Chapter 21: A New Adventure

-- Three Months Later --

“Ladies,” Walt exclaimed, “your glasses are empty!” He refilled Sandy and Debbie’s champagne glasses. When he realized the bottle was practically empty he topped off both their glasses with a little bit extra. Neither one told him that Stacy had refilled their glasses not that long before.

“Where are your significant others?” Walt asked.

“Are you kidding?” laughed Sandy. “You put a 70-inch television in the conference room, the game is on, and that’s also where the food is, where else would they be?”

“Of course, dumb question,” Walt said.

Before he could turn to chat with another guest Debbie said, “Hey, bro, I know I’ve said it a bunch of times, but seriously, congratulations. I can’t believe you retired from the Boston PD and you’re moving here to open your own Private Investigations office. I’m so happy for you. And I’m happy for me to have family in town.”

Walt used the empty bottle and clinked it with Debbie’s glass.

“I can’t believe it either, but I’m really excited. I think this next chapter of my life is going to be glorious.”

Walt disappeared around a corner. Debbie and Sandy sipped their champagne and scanned the room.

“Look at this place,” said Sandy. “I mean, just the number of people that are here for the private party celebrating the opening. I can’t believe how well-connected Walt is coming from the east coast.”

Debbie was shaking her head. “Don’t sell your sister short. Before Eric was killed they were becoming known around town. Yeah, she dropped out of society for about three years, but as she finished law school she was again engaged and getting pretty well reconnected herself. She’s responsible for at least half of this crowd.”

Debbie leaned in close to Sandy so she could not be overheard. “What do you think will happen to Nikki?”

Sandy whispered back, “I’m not sure. Stacy truly seems to not care. She knows that Nikki is going to prison and has no interest in following the case. That doesn’t mean I don’t call Mrs. Emerson occasionally to get an update, though.”

Debbie looked at Sandy with a conspiratorial grin. “That’s my girl.”

Sandy went on, “The last I heard is that Jacob and Danny were both implicating Nikki in the drug business in order to bargain a lower sentence. Jacob may get off as a first-time offender, but this is Danny’s third strike. He’s toast. Plus, the police found an unsolved murder case that seems to match one of the murders she admitted to on the mountain. She’s trying to pin that on Danny. He’s willing to testify against Nikki. The best part? The DA cannot retry Nikki for Eric’s murder, but she can be tried for conspiracy to commit murder. Even if she’s found guilty of only one or two of these charges, she’s not getting out of prison until she is a very old woman.”

“Hallelujah,” said Debbie.

Stacy sashayed up to where they stood. “Having a good time?” she asked.

“Of course. Walt just topped off our glasses. We think our husbands paid him off to get us tipsy so they get lucky tonight.”

“I think,” said Stacy with a grin, “he’s so happy he’s topping off everyone’s glass hoping they all get lucky.”

Before Stacy could turn, Sandy took her arm. “Walt was just here and Debbie told him how proud she was of him to move here and open this place. I want to tell you that I’m so proud of you, too. What you did to get to the truth about Nikki was incredibly stupid and risky, but damn, you did it, and in doing so you got a billion-pound monkey off your back. Then I thought you lost your mind when you told Brett you were turning down his offer at the law firm when you officially passed the bar. But now when I see the bigger picture of what you had in mind? I think you made the right call.”

The sisters had turned and were looking at the sign fixed to the wall behind the receptionist’s desk. The top line read, “Walt Crews, PI.” The second line read, “Stacy Holman, Attorney at Law.”

Stacy giggled. “I don’t think it’s set in yet.”

“It better,” chided Sandy. “You open to the public on Monday. And the way you talk, you already have a half-dozen prospective clients ready to talk. You’re going to hit the ground running.”