Purple Knot Read online

  “You need to come with me.” His face was tight when he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me toward the door.

  He carried me out of the cafeteria into the elevator. The bowl was still in my hands. I could hear Mona shouting as the doors closed slowly on yet another crowd of disbelieving stares.

  Twenty minutes later, I stood on the terrace of my hotel room wrapped in my wool trench coat. I shivered with the cold but wanted to get a signal from my horrible phone service. I still smelled like potatoes. Jimmy was in the kitchenette making coffee in the little two-cup maker while calling family on his cell phone. I did not want to be inside. It was after eight in the morning on the worst day in history.

  I called my office and told Salem what had happened. I left out the cafeteria episode. It was still a bit fresh in my mind to share. He was beside himself. He’d met Summer on a few occasions and loved her. Everyone who met her loved her. I blinked back more tears.

  “Oh, that’s terrible. I’m so sorry, Reyna. Can I do anything? I mean, do you need me to take care of anything for you?”

  “Uh, maybe you can send flowers to the Corbeau house? I have the address on the computer’s address book. Send something tasteful, but nothing with red roses. It’s too, I don’t know, too...”

  “Gothic? Vampirical? Tacky?”

  Salem, despite his name, hated anything dark or unusual. Chic and preppy, he was an expert in etiquette. He prided himself on how proper and refined he’d become since his days as a street kid. He looked, to all who knew him, like the old-moneyed, rich kid he told everyone he was. I was the only one who knew about his record and his recovery. I didn’t care about either. What I cared about was that this twenty-something dynamo kept my life and business running like clockwork and was loyal to a fault.

  “So do you want lilies or white roses?”

  I stared out over the railing at the Space Needle and the surrounding touristy venues in the distance. Drawing a blank, I’d forgotten what we’d been talking about.

  “I’m sorry…what?”

  “Reyna, are you OK? You don’t sound OK. Maybe I should fly out there.”

  “No, Salem, I’m fine. Jimmy’s here.”

  He didn’t sound convinced. “Well, do you still want me to take care of the flowers? It’s no problem. I have to deliver some contracts around town, anyway.”

  I rubbed my eyes.

  “No, its fine, I’ll do it locally. I know a florist in Queen Anne. She’ll know what to send.”

  “Reyna, are you sure you’re OK? You sound…off.”

  “I’m fine Salem. Hold down the fort for a few days. I’ll fly back after the funeral. If you have any expenses, use the company card.”

  “I’ll take care of everything here. You just make sure that witch, Mona, keeps her hands off of you.”

  “I’ll duck next time.” I rubbed my cheek where Mona had left a handprint. “Salem?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t want to see jewelry for your girlfriend on the card again.”

  “You won’t. I’ll hide it better this time.”

  That made me smile. He really only used my card for the discount and paid back his charges with interest.

  He worried over me a few more minutes and then hung up. I hugged myself and blew out breath just to see the white vapor. “Well, Summer, if Mona didn’t hate me before this, she certainly does now.”

  Jimmy walked out onto the terrace. “She hated you before, you didn’t lose any ground.”

  I sniffled.

  His eyes were red. I couldn’t cause him more pain than I already had.

  “Anything?”

  “The pediatric nurse said Parker banned anyone from seeing the baby. They can’t even give me her name. Mona is beside herself. She called our lawyer.”

  Mona. This was getting worse by the minute, if that was possible.

  “I don’t think I’ll come to the funeral.”

  Jimmy made a frustrated face. “Sure you’ll come. Mona will behave.”

  “My being there would cause her more grief. I don’t want to do that to her. I’ll say my goodbye’s on my own.”

  Jimmy shrugged and extended his hand. He pulled me back into the hotel room and shut the sliding glass door.

  “We can talk about it later.” He wiggled his phone in front of me. “I need to make some more calls, but I need Mona’s address book.”

  “I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful.”

  “You being here is help enough.”

  I raised one eyebrow, doubtful.

  “Really, Rain, I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here.”

  My guess was that he’d be less talked about in hospital circles, but I let it go.

  “I need to get this soup off of me, anyway,” I said instead. “Call me later, if you need me.”

  Jimmy hooked my chin with his finger and tilted my face up to his. His breath brushed my lips. “I always need you.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks and my heart raced. How could I be reacting this way after all that happened today? Or maybe, today had left me tired and vulnerable, and I was just…an idiot. I pulled away from Jimmy and patted him awkwardly on the shoulder like some sort of deranged baseball coach.

  He looked at me bewildered. He probably hadn’t meant anything by what he said, and I’d acted as if I was side-stepping a marriage proposal.

  “I need to get these clothes off…” I stopped midsentence. What made my brain flip back into high school stupid all of a sudden? Flustered, I reached for the door. “I mean, I need to get the potato soup off…my clothes.”

  “I know what you meant, Rain.”

  “Call me later, OK?”

  “Please reconsider the funeral. I want you there.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” I shrugged and ushered Jimmy out into the hall.

  “Don’t decide now, OK?”

  I nodded but didn’t commit and ended up shutting the door on his goodbye. I spied on him through the peep hole. I watched him leave. Sorrow pooled in my chest again, and the quiet of the hotel room felt like too much to bear on my own.

  I turned on the television for company, took a shower, and threw my potato soup outfit in the trash. After a good cry while sitting on the edge of my bed, I made a decision. There was no way I was going to the funeral. No way in…well, there was just no way.

  Purple Knot

  5

  The funeral was beautiful in a sad, rainy afternoon kind of way. I made sure to arrive horribly late, after avoiding Jimmy’s calls all that morning. He’d want to go together, or send one of his big black cars, and I would feel like I was being ridiculous, or worse, like it was about me. I went to say a low-key goodbye to Summer. I also went because I couldn’t bear to disappoint Jimmy again.

  Large white marquee tents crouched above us while Pastor James talked through the raindrops beating down from the gray-black sky. Summer was encased in a shiny black casket, a spray of yellow daffodils, her favorite flower, resting on the top. The sight of their sunny vigilance against the darkness of our gathering made my heart break. I didn’t hear what the Pastor said, not really. I’d gone to church with Jimmy when he and I were teenagers, and I knew the pastor could deliver some powerful sermons, but I was too clouded to take comfort from words.

  At the front, Jimmy’s head was bowed. His shoulders shook, and I knew he must be torn up inside. My feet fidgeted, almost walking towards him, but then the music started. I stayed where I was.

  Parker stood off to the right, encased in a circle of his family. I saw him look my way and grind his jaw. He didn’t make a scene, which was wise because I would have gladly served time for stabbing him with the pen in my purse. Someone said a prayer up front. My stomach churned. I tried to keep my attention on what was being said, but the wind rocked the boughs of the flower trees. I stared, transfixed by the tiny petals falling to the grass.

  I noticed Mona look around. As always, vanity precluded her from wearing her glasses, so I
was safe if I stood behind the chubby aunt. I planned to slip out before the service ended. I edged a little to my left and ended up stepping on the aunt’s shoe. I whispered my apologies before I realized she was the one who couldn’t hear that well, either. Face flushed, I moved away and bumped into someone who appeared out of nowhere on my other side. It was the black suited attendant from the sign-in book table.

  “Ms. Cruz, Mr. Corbeau asked me to escort you to be with the family.” He leaned in and whispered.

  I nodded dumbly and allowed myself to be led around the outside of the standing crowd and up to the first row. My cheeks felt hot for the third time in ten minutes. Jimmy smiled sadly, and reached over to pull me to his side. He held me tight, as if I were holding him up. I tried to think of anything to say that would lessen this horror, but I couldn’t. I stroked his back and felt useless. Then, I accidentally looked at the daffodils again, and started bawling.

  Wendy Carter, a friend of Summer’s from college, walked to the front of the crowd and sang a beautiful song that sounded to me like a sad, melodic wailing. I cried some more, and then the funeral was over. Parker moved off with his family. People trailed away, heading to their cars, talking amongst themselves under weeping willows and golf umbrellas.

  Jimmy and I stood hand in hand next to the casket, and sobbed together like the day his daddy died. We always seemed to do disaster well together. It was the day to day that tripped us up.

  I heard someone walk up behind me. I flinched reflexively, thinking it was Mona, but a man cleared his throat. “Ms. Reyna Cruz?”

  “Yeah.” I turned to face a tall man wearing an incongruently cheerful Hawaiian shirt and jeans. He handed me a bundle of blue papers and smiled through yellowed teeth.

  “You’ve been served.”

  “What?” I was still trying to discern what the swirling pattern on the man’s shirt represented when Jimmy took the papers from my hand and grimaced.

  “Have a nice day.” The man in the Hawaiian shirt sneered and walked away quickly. I babbled after him.

  “What…I mean, what? Jimmy?”

  “You’re being sued, Rain.” His face ashen, Jimmy balled his fists and took a deep breath.

  “Sued? Who…who…who would be suing me?” I sounded like a decrepit owl. “Is this Mona’s doing?”

  Jimmy handed me the papers and pulled his phone from his pocket. He propelled me toward one of the dreaded chauffeured cars.

  “I’m calling my lawyers.” He sighed and dialed.

  “Your lawyers? Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

  “This isn’t one of Mona’s disasters. You’re being sued by Parker.”

  “What? Summer’s husband?” I shook my head, not believing it. I looked back toward her casket and saw Parker’s father, Grayson Evans, watching me intently. I noticed he stood leaning against a nearby chair. He didn’t have his custom carved cane. The one made from his first boat. He was having a hard time hiding the smirk on his face. I shook my head, astonished. “Why?”

  “Parker is suing you for the wrongful death of his wife.” Jimmy looked at me, and a frown passed over his face.

  We climbed into the car, and I buried my face in my hands. Jimmy pulled me to him. Tears tore through my throat and made me shake.

  “He served me at her funeral?”

  There was no way Parker was human.

  Purple Knot

  6

  “How can he do this? I thought the papers made it legal?”

  “I’ll have more information tomorrow, Rain. Bennet is working on it.” Jimmy stirred a coffee spoon in an empty cup. His light brown hair fell in a wave over his forehead, and he flipped it back with a shrug.

  Spencer Bennet was the Corbeau family lawyer. He handled their estate and trusts. I wasn’t sure he had the expertise I’d need to fend off Parker’s shark. Discouraged, I stared out the diner window through the rain slicking in sheets. We’d skipped the repast at Parker’s house, for obvious reasons. Mona had left several phone messages for Jimmy since he’d stopped answering it. I didn’t blame her…that much, anyway. Summer had given birth three days ago, and her family had yet to see the baby. Mona was desperate. If she was siding with Parker, it was the only way to see her granddaughter.

  “I know he did this,” Jimmy said again.

  He’d been repeating that phrase like a mantra since the funeral. I didn’t know how to comfort him.

  “I’m sorry this is adding to your pain, Jimmy.” Nothing but high drama and heartache had happened since I’d arrived.

  “Don’t say that,” Jimmy said suddenly.

  “What?”

  “Don’t say that like all this is your fault. You didn’t know what Summer had done, right?”

  “I already said I had no idea until that nurse handed me that envelope.”

  “Then, I believe you.”

  “Well, thanks. Sounds like you finally convinced yourself,” I snapped.

  “I’m sorry, Rain. I was blindsided by Summer’s decision.” He fiddled with the spoon again.

  “Listen, why don’t we find out what we can about Parker’s hand in this? I mean, this is what I do, right?”

  “Sorry, what?”

  “You’re convinced Parker had something to do with this.”

  “Aren’t you?” he countered.

  “You said she was going to leave him?” I believed in hard evidence, photographic if possible.

  “She called me the day before she died; asking in her roundabout way if I thought your offer was still on the table.”

  “For the lake house?” I felt wounded. Why hadn’t she called to asked me?

  “She was worried you were still mad,” Jimmy added, answering my silent question.

  “I wasn’t mad at her. I wasn’t,” I whispered across the table. My lip trembled, and I was annoyed that I was so unable to hide my feelings.

  “She knew you wanted the world for her. She knew you loved her.” Jimmy reached out and covered my hand.

  “She was going to leave him, then?” I pushed back the lump in my throat.

  “I think so. I mean, she was making overtures.”

  “Parker wouldn’t have taken that well. Not to be callous but…”

  “I know…the money.”

  The Corbeau family was loaded with tens-of-millions. Naturally, the family lawyer had insisted on a pre-nuptial agreement. Summer and Parker married before she received her trust. It was a condition of her marriage. She would have walked away from Parker with most of her worth intact. It always bothered me that she had the financial means to leave, but not the emotional means.

  “He stood to lose a lot. I would love to take a look at his financials.”

  “I don’t want you to do this. It’s too dangerous. If Parker finds out you’re looking into him, and he hurts you…” He shook his head. “I can’t put you in this position.”

  “You’re not putting me anywhere. And I’m good at my job. It’s not like he’ll spot me in a black trench coat following him around.”

  “No, Rain.”

  “Geez Jimmy, thanks for the confidence. Besides, I’m doing this with or without you. I have to know.”

  “I suppose there’s nothing I can do to stop you from doing your job.” His eyes were the color of the thunderclouds outside.

  “Nope.”

  “Will you start right away?”

  “I can start when I get back.” I nodded, suddenly charged. I had a direction for all of my angst and anger.

  “You’re leaving?” The look on his face made my heart jump.

  “I can do a better job of it at my office. Salem can help.”

  “No. Don’t tell anyone. Not yet.”

  “I don’t understand. We do this all the time. I trust Salem with my life.”

  “Rain, Parker is dangerous. If he’s involved with this, your digging around will send him over the edge.”

  “Jimmy, he won’t find out.”

  “We should rely on the local authorities. Take
it to them first.”

  “You know those guys. What’s your confidence level with their forensic prowess?”

  “You be careful.” Jimmy tilted his head up to the ceiling and closed his eyes, resigned.

  “I will. I’ll catch a flight tonight, and call you when I have something.”

  He looked at me surprised, and I felt a pang of regret.

  “Tonight?”

  “It would be best.”

  “I guess you’re right.” He let go of my hand.

  “Of course I’m right.”

  Jimmy shrugged and I looked back out the window. “I hate it when we do this.”

  Purple Knot

  7

  Jimmy dropped me off at the terminal. He left me with a look that made me wish I was staying—and glad I was leaving.

  As I stood in line for the security check I noticed a blonde toddler hugging her mommy’s legs. Her eyes were gray like Summer’s, and it hit me like a wave. Mona was right. Summer’s baby was without her mother because of what I’d done. When I’d signed my name on the consent paper, I signed away her life.

  Hands shaking, I dragged myself out of line and slumped on a nearby bench. The small girl giggled and looked up at her mom’s cooing voice. Her little arms went up. The mother picked her up and snuggled a kiss into the child’s golden hair. My throat ached shut, and then I couldn’t stop the tears. I buried my face in my hands and tried to control my sobs, but they just tore out of my chest in loud heaving cries.

  I looked up as a flight attendant stepped over to me with a worried look on her face. “Are you OK, honey? Can I call someone for you?”

  I looked up, embarrassed, and wiped my eyes with my coat sleeve.

  “I’m so sorry. I just…a very good friend of mine just passed away.”

  Her eyes registered relief. She was probably happy that I wasn’t having some sort of fear-of-flying breakdown. “That’s just terrible. Is there anyone I can call for you?”

  I shook my head and stood, gathering my things.

  “No, thank you.” I hesitated. I didn’t want to get on that plane. “Is there a car rental place?”