Chapter 9
The Mockingbird Country Club - Fort Worth, Texas
There’s a rainbow after the rain.
Whoever coined that statement is gravely mistaken. The sun is nowhere in sight, but Lucy can swear the rainbow spectrum is arching above them. Oblivious to the rain. Kate’s breath is warm on her temples. There’s fear in her voice. But her hold on Lucy is definite as she says, “I’m not going anywhere.”
For a long-drawn minute there, Lucy’s heart shattered into pieces as she watched Kate wade through the rain. Now she could not care less. Kate is extraordinary. That’s all that matters. It’s all Lucy needs. And she is sure not to waste that courage from here on. They spend a few more blissful minutes holding each other under the rain, and then she coaxes Kate to let go. “We’re gonna catch a cold if we stay here any longer,” Lucy says, tipping her toes and brushing her lips on Kate’s cheek.
Kate looks at her ardently. Her face is soft and serene without her glasses on. Lacing their fingers together, they hurry back inside the manor.
The cozy hallways to their respective room is a stretch. The chorus of ‘You and Me’ (by Lifehouse) seems to play loudly from the grand ballroom in the west wing. Lucy’s head spins, still in disbelief. There’s something she’s failing to figure out, but she’s also lost in admiration for the woman beside her. In the few months, she’s known Kate, this is the first time Lucy has seen her confidence waver. Braving through vulnerability has made Kate… hotter. She chuckles and rubs her nape in subtle reprimand for the word she used. Hotter. She glances down at Kate’s dress appreciatively. Kate might have been courageous, but it doesn’t mean Lucy is at liberty to undress her. Heavens… how she wants to.
Kate blushes. She clutches Lucy’s hand. “You’re adorable when you're trying to be polite.”
“Huh…” Lucy nonplussed. Her cheeks burn. Her eyes dart between Kate and the manor’s gleaming floor. Clueless as to who led who towards her room. “Do ya want me to be impolite?”
Kate giggles in response, then halts in her steps mid-laughter. “Lauren?”
Lucy whines. Another perfect time for one of her siblings to show up. Not Lauren too! She lifts her head to where Kate’s eyes are. She swallows in guilt. Lauren stands by her door. Her shoulders curled in her chest. Her eyes flooded with tears.
"Lu…cy,” Lauren sniffles. The distress in her voice is audible. “I’m sorry. I am not,” she wipes off her tears with her hands, “intruding, am I?” Her eyes flitting between them.
Lucy turns to face Kate, who nods in consent before she can even ask. She sprints to Lauren. “What happened?” She asks, swiping a card on the door as she guides her sister inside the room.
“It’s Al. He…” Lauren drifts on the bed, sobbing. “He… uhm…”
Lucy prods the door close. She takes off her rain-soaked overcoat and shoes.
“I thought he would…”
Panic rises in Lucy’s chest. “Did he hurt you?” She trails her sister’s face and arms with her fingers, checking for marks and bruises.
“He did not.” Lauren swipes her hands. “He won’t… I’m pregnant, Lucy.”
“That’s exciting news. Why are you crying? Is he upset?”
— — —
Back in her room, Kate finds a folded paper on top of her purse placed on the bed. She takes her shoes off and unfolds Kai’s note.
Left this on the table. Check your phone. Urgent. -Horticulturist
She reads the time on her wrist. It’s late, and thank technology for water-resistant watches. She unclasps it and lays it down on the bed. She frowns at the pair of misty glasses on her hand. She sets it down beside her purse. Ernie will surely give her an earful on the proper care of his top-notch surveillance gadget on the team’s next recon. But she can’t risk recording what transpired between her and Lucy tonight.
She pads her way to the bathroom, unzips her rain-drenched dress, turns the shower on, and rinses the petrichor off her body. Humming notes of a love song, she’s not even sure of. Kate has never been this happy in a long time. She’s positive Lucy feels the same despite leaving her with an upset Lauren by her room.
She will ask Ernie to speed up tying all the data she recorded. She and Lucy are finished with seven ledgers. It’s enough for Ernie to draw a partial conclusion of their case against Stellar. Then, she can come clean to Lucy and give her side of the story about SuperNova.
The whole plan sounds easier in her head. In reality, it is scaring the hell out of her. But Lucy deserves the truth. She and Lucy deserve a chance—a possibility. Damn, Kate truly likes to have that possibility with Lucy. No matter what the risks are. And she prays Lucy stays resilient to stand by what she feels for her when everything comes to fall.
She tilts her head back and catches the drops of water from the showerhead with her face.
What a night…
— — —
H.B., MD Eye Care Clinic - Fort Worth, Texas (present day)
To protect and to serve.
As a rookie proving his place in the police force, it was easy to uphold. But as Jesse goes up in the hierarchy, keeping the pledge becomes challenging as several temptations often clash with his beliefs. When he had seen enough, he walked away and chose to live up to it as a civilian with his principles and beliefs intact.
Jesse carried the pledge as a badge of honor once more when he got employed as a member of the Taras security team. The job was relatively easy for him as a former cop; keep the ‘protectee’ safe at all costs. The pay was better. The hours were brutal, depending on when the ‘protectee’ slept. The best part of it? His in-laws, Heather’s parents, stopped talking down on him.
Mrs. Lucia Tara was an absolute delight to guard most of the time. Her daily route has been the Taras home and Stellar’s corporate office. Guarding her gets frustrating when she decides to keep tabs on her children out of the blue. She was always a mother first. Such dedication to her children has earned Jesse’s respect the most.
When Jesse was named head of security and PR chief of the company, he knew the role would lead him back to why he left the police force several years ago. Yet, out of loyalty to his late boss, he found a way to bend the rules without ultimately compromising his principles. However, Mrs. Tara’s consequent death from the SuperNova accident is where Jesse drew the line. He twisted the rules too far, then chose to step away from it all to uncover the truth behind the scenes.
The folder in his hands reads; To protect and to serve. The latest report on the SuperNova accident holds information that can be key to putting the case, and his conscience, to rest. He leans on the backrest and swivels his chair.
— — —
Stellar Energy Group Corporate Office - The President’s Office (July 2016)
“How bad, Jesse?” Ybrrahim Tara leaps out of his seat and grabs Jesse’s upper arms. For a man of power, Ybrrahim carries a specific authority that always commands control and certainty. But today, the slight tremble in his voice implores him of better news.
Jesse rolls his broad shoulders and sucks in a breath to ease out a million thoughts and facts wheeling around his head. “One thumper truck unit and a wind turbine in flames, boss. The safety team was quick and contained the fire before it spread.” He answered flatly.
“Lucia?” The tremble in Ybrrahim’s voice is more pronounced.
“I left your wife with the team of specialists at Fort Worth Medical. Liam is with her. Lauren and Lucy are on their way there too.”
Ybrrahim releases his arms and retreats to his seat. His chin tilts up as he lets out a huge breath. “The field engineer? Is it Leonard?”
“Not him.” Jesse runs his fingers along his forehead. “It was his assistant lead. He tried to shield Ma’am Lucia from the shards of the shattered propeller. We lost him, boss.”
— — —
H.B., MD Eye Care Clinic - Fort Worth, Texas (present day)
Jesse’s eyes burn as he pores over the folder in his hands. Six years ago, his team’s investigation with the FWPD found proof of the thumper truck rigged to explode. But, the evidence was tampered with and declared inconclusive. The police were to pin the accident on Lenny, the project's lead engineer. The agreement documents and clearance forms bear both his seal and signature.
Lenny claimed he did sign the papers but never stamped them with his seal. He admitted asking Noah Whistler, his assistant lead, to fill in for him for a couple of days while he stepped away from the Operations unit. Still, Lenny was adamant. He did not recall authorizing the drilling at the SuperNova refinery. The night before the accident, the bartender at the ‘Yee Haw’ bar and grill called Lucy to pick him up because he was too drunk to drive home.
Three weeks later, Mrs. Tara succumbed to her death. Noah Whistler may have taken the brunt of the shards flying in the air, but a stray piece of the fragmented propeller on the ground pierced her chest when they ducked to take cover. The medical team was able to take it out, but her heart could not cope with the trauma of her perforated lungs. Her death got Ybrrahim to jostle Jesse’s team to expedite their investigation so they could privately mourn her.
Jesse sensed that there was something more to the accident. He did ask Ybrrahim for time to uncover the truth. Inconsolable with the promise of the truth and with threats looming to tarnish the Taras in the finance world, Ybrrahim surrendered to grief and devastation. He paid off the chief of police to declare the incident a pure accident.
Jesse was defiant to close the case through a cover-up. He made a valiant effort and asked a trusted friend in the police force to aid him in a secret investigation. He tendered his two weeks' notice after he delivered the official statement of Stellar regarding the incident. When Ybrrahim asked for the reason for his resignation, Jesse didn’t think twice about looping the Tara patriarch into his plan. Three months later, Ybrrahim reached out to him and offered his support.
Jesse pulls down his eyelids. The sorrow and guilt never left his chest. It’s been six years; there were times he almost deferred in his resolve. He stepped away again from a job he truly loved. This time, in hopes of drawing out the real culprit.
Three rhythmic taps on, then the door to Heather’s spare exam room in the clinic swung open.
“Got better news for me today, Jesse?” Ybrrahim’s voice is cordial yet a bit edgy. “I’m afraid someone has beaten us to the punch.”
“Someone doing their investigation on the same incident, Sir?” Jesse stares blankly at him as he motions for the elder Tara to sit on an exam chair across from him.
Ybrrahim slightly shakes his head as he sits. “I hope she’s after the truth and nothing else.” He looks at Jesse with a glint of hope. “Well?”
Jesse’s curiosity peaks a notch higher. “Lenny is in the clear, Sir.” He answers. “The seal on the agreement and clearance forms is his, but the ink used is not.”
“Did it not hold a shimmer against the light after all these years?” Ybrrahim smiles–a look of superiority radiating on his face.
“No, Sir. It invalidates our initial assumption that Ma’am Lucia signed the agreement for Lenny. Someone else did.”
“And?”
“I have my suspicions. But I don’t have evidence to pin on him yet.”
“Him?”
“Your wife’s former assistant, Sir.”
“Who is also my son-in-law, Jesse?” His voice a note higher. “What led you to this?”
“Lenny’s statement, Sir. Alistair was the only other person present in your wife’s office. The day your eldest left his seal and the documents in Mrs. Tara’s care.”
Ybrrahim sighs heavily. “My son? Who was not sober enough to remember if he stamped his seal on the documents? How can you believe him?”
“Lenny’s statement is the only concrete thing I have, Sir. I can’t ask Alistair without raising suspicions.”
Ybrrahim curses under his breath. “Anything on the thumper truck?”
“I asked Norman to look at the parts we saved from the site on our second sweep.” The side of his mouth quirks upward. “It tracks with my former team’s investigation. Someone rigged it. A former mentor teaching in Quantico isolated the proof that we need.”
“You got a name?”
“We do, Sir.” Jesse’s eyes gleamed with confidence. “Noah Whistler’s trainee in 2016. A lead engineer in the operation’s unit.”
“At Stellar?”
“Yes, Sir. Lt. Reed of the FWPD is on the case.” He hands the folder to Ybrrahim.
“Do whatever it takes, Jesse, and make sure he lives to pay for the agony he caused me and my children.”
Jesse nods. “On it, Sir.” And then he asks. “Who is doing her investigation aside from us? Will it be a problem?”
“I hope not.” Ybrrahim rubs his jaw with his fingers. “Atty. Katherine Whistler. Noah’s younger sister and finance unit’s top analyst.”
— — —
The Bluebonnet Garden - Fort Worth, Texas
Monday morning, after the wedding. When Kate arrived, Kai and Ernie were waiting by the computer panels for her. She peers at her phone, checking Lucy’s reply to a message she sent before leaving the country club in haste after Ernie’s ‘rise and shine’ call for an urgent recon. Her phone screen shows two notifications from Jane Tennant instead. She clicks it off, slides it into her jeans pocket, and advances in her steps. “Good morning, y’all,” her lips turning up in a smile. Kai and Ernie exchanged a flabbergasted look.
“Howdy, partner!” Ernie greets her back.
“Had a good sleep, huh?” Kai raises his eyebrows in interest.
Kate opens her mouth to respond but opts to press her lips to contain her grin. Ernie quips and grills her further. “That explains the radio silence last night? And the clueless tone this morning?”
She tilts her head quickly over her shoulder, then taps Ernie’s upper arm. “You said this is urgent.”
“Yes,” Ernie grabs a pointer and waves it like a magic wand in front of the monitors. “From 2012 to 2015, Stellar Energy Group revenues go up, and profits go down. Then it happens again from 2019 to 2021—no large expenditures, no added labor costs, and this is before other earnings and tax depreciation. They are making money. But there’s a cut. That cut is funneled through,” he clicks a button to bring in to view scanned copies of cheques payable to, “Charlie One Manufacturing.”
“A chemical company charging Stellar for ‘professional services.’ Their primary website description mentions the isomerization of petrol products. When I looked up the listed business address, there was no such company,” Kate adds.
“Who authorizes the payment?” Kai asks.
“The incumbent executive chief of Finance has the authority to sign the payments for that fiscal year,” Kate answers.
“Right!” Ernie affirms. “Who was the executive chief of Finance from 2012 to 2015?”
“Company President’s wife, Mrs. Lucia Tara.” Kate picks up the line of Ernie’s thoughts. “From 2019 to 2021, it’s the eldest daughter. Lauren.”
“What about the ledgers from 2016 to 2018?” Kai's tone is soft in wonder.
“We haven’t gone through those books yet,” Kate tilts her head slightly. “Alistair Rahimi, the current executive chief of Operations, was the interim chief of Finance in those fiscal years. He took over from Mrs. Tara while Lauren was groomed for that position.”
“The seven ledgers are enough to build the case and make an arrest,” Kai states assertively. “Right, Kate?”
Kate closes her eyes and rubs the middle of her forehead. A sinking feeling is getting prominent in her stomach. Lucy. She’s going to be devastated by this. “Yeah. But, I would like to finish reviewing the remaining ledgers to establish our case.”
Kai tips his head up and down. “You have a week, Kate. Then we have to invite Mrs. Lauren Rahimi for interrogation.”
“Two!” Kate says in protest. “A week is not adequate for three ledgers, Kai.”
“I know you got help,” Kai smirks. “Ok. But let us know what else you need.” He turns to Ernie, “Do we have any info on Alistair?”
Kate looks at Kai curiously. “Do you think he may have something to do with this?”
“Not sure yet.” Kai rests a hand on the back of his neck. “It looks like he was in a heated dispute with his wife last night. I saw him stomping out of their room after I dropped your purse in yours. Then I heard crying when I passed by their door.”
An image of Alistair flashes on the monitor as Ernie clicks on the pointer. “Alistair Rahimi is a prized scholar of the Stellar Foundation, now known as the Lucia Tara Memorial Foundation. He and Lenny were in the same class in high school. He was raised solely by his mom, an admin assistant at Stellar Energy Corporate Office. He graduated top of his class at the University of Texas in Austin with a degree in Finance. Stellar hired him part-time when he was eighteen to support his mom. He managed a small accounting firm before his re-entry at Stellar. His marriage to Lauren four years ago was highly publicized, feeding the gossip and rumor mills of the local media.”
“Any relatives? Bank accounts? What’s the status of his finances?” Kate asks.
“Haven’t dug on that,” Ernie answers. “I’ll look into it and see if I can get wind of the state of his marriage.”
This recon has shaken Kate's resolve in less than twenty-four hours.
— — —
Boone’s Café
Lucy lays a hot cup of mushroom coffee on Kate’s side of the table. She rotates the side of the cup where Kate can read her note immediately. It reads:
Hello Kate, I (please open the lid) you. - Lucy
She opens the lid and checks the art she made on top is still intact. She replaces the lid and then steps out of Jesse’s office. Rounding back to her car to grab the flowers she arranged for Kate.
She returns minutes later—the door in Jesse’s office slightly ajar. Kate’s here. Lucy repeatedly taps her cheek to convince herself this is not a dream . The dancing butterflies in her chest were another proof. She prods the door with her free hand in time to see a seated Kate grinning at the heart shape she drew on her coffee. Kate’s flustered face rendered her speechless for a few minutes. “Smiling really looks good on you,” she says later.
“How long have you been there?”
“Long enough to see you blush.”
Kate turns pinker. “Huh… Are those flowers for me?”
“Oh, yes.” Lucy falters as she wills her feet to take a step. “Here. I know it's a collection from the wedding venue. But I wanted to give you something to remember from last night. So, I hope you can forgive the mediocre artistic arrangement.”
Kate blinks and then chews her lower lip. A tear slips from the corner of her eyes as she reaches for the flowers.
Alarmed with Kate’s dejected expression, Lucy grabs her hands. “Kate,” she tugs her at the wrist. “Promise I’ll get you a prettier bouquet, and I’m sorry for not responding to your message–”
“No,” Kate retrieves her hand and wipes her cheeks. Her glasses fog from warm tears. “This collection is perfect. Thank you.”
There it is again. That something Lucy can’t figure out. She looks her in the eyes. Kate gives her a closed-lipped smile, but her eyes say differently. Instead of asking what is wrong , Lucy pulls her in for a hug and plants a kiss on her forehead. It can wait. Whatever it is.
Kate clears her throat. “Lucy, the boxes are waiting.”
She keeps her wrapped in her arms. “Let them wait.”
“Jane gave us a deadline, remember?”
In moments like this, Lucy would like to use her ‘I’m the daughter of the company’ card. But she pulls back and looks at Kate once more. She matches her gaze this time. “All right. All right. Let’s get to work.” She trudges her way to the boxes of files and pulls out the ledger for 2016. Waving it over her head for Kate to see before plopping it down with her. Kate huffs a laugh, then follows and takes the ledger for 2017.
They proceeded to do their task for the following hours. Lucy shoots glances across the table to check on Kate. Her nose is buried in the pages of the files she’s inspecting. Her glasses slid on the tip of her nose. Her forehead creased in focus. Lucy rolls a piece of paper between her fingers and then flings it over, hitting Kate right on the forehead.
Kate glares at her. “You can just call me, you know.”
“And miss that frown on your face?” Lucy laughs.
“What do you want?”
Lucy presses her fingers in a steeple, leaning her elbows on the table.
“Lucy?!”
“Kate,” her heart doubles in beat. “Would you like to watch me practice on the speedway?”
Kate leans back on her seat. A relaxed smile crosses her face. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yes. But if you’re–”
“When? Where?”
Lucy smiles behind her fingers in between relieved breaths. “Saturday. I’ll pick you up at your place. It’s a half an hour's drive from here to the Texas Motor Speedway.”
— — —