“Yes.” Aimee nodded her head, feeling good about having some sort of action plan to follow when she left his office. When she’d walked in it was just a place of business for Elizabeth’s cousin. Now it almost felt like a safe haven - one guarded by a strong, kind, and compassionate warrior.
Marcus waved a finger at all three girls. “You ladies have a mission. Get me copies of the binders and computer data.” He stabbed his index finger into the top of the desk for emphasis. “I want it on my desk by tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” saluted Elizabeth as she stood. “Come on, girls. We need to go do what the boss says.”
Marcus smiled winningly. “I like that. The boss. Feel free to call me that all the time,” he said as he came around to open the door for them.
“Not gonna happen, cousin,” said Elizabeth, giving him a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. “See you soon.”
Kiki went next, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek too. “Thanks, Marcus. You’re a gem.”
Marcus smiled. “My pleasure. I always love to spend time in the company of beautiful women.”
Aimee came next. Just looking at him made her want to start crying again. Who knew her personal savior would come in the form of a gorgeous gay lawyer wearing a polka dot tie?
Marcus took her into a strong hug, not at all what she would have expected from a serious lawyer. She let herself enjoy it though, melting into the strength he shared with her.
“You take care of yourself, you hear?” he demanded.
“Yes. I hear you. And thank you again. This means … more to me than I can say right now.”
Marcus let her go and stepped back. “All you have to do in return are two things…”
“What two things?” she asked curiously, hoping it wouldn’t be expensive.
“First, find Aimee again.” He winked at her. “And second, you need to keep me in those cookies. I’m addicted. They’re like crack to me.”
Aimee looked at him confused. “Excuse me?”
“I gave him some of your cookies,” explained Elizabeth. “Actually, he stole all of them from me. I only had one before he took off with the plate.”
Marcus looked hurt. “You promised I could have lifetime cookie access in exchange for being your attorney. I just assumed that started at the first taste.” He worked really hard to look affronted.
Aimee smiled. “I’ll bake you as many as you want.” She felt good being able to pay him back in some way for all his help. If she knew Jack, he was going to make Marcus suffer.
“Be careful what you promise. I am an absolute fiend for cookies.” He patted his only slightly rounded belly. The girls stepped out of his office and out into the hall leading to the foyer. “I’m going to let you show yourselves out. I need to jump on a few things before I head to court for a hearing.” He wiggled his fingers at them. “Tah-tah!” he said before closing the door.
They walked silently out of the office, only speaking to thank Lana, the secretary, before going down to their cars.
“Well, that was a trip,” said Kiki in the parking lot. “You didn’t warn us that we were going to be in the presence of a god, first of all.”
Elizabeth smiled. “He hates it when people say he’s handsome.”
“I hate when people say I’m pretty, so I can relate,” said Kiki. She looked at Aimee and then Elizabeth. “Was that conceited? I’m sorry. It’s not like I think I’m all that.”
“You are all that,” said Aimee, looping her arm through Kiki’s elbow. “And so is Marcus. He’s like an angel or something.”
“Angel? Maybe. Just don’t piss him off in the courtroom. He’s like an angel of death, then. Jack’s going to be very sorry if he tries to pull any funny business on my cousin.”
“So we’re going over to get those binders now, right?” asked Kiki.
“Yes,” said Elizabeth, looking at Aimee.
“Are you guys sure you want to do that? I could go by myself. Seriously.” Aimee felt so guilty about bringing them into the mess she had created.
“If it were my ex-husband and me needing to go back into that house, would you let me go alone?” asked Kiki.
“Well, no. But that’s different.”
“In what way? Because you’re tougher than me?”
“Heck no. I’m a marshmallow compared to you.”
“Okay then. In what way?”
Aimee felt so uncomfortable. She couldn’t explain herself.
Elizabeth rescued her with her common sense. “Fact is, it doesn’t matter. We’re like the three musketeers here. We can’t get this business off the ground until we have this divorce final. So it’s in all our interests to get this stuff done now. Consider this part of our business start-up planning.”
Aimee smiled, feeling a million times better. “I can do that.” The guilt was already weighing less heavily on her shoulders.
“Done,” agreed Kiki. “Now let’s go. We can get the binders and fit in that workout we talked about after, if you girls are interested.”
“I need to do it,” said Aimee. “I have energy to work off. Anger I think, too.”
“Okay, I can run home and get my things after we get the stuff for Marcus,” said Elizabeth. “So I’ll follow you guys over to Aimee’s old place?”
“Yep. I’ll go slow so you won’t lose us,” said Kiki, smirking only a little.
“What are you trying to say?” asked Elizabeth. “Are you knocking my car? I’ll have you know that it gets excellent gas mileage for a sedan.”
“Gas mileage isn’t sexy,” said Kiki. “Camaros? Now they are sexy.”
Elizabeth smiled. “See you at Aimee’s.”
Aimee decided it probably was wise of Elizabeth not to get into an argument with Kiki about cars. The Camaro obviously meant a lot to her and Elizabeth did drive a Buick. Even Aimee knew there was no comparison between the two when it came to sheer power.
Aimee and Kiki got into the car and left the parking lot, headed in the direction of Aimee’s old place.
“Do you think Jack will be there?” asked Kiki.
“I hope not. He golfs on Mondays sometimes. Other times he’s doing I don’t know what with his girlfriend or working.”
“The slut.”
“Yes, the slut.”
“I think we should just call her that from now on.”
Aimee giggled. “Okay. He’s probably with the slut.”
“Okay, well, just in case, do you have the phone number for your boyfriend handy?”
Aimee looked at her confused. “Marcus?”
Kiki shook her head. “No goof. Joe. Marcus is my new boyfriend, so stay away.”
Aimee smiled. “Marcus is neither of our boyfriends, and yes, I have Joe’s number in my purse.”
“Good. I hope we won’t need it, but just in case, be ready to dial. Put it in your phone.”
Aimee did as she was told, worrying the entire time that Kiki might be as psychic as Marcus seemed to be. She hoped she was wrong about that.
Chapter 23
KIKI PULLED HER CAR INTO the driveway of Aimee’s house.
“It looks empty,” said Aimee, hope in her voice.
“Let’s hope it stays that way while we’re here.”
They got out and went to the front door. Aimee tried her key, but it wouldn’t work. “He changed the locks. I knew he’d do that.”
“Asshole. You still have stuff in there. He has no right to do that.”
“Well, he did it.”
Elizabeth joined them on the front porch. “What’s going on?”
“He changed the locks.”
“Oh. Well. I guess we tried.” She shrugged.
“Bullshit. We’re getting inside,” said Kiki. There is no way this douche bag is going to keep Aimee out of here. He’s done enough intimidating for one marriage. “What other entrances are there?” she asked Aimee.
“There’s one around the back and a side door going into the garage.”
“Come on. Show me
.”
All three women went around first to the side of the house and then to the back. All of the locks had been changed.
“So what now?” asked Aimee. “Gym?”
“Don’t give up so easily, Aimee,” said Kiki, her eyes roaming across the back of the house. “That window up there. Could it be unlocked?” She was pointing to the master bedroom window.
“Possibly. I used to open it sometimes in the evening, when it was nice outside. I don’t remember locking it ever.”
“What are you thinking, Kiki? You can’t climb up there,” said Elizabeth, her tone making it clear she thought her friend was crazy.
“Not without a ladder, I can’t. Aimee, do you have any nice neighbors here? Someone who might loan us one?”
“Um, maybe. There’s a retired couple two doors down who are usually home.”
“Let’s go.”
They got lucky. The lady of the house was home, and she was more than happy to loan them a ladder to get a cat out of a tree. They carried it together, down the sidewalk.
“I feel really foolish,” said Elizabeth.
“I just hope Jack doesn’t come back while we’re doing this,” said Aimee.
“He probably feels all secure in the fact that you won’t be able to get in, so he won’t bother coming around much,” said Kiki.
“What if he’s moved the binders?” grunted out Elizabeth, now struggling to keep her end of the ladder up.
“He won’t,” said Aimee, also a little breathless. “He doesn’t want Tiffany getting her … hands on them.”
“Why do you say that?” asked Kiki, not yet feeling the strain, but switching her hand position to get a better grip.
“I get the feeling he’s hiding as much from her as he … hid from me.” Aimee’s breath was starting to come out in huffs.
“I wouldn’t be surprised. How did you figure that out? Did he say something?” asked Kiki.
“Well, I suggested he take the binders … and have her start taking care of his expenses … and he just got … all nervous and said he didn’t want her … involved in his business. Phew! This ladder is heavy!”
“What an ass. That Tiffany girl deserves what she’s getting. I cannot figure out why a woman who has slept with a married man expects him to be honest with her. It just blows my mind,” said Kiki.
“Yeah. And she’s having a … child with him. Aimee, I hope you don’t … hate me for saying this … but you’re lucky you didn’t get pregnant … when you were married to him. Dammit, this ladder is heavy!” Elizabeth hiked it up higher, readjusting her hold. “Could you imagine the heartache you’d be going through right now with custody issues … added to all this?”
“I know. Don’t even make me … think of it. It makes me glad I’m barren.” She grunted out a breath of air as she tried to lift the ladder higher.
Kiki could tell she was almost ready to drop it. “Not much farther, girls, just keep going … ”
“Barren? Who says that anymore?” asked Elizabeth.
“Seriously,” agreed Kiki. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“It’s more dramatic,” said Aimee.
“As if you need more drama in your life right now,” said Kiki, dryly.
“You have a point there,” agreed Aimee, gamely.
They finally arrived at the house and worked the ladder around to the back, leaning it up against the house under the window.
“Phew! Okay. So who’s going up?” asked Elizabeth, breathing heavily and looking at the other two as she wiped her hands together, trying to dust off the dirt.
“Aimee, do you want the honors? Ready to take back control of your life?” Kiki lifted her eyebrow in challenge.
Aimee smiled. “Yes. As a matter of fact, I am.” She huffed out a big breath of air before mounting the ladder and going all the way to the top without stopping. “Okay, guys!” she shouted down, nervous energy evident in her voice. “This is really high! I’m trying not to freak out!”
“Just try the window. Don’t let go of the ladder!” yelled Elizabeth. She rolled her eyes at Kiki. “Are you having a small heart attack like I am right now?”
“Yes. But she has to do this.”
Elizabeth looked up to watch their small friend trying to remove the screen from the window. Three seconds later it came falling down to the ground. “I know. You’re right. I just keep thinking about how I want to protect her.”
“Me too. Something about her just brings that out in people. Marcus was good with her today.”
Elizabeth smiled warmly. “Yeah. He’s pretty amazing. He’s had his own hard times. I wouldn’t be surprised if he shared a little of it with her today.”
They both heard Aimee’s shouts of glee at the same time and looked up.
“Yay! It’s open!” Her bottom half disappeared inside.
They let go of the ladder and went over to the back door, waiting to be let in. Aimee’s face eventually showed up in the window and she waved, a huge smile on her face. The door lock slid back, making a faint clicking sound. Aimee pulled the door open and started to say something she was obviously excited about, when the faint sound of a beep-beep-beep came from the front of the house.
“What’s that?” asked Elizabeth looking at Kiki and Aimee.
“Do you have an alarm?” asked Kiki.
“Not that I know of?” Aimee said questioningly, doubt shading her voice.
Kiki pushed the door open wider, yelling, “I think you just set off an alarm!” as she ran inside to locate it. The other two followed on her heels.
Kiki stopped at a small white box near the front door. She flipped up the lid to reveal a keypad, looking over at Aimee’s stunned face. “Any idea what the code would be?”
Aimee shook her head slowly. “It could be anything. Birthday, anniversary, a word … I don’t know.”
“Okay, where are the binders? We have about three minutes to get them and get the hell out of here before the cops show up.”
Aimee stood as if frozen in place. The pace of the beeping increased.
“Go, Aimee!” yelled Elizabeth, not unkindly, but trying to get her moving.
“Oh, shoot! Come this way!” she ran across the foyer and into a room, passing through it quickly to access another next to it. Kiki and Elizabeth entered after her.
“There!” she shouted, pointing to a big built-in shelf. Lined up, five feet high and four feet wide, were four full rows of binders.
“Holy shit, Aimee. Those have all your receipts in them?” asked Kiki incredulously.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Elizabeth, sounding stunned.
“That’s all of them. For the past five years. Everything we ever bought.”
“Grab ‘em!” said Kiki, snapping out of her daze. “Where’s the computer?”
“There. On the desktop.”
Elizabeth ran over and clicked the mouse. “What’s the password?”
“Jack.”
Kiki rolled her eyes. Of course it is. She kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to rub anymore salt into Aimee’s wounds today. She’d had plenty of that done already.
“It’s not working.”
“We don’t have time for this. Just unplug the tower and bring it.”
“I don’t think you need to,” said Aimee, not sounding exactly sure of herself.
“Why are you saying that?”
“I’ll explain later. Let’s just get the binders.” She moved over to the shelves and started pulling them down, beginning on the top row. “These are the most recent. I’d start here, in case we run out of time.”
The telephone rang in the kitchen.
They all froze in place, staring at each other.
“That’s the alarm company,” said Kiki. “Go talk to them.”
“What am I supposed to say?!” said Aimee, in full-on panic mode.
“Try to guess what password Jack used,” said Kiki, her anxiety increasing. “If you can’t figure it out, stal
l them! Tell them your husband did it and forgot to give you the code or something, I don’t know! Wing it!”
Aimee raced off to answer the phone. As soon as Kiki heard Aimee pick up the line, she jumped back to the task of running binders out to the car. On her second trip, Aimee came dashing out of the kitchen.
“They said they aren’t sending the police, but they’re calling Jack’s cell phone. He’s going to come!” she screeched.
“Get some binders and move your ass!” said Kiki, feeling a little panicked herself.
Elizabeth came running by, her arms full of binders. “Go! Go!” she yelled.
They were on the last row, when Elizabeth yelled from the front door. “Does Jack drive a sports car? A red one?”
“Yes!” yelled Aimee. She and Kiki froze, carrying the last of the binders in their arms.
“He’s here! He just parked behind Kiki!”
“Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod,” chanted Aimee, “we are so screwed. He’s going to kill me! These binders are his life!”
Kiki made a split second decision. “Aimee, go out the back! Now! Hurry!” Then she yelled toward the front. “Elizabeth, lock that front door!!”
They all met in the front hallway. “Let’s go! Out the back. Go! Hurry up!”
They hauled butt to the kitchen and out of the house, going through the back door. Elizabeth grabbed half of Aimee’s books from her while they ran across the back part of the house and snuck around the side of the garage, slowly making their way toward the driveway where Kiki’s car was parked. Elizabeth’s car was at the curb. She wasn’t blocked in, but Kiki was. They stood at the corner of the garage, both Kiki’s and Elizabeth’s cars in sight. Jack was somewhere in the house, since he wasn’t in his car anymore and they couldn’t see him in the front yard.
“Aimee!” yelled a very angry male voice from near the back door.
“Run!” said Kiki.
They took off to their cars, throwing open the doors of the Camaro as fast as they could with their arms full and tossing the binders in without worrying about keeping them organized or even closed. The books fell into a heap on the floor of the back seat, joining the few that were already piled there. The rest of them were in her trunk. Kiki briefly thanked the designers of the Camaro who had come up with a trunk big enough to haul dead bodies around in - or several binders full of incriminating evidence against cheating ex-husbands.