Two-Faced (6 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jess straightened the house, started a load of laundry then ran water for a bath. It was wonderful to finally be able to relax. To let her mind drift to trivial matters, like whether she should run to the store for groceries or hold off until the next day. The one thing she was sure of was that she would never, ever get herself into a situation like that again. But maybe everyone was entitled to one big mistake in their life. Make that two, she thought, thinking of her marriage to Lars.

As she settled into the steaming hot water she realized that at least something good had come out of the whole mess. She and Ally were getting along better than they had in practically their entire adult life. They
’d even been able to discuss their father--a subject which was usually taboo.

Jess got out of the tub and dried off. Hearing
Lars’ Mercedes pulling into her driveway she threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt. Two short honks and a slammed door heralded Danny's arrival.

She opened the front door and Danny flew into her arms. "Mom, you won
’t believe what Grandma and I saw at the beach. There was a sea lion swimming right up close to the sand. Right out by the pier! I'm gonna call Albert and tell him all about it.”

'That's so exciting!" Jess said, bending down to hug him. She managed to land a few kisses on his cheeks before he squirmed out of her arms and ran over to the phone.

Jess looked up to find Lars watching her from the doorway. "Jess, I was hoping now would be a good time to talk,” he said.

"What? What on earth do we have to talk about?" She spat out the words.

"About us. Jess.” He took a step towards her. “I want us to get back together."

She was dumbstruck. "Back together? After what you just
tried to do to me?

"What? What did I do, Jess?" He looked genuinely confused.

"Don't play innocent with me. You tried to screw up my life.” She shook her head enraged. “Now you want to get back together? Why? Because your little blackmail plan didn't work?"

"Blackmail plan? What blackmail plan?"

"Lars, drop it. Just leave."

He took another step towards her. "Jess, please..."

Before he could say any more, she turned and stormed away. “Leave,” she said over her shoulder.

How dare he! That he could even look her in the eye
s after what he'd done!

She heard the squeal of
Lars’ tires as he pulled away from her driveway and took a deep breath. "Damn him," she said out loud.

"Ooh, Mom, you said a bad word." Danny's voice came from the den.

"Danny, honey, go get dressed. Maddy and I are taking you out to dinner tonight"

"You are? Cool. Gotta go, Alfred" he said into the phone as he came into the kitchen. "Are we gonna go to
McDonald's? Or somewhere nice?" The way he emphasized the word, nice, made it clear to Jess that he'd prefer McDonald's.

"Vito
’s," she said, naming his second favorite restaurant. "We're celebrating."

"We are? What?”

"Just that I love you so much. Now go to your room and change. And hurry up, Maddy's on her way. And don't forget to wash your face.”

Jess leaned against the counter and smiled. Things were going to be better from now on.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Mr. Collins was
standing next to Sally’s desk as Jess walked in. “You look mighty happy this morning, Jess. I take it you handled your problem and everything’s okay.

“
Everything’s great,” she said. “It’s all taken care of.” She was about to say more when the ringing of her cell phone interrupted her.

Collins nodded to the phone. “
Go on, take it. It might be about the Camden property. Nice ad by the way.

“
Thanks, I’m hoping for a bidding war,” she smiled. She looked at her caller id and recognized the number as her sister’s. “Hey, Ally. What’s up?”

“
Jess, I need to see you,” Ally said.

“
I can’t right now. I’m working. Then tonight. I’m taking Danny to a movie--but you’re welcome to come.” Jess said as she walked over to her desk and put her purse down.

“
Jess, you don’t understand. It’s important. I need a favor...”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ally was at the door before Jess could ring the bell. "Good, you're here.”

As usual, Ally looked
glamorous even though she wore black jeans and a black cashmere sweater, her hair was shiny and sleek.

Jess followed her into the living room. Ally poured herself a Dewar's at the black granite bar and gulped it down. As though suddenly remembering her si
ster, she turned to Jess. "Drink?" 

"It
’s a little early for me,” Jess said. She noticed that her sister was not her usual self but instead seemed nervous and jumpy. She walked over to the couch and sat down, wondering what it was her sister wanted from her. She decided to let Ally broach the topic in her own good time.

Ally lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. "I need you to drive down to Mexico for me. Tomorrow.”

Jess stared at her. "Mexico? You
’re kidding. Why?”

Ally ignored her q
uestions and walked back behind the bar where she retrieved a white cowboy hat. She laid it on the bar. "It’s simple. You'll be wearing a hat like this. You'll sit outside at the Flores cafe and put your hat on the table. At exactly four o'clock, a man will come up and switch hats with you. Then you drive back here. That's it."

Jess stared at her. The oddity of the request and Ally's nervous manner scared her. She could tell that his favor wasn't as simple as Ally was making it out to be and wondered if th
ere was something illegal in what her sister was asking of her. She wanted to ask but was afraid of the answer.

"So, are you in?" Ally asked.

"I don't understand. What’s this about?”

"Look, it
’s simple. I do it every month and I've never had a problem. It happens that tomorrow something came up so I can't go."

"But...are the hats? I mean, are they...is it... "

Ally jabbed out her cigarette "The less you ask the better, Jess. Honestly, I don't know what's in the hats and I don't ask."

Smuggling, Jess tho
ught. To Mexico. Or
from
Mexico. She felt her heart pounding at the thought. "Is it drugs? Are you involved in drugs?" She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice. "I can't get involved in something like that. I have a son."

Ally walked over to the couch
and stood over her sister. "Jessica, I did you a favor when you needed it. I didn't ask a lot of questions or get all high and mighty on you, did I?"

Jess looked down at her lap. It was true, Ally had helped her at a time when she had nowhere else to tur
n. Furthermore she’d promised she’d do anything to return the favor, never dreaming her sister would ask her to do something illegal. It all felt like a bad dream.

“
Fine,” Jess said softly without looking at her sister. "I'll do it.”

Ally
’s sigh was audible. She sat down in the chair opposite her sister and lit another cigarette. "I knew you'd keep your word, Jess. The important thing is, you’re not to mention it to
anyone."

Jess nodded, averting her eyes.

"Jess, look at me.”

She looked at Ally who now ap
peared calm and in control.

“
I mean
ever
," Ally emphasized. "I'd get in trouble and so would you. Do you understand? It would be very bad for both of us if you told anyone."

Jess felt her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She knew it was all a huge mis
take but she couldn’t back out now. She’d made a promise. "The problem is…I have to work tomorrow, and I promised to take Danny to...."

"Call in sick. Get a baby-sitter for Danny. Do whatever the hell it takes. The important thing is that you be here prom
ptly at twelve noon tomorrow. And don't tell a soul where you're going. Do you understand?"

Jess nodded and stood up, feeling dazed, as though she were moving under water. She found it hard to breathe as she made her way out the door without saying good-b
y to her sister. There was no one to blame but herself. She'd gotten herself into this mess, and she would have to live up to her end of the bargain.

Once in her car, she tried to reassure herself. If Ally did this every month, how dangerous could it be?
Besides once she did this favor, she’d no longer be beholden to Ally.

All that night Jess tossed and turned, afraid of what she’d gotten herself into. Leave it to Ally to be involved in something illegal. It had to be illegal. She was sure of it. Why else would Ally be so nervous and secretive about it?

Smuggling. It had to be drug smuggling. The very thought made Jess ill. That would certainly explain Ally's fabulous Palisades house, her great clothes and extravagant lifestyle, all
without any evident means of support.

Jess assumed that some man had been bankrolling her sister. Or perhaps several men
––and to be honest, she hadn't wanted to know the details. Now however she was being drawn into it against her will. Against her better judgment.

And it was her own fault. She couldn't even blame Ally for this. She'd gotten herself into it and now she would have to get herself out. That was all there was to it.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

It was a perfect Southern California day, sunny and 73 degrees, but Jess was too nervous to appreciate it. She drove to Ally’s in a daze.

The night before, she
’d phoned Lars and arranged for him to pick Danny up from school that day and keep him overnight. She’d claimed that she had an important meeting which was going to go late.

Then, that morning, she
’d called in sick to work and asked Sally to rearrange all of her appointments. Everything seemed to be taken care of.

“
It’s going to be fine,” she told herself, willing her heart to stop pounding in her ears. “It’s just one day and then it will all be over.”

At exactly noon, Ally opened the door and greeted Jess. She appeared to be back to her usual calm self as she gave Jess the once over. “
You okay?” 

Jess nodded nervous
ly as Ally led the way into her bedroom. A black leather mini skirt and a black, scoop-necked sweater lay on top of the white duvet. Ally motioned toward it. "Put it on." 

Jess looked at the outfit, then back at Ally. “
I have to wear that?”

Alley pursed h
er lips obviously trying to control her irritation. "Look, you're me for the day, okay? This is what I'd wear. So..."

Jess nodded and began to undress. She unbelted her car coat, slipped out of it and folded it over a nearby chair, then she removed her gr
ey tee shirt and jeans. and squeezed herself into the tight fitting mini skirt. She sucked in her stomach to zip it up, wondering how she’d be able to wear it for an entire day.

Ally handed her a pair of four-inch high black Jimmy Choo sandals. Jess grimac
ed but didn't say a word. She sat down on the bed and strapped her feet into the shoes, hoping that she wouldn't twist an ankle when she tried to walk in them.

Ally then led Jess over to her dressing table and went to work on her. She released her thick bl
onde hair from its ponytail and began blowing it out with a professional blow-dryer. Then she applied color onto Jess’s cheeks, lips and eyes.

Finally Ally took a step back and looked at Jess in the mirror.”
Perfect.”

Except for the look of fear and anxie
ty in her green eyes, Jess had to agree. She not only looked more beautiful but wilder and sexier then she’d ever seen herself.

She looked just like Ally.

"Now remember the instructions. You have to be at the Cafe Flores at exactly four o'clock to make the exchange of hats. And you have to get back across the border before six o’clock.”

"Why is that?"

"We have a woman working the border. She knows me and she'll be keeping his eye out for my car on the trip back. She gets off duty at six, though, so you have to be there before then."

Ally took another drag on her cigarette and looked at Jess thoughtfully. " She might ask for your ID, but don
’t worry. The purse I'm giving you has my ID in it. She'll let you pass without any kind of search. And she'll keep the dogs away from your car."

Now
, Jess thought,
back out now
. Tell her you can't do this. There’s no possible way on earth that you can do this. Just tell her, Jess screamed to herself.

But instead of saying anything, she looked at Ally and nodded silent
ly. She took the white purse Ally handed her and walked towards the door.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something?"

Jess froze.

"The hat." Ally picked up the co
wboy hat from the dresser and walked over and placed it on Jess's head. Jess struggled to balance it. It fit perfectly but was uncomfortably heavy––heavier than any regular cowboy hat.

"Please tell me what
’s in it, Ally. You owe me that much."

. "I owe y
ou?” Ally snorted. “Let’s remember who owes who, here.” She reached out and straightened the hat on her sister’s head. “Just keep it on at all times. The only time you take it off is at the cafe when you make the exchange. Got it?”

Jess nodded as Ally han
ded Jess the keys to her Jag. “Drive carefully.”

Jess got into her sister's Jag and pulled the door shut. Like any deal with the devil, this one would take place in luxury, Jess mused, as the Jag's engine purred to life. She put the car in gear and drove
off.