“Tough call.” I said dryly as I debated the possibilities. “Define torture?” I wiggled my eyebrows at her in a suggestive manner. Okay I was stalling. But no one said I couldn’t have a little fun while I did it.
“Stephanie?” Allison pleaded in exasperation.
“All right.” I grumbled as my bluff had finally been called. “First let me explain that I had no intention of telling you this, Chris was the one who lost the coin toss.” Allison just stared at me blankly. “I think Chris got these names from a bartender in the city. I mean who else but a bartender knows all the dirt on who is knocking boots with whom?”
“Knocking boots?” Allison scoffed. “Tell me did you learn that expression at Yale?”
“Anywho.” I continued ignoring the jab at my alma mater. “Chris was working on an idea I came up with. Well it was more of a theory really.” I stopped my ramblings when Allison cleared her throat and rolled her hand in a ‘get on with it’ motion. “Well to make a long story short …” I stammered.
“Too late.” Allison snickered.
“Okay okay.” I conceded. “All of the women on that list and yourself were not only involved with Jessica Beaumont, but are now being or have been investigated by the New York’s District Attorney’s Office.” Allison’s eyes widened at the revelation. “To be more specific they are being investigated by Simon Brenner.” I blew out a long cleansing breath and waited for the other shoe to drop.
It came quietly. “He knows.” Was all Allison said and then for a very long time she said nothing at all. “Jessica you idiot.” Allison suddenly snarled in disgust. “She must have written it down somewhere probably in the damn organizer she never let out of her sight. It all must be in there, names, dates how else could he have known when I was …” She stopped suddenly as her face grew ashen.
“When you were with her.” I finished for her.
Allison hung her head in shame and began to rub her eyes. “Chris knows all of this?” She asked numbly.
“Yes.” I responded softly.
“God she must be pissed.” Her voice drifted off as she spoke. She lifted her head and looked at me. “You know the funny part of all of this fiasco is that if it had been any other attorney handling this case I would have just come clean from the get go. The firm assumed that because of my prior relationship with Chris that if I had anything to hide I would tell her.”
“Ironic.” I said quietly.
“Tell me about it.” Allison agreed. “Chris was the one person I couldn’t tell about this. I didn’t want her to know what an idiot I had been falling for Jessica’s lies again. More importantly that I had turned to her because of it. Just how did all of this come out in the first place?”
“That was my fault.”
“But how did you come up with this?” Allison was amazed. “I mean I know how intelligent you are but this is incredible.”
“First off you are a terrible liar Allison Kendell.” I explained. “You are also anal as the day is long.”
“Thank you.” Allison groused.
“You told me that you were with Jessica for eight months.” I continued. “Chris said it was six. Not a detail either of you would screw up. Then you said something about being involved when you first met me. But you weren’t with Chris at the time. When you tried to cover up the slip up I knew that you were lying. So I started to put the pieces together and came up with Jessica.”
“You are a very clever girl Stephanie Grant.” Allison said with a genuine sincerity. “You have a little Laura Holt in you.”
“Now who is she?” I groaned.
“Did you never watch television?” She laughed.
“Apparently not as much as some people.” I teased her.
“Timing is everything.” She sighed thoughtfully. “Take us for example if things had been different then so much we’ve put each other through would have never happened. Then there is Jessica the first time I met her I was clueless. Hell I was a kid back then. When I found out about her husband I broke up with her immediately. Years later I found myself trying a case with Jessica as opposing counsel. After the trial was over she told me that she and her husband were separated. Little did I know that Jessica’s version of being separated meant she hadn’t seen him since breakfast. Of course when I figured it out I walked away. I don’t blame her really she grew up in a different era and coming out was never an option for her.”
“She may have to.” I said directly. “She’s your alibi.”
“She won’t.” Allison argued.
“But she …”
“She won’t.” Allison repeated. “I’ve already asked her.”
“She’s just going to let her husband railroad you?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes.” Allison confirmed my question without any hint of emotion.
“This certainly explains a great deal to me.” I said bluntly. “Now I understand why you ran away from me. The way I kept putting off breaking up with Peter. After what Jessica had pulled and then there is Brenda of course.”
“How do you know about Brenda?” Allison asked in shock.
“Chris.” I offered weakly.
“What else has she been telling you?”
“Nothing.” I lied.
“Stephanie?” She pushed.
“I swear that was it.” I held my hand. “Scouts honor. Look it’s raining.” I teased.
“No.” Allison blushed furiously. “Oh god she didn’t?”
“What?” I answered with feigned innocence.
“Oh my God!” Allison gasped as she buried her hands in her face.
Then suddenly her words were echoed through the wall. “Oh my God!” which was quickly followed by, “Yes! Yes Baby yes!”. I turned and stared at the wall. “They are at it again.” Allison groaned. “Our lady cop has a new girlfriend. It sounds like they are almost finished.” The sounds continued until someone thanked Jesus loudly.
“So that is who I heard on Halloween night.” I whispered as the last pieces finally came together.
“Who did you think it was?” Allison asked in bewilderment.
I didn’t answer her as I struggled to find a way to explain the bizarre events. “Time to put your cards on the table girl. Tell her. Tell her now!” My inner voice screamed. “I think I need to go to bed.” Allison yawned. “You would think that after all of the sleep that I’ve had in the past few days I would be wide awake.”
“Allison wait.” I said suddenly. “There is something else that you need to know.”
“There’s more?” Allison responded in a frightened tone.
“Yes.” I answered with a slight smile trying to reassure her. “Now hold on it’s nothing bad. I know now why you shut me out before I broke up with Peter. But do you know why I was avoiding you after I did?”
“Frankly no.” Allison’s voice was as smooth as velvet. “I’m more than a little curious. I thought of million reasons why. Maybe you needed more time or maybe weren’t interested in me. I was going insane. Finally I just backed off and started staying on campus and away from you. I was trying to give you some space.”
“I understand that now but at the time I didn’t.” I had to laugh at the situation. “I thought you were dating Courtney.”
“What?” Allison laughed. “She’s a bit young for me don’t you think? Well she’s not that young.”
“Yeah right.” I scoffed as I got up off of the sofa and went over to my briefcase and retrieved the card Courtney had given me earlier. I walked purposely over to Allison and handed it to her. “From Courtney.” I offered. Allison looked at it briefly before tossing it onto the coffee table.
“She dots her “it’s” with little hearts. Maybe she is that young.” Allison conceded. “That still doesn’t explain why you thought I was dating her. I only had the one date with her and you were there for most of it.”