Bouquet of Lies (33 page)

Forty-four

LACEY RELISHED THE roar of the Yamaha mixed with the whoosh of the wind as she clung to Dan. They sped along the Angeles Crest Highway through the mountainous terrain, whipping past pine and fir trees, the shadows of the trees extending into the road. Lacey turned her head to look at Jake and Darla, not too far behind.

The sun radiated high above, making the day brilliant and warm. Beyond the green-crested mountains, the sky provided a rich blue backdrop with hardly a cloud to be seen. It was Wednesday. They passed a handful of cars and motorcycles going the other direction but essentially had the road to themselves. They overtook no one, so no one slowed them down.

When they reached the Switzer Falls picnic area, they easily found a place to park in the lot. It had been more than a year since the horrifying experience with Randy and Ana. The mother-and-son duo had thrown the dice and opted for a trial, rather than taking a plea. Their lawyer tried to make Darla seem like a weak-minded, hysterical girl prone to fantasy. Randy did nothing but love her, said the lawyer, and Ana—a certified Reverend—tried to be her friend. The prosecution brought out the fact that the Reverend’s certification was of the mail-order variety.

As for Lacey. Well, Lacey was a wild-child, upset with Randy for breaking up with her, seeking revenge as well as her father’s fortune.

Unfortunately for the defense, it turned out that both sisters made excellent witnesses.

“I know what you’re doing,” Darla said. “People have called me crazy all my life because I thought my mother was alive. But there she is sitting in the audience.”

“You also thought she was a ghost,” the defense attorney pointed out.

“I did. Because of the headbands and the Reverend Irene.”

“Headbands your sister gave you.”

“Randy gave me.”

“Wasn’t this all an elaborate plan by you and your sister to get your father’s money and pin the blame on someone else?”

Darla sighed. “Which is it you’re asking? I’m weak-minded and duped by Lacey? Or I’m cunning and in on a plot?”

“Move to strike.”

“Overruled. She has the right to understand the question.”

The lawyer had underestimated Darla.

And when it came to Lacey, the mud he slung was dirty and extra strong. Lacey kept her cool and denied the unsubstantiated accusations.

In the end, the defense couldn’t get evidence excluded. The connection between Randy and Ana was undeniable. The two had been overly confident, arrogant and sloppy. Bit by bit, all the red herrings and misleading detours presented by the defense were thwarted by the prosecution. And the defense couldn’t explain away the State’s mountain of facts.

It took the jury just six hours to convict them both. Each was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Lacey pulled off her helmet and watched Darla pull off hers. “How was that?” Lacey asked.

“Awesome.” Darla beamed.

Lacey felt so proud of her sister. She’d blossomed over the past year into someone with more confidence than most of the people Lacey knew.

“I’m hungry,” Jake said.

“Food first, hike second,” Dan agreed.

“And then we eat again.” Jake laughed.

“Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute.” Lacey waved her hand and removed a piece of paper from a pocket. She snapped it open and gave each person a Cheshire grin. “Let’s see if two lunches are on the schedule.”

Dan folded his arms and looked at her. “Where did you get that?”

Darla and Jake exchanged glances.

“From the back pocket of your jeans where you always put your to-dos.”

Lacey held it aloft with fanfare and read. “Seven a.m. breakfast.” She narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“This is more detailed than usual, but still, you didn’t say what you ate.”

Dan sighed and raised his hands in a what-can-I-say gesture.

“Clean up kitchen. Shower. Get dressed. Get to Lacey’s by ten.” She looked at Dan. “You were late.” She pursed her lips. “And why aren’t you squirming as I read this?”

“Everyone knows I jot down schedules. As for being late, I had an errand to run before I got there.”

“Errand?” She pretended to study the list. “There’s no errand written here.”

“I know.” And he winked.

“And what time is it? Are we on schedule?”

Jake checked his watch. “It’s twelve-thirty-ish.”

“No ishes.”

“Twelve-thirty-three.”

“Ha! You’re off by three minutes.” She feigned utter horror before she smiled. “Okay. That’s enough. Everybody eat.”

Lacey stuffed the list in a pocket, chose a picnic table, and deposited her backpack. Dan sat. Darla and Jake took the bench across from him. Lacey broke out the sandwiches Crystal had made. Then she handed out small bags of potato chips and juice boxes.

“I have news,” she said. “Drumroll, please.”

Darla tapped the table.

Lacey dunked a straw through the hole in her juice container and lifted it in a toast. “I want you all to know, I have completed my second semester of business school and have passed with flying colors. Henderson is very proud of me.”

She took a sip and everyone cheered.

“We had no doubt,” Jake said.

“No doubt at all.” Dan raised his juice box.

“But I’m disappointed in you,” Darla said.

Lacey left the straw in her mouth and quit drinking. “What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t finish reading Dan’s list of things to do. I want to know what comes next.”

“We can’t come up with that on our own?”

“I like watching him squirm.”

Lacey nodded. “The new Darla. Okay.” She put down the drink and took out the list, then turned it over to read the other side. “Arrive at Switzer Falls. Eat lunch. Hear Lacey announce her business school success.” She looked at Dan. “Smarty.” She looked back at the paper. “Ask Lacey to marry me.”

She stopped reading and stared. Jake grinned and Darla giggled.

Lacey looked at Dan. “And what does Lacey say?”

“She says yes,” Dan said.

“Pretty sure of yourself there, Ticket Master.”

“Haven’t given you a ticket in more than a year.”

“Stick-in-the-mud.”

“Not so much, anymore.”

“You’re right. Not so much. And you do know how to make bombs burst in the air.” She smiled slyly.

“A point in my favor.”

“A big point.”

“Well,” said Darla. Her eyes widened and she gave her sister a stern look.

“Well, what?” Lacey took a drink of juice.

“Well, I don’t want to get married alone when I get married for real this time.” Darla held out her hand. Instead of a promise ring there sparkled a big fat princess-cut diamond.

Lacey’s mouth opened. “When?”

“When Dan told me he was asking you,” Jake said. “I couldn’t pass up a really great brother-in-law.”

Darla grinned as she punched his shoulder and he put an arm around her and held her close.

“Well, in that case.” Lacey turned and looked in Dan’s amused eyes. “I love you,” she said.

“I know.” Dan put down his sandwich, wiped his hands against each other, and then pulled her to him. “All of me. So what do you say?”

“I say, yes.”

“She says yes.” Dan smiled at his future brother and sister-in-law. He pulled a small box from deep in a pocket and opened it. Inside sparkled a two-carat, Asscher-cut diamond ring. “Why I was late.” Lacey extended her fingers and he slipped the engagement ring on.

Speechless, Lacey placed her arms around Dan’s neck. She kissed him tenderly. And even though they weren’t alone and they weren’t making love at the moment, she felt excitement and passion. She was committing herself to a man she’d never have dreamed was her type. She looked forward to a future that left behind all the lies she’d ever been told and all the uncertainty of feeling unloved. She’d keep Bouquet as her middle name, appropriate if she ever became CEO of the company, and when the time came, she’d run Bouquet Industries with Mrs. Dan O’Donnell ethics. The lives she and Dan and Darla and Jake were going to lead would change the Bouquet legacy forever.

She glanced at her sister who was smiling at her and she smiled back. Life couldn’t get any better than this. And the years ahead? Well, they would be as bright as the sun shining over their heads.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roberta Smith
was born in Los Angeles and raised in Downey, California. She lives with her husband in Apple Valley, California. Smith is a member of the High Desert Branch of the California Writers Club where she has worn many hats, winning the Jack London Award in 2013 for her service. Aside from her passion for writing, she enjoys history, ghost stories and mysteries. She is the author of four novels that make up the Mickey McCoy Supernatural Mystery Series and is also the author of an anthology comprised of five Hitchcockian-type stories. In 2014 she published a non-fiction book about her great-great grandfather’s life and service in the American Civil War. You can visit her at www.bertabooks.com.