless. She couldn’t change her choices. “Look, I love you, right?” Jane added with a friendly kiss. “I promise I’ll be careful.”

She squeezed her shoulder until Ari couldn’t help but smile. There really was something about Jane’s charm that was magnetic.

“Now, tell Molly I said hi and remind her to make more coffee in the morning before she leaves. As roommates you two leave a lot to be desired.”

Ari nodded and pulled her long frame from the tiny car. She watched Jane speed away into the darkness and potential danger. An engine started nearby and she instinctively turned around to find the source. Perhaps it was Biz. Parked cars lined the side street of the condo high-rise, but none pulled away from the curb. She felt a shiver down her back and moved inside quickly.

All she wanted was a shower and a glass of wine. Molly would be home in a while, and the idea of the two of them crawling into bed and watching a movie made her smile. She debarked from the elevator and her smile vanished as she approached her door. A long rectangular box rested against the doorknob, and she knew before she picked it up what she would find inside. There was no return address or markings on the plain brown cardboard and only a knotted piece of twine held it shut. She fumbled with her door lock, already noticing how light the box was, almost as if it was empty. But she knew it wasn’t, and when she severed the twine with her kitchen knife and opened the box, she heard the distinct sound of tissue paper crinkling inside. The image of the bleeding orchid flashed in her mind as she parted the paper and found a single
Angraecum elephantinum.
She studied the flower, which still seemed so beautiful, and it was only when she glanced at the bottom of the stalk that she saw the note card and the handwritten message—
YOU DESERVE A REAL ONE AND SO MUCH MORE. HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Thursday, October 19th

7:49 PM

The mall seemed unusually crowded for a Thursday night to Molly, but she rarely shopped on a weeknight, so perhaps her expectations were low. Crowds were a good thing—it meant people weren’t out on the streets breaking the law or causing car accidents.

She checked her cell phone, making sure she had a signal inside the mall. Andre had gone ahead to find Rusty while she made a quick trip for Ari’s present. As important as the case was to her, she couldn’t handle Ari in tears, which would inevitably happen if she didn’t get her a gift. She cursed herself for procrastinating, longing to be with Andre when he found Rusty. She’d put off the shopping trip, having no idea what to buy for the woman she secretly loved but couldn’t tell, at least not yet.

She wandered into a card store toward the birthday racks and suddenly felt overwhelmed by the sentiments and messages. She chose a sincere card and read the text inside, which gushed with loving phrases and even went so far as to use the exact word she was avoiding. She replaced it and stepped toward the funny cards, their covers plastered with cartoon characters, bright colors and outrageous scribbles. She didn’t even bother picking one up, for she knew if she made a joke of her birthday, Ari would be upset, or worse—disappointed. She could handle her short and uneventful fits of anger, but she hated it when Ari was depressed. She sighed deeply, beginning to feel depressed herself, and exited the store to wait for her brother by the enormous fountain. If anyone would know what to do about Ari’s birthday, it would be Brian. He was the most romantic man she knew.

“Hey, sis,” his familiar voice called. He sauntered toward her, a small bag in his hand.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“This is a present for Lynne. Our third anniversary of glorious partnership is coming up in a few weeks, and I’m getting ahead.” He withdrew a rectangular box. Inside was a beautiful diamond pendant that Molly knew Lynne would adore.

“Oh, Bri, that’s incredible. Lynne will love that. It’s perfect.” They both admired the necklace a bit longer before he returned it to the bag.

It all seemed so easy for him.
Why is this so difficult for me?
“I’ll never find anything for Ari,” she said.

“Of course you will.” He put an arm around her and pointed at the nearby card shop. “Did you get a card?”

“Well, I looked, but all of the serious cards are too . . .” She paused and searched for the right word.

“Serious.”

“That’s it. I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”

“And what idea would that be?” he asked, grinning.

She smirked. “I’m not ready. You know that. We’ve only been dating for six months. I need more time.”

“I understand. Let’s skip the card for now.” He pointed at a department store. “Let’s try in there.” She groaned and they went inside. He led her to the jewelry department and stopped in front of a display case of moderately priced gold and silver items. “Now, the key to remember is that there are certain things that one lover should never give to another. A blender comes to mind. Also, you need to know that there are levels of intimacy to gifts. Diamonds scream commitment, and they are a definite guarantee that you will indeed be in bed before the evening is over.” He lifted his bag for confirmation just as an attractive saleswoman approached them.

“May I help you?”

Brian turned to her and smiled. “My sister needs a present for her girlfriend, one that shows how much she cares, but . . .” His sentence faded away and the saleswoman’s red lips turned up in understanding.

“Of course. What you need is something that says thoughtfulness.”

“Yes,” Molly agreed.

“I’d suggest something in gold, possibly a bracelet or a necklace. There’s always a watch, if you’d like to add an element of practicality.”

She debated what would be the best choice for Ari. She’d seen her wear a number of different watches, so she probably had enough of those. The display case was full of necklaces with various thicknesses and designs. She thought some were attractive, but many were gaudy or ugly, and she knew Ari was rather picky about her jewelry. Her doubt increased the longer she stared into the case. She had no idea what to choose.

Brian apparently sensed her frustration. He pointed at a delicate gold rope that had a twist at the center. “May we see that one, please?”

“Excellent choice,” the saleslady commented.

Molly chuckled slightly. She was already flirting with Brian. What woman wouldn’t want a man who could select jewelry?

They examined the necklace, which seemed perfect. It wasn’t heavy and thick, so it wouldn’t look enormous on Ari’s dainty neck, but it wasn’t so thin that it would go unnoticed and possibly break.

“Well, sis, what do you think? Does this necklace say I like you a lot? I hope you stick around?” He started to laugh and she playfully slugged him in the arm.

“It’s not a diamond, but do you think I still have a chance for some hot and heavy sex?”

Brian’s brilliant blue eyes twinkled. “I’d say the odds are in your favor.”

Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she motioned to the saleslady while she answered Andre’s call. “Hey.”

“He’s gone, Mol. The desk clerk doesn’t know where he went, but his room is empty. I asked some of the other tenants, and they said he packed up yesterday and took off, said something about a cousin in California.”

Molly stepped out of the store and into the mall to improve the reception. “That could just be for show. I think we spooked him, but my guess is that he’s still around. He doesn’t think we know about his connection with John Rondo.”

“Then where is he?”

She glanced at the nearby storefronts and her eyes focused on a poster in Bob’s Sporting Goods store. It depicted Phoenix Suns’ star Steve Nash driving to the basket. “Is there a game at the arena tonight?”

Once the gift was purchased and Brian convinced her to buy a blank card and write her own message, Molly was on her way down SR-51, the lights of the arena in the distance. Rusty was a die-hard fan, and she doubted he would miss a game. She found Andre at the press entrance, and he introduced her to the head security guard, a burly man named Hugo. They circled the arena underground, stopping to chat with the various security guards who worked the entry points. They were only at their third stop when she saw Rusty as he turned and recognized her.

“Andre!” she shouted.

Rusty bolted into the crowd and headed for the main escalator. They followed behind with Hugo, who squawked into his radio, urging his staff to stop the kid in the fedora. They darted between the pockets of fans coming out early for halftime, and Molly knew if they didn’t catch him before the entire crowd poured onto the concourse, he would vanish amid the thousands of people. They were gaining on him, and she watched as he ditched the overcoat and the fedora into a corner. On the jumbo screen she noticed only twenty seconds remained until the halftime buzzer sounded.

They continued around the concourse, Rusty occasionally throwing a glance behind him to check the distance that separated them. One hundred feet ahead was the main entrance, the place where thousands would descend momentarily. She heard the crowd count down the last ten seconds, and Rusty looked back once more—just as a blind woman and her companion emerged from the seating area. The woman’s cane caught his ankle and both of them tumbled to the floor. Rusty jumped to his feet, but two security guards grabbed him immediately. They turned him around to face Molly, and the look he gave her was deadly. Her skin went cold, and she suddenly believed he was capable of murder.

“I’m not saying anything.” He sneered.

Andre yanked one of the chains from around his neck. “You don’t have to.” Rusty cried out as the clasp broke, and Andre held up his fist. He opened his hand and presented Molly with a college ring—a square emerald stone in the center.

Friday, October 20th

Midnight

The front door clicked shut with barely a sound and Ari sat up in bed, listening as Molly quietly moved through the living room. On any other night, Ari would be asleep by now; however, after opening the orchid, there was no way to turn off her brain. She had filed through the suspects, looking for a specific clue that would pinpoint the stalker. Her bet was on Aspen, simply because she believed Aspen was totally fixated on Jane and using the house hunt as a ruse to spend more time with her.

She listened as Molly emptied her pockets and went to the kitchen for a Scotch. It didn’t matter what time she arrived home, Molly always ended her workday with a drink. Ari pictured her leaning over the counter, slowly sipping the Scotch while she processed the day and let it unravel at her feet. In a few minutes she would join her in bed, and Ari debated whether to tell her about the orchid, which she had hidden in her closet. She’d tried to call Biz, but the PI’s phone went straight to voice mail. She had not left a message, knowing that she didn’t want Molly walking into her condo and finding her with Biz.

She fell back against the pillows and heard Molly’s footsteps nearing the bedroom. She shed her jacket and gun belt and stripped off her clothes. Always considerate, she slipped into the bathroom before turning on the light. The shower started, and Ari snapped on the bedside lamp and jumped out of bed to check on the hidden orchid. Molly rarely ventured into her side of the double closet since they didn’t wear the same size and took no joy in comparing couture, but Ari didn’t want her stumbling upon the long box before she could tell her about it. As she suspected, it had fallen over and was sprawled across her dress shoes. She stood it in the corner of the closet behind a garment bag she only used for traveling. When she was sure it was secure, she returned to bed and turned off the light just as Molly finished showering. She glanced at the closet, realizing that they were practically living together. Each had a drawer and closet space at the other’s place, and there were many personal items that shuttled back and forth between Molly’s apartment and her condo.

The bathroom light went out and Molly emerged still drying her hair, bringing with her the sweet smell of the jasmine shower gel they had found at the farmers’ market. She discarded the towel into the hamper and crawled under the covers.

“Hey,” Ari said, pulling Molly against her. “How was your night?”

“Mmm. You’re awake. Everything okay?” Ari hesitated to answer, and Molly flicked on the lamp in response. “What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t lie to her when she was staring into her eyes. It was another reason she knew she loved Molly. “I got a package tonight that you should probably see.” She went to the closet and brought the box to the bed. When she opened it, Molly’s face fell.

“Shit. Whoever is doing this better pray that Biz catches her before I do.” She put the flower aside and studied the note and the box. “No return address label, and this note is totally generic. No way to learn anything about the sender. The letters are block script and it’s just written on a standard note card.” She got out of bed and went to the living room. When she returned she was scribbling in her notebook. “Did the manager remember anything about when it was delivered?”