Tea startles awake at the sound of the water hitting the shower floor. She blinks her eyes twice as she tries to focus on the clock on the nightstand. It was early but knowing Jesse he was already working. With Jack in the shower this was a good time to call him. She sits up and reaches for her phone and dials Jesse's number. She reaches down on the floor for Jacks shirt and slips it on while the phone drones on the other end.
"Pine Valley Police, Chief Jesse Hubbard speaking."
"Good Morning Chief Jesse Hubbard."
"Good morning to you Assistant District Attorney DelGado."
"Got anything for me Jesse."
"Not much. I still have my guys staked out at the "Pine Valley Inn" so far Barbara hasn't come back to her room."
"Huh. Any leads on who bailed her out?"
" Oh I was able to pull an image up of the woman who paid her bail. She's a pretty successful criminal lawyer out of "Center City". "
"Any idea who hired her?"
"None, she spend her days hanging around the Court House fighting for the "champagne" end of the criminal element.
"What about the Limo that picked her up?"
"Belongs to the lawyer."
"Have you sent anyone to talk to her?"
"Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Jesse's asks the tone of his voice letting her know she was sounding and acting like an attorney a habit she had a hard time breaking when she wasn't in court. She takes a deep breath and calms her voice before continuing.
"No, of course not. I'm just trying to figure out what she's up to."
" Me too so I sent one of my detective to interview her yesterday and he came back as empty handed as when he walked in there."
"Crap!" She mumbles into the phone
"I do have some good news for you." Jesse continues as Tea's heart and ears perk up.
" Oh yeah?"
" My guy was able to find out she owed money to one of the high rollers at the casino and her maker was bought up by Lenka Gregorian. My Detective went over to his place this morning to see what he could dig up."
"Thanks Jesse." She sighs. "Let me know as soon as you find her or anything else."
"Will do." Jesse says distractedly as one of his officers knocks on the door and he waves them in.
" Thanks again. Have a good morning."
" You too." He says before the line goes dead. She listens as the water in the bathroom shuts off and the door of the shower slides open then closed. It would be a couple more moments before Jack came out she thought as she stretched. She wished she had some news she could give him about Barbara but no news was good news she guessed. That was a lie a little voice told her especially with what she already knew about Barbara from Jack and Molly. She just hoped where ever it is she was it was far away from the both of them. Jack seemed a lot happier he was more at ease and Molly was flourishing without her presence. She just prayed she didn't bring a raging hurricane when she finally showed back up. What they both needed was some time away but that wasn't going to happen until she could get a bead on Barbara. Too bad they only had the morning off she could think of at least a hundred things they could spend the day doing she chuckled to herself as door to the bathroom opens and Jack walks back into the room.
"Good morning Mr. Montgomery." She calls to him he moves across the room rubbing the towel through his damp hair as the rivulets of water scroll enticingly down the etched muscles of his chest.
"Good morning Ms. DelGado!" He smiles as he sits on the edge of the bed beside her. She was even more beautiful this morning then she had been in the candlelight of last nights dinner. Her hair tussled and free the slight blush in her cheeks the swollen pout of her mouth aching to be kissed. He thought as his lips caressed hers.
"Good morning Mr. Montgomery." She says wrapping her arms around his neck as she nuzzles it.
" Did you sleep well?" He asks.
"You have an interesting definition of sleep." She says making them both laugh at the memories. "What are you doing up so early? We don't have court till this afternoon."
" I was going to run out to the serving spoon and pick up some muffins for breakfast."
"And I have have everything we need in the refrigerator and a way better idea." She says kissing him as she pulls him back down in to the covers with her.
"I'm coming!" Lenka bellows as he throws his shirt back on and shuffles tiredly toward the door. It had been a long evening and he really needed to get some sleep if he was going to be awake for his watch tonight. Hopefully this would be the last evening he would waste baby sitting that Montgomery woman. This plan of Anna's better work. He was almost as sick of spending his evenings at the casino as he was of the woman. Besides it wouldn't be long until Colby started to miss him. He was just glad that with all of her brothers wedding preparations she'd been too distracted to notice his absences. He thought as the individual banged on the door again. The sound matching the pounding in his head. Who ever was on the other side of door had better have a good reason to be there.
"What do you want?" Lenka grumbles as he yanks the door open.
"Lenka Gregorian?"
"Who's asking?" Lenka asks pulling himself up to his full height
"Detective Brot Monroe. Pine Valley Police." Brot responds with a flash of his badge as Lenka yawns then leans against the door frame arms folded across his chest.
" What do you want?" Brot sighs inwardly. Of course he was going to be an ass. Most of the borderline criminals were. He thought putting more authority in his next words.
"Do you mind if I come in and ask you a few question." Lenka smiles. So this was going to be the usual game of "Good Cop and Criminal" not unexpected he was well prepared for the role.
"Yes, I do. I've had a very late night and I'm trying to get some sleep."
" This won't take long." Brot says pushing past him and entering the living room.
"By all means please come in officer." Lenka says slamming the door behind him as Brot walks down the stairs in to the living room. Lenka smirks as he watches him. He knew exactly why the detective was here. That Montgomery woman better be worth all the trouble.
"I promise this won't take long." Brot says as he looks behind him for Lenka who had stopped at the small bar to prepare himself a drink.
"Would you care for a drink Detective?"
" No thank you it's a little early for me."
"You'll have to excuse me but I work at night." He says with a slight bow before reaching into the ice bucket and adding a few to his glass before filling it from the decanter.
"Could you tell me about your relationship with Barbara Montgomery?"
"I don't have a relationship with a Barbara Montgomery." Lenka replies smoothly then sips from his drink before sitting on the couch in front of Brot.
" According to one of the players at your little Poker party the other night. You bought Mrs. Montgomery's IOU from one of the other players." Lenka chuckles then sips his drink before answering Brot in the same smooth tone.
"Who ever you were talking to is mistaken I didn't buy Mrs. Montgomery's IOU. Why would I buy someone else's debt? I am a professional." He frowns sounding mildly insulted. "Mrs. Montgomery on the other hand, is a very sloppy drunk. She would do better sticking to afternoon poker party's with the rest of the wine guzzling housewives."
" So you're saying she lost to you?"
"Yes, she did. She was the biggest loser. as you American say."
"Yeah a, no one says that." Lenka shrugs.
"Well, if anyone says it or not it's true. She was the biggest loser that night. "
" When was the last time you saw her?"
" At the poker game two nights ago." Lenka yawns as Brot continues his barrage of questions.
" What time did you leave?"
"The game broke up about two a.m I left around an hour later."
"Did anything unusual happen at the game did Mrs. Montgomery talk to anyone in particular that you remember?" Lenka frowns his voice becoming gruff with the memory.
"I remember Mrs. Montgomery going into a drunken rage throwing things, attacking my guest and breaking furniture when she was asked to settle her loses. Then I remember calling hotel security and having her removed from the room and I haven't seen her since. Last I heard she was in your jail." He smiles smugly.
"And you haven't spoken to her?"Brot continues ignoring his snide remark.
"No I haven't . What is this all about anyway?" Lenka snaps beginning to sound annoyed.
"Those are all the questions I have right now. Thank you for your time." Brot snaps his note book closed storing in his breast pocket as he walks to the door.
"Let me walk you out." Lenka says rising from the sofa and walking few steps ahead of Brot to the door.
" Have a good day officer. " Lenka says reaching for the door and opening it mentally sighing relief as Brot walks through but instinctively knowing Brot still had questions he was going to ask to try and catch him off guard.
"Thank you sir. Oh one last question." Here they come Lenka thought.
" Do you know where Mrs Montgomery may be now?"
" No detective as I said before I haven't seen her since the game. But if you do let her know that jail doesn't erase her debt. Good day detective. "
"Oh Mr. Gregorian did you know that Mrs. Montgomery is broke.?"
"I would have never have guessed. But then again she played with a Lot of cash last night until she didn't. That's when she became shall we say distressed." Lenka chuckles "Wait, I do remember her saying something."
"What's that?" Brot asked mildly intrigued by his sudden flash of memory.
" After she told me she didn't have the money she bragged that she was going to be doing some work for someone and would have my money in a couple of days."
"Did she who she was going to be working for or how much money?"
"No, and I don't care as long she pays me the fifty "K" she owes me. Have a good day Detective." Lenka says shutting the door behind him.
Brot pushes the button for the elevator and adds to his notes while he waits. So Barbara bragged about making lots of money on a job after losing in the poker game. She made a stink and got herself arrested. Then went to jail. Was bailed out by the some expensive Center City Lawyer. But still no clue who paid for the lawyer. Perhaps the new boss on the job with the big paycheck? What would she be doing that could garner such loyalty from an employer or a fifty "k" paycheck? Nothing legal he was sure. But exactly who was pulling the strings?
Lenka pulls his phone from his pants pocket and dials. He picks up his glass and tosses the remains of his drink down the sink and rinses the glass as the phone rings on the other end.
"Hey it's me......Yeah he just left.........I did exactly as we discussed.......Of course! .....I left a trail to our friend even Hansel and Gretel could follow.
Barbara, Lenka and Sergei
Molly, Dani and Barbara
Molly and Justin
*Copyright "Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles © " 2019
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