Hello, welcome to another exciting chapter in the ongoing saga of...oh um...hi. Well guess what, faithful readers? Some of you may already know this but I was recently offered a contract by a real publishing house to publish Bleeding Hearts! I am in the middle of contract negotiations right now and hope to have the contract signed by the end of the day today. I'll keep you updated as things progess. I'll put the web address up but if you can get it to do anything you'll be doing more than i can right now. It seems my server has decided to undergo eternal overhauling. Grrr... Hope you enjoy the new chapter.
http://bleedinghearts.myfsb.com
Chapter 13
Friday was a whirlwind of activity as final preparations were made for that evening's show. All the pieces of art had to be moved out of the gallery and carefully stored in the back room. Then my pictures were picked up from the framing shop and hung, often being moved two or three times before we decided it was right. Tables were set up that would hold the hor'dourves and beverage. Since I was still underage Nikki had bought sparkling cider instead of champagne. Finally everything was just the way we wanted it and we raced back to the apartment building to change.
As I rushed into our apartment Aidan met me at the door. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, he held up a pair of black leather pants and a rich maroon crushed velvet shirt. I skidded to a halt.
"What is that?" I demanded, "That's not what you're wearing is it?"
"No, it's what you're wearing." My mouth fell open. "It's a surprise."
"You're damn right it's a surprise. Here's another one, I'll be damned if I'm wearing leather pants," I said firmly.
"Yes, you are," Aidan said equally firmly, "Nikki and I bought these just for you the other night when I went out without you. You're a hot new artist and you have to look the part."
"You've got to be kidding! I'll look like some Ricky Martin wanna-be."
"We don't have time to argue. Shut up and take off your clothes."
"Ooh Baby!" I teased, "I love it when you talk dirty."
"If you don't start getting undressed you're going really gonna hear me talk dirty."
I laughed but did as he ordered and started getting undressed. He helped me into the unfamiliar clothes then dragged me down the hall to the full-length mirror in the bathroom.
"Wait! You're missing something," he said.
"Yeah, my dignity. I think I left it in the living room with my real clothes."
"Oh, quit bitching. What size shoe do you wear?"
"10."
"Good, I wear 10 1/2, that's close enough." He raced out of the bathroom and was back in no time carrying a pair of heavy black shoes. Once they were on, I had to admit that the whole ensemble looked better than I had feared. In fact, the pants were way more comfortable than I would have ever imagined.
"See, I told you!" Aidan said with his famous grin. And then we were off again. This time he dragged me out the door and across the hall to Nikki's apartment where he knocked on her door. The door swung open to reveal Nikki hopping on one foot while she tried to put in a dangly carved jet earring. She was wearing a tight bright yellow top that looked like it was made of rubber and an extremely short black leather shirt. She wore a clunky yellow high-heeled shoe on one foot; it's mate lay on its side a few feet away next to a pile of black leather. Her hair had turned bright yellow since I had seen her last and I wondered how it had been possible to dye it that quickly. She managed to get the earring in, slip on the other shoe and scoop up the pile of leather in one smooth motion. The pile of leather turned out to be an ankle length coat, which she now pulled on.
"You look fah-bulous, dahling," she said, calming eying me, as if seconds before she hadn't been hopping around on one foot like a demented stork.
"I think we killed a cow between us," I said dryly.
"It's worth it when you look this good."
"How did you get away without wearing a dead animal?" I asked Aidan as looked enviously at his khakis and white oxford shirt.
"Because he's not the star," Nikki said, "Now come here, you need a few finished touches."
I stepped reluctantly forward and she suddenly pounced on me and mussed up my hair with both hands.
"Hey!" I yelled.
"Oh, hush," she chided as she unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt, "Oh, the necklace is a nice touch."
My hand went immediately to Joey's charm; I had forgotten I was even wearing it. I felt my jangled nerves calm just a bit. It made me feel good to know that in a way, Joey would be with me tonight, the old Joey, who had been my best friend for 18 years, not the shadow that he had become at the end.
Nikki stepped back and gave me a final once-over then nodded as if she was satisfied with what she saw. "Let's blow this Popsicle stand."
Nikki gave me some last minute instructions on the elevator ride down.
"Everyone is going to want to meet you. Shake their hands and be polite but don't let any one person monopolize you for too long. Circulate. And whatever you do, do not allow yourself to be cornered by one of the Polyester Posse."
"Huh?"
"You'll know them when you see them, a group of widows who all wear these horribly tacky polyester pant suits. If someone asks you for your inspiration for a particular painting, ask them what they think of it, then tell them how amazingly perceptive they are and how impressed you are that they nailed it so perfectly on their first try. If they want to know how much, send them to me. Be careful what you say and remember if you can't bedazzle them with brilliance baffle them with bullshit."
I nodded although I strongly suspected I had just been baffled rather than bedazzled.
Aidan and drove to the gallery in his car and Nikki drove her own. We didn't talk much; I was to nervous and after a few monosyllabic responses Aidan gave up any effort on his part. Derrick had the gallery open when he got there but thankfully no one else had arrived except the classical guitarist Nikki had hired.
Aidan was stationed at the door to check invitations. It had been Nikki's suggestion to make this an invitation only event. She said it made it seem more exclusive and it made the "right people" more likely to attend. By "right people" I assume she meant those with fat bank accounts.
People started arriving shortly after. Everyone made a point of coming up to me after they had made a preliminary sweep of the gallery. It wasn't long before the gallery was filled with well-dressed people sipping champagne and speaking in hushed tones. Adam, Asher and Killian arrived and waved from the door. Laura and Gabe followed on their heels. As busy as I was I had been keeping an eye on the door for Caitlin, as it got later and later it became more and more obvious that she hadn't showed up. I was just about to give up on her when she appeared at my side as if out of nowhere. I wondered if she had been taking lessons from Derrick. She was wearing a form fitting ankle length black dress with a black satin wrap and strappy black shoes. Her blonde hair had been pulled up into a sophisticated chignon and her gold jewelry was simple and elegant. Without a word she slipped her hand into the crook of my arm and smiled as if she had been attending high society social functions all her life.
A camera flashed from somewhere but by the time I turned around I couldn't tell where it had come from. Before I could think about it anymore though someone caught me by the other arm and asked me about a painting I had done of an old shack in Worcester County. They were sure that the shack was on their grandfather's property on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I told them how impressed I was that they could recognize it from my painting. I felt a little guilty for lying...for at least two seconds.
The evening wore on and by the time people began to leave my arm was sore from all the handshaking and my face ached from all the smiling. I took a good look around and was surprised to see that all the paintings were still here. I couldn't believe that I hadn't sold a single painting. As soon as I saw an opening I pulled Nikki aside. Before I could say a word though, she cut me off.
"Can you believe this night? It's been more successful than I dared hope for."
"But...all the paintings are still on the wall," I said in confusion.
Nikki laughed, "Of course they are, didn't I explain that to you? They don't take the paintings home tonight, they put their name down for the pieces the want and then we deliver them later, after they are paid for."
"Oh..." I said feeling about as bright as a burned out light bulb, "How many did we sell then?"
"Oh, Will, I hate to disappoint you, but you know tonight was more about exposure than sales," she said with a concerned expression on her face, "we sold...ALL OF THEM!"
"Wha? All?" was my witty comeback.
"Every last one is spoken for," she said with a huge grin, "Gone! And the critics were impressed too."
"Critics?" I said weakly.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be more self-conscious than you already were. There were critics from the local paper, plus the DC and Baltimore papers, and at least two major art magazines. They came because they all knew my father and they respect the gallery very highly. I can't guarantee what they will write but we should know something I'd say at least by next week's Sunday edition."
"Review?" I repeated dumbly. I was starting to feel like I had just stepped off one of the centrifugal rides at the carnival.
"You're starting to sound like a parrot, Will," Nikki said. She spun me around and pointed me towards a corner of the room where Aidan, Adam, Killian, Asher, Laura, Gabe and Caitlin were talking in a small group. "Now be a good bird and go tell your little friends the good news." She sent me off with a pat on my leather-clad bottom.
I walked over to the group in a kind of daze. They jumped towards me as one person, all of them chattering and jabbering at once.
"We sold all the paintings," I said.
All the chatter stopped for a second then they erupted into a chorus of cheers, congratulations, high-fives and back thumping. I was glad everyone else had left.
"You're a star for sure now!" Asher exclaimed.
"You sure look the part anyway," Killian said with an appreciative glance at my outfit. Asher delivered a sharp elbow jab to Killian's side.
"Yeah, Will," Caitlin chimed in, "I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier but you really do look great."
"You're the one who looks great," I said, "I guess that's why you waited so late, so you could make an entrance."
"Not to break up your little mutual appreciation party," Adam interrupted, "but I need to get home. Before I left though I wanted you to know that at least one of your paintings is going to good home and you are more than welcome to come visit it any time you want."
"You bought one?" I asked in surprise.
"Hell yeah! I thought I'd better buy a Will Keegan original before your prices went through the roof."
"I would have painted you one anytime."
"Well then I couldn't say that I bought one at your very first show could I?" he said and left after telling Killian not to be home too late.
Laura suggested the rest of us go somewhere for a celebration. Nikki overheard and shooed us out before I could protest. We walked down the plaza to an ice cream parlor that kept late hours.
"So," Laura began once we were all crowded into a corner booth with our ice cream, "I don't think I know everyone here really."
"I'm Killian and this is my boyfriend, Asher," Killian spoke up, "I'm Aidan's cousin and Asher is Will's cousin."
"I've heard of you guys," Laura said, "I'm Laura, one of Will's oldest friends, and this is my boyfriend, Gabriel."
"Call me Gabe," Gabe said as he shook Killian and Asher's hand.
"And this is Caitlin," I said to Laura. Laura looked confused, not n expression one usually sees on Laura's face.
"And Caitlin is..." she said.
"I...I knew Joey," Caitlin said, choosing her words carefully.
Laura looked even more confused, "You must not have known him long," she said bluntly. "I know I'm out of the loop here but this is ridiculous, Will. Are you two dating?"
"No, we're not dating," I said, "We're just friends; we met at a party and found out we have a lot in common."
Laura gave me a look that let me know that she knew there was more to this story and she expected to be filled in completely later. I nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Not to change the subject," I said to change the subject, "but since everyone is here that I wanted to talk to I might as well get it all over with at once. I have something I need to tell you all." That got everyone's attention. Everyone watched me now as they ate their ice cream. "Last week I got a letter and a package in the mail. In the package was Joey's necklace and all the note said is 'It wasn't an accident'."
Five spoons stopped in mid-air. Only Aidan kept eating since he knew the whole story already.
Laura was the first to snap out of it. She dropped her spoon with a clatter as she leaned towards me over the table. I thought she was going to grab me by my shirt and drag me across the table but instead she planted her hands palm down and said in a deadly calm voice, "What?"
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" Caitlin asked looking very pale all of a sudden.
"Who sent it?" Gabe asked.
"What wasn't an accident?" Killian asked looking very lost.
Asher didn't say anything. He just looked like he knew what was coming and didn't like it one bit.
"I don't know who sent it, there was no return address," I told Gabe, then I turned to Killian, "I think what whoever sent me this note was trying to tell me is that Joey's death wasn't an accident."
"You mean that he was murdered," Laura said in a tight voice.
"Oh my God," Caitlin whimpered.
"Did you go to the police?" Gabe asked.
"Yeah, and they just passed it off as some college prank. I just haven't been able to dismiss it so easily."
"So you're taking this seriously then?' Laura said sounding a little more like her usual self.
"I just can't stop thinking about it. The person that Joey had become these last few weeks, that wasn't the real Joey. If someone killed him, then I can't just let him walk away. No matter what happened between us, he was still my best friend for 18 years and I can't just write that off."
Laura nodded. I knew she of all people would understand.
"So what are you suggesting? That we try to catch the killer ourselves?" Gabe asked.
"Wait," Asher interrupted before I could answer. "I don't mean to be insensitive or anything but what does this have to do with Killian and me? We didn't even know Joey. I mean I'm sorry for your loss and all, but..."
"I know you guys caught that killer in your town, I thought maybe you could help," I said feeling kind of silly. Killian's eyes lit up immediately. Asher blanched a whiter shade of pale.
"No way, Kill," he said quickly, "You remember what it was like last time. We almost got killed. Besides, there's no way Adam would let us get involved in something like that again."
But Killian was already hooked, "Who said Adam would have to know? And besides, this wouldn't be like last time. We don't really know any of the people involved so we won't really be at risk."
Asher let out a low moan and pushed his ice cream away, as if he'd lost his appetite.
"You know, Will," Laura said softly, "I've been meaning to call you because I knew you were probably blaming yourself for Joey's death." I started to deny it, but decided that there was no point, Laura knew me too well. She went on, "I don't think Joey ever really told you about his dad?" I shook my head, "As close as you guys were that seemed to be the one thing he could never talk to you about. I think he was jealous of your family."
I opened my mouth to argue but she held up a hand and I stopped. "No matter how bad your family may have seemed to you, you know Joey idolized your dad and part of him always wanted his dad to come back so they could be a family like yours. His dad was an alcoholic, a bad one. He didn't just disappear like Joey always said; his mom kicked him out and told him to never come back. Joey was 4 at the time and saw the whole thing. As far as I know, he never came back. You know Joey always drank too much at parties, but it got worse when he started college. You didn't drive him to drink, Will. He was just looking for an excuse to do just what he did, become his father."
I was quiet for a moment while I thought about Laura had said. "Thank you for telling me that," I said finally, "but that just makes me want to find the person who did this to him all the more, because now he'll never be able to prove to himself that he wasn't his father."
"Then I want to help," Laura said firmly.
"Where Laura goes, I go," Gabe said.
"You know I'm behind you," Aidan said, laying his hand gently on the back of my neck.
"I'm in," Killian said cheerily.
Asher's head thumped as if landed on the table. A muffled, "Count me in too," emerged from him in the form of a resigned sigh.
Everyone except Asher turned to Caitlin.
"The only reason I'd want to find Joey's killer is to congratulate them on a job well done," Caitlin spat out.
Laura's eyes grew wide and her head swiveled towards me, "Ok," she said carefully. I could tell she was fighting not to deck Caitlin right there in the ice cream parlor. "I'm ready for the rest of the story now."
I sighed, "Caitlin is pregnant."
"Wonderful," Laura bit off, "I'll buy the cigars. Go on."
"The baby is Joey's," Caitlin said defiantly, "When I told him he told me to get an abortion. And I would have too, if it hadn't been for Will."
"I see," said Laura, "and how exactly is Will involved?"
"I told you, we met at a party," I jumped in before things got out of hand.
"The night Joey was killed," Caitlin filled in helpfully.
Laura's eyebrows jumped, "And what were you doing at the party?"
"I went to see Joey. We had an argument. Caitlin and I started talking and...well...I offered to help."
"Help how?" Laura's eyes flashed between Caitlin and me. Caitlin finally seemed to grasp how dangerous Laura could be and had fallen silent, leaving me to answer her question. Aidan had suddenly found searching for Reese's Pieces in the bottom of his sundae completely engrossing. Killian was hanging on every word while Asher's head was still resting on the table. I wondered if he had fallen asleep and if so I was terribly envious. Gabe just looked as if someone had dropped him onto the set of a soap opera and failed to give him a script.
I knew I had to answer carefully or Laura would fly off the handle. Despite that knowledge I opened my mouth and horrified myself by saying, "I'm going to help raise the baby."
For an eternity no one around the table moved. Then in a flash Laura was on her feet and leaning across the table, "You're what?" she yelled.
The few other customers in the place looked over at us as if we were on drugs or something and the owner looked at us suspiciously.
"Laura, sit down," Gabe hissed.
She sat but it was obvious that what she really wanted to do involved beating me senseless with the napkin dispenser. "William Spencer Keegan," she seethed. Uh-oh, she was pulling out the full name, "what do you know about raising a baby?"
Suddenly I was mad too. I leaned in towards her intensely, catching everyone by surprise, including myself, "I know just as much as any first time father. I'm reading books so I can be prepared. I'm even going to go to Lamaze class with Caitlin, so do not give me a hard time about this Laura. I've made up my mind and it's really none of your damn business. I want to do this more than I've ever wanted to do anything in my entire life. Do you have any idea how important this is to me? This is all I have left of Joey; this baby is a part of Joey. And I care about Caitlin too. She's become my friend and I gave her my word. So this is final, Laura. I'm going to be a part of this baby's life and if you don't like it then you won't be a part of mine."
I sat back, my breath coming in gulps. No one moved or even breathed for a long time. After a while Laura spoke first, "You're right. It's your life and it really isn't my business. Except that even though I haven't been there for you lately, you are still my best friend and I love you. For what it's worth, I want you to know that from now on I will be here for you. And I'll support you whatever you decide. Now that Joey's gone..." Her voice broke and she started again, "Now that Joey's gone I don't think I could bear to lose you too."
I reached across the table and took Laura's hand. "It's worth a lot and I'm sorry. You're right, you are my friend and that makes it your business. Your support means a lot."
"To me too," Caitlin said softly, "I've never had any close friends, not like you all are. The way you are always there for each other, it really makes me wish I was a part of that."
"You are a part of us now," Laura said, "whether you like it or not, when you get one of us you get all of us. Right, guys?"
Everyone broke into smiles and Asher even sat up, proving he was still awake. "Right!" everyone said in unison.
We paid our bill and left before we scared off any of the poor proprietor's business.
"So where do we start?" Laura asked as we walked onto the moonlit plaza.
"Start what?" Aidan asked.
"Well, if we're going to find Joey's killer we have to have some sort of plan," she said, sounding like a teacher explaining something to a particularly slow pupil.
"We don't know anything about finding a killer," Gabe said reasonably.
"No, but Killian and Asher caught a killer last year," I said.
"We didn't exactly catch a killer, Asher said in a pained voice, "He more or less caught us and Killian just kinda blew him away."
"Oh," I said in a small voice, "We'll have to keep that in mind..."
"But we did do an investigation first," Killian said with a withering glance at Asher, who snorted.
"At least you've had some experience with this kind of thing," Laura said, "But back to my question, where do we start?"
"Well," said Killian slowly, "The obvious place to start would be to find out who sent Will the necklace and note."
"I'm going to the delivery place tomorrow to see if I can find out," I volunteered.
"Oh, well, let's not count on that," he said, "The next logical thing would be to talk to people who were at the party when it happened. Like, who found him?"
"I don't know," I said, feeling incredibly stupid that I hadn't thought to ask that.
"I heard it was Blake Hammond," Gabe said.
"She's in one of my classes," Laura said, "I'll talk to her on Monday."
"Whose house was it at?" Killian asked next.
"David Kemp," I answered quickly. I knew that one.
"He's in a couple of my classes. I can talk to him," Aidan suggested, "What do I ask him?"
"Ask if he saw anyone who shouldn't have been there." Laura said.
"Or if he saw anyone acting suspiciously," Gabe said.
"Half the people there were on E, everyone was acting suspiciously," Caitlin said.
"Ask if anyone knows about the necklace," I said, "maybe he found it cleaning up."
"Also ask if he saw Joey go out to the pool," Gabe threw in.
"The police already asked everyone that. Nobody saw anything." I said.
"Somebody saw something," Gabe said meaningfully and pointed to the necklace around my neck.
"What if the killer sent you the necklace?" Killian said suddenly.
"Why would the killer send me the necklace?" I asked, "With a note that said it wasn't an accident? He was getting away scott-free, why draw attention to it?"
"Some killer's want the attention. They secretly want to get caught. They hate the idea that they might not get credit for what they did," Aidan offered.
"But isn't that usually serial killers?" Gabe argued, "Killers who kill for the thrill?"
"How do you know that's not what we're dealing with?" Aidan countered.
"The MO doesn't fit the profile," Gabe shot back. I felt like I was watching a tennis match, "Joey was drowned right?"
"As far as I know," I answered.
"We need to know for sure. You've got a contact at the police department, right?"
"I guess you could call it that," I said hesitantly, thinking of my last visit with Detective Grafton. I was beginning to feel like I had started something which I was quickly losing control of. Kind of like paddling a canoe into calm waters and suddenly finding yourself being sucked into white water rapids.
"See if you can get a copy of the autopsy report," Gabe ordered.
"Can just anyone get one of those?" Aidan asked.
"I guess I'll find out," I said when no one seemed to know the answer.
"What about Shelley?" Laura asked suddenly.
"What about her?" I said.
"Shouldn't someone talk to her? I heard she was pretty pissed when Joey broke up with her."
"I can do that," Caitlin said brightly, "You know, one jilted ex to another. Hell hath no fury, etcetera, etcetera. We both share a common bond, we both hate Joey."
"Are there any other ex's?" Killian asked.
"I'll check," said Caitlin.
"Have we forgotten anything?" Gabe asked.
"Our good sense?" Asher offered.
"There is one more person," I said slowly.
"Who?" Killian and Gabe asked at the same time.
"Joey's mom," I said, "She may know something we don't."
"I'll talk to her," Laura said and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I didn't think I could handle facing her grief again, "But do you think you could go with me, Will?"
I sighed. I knew it was too good to be true, "I guess."
"Do you think you could search Joey's room while you are there?" Killian asked.
"We can try," Laura said, "If all else fails we can just offer to help pack up his stuff."
"I think that's enough to start with," Killian said.
"More than enough," Asher grumbled.
"Why doesn't everyone talk to the people you chose and we'll get back together in one week and share reports."
'Good idea," Gabe agreed. The two of them seemed to be sharing director duties. I figured it was only a matter of time before an argument broke out, but I would deal with that when and if the situation arose.
Killian stopped walking suddenly and held his hand out in front of him, palm down. Laura realized what he was doing first and placed her hand on top of his. I smiled and added mine to the growing pile. Then Gabe, Aidan and Caitlin added theirs. After a moment's hesitation Asher heaved a monumental sigh and slapped his hand on top on the pile.
"Remember," Killian said, "We're a team, and teams work together. No Hotdogging or taking unnecessary risks. The first proof that we get that Joey was killed we go straight to the police, agreed?"
"Agreed," we all said together.
"Then let's get this son-of-a-bitch!"
Our huddle dissolved into a round of hugs and good-byes as we slowly and reluctantly went our separate ways. No one seemed to want to leave the comfort and protection of our little group. I suddenly understood the pack mentality, the allure of gangs. There was an instinctive internal feeling of safety in numbers and alone we felt vulnerable. Joey had been alone when he went out to the pool that night. I wondered if he had felt vulnerable. I hoped he never even knew what hit him, literally.